The summer transfer window has been in full flow for two months now but rather than do an Arsene Wenger and wait until the end of the period to get the players he wants in, the two men at the helm of Manchester United and Liverpool have taken the initiative and done most of their shopping early.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s team is in the rebuilding phase with Edwin Van der Sar and Paul Scholes retiring last season and the average age of the whole squad peaking in the late twenties, it was necessary for him to spend this summer.
And that he has: £17.8 million going to the young Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea from Athletico Madrid, winger Ashley Young from Aston Villa for £16 million and then moving from Blackburn, the robust defender Phil Jones for a similar price to Young, taking the grand total to £50.3 million pounds. And that’s without a creative midfielder!
The Jones transfer probably took a lot of supporters by surprise as the United squad has a fair amount of defenders (though questions over Rio Ferdinand’s fitness were made last season) and the England U-21 international having only signed a new five year contract with Rovers in May of last year.
But with Ferguson moving on stalwarts Wes Brown and John O’Shea to Sunderland, it became a necessity. At just 19 years-old the manager has acquired himself a solid defender who already has Premier League experience, featuring 35 times in two season’s for the Lancashire club.
And with many touting him as one for the future of England with many impressive displays for the U-19’s as well as at U-21 level, Sir Alex will be able to work his magic of developing young talent into the very best. For the player, it will mean possible Champions League exposure as well playing at the very top for one of the best teams in the country.
Another team that fits in to that category in Liverpool has also been eager in the transfer market. Kenny Dalglish has brought in the vibrant midfielder Jordan Henderson from Sunderland for £16 million and then the much sought after Charlie Adam for just £9 million from Blackpool.
Getting such an influential midfielder for under £10 million is a real bargain. There was no secret in Adam wanting to leave Ian Holloway’s side but there was no denying the effort he gave for the Seasiders during the relegation fight last season and the 12 goals he scored was proof of that.
But it was only fair to give the Scottish international the chance to continue playing in the Premiership when he obviously has the talent to do so. It will be interesting to see how Dalglish sorts out the formation to accommodate both the returning Steven Gerrard and Adam But if there is a way to incorporate both it will one of the most creative central midfielder partnerships seen in the Premier League for some time. Both hard workers, both highly influential, both equally as good at scoring goals from midfield.
And at 25 years-old, Adam is still very much in his prime and can only get better and develop more as a player which will be very easy at Anfield.
So who is the better player? This is quite a difficult one to decide as they aren’t in the same position and are at different ends of the playing spectrum. With Jones, the Red Devils have a defender who has the youth but some experience. And with Adam, the Reds have a midfielder who has the experience but is at the peak of his career.
Just because I’m worried that Dalglish won’t want to risk having such a creative midfield without some defensive element to it, meaning unless Gerrard gets injured again Adam might be stuck on the Liverpool bench for a fair degree of the season, I’m going for Phil Jones as the better signing.
Jones is a player for the future and Ferguson always has the knack of turning such players in to superstars (except David Bellion, but everyone makes mistakes) and Jones can easily follow that pattern.
A future England defender? And just 19 years-old now? It’s a no brainer.
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Phil Jones
CAdam
JH
Of course it is big Phil the best signing. Charlie Adam looks like one of the Teletubies …….. 🙂
How can you compare a defender with a midfielder?
This is unfair towards Phil Jones.
He’s in many ways a very unproven player, and only had 25 games for Blackburn last season, many of which, were as a sub. To say his lack of experience showed at times, would not be an unfair to say, but he had a magnificent partner at centre back at BRFC in Samba, whom saved him on several occations.
And still, United bought him for about £20 mill.
Charlie Adam on the contrary, proved an astonishing asset for Blackpool. Scoring 13 goals last season (which was more than 1/5 of the total goals scored by Blackpool last season), and providing 8 assists, which was 7th most in the league, and this he did FOR A RELEGATED TEAM.
He also went on to be one of five nominated to the higly prestigious Player of the Year-award.
And he was later bought for £7 mill. rising to £8.5 mill. to Liverpool.
No-brainer you say? I couldn’t agree more.
I’ll take an established, top Prem-player over a talent who COULD be the same in 2-4 years, anyday. Especially when the first option was almost three times as cheap.
Utter garbage. Unproven defender against a man who almost single handedly kept his team in the premier league??
Sort your self out mate.
WHO’S THE BETTER SIGNING: PHIL JONES OR CHARLIE ADAM? Very hard to judge when one is a defender and one is a midfield player, but lets try with your twisted logic.
Ok so price, Im going with lowest wins on that one
9 mil Adam wins
16 mi
12 Goals 8 Assists Adam wins
0 Goals Not sure on Assists
On those two things think the pool got the better deal. But you are probably a manc so no doubt you would be shouting for Phil.
hahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
totally agree with you mate.
16m for phil jones……just leave it at that 6m for adam hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……. phil jones who doesnty understand one thing about beign a defender…defending
NO,what a surprise,no doubt a `Sir` Alex Ferguson psycho-fant,1 a defender and 1 a midfielder duh o yes but plays for Man U HAS to be Jones,(dont know why i bothered lookin) YNWA
“He’s in many ways a very unproven player, and only had 25 games for Blackburn last season, many of which, were as a sub. To say his lack of experience showed at times, would not be an unfair to say, but he had a magnificent partner at centre back at BRFC in Samba, whom saved him on several occations.
And still, United bought him for about £20 mill.
Charlie Adam on the contrary, proved an astonishing asset for Blackpool. Scoring 13 goals last season (which was more than 1/5 of the total goals scored by Blackpool last season), and providing 8 assists, which was 7th most in the league, and this he did FOR A RELEGATED TEAM.
He also went on to be one of five nominated to the higly prestigious Player of the Year-award.
And he was later bought for £7 mill. rising to £8.5 mill. to Liverpool.
No-brainer you say? I couldn’t agree more.
I’ll take an established, top Prem-player over a talent who COULD be the same in 2-4 years, anyday. Especially when the first option was almost three times as cheap.”
Couldn’t agree more about this.
Author obviously is a manc of some sort.
Charlie Adam all the way, no question.
How do anybody compare him to a squad-player like Jones..??
Charlie Adam > Phil Jones.
How can you compare the 2, what a load of tosh this article is. I know Jones is a Defender/Midfielder but their both different players, compare him with Henderson……YNWA
charlie adams is as good as pirlo dont ya know la…..YAWN
If you ask 100 people more than 70 percent will tell you its Adam cause apart from being a midfielder he is also a player with good qualities, he alone was blackpool last season.
The fact is that Liverpool were prepared to do anything to sign Phil Jones and United could have signed Charlie Adam if we had wanted to…..
Well that pretty much answers the question. (Don’t cry Kenny)
i don’t like agreeing with Manc scums but your right about liverpool trying all they could to sign Jones, and Adam’s a Utd fan so Utd could have got him had they bid. But this article is pointless as you can’t compare the 2……YNWA
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