Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

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Keeper plays down transfer talk

Scottish international goalkeeper Craig Gordon insists he will not demand to leave Hearts, despite interest from a host of top clubs.

United are one of the surprise names being linked with a big money move for the Jam Tarts' skipper, who is valued at around £8million.

"The ball is very much in their (Hearts') court," Gordon told Hearts World. "I still have two years left on my contract and I'm not banging down the door asking to get away," said Gordon.

"It's entirely up to them. If they decide to cash in on me and take some money for me, then that's their prerogative and I'll listen to whatever offer comes in, but if it's a good offer for me I'll be happy for that.

"If it's not, I'll look forward to the start of the new season here. There's no rush for anybody, me or any of the clubs."

BBC Sport suggested on Sunday that Sir Alex Ferguson was considering a big-money summer bid for Gordon, who has also attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Arsenal.

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United on back foot in Bale race
Stuart Mathieson
24/ 5/2007

UNITED'S left-back merry-go-round could grind to a halt if Southampton's Gareth Bale is snapped up by Tottenham instead of the Reds.

All United's senior No 3s - Gabriel Heinze, Patrice Evra and Mikael Silvestre - are interesting foreign suitors.

Clubs in Italy, France and Spain had been alerted to a potential mini-clearout to make way for 17-year-old Welsh international Bale's arrival.

But the Premiership champions are going to have to be quick if they still want to add Bale to the squad as Tottenham have leapt to the head of the queue with a bid reportedly accepted. Spurs have had a bid for Bale on the table since the January transfer window.

They have reportedly offered £6m in cash and then add-ons that would take the fee eventually up to around £10m.

Saints want money in quickly to keep their head above water and though manager George Burley is still talking up the possibility of keeping Bale it is believed the club have resigned themselves to losing him.

The player has just one-year left on his contract and Southampton do not want to lose out on a windfall next summer when he'd be a free agent.

Bale had been for talks at White Hart Lane in January but decided to stay on until the end of the season at St Mary's Stadium.

But Tottenham's bid still stands and they are said to now be in pole position.

Interest

If United are still keen they cannot afford to dally but if their interest has cooled, then it could put the brakes on sales.

Heinze, Evra and Silvestre, who have all contested the left-back berth this campaign, are all on various shopping lists for the summer.

United’s 2005 Player of the Year Heinze is the most likely departure as he can buy out the remainder of his two-year contract by law having served three years of the five-year deal he signed in 2004 when moving from he signed for £7.9m from Paris St Germain for £7.9m.

Now Juventus, long-term suitors of the Argentinian, are back in Serie A a move to Italy could tempt Heinze.

Valencia and Villarreal are also understood to be monitoring his situation at Old Trafford, which is no longer as rock-solid as it once was.

Evra’s injuries forced him to concede the left-back battle late on after his early-season form won him Fergie’s vote. But now he is in Barcelona’s sights.

The Spaniards are looking to replace Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and are impressed by Evra’s speed and attacking ability from defence.

Silvestre wants to remain at Old Trafford but Lyon are keen again, having been rejected by the defender in January 2006.

If United trump Tottenham’s bid for Bale then one of the current left backs is almost certain to depart.

Even if they don’t Heinze might voluntarily trim the numbers in the department anyway.

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Blades may swoop for Richardson
Stuart Mathieson
23/ 5/2007

BRYAN Robson's first job as the new Sheffield United boss could be to persuade Kieran Richardson to leave Old Trafford.

The former United captain has started his new role as Blades manager with Brian Kidd as his Bramall Lane assistant.

Having taken over the vacancy left by Neil Warnock, who quit days after relegation from the Premiership, Robson will begin implementing his ideas and personnel.

The capture of 22-year-old Richardson could feature in his rebuilding plans for the Blades. Robson took United's youngster to West Bromwich Albion on loan between January and May 2005.

Richardson's form and impact helped him inspire the Baggies to a sensational last-day escape from the Premiership drop.

Elevated

It also elevated Richardson from a Red reserve to a full England player under Sven-Goran Eriksson and he made his senior international debut in America soon after his West Brom experience.

Robson wanted the Greenwich-born winger to make his move to the Hawthorns permanent. Richardson, however, wanted to try to break through at United.

Sir Alex Ferguson then turned down a £3m West Brom bid for the player.

But Richardson has not made enough progress at Old Trafford and has remained only a squad man.

His stock has dropped both for club and country, and he has even had to suffer booing from some United fans when his name has been read out before matches.

He did score a vital home Premiership goal in the draw against Middlesbrough and made an important contribution as a makeshift left-back in the run-in.

But he shows little sign of becoming a United regular. And though he would be reluctant to step down to the Championship, his previous success with Robson might convince him he can take one step back to go two forward.

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Keane could move for Kuszczak
Thu, May 24 2007 09:31

Sunderland manager Roy Keane is weighing up a raid on his former club to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Keane is anxious to add some Premiership experience to his goalkeeping ranks as he prepares for his first crack at the Premiership as a manager and has also targeted Bolton's highly-rated stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Stadium of Light goalkeepers Gavin Ward and Marton Fulop have no top-flight experience and Keane is desperate to shore up such a specialist position despite chairman Niall Quinn's declaration on Wednesday that the Premiership newcomers are in no rush to enter the transfer market.

Poland goalkeeper Kuszczak moved to Old Trafford last summer from West Brom on an initial 12-month loan period but that was extended into a three-year deal.

He made just six Premiership appearances during United's championship-winning campaign and has seen his hopes of ousting number one goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, come under threat following the recent return of Ben Foster from Watford.

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United starlet in Moyes' sights
Tue, May 22 2007 11:14

Everton are reportedly interested in taking Manchester United's highly-rated defender Phil Bardsley to Goodison Park this summer.
Toffees boss David Moyes is aiming to bolster his back line during the close-season and it appears the 21-year-old full-back, Bardsley, could be a target for either a season-long loan or a permanent switch.

However much will depend on whether United boss Sir Alex Ferguson sees Bardsley as having a long-term future at Old Trafford before any sort of deal can be struck. Another stumbling block for Everton's plans would be if Aston Villa attempted to take the youngster back to Villa Park after he enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Birmingham outfit in the past season.

Bardsley has already insisted that if he had no future at United he would be more than happy to join Villa, so Moyes would have to try and persuade him that Goodison Park would be a better option, and the fact they have UEFA Cup football to offer will be a huge advantage.

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Hargreaves at Carrington

OWEN Hargreaves is at United's Carrington training ground today as his move to United edges closer.

Bayern Munich confirmed at the weekend that Hargreaves was to leave the Bundesliga club for around £17m.

Hargreaves is hoping for a deal to be concluded by the end of the week and is planning talks with Reds officials, report Sky Sports.

[asiancigar]

United plan £39m Berba bid
May 25, 2007

MANCHESTER UNITED are planning to table a massive offer of £27.5million plus Louis Saha for Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov.


On the day Owen Hargreaves completed his Old Trafford medical, the Reds were set to launch an incredible move worth £39m.

United hope they can persuade Spurs to release their star man by offering £11.5m-rated Saha plus the huge cash sum.

Spurs paid Bayer Leverkusen £10.9m for the Bulgarian international last summer.

Yesterday, Berbatov’s agent Emil Dantchev refused to confirm the player would be at White Hart Lane next season.

Dantchev said: “In football you do not know what will happen tomorrow.”

Spurs are trying to get Berbatov to sign a new six-year contract, doubling his £22,000-a-week deal. United could more than treble it to £70,000 a week.

Berbatov, 26, was a sensation in his first Premiership season, hitting 23 goals and winning rave reviews.

He also has 26 goals in 44 games for Bulgaria.

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo hit 46 between them for United but boss Alex Ferguson believes Berbatov would be the ideal frontman for the pair to play off.

Hargreaves has played for Bayern Munich against Berbatov in the Bundesliga.

He said: “This season Berbatov has been a breath of fresh air in English football, he just makes the game look so easy at times.”

[asiancigar]

Mart's £8million Bale coup
May 25, 2007

SPURS boss Martin Jol has won the race to snap up Southampton superkid Gareth Bale.

Wales left-back Bale, 17, will sign at White Hart Lane within 48 hours.

Jol beat off competition from Manchester United and Arsenal to capture the Saints starlet in a deal worth £8million plus add-ons.

Bale’s Welsh team-mate Ryan Giggs was trying to persuade the youngster to move to Old Trafford.

But Jol has sweet-talked the defender into joining Spurs, where he will become an immediate first-team squad member instead of waiting in the wings at United.

Bale will bolster a Tottenham defence that conceded 54 Premiership goals this season.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Young-Pyo Lee and Ricardo Rocha had spells at left-back but none of them impressed.

Jol knows he has to address the problem and Bale’s attacking instincts also suit the manager.

Saints chief George Burley wanted to keep Bale for another year to ensure he gets regular first-team football.

Bale’s former Saints room-mate, Theo Walcott, has seen his chances limited since joining Arsenal.

But the Welsh teenager would not suffer the same fate at White Hart Lane.

Bale’s Wales team-mate James Collins is convinced the kid will make it.

West Ham defender Collins, 23, said: “It’s a tough jump from the Championship to the Premiership but I’m sure Gareth will relish it because he is just world-class.”

[asiancigar]

Fergie: Two more years for duo
May 25, 2007

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists veteran duo Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will be "vital" for the club for two more seasons.

The midfield pair enjoyed outstanding seasons as United snatched the Premiership title back from Chelsea, but it was rumoured their Old Trafford careers might be coming to the end as Ferguson bloods a new generation of stars.

But despite the arrival of new faces in midfield - Owen Hargreaves is expected to join the club in the coming days - Ferguson insists 33-year-old Giggs and 32-year-old Scholes will enjoy at least two more years in the first-team.

Speaking about the United squad in Inside United magazine, he said: "It's young enough to improve. The experience of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will be vital over the next two seasons, but there's every reason to be confident."

Ferguson also hailed the foreign contingent in his side and reserved special praise for Nemanja Vidic and Gabriel Heinze, describing them as "warriors".

He added: "We've got an Argentinian, a Dutchman, three Frenchmen, a Portuguese, a Serbian - it's a real mix of nationalities. Football has changed that way and the Premiership has gone down that route.

"So, when building a new team, you've got more work to do in terms of getting the team to gel, getting that understanding and spirit of Manchester United.

"But take Vidic and Heinze - they show that great example of determination, they're warriors.

"I think once the foreign players get inside the club and they understand the history, it seeps through to them and they become Manchester United players.

"The make-up of the side makes this one different to the previous two, but all three had that same desire and winning mentality."

[yinyang]

Trivia for tgif...

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United will offer £27.5m plus £11m-rated Louis Saha for Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov. (Sun)

Liverpool's summer transfer hitlist includes Samuel Eto'o, Carlos Tevez, Daniel Alves and Gabriel Milito. (Sun)

Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia's move to Fulham has fallen through over his wage demands. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland have made a £2m bid for Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, who has a year left on his current contract. (Various)

The Black Cats also want Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen - but face competition from West Ham, Portsmouth and Newcastle. (Daily Star)

Real Madrid are planning a £15m bid for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle will bid £5m for Leighton Baines - who believes he must leave Wigan to further his England ambitions. (Daily Star)

Chelsea have engineered an option to sign 20-year-old PSV defender Manuel da Costa before next May. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool will listen to offers for Craig Bellamy - who is wanted by Aston Villa and Blackburn. (Daily Express)

Chelsea have lodged a £10m bid for Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda. (Daily Mail)

Tottenham are in talks with Sporting Lisbon about signing £13.5m-rated winger Nani. (Times)

Arsenal have held talks with Atletico Madrid as they try to offload Jose Reyes. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are preparing a £5m bid for Reading defender Nicky Shorey. (Sun)

Watford are poised to sign Arsenal keeper Mart Poom. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP
The Glazer family are ready to listen to offers for Manchester United less than three years after completing their takeover. (Daily Mirror)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is in the frame for the Man City job. (Sun)

Freddy Shepherd will be ousted as Newcastle chairman in the near future by prospective owner Mike Ashley. (Independent)

Ashley intends to complete his takeover by the start of next season. (Guardian)

Gretna are in talks with Motherwell about offering a joint season ticket next season. (Daily Record)

AND FINALLY
Shrewsbury have had to have a new kit made for Saturday's League Two play-off final after their players threw their shirts and shorts into the crowd following their semi-final win over MK Dons. (Daily Star)

[gaia]

Tottenham are in talks with Sporting Lisbon about signing £13.5m-rated winger Nani. (Times)

Seems like spurs is trying to get every target that man u wants....bale....now nani....fuck....

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Originally Posted by gaia

Tottenham are in talks with Sporting Lisbon about signing £13.5m-rated winger Nani. (Times)

Seems like spurs is trying to get every target that man u wants....bale....now nani....fuck....

Maybe becoz we are linked with their star striker, Berbatov?

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Glazers committed to United

MALCOLM Glazer has no intention of selling Manchester United.

For the second time in a fortnight, stories have surfaced suggesting the American billionaire is ready to offload the Old Trafford club after realising the profits to be made fall short of his lofty expectations.

After completing a controversial £800million buy-out two years ago, Glazer has already re-financed United's massive debts once and chief of staff Ed Woodward is believed to be working on another re-structuring, which would reduce annual interest payments from a startling £65million a year.

Yet the Glazer family refute in the strongest terms possible any suggestion they want to sell the new champions.

A spokesman for the Glazer family told M.E.N. Sport today: There is not a grain of truth in this story at all.

"The Glazer family have provided stability for Manchester United and are fully committed to the long term ownership.

"People need to realise that the family are not speculators. They are here for the long term. Manchester United is not for sale."

After rejecting a similar story on the eve of the last Premiership home game against West Ham earlier this month, the Glazers have been 'flabbergasted' to discover yet more speculation surfacing.

Benefit

At a time when United are about to benefit from a massively increased TV deal and knowing revenue from sponsorship and season-ticket sales - albeit through major price increases which have attracted huge criticism from fans' groups - is about to rise significantly, there would appear to be no sense behind any move by the Glazers to bail out now.

The Glazers' commitment to backing Sir Alex Ferguson in the transfer market is likely to be tested this summer as the United boss has identified three big-name targets who he believes will give the Red Devils the best chance of defending their Premiership crown and pushing on from their appearance in the Champions League semi-finals.

Owen Hargreaves' capture is set to be confirmed swiftly, possibly as early as today now chief executive David Gill has returned from his trouble-shooting mission in Malaysia.

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Fergie's bridge builders

PAUL Scholes and Ryan Giggs are Manchester United's key men as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to build a new era of success at Old Trafford.

The Reds boss has singled out the two veteran midfielders - Scholes is 32 and Giggs 34-years-old - as the players who can bridge the gap between the "old" United of the turn of the century and a new, more cosmopolitan team based around the youth and vigour of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ferguson feels that the newly-crowned Premiership champions could be on the brink of something great, but that the next two seasons will be a crucial phase in the transition, with Owen Hargreaves looking certain to head a small knot of signings this summer, and more youngsters like Giuseppe Rossi, Chris Eagles and Jonny Evans ready to start pressing for first-team places.

Ferguson said of the team: "It's young enough to improve. The experience of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will be vital over the next two seasons, but there's every reason to be confident."

The manager, drawing comparisons with his two previous eams, said that the increase in the number of foreign players to a club which relied on a core of British players throughout their success in the 1990s, had made little difference.

Different

"I don't think this set of players is like the previous two teams at all," he said. "It's different altogether. There are a lot of foreign players in the side now and in that sense the make-up is so different.

"We've got an Argentinian, a Dutchman, three Frenchmen, a Portuguese, a Serbian - it's a real mix of nationalities. Football has changed that way and the Premiership has gone down that route. So, when building a new team, you've got more work to do in terms of getting the team to gel, getting that understanding and spirit of Manchester United. But take Nemanja Vidic and Gabriel Heinze - they show that great example of determination, they're warriors.

"I think once the foreign players get inside the club and they understand the history, it seeps through to them and they become Manchester United players.

The make-up of the side makes this one different to the previous two, but all three had that same desire and winning mentality."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been called up for Norway's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Malta and Hungary next month.

The 34-year-old striker, who bagged 11 goals for the Reds this season and averages one goal every three games for his country, will hope to buoy Norway's qualification chances after defeat by Bosnia-Herzegovina and a draw with Turkey in their last two qualifying games.

[yinyang]

Excuse for posting this here bros (no active England thread).. maybe 'cos he's ex MU star la.. any love lost for our brylcreem boy?

Beckham recalled to England squad

Beckham has worked hard for Real Madrid in recent weeks . Former captain David Beckham has been named in the England squad for the first time since the 2006 World Cup. Coach Steve McClaren's U-turn means Beckham, 32, is set to start Friday's friendly against Brazil followed by the Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia.

Fit-again Newcastle striker Michael Owen returns in place of Wayne Rooney, who is suspended for the Estonia game.

Reading's Nicky Shorey, David Bentley of Blackburn and Chelsea's Joe Cole are also included in the 26-man squad.

And Manchester United forward Alan Smith also figures after scoring the opening goal in the England B win over Albania.

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is selected despite picking up a knock in that 3-1 victory at Burnley's Turf Moor.

But the Spurs midfielder could find his opportunities limited with Beckham back in the fold.

Head coach Steve McClaren told BBC Sport: "Everyone knows David's attributes and he's a big-game player who can help us win in Estonia.

"We've a very important game in Estonia, we need to win it and it is a squad that can win it."

Real Madrid midfielder Beckham last played for England in the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Portugal last June, after which he resigned the captaincy, and has not been selected in any of McClaren's nine previous squads.

McClaren also played down reports that senior members of his squad did not want Beckham recalled.

But he refused to be drawn on whether the former captain's move to Major League Soccer in the summer would hinder his international prospects in the long term.

"Everybody's professional and we've a squad that will blend together that will get us a result and I'm sure everyone will welcome David back," he added.

"But all I'm thinking about is the next two games and we're not looking beyond that. The priority is the next 10 days.

"Obviously his form has been excellent at Real Madrid and he can help us win in Estonia. Beyond that we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Beckham is set to move to LA Galaxy at the end of the Spanish season and is confident he can become a fixture in England's plans again.

"I'll be a lot fitter (playing in LA), still as fit as I am now, maybe more fit," the midfielder told BBC Radio Five Live ahead of the squad announcement.

"The training will be difficult in America with the humidity so I still feel I'd be able to play for England."

Hear the full David Beckham interview on Five Live's 606 show on Saturday 26 May at 1800 BST.

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Full England squad to face Brazil and Estonia:


Squad selector: Who would you pick in starting XI?
Goalkeepers: Robinson (Tottenham), Carson (Liverpool), Green (West Ham).

Defenders: P Neville (Everton), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham), Shorey (Reading).

Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (Newcastle).

Forwards: Crouch (Liverpool), Owen (Newcastle), Smith (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham).