Who Should Manchester United Sign - Diarra or Vieira?
Rumours are abound that Manchester United will be poaching Patrick Vieira from Juventus.
According to the Guardian, sources close to Vieira said on Saturday that talks between Manchester United and the player were under way. Regardless of his Gunner roots and his arrogance, I admire Vieira as a footballer and strongly believe that no Premiership side in their right mind would refuse the chance to sign on a player of his calibre, even if he just turned 30 last month.
This actually is the first positive sign for United all summer - that is, if you don’t count the morale-boosting but ultimately pointless 4-0 win over Orlando Pirates on Saturday evening. And it also poses a question for Manchester United:
Given our financial situation, we know that we have to buy smart, especially since we’re looking for two midfielders. Leaving aside Owen Hargreaves for a minute (for whom I’ve been campaigning since June), which player would be a better buy for Manchester United - Mahamadou Diarra (18-20 mil, aged 25) or Patrick Vieira (less than 10 mil or on loan, aged 30)?
Mahamadou Diarra
Gifted Lyon and Mali midfielder who is itching for a chance to play at one of Europe’s top clubs. Suitors include Real Madrid and Manchester United, with both Diarra and United waiting for Madrid to make their big money offer. Manchester United do not want to get dragged into a bidding war with Madrid and will be hoping that Madrid go elsewhere.
Biggest Advantage: Age - At 25, he could be a rock in United’s midfield for the next 5 years.
Biggest Disadvantage: High transfer fee. There is little doubt that he would succeed, but with the money we would have to pay for him you would think twice and look around for cheaper options first.
Patrick Vieira
Biggest Advantage: Experience. Is still fit enough to play at the high pace the Premiership demands, and will come much cheaper than Diarra. Only good for 2 more years though.
Biggest Disadvantage: None. Sorry, folks can’t find a thing against this guy. He’s not too old, and he’s a footballer first and “former Arsenal player” second. Even if Ruud stayed I have no doubt they could have played together, and even the tunnel spat involving Gary Neville would not be a problem. Of course, for Vieira to play under Neville’s captaincy would be a diff issue.
Pick Your Man
I rate the two men similarly in terms of skill, with the difference coming in age and experience at the top level.
Time for you guys to tell me what you think. Who should United buy - Diarra or Vieira?
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Mahamadou Diarra and Owen Hargreaves. Forget the striker unless someone really great comes up at a fair price. Buffon would be nice and Edwin can play cover.
it is a good question you raise. Both would do a great job, Vieira would probably be a better player, but not for long, Diarra would learn over a year and then be just as good, and for a longer time. However his price is pretty high, twice that of Vieira. However i think Diarra would be the better long term option, other wise we’ll be having this same talk in 2 yrs time. Ruud is gone, but i don’t think we are in desperate need of another striker just yet, we could still compete woth Rooney and Saha, with Rossi and Ollie in league cup and bench duties, rossi to take over Saha from next season on. An attacking mid would also help, Cahill would be a great addition to our team. Scholes and the future.
I would rather go for Kevin Nolan than Cahill - far better player
Definetly Viera, he’s the type pf player that would keep impressing till the age of 34. Torres is a must, if united want to scare the big boys, liverpool chelsea barca and so on… lets not do the same mistake we did with not buying ronaldinho. United need to stop talking and make actions instead. Buy Viera, huge opportunity, a chance like this would never come again(the whole Italian scandle thing).Sign Torres too and we will win the treble again. If not sack Fergie
Initially i thought Vieira was too old at 30 to get but the more i think about it and bearing in mind the low price he should be available for it would be a good deal. One of the main issues with Diarra is that he is a defensive midfielder and like Makelele who he has been likened to is job is simply to protect the back four and breakdown opposition attacks. So to shell out something like 20 million plus for someone who lets face it is not gonna produce that killer ball or score 20 goals a season regularly is inevitably going to lead to a situation that Man Utd find with Miller and found with Djemba Djemba. Both are naturally defensive midfielders and players for me in this position do not get recognised by their work like Makelele does because in such an attacking team as Man Utds they are expected to score or produce killer balls on a regular basis. Someone like Gattuso who you could argue is naturally a defensive midfielder is someone who is very much is in the Keano mould for me. He rampages forward and gets back covering enormous amounts of ground with such passion, something Vieira did for Arsenal which is why their value to their teams is so highly recognised. That is why there are three different types of defensive midfielders, like Vieira, Keane and Gattuso as one type, Mascherano, Diarra and Makelele as another and a third but unique type such as to mind Pirlo, Xabi Alonso and Carrick. For Man Utd i dont believe the second group are the solutions to the Man Utd midfield. Ideally, although some may not agree i’d like to see Vieira and Carrick play alongside each other in the Man Utd midfield, but i’d only pick Gattuso ahead of Vieira if he was available. Players like Mascherano are more suited to Chelsea’s style of play because they do not ask Makelele to rampage forward because they will have Ballack and Lampard to do this for them next year. Mind the prospect of Vieira and Carrick locking heads with Ballack and Lampard does sound very enticing. Secondly, Diarra is a Malian if im not mistaken and wouldnt that require him to play in the African Nations which would take him out of a chunk of the second half of the season and may tire him out. Finally, i’d like to salute Ruud Van Nistelrooy for the contribution he made to Man Utd the last five years and although it is a shame that he is leaving it is i think in both parties interests.
P.S. Get Fernando Torres…not Defoe!
Letting Ruud go, think it’s a good thing. Good acquisition will be to buy BUFFON, a world class keeper. Hope Sir Alex will not made the same mistake as with Van Der Sar, Letting him Slipped from out hand as he (Buffon) is in his best form.We, need Quality Midfield to match the qualities of like, Ballack, Lampard, Gerrard Etc. Patrick Veira is good, only for short term, but we long term Midfield, Gatuso, Nolan & Owen Hargreaves Will be the best Contendence.Hopes United will made Wise Acquisition this Year, Not only to wait & let others take our best opportunities Midfield Players.One United Always United
Well maybe forget Vieira, Diarra and Hargreaves,and get Gattuso and Pirlo now we are talking.
I’m an Arsenal fan and I’d urge you to sign Vieira - lol! You’ll get a few good performances out of him, such as those two he showed in at the World Cup, but the evidence of the last few seasons does not lie. Go on, look no further than those recent World Cup games and go for him!