Don't like the sound of the report that Parma have made an offer for Rossi and claim to have spoken to SAF and Rossi about the transfer and are now waiting for an answer.

Selling Rossi and keeping Smith would be like buying half a dozen Djembas. It would ruin all the good work so far in the transfer market!

All these Rossi for sale rumours are doing my head in too, Frank. But I reckon it's just Parma trying to convince their fans that they're doing everything possible to hold onto the hottest prospect at the club last season. They've every right to make an offer, just as we've got every right to refuse it.

The papers also seem to be making a big deal about SAF not giving a public vote of confidence in Joe the Red. But why should he?

Alan Smith and his agent have made it clear that Fergie will be meeting up with all of our players in the beginning of July. That is when he will discuss their future at the club. Until then, players like Smith and Rossi are being kept in the dark about where they will be playing football next season. So it's only fair that the press are also kept out of the loop.

But the fact that the club refused to negotiate with Smith over a new contract implies to me that his days are numbered.

On the other hand, Fergie has always been glowing in his praise for Rossi and has always made it clear that he thinks he is a real prospect. And until SAF says otherwise, I'm gonna believe that Rossi's future is in a United shirt.

am happy with the new signings Nani and Andason,but i thnk smith shuld go so that he leave room for the young stars

Mick, AT LAST someone talking a bit of sense. The Rossi stories have "Parma President in Popularity Contest push" written all over it, United have NEVER done public when comes to transfer dealings, EVER!!!
Unless Rossi & Agent are manipulating a move then £7m won't buy both boots.....
"satisfied UTD's questions" my left Buttock cheek!!!
But if we try to push him out on loan again he may become disillusioned and then a move becomes probable!
With the arrival of Our new signings Rossi's and Pique's return havebecome greatly overshadowed but i feel unjustly so, as these boys are as much prized by Europe as Nani, Hargreaves & Anderson - So FIVE great signings!!
Just hope that we can keep the obvious team spirit and it doesn't become a seperated dressing room with us and them Aka Arsenal..... I'm sure SAF and CQ will be on top of that hopefully.....

I'm inclined to agree with both Mick and Frank but if we play 4-2-3-1 next season (we will) where does Rossi fit in? I don't see Rossi leading the line therefore his future will be as an attacking midfield player. I think he is well equipped for the task but Anderson has been bought in to do that job so will the board want to cash in on Rossi? I hope not but i really don't see him playing much and £6m is a good price for a player who has hardly played. Mind you, £6m is good value for a player of his calibre. It is certainly a posing issue but i personally hope he stays. His finishing is something else - dare i say it but it reminds me of a young Robbie Fowler!?

I do see Rossi playing to be honest and certainly getting plenty of chance from the bench. We almost play a front four and Rossi could play in any posistion in that four. Lets not forget that although he has been at the club a couple of seasons he is still only 20. Becks Scholes et al were older when they broke through. Players like Rooney Ronaldo and Giggs are phenomenoms not all young players are ready at 18. Be patient I am sure SAF has no intention of selling a player like Rossi. There arent many about. In terms of ability I would say he is in the top 8 at the club.

Sparky, the way I see it, Rossi will be one of the "3", along with Rooney, Ronaldo, Nani, Anderson, Park and Giggs. That's 6 top players for 3 positions, the perfect squad.

Of course, Ronaldo and Rooney also have the physical presence to play as the "1" as well. Which gives us more options.

Don't forget that Nani and Anderson will take a while to settle in England and learn how to play the United way.

Rossi is already used to playing for MUFC and has a some Premiership experience under his belt. All things going to plan, he should be ready to fight for a place in the starting line-up well before our two latest portu-geezers.

It is hard to believe that Rossi, a young player whose future Lord Fergie has repeatedly raved about, should now be on his way.

Now that he has a record second to almost none in Serie A!? (9 in 19, FQ had 13 in 34 or something.)

Now that they have found a system where no less than three attacking midfielders or forwards can play behind the one striker?!

Rossi should complement very well the likes of Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Ronaldo and Anderson behind Saha or Rooney or Mr X. That will give him the chance to perform his predator skills AND the running, passing stuff. And do not worry about his size, if he was not eaten alive by Materazzi and his equals in Italy, he won´t be pushed around in England either. He will probably be too agile, too pacey, too smart to be pushed around.

Fowler and the lanky git mentioned on here in the same day is just too much, somebody actually suggested that the lanky one could add an extra dimension to our game, yeah boot it up and hope dimension.

I too would find it hard to believe that SAF would sell Rossi before giving him a chance. Rossi is perfectly suited to the total football that SAF has always tried to implement, but without the right players, and he could play anywhere in the attacking diamond.

I'm surprised that people need to see videos of Saha to remember how good he is. People never questioned smith's (even though they should), Ole's or Roy's ability while they were injured. I hope and expect Saha to have a superb season and ram all these doubts down people's throats!

Rossi is no soft touch - Look on U-Tube for his Clash with Gatusso - EPL will hold no physical fears for him, ad i can actually see him playing as the 1 up front because we don't use a tall target man sterotype..., but he's equally adept at being the 2nd striker when we use 4-4-2 as well as an attacking midfielder as one of the attacking 3

Close season really is painful isn't it, is there nothing interesting to discuss?

You know the world has gone cuckoo when a 22 year old footballer is going to play "father figure"..

D'oh! Make that 7 top players for 3 positions.

Agree that Rossi looks an excviting prospect, but having lavished big bucks on Anderson I wouldn't be surprised to see him go, as well as - inevitably - Smith, in order to make cash available for a Gudjonnsen bid.

Whether that would be a good move or not I don't know - but I do trust SAF's judgement when it comes to long term planning.

JonyB - don't forget the return of Jonny Evans as well - make that 6 exciting signings!

I agree Mick - Rossi is an exciting addition to an already strong squad. We just need to move R'son, Smith and Gabby on and bring in another striker and I would find the strength in depth and the balance of the squad hard to fault. There seems to be the right blend of youth and experience and also the right number of British/Irish players mixed with the continental "star dust". Almost ideal for me?

Sorry Sparky, Salford, but you're ....... ABSOLUTLY right!!
Jonny Evans looks class, composure, in fact everything you need for a modern centre-back.... more likely to make it here than Pique front small bits i've seen.... Well picked up mate!

Yeah we definitely have some great young talent to come back : Evans, Pique, Rossi, Gibson, Simpson and Foster. Add to that our new signings Nani and Anderson and our "Old Hands" Ronaldo, Rooney, Evra, Vidic and Park and I'd say we have potentially the best young squad of players around. Support the Team and Live the Dream.....

I would add Scholes into that "3" Mick. I think he does his best work in that area.

IMHO i think the way we're developing and with the squad you've put there simon then ECL should be within our grasp within next 2 seasons......

Can you see it? Yes, that's right, look over towards Manchester and see a new dawn.

Roll up, roll up. Come over the border to see the sleeping giant awake. Watch in amazement as it rises up over Manchester and casts a huge shadow over Salford. Be dazzled by the all the shining silver it will have in May, stare with envy at all it's money, look into the cavernous hole where there once was debt and feel ashamed at being £800m in the red. Marvel at some of the worlds most talented football artisans as they sit on top of the league.

Coming soon to a City near you...

When we see you on the 18th August you might just want to bring the Premier League down the road with you so we can get a cabinet measured up.

Forward with Frank - that reminds me of a joke, I'm sure you've heard it. The one about the City trophy room having been burgled - the entire contents were stolen. Police are looking for a man with a light blue carpet.

Forward with Frank, I hear the first change the Thai wants to make is to change the colour of your shirt to red. And I hear he is talking to AIG for sponsorhip.

Get spending City then you can have no excuses. Bring it on you bunch of losers we cant wait.

Forward with Frank, my, my, you mean you clowns don't even have a trophy cabinet!!! How pathetic!!!

Colin

Nani looked tired and also trying to prove too much in the recent u21 eChamps.
Seriously I thought he was quite poor!
Still he has a holiday to look forward to before he comes to OT.
The better & best player of the champs was Drenthe!
This boy has not surprised me as I have watched him - Drenthe all season, where he has been one of a few positive things in a poor season!
He is like Edgar Davids on speed!