Midfielder Tom Cleverley will stay with Manchester United this season after manager Sir Alex Ferguson kiboshed talk of a loan move. Media outlets had reported that a season-long loan to Wigan Athletic, Newcastle United or Bolton Wanderers was on the cards after the manager spoke of not allowing his younger players to stagnate.
It’s a significant u-turn from United, with the club actively encouraging bids from Premier League clubs up to last week. However, with Cleverley impressing on the club’s pre-season tour to North America and Mexico, the midfielder has seemingly forced his way into the manager’s planning.
“He is an exceptional young player in terms of his ability to play a variety of positions,” Ferguson said on Friday.
“He is such a talent, we must keep him. He showed at Watford that he’s a goalscorer from midfield and we need that. He has outstanding qualities.”
The news is a boon to Cleverley, who scored 11 goals on loan to Watford last season, assuming the 20-year-old attacking midfielder features in a number of first team games during the coming season.
However, the reluctance to send Cleverley out on loan probably spells the end for any further deals this summer, especially in the central midfield area that has seen United touted by the media as bidders for Wesley Sneijder and Mesut Özil this summer.
In related news Sir Alex confirmed that both Danny Welbeck and Mame Biram Diouf will play their football away from Old Trafford in the coming season.
Good news, but we still need reinforcements….Ozil would be good, but Sneijder would be better…but at the moment if this is seemingly as good as it gets then fuck it, he has to be played, and played ahead of Gibson in the pecking order..
Esctatic! Didn’t see sense in sending him out especially if we don’t sign anyone else. His versatility coupled with goalscoring ability will surely see him pick up at least 20 starts in all competitions plus a couple of sub appearances.
Great news! High time Fergie started walking the talk!
We’d still better fucking sign Ozil
Especially now Carrick is fucked
I am very happy that Tom is staying, but it does cast more doubt on the likelihood of our picking up Özil during this transfer window. In any case, by the end of the season I expect Cleverley to be getting the nod ahead of Gibson whenever Sir Alex rests Giggs and Scholes.
Good news , hope he gets games.