Owen's deal complete

July 01, 2007

RED: Owen Hargreaves

UNITED have finally completed the signing of England midfielder Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich.

The 26-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Red Devils after a lengthy pursuit by the Barclays Premier League champions.

Hargreaves told the club's official website: "It's been a long time coming.

"It was probably the worst-kept secret in football, but it's great to be here."

What do you think? Have your say.

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Patrick McLOUGHLIN, North Carolina, USA (01/07/2007 at 15:11)

this coming season united will be totally challenged (more than ever) by arsenal and liverpool and chelsea and tottenham...so much spending by all these clubs on great players...

united signing hargreaves and nani and anderson have hugely improved manchester united for the coming season

however united still need one more world class striker to score goals..a striker with the killer instinct to find the net and put teams away when leading by one or two goals..this was lacking last season...(a scorer like ruod)..tevez or saviola or berbatov would be our answer.

george (01/07/2007 at 16:02)

Patrick;(or Rossi)No one yet knows how many goals Rossi would get if he was played.20+ is my guess.

Alf For The Devils, Ipswich (01/07/2007 at 16:30)

Now time to make take a swap deal between Heinze and Crouch.What does fellow United fans think of Adebayor?I rate him even better than Drogba.

Gerry, Glastonbury (01/07/2007 at 17:05)

Hardly breaking news!!!! I'm intrigued as to how our new midfield will now line up?
Scholes & Ronaldo are certain starters so who out of Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Nani & Anderson will start? You can also include the likes of Park & Fletcher who will also need games at some stage.
I would have thought the Boss is unlikely to want to split up the central midfield pairing of Scholes & Carrick after last season so that would leave one of the wide positions vacant to which you would think Nani / Giggs is most suited. Hargreaves will play I'm sure of that but where and at who's expense?

Stretford Knight, Salford (01/07/2007 at 17:11)

It's nice to see protracted deal completed. Welcome Owen!

Kevin From Hulme (01/07/2007 at 18:09)

Anyone with broken legs of the past United Sign, is Micheal Owen on the way now.

Keith Thorpe (01/07/2007 at 19:21)

How much have Liverpool and Arsenal spent on great players?

Allen, Freeport, Maine. USA (01/07/2007 at 23:17)

Patrick: I agree with most of your comments. we would put the icing on the cake with a striker who is fast, deadly in front of the goal with both feet and hopefully can head the ball. He should be capable of causing major headaches for defenses. Pay the money for the best and we should stop worrying about who goes and who stays.

We don't need to take chances on players who are still healing (Owens). Or second stringers (Defoe, Gudjohnsen). I like the sounds of Tevez, Alves, Huntelaar.

COLIN, CANADA, Canada (02/07/2007 at 01:36)

I'm beginning to think that Michael Owen might be the final piece to the puzzle. I think we will have a go for Tevez and Berbatov but a fit Owen would do it for us. I would love for us to sign Anelka but that seems to have gone off the boil. Maybe he was never even a consideration. The player sale should start pretty soon starting with Richardson to Sunderland.

Peter Chappell (02/07/2007 at 02:18)

We now need a partner for Wayne Rooney.Someone who is tricky,fast and more importantly who can score crucial goals.Carlos Tevez in my mind is the perfect last link in the jigsaw.He especially knows where the 'Onion Bag' is and the crowd will take to him immediatelly.Get him while you can Fergie...!

manc abroad, OT (02/07/2007 at 06:37)

At last. Three down, then hopefully a striker.

Davey Boy, Kuwait (02/07/2007 at 06:46)

Welcome to OH great that we have added a bit of steel in the team MF looks set, and with the arrival of nani and anderson we have added even more flair.....now hopefully the above will have a good pre-season so they can truely understand what is expected. Really getting fed up with all these calls for a world class strikers....how many are there in the world....schevchenko yeh right...RVN just sold him, bebatov maybe need to see what happens after 2nd season plus he is not going anywhere, Ronaldo (old one) just that, now really struggling to name any more....hate to say it dogbreath he's not going anywhere, maybe tevez but he is in love with inter/oops sorry...this week its real madrid.....henry barcelona...torres also a maybe but really don't think would like to pay 27 mill for him....owen could have been not sure these days. Guys I believe the days of an out and out striker are getting numbered look at how we won the PL goals galore and from every where, I think SAF is quite happy to go with Wazzer, Saha, Rossi, Smith with Ollie as emergency. Can't see CR upfront as him and nani can eventually be devasting on the wings. Really if looking to buy need someone who has experience and has the quality needed to add a different edge to the attack....anelka would be very interesting indeed for me could be like a second coming remember oh ah cantona

Birdy, Ireland (02/07/2007 at 09:24)

I was extremely unhappy yesterday, gutted even! Had the radio on in the car and the sports news came on, and the first thing the guys says is "Manchester Utd have completed the signing of....I nearly swerved into the ditch, anticipating the next word...Berbatov...Torres...Huntelaar....and the he bloody well says Hargreaves!! Gutted. Glad we got Hargreaves all the same though

Shaz Leicester (02/07/2007 at 09:56)

Great news to get a "biter" in midfield again. I think that though OH's transfer has been the least highlighted he could prove to be our best performer next season. Real Madrid were never the same after selling Makelele despite all their megastars and OH will provide just what he does for Chavski.

Roy (02/07/2007 at 09:59)

The next week or two will be very interesting and will help determine whether Utd will go for a striker or not. A lot rests on whether Alan Smith decides to go. The same applies regarding Sir Alex's plans for Rossi. If both go then Utd will buy a striker, if it is just Smith Im not so sure. I can also see Sir Alex playing Scholes up front and Im sure Dong will feature. I read that Dong has a contract till 2010 - Man U must find out sooner or later if he can cut it. Here is a question: If Utd were linked with Forlan (and he had never played for Utd) I expect most fans would be excited given his scoring record in Spain. Maybe Dong will go the way of Forlan but I get the impression there is more to the guy than what most fans think.

george (02/07/2007 at 10:07)

Scholes is a great player but I don't think his place is welded into the first team.We have younger and faster players who will pose a threat to his position.

Fredrik, Sweden (02/07/2007 at 10:10)

A new striker would definately complete a great summer of transfer activity. I would like to put forward Johan Elmander of Tolouse. He is strong as a bull, tall, very pacy and can lead the line by himself. He would definately complement Saha and he is similar to Drogba/Adebayor. He wouldn't be cheap and he's 26 so maybe Gill thinks it's bad business. I would be surprised if he's playing in the French League next season and it seems that City might be interested...

Alias Smith, over the moon (02/07/2007 at 10:30)

Roy, good point. Not sure whether Fergie should be congratulated for spotting Forlan's potential or criticised for selling him!

Birdy, Ireland (02/07/2007 at 11:49)

Alias i think its probably fair to say that had SAF not sold Forlan he wouldnt be the player he now is. I think the pressure and expectation at OT was a burden for him and i dont think he could have turned it round. Pity we didnt include a sell on clause though.

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (02/07/2007 at 12:06)

George, Scholes is quick of mind he doesnt need to be fast of foot. Scholes has at least 3 years left. Carrick isnt fast.

Alias Smith, over the moon (02/07/2007 at 13:00)

Nani & Mr Anderson's deals have also now been completed.

george (02/07/2007 at 13:02)

Carrick isn't fast but Anderson and Nani are.UNITED will be weakened by Scholes and Giggs if they're still there in 3 YEARS.We hung onto Keano too long.Scholes is unique.He can play in the squad but his era is drawing to a close.It happens to all great players.

Mick, Dublin (02/07/2007 at 13:45)

I really want to be excited by Hargreaves signing but I'll admit that I'm struggling. Especially when compared to how I felt when I first heard about the double-signing of Anderson and Nani.

I'm not sure if this is because I can't shake the memories of him under-performing for Ingerland or that I can't think of how he will fit in our best XI.

Judging by the fact that hardly any of the comments below are about OH himself, maybe I'm not the only one?

Can someone who is feeling a bit more positive about us finally closing this deal, please add some positive comments? I hate Mondays and could do with a bit of a lift!

Louis Edwards Turkey Twizlers, Macclesfield (02/07/2007 at 14:15)

Mick, Dublin.

Well said, this is not a good long term investment. I would even be surprised if he completes a full season with his injury track record.

Im afraid Fergie a wasted investment!!!

Roy (02/07/2007 at 14:17)

Mick, I can't answer your request. I expect the measure of OH will be whether next season the number of goals conceded goes down and the number of clean sheets go up. No easy to directly attribute to a midfielder, I agree.

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