Tug of war over Spain star Villa

James Robson

October 30, 2009

David Villa

SIR Alex Ferguson looks set for another collision course with Rafael Benitez over Valencia star David Villa.

Both United and Liverpool have been alerted to the fact that the Spanish international could be made available during the January transfer window.

Another long-term United target, David Silva, could also be on the market with cash-strapped Valencia ready to cash in on their star assets.

Ferguson and Benitez are known admirers of both players and are set to start a bidding war in the New Year.

Valencia originally wanted £70m for the pair last summer - a valuation that frightened off Europe's top clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea, as well as United and Liverpool.

But they are understood to have lowered their estimations to around £50m, which would be well within United's price bracket after the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real.

Villa, 27, is widely considered the best finisher in world football after firing Spain to Euro 2008 success and would be the marquee signing United have longed for since the departures of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Benitez, meanwhile, harbours dreams of pairing Villa with his Spanish team-mate, Fernando Torres.

The fact that he has sacked agent Jose Luis Tamargo has only heightened speculation that he is desperate to move to one of Europe's leading clubs.

Ferguson tried to sign Silva in 2008, but was put off by Valencia's asking price.

Should United splash out on Villa and Silva? Have your say.

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Stanley Kong (30/10/2009 at 09:09)

isn't this one of the unfounded rumours ? there's not even mention of any sources etc. the fact that villa has sacked his agent has nothing to do with his desire to move, the way rooney's sacking of his agent has nothing to do with his supposed move.

in the end i think villa will end up at either barcelona or madrid, and definitely not liverpool as they've no such amount of money to spend. i would have liked them to come if that's what fergie wants, but during the january window just before the world cup ? that's highly unlikely even though they're more or less spain's "untouchables".

stevi, france (30/10/2009 at 09:09)

another load of speculation ..phew! .....in the first place if and when he becomes available Villa has said umpteen times that he doesn't want to leave Spain so its a non-starter........if he leaves its either Baca or RM.

Silva...apparently said he was interested in coming to Man United so maybe thats a possibility but unless United are forced to act because of other interested parties it wouldn't happen til the summer anyway.....

I do believe there are a number of players who are playing for their futures with Man United and if they don't pull their socks up the next bus will leave without them.....

Fredrik, Sweden (30/10/2009 at 09:12)

Adding Villa to our squad would kill two birds with one stone. It would mean an end to our wastefulness in front of goal, Villa is a fantastic goal pocher. Pairing Villa with Berba would allow us to play Rooney on the left on our midfield, and that would sort out that position for the forseeable future. Just imagine if we could line up Valencia/OH, Fletcher, Giggs/Anderson, Rooney; Villa, Berba.

Drago 34 (30/10/2009 at 09:15)

A load of rubbish.

Brian, Brussels (30/10/2009 at 09:36)

Thought we would'nt be buying players of that age for big money with no sell on value anymore?

Frank Old Trafford (30/10/2009 at 09:39)

A couple of minor problems here, firstly Fergie's much publicised transfer policy after the Berba debacle that he will NOT sign older players.

We tried to sign Villa from Zaragoza but he said then and constantly repeats that he will NOT play outside Spain. If he has changed his mind I can't see him going anywhere but Liverpool.

If he leaves Valencia it'll be for silly money to one of the 2 spanish teams.

Splurge (30/10/2009 at 09:47)

No thanks, rather give Welbeck and Macheda a good run, unless we are selling Berbatov of course.

Buy a keeper instead

Infijar Ken, Angola (30/10/2009 at 09:51)

bobbydazzler, 29/10/2009 at 19:34

From the Players Ratings thread: "hope we get drawn away in next round".

Strange comment. Are you thinking of breaking into the tuck shop again, or something?

RJKS, St Retford (30/10/2009 at 10:04)

But they are understood to have lowered their estimations to around £50m, which would be well within United's price bracket after the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real; When will the media & every other deluded person realise that UTD don't have the £80m to spend on players. It all went to service debt !. That's why Mr Ferguson couldn't spend during the summer & ended up getting Owen in for nothing (I'm not saying that was a bad deal either). Liverpool, Utd, Arsenal & to a degree Chelsea are cash strapped at present duer to the £ against to Euro & unless you have a multi Billionaire world domination as a motive big transfers won't happen !. Torres was about 2hrs away from signing for City in the summer & only a gaurantee from the bank stopped it happenning.

danny, WILMSLOW (30/10/2009 at 10:16)

Liverpool have not even paid for Glen Johnson yet,so they do not have the money,will United spend the money or do they need to spend the money are the questions.

falconi (30/10/2009 at 10:26)

i don't think the pie thieves will have enough clubcard points to buy him.

Gilly, Belgium (30/10/2009 at 10:26)

David Villa will stay in Spain !

stevi, france (30/10/2009 at 10:40)

RJKS, St Retford 30/10/2009 at 10:04
"Torres was about 2hrs away from signing for City in the summer & only a gaurantee from the bank stopped it happenning."

wake up sleepy head its time to stop dreaming lol

yet another deluded bitter...oh dear this is tiresome, the point you & others repeatedly chose to ignore is the fact we already have a sucessful team so we don't need to buy all & sundry at any price! we just need the right players at the right price and if not things will carry on as per usual....you just carry on hoping and praying you at least qualify for Europe while we'll just carry on doing the same as the last 20+ years...winning :p

Giggsy's chest rug! (30/10/2009 at 10:42)

im taking this story with a pinch of salt;

however, i think villa would be an excellent signing for utd. he's up there with the best finishers in the business (torres, drogba, ronaldo), and will get into good positions in the box (something rooney and berbatov dont do). the more i see of rooney and berbatov makes me think they are never gonna be prolific goal scorers. rooney in my eyes is becomming more of an attacking midfielder, and berbatov always wants the ball at feet to create something. both are undoubtedly excellent players but not out and out goal scorers (note how many time ronaldo played up-front last season).

i think if there is a chance to buy both villa and silva (who i also rate highly) for 50 million, then utd should go for it. Liverpool probably can't afford either player, but with benitez being spanish they already have a slight advantage when it comes to signing spanish players (torres and villa partnership, would be devastating). I do think valencia will do business with utd if we sign both players, this would probably suit villa and silva too!

Monkey tennis?, yes please (30/10/2009 at 10:42)

We don't need more attacking dilemas, we need a beast in midfield and a keeper, end of.

Grant - Hemel Hempstead (30/10/2009 at 10:54)

Fredrik, Sweden,
30/10/2009 at 09:12

To be honest, I don't think we have been that wasteful. I am more concerned by the lack of chances we are currently creating. IMO there are 2 reasons for this 1/ The lack of a midfielder with the cuteness to open up tight defences with little threaded balls etc and 2/ I think the movement up front recently has been poor. Rooney and Berbatov are so easy to mark it is untrue - they are static. Yes they have the ability to do something when they get the ball in tight spaces, but what has happened to getting in between defenders, just like Torres did. To be fare to Owen, his movement across the line is very good. Again IMO, Torres gave a fantastic example of how to occupy the Centre Backs. I think any defender playing up against our forwards at the moment is getting a very easy ride.

Rafal Olender (30/10/2009 at 11:01)

dont need them. i would rather go for juan manuel mata from valencia. he's much younger and could play att mid or left winger. got loads of pace dribbling and is much better crosser than nani. and he's left foot. but i think we will have to wait until WC in june before new transfers. nut would be glad to see rene adler from bayer leverkusen coming in janury to become VdS succcesor for years to come. he's great ability and united fan. was spotted at anfield last sunday. wish him at OT

brokeback monton (30/10/2009 at 11:02)

RJKS, St Retford

Firstly i have never been on the berties site, why would i.

Secondly, is this another of your FACTS, Torres was 2 hrs away from city, no he wasn't your either a liar or stupid, why would city need a bank guarentee if they have 500 billion.

Please post a FACT comfirming that the money has gone on interest payments.

Peter Doherty. As good as it gets. (Was it really 37 years?) , Levenshulme (30/10/2009 at 11:11)

United are understood to have proposed a swap deal: they get Villa and Valencia get 37 meat-and-potato pies and an assortment of plastic forks...

tooth&claw, manchester (30/10/2009 at 11:13)

Is it me or are the bitter City posters on the UUnited side getting even more moronic?

bobbydazzler (30/10/2009 at 11:16)

ken angola

an away draw is a far better test for the up and coming players much better for their development

i dont want to have to shell out 40 quid to watch a mix of youngsters and fringe players .

dessie, manchester (30/10/2009 at 11:20)

the amount of debt the club has can they really afford to buy anybody??

RJKS, St Retford (30/10/2009 at 11:33)

stevi, france; When did i say you needed to buy any players ?. All i said was I don;t belive any of the normal top four clubs had that sort of revenue to spend ?. Brokeback Monton; What are you on ?. When did i say in my post that you had been on any other site ?? & I didn't say that City needed a bank gaurantee I said Liverpool needed it to hang onto Torres ?. Please read the post gent & then comment. Then again i should have expected that sort of reaction to what was meant as an informative post ?.

steve wilson (30/10/2009 at 11:37)

Is it me or are the bitter City posters on the UUnited side getting even more moronic?
tooth&claw, manchester,
30/10/2009 at 11:13 Offensive or Inappropriate?

No it is not you!

I mean they are stating that United are bringing the game into disrepute after idiocy by some fans at Barnsley;this from a team that gave the world Joey Barton!

Private Fraser, Warmington-On-Sea (30/10/2009 at 11:38)

The only way Villa will appear at Owe Trafford is if Valencia do a loan deal. Tick tock.

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