Bosingwa would fit in well with the Portuguese/Brazilian contingent, but I can't help feeling that Lahm and Alves are better players.

I hope he comes but, given the perilous state of our Glazer-screwed finances, I wouldn't be too sure. After all, according to last year's recently-published figures, we still owe a whopping £56 million on the likes of Nani and co! Check this or a depressing read... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/06/manchesterunited.premierleague

I'm a big fan of Lahm.

never really taken notice when he has played, but if we go for him do it before the tournament where his value could rocket

Lahm would be the perfect addition to the United squad! He would fit in perfectly with the attack mind of United. Hope he does come but I dont' think that it will happen.

Bosingwa's rumoured value is upwards of £20 Million so cant see it skyrocketing since it already is overinflated, no full back should be worth more than 10, saying that Lahm would be the cheapest of the 3 and possibly the best fit. I'd rather not pay for a fullback, get a decent striker and find some cheap talent in this country or do we not do that anymore?

30 Million Euro for a fullback? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Nobody is going to pay that, agent percentage or no agent percentage.

I don't think Bosingwa is worth any more than £10 million, and that is even expensive.

The Guardian article is a depressing read, Robbo. The final quote seems to suggest that their great business acumen is to leave SAF to it.
Looking at the 'pool, we should be grateful.

This is also yet another reason why SAF's reign should be treasured.

Meanwhile Im going to increase my weekly contribution to my Man U piggy bank since at some stage there will be a fan initiative to buy a distressed Utd.

But this is a discussion for after May 21st. For now, to quote the upbeat Gillian, Go United!

Lahm was absolutely hopeless against Zenit St Petersburg.

Where is the United youth system? It needs a severe overhaul if we can't breed a right back like Neville, Neville, Brown etc., we let a couple of hopefuls go recently. SAF never gives kids a chance anymore even though his best team ever was founded on them!!

yes Lahm and Alves are really good but Bosingwa might be a better player for United. Defends really well, attacks really well and croses really well. Taller than the two mentioned above adds good headers to his game. Been used as a CB before gives a coach a good alternative. If you would compare him with Evra, I would say that Evra is slightly better in dribbling but not as good crosser as Bosingwa. Bosingwa defends better. Bosingwa is a player that has developed from a ordinary player to one of the best in Portugal. The same with miguel a regular winger that became one of the best RBs in the world. Some people mentions the two above and they say that they would prefer them. Probably because they never seen Bosingwa playing. Scolari will probably play him ahead of Miguel at EURO2008. You'll have a chance to see him there but SAF will have to go for him quickly as Real is approaching FC Porto.

Red Dawn, You don't know waht you talking about and to be honest that's not the first time is it?
Have you seen him playing? I doubt it.
Just a question: is Carrick's value 12 million pounds? Is Rio 130000 a week a leveled wages for a CB?
Come on...the money in football is ridicolous and you're right that 30 million is a lot of money but you should say that based on facts...but you not doing that are you?

Here's a fact for you, the lads not worth 30 Million Euros.
This article is pure nonsense. His agent is getting his name out there and linking him with many unnamed european sides, probably hoping that Abramovich will bite. The only thing we learned from the piece is that Bosingwa is not going to Villa, cos they're not contending for the CL. Rubbish.

20m for a FB!!! Has the world gone mad or is it just SAF? These Portugese clubs can really see us coming. Guess that means there is no future for Simpson at OT. 20m for a striker maybe

Maybe we should ask hughes how he picks up cheap strikers,benny last season 20 plus goals, santa cruz this season and they only cost about 3 million each.

English clubs have two solutions:Pay or produce your own talents. How do you think that supporters from some clubs that produce huge talents feel to see Figo,Simâo,Quaresma,Nani,
Anderson, Pepe,Bosingwa going for no money. Both Nani and Anderson were a good deal for United. CR was joke of a deal for Sporting. If some clubs in europe can't produce their own talents they should pay and pay a lot. Question: why doesn't United produce good talents? and would you like Real or Barcelona to come and get your best players on a sale deal....top clubs in Portugal, France, Holland that have second division European leagues overcharge their players so the big sharks of Europe leave them alone. It worked out for Quaresma when Porto's president ask for 40 million plus a top player. Fair enough isn't...you would let ronaldo go for less than 100 million right? you paid 12 so that's an abuse of a price. Is that a real price or a way to make other jarks loose interest for him?...You got my point??
Porto's president doesn't want to sell because he is ambitious and wants to contest every with top teams in europe. He places abusive prices on his best players with inteligence. The same goes for Sporting nowadays because they have learned to don't let their talents go on a cheap deal like Ronaldo or even Quaresma, so if you get Moutinho or Veloso they will also cost at least 30 million. Try to think a bit more open minded than just being greedy.

VALTINHO, i understand your point and i ll prefer Bosingwa to all other mentionned mainly because of his height as we ll struggle with 2 short fullback for a whole season. However you have to admit that 20 million for him is too much if you take into consideration that Nani and Anderson are better in football sense and both cost less. Regarding Ronaldo, it was the correct price at the time and it turned out to be a bargain now.
I rate Bosingwa at around 10 million and a fullback is not a must for the summer as i put a striker in top of our priority and the Tevez deal.Neville,Brown and OH can do a very good for another season.

VALTINHO,

Nobody in their right mind would pay 30 million euro for a fullback, fullstop.

Bosingwa is no more than a £10 million player, and that is even expensive for a fullback, as I already stated.

Michael Carrick is definitely worth the money we paid for him, but as I've said time and time again, you're biased toward Portuguese players, and have only been following United since they landed at Old Trafford, so what position are you in to talk about club and team under those circumstances.

I think perhaps you can't handle the fact that I am right about Ronaldo. He showed everyone why he is the best player in the world against Barcelona, didn't he....and will do so again against Chelsea.

Brian,

I have said it time and time again, the young lads coming through at OT have no chance unless they are truly outstanding, because year after year we'll continue to spend in the transfer market on top names.

I'd be more than happy if we bought nobody this summer, giving Simpson and Campbell their chance, plus doing everything possible to keep Gerard Pique, which at this moment in time it doesn't seem like we will. I tell you one thing, we'll be losing a top defender if he goes, as I believe he will be one of the best in Europe with 5 years. We have Manucho to come in aswell, who has scored 3 goals I believe for Pana, even though he played very little over there. Add those players to what we already have, and we're fine.

Valtinho - Evra 5 million for a 25 year old left back. Bosingwa 24 million for a 25 year old right back. Its too much whichever way you look at it. We don't need to worry about anyone stealing a march. Its too much for a full back. I thought Sagna was a good buy for Arsenal last year. If we can't find genuine quality for half the price I would say risk it for another season with what we have. Brown has definitely improved over the course of the season at right back.

Btw Valtinho I take your point about clubs defending their best assets by putting unrealistic price tags on them. I say let Porto keep him. Portugal can't keep exporting their best talent and hope to keep producing it.

I think this guy's on his way.

Red Dawn

The Special One has hinted that he knows how to nullify Ronaldo. He never scored against us [Chelsea] when I was in charge, he has said.

Let's have the conversation as to whether Ronaldo can do it on the big occasion after the May 21 game, after the European Championships, when he is 25 and again 27, all being well.

Such talent cannot be confined for ever.

Red Dawn you had to bring Ronaldo in didn't you?? why don't you give the guy a break...we were talking about Bosingwa and not Ronaldo. that shows yours understanding of the game, a winger that scores 40 goals in one season and you still don't leave him alone.
I agree that 30 millions is a lot of money for a RB but that´s not my point my point is prices being set really high because of the so called "smaller" clubs sending messages to the big european sharks,(united is among them) to leave their players alone. whatever you say that is a fair price....lets say 10 million will only be real if Porto will accept it. If united would put Ronaldo for sale the right price wouldn't be above 40 million but they would never do that do would they? Why? because they are not interested to sell. Porto is not interested to sell and if they have to..because most players would rather play in the PL or La liga than the Poertuguses league they will sell but for a price that compensates the loss of the quality of the player. For Porto to replace him straight away for the same quality they would have to buy Lahm, Miguel or Alves but that wouldn't be cheaper would it?
AS I don't agree with you, United have more need of a RB than a striker. Brown is not at the same level as Evra and GN is just too old.

To be fair, you can't fault Valtinho's logic: you'd be gutted as, say, a Sporting Lisbon fan, losing fantastic home-grown talent year on year after only a handful of games for the first team; as far as I'm concerned, they can charge what they want. I see Carlos Queiroz has just been in Lisbon launching some kind of soccer (god, I hate that word!) school. Know anything about that, Valtinho? Is it officially linked in with Utd? If so, that looks like a possible route to sourcing cheaper talent from technically-superior countries like Portugal. As Queiroz himself has said, the standard of youth coaching in England is simply appalling. I mean, did anyone watch the U-21s last summer? England battled bravely to the semis but their lack of technique, particularly compared to the likes of Holland, Italy and Portugal, was pretty alarming; the English boys could barely string three passes together, while the others zipped the ball about with seemingly effortless touch and skill. In short, nothing is stopping a big club like Utd getting its own house in order and investing time and money in developing good players. If you don't do that, then you have to pay the going rate. It's as simple as that.