Quote:
Originally Posted by GocartMozart
Personally, if I brought in a striker, he'd have to be good enough to start half of the games. I can't say that for most of that list for any of the reasonably priced strikers. Personally Frazier Campbell has earned the right to come back, but I think I'd like to see him loaned to a Premiership side for a season before considering him for a third striker. Manucho is just too unproven to be a third striker and he needs to come to the Premiership side before I believe he's worthy, but I'm not willing to let him get his feet wet on United's dime.
As for the expensive choices, Berbatov is about as brilliant as any of the others, but his age is my only real concern. All of those strikers are about the same cost, including Benzema who is my personal top choice. The lad is quick, agile, with a brilliant shot and is creative. I think he'd fit prefectly into this system. Is anyone else reminded of Torres in the way he plays? Huntelaar has a reputation, but I haven't seen enough of him to truly judge how he'd fit into this system. I know nothing about Fabiano. I've made my opinion on Santa Cruz known before and he wouldn't work. Dean Ashton is not good enough, end of.
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I'd agree with most of that.
I've serious reservations as to whether Campbell is up to United standard. He's young, quick and a decent finisher, but I've not been overly impressed by his all-round game and watching him against Watford at the weekend, his finishing wasn't up to Premiership standard either. By all means bring him back and have him as back-up, or loan him out to a side in the same division, but I don't see him being 3rd or 4th choice at all.
Benzema won't be coming, I'm fairly sure of that, at least not this summer anyway, but I actually think he'll be better than Torres in 2/3-years. His intelligence for a striker his age is amazing, the way he uses his strength, pace and body in general is very impressive, and he can score any type of goal - He's also very good as a lone striker (he plays that role most weeks at Lyon) as well which would fit very well into that 4-5-1/4-4-3 we sometimes use. It's unlikely we'll ever get him going by some of his comments and the fee Lyon would demand, but if there's one striker I could pick to join us this summer it would be him.
If you weren't a fan of the style when Ruud was in the side then I imagine you'd be against the signing of Huntelaar somewhat, but he scores goals so I wouldn't rule it out.
Berbatov is a top, top player, but do we want to pay £25m (maybe more) for a 27/28-year-old?
Santa Cruz has probably found his level now, he's a decent striker but I don't think he's United standard - He was also very injury prone in his time at Bayern.
Luis Fabiano is either a very good striker or a one season wonder, not worth the risk, in my opinion.
And as you said, Ashton simply isn't good enough.
There's a real shortage of top strikers who are available at decent prices these days, whoever we sign it'll probably be over the odds but I'll trust Fergie to pick the right one, he's usually very good when it comes to signing strikers.