Outgoing? Luke Freeman

[Gin&Juice]

Stoke & Bournemouth interested. Not sure if mentioned on another thread. Be interesting to see what happens.

 

[S40BLADE]

Wonder if we will be able to field a squad with the amount of rumoured departures.

 

[Weasel]

Probably just his agent doing his job and looking to get his clients name out there either for a move this pre season if Big Slav doesn't fancy him or trying to raise his profile for a new contract now that he's only got 1 year left on his existing deal. He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't do it.

 

[robbiez666]

Bournemouth appear to have some money so hopefully he'll go there.

 

[Wards]

Will probably turn back into the Championship Maradona when he plays against us.

Hope he stays and gets in shape. He’s worth a roll of the dice for us and has the ability to do something a bit different. Not sure he’ll ever be PL material but we know he’s pretty good at this level.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Will probably turn back into the Championship Maradona when he plays against us.

Hope he stays and gets in shape. He’s worth a roll of the dice for us and has the ability to do something a bit different. Not sure he’ll ever be PL material but we know he’s pretty good at this level.

I know he’s a bit chubby but is he a cokehead as well?

 

[SwissBlade]

Not seen enough of him in a Blades shirt to say he’s a player we can’t lose, but would rather not sell to a potential promotion rival.

 

[McGoaldrick]

Definitely keep him

 

[bertieblade]

Don't think Wilder ever really gave him a chance, but would see it difficult to accommodate Didzy, Fleck and him in the same team.
His form fell off a cliff when he went to Forest, partially due to his injury but his general fitness seemed to find him wanting, telly tubbies cannot play Football

 

[brownblade]

Fitness issues last season. Proven to be a very good, very creative, Championship player.

 

[Weasel]

Get him fit with a full pre season and he could be a huge bonus for us next season. He's got the talent it's whether he's still got the drive to want to do it still and the fitness. If SJ gives him a fresh start and all goes well he might be a star for us next season. Id keep him if he's over his fitness issues.

 

[Farnboroughblade]

Well he won't be short of incentive to play out of his skin this coming season. If Slav likes what he sees in pre-season then Freeman would love to prove many people wrong. First CW for passing him onto Forest without giving him much time to settle; second, the Forest board for not taking up the 'option to buy' and third the Forest fans for not rating him. You could also add some of our own fanbase as well for that matter.
Go on Luke, prove all these people wrong, go out there and make a name for yourself in a Blades shirt.

 

[ben1987]

I thought loaning him out was fairly harsh in the first place. We were crying out for some creativity in midfield and he’d done alright in his very limited chances.

why not at least give him the option from the bench when chasing a game rather than sticking blindly to the flat 3.

he’s always been quality at championship level. I wouldn’t want to sell him to a potential rival.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Hope he's given a chance.

In the right team / formation, think he's got the ability to be a fantastic asset and the "Duffy" style player we've been short of the last couple of years.

Feel like its in his gift, get his head down, make an impact in pre-season and impress SJ then a starting place is his to lose. None of our current midfield have the attacking skill set of Freeman.

Sounds like there'll be interest if not, so a no lose situation

 

[Carlton Blade]

Loaning Freeman out last season if you get something inreturn, a replacement? Fine

What United actually did? Genuine self harm

Same again, use him in a swap to get somebody elses decent player who needs a change

 

[ancientblade]

yeah another strange decision by wilder to let him go out on loan and not replace him and sticking with this defensive flat 3 we were beaten before we kicked off most games

 

[Champagneblade]

Loaning Freeman out last season if you get something inreturn, a replacement? Fine

What United actually did? Genuine self harm

Same again, use him in a swap to get somebody elses decent player who needs a change

When it was all going a bit Pete Tong it was such an obvious thing to do, give 3-4-1-2 a bash at the top level especially when Lunny was clear he wasn't staying.

Frustrating we had some tools that never got used.

 

[Carlton Blade]

When it was all going a bit Pete Tong it was such an obvious thing to do, give 3-4-1-2 a bash at the top level especially when Lunny was clear he wasn't staying.

Frustrating we had some tools that never got used.

Looking back it feels more and more like some weird point scoring between the board and Wilder was going on for a fair old while.

I don't think Freeman makes any real difference last season but giving resources away for nothing and not using loans is just bad management all round by all involved

 

[Wards]

Getting some strong ‘I really don’t want to stay here’ vibes from this Good luck finding someone to take you Luke based on your output for the last two years.

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

I had such high hopes for him......

 

[Badger Blade]

Getting some strong ‘I really don’t want to stay here’ vibes from this Good luck finding someone to take you Luke based on your output for the last two years.

He sounds like me in my half year review (minus the cockney twang), paying a bit of lip service to the questions but knowing it's not where I want to be and promptly buggering off.

 

[Wards]

"This style of play certainly suits me more than it has previously" - a not so subtle dig there. We did shaft him a bit with the change in formation when we got promoted but he seemingly couldn't adapt his game to suit. I still don't see where he fits in really.

 

[mattbianco1]

Getting some strong ‘I really don’t want to stay here’ vibes from this Good luck finding someone to take you Luke based on your output for the last two years.

I don't think you can read too much into it. For me he's saying he wants to play regular football (which you can understand). I get the feeling if Slav says he can't guarantee him minutes, then he'll happily leave. But don't think that's Freeman saying he wants to leave.

 

[Scarebus]

I don't think you can read too much into it. For me he's saying he wants to play regular football (which you can understand). I get the feeling if Slav says he can't guarantee him minutes, then he'll happily leave. But don't think that's Freeman saying he wants to leave.

I'd feel similar in his position. Plucked out of QPR in his pomp for a then record fee, moved up north, position scrapped, sidelined, fucked off then injured. Probably regrets every minute of it.

 

[Guesty]

He was a terrible signing from the get-go and we've done everything possible to make it worse since.

Freeman moving on would be best for everyone.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Getting some strong ‘I really don’t want to stay here’ vibes from this Good luck finding someone to take you Luke based on your output for the last two years.

I think it'd be a free with United having to subsidise a % of his wages.

Same with Foderingham, Stevens, Burke, Robinson, Lowe and maybe even Norwood

 

[Carlton Blade]

He was a terrible signing from the get-go and we've done everything possible to make it worse since.

Freeman moving on would be best for everyone.

I thought he had a chance to be at least an effective squad player. But I can't argue that it showed a remarkable lack of imagination.

The 3 players I thought we'd sign were McBurnie, Robinson and Freeman. Mental that it came true because I know nothing

 

[SwissBlade]

"This style of play certainly suits me more than it has previously" - a not so subtle dig there. We did shaft him a bit with the change in formation when we got promoted but he seemingly couldn't adapt his game to suit. I still don't see where he fits in really.

I didn't find that one strange as much as the part about him and Slav getting time to have a chat.

In fairness, new manager, clean slate and with a manager known for a high press, it should also suit Freeman.

A new manager is going to be figuring out his best players for the formation he wants to play, so you either want to work your arse off and give yourself a chance to give him no option but to play you as you're showing your quality or you ask for a move... Not sure it needs a chat for that.

I'm sure he'll figure out where he fits in Slav's plans soon enough, but looking at him last night, i didn't really see anything where you'd put him down ahead of the other midfielders. Thought Brunt and Slater also looked better all round

If we were going to sell or loan to sell a player, i think Freeman would be one which i'd have no issues letting go, but similarly he could end up being a key player if things fall into place around him. Reminds me a bit of Kieran Dowell. If players around him are on their game, he can light up a game...

 

[Wards]

Didz is prime for the '10' role if we go down that route and I don't see Freeman dislodging him from that anytime soon. He wouldn't fit into a front 3, certainly not ahead of our other forwards so I can certainly see him being moved on. He'll be on a few quid mind so as Carlton Blade says it'll likely come at a cost to us in that regard.

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

I actually thought he did very well yesterday. He pressed hard. Got into a great position to chest/shoulder the ball into the net. And this is a player that really hasn't played much over the last two years, there is bound to be some rust. I would hate to give up on him.