Manchester United boosted their coffers with a record £60.8 million from TV rights last season.
The £60.8m Manchester United earned in TV rights last season was the highest ever received by any Premier League champion club.
After claiming a 20th league title in Alex Ferguson’s final season in
charge, United also led the way in the money charts ahead of
neighbouring rivals Manchester City and Londoners Arsenal.
Virgil van Dijk (left) is in Scotland for a medical with Celtic.SNS Group
The cheque book is out at Celtic Park.
Virgil van Dijk flew into Glasgow today, almost undetected, to have a medical ahead of a proposed move to Celtic.
With the draw for the Champions League second qualifying round now
just four days away, who else will follow van Dijk and Amido Balde in at
Celtic? And who will they be playing alongside?
Elsewhere there are more potential departures at Kilmarnock, Dorin
Goian plots his escape from Rangers and the tale of the footballer who
fell asleep during a medical.
The rumours that Wilf Zaha will
return to Crystal Palace continue to get stronger, with Eagles chief
executive Phil Alexander claiming the club could ask about the
possibility. Zaha joined Manchester United in
January in a £15m move, but was instantly loaned back to the Eagles and
was instrumental in their promotion to the Premier League. With a change of managers at Old
Trafford Zaha's future could be uncertain, with rumours of another loan
out and Palace are keen on seeing him back.
"It's another option,
clearly that's up to Manchester United. He's their player now. Will we
be asking? We'll probably ask in passing but it's really down to them,"
Alexander explained to Sky Sports News.
"Would we love to see
Wilfried back? Of course we would but he's got a career at Manchester
United and, after a few training sessions up there, I'm not sure they'll
be willing to let him out on loan."
Meanwhile, Palace are
preparing for life in the top flight, and Big Phil is confident Ian
Holloway and co will go about things the right way in adding players to
his squad.
"We're really fortunate - we're coming up with a real good squad," he added.
"Most of our squad from
last year is signed up, they're obviously used to playing with each
other, they've got great team spirit and we will be adding to the squad.
"There's a number of
names on the list but we've already got the basis of the squad already
there. It's difficult to say in terms of numbers - we have got some key
areas.
"We did have an injury to
Glenn Murray at the back end of last season and he was our top
goalscorer so it's pretty clear that we need a centre-forward and
probably two or three more to add to the squad.
"We're in no major rush,
we've got some good targets, Ian's done a lot of homework in terms of
what players are available and we're now talking to various agents,
talking to other clubs and going through that process.
"We've got a budget in mind, it would be daft to give out numbers but we've worked out the budget.
"We've looked at the income streams and we'll manage the club the best we can, going forward without taking any risks."
Arsenal powerbroker Alisher Usmanov thinks a move to the Emirates would be 'great' for Wayne Rooney and for the Gunners. The England striker is unsettled at Manchester United having had a transfer request rejected towards the end of last season. Arsenal
boss Arsene Wenger has since expressed his admiration for Rooney but
United are reluctant to sell to a Premier League rival.
Admiration: Arsenal's second biggest
shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, has stated that Wayne Rooney joining
Arsenal would be a great move for all parties
Great player: Rooney has been linked with a move
to the Gunners since he expressed his desire to leave Manchester United
at the end of last season
But that hasn’t stopped Russian billionaire Usmanov - whose stake in the club is almost 30 per cent - dreaming of the move. Usmanov told CNBC: ‘He is a great player and [joining Arsenal] would be great for Rooney, and Arsenal too.’ Wenger has a transfer budget of over £70million to spend this season with attackers the priority for the north London club.
Target: Arsenal are on the verge of completing a move for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain
Gonzalo Higuain is on the verge of completing a £22m move from Real Madrid but Rooney has been considered as a possibility. The
27-year-old is set for showdown talks with new United boss David Moyes
before pre-season with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain also monitoring
the situation.
Jurgen Klopp, the exuberent Borussia Dortmund manager, said that it
broke his heart to see his former charge, Shinji Kagawa, shunted out to
the left-wing for Manchester United. He felt Kagawa was far more
effective in the hole, as a deep-lying striker. In the number 10 role.
Last night, in an extraordinary, breathless match between Japan and
Italy in the Confederations Cup in Recife, Brazil, the United number 26
played on the left of a fluid Japanese formation and he looked like a
proper number 10 at times.
Kagawa, along with his trusted lieutenants Honda (not the car) and
Endo (not the BMX trick) was outstanding in what was a brave but
ultimately futile display from Japan. I lost count of the number of
times the commentators mentioned his name in the opening half-hour
alone. He was to the fore as Japan dominated, racing into a 2-0 lead by
the 33rd minute. And though the first was a rather debatable penalty –
Buffon seemed to get to a woefully underhit backpass from the otherwise
highly promising young Italy full-back De Sciglio fractionally before
the Japanese forward – the second, scored by the ever-dynamic Kagawa,
was up there with Neymar’s for watchability in this so-far excellent
tournament.
Kagawa said: “For my goal I swivelled and hit it with my left foot. I
was in the right place and I was in luck to score.” Which seems a
little too modest. His sixpence-turn and immaculately controlled hit
into the bottom right corner of Buffon’s goal was poised, picturebook,
perfection.
His goal notwithstanding, Kagawa showed other encouraging signs for
United fans. He was adventurous, but he was also economical, intelligent
with the ball. Always moving, he found space expertly, and he sprayed a
couple of Scholes-esque crossfield passes to find teammates in good
positions. He also attempted two or three audacious dribbles.
And though he was also responsible for a second half miss which was
right up there with his fluffed opportunity against Aston Villa in the
3-0 win which sealed our 20th title – here the miss was more costly as
Italy immediately took it up the field and scored the winner in a
pulsating tie which ended 4-3 in goals as well as woodwork-hits – his
display here was a definite nine out of ten. Shinji might just be the
creative influence we sorely need now Paul Scholes has definitely –
maybe – retired. For good.
Ex-red Alan Gowling said that he wasn’t alone in the former player
fraternity in believing that Shinji may, in time, come to be seen as a
better signing than Robin Van Persie. Which seems to rather over-egg the
pudding given RVP’s performances last season. But if David Moyes can
get the best out of Kagawa – and that doesn’t necesarily mean playing
him ‘in the hole’, it just means giving him creative license, as
Zaccheroni allowed him for Japan last night – then we might just be onto
a good thing.
That Norwich display at Old Trafford might just be the sign of things
to come. He’s got an eye for a goal: last night’s lovely finish was his
14th in 44 Japan caps. And he’s still only 24. I’d like to see him
given a proper run in the team.
One final comment. We started by talking about Klopp’s Dortmund.
Well, hopefully his United career will follow a similar pattern to the
one he had at Dortmund. There he got his hands on a league championship
winner’s medal in his first season, despite missing a large number of
games through injury. (Sound familiar?) And he went on to truly star for
them in a glorious second season, playing a major role in Dortmund
winning the league and cup double (Kagawa scored at the first in the 5-2
German Cup Final victory against Bayern Munich, under the watchful eye
of Sir Alex Ferguson).
Le10
have been covering the possibility of Wayne Rooney going to PSG for
months and it's something they simply won't leave alone. He's on their
front cover again today (image, top right) and the magazine claims that
if the club fails with a Ronaldo bid, as would appear likely, that Wayne
Rooney is the man they are going to go for. It's nothing new, Ronaldo
has always been first choice with the club almost keeping Rooney as some
kind of back-up option, if Le10 are to be believed.
The magazine have been singing a similar tune since they claimed in
March it was Manchester United trying to sell Rooney to PSG and not the
French club pushing for the move. We said at the time: 'Today Le10 have Wayne Rooney on their front page. A quick glance
at it (image above, bottom right) would be enough to scare any
Manchester United fans who would be loathe to see him leave the club.
And inside it gets more worrying. They totally respect The Times,
calling them a 'very serious' newspaper, but say that there's no
interest from PSG like detailed in the original article. This has led them to do some digging on their side and it would
appear that PSG aren't happy with being painted as the interested party
and have done some leaking of their own. Le10 claim that if Wayne Rooney is the subject of a deal going on
behind the scenes, then it will be Manchester United forcing the issue
and not Paris Saint Germain, that the Ligue 1 side haven't gone looking
for Rooney, and if they end up in talks about him, it will be because
his transfer has been suggested to them. They go as far as to say that according to information they've
gained from the French club, Manchester United offered Wayne Rooney to
PSG in August. If that's true it's huge news, and would surely underline
that Rooney's Old Trafford days are numbered.'
It was their response to reports in England (mainly from The Times)
that PSG were chasing Rooney and they repeat the same claim today and
say that the possibility of a move is well advanced with the club's
Qatari owners. They also claim that the 'entourage' of Wayne Rooney has
been in contact with PSG and know that the player would be offered a
very large salary by the French football club.
Manchester United are stated as being a club willing to sell the
player and it's something Le10 say they want to do quickly. Everything
is in place for that to happen as soon as PSG give up hope on Ronaldo.
The Portuguese international has been linked with a return to Old
Trafford but Real Madrid are desperate to keep him and his future is
being played out in the Spanish press, something which will no doubt
irritate the player. If he wanted to escape that kind of politics in
football then PSG probably wouldn't be the best option, given the
repeated stories surrounding players at the club and those they are
targeting.
Le10 have been insistent on parts of this story for months, even before
the recent Rooney 'asking to leave' saga. They insist it's Manchester
United pushing the player toward PSG and not the French club trying to
do a deal against the wishes of the current Premier League champions. If
there is truth in it then it would suggest Manchester United have been
looking to offload Wayne Rooney for some time, whilst they can still get
a good price which would also explain contacting PSG.
A move outside of the UK may be more attractive to Rooney, and PSG
would certainly be willing and able to offer more money than Arsenal,
for example. However, Wayne Rooney probably wouldn't be too pleased
about having to wait around to see if the club got their first choice in
before falling back on the option of signing him.
MANCHESTER UNITED target Thiago Alcantara is agonising over his future at Barcelona as transfer speculation continues to mount.
The Premier League champions have been on his trail in recent weeks, and his cut-price £15.4m release clause is an attractive proposition for David Moyes.
United
are keen to add more cutting-edge to their midfield, and Thiago
Alcantara's stock rose significantly after his stunning hat-trick in
Spain's 4-2 victory over Italy in the U21 European Championship Final.
"The
most important thing is to make him see that there is no better place
than Barcelona football club," Pique told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.Gerard Pique has urged Thiago Aantara to ignore Manchester United's advances
The most important thing is to make him see that there is no better place than Barcelona football club
Gerard Pique
Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo ascertains Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola is monitoring Alcantara.
United
have also been hot on the heels of Cesc Fabregas, although Arsenal have
first option to buy him back in the event he should leave.
he tragedy that occurred in Munich on the sixth of February 1958 has
become no less emotive despite the passing of time. Reds young and old
are still touched by the moving tributes that are paid to those who lost
their lives in the Munich Air Disaster each year. There are none who
fail to recognise it as arguably the definitive moment in the history of
Manchester UnitedFootball Club, one that irretrievably shifted the team from one path, to another entirely.
Inevitably, a moment in time as significant as this is always going
be discussed and debated in depth. However, despite the amount of
literature that is available on Munich, it is always interesting to read
a new outlook.
Iain McCartney, lifelong United
fan and author of numerous United books including the brilliant ‘Roger
Byrne – Captain of the Busby Babes’ (a book he wrote in conjunction with
Byrne’s team-mate and fellow Babe, Harry Gregg) provides this in his
latest work ‘Manchester United 1958-68: Rising from the Wreckage’.
McCartney’s succinct knowledge of the club and the era in which he
writes of is displayed throughout. However this no mere chronology of
stats and facts, it is a book that includes not only detailed and
anecdotal reports of the matches following the disaster opinions of fans
who lived through the disaster – many recalling their utter devastation
following the news that they would never see their heroes play again.
This is something that is often forgotten when remembering Munich,
that it not only affected the club, but the local community of
Manchester and on a national basis too. McCartney encapsulates the agony
that fans felt as they listened to sporadic reports on their wireless
radio sets for news of who escaped relatively unscathed and those who
had died. Many things have changed in British culture since the time of
the disaster and the time of the authors writing. However, through his
discussions with fellow United fans, McCartney conveys a strong sense of
loyalty and community spirit amongst those who supported the club
through the tough years that followed the disaster, something that those
who follow the club in 2013 will know is still very much prevalent – if
you look in the right places.
Easily the most fascinating part of this book, is McCartney’s
depiction of the rebuilding process that ensued, championed by the
colossal figures of Sir Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy. Often, books about
Munich can leave the reader feeling glum, however the disaster only
forms part of McCartney’s offering.
The sense of the journey from disaster in ’58 to glory in ’68 being
an excruciatingly long and tiresome road is present throughout.
McCartney talks of United’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ nature of the early 1960’s
where players who once sparkled such as Charlton and Viollet
(unsurprisingly given their horrific experiences at Munich) flattered to
deceive. In the years immediately following Munich, final postings in
the league typified McCartney’s assertion with United mixing
respectability with mediocrity. However, the lowly finish of 19th
in 1963 was forgotten about with the teams FA Cup triumph against
Leicester City. McCartney sites this as the moment when the belief
within the club, that hung by a thread after Munch, was well and truly
re-ignited. With fresh, exciting talent such as Denis Law and George
Best emerging into the first team, along with the old guard such as
Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes, there was much to be optimistic about.
Finally, there was solid proof that there could be life after Munich.
Just as United Chairman Harold Hardman had predicted, Manchester United
would rise again.
The best aspect of McCartney’s latest book, in my opinion, is how he
encapsulates and era that could essentially declare itself as a
microcosm of the ethos of our Football Club. Although in radically
different circumstances, United have rose from the ashes time and time
again in its 135 year history. The club have flirted with bankruptcy
twice and have recovered from relegation in 1974 to sing hi-ho silver on
Wembley Way not three years later. Our club is famed for using
disappointment and angst to fuel the push for glory. Even as recently as
last season, when United apparently ‘finished’ obliterated all-comers
to seize the title back from our neighbours whom they said would go on
to dominate – showing that the Munich spirit of strength in adversity is
as prevalent today as it was during those dark winter days of 1958.
I would thoroughly recommend this book to any red, young or old. It
is drenched in fascinating anecdotes and McCartney’s passion for his
club is easily detectable and struck a chord with me and I am sure that
it will do the same for many of you who read this site. Munich will
always be synonymous with grief and strife, however the glory and
positivity that was born out of the ashes should not be forgotten and
McCartney covers this brilliantly.
David Moyes officially takes over as United manager on July 1. Ever
since his appointment in May, the Scot will have been contemplating
who’s in and who’s out. Here Stuart Mathieson assesses the squad that
the new Reds boss will inherit
DAVID DE GEA Moyes will inherit a young man rising
to the top of his game. The Spaniard is not the same keeper who Marouane
Fellaini roughed up last August. Has grown in stature and, as a title
winner now and Spanish Under 21 Euro trophy holder, he will be bouncing
into the new season. ANDERS LINDEGAARD Moyes is
likely to discover a frustrated Dane is on his hands. His early Old
Trafford dreams of being the number one have been blown away by De Gea’s
impressive improvement. He will be a decent understudy if he’s content
with that. But I doubt he will be. RAFAEL Last
season was the Brazilian full-back’s best as a United first teamer.
There are still some rough edges to be smoothed off defensively but he
has Leighton Baines’ full back qualities going forward and you know how
vital that can be. FABIO Moyes will be able to
tell the difference between the Brazilian twins because Fabio is the one
not wearing a title medal around his neck. Suffered relegation on loan
at QPR last season and this is a big season for him. GUILLERMO VARELA
We are all pretty much in the dark on this one – including Moyes as the
transfer was agreed in principle before he took over. If the Uruguayan
teenager hits the ground running it will be a bonus. PHIL JONES
Potentially United’s greatest ever according to Moyes’ predecessor Sir
Alex. A bit of a way to go to that but he’s making great strides. The
conundrum for the new Reds chief will be to decide on which one position
suits the England star best. CHRIS SMALLING Has
always done a solid decent job either in centre of defence or right back
but his progress has been badly hampered by injuries. He needs a
trouble-free run to give the new manager some food for thought. NEMANJA VIDIC
United managed the skipper’s game time well after knee surgery and that
might still have to be the case. If he is fully fit then the Serb will
feature at the centre of defence as much as possible. First few months
of the new campaign will tell if all his problems are now behind him. RIO FERDINAND
Another veteran whose game time was planned meticulously to such an
extent that last season was arguably his best-ever for Reds. A new
contract in his pocket and still a key figure for the champions. JONNY EVANS
At 25 he is at an age now where he needs to push on and ensure he’s
first choice at the back. The Northern Ireland star certainly has the
qualities to do that and is developing into the player Fergie always
envisaged would take over from Ferdinand. PATRICE EVRA
His future could depend on whether Moyes signs his old Everton left
back Leighton Baines. If not then there shouldn’t be any concerns
because the Frenchman has been nip and tuck as best number three around
with Baines. ALEX BUTTNER Never let United down
when he was drafted in to give Evra a rest and scored a couple of goals
into the bargain as well. The Dutchman still needs some time to prove
himself top quality on a regular basis but has started well in his first
season. ANTONIO VALENCIA Hopefully Moyes will
get back the Antonio Valencia who scooped all United’s personal awards
back in 2012 when the Ecuadorian winger was a full back’s nightmare and
provided a constant stream of assists for Reds forwards. Last season he
was mysteriously out of touch. Improved signs very late on. NANI
I’d be surprised if he was still around when Moyes takes centre stage
on his first official United team picture. If he is then one can only
hope that finally he might throw off his enigmatic label and
consistently produce his best tantalising form. If not Moyes will be
pulling his hair out like the fans. ASHLEY YOUNG
There have been glimpses of a dangerous goalscoring winger in his first
two seasons at United but the fans haven’t seen enough of it to convince
them he’ll be in Reds winger’s Hall of Fame. Knee and ankle injuries
contributed to that last term. Needs a fully fit season to get his teeth
into the job. DARREN FLETCHER Moyes won’t know
yet whether he will inherit the Fletcher who was Scotland’s top dog.
Battling back from his ulcerative colitis condition and it looks like he
will be ready for pre-season. Can only hope this determined and
likeable man succeeds and United get a great asset back. MICHAEL CARRICK
His colleagues voted him the club’s Player of the Year for the 2013
title season and it was richly deserved. Last season was his best
campaign for the Reds and he held a questionable midfield unit together. TOM CLEVERLEY
His form and appearances have been in and out. The England midfielder
didn’t really make the strides last season we thought he would do and
failed to hold down a regular place. But he has the tools to do it. It
could be a key season for him. NICK POWELL Some
brief outings in the first team gave United fans something to look
forward to. The big question is whether he is ready to make a big impact
for United or if he needs a season out on loan to get game time and
bring his game on. Over to you David. RYAN GIGGS
Moyes will know all about the veteran maestro – he scored against
Everton back in February at Old Trafford. It was a composed finish and
that’s just what Moyes will get when he calls upon the near 40-year-old. ANDERSON
Another who it would be a surprise to see in the new kit for the new
season. Six years at Old Trafford and the United supporters still
haven’t seen the player many tell us they see on the training pitch. SHINJI KAGAWA
Sir Alex Ferguson promised this season would see the best of the player
he bought from Borussia Dortmund last summer. Settling in period last
term and, in patches, the Japanese was an exciting prospect. Looks like
he needs to play behind the front man to produce his best. DANNY WELBECK
He’ll probably be praying Moyes will want him as an out and out
striker. Made an admirable fist of playing wide for most of last season
but it was at the expense of his goal account. Only two from an England
striker is not good enough but he has the talent to improve. WAYNE ROONEY
Moyes will need no reminders about Rooney having handed him his debut
as 16-year-old. He’s better than that now but there is a theory he’s not
as good as we all thought he would become when the Scot gave him his
breakthrough. Where to play him is the big question these days or maybe
the new Reds boss will pass that problem on to Arsenal or PSG. JAVIER HERNANDEZ
A tally of 18 goals last season was an extremely impressive return
considering that he never started more than three games on the trot all
campaign. The Mexican is a great go-to sub when you need a goal but
hasn’t fully convinced he’s the man for the job week in, week out. ROBIN VAN PERSIE
The Dutch maestro was simply top dollar last season with 30 goals. The
champions weren’t quite a one man band but you have to wonder where
they’d have been without him. If the Golden Boot winner produces the
same next season then the new Reds chief will have got a great head
start.
So there may well have been something in David De Gea’s message on Thiago Alcantara’s Euro 2013 final hat-trick ball.
Catalan paper El Mundo Deportivo splash this Thursday morning with
the claim that Thiago Alcantara is close to joining Manchester United.
Thiago’s choice seems to be between staying at Barcelona (challenging
Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas for a midfield spot), heading to Old
Trafford or joining up with former coach Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
Crucially, and this news has not been mentioned anywhere else, El
Mundo Deportivo say that Thiago Alcantara and his father Mazinho (a
former Brazil international and 1994 World Cup winner) have already held
talks with Manchester United.
Thiago’s friendship with David De Gea is also cited as a reason the
Spain Under-21 star is heading to the Premier League champions, as well
as Rio Ferdinand’s praiseworthy Tweet during the recent Under-21
European Championships final.
At a fee of just 18 million euros, due to a clause in his Barcelona
contract, Manchester United appear to be closing in on one of the
signings of the decade.
The Gunners legend believes his former side can be a
threat next year with the right additions as the club look to close in
on London rivals Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs
EXCLUSIVEBy Tom Marshall-Bailey Ray Parlour has encouraged Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to splash the cash this summer in order to ensure his former club challenge for major honours next season.
Arsenal are also exploring the possibility of moves for Gonzalo Higuain and Wayne Rooney as Wenger looks to bridge the gap between the north London outfit and the Manchester powerhouses.
Parlour
feels such stellar names would get pulses racing around the Emirates,
but stressed it may take significant spending to address the flaws in
the squad.
Parlour, who was speaking at the launch of the 2013-2014 Barclays Premier League fixtures, told Goal:
"They need to go out and spend money now, reports are saying there's
£70m available at the moment. If I was Arsene Wenger, I'd say go out and
spend £100m and get the right players to have a real go of it next
season.
"The whole point in moving stadium was to try to compete
with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona but now they are trying to
compete with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and
Chelsea, who will probably get stronger next season.
"That's the
most important thing for the fans, but now the club are in such a good
state of mind with the stadium - they paid off a lot of money on that -
and financially, they are in a very good situation.
"The players
that work for him on a regular basis would be very excited to have the
likes of Rooney in the side, Higuain, who is a very good player at Real
Madrid, and Fellaini, who has had a great few seasons at Everton.
"That's the big question now, whether they can attract this sort of players to the club."
Parlour
does not believe the Gunners' squad is in need of major surgery but
concedes his former club need to add world-class reinforcements in key
positions during the close season.
He added: "When you look at
the side they've got, they've got very good players but they have to
strengthen down the spine of the team.
"Striker-wise I know Higuain has been mentioned and Rooney would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal.
"They
maybe need another midfielder who can win the ball back as well. I
think [Mikel] Arteta was fantastic last year but another player who can
slot into that role just in front of the back four, which is so
important in today's football, would be ideal.
"I definitely
think they need another central defender too. [Thomas] Vermaelen was
obviously in and out of the team last year and didn't really play a lot
of football and we don't know what's going to happen to him this summer.
"And
maybe a goalkeeper, when you look at the lack of competition at the
moment for [Wojciech] Szczesny. [Lukasz] Fabianski did really well when
he came back into the side, but I don't know if that's the answer or
not.
"If they can get the right players, they will definitely be a force next season."
Manchester
United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all had to replace outgoing
managers this summer, and with Wenger now the longest-serving boss in
the league, Parlour feels the club can use that stability to their
advantage in the upcoming campaign.
"I think it will be the most
exciting Barclays Premier League season next year, with new managers
coming in and out," he continued.
"You don't know how [Manuel]
Pellegrini will settle in but I'm sure he will do a great job at
Manchester City, David Moyes has got his chance at Manchester United,
and obviously with Jose Mourinho coming back to Chelsea it is going to
be interesting.
"So it may be an opportunity for Arsenal to say:
'Okay we've got the stability in the manager at the moment, can we get
the right players now?'
"Top quality players want to play in the
Champions League and that's why it was so important that we pipped Spurs
to fourth place."
De Gea, not letting go of Thiago for a second.
David de Gea has found himself at the centre of something resembling a
'tapping-up' storm' after twice suggesting to Thiago that he'd like him
in Manchester after the U21 European championships. The first was when questioned on stage three
weeks ago and the second was when he signed Thiago's Tuesday night
hat-trick ball with a message that roughly said 'See you in Manchester'.
The latter causing great fuss both in England and Spain with newspapers
in both countries running the story today.
The goalkeeper was inevitably questioned about the situation when the
team arrived back at Barajas airport last night and a jubilant De Gea,
carrying Iker Muniain on his shoulders for part of the journey through
the airport, said it was mainly jokes between him and the Barcelona
midfielder, being careful not to land himself in hot water.
Quoted by Mundo Deportivo, De Gea said "We talked and joked and such, but Barcelona knows they have a crack with them and won't let him go." A 'crack' is a Spanish term for a great player and Barcelona
probably wouldn't let him go if they had any say in it but Thiago has a
clause in his contract which means he can leave the Spanish side
for just €18m plus IVA. With that tax added the amount reaches €21.7m, still a bargain for a player who scored a first half hat-trick in the U21 final against Italy on Tuesday night. De Gea did, however, explain the obvious "Hopefully
next season I'll have a Spanish partner in the team. Me, as a player of
Manchester United, I would hope to have a partner like Thiago, who is very good." That was probably De Gea's more diplomatic way of
inviting Thiago to join up with him at the Premier League champions.
Such is the goalkeeper's popularity, his positive words about the club
will no doubt make other members of the U21 squad keen on a move to Old
Trafford. Iker Muniain, the little guy De Gea was carrying around the
Madrid airport on his shoulders, has been linked briefly in the past
but he's surely more likely to stay at Athletic Club Bilbao for a while
yet. Manchester United's goalkeeper clearly thinks Old
Trafford is the place to be and fancies a little Spanish company, if he
has to act as a part-time football agent to get himself a Spanish team
mate then De Gea seems absolutely prepared to do what he can.
Once promising Portuguese winger Nani has seen his name increasingly
linked with Arsenal recently after a reported £6.5m bid fell short of a
suggested £8m price tag applied by Manchester United.
Nani: Transfer Truth: 20% Despite a long search, we could
only come up with a handful of reports that went beyond pure speculation
and the quotes within don't suggest in anyway that Arsenal are in the
hunt or even that it is definite Nani will leave. My
future? Nothing is certain, I am calm. I have everything in my hands. I
am not saying that I will not continue at Manchester United. I will
think about what is best for me.
This really reveals nothing beyond what we didn't already know. Nani
fell out of favour with Ferguson after a mediocre season and with just a
year remaining on his contract he may be available for a cut price fee,
though his likely high wage demands would make him a gamble for anyone
willing to cough up the cash. Previously Linked The main logical basis for this rumour
appears to have been the fact that during the January transfer window
last season, with Theo Walcott still not having ended his contract saga,
Wenger began being linked with any half available winger in the country
as a possible replacement for his England starlet.
There is more than one issue with this half baked assumption.
Firstly, we could find no official comment from Nani or Wenger that
Arsenal were indeed interested in him at the time so even that old story
was purely conjecture. Then there is the fact that Ferguson is no
longer the manager, and Moyes may well give Nani another crack at the
whip. Finally, even though Ferguson hardly played Nani last season, he
appears to still rate him very highly, when asked about a move away for
Nani last winter he spoke very fondly of him and suggested strongly that
the winger had a future at United, and that he definitely would not be
sold at that stage. With Ferguson still involved in an advisory role he
may well be inclined to give Nani another go too.
So the whole story appears to have been complied on the basis of the
limited time remaining on Nani's contract, the fictitious notion that
Arsenal were seriously chasing him last winter when Walcott's contract
remained unsigned, and the disputable idea that he is no longer wanted
by new United manager David Moyes.
We're giving this story a truth rating of 20% on the basis that his
low price might make him attractive for any club wealthy enough to pay
his wages, but this by no means implies he will leave United. His
chances of signing for Arsenal are even lower than that on the basis
that we could find nothing beyond deductive speculation that linked him
to Arsenal in specific.
GettyImagesThiago Alcantara is on the radar of Manchester United.
Manchester United have their eyes fixed on Barcelona with the Daily Mail
reporting that the Red Devils will try to sign young star Thiago
Alcantara if they fail in their bid to capture Cesc Fabregas. Alcantara
starred in the Spanish under-21 squad as they captured the recent
European Championships, but has failed to find the same success in the
Barcelona squad, limited to just a handful of starts. The 22-year-old's
search for first-team action could make him the bargain of the summer -
available at a cut-price £15 million. But Fabregas remains new United
manager David Moyes' number one target, the former Arsenal captain seen
as the perfect fit for the United engine room.
Talking of Arsenal, the north London club has been all over the rumour mill recently. Firstly, the Mirror
are suggesting that the club are just days away from announcing the
signing of Real Madrid attacker Gonzalo Higuain, while the same outlet,
along with The Sun, believe the asking price for Swansea defender Ashley Williams has out-priced the Londoners. Finally, the Daily Star
is reporting that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger tried to hijack West Ham's
move for Andy Carroll. The England international's signing for the
rival club obviously ending that coup.
Meanwhile, Liverpool's want-away striker Luis Suarez could be
heading to Italy and into the arms of another Liverpool hero - Rafael
Benitez. According to the Mirror, Napoli boss Benitez is resigned
to losing Edinson Cavani and has targeted Cavani's Uruguay team-mate as
the perfect replacement. Brendan Rodgers' response? Sign a 14-year-old.
The Daily Mail reporting the Liverpool manager has signed youngster Herbie Kane from Bristol City.
And finally, Manchester City duo Aleksandar Kolarov and Carlos Tevez
are targets for Serie A champions Juventus. According to the Daily Mail,
Kolarov is the perfect fit for a side that claimed domestic honours but
failed on the European stage. Tevez on the other hand has been a long
term target for the Turin giants who will need to front a £9 million
transfer fee to secure the Argentine's services.
SWANSEA City will begin their third Premier League season against champions Manchester United.
The Swans will be welcoming the 20-time league winners to the Liberty Stadium on the weekend of August 17.
It will be the first league game for new United boss David Moyes,
who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson following his retirement this summer
after 26 trophy laden years.
Most exciting for fans will be the return of the South Wales
Derby. The Swans will travel to rivals Cardiff City on Saturday,
November 2, with the return fixture on Saturday, February 8.
Phil Sumbler of the Swansea Supporters' Trust said: "It is an
interesting start to the season, against the champions. It is a
different era for Manchester United now.
"I think it is then Arsenal and Liverpool as the next home games so it is an interesting start.
"Last year we finished with the big teams."
Mr Sumbler said he was sure both games against Cardiff City would
pass without incident and that the Swans had a lot to look forward to
this season, with European football coming to the Liberty Stadium as
well.
"The derby will be a great occasion," he said.
"Everyone enjoys it and the fact it is the first one in the
Premier League means there probably has been no bigger game between the
sides.
"It will be a bubble match, the fans will picked up from their own stadiums and escorted along the motorway.
"It is unfortunate that is the way it has to be.
"The next big thing will be when we find out who we play in the Europa League, which will be on July 19.
"Hopefully we can do ourselves and Wales proud. We want to build on what we have done after two exceptional seasons."
Other fans have also been quick to have their say on the game as well.
One Post reader, Odinhouse, wrote: "Cardiff away in November, that should be good. On the field I hope and not outside.
"Two Welsh teams have to show that Wales have good players and are well supported."
The club's final three games will see them take on Aston Villa at
home, Southampton away and Sunderland for the final game at the Liberty
Stadium on Sunday, May 11.
A spokesman for South Wales Police was unable to confirm the
travel arrangements for the two clubs but said: "South Wales Police is
accustomed to policing large sporting events as a result of hosting the
Wembley fixtures for six years and two Premier League seasons in
Swansea.
"We work closely with both clubs and now that the fixtures have
been published, policing arrangements for the forthcoming season will be
developed.
"As always we want the focus to be on the football games not the policing of the fixtures and we wish both teams every success."
YOUNG people were transformed into their heroes for a special exhibition.
A group of nine children, aged nine to 16, were asked to choose their heroes and explain what they liked about them.
They chose a diverse range of people, from footballers to former Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
The young people chose photographs starring their idols and re-enacted them.
Their final pictures were put on display in the Market Place shopping centre on Thursday and will stay there for two weeks.
It was part of an eight-week project run by Targeted Youth Support, which is part of Bolton Council, to build the self-esteem of vulnerable young people.
Kane Williamson, aged 12, from Breightmet, chose Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney as his hero.
He said: “I like United and Wayne Rooney is a good player and a good dad to his kids.
“I like the picture, it’s really good.”
Also choosing a footballer was 11-year-old Toby Swanton, from Tonge Moor, whose hero is Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard.
His mum, Jean Swanton, said: “The pictures are really good. He is a
Liverpool supporter and he has always liked Gerrard. He’s his life-long
hero.
“The project has been absolutely brilliant. It’s been fabulous for Toby. He won an award for being the most improved.”
Lewis Miller, from Farnworth, re-enacted a photograph featuring rapper Eminem.
The 14-year-old said: “With everything that Eminem has gone through, he’s got himself back on his feet. He’s done really well.
”The picture looks really good. I wasn’t expecting it to be so realistic.”
History fan Steven Shaw, aged 13, from Farnworth, chose Winston Churchill as his hero.
He said: “He had good tactics and he helped us win the war. If he
didn’t love us that much, he would have just let us get bombed and lose
the war.”
Combined with a potentially
difficult away trip to Swansea on the opening day of the season, David
Moyes will have a tough start to his new job as United boss and will be
thrown right in at the deep end.
I don't want to use the phrase
'if he lasts that long', so I shall simply say "the silver lining is",
that the run-in is a pretty straightforward affair - Southampton
away on the last day of the season looks a bit of a tricky one, and
it'll be interesting to see if the game I always personally look for - Everton
- proves to be the usual massive stumbling block to our title
campaigns that it has been of late, since that's towards the end too.
Otherwise, save for hosting
Liverpool at Old Trafford with a few games to go, there's not much to
report about the finale. I'm not too pessimistic about our chances of
doing well at the start, but I am slightly concerned about how we'd
fare against your mid-table meat and potatoes fixtures should we have a
nightmare and drop points in three or four of that opening lot.
In order to balance out that
doomsaying, I will leave you with the thought that were these last
season's fixtures, we'd have been able to lift the league title with a
victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Fixtures announced : Moyes must hit the ground running :
Mike Hewitt
Is it a challenge or a nightmare? Either way, the David Moyes Era will be off to a bang this August.
This is not the start you wanted for Manchester United.
Facing your two biggest rivals and the old enemy, with a champion's
league qualifying game before one of those matches. While starting the
season under the spotlights at Wembley.
There's one line of thought
that says you've got to meet every team twice and the order doesn't
really matter. But with a new team, and with competition sniffing around
once the Great Man isn't at the dugout anymore, things couldn't have
gone much worse for the Red Devils. I'm sure we all wanted to ease Moyes
into the job, but with high-voltage fixtures like these, maintaining
objectivity is going to be a tough task.
In many ways, this makes our
transfer window that much more important. It is absolutely essential to
get world-class or thereabouts players and to get them early to
integrate them into the squad. July can't come fast enough for David Moyes, just as August can't come slow enough after today.
Swansea City's tough start against Manchester United is 'just perfect' says John Hartson
Wales legend Hartson reckons the Swans can thrive in such
circumstances, claiming the visit of United - quickly followed by a trip
to Tottenham and Gareth Bale before both Liverpool and Arsenal arrive
in South Wales in September - can be the spark for Swansea.
John Hartson has his say on Swansea City's Premier League fixtures
It’s as tough as it gets for Swansea City when they kick-off their
third term in the Barclays Premier League - but John Hartson reckons
that’s just perfect.
The Swans face five of the top-flight’s
traditional big guns in the space of the season’s first two months
following the big reveal of the 2013/ 14 fixtures yesterday.
Most
notably it includes an opening day visit of the champions as Manchester
United begin their title defence at the Liberty Stadium.
Having
been the opponents for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Old Trafford farewell in May,
Swansea will stand against United in the first post-Fergie league game
as the David Moyes era begins in South Wales.
It is a game that
will surely attract the attention of broadcasters, the eyes of the world
set to be fixed on how former Everton boss Moyes fares in his Premier
bow.
And yet none of that will be of interest to Swansea whose
aims of staying in the mid-table position of the last two years will
again be tested by the bigger spenders of the division and the extra
commitment of a Europa League campaign.
Still, Wales legend
Hartson reckons the Swans can thrive in such circumstances, claiming the
visit of United - quickly followed by a trip to Tottenham and Gareth
Bale before both Liverpool and Arsenal arrive in South Wales in
September - can be the spark for Swansea.
And he adds the glamour
of playing against Robin van Persie and Ryan Giggs in that first game
can aid perfect preparation for another season in the big time.
“For
me it’s a great start,” said Swansea-born Hartson, a Barclays Premier
League veteran from time at Arsenal, West Ham, Wimbledon and Coventry.
“Yes, it’s a tough two months with some of the big sides in there, but
you have to say Swansea have a good record against the bigger teams
since they’ve come into the Premier League.
“And you cannot say
that any game is easy - just look at last year when Liverpool went to
West Brom with everyone expecting them to win and they lost 3-0.
“You
can look at every team’s fixtures and say they’ve got difficult games
here or there or a difficult run of games; it just shows that every game
is challenging at this level.
“And for me - thinking as a player
and a manager - would be that I’d rather start against Manchester United
at home than go to Norwich or Sunderland or West Brom.
“A trip to
Carrow Road is as tough as a game against the big sides, as Swansea
have seen themselves, so why not play the champions in that first game.
“There
is a little bit of a sense of getting it out of the way, but also that
you know your players are going to be very sharp and right up for it. It
has all the ingredients: a boiling hot day, huge excitement in the city
and the chance to catch United on an off day. Manchester United boss David Moyes
“Because the pressure will all be on them. Moyes is under
massive pressure where I think they have to win the Premier League with
the way Sir Alex Ferguson has left them with a fantastic position in
terms of squad and the money for a big marquee signing like Robert
Lewandowski or Marouane Fellaini. Gone are the days where it’s
comfortable finishing fifth or sixth - he’s at one of the few clubs in
the world where finishing third can get you the sack.
“So we will have to see how he handles all that and it starts at Swansea.
“It’s
great for the Swans because the manager knows his players will be
busting a gut to be in the side come the start of the season, even more
so with this game.
“No-one outside of Swansea will give them much
of a chance and no-one should expect a result - but if they can grab one
all of the sudden the momentum from that can really you carry you on.”
Yet
just as important as the stellar fixtures will be the rip to a West
Brom side that finished one spot above ninth-placed Swansea last year
and newboys Crystal Palace in that two month spell, ones Michael Laudrup
are likely to be identified by Michael Laudrup as games results are
needed from as the slog for 40 points begins again.
Both fixtures
are of a number that could yet be affected by Swansea’s potential Europa
League progression, fixtures normally played on a Sunday when European
games are played on the previous Thursday.
Other eye-catching
fixtures include the visit of Roberto Martinez with his new club Everton
in the final fixture before Christmas on December 21. It is a visit to
Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea on Boxing, the Special One coming to South Wales
on April 12. Manchester City are the first opponents of 2014 with a New
Year’s Day Liberty date with a visit to Old Trafford ten days later and
the long trips to the North East saved for the end of the season,
including a final day trip to Sunderland.
But, of course, it is
the South Wales derby that will have been picked out by many as November
2 and February 8 ushers in a renewal of rivalries.
“What an occasion for the two clubs,” Hartson said. “I enjoyed my career but I wish I’d featured in one of these derbies.”
*John
Hartson was speaking at the launch of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier
League fixtures. To hear John plus Phil Neville, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
and Ray Parlour preview the new fixtures, download the exclusive
podcast at: bit.ly/BPLfixtures
Technically, the
headline is a lie. David de Gea actually told Thiago, by signing it on
the match-ball awarded to the midfielder after his hat-trick heroics
in Spain's European Under-21 Championship final, that he would "Nos
vemos en Manchester" -- which translates in English to "see you in
Manchester." Oh Dave, you cheeky Red Devil, you.
Since the start of the Euro
2012 Championship, de Gea has reportedly been trying to recruit the
talented Barcelona midfielder to Old Trafford since there's been a
plethora of reports that the 22-year-old is keen for a move away from
Camp Nou. In Israel, the Under-21 Spain captain shined in midfield as
his talent was clear for all to see. He's arguably on his way to
becoming one of the best midfielders in Europe, however, he's blocked in
the Barcelona midfield by the world-class likes of Xavi, Andres
Iniesta, Alex SongSergio Busquets, and Cesc Fabregas. At Manchester United,
Thiago would almost certainly be given 40+ games next season -- if he
stayed fit, of course -- because no midfielder on the current squad not
named Michael Carrick is anywhere close to his prodigious level. Hopefully recent reports
are true that the La Masia raised player has insisted to Barcelona that
he's leaving them and that United have already put in a bid for him.
Crystal Palace officials would 'love' to have former star Wilfried Zaha
back on loan next season but concede that any deal is in the hands of
Zaha's new club, Manchester United.
Zaha has already completed one loan deal with his former club, helping
the Eagles back into the Premier League, after signing for the Red
Devils in January. But Palace chief executive Phil Alexander hoped the
20-year-old could be a future option for the club.
"It's another option, clearly that's up to Manchester United. He's their
player now. Will we be asking? We'll probably ask in passing but it's
really down to them," he explained to Sky Sports News.
"Would we love to see Wilfried back? Of course we would but he's got a
career at Manchester United and, after a few training sessions up there,
I'm not sure they'll be willing to let him out on loan."
However, should the Eagles miss out on the England international,
Alexander is confident the current squad can keep the club in the
Premier League. But he did not rule out the club from signing a number
of new players.
"We're really fortunate - we're coming up with a real good squad," he
said. "Most of our squad from last year is signed up, they're obviously
used to playing with each other, they've got great team spirit and we
will be adding to the squad.
"There's a number of names on the list but we've already got the basis
of the squad already there. It's difficult to say in terms of numbers -
we have got some key areas.
"We did have an injury to Glenn Murray at the back end of last season
and he was our top goalscorer so it's pretty clear that we need a
centre-forward and probably two or three more to add to the squad.
"We're in no major rush, we've got some good targets, Ian's done a lot
of homework in terms of what players are available and we're now talking
to various agents, talking to other clubs and going through that
process.
"We've got a budget in mind, it would be daft to give out numbers but we've worked out the budget.
"We've looked at the income streams and we'll manage the club the best we can, going forward without taking any risks."
And one player that the club are looking to sign is play-off final hero, Kevin Phillips.
"Ian's [Holloway] keen to keep him, there's discussions to be had with
Kevin," Alexander said. "Even at 40, I still think he could do a job in
the Premier League from being part of the team. He's a great guy to have
around.
"Could he come on and do a job in the last five, 10, 15 minutes of a game? I'm sure he could.
"Those discussions will be had and I'll be hopeful that he'll sign a contract with us."
Champion
Manchester United will travel to Swansea City for its first English
Premier League match under new manager David Moyes, while Manuel
Pellegrini's Manchester City is at home to Newcastle United on August
17.
United, kicking off its league campaign
without Alex Ferguson in charge for the first time since 1986, was
handed a tricky opening five matches in fixture lists published
yesterday.
It hosts Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho
back in charge for the second time, on August 24 before Moyes makes a
return to Merseyside with a game at Anfield against old foe Liverpool on
August 31.
The champion then takes on promoted
Crystal Palace before making the short journey to the Etihad Stadium for
the first Manchester derby against last year's runner-up with its new
Chilean manager on September 22.
The return Manchester derby at Old Trafford is scheduled for March 21.
"Lively start to the season! Let us at them," declared United defender Rio Ferdinand on Twitter.
Chelsea, third last season behind the
Manchester clubs, starts at Stamford Bridge against newly promoted Hull
City with Frank Lampard hoping to make a record 18th appearance in an
opening fixture of a Premier League season.
The west Londoners then host Aston Villa after their trip north to United.
Everton, with Roberto Martinez stepping
into Moyes's shoes, starts out at Norwich City before hosting Chelsea as
its fourth match. It visits United on December 3.
Liverpool starts the season at home to
Stoke City, now under the leadership of Mark Hughes, while Arsene
Wenger's Arsenal is at home to Villa at the Emirates.
Promoted Cardiff City travels to West
Ham United while Crystal Palace marks its return to the top flight with a
home match against Tottenham Hotspur.
The first Welsh Premier league derby
between Cardiff City and Swansea is due on November 2 at the Cardiff
City Stadium with the return fixture on February 8.
The season ends on May 11, when United
is at Southampton, Chelsea travels to Cardiff, Arsenal visits Norwich,
and City hosts West Ham.
The FA Cup final has been moved back to after the end of the league season with the match scheduled for May 17.
Since 2010, the traditional finale to
the season has had to share the spotlight with a weekend of league
fixtures and last year's winner, Wigan Athletic, still had a relegation
battle to fight.
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has issued a glowing
endorsement to new boss David Moyes and suggested the Scot can build a
new dynasty at Old Trafford as he follows in the footsteps of Sir Alex
Ferguson.
GettyImagesRio Ferdinand is ready for another season at Old Trafford
Ferdinand
believes "stability and longevity" were the chief criteria considered
by United officials before then named Moyes as the club's next manager
last month, with the former England centre-back convinced the new man
ticks both boxes.
"I think the appointment of David Moyes signals longevity," said Ferdinand in a Daily Mirror
interview. "More than anything, I think the club wanted a manager who
was going to be here for a long period of time and try and emulate what
Sir Alex did.
"The new boss will have his own ways and his
own style of management, but there are elements of Sir Alex in him. He
always produced competitive teams at Everton, with very little
resources. Now he will have those resources, hopefully we'll see the
fruits of that with our team.
"David Moyes is determined,
he's winner and you can see that his teams have a real identity about
them in terms of the way they play. There's also an intensity about the
way he is as a person. Whenever I've met him I've been struck by that
and I think he'll be a great addition to the club."
Moyes
has already made his mark at United by shaking up the club's coaching
staff, while there are suggestions that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo
and Cesc Fabregas may be on his list of transfer targets this summer,
but Ferdinand is not expecting radical changes at Old Trafford.
"Obviously
we'll still be doing a lot of things we've done in the past that have
brought us success," said Ferdinand. "It would be naïve to think the new
manager will come in and everything will change dramatically in one
fell swoop.
"He'll change things over the course of time
and a club like United has a proven history of giving managers a chance
to do that. I've not seen anyone in the past be successful at a club by
coming in and changing everything completely on day one.
"There's
nothing to suggest that will happen. The manager will come in with new
ideas and will want to implement new things. I know that the players
we've got within our changing room will embrace that completely and give
everything for him.
"It will be different at first, but I
can't wait to get back in again and start training under the new manager
and his staff. I've spoken to the new boss a few times and what's
pleasing is that he's a football man through and through.
"You
could sit and talk to him for ages about the game, and he wants to know
everything about the club. He's coming in with his eyes and ears wide
open to learn everything there is about the club and hopefully continue
the success we have had.
"You want to be a part of
something new and exciting, and this is just that. It's a great
opportunity to write another chapter in the club's amazing history."
As if the transition that Manchester
United had to make under David Moyes was not hard enough, the first five
games of the season where United have to face Chelsea, Liverpool and
cross town rival City have made matters extremely complicated for them.
Moyes would be heading a team of
United’s stature for the first time in his life and in all fairness it
would have suited him had the initial matches been a little easier. But
then in life what man proposes, God disposes.
But what would make matters a little smooth for Moyes would be some decent signings. United do not boast
a midfield which can be termed as one of the best in the world and they
need to strengthen it in order to keep their dominance in English
football intact. The title no 20 was lifted with pretty ease as United
landed their trophy finishing well above their rivals with several games
to spare. And expecting to go in with the same team next term and
especially with a mediocre midfield that United possess is in itself
dangerous.
While they have already been linked with
a number of players, Barcelona man Thiago Alcantara would be a great
addition to the midfield setup which do not posses decent creative
talents. Very recently Spanish newspaper Marcahad linked Tiago to United.
They stated that “Manchester United are
looking at Thiago Alcantara for next season. [The club] will not even
have to enter into negotiations with Barcelona if it stumps up a figure
of €18 million.”
Thiago had been a trusted lieutenant of former boss Pep Guardiola, who provided the midfielder with
a breakthrough in the first team. But this season under
Tito Vilanova he has managed only 15 starts which at 22 years of age is
not very impressive. More than anything else he needs game time and
United can offer him with exactly that.
If provided with decent opportunities,
there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Thiago can be one of the best in
the business. He is a precise passer, can prove to be a very creative midfielder and change the tempo of the game in no time at all.
Although, it may be a bit difficult for
him to adjust to the fast paced Premier League at first, in a matter of
time he can be one of the best players for United.
There is no sign that Xavi’s time is over and with Cesc Fabregas also
in the pecking order, Thiago may not get the requisite opportunity in
Barcelona and United could be his next destination.
In other news, United £17.5 million
rated former Crystal Palace man Zaha has been in the news as his former
boss and club chairman at Palace has
expressed hope that the 20-year-old might be allowed to remain
at Selhurst Park next season, but admits that they do not have
anything in their hands. Ian Holloway already publicly voiced his
opinion regarding Zaha’s future
“It’s another option, clearly that’s up
to Manchester United,” he told Sky Sports News. “He’s their player now.
Will we be asking? We’ll probably ask in passing but it’s really
down to them. Would we love to see Wilfried back? Of course we would
but he’s got a career at Manchester United and, after a few training
sessions up there, I’m not sure they’ll be willing to let him out on
loan.”
![Thiago Alcantara celebra uno d 54375760048 54115221155 600 244 Thiago Alcantara is close to joining Manchester United [El Mundo Deportivo]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tGvfVggVURAriASokE0kf8z4oyWgpPjVdcGQ9Q_HlolGTTNlpTcbjicB8UIyTW9i3tH1txQqGQiHbpEaBfmJzsDD3Zqr_Hm81miuwgCWeC2LZIgjZ44JMxd21Htby1q8D9OwqV5kzBqicCrJGoB6Wsz9_61O46RAI6tqE9yp7l4GxuM31CB7MPKmULkXndnQ=s0-d "Thiago Alcantara is close to joining Manchester United [El Mundo Deportivo]")
So there may well have been something in 
My
future? Nothing is certain, I am calm. I have everything in my hands. I
am not saying that I will not continue at Manchester United. I will
think about what is best for me.
GettyImagesThiago Alcantara is on the radar of Manchester United.
