Manchester United transfer diary 20 December 2009 - 1 January 2010
Manchester United's injury problems are starting to lessen as we enter the new year with the club able to field four defenders against Wigan on Wednesday night so transfer activity is likely to be light. But United do need someone to help generate more goals - either scoring them or making them - because taking Ronaldo out of the team has taken away the x-factor. Players surplus to requirements include wingers Tosic and Nani suggesting changes on the flanks.
Transfer Speculation: Micah Richards (Manchester City) to Manchester United
Transfer Speculation: Takayuki Morimoto (Catania) to Manchester United
Transfer Speculation: Yaya Toure (Barcelona) to Chelsea/Man United
Transfer Speculation: Nani (Manchester United) to Anywhere (£10m)
Transfer Speculation: Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg) to Manchester United
Sunday 20 December 2009
The Sunday Express went with the 'one that got away' suggesting that Sir Alex Ferguson is prepared to spend now what he wasn't prepared to spend in the summer to land Karim Benzema (£35m) from Real Madrid - personally I don't think United will go north of £25m for him. In related news The Sunday People is expanding the theme that United have become Real Madrid's feeder club by talking up the chances of Jonny Evans and Nemanja Vidic becoming Madridistas in January - however unlikely that is. The People then went on to suggest that United would miss out on Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko (£25m) who Chelsea will sign. The news of the World suggests that a cut price option would be made Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa (£5m).
Monday 21 December 2009
Nothing to see here.
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer (he's here, he's Kjaer, he's everyf---ing where) is the subject of fevered speculation with the Daily Mail suggesting that United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City want him. The Mail go on to point out another 2837 players likely to sign for City in a piece not entirely made up. But Fergie tells The Guardian that City are welcome to him as he ruled out making any signings in January.
Wednesday 23 December 2009
The Daily Mail report that United have bid £9m plus Nani for Benfica winger Angel di Maria - a total value of £8.5m then - in a move that would certainly improve United's squad.
Thursday 24 December 2009
Senegal international striker Mame Biram Diouf has been granted a work permit and could make his Manchester United debut at some point according to The Sun - well that is kind of the point in signing players.
Friday 25 December 2009
Chicken and pasta and water.
Saturday 26 December 2009
The Daily Mirror reported that Atletico Madrid would offer Argentine striker Sergio Aguero (£40m) to Chelsea and Manchester rivals United and City for £40m which seems a bit odd, aren't you supposed to get bargains in January? The Mirror reckoned that Chelsea's bid was stalled after a problem with personal terms ... that in no way was connected to this speculation becoming public knowledge.
Manchester United will offload £7m 22-year-old Serbian winger Zoran Tosic in January - quite what United will get from the sale is a mystery. The Times say that Fergie believes that he will outlast 20 Man City managers and yet still retired in two years - which means that City have only 18 months to sack another six managers. Plenty of time, then.
The Sun inaccurately guessed that Dimitar Berbatov required knee surgery and would be out for three months - he played four days later; much to Michael Owen's dismay as The Sun reckons that he needs regular starts to play for England rather than the 15 goals he seems likely to bag from the bench.
In a bumper Boxing Day for news medical experts in The Independent (well a journalist anyway) cast doubt on Rio Ferdinand's ability to recover from injury before the summer.
Sunday 27 December 2009
United's defensive concerns had the News of the World suggesting that United might compete with Man City for Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini (£12m). The NotW also thought that Federico Macheda may move on loan to Real Zaragoza. Danny Simpson is now subject to a bid from Sunderland as well as Newcastle according to the Daily Star Sunday. The Mail on Sunday reckons that Jose Mourinho will not manage Man City because he is prepared to wait for the Old Trafford job after Fergie retires.
Monday 28 December 2009
The speculation regarding Giorgio Chiellini encouraged Juventus director of sport Alessio Secco to descibe him and Gianluigi Buffon as "unsellable" according to Football Italia. This is in no way a negotiating tactic.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Marca, which is in no way written by the Real Madrid staff, reckons that Sir Alex Ferguson will buy Porto's Bruno Alves to replace Nemanja Vidic who they feel certain is Madrid bound in 2010. And Nani could be on his way, The Independent reporting that his agent is speaking to clubs in Spain and Italy and The Guardian suggesting that he could be part of a deal that brings Benfica winger Angel Di Maria to Old Trafford.
Wednesday 30 December 2009
More speculation in the Daily Mail that Liverpool will land Ruud van Nistelrooy on loan - why he would want to be Torres's understudy is not mentioned. The Sun retreads the Marca story about a £20m move for Vidic to Real Madrid; although The Times ups the valuation to £30m and replaces him with Bruno Alves and Everton's Jack Rodwell for that much money. Another international goalkeeper is lined up, this time by the Daily Mirror who reckon Lyon's Hugo Lloris (£20m) will be in Manchester in January. As United bid to corner the world market in wingers Excelsior Mouscron's 17-year-old Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne is being watched according to The Sun.
Thursday 31 December 2009
File under 'no-love-lost' - Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford has put a £2m move to Newcastle on hold so he can help his side try to upset Manchester United in the FA Cup according to The Daily Mirror.
Friday 1 January 2010
Too many journos hungover to bother with speculation.
*Who do you think United will sign and which areas need strengthening - let us know
