Manchester United are preparing to open negotiations with Atletico Madrid to sign striker Fernando Torres. (Sunday People, Star on Sunday, Sunday Express)
United to open negotiations with Atletico Madrid? After a bit of preparation that is.
- Thread starter Nick 0208 Ldn
- Start date
16 July 2006
TORRES IN.. VAN OUT
Football's BACK! Fergie's £23m striker switch
By Steve Bates And Scott Piecha
MANCHESTER UNITED were last night preparing to open negotiations with Atletico Madrid to sign £23million striker Fernando Torres as the replacement for departing Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy.
And in what is set to be a frantic week for chief executive David Gill, United also expect to tie up a player-plus-cash deal for Tottenham's England midfielder Michael Carrick.
Gill pulled out of the club's trip to South Africa to mastermind the two big transfer chases...and complete the sale of van Nistelrooy.
Real Madrid's director of football Pedrag Mijatovic jetted in to Manchester last night to try to finalise a £15million deal for the Dutchman.
Gill has already spoken to Bayern Munich about van Nistelrooy, and Newcastle would also like to talk to the striker.
But it seems the Bernabeu is his destination and, once that has been sorted out, United will move for Torres.
The Atletico Madrid star, part of Spain's World Cup squad, is a wanted man but Sir Alex Ferguson has led the chase for a long time.
Gill has promised Fergie a couple of major summer signings and, while the pursuit of Torres could be protracted, United should be able to unveil former West Ham star Carrick in the next week or so.
Fergie is ready to sanction a £12m fee for the England midfielder...and is prepared to throw in John O'Shea as well. Tottenham have been trying to resist United's move for Carrick but know they are fighting a losing battle.
Spurs boss Martin Jol is understood to have responded to the offer of O'Shea by demanding Wes Brown instead.
But while the two clubs cannot agree on the player to be included in the package, it now seems they are not that far apart in agreeing the Carrick move.
Ferguson and Gill still have to deal with the Cristiano Ronaldo will-he-stay-or-go situation as well.
While United are determined to keep the Portuguese winger, his agent hinted to the SP that there are a string of big clubs chasing him.
Jorge Mendes said: "It is not just Real Madrid that are waiting for news about Ronaldo. We have other big clubs interested in him because he is a world star."
Mendes is due in Manchester on Wednesday for a meeting with Gill. While it is still likely that Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford, van Nistelrooy's departure is a formality. Ferguson believes van Nistelrooy is not the force he once was and reckons the United team functions better without him.
Van Nistelrooy, who had a bust-up in training with team-mate Ronaldo last season, also clashed with Dutch coach Marco van Basten during the World Cup.
United's move for Torres undermines reports that they are ready to swoop for another Spurs star - Jermain Defoe.
It was claimed that United have already made a move for the £15m-rated England man, controversially left out of the World Cup squad.
But a Spurs source has emphatically denied the speculation.
Only last month, Spurs angrily rejected a public move by United for Carrick, which came in the middle of England's World Cup campaign.
Spurs manager Martin Jol insisted throughout that Carrick was not for sale and will no doubt adopt the same hard-line stance on pint-sized predator Defoe.
WEST BROM boss Bryan Robson has rejected United's £3m bid for his Polish international keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
TORRES IN.. VAN OUT
Football's BACK! Fergie's £23m striker switch
By Steve Bates And Scott Piecha
MANCHESTER UNITED were last night preparing to open negotiations with Atletico Madrid to sign £23million striker Fernando Torres as the replacement for departing Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy.
And in what is set to be a frantic week for chief executive David Gill, United also expect to tie up a player-plus-cash deal for Tottenham's England midfielder Michael Carrick.
Gill pulled out of the club's trip to South Africa to mastermind the two big transfer chases...and complete the sale of van Nistelrooy.
Real Madrid's director of football Pedrag Mijatovic jetted in to Manchester last night to try to finalise a £15million deal for the Dutchman.
Gill has already spoken to Bayern Munich about van Nistelrooy, and Newcastle would also like to talk to the striker.
But it seems the Bernabeu is his destination and, once that has been sorted out, United will move for Torres.
The Atletico Madrid star, part of Spain's World Cup squad, is a wanted man but Sir Alex Ferguson has led the chase for a long time.
Gill has promised Fergie a couple of major summer signings and, while the pursuit of Torres could be protracted, United should be able to unveil former West Ham star Carrick in the next week or so.
Fergie is ready to sanction a £12m fee for the England midfielder...and is prepared to throw in John O'Shea as well. Tottenham have been trying to resist United's move for Carrick but know they are fighting a losing battle.
Spurs boss Martin Jol is understood to have responded to the offer of O'Shea by demanding Wes Brown instead.
But while the two clubs cannot agree on the player to be included in the package, it now seems they are not that far apart in agreeing the Carrick move.
Ferguson and Gill still have to deal with the Cristiano Ronaldo will-he-stay-or-go situation as well.
While United are determined to keep the Portuguese winger, his agent hinted to the SP that there are a string of big clubs chasing him.
Jorge Mendes said: "It is not just Real Madrid that are waiting for news about Ronaldo. We have other big clubs interested in him because he is a world star."
Mendes is due in Manchester on Wednesday for a meeting with Gill. While it is still likely that Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford, van Nistelrooy's departure is a formality. Ferguson believes van Nistelrooy is not the force he once was and reckons the United team functions better without him.
Van Nistelrooy, who had a bust-up in training with team-mate Ronaldo last season, also clashed with Dutch coach Marco van Basten during the World Cup.
United's move for Torres undermines reports that they are ready to swoop for another Spurs star - Jermain Defoe.
It was claimed that United have already made a move for the £15m-rated England man, controversially left out of the World Cup squad.
But a Spurs source has emphatically denied the speculation.
Only last month, Spurs angrily rejected a public move by United for Carrick, which came in the middle of England's World Cup campaign.
Spurs manager Martin Jol insisted throughout that Carrick was not for sale and will no doubt adopt the same hard-line stance on pint-sized predator Defoe.
WEST BROM boss Bryan Robson has rejected United's £3m bid for his Polish international keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Damn.. getting a midfielder in Carrick and getting rid of John O Shea..... Life couldn't possibly be better.....
ehsanul said:
yay!
Epic said:
I think we should be saying damn, Kuszak is a damn good keeper. He kept Chris kirkland out at WBA and made some damn fine saves last season. He is only 24 and has alot of growing and maturing in him. I hope fergie gets him.
Rat said:
Me too.
SittingBull said:
we need to keep o'shea. he is our new phil neville, with the added bonus of being able to slot in at centerback for carling cup games. he is too high of a price but darren fletcher is the one that should be packaged. time to get into carrick's head and have him exert pressure on tottenham brass. 11m + darren fletcher would be my offer. let's be ruthless negotiators for once.
VoetbalWizard said:
Most probably they would prefer us to bid 11m without Fletcher.
Holland Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy Secures Move From Manchester United To Join Fabio Capello's Real Madrid
Scott Harkness
worldcuplatest.com 15/07/2006
According to latest reports, Real Madrid’s new manager, Fabio Capello, has signed Manchester United’s Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, after having secured a transfer for a fee in the region of £8.25-9.5 million (€12-14 million).
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday that van Nistelrooy had asked to leave Old Trafford before the start of the new season and according to the latest reports, Real Madrid confirmed the move on Saturday.
Van Nistelrooy's request arrived following a turbulent 2005/06 season, being left on the bench for six consecutive matches and suffering a goal drought, which concluded with his walking out of the ground before the final match of the season against Charlton Athletic after having incurred the wrath of Ferguson, saying he omitted him for a “number of issues”.
Manchester United were resigned to selling the 30-year-old forward, with reports suggesting that the club wanted up to £15 million (€21 million) for his signature.
But now the former Juventus boss has managed to sign the former PSV Eindhoven star on a three-year deal according to Spanish sports newspaper Diario AS.
“Van Nistelrooy is a footballer who has succeeded at all the clubs he has played for,” Capello told Diario AS.
“He has scored a pile of goals. He is a forward who can prevail in Madrid.”
Reports have also claimed that Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic was in England on Friday to try to broker a deal for van Nistelrooy and today Mijatovic was able to confirm the move.
Scott Harkness
worldcuplatest.com 15/07/2006
According to latest reports, Real Madrid’s new manager, Fabio Capello, has signed Manchester United’s Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, after having secured a transfer for a fee in the region of £8.25-9.5 million (€12-14 million).
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday that van Nistelrooy had asked to leave Old Trafford before the start of the new season and according to the latest reports, Real Madrid confirmed the move on Saturday.
Van Nistelrooy's request arrived following a turbulent 2005/06 season, being left on the bench for six consecutive matches and suffering a goal drought, which concluded with his walking out of the ground before the final match of the season against Charlton Athletic after having incurred the wrath of Ferguson, saying he omitted him for a “number of issues”.
Manchester United were resigned to selling the 30-year-old forward, with reports suggesting that the club wanted up to £15 million (€21 million) for his signature.
But now the former Juventus boss has managed to sign the former PSV Eindhoven star on a three-year deal according to Spanish sports newspaper Diario AS.
“Van Nistelrooy is a footballer who has succeeded at all the clubs he has played for,” Capello told Diario AS.
“He has scored a pile of goals. He is a forward who can prevail in Madrid.”
Reports have also claimed that Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic was in England on Friday to try to broker a deal for van Nistelrooy and today Mijatovic was able to confirm the move.
Ferguson's balancing act
Jonathan Northcroft
Sunday Times July 16, 2006
The Manchester United boss is gambling on a troubled star while seemingly happy to lose Ruud van Nistelrooy
When Cristiano Ronaldo was a boy growing up in a poor quarter of Funchal, Madeira, his football pitch was the street and his opponents older boys who used to beat him when he embarrassed them with his skills. So the young Portugal star is used to being a target.
A new Premiership season stretches before Ronaldo like a long and terrible gauntlet, however, and his unpopularity among English fans — added to prior disillusionment with both his wage at Old Trafford and Premiership football in general — has made up the winger’s mind. Ronaldo still wants to leave Manchester United even though his boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, keeps saying it’s not going to happen.
Few top players at United under Ferguson have ever agitated for a transfer although it would be untrue to say Ronaldo has posed him a problem of an order he has never previously faced.
In 1995, Andrei Kanchelskis submitted a transfer request and when it was turned down, Martin Edwards, then United’s chairman, took a telephone call from Kanchelskis’s Russian representative whose dark content culminated in the agent screaming: “If you don’t transfer him now, you will not be around much longer.”
Ultimately, Kanchelskis was deemed to be too much trouble and sold. Ferguson continues to hold out an olive branch to Ronaldo but the fact he is gambling could be no clearer than if he had a bookie’s docket in his hand.
Ferguson has made his career out of being braver than any top manager before him and, probably, those who will follow after. It has already been a seismic summer at United and on top of the Ronaldo saga, Wayne Rooney’s surreal World Cup and the lengthy pursuit of Michael Carrick — expected to be concluded by a transfer this week — came Ferguson’s announcement hours after touching down in South Africa at the start of his club’s summer tour that striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has asked to leave.”
Leaving no doubt that Van Nistelrooy’s “request” would be granted, the Scot added “obviously, I think something may happen,” and even appeared to encourage that by expanding upon interest from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and “another club.”
Van Nistelrooy was in Madrid yesterday and is expected to tie up a transfer to Real within 48 hours. Ferguson’s decisions to keep Ronaldo and ditch Ruud are enormous and could go a long way to determining whether, after three seasons without a league title, we are in the final chapter of his career at United or poised on the title page of a new volume. What’s clear is that he remains absolutely the boss. An unsettled Ronaldo can be ignored, Van Nistelrooy feeling the same was pounced upon and had it used as a stick to beat the Dutchman towards the exit door, quite without blinking.
Sources close to him suggest the striker was actually ready to try and patch up his differences with Ferguson. The manager’s determination to control the agenda can be seen in the fact that at his first press briefing in South Africa, reporters were forbidden from asking about Ronaldo or Van Nistelrooy — then Ferguson went straight to MUTV and addressed the club television station about the Van Nistelrooy situation.
Relations between Ferguson and Van Nistelrooy began deteriorating in February, and the striker’s fate appears to have been sealed by a bust-up before United’s final league game of last season against Charlton which resulted in Van Nistelrooy being sent home from the team hotel and barred from appearing in Roy Keane’s testimonial.
The row was precipitated by Van Nistelrooy learning he had been dropped in favour of young Giuseppe Rossi, and — it was said — a training ground spat with Ronaldo. Already implicated in Rooney’s sending off in the England v Portugal World Cup quarter-final, being fingered for van Nistelrooy’s departure is the last thing Ronaldo needs for his image.
“There was a rumour Ronaldo had a bust-up with Nicky Butt, then Nicky was forced out. Now Ronaldo appears to be at the root of van Nistelrooy’s problems. It makes things difficult,” said Mark Longden, press officer of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association.
United fans have a long history of backing their players in the face of countrywide opprobrium — notably with David Beckham after the 1998 World Cup and Eric Cantona after his kung fu kick on a spectator in 1995. Ronaldo, though, cannot count upon what would have otherwise been an invaluable prop — defiant love from the Old Trafford stands.
“There are two issues,” added Longden. “There’s the sending-off of Rooney. Every time England fail in a major tournament there’s a scapegoat and it’s often been a United player — Beckham in 1998 and Phil Neville after Euro 2000. A United fan’s priority is United first so if the World Cup was the only issue, there’d be no problem backing Ronaldo. But the other issue is him saying he wants to go to Real Madrid.
“Loyalty is everything for United supporters — if you don’t want to play for our club then sod off because there’s plenty who will. I’d rather see a local, 20-year-old boy who can’t hit a barn door from 20 yards but loves United than a mercenary. Only if Ronaldo quashes the rumours about leaving will he be okay.”
Ronaldo’s flirtation with Real became public when Juan Miguel Villar Mir, a candidate in the Spanish club’s recent presidential elections, announced he had an agreement to take the winger to the Bernabeu if victorious. “My desire is to play in Spain. Will it be Real or Barcelona? It will be one of them,” Ronaldo revealed. Ramon Calderon won the vote to be Real president, however, and the manager he installed, Fabio Capello, has never been a fan of wingers . He arrived with other targets — Van Nistelrooy among them.
Barcelona, with Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi their wide players, have shown no interest at all in Ronaldo and the player’s Spanish hopes now appear pinned on Valencia. Quique Sanchez Flores, the Valencia coach, was quoted in Spain yesterday as saying “it would be great” when asked about a transfer. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a quality player and I’m not worried about whether he’s marketable or not. He’s a skilful player, fast, young and capable of making a difference. Time will tell if it is just a dream. We’d all be delighted if he was to come.”
Ronaldo has not yet retracted his statement about wanting a move and, when pressured by Portuguese journalists last week, made no more than a half-hearted attempt to appease United. “If it is a question of me staying there it will be fine,” he said weakly. Extraordinarily, when he made his comments about going to Spain, he’d argued “for some time I haven’t had any support from my chief executive or my coach.”
Having allowed Ronaldo leave during the season to travel back to Madeira when he has been homesick or needed a break, having detailed Carlos Queiroz to be his mentor and, most of all, having ignored complaints about Ronaldo’s playing style from senior squad members, it is hard to know how much more backing Ferguson could have given the player.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is as much the future of this club as Wayne Rooney,” Ferguson confided recently. The talent which makes the manager persist in this belief was there to see when Ronaldo appeared for Portugal at the World Cup. It has not always been evident at United and, should Ronaldo stay against his will, there must be questions whether he will be motivated enough to unveil it regularly. Yet Ferguson, the gambler, is once more choosing his horses and backing them.
Jonathan Northcroft
Sunday Times July 16, 2006
The Manchester United boss is gambling on a troubled star while seemingly happy to lose Ruud van Nistelrooy
When Cristiano Ronaldo was a boy growing up in a poor quarter of Funchal, Madeira, his football pitch was the street and his opponents older boys who used to beat him when he embarrassed them with his skills. So the young Portugal star is used to being a target.
A new Premiership season stretches before Ronaldo like a long and terrible gauntlet, however, and his unpopularity among English fans — added to prior disillusionment with both his wage at Old Trafford and Premiership football in general — has made up the winger’s mind. Ronaldo still wants to leave Manchester United even though his boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, keeps saying it’s not going to happen.
Few top players at United under Ferguson have ever agitated for a transfer although it would be untrue to say Ronaldo has posed him a problem of an order he has never previously faced.
In 1995, Andrei Kanchelskis submitted a transfer request and when it was turned down, Martin Edwards, then United’s chairman, took a telephone call from Kanchelskis’s Russian representative whose dark content culminated in the agent screaming: “If you don’t transfer him now, you will not be around much longer.”
Ultimately, Kanchelskis was deemed to be too much trouble and sold. Ferguson continues to hold out an olive branch to Ronaldo but the fact he is gambling could be no clearer than if he had a bookie’s docket in his hand.
Ferguson has made his career out of being braver than any top manager before him and, probably, those who will follow after. It has already been a seismic summer at United and on top of the Ronaldo saga, Wayne Rooney’s surreal World Cup and the lengthy pursuit of Michael Carrick — expected to be concluded by a transfer this week — came Ferguson’s announcement hours after touching down in South Africa at the start of his club’s summer tour that striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has asked to leave.”
Leaving no doubt that Van Nistelrooy’s “request” would be granted, the Scot added “obviously, I think something may happen,” and even appeared to encourage that by expanding upon interest from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and “another club.”
Van Nistelrooy was in Madrid yesterday and is expected to tie up a transfer to Real within 48 hours. Ferguson’s decisions to keep Ronaldo and ditch Ruud are enormous and could go a long way to determining whether, after three seasons without a league title, we are in the final chapter of his career at United or poised on the title page of a new volume. What’s clear is that he remains absolutely the boss. An unsettled Ronaldo can be ignored, Van Nistelrooy feeling the same was pounced upon and had it used as a stick to beat the Dutchman towards the exit door, quite without blinking.
Sources close to him suggest the striker was actually ready to try and patch up his differences with Ferguson. The manager’s determination to control the agenda can be seen in the fact that at his first press briefing in South Africa, reporters were forbidden from asking about Ronaldo or Van Nistelrooy — then Ferguson went straight to MUTV and addressed the club television station about the Van Nistelrooy situation.
Relations between Ferguson and Van Nistelrooy began deteriorating in February, and the striker’s fate appears to have been sealed by a bust-up before United’s final league game of last season against Charlton which resulted in Van Nistelrooy being sent home from the team hotel and barred from appearing in Roy Keane’s testimonial.
The row was precipitated by Van Nistelrooy learning he had been dropped in favour of young Giuseppe Rossi, and — it was said — a training ground spat with Ronaldo. Already implicated in Rooney’s sending off in the England v Portugal World Cup quarter-final, being fingered for van Nistelrooy’s departure is the last thing Ronaldo needs for his image.
“There was a rumour Ronaldo had a bust-up with Nicky Butt, then Nicky was forced out. Now Ronaldo appears to be at the root of van Nistelrooy’s problems. It makes things difficult,” said Mark Longden, press officer of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association.
United fans have a long history of backing their players in the face of countrywide opprobrium — notably with David Beckham after the 1998 World Cup and Eric Cantona after his kung fu kick on a spectator in 1995. Ronaldo, though, cannot count upon what would have otherwise been an invaluable prop — defiant love from the Old Trafford stands.
“There are two issues,” added Longden. “There’s the sending-off of Rooney. Every time England fail in a major tournament there’s a scapegoat and it’s often been a United player — Beckham in 1998 and Phil Neville after Euro 2000. A United fan’s priority is United first so if the World Cup was the only issue, there’d be no problem backing Ronaldo. But the other issue is him saying he wants to go to Real Madrid.
“Loyalty is everything for United supporters — if you don’t want to play for our club then sod off because there’s plenty who will. I’d rather see a local, 20-year-old boy who can’t hit a barn door from 20 yards but loves United than a mercenary. Only if Ronaldo quashes the rumours about leaving will he be okay.”
Ronaldo’s flirtation with Real became public when Juan Miguel Villar Mir, a candidate in the Spanish club’s recent presidential elections, announced he had an agreement to take the winger to the Bernabeu if victorious. “My desire is to play in Spain. Will it be Real or Barcelona? It will be one of them,” Ronaldo revealed. Ramon Calderon won the vote to be Real president, however, and the manager he installed, Fabio Capello, has never been a fan of wingers . He arrived with other targets — Van Nistelrooy among them.
Barcelona, with Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi their wide players, have shown no interest at all in Ronaldo and the player’s Spanish hopes now appear pinned on Valencia. Quique Sanchez Flores, the Valencia coach, was quoted in Spain yesterday as saying “it would be great” when asked about a transfer. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a quality player and I’m not worried about whether he’s marketable or not. He’s a skilful player, fast, young and capable of making a difference. Time will tell if it is just a dream. We’d all be delighted if he was to come.”
Ronaldo has not yet retracted his statement about wanting a move and, when pressured by Portuguese journalists last week, made no more than a half-hearted attempt to appease United. “If it is a question of me staying there it will be fine,” he said weakly. Extraordinarily, when he made his comments about going to Spain, he’d argued “for some time I haven’t had any support from my chief executive or my coach.”
Having allowed Ronaldo leave during the season to travel back to Madeira when he has been homesick or needed a break, having detailed Carlos Queiroz to be his mentor and, most of all, having ignored complaints about Ronaldo’s playing style from senior squad members, it is hard to know how much more backing Ferguson could have given the player.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is as much the future of this club as Wayne Rooney,” Ferguson confided recently. The talent which makes the manager persist in this belief was there to see when Ronaldo appeared for Portugal at the World Cup. It has not always been evident at United and, should Ronaldo stay against his will, there must be questions whether he will be motivated enough to unveil it regularly. Yet Ferguson, the gambler, is once more choosing his horses and backing them.
Please Fergie don't get rid of Brown in exchange for Carrick. 
Didn't they want Silvestre anyway?
Didn't they want Silvestre anyway?
United ready to offer Vieira escape route
David Hills
Sunday July 16, 2006
The Observer
Manchester United are understood to have made initial moves to bring Patrick Vieira back to the Premiership. Agents close to Vieira, whose club Juventus have been relegated to Serie B as part of Italy's far-reaching corruption investigation, said last night that talks between the parties are under way, with the proposed deal 'very much a live situation'. United, who are understood to be close to agreeing a £12m fee with Real Madrid for the sale of Ruud van Nistelrooy, have added Vieira - no friend of the Holland striker - to a shortlist of possible signings that still includes Lyon's Mahamadou Diarra.
Sources close to Vieira who owns a house in London, confirmed last week that he will leave Juventus after their relegation, imposed when the club, with Fiorentina, Lazio and Milan, were found guilty of influencing the appointment of match officials for matches during the 2004-05 season.
Ferguson is a long-standing admirer of the France midfielder and is thought to rate him among the best of a series of possible replacements for Roy Keane. Ferguson said last season that he missed the opportunity to sign Vieira before the player's move to Italy last summer. 'We'd been down that road so many times, where we'd been told he wanted to sign for United and then ended up staying at Arsenal. So I dismissed it, and then it became a reality when he left Highbury for Juventus. Whether Arsenal would have sold him to us is another matter.'
Vieira, also a target for Roma and Internazionale, revealed in his autobiography last year that he would contemplate joining United, despite his numerous run-ins during matches against the club, notably with Van Nistelrooy. 'When you are a player, you always look at the best,' he said. 'And that Manchester United team was the best in the country.'
Juventus, though, have said they will not sell their players cheaply after their relegation. 'We want everyone to be well aware that we are not a supermarket,' said Alessio Secco, the sporting director. 'It's not easy. We have received so many offers, especially from abroad. But it's better not to make too many changes and to have a strong squad, even if it's more costly than having to reconstruct it.'
Diarra, linked with an £18m move to Old Trafford since May, revived speculation about his future last week by criticising coach Gerard Houllier for claiming he wanted to stay at Stade Gerland.
'I don't allow anyone to talk in my place,' said the Mali midfielder, 25. 'I know the club relies on me and I rely a lot on the club. But today I'm open to any proposition.'
David Hills
Sunday July 16, 2006
The Observer
Manchester United are understood to have made initial moves to bring Patrick Vieira back to the Premiership. Agents close to Vieira, whose club Juventus have been relegated to Serie B as part of Italy's far-reaching corruption investigation, said last night that talks between the parties are under way, with the proposed deal 'very much a live situation'. United, who are understood to be close to agreeing a £12m fee with Real Madrid for the sale of Ruud van Nistelrooy, have added Vieira - no friend of the Holland striker - to a shortlist of possible signings that still includes Lyon's Mahamadou Diarra.
Sources close to Vieira who owns a house in London, confirmed last week that he will leave Juventus after their relegation, imposed when the club, with Fiorentina, Lazio and Milan, were found guilty of influencing the appointment of match officials for matches during the 2004-05 season.
Ferguson is a long-standing admirer of the France midfielder and is thought to rate him among the best of a series of possible replacements for Roy Keane. Ferguson said last season that he missed the opportunity to sign Vieira before the player's move to Italy last summer. 'We'd been down that road so many times, where we'd been told he wanted to sign for United and then ended up staying at Arsenal. So I dismissed it, and then it became a reality when he left Highbury for Juventus. Whether Arsenal would have sold him to us is another matter.'
Vieira, also a target for Roma and Internazionale, revealed in his autobiography last year that he would contemplate joining United, despite his numerous run-ins during matches against the club, notably with Van Nistelrooy. 'When you are a player, you always look at the best,' he said. 'And that Manchester United team was the best in the country.'
Juventus, though, have said they will not sell their players cheaply after their relegation. 'We want everyone to be well aware that we are not a supermarket,' said Alessio Secco, the sporting director. 'It's not easy. We have received so many offers, especially from abroad. But it's better not to make too many changes and to have a strong squad, even if it's more costly than having to reconstruct it.'
Diarra, linked with an £18m move to Old Trafford since May, revived speculation about his future last week by criticising coach Gerard Houllier for claiming he wanted to stay at Stade Gerland.
'I don't allow anyone to talk in my place,' said the Mali midfielder, 25. 'I know the club relies on me and I rely a lot on the club. But today I'm open to any proposition.'
That ungateful little cnut should be strung up be his balls and dragged through the streets.
please no not vieira - i have just read it in the guardian
teh_dog said:
Why the hell not? He would be a excellent signing, even if short term.
WeasteDevil said:
That he is a good player remains undoubtful, that he is a cnut is another story though. United players never seemed to like him and vice versa.
because he is a diving cheating wanker. i have no respect for him as man or a footballer. Imagine the scenario - he runs with the ball gets near an opponent and mysteriously falls over.
imagine him in the referee's ear for ninety minutes whinging and moaning. imagine him dishing it out and then complaining when he gets it back. please dont let me see him doing that in a united shirt - it would be demeaning and an insult to the shirt.
I am just about fed up with football - the only team i watch at club level is united and signing vieira would take away my enjoyment.
it is also not a given that he will be able to perform like he used to the premiership is a hard fast league where players with poor technique can prosper and after his year off in italy can he still do it?
imagine him in the referee's ear for ninety minutes whinging and moaning. imagine him dishing it out and then complaining when he gets it back. please dont let me see him doing that in a united shirt - it would be demeaning and an insult to the shirt.
I am just about fed up with football - the only team i watch at club level is united and signing vieira would take away my enjoyment.
it is also not a given that he will be able to perform like he used to the premiership is a hard fast league where players with poor technique can prosper and after his year off in italy can he still do it?
Let's stick with Fletcher and O'Shea than shall we?
hahahaha i know you dislike both of them but please anybody but patsy
WeasteDevil said:
Or some Djumbo Djumbo's?
Torres will be an excellent signing for us and it will good business if it is only £7-8m more than we get for RVN (30).
In my opinion, we should sign one midfielder and one striker (my preference would be Torres.) Then we put some well earned faith in our youth system and give some of the next generation a chance, as well as welcoming back four massive names who missed out on last season, in Ole, Smith, Heinze and Paul Scholes, then we have every chance of challenging for top honours both domestically and in Europe.
I'd rather have Fletcher and O'Shea in midfield than sign Vieira.
We might have serious problems in the midfield, but if we're going to use it as an excuse to sign a cnut like Vieira, then it's shameful. Would anybody have taken him after the game where Ruud lashed out?
It seems as if people are trying to suggest that it's ok because he's been at Juve for a while, solely because we have all these problems in midfield.
He's a trouble making, arrogant, diving cnut who is hated by the majority of the first-team. It's total disrespect to the club, players and fans to sign him.
We might have serious problems in the midfield, but if we're going to use it as an excuse to sign a cnut like Vieira, then it's shameful. Would anybody have taken him after the game where Ruud lashed out?
It seems as if people are trying to suggest that it's ok because he's been at Juve for a while, solely because we have all these problems in midfield.
He's a trouble making, arrogant, diving cnut who is hated by the majority of the first-team. It's total disrespect to the club, players and fans to sign him.
By the way Torres used tom be an awful diver early on in his carrer too, worse than Ronnie was in the WC.
The issue is not his diving, but his want away attitude and lack of loyalty, but I reckon his agent has a lot todo with that!!!!
The issue is not his diving, but his want away attitude and lack of loyalty, but I reckon his agent has a lot todo with that!!!!
Solskjaer back on target as Ferguson chases Torres
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2006/07/17/sfnman17.xml
So not till after the South African tour is completed, well the transfer forum's pulse rate can come out of critical for a little while then.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2006/07/17/sfnman17.xml
So not till after the South African tour is completed, well the transfer forum's pulse rate can come out of critical for a little while then.
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SittingBull said:
Life couldn't possibly get better if we offloaded Silvestre. That's when I start to relax.