Leighton Baines

::sonny::

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Leighton Baines To Old Trafford ?

There are strong rumours circulating that Sir Alex Ferguson is about to submit a £6 million bid for Leighton Baines.

With all the talk of the Geordies trying to lure Baines up to the North East, Manchester United have gone about business in their usual quiet way.

Current United left back Gabrielle Heinze is currently in talks with Real Madrid.

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=67673

^^^

very very interesting player

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Leighton Baines
Player Profile

Young left-back Leighton Baines has been a huge success at Wigan since making his debut back in 2002. In 2003/04, he became a first team regular and was named the club's Young Player of the Year.

He continued to thrive in their promotion season, scoring a scorching goal against Ipswich in December 2004, and became an integral part of the side in the 05/06 season, making 43 appearances and staking his claim to a regular role in the England Under-21 squad.

He continued this fine form in 2006/07 as he scored three goals in 38 games. He is now a vital part of the Wigan set-up.
 
If we get 5 million for Heinze, as it being reported, seems like a nice pickup.

I'm not going to make the obvious quote about a striker. Although, I think I just did.
 
he would be a decent signing imo, he can take a mean freekick
 
Good player, good at freekicks, young, fergie could turn him into a top defender. Would be a good buy.
 
would be a good signing also nice to see fergie after another englishman. I love the fact that he seems to think that english teams need an english core.
 
nooshka said:
would be a good signing also nice to see fergie after another englishman. I love the fact that he seems to think that english teams need an english core.
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And he seems to be the only one left in the league.
 
Would not be against this if it was true. Only if Heinze is sold though, he is not needed if he stays.
 
Yeah if Heinze goes could be a decent buy and I reckon he'd eventually give Evra a run for his money given a bi of time. Not sure we really need him...but then again last season I was moaning about squad size so perhaps a few more squad players wouldn't be such a bad thing
 
youre new Sonny so you're excused this time. Please post in the correct forums. There is a transfer forum for all rumours & transfer news (not everyone likes to read that stuff)
 
Another Scouser, we'll have as many in our team as Liverpool!

Still Baines is a useful player and 6m would be a snip. However I'd be pretty happy with Patrice and Mickey going into next season
 
Eto'odinho said:
Below par defender whose only meaningful contribution is the set-pieces. £6mil you're having a laugh
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He will only develop and go from strength to strength as he gets older, and under Fergie he will flourish.

A much better version of Gareth Bale with better premiership experience, I could see him doing well at OT.
 
nemanja nemagic said:
He will only develop and go from strength to strength as he gets older, and under Fergie he will flourish.

A much better version of Gareth Bale with better premiership experience, I could see him doing well at OT.
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To be honest I don't see much potential and scope for development in him.Besides why sign another defender when our academy keeps on churning them out by the bucketload?
 
yes i like him alot, and we all know fergie is an admier.
 
Great defending and especially attacking left back. Sweet striker of the ball and i rate him very highly. Scored a few class goals, eg vs us and Spurs at home
 
The only sense in this is if Gabby doesn't feel he can reclaim his first team place and isn't okay with being Evra's backup.

Evra is still fairly young and Gabby won't be retiring for a number of years. And both are quality left backs.
 
I agree that Baines is a good young player. He's English, has Premiership experience and can strike a pretty mean dead ball.

But, United really don't need him. We have many good defenders coming out of the the youth academy and coming back on loan. Why not try and find a way of incorporating Evans or Pique as a back-up left-back, rather than spend 6m on Baines?

Good thing with Heinze/Silvestre is that both are versatile - able to play CB or LB depending on what was needed. Heinze's ability to play at CB was quite important towards the end of the season. Why not develop Evans/Pique as a left-back, and as they can already play in the centre, you have another versatile defender, which are very useful.

Conclusion: Develop Evans or Pique, and not buy Baines.
 
Baines is a very good defender, in my opinion he should have been given a chance ahead of Shorey for the England game. However I think we should only be interested if both Silvestre and Heinze are definitely leaving.
 
marcus agrippa said:
'below par'? you are havin a laff, mate! - this kid, at a proper club, has great potential.
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Not a laugh or anything, I am merely stating what I have observed of him thus far.His defending is very suspect to say the least even when he plays for England U21.I just dont see in him any kind of potential that could be developed or anything that the masses of young defenders coming through the ranks at United don't have.
 
Eto'odinho said:
Not a laugh or anything, I am merely stating what I have observed of him thus far.His defending is very suspect to say the least even when he plays for England U21.I just dont see in him any kind of potential that could be developed or anything that the masses of young defenders coming through the ranks at United don't have.
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He would add youth to the squad but yes he isn't an improvement on what we already have
 
Eto'odinho said:
Not a laugh or anything, I am merely stating what I have observed of him thus far.His defending is very suspect to say the least even when he plays for England U21.I just dont see in him any kind of potential that could be developed or anything that the masses of young defenders coming through the ranks at United don't have.
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Evra's defending was very suspect in his first few months with United. Not so bad now, ey?

Anywho... Baines would be a surplus to goods and only a requirement if both Heinze and Silvestre are sold. Not sure where he fits at the moment, even if Heinze departs.

Gazza----Rio--Vidic----Evra
O'Shea--Wes--Pique--Silvestre

Then there's Bardsley and Evans.
 
MrMarcello said:
Evra's defending was very suspect in his first few months with United. Not so bad now, ey?

Anywho... Baines would be a surplus to goods and only a requirement if both Heinze and Silvestre are sold. Not sure where he fits at the moment, even if Heinze departs.

Gazza----Rio--Vidic----Evra
O'Shea--Wes--Pique--Silvestre

Then there's Bardsley and Evans.
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Exactly why spend vast sums of money for quality that is no better than what we already have in our books>
 
Baines is very much underrated. He's a very solid fullback and honestly, Gareth Bale is not even in the same class as him in terms of defending. He can become the Gary Neville of the left side if he joins us. and I don't even care about his set pieces because I rate Anderson higher anyways... he does seem to have a rocket of a free kick so perhaps he can take the longer range ones.

Definitely a great signing, £6 million is a bargain especially for English talent nowadays.
 
The original source of this speculation is almost 2 months old!
 
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