SAF on a striker: "But we do need experience." - Berbatov?

032Devil

Alex Ferguson: Dimitar Berbatov fits the bill
By Derick Allsop
Daily Telegraph


Alex Ferguson leads Manchester United into the deciding day of the Premier League season signalling his intent to sign Dimitar Berbatov ahead of the next campaign.

As United seek victory at Wigan to secure the club's 17th title, Ferguson has admitted for the first time that his priority is to find an experienced forward to complement his already formidable attacking options.

Dimitar Berbatov: hands up if you want to play for Man United
That will inevitably reinforce the belief that the United manager plans to prise Berbatov, the elegant Bulgarian striker, from Tottenham Hotspur.

Ferguson said: "We will buy in the summer. I'm quite happy with the one or two things we have done. In the striker department we have young Danny Welbeck, who's got a great future, and Fraizer Campbell, who's done a fantastic job on loan at Hull this year.

"We'll also have Manuchu back from Panathinaikos. He showed in the Africa Cup of Nations what a big, powerful striker he is. So, along with Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, we've got planty of strength in that department. But we do need experience."

Louis Saha has contributed little because of injury over the past 18 months and Ferguson appears finally to have ruled the Frenchman out of the equation. United have prospered despite the absence of a recognised centre-forward, but with Berbatov as the spearhead of their attack and Rooney liberated, their potency would assuredly be enhanced.

***

Apologies for a seperate thread but I thought that this was the first words about a striker straight from SAF. He's looking for an experienced striker so a young one can be discounted: No Benzema or Huntelaar; may be a Berbatov though he doesn't say it himself.

FOR FULL ARTICLE: (He also goes on to talk about Gary's return).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sfnman111.xml

bbest

The reported 35 mp is way too much.

Sultan

Michael Owen is experienced...

Please God no!

Snake Doctor

Seconded, for a sulky forward who is inexistant for half of the matches he plays in it's a joke.

francobaresi

Where in that article does SAF mention Berbatov?

032Devil

From the NOTW:

FERGIE LAUNCHES OWEN BID
By ANDY DUNN and DAVID HARRISON

MANCHESTER UNITED have taken the first steps in a sensational move to sign Michael Owen.

Informal contact has been made between United and Owen's representatives over a summer transfer.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes he can snap up the England striker for a cut-price £7million and is pushing for a speedy conclusion to the deal.

The United boss is convinced Owen can provide the missing ingredient to his strike force – a penalty box predator who can convert half chances.

Fergie confirmed this week that an Owen-type striker was high on his list of summer targets.

Louis Saha looks certain to be unloaded and Sir Alex said: "We will buy. Along with Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, we may need experience in one forward position, somebody to take over from Ryan Giggs eventually."

Owen's recent goal-scoring form has convinced Fergie he can still cut it at the highest level. However, he would probably want to sign the striker on an incentive-based contract, dependent on games and goals.


Immediate

United's interest comes at a time when Owen's future at Newcastle has been thrown into serious doubt.

Talks have yet to begin on a new contract and the indications are that he will be expected to take a £40,000-a-week cut on his £120,000-a-week earnings.

That will be rejected by Owen and he will either press for an immediate move or see out the last year of his deal and go for free in 2009.

Meanwhile, Fergie will pick up a £500,000 bonus if he leads United to the double and nd his weekly wages will rise from £70,000 to £90,000.

devilish

SAF had already declared that he want youth talent. There again, if a good player is available at the right price (Im not saying Micheal Owen) then why not.

032Devil

But like SAF said in the article, his got youth in Welbeck, Campbel, Manucho and Rooney. What he want in his strike force is experience. Maybe someone like a Sheringham; an experienced striker that's been through it all and can keep calm and use his noggins when the pressure is on.

From that point of view, Owen, Berbatov, Santa Cruz and a few of the other names already mentioned in the other threads fit the bill.

BA005

Huntelaar has a fair bit of experience at 24 years of age. Sign him!

Ekeke

You know, it could easily be taken another way. He says "But we do need experience" right after talking about Campbell, Welbeck and Manucho.

He could simply mean experience compared to 3 players who havent set foot in the champions league or played in a top flight european league. Manucho is getting a few games now, but he's nowhere near experienced in european leagues.

That would make sense as we bid for Benzema - hardly the most experienced player, but he's scored goals in his league, in the champions league and for his country. And thats most likely the kind of player we'd like to bring in. Someone who is still young, but has more experience than Manucho, Welbeck and Campbell.

Jacob

Didn't say anything about Berbatov

Drifter

Chris H

Press has to speculate - we muppets buy papers too, after all. But at this stage of things, we'd have better luck figuring out what Fergie's plan is by slaughtering a goat and reading the entrails.

Someone young. No, experienced! Mobile. No, line-leading! Massive signing. No, squad player! Someone who matches our style. No, gives us something different! We'll stand pat. No, improve the squad! Each time Ferguson opens his mouth between now and the actual dealings/ providings, he'll be interpreted as looking for any one of those qualities, one after another.

But bring on the transfer dealings! Oh, erm, after the uh, two matches of course. Yes of course. Matches first, matches first.

devilish

Well age does not neccessary means experience my friend. Take Eagles as an example. He is 22 but with little first team experience. Rooney is also 22 but he have been playing week in week out for years, he has 42 caps with England and ample CL experience. Would you put (experience wise) Eagles and Rooney at the same level?In my opinion SAF will be first searching for that special young talent who would add something to the side. If he fails on doing so then he will turn to second or third options ie either to an experience head or else to a young striker with great potential and some experience. With so many strikers on the market/wanting a move (Huntelaar, Aguero, Adriano, Villa, Etoo, Berbatov, Johnson, Crouch, Saha, Amauri, Toni etc) I believe that it will be more of a buyer's market this time. I wouldnt be suprised if we end up doing a bargain.

Devil_forever

There are pros and cons of getting either berbatov or owen.

pros of owen:
Has a great goal scoring record.
Very intelligent in and around the box.
£7 mill would be a bargain.
Great attitude

cons of owen:
Few injuries recently.
One of the reasons behind him leaving newcastle is that he wants a massive salary £100,000+ which united simply won't offer him.


Pros of berbatov:
Great in the supporting striker role.
In form and one of the best in europe right now, especially his ability to hold the ball up.
Has the ability too produce a moment of sheer brilliance out of nothing.
Wants to play for United (but who doesn't)

cons:
we need an CF but he's a bit more of a SS (we already have tevez and rooney in those roles)
Bad attitude and would throw a tantrum if benched, which will be the case if we're to accomodate: rooney, tevez, manucho, campbell and him.
Looks like couldn't care less in some matches and only really tries when he's playing us (to impress)
£25-35 mill (which spurs would inevitably want for him) is wayy too much for us to invest in a player who's 28 and has attitude issues, only the likes of benzema and gomez(who'd be around the £20mill mark) should fetch that kind of fee.


I think that Fergie will go for owen because one thing fergie won't stand for is players with bad attitudes (remember what happened to ruud after he threw that tantrum after being benched?) and as much as the muppets would love to sign berbatov for £25mill+ it just won't happen due to our level of debt and the fact that we will be paying hargreaves' transfer fee (£17mill rising to £20mill) off THIS summer and then tevez's next summer (£20mill).

Godfather

Owen? Fuck's sake please no. He is probably exactly what we don't need.

He is small, old and injury prone.
We need someone with great arial presence, who can score goals with his head, someone who hold up the ball for the like of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo.
In a way someone like Berbatov with a better attitude. Someone like Benzema.

But certainly not an ex-Liverpool player.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

Berbatov, Fabiano, Henry and E'too are the only men on the market that fit the description of an experienced forward with the element we lack. A natural lead the line forward

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

It is. Because the Bulagarian will not cost more than 25 million. Because it is a buyers market this time around. So many options to choose from. Plus the fact a players desire to go to a particular place will further drop the price.

devilish

He should be worth less MUCH less.

EZee

cant fabiano go for abut 8 million or summat?...

experienced, not too expensive and as he speaks portugese he will fit right in

Elliott

In the striker department we have young Danny Welbeck, who's got a great future, and Fraizer Campbell, who's done a fantastic job on loan at Hull this year.

Hopefully this means Campbell will be given a proper chance to shine next season.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

No way. He is the best player at spurs, with European experience and pedigree. That is his right value.

Anduin

Mario Gomez. Enough experience in the German league, still young, already played Champions League football, has featured in the German team quite a few times as well. Plus he won't be as expensive as the players you mentioned above.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

Agreed

Ekeke

We just need an experienced player compared to Welbeck, Manucho and Campbell. Basically any striker we've been linked to fits the bill.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber

He is too young too be considered experienced.

Crustanoid

SAF (on Owen): 'If Saha goes we need someone with experience (of being injured) - otherwise who will keep our medical staff and physios in a job'

Razwan000

"Along with Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, we may need experience in one forward position, somebody to take over from Ryan Giggs eventually."

from skysports website,

replacing giggs, i thought that was nani,

Razwan000

owen could turn out to be another saha but him and rooney could form a lethal parternship

devilish