Reds focus on transfer targets

May 27, 2008

Carlos Queiroz and Sir Alex Ferguson

SIR Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz will sit down this week to draw up battle plans for next season, and two topics will dominate their discussions.

Ferguson wants to add to his Premier League and Champions League double-winning squad not to dismantle it.

And a new right back and striker will be high on the list of priorities.

Wes Brown enjoyed one of his best ever seasons at Old Trafford with Gary Neville sidelined for all but brief cameo roles in the closing weeks.

There's no immediate guarantee Neville will ever regain the form that previously made him indispensable.

And while Salfordian Danny Simpson gained Champions League experience last term, he ended the season on loan at Ipswich Town.

Seville's much-vaunted Daniel Alves is currently the world's finest in the position at the moment. His fast, raiding style would fit in with United's attacking mantra.

Micah Richards has also been mentioned as a cross-city target.

Philipp Lahm of Bayern Munich, is another possibility while Cardiff's Aaron Ramsey, 17, recently upgraded to the senior Welsh squad, is possibly one for the future.

However, United have signed teenage Brazilian twins, Fabio and Rafael Silva, though mystery still surrounds their exact status.

Up front there's clearly a need to bring in a new striker to lessen the burden on Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

And due to Louis Saha's injuries, the Frenchman could be heading out of Old Trafford. Sevilla's Luis Fabiano has been strongly linked with Reds in this position.

Who should United go for? Have your say.

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Lou Trevor, Barcelona (27/05/2008 at 11:16)

Go Fergie, act quickly, as Barça and Madrid are pushing for Alves and Fabiano as well. Last season clever business should inspired us to conclude our transfers targets.

Fredrik, Sweden (27/05/2008 at 11:22)

The only two players who would add a new dimension to our play and who might be available are Berbatov and Benzema. Berbatov is the most realistic target, Benzema would be very expensive and might stay at Lyon. I doubt that Huntelaar has the quality and although Fabiano is a fine player he's more of a goal poacher.

Alves is fanatstic going forward but can he cope with the physical demands of PL football? We are already vulnerable at corners and crosses into our area so Micah would improve that area, but City would never sell him to us.

We still miss a big strong CM who can tackle and prevent us from being overpowered like we were away to Chelsea and during the 2nd half of the final, but I doubt there's such a player available, and OH can do a job here.

All in all, Berbatov and one or two promising youngsters would be a great business.

a level head (27/05/2008 at 11:35)

Simpson, Campbell, Manucho should all be given first team opportunities next season to see how they do.

Sell Ronaldo if he can't/won't commit his future to us. Its diabolical for him to sit on the fence the way he has in the last week! I bet SAF is livid with his comments.

Dave-K, ex-Cheadle (27/05/2008 at 11:41)

All well and good lining up new signings -- but first let's get Evra signed-up for another three or four years. He's been consistently one of our best performers this season. He obviously likes being at Old Trafford so what's the problem?

Demo, Glossop (27/05/2008 at 11:57)

dave-k i worryingly read somewhere evra has told united to sign him up quick as there is a list of clubs wanting him! i sincerely hope they are well underway with contract negotiations as he has been best left back in the world this season (except for me)!

hughesie80, London (27/05/2008 at 12:00)

With Pique going and the possibilty of Evans and Silvestre going Fergie may need to buy 2 defenders as we'd only have 6 senior defenders then (including JOS).

With Silvestre likely to go a left back as cover for Evra and a new RB would probablly be needed.

Benzema would be a fantastic signing but highly unlikely, at least not for another season or 2. Huntelaar of Ajax looks good and would give us a different option up front.

The likes of Manucho and Wellbeck need to be given a chance to show what they can do during the pre season and i'd quite like to see more of this Posseben (is that spelt right?) as he looks like a decent talent.

Robbo, N2409 (27/05/2008 at 12:01)

The most encouraging thing I read over the weekend was Fergie (finally!) acknowledging how he's been damaging Rooney by messing him about positionally (ie playing him on the wing, playing him pushed on as the main striker). The good news is he's now talking about restoring Wazza to his rightful place as a deeper-lying second striker, playing behind, Fergie intimated, a recognised centre-forward with some height. With this in mind, I'm really hoping we might see Berbatov coming in - he's got the best first touch in the league, is sensational with his back to goal and would be the ideal pivot for our fluid, interchanging forwards. He seems certain to leave Spurs yet, at the same time, his prospect of big Euro move (Madrid, Milan etc) seems to be off the radar. Given that, despite the rumour Spurs want £35m from an English club, I'm pretty sure we could beat them down to £25m.

Sterling, Salford (27/05/2008 at 12:10)

Agree about Evra Dave - what the hell is going on there I wonder?!! We should be locking him down as soon as possible since he is arguably the best LB in the Prem at the moment and wants to stay.

Robbo, N2409 (27/05/2008 at 12:20)

I also want to know what Fergie's plans are re the penalty-whacking, Fabregas-slaying samba superstar that is Anderson. He's done a good job in CM but that's NOT his position - let's release him further up the pitch and just give him the freedom to go out and PLAY! Lest we forget, at home in Brazil this kid was dubbed the new Ronaldinho. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but Ronaldinho is NOT a deep-lying, holding midfielder.

manc abroad, OT (27/05/2008 at 12:24)

Give Simpson his chance. He looks strong in the tackle and good going forward.

No ´wonder there are not many right backs left on the market. Chel$ki must have bought five and still use Essien out of position. Now that guy I would like to see at OT.

LT, Dublin (27/05/2008 at 12:30)

Nevermind berbatov - at this stage we need the best new young striker in the world - benzema - or a teddy sherringham type player and thats is not berbatov. too old and too prone to sulking when benched.

Robbo, N2409 (27/05/2008 at 12:33)

Re Evra, he's said over the weekend that his agent is meeting Utd this week and is confident a new contract will soon be sorted. Yes, he's mentioned interest from other clubs but I'm sure if he gets parity with the higher range 'middle' earners (80k a week?), he'll be happy to stay. To be fair, don't forget he's still on quite crappy money and is also rumoured to use his salary to support his MASSIVE extended family (23 brothers and sisters!). Whatever, the way he's played the last two seasons I wouldn't begrudge him a penny.

bobbydazzler (27/05/2008 at 12:34)

robbo 2409 like yourself i have always thought that rooney was best in that deep lying role and from what i have read at the weekend it seems like fergie has also come to that conclusion too. no doubt our resident sage will be on shortly giving us a completley different slant on things and insisting that as one of our 3 rotating forwards rooney was well suited to.

left wing
left wing back
lone centre forward

all roles he has performed this season with varying degrees of competancy.

hopefully we will see him back next season in the role that prompted our special one to buy him in the first place. but where does that leave our little argie in the pecking order??

eddy01 (27/05/2008 at 12:39)

The Evra contract situation has been dragging on for months. I hope there's not going to be a problem. Says on Telegraph web site that Milan want to get him on a free in 12 months and pay him a king's ransome in wages.

As for strikers, I don't think £25M for Berbatov is good business and I can't see that happening or the fortune that Lyon would want for Benzema given their President's negotiation tactics.

The money they are talking for Fabiano seems more realistic (£8-9M) and he has a very good goalscoring record.

Riquelminho (27/05/2008 at 12:45)

Lahm (£5 million) and Luis Fabiano/ Huntelaar (£15-£20 million) and maybe a left back to cover for Evra (lets face it Silvestre and O'Shea aren't the best back up options) and I'll be one happy bunny ;-)

Riquelminho (27/05/2008 at 12:47)

And Robbo, I couldn't have put it better.

george (27/05/2008 at 12:50)

VDS,Giggs,Scholes closing in on retirement.Neville,Silvestre and Saha past their best due to injury.JOS looking out of place in the new higher levl UNITED.There's plenty of areas to strengthen.Berbtov would be nice at a realisic price £19mil.

george (27/05/2008 at 12:50)

Barry Lee, USA (27/05/2008 at 12:56)

Owen, Ahston or Messi. The first 2 we would get reasonably cheap. The other we'd break the bank for but well worth it.
If we let Pique go we must keep Evans.

daniel (27/05/2008 at 13:02)

Robbo, apparently the Brazilian national coaches were astounded when we started playing Anderson as a centre midfielder with defensive duties. He has always played as an attacking player on the left ,attacking centre or cutting in from the right. playing him in the centre mid might add more to his game and he has been amazing this season. But you sacrifice a lot of his attacking ability and im suprised fergie hasn't used him on the left more at times.

Robbo, N2409 (27/05/2008 at 13:03)

Look, Benzema would be great but... 1. He wants to stay at Lyon. 2. He doesn't fancy English football And 3. Ultimately, he wants to move to Spain. And he'd cost a fortune. I just don't buy the Berbatov 'too old' argument. He's only 27, doesn't rely on pace and, with his brain, could play top-level football for another seven or eight years. In my book, he's a ready-made cult hero just waiting to happen.

edinburgh red, edinburgh (27/05/2008 at 13:17)

Diarra from real, but not involving ronaldo would be a good signing, two forwards when saha goes, part exchange with lyon would be nice and a rb would be ideal, storrey from reading as cheap cover for evra.

The Trawler, Stockport (27/05/2008 at 13:22)

Riquelminho - not sure you'd get Lahm for £5m, he recently signed a new
four-year deal at Bayern. And his price will rocket after Euro 2008 if he plays anything like he did in the last World Cup.

keithmat (27/05/2008 at 13:44)

With the debt up another 50m this year, we'll have to sell first 5m for Pique, 2m for Saha, 4m for Evans ...... might be able to buy a second hand striker!

may see more yout in the future as basically WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!

manu fan, Old Trafford (27/05/2008 at 13:53)

i am a massive roanaldo fan but i agrre with level head ronaldo is taking the piss what is he up to.

we should give the younsters a chance we have a few good prospects still in reseves. however we should defentily sign three or four players.

i would sign alves and richids i say both because alves can play on the wing aswell. then pelioucs looked okay aganist us but i am not sure. we defentliy nned to sign benzema he is the next world player of the year and would be are torres. and ashley young is incredible he would be on top of my list. i think if we sell ronaldo he will come.

outs ohea ,Gnev and sarha

sicknote could have eeen a united legend but he is injury prone what a shame he is qulity when fit and was the pivitol to 06/07 system.

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