Reds have first refusal on Rossi

August 01, 2007

Giuseppe Rossi

SIR Alex Ferguson has revealed Manchester United have first refusal on Giuseppe Rossi should Villarreal want to sell the Italian Under-21 international.

Rossi has joined the La Liga outfit in an estimated £6.5million deal after deciding he wanted more first-team opportunities than he was likely to get at Old Trafford this season.

Ferguson did his best to persuade the 20-year-old to stay with United but after scoring nine goals in 17 games to effectively keep Parma in Serie A last term, Rossi was anxious not to find himself back in the Red Devils reserves.

So, in accepting Rossi's wishes, Ferguson instead ensured he would be able to buy the New Jersey-born striker back should the need arise.

"We have put a clause in the contract, so maybe he will come back to us at some stage," the Scot told MUTV.

"We wish Giuseppe well and we know he will do well at Villarreal.

"It was a difficult decision to let him leave. I had several meetings with him to try and convince him that he would get plenty of football with us this season and all he needed was a bit of patience.

"But, having been on loan last season, he wanted first-team football all the time."

Rossi has signed a six-year contract with Villarreal, where he is effectively replacing another United old-boy, Diego Forlan.

Should United have let Rossi go? Have your say.

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JonyB-), North Staffs (01/08/2007 at 14:46)

So we sell him £6.5mil and buy him back for £20mil..... Classic!!!

Free Red, Manchester (01/08/2007 at 14:59)

This buy back clause is meaningless. I have no doubt Fergie wanted to keep him so why was he sold and not put on loan again. Like the rest of the spin that comes out of OT this story does not ring true. The cost of the summer spending has to be covered some how so Rossi, Smith, Richardson, Gabby etc have to go. I reckon they will bring in the £20m+ deposit needed. It's the same old revolving door with a HP twist.

george (01/08/2007 at 15:03)

jony b; the lad wanted first team football and UNITED is a hell of a team to break into.Sad myself that he's gone but it may be the best thing for the player.

Georgio, Belfast (01/08/2007 at 15:04)

Well if Rossi can't succeed by coming through at United who can? Best goal-scorer since Paul Scholes? Keeps Parma up? Great vision, balance, can play people in? I'm gutted!

Red Seven (01/08/2007 at 15:05)

JonyB - where does it mention 20m?

People jumping to assumptions and conclusions - for all we know the clause could be that we buy him back for the orginal 6.5m.

Fair play to Fergie & United for letting him further his career, whilst also including the cavet that we have first refusal if he turns into the player that everyone assumes he going to.

seasider, blackpool (01/08/2007 at 15:08)

Sounds fair enough.

I hope there's a cap on the fee.

Birdy, Ireland (01/08/2007 at 15:09)

JonyB my thoughts exactly! SAF hasnt specified the clause, so lets hope they've agreed some sort of fixed price by back, otherwise we might aswell have just said "ring us if youre selling him" cause we'd have to compete with other clubs for him. If they've agreed a buy back price then it mightnt be such a bad deal after all. I'm glad to hear SAF tried to keep him - it goes some way toward tempering the disappointment i felt at seeing such a talented young player leave

Steve in Brussels (01/08/2007 at 15:12)

logical as mooted. He needs to start developing him now. Note: A clause inserted will not be at any price. It may be something like option to buy for 10m until year X so Villareal continue - and pay for - his continuing development which might not happen to the same extent on the bench at OT. If they sell him on elsewhere (with our permission) we would probably receive a cut as well.

Colin Chua (01/08/2007 at 15:12)

JonyB, be realistic, we had no choice. That's why we have insert the first refusal clause. That dosen't mean that we'll definitely buy him back though.

Demo, Glossop (01/08/2007 at 15:15)

at least it will give young giuseppe a chance to continue his development getting first team football. i would like to see him return in a few years but would be nice if it didnt cost us an extra £10 million

Hilton (01/08/2007 at 15:21)

We buy him for the same price if not slightly more!

Not 20mil like some of you are saying. You must think an institution like ManU is run by Delroy!

Patrick McLOUGHLIN, North Carolina, USA (01/08/2007 at 15:22)

devistated by loss of rossi..do not make same mistake with heinze

(squad)
van der sar foster

neville vidic ferdinand evre heinze o`shea brown

carrick scholes giggs hargreaves anderson

ronaldo rooney saha (tevez) nani park

(sell)..smith fletcher silvestre

(season loan) bardsley pique
evans martin dong

(possibly) buy one more world class striker

Patrick McLOUGHLIN, North Carolina, USA (01/08/2007 at 15:22)

Steve, Glossop (01/08/2007 at 15:23)

If he really wanted to go fair enough I respect his ambition. Clearly CQ & Alex didn't really fancy him & with Tevez please coming I think another loan was on the cards. I wish JOS & DF would show more ambition or that Fergie would show less favouritism.

Hilton (01/08/2007 at 15:23)

I mean Del Roy of the Only Fools & Horses fame!

Hilton (01/08/2007 at 15:27)

Over to you Mick in Dublin....

Hilton (01/08/2007 at 15:28)

Over to you Mick in Dublin....

Smudge is still there, he will pick up another 50 thousand pounds this week...

JP (01/08/2007 at 15:30)

So what do you propose they do? Keep a player who wants to play each week but deny him that?

The problem for Rossi was that he couldn't displace Rooney and its clear that Tevez would be above him as well, he couldn't accept being third place so he made his move. I think that in the circumstances this is the best deal United and Rossi could get. Fergie clearly didn't want him to go but he didn't want to hold him back either.

spooky (01/08/2007 at 15:33)

this is quite interesting. obviously it proves that fergie rates the lad but you cant blame rossi for wanting regular action. maybe a long term loan wouldve been better tho.

dboy, eire (01/08/2007 at 15:35)

At least UTD wanted to keep him and had the foresight to have a clause built into his contract to get him back.

Disappointed to hear of Rossi's impatience and refusal to stay on and fight! Have to say it... a typical latin reaction...

Wouldn't be surprised to see Pique depart now that a trend has been set...

Birdy, Ireland (01/08/2007 at 15:41)

Del Boy Hilton!!

Barry Lee, USA (01/08/2007 at 16:05)

So much for always wanting to have 4 World class strikers too choose from!! The first 2 are obviously Tevez (if we get him) and Rooney. With Smith on the way are we seriously expected to believe that Ole and Saha are the other 2? Ole was once but Saha is not. If we don't get Tevez we are very vulnerable if Rooney gets crocked. I won't even mention Dong who is so far behind Rossi it is not funny.

Mick, Dublin (01/08/2007 at 16:10)

We all have no idea about the details of this "clause". I'd like to think it leaves us with an option of re-signing Rossi without breaking the bank. But time will tell. At least it sounds like Fergie made every effort to hang onto the lad.

It was a bit of a surprise that Rossi ended up at Villareal rather than at one of the Italian sides. Villareal have never had any problem selling on their best players, I wonder if the Serie A teams may have turned their noses up at the inclusion of this "clause"?

Steve, Great Britain (01/08/2007 at 16:17)

If what we are told is true, then fair play to SAF for giving into the lads wishes. He deserved first team football and I am not sure why SAF did not think he was quite ready.

Good luck Rossi

JonyB-), North Staffs (01/08/2007 at 16:23)

When you've got injury plagued players like Ole and Saha, still no end to Tevez saga and you're only back up to Rooney is Dong and Smudge - you don't sell your Best finisher! Fergie's won't be forced into selling Heinze. There was always the January window if he'd had no chances - this is ludicrous unless i'm missing something?? I hope!

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