Today’s round-up includes a creative midfielder, United’s two most consistent players and a French left-winger. Don’t let United’s paucity of transfer funds fool you though, for the world’s media has Sir Alex Ferguson spending around £100 million on this motley collection. He’ll need to flog Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra to fund it… oh.
Evra gonna give you up?
Real Madrid will bid £20 million for United’s Evra this summer, according to various silly season reports. With the Madrid club seeking new cover at left-back, Evra heads Madrid’s list, which also includes Arsenal’s Gael Clichy, Chelsea’s Ashley Cole and Fiorentina’s Juan Manuel Vargas.
Rooney in wears white shocker!
The Scouse striker is definitely off to Real Madrid in a £90 million summer move, according to Spanish gossip rag Sport.es. The Catalan sports paper says that Rooney’s donning of both red and white strips for a recent Pepsi advert shot in Barcelona is ample evidence of the move. Rant isn’t convinced.
Modric + praise by Sir Alex = multi-million transfer
Tottenham Hotspur’s creative midfielder Luka Modric, praised by Sir Alex Ferguson in his programme notes last weekend, is heading to United in a £25 million deal, according to reports. Given United’s track record buying from Spurs in recent seasons, Ferguson may need to double the bid.
Need creativity? Send for a defensive midfielder
Ignoring the patently obvious lack of creativity in the United midfield this season, the world’s media – well the Mirror – suggests United will spend £20 million on Real Madrid’s Lassana Diara. The former Portsmouth, Arsenal and Chelsea reject, Diara has now lost his place in the Madrid midfield to Fernando Gago.
Absolutely Marveaux-less
Elsewhere the Mirror claims Ferguson wants 23-year-old Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux – dubbed the new Florent Malouda. Marveaux, who is yet to feature in the French national side, has scored eight goals in 31 appearances on the left flank this season.
Never say Neven Subotic again
United will bid for Borussia Dortmund’s Serbian international defender Neven Subotic, claims German newspaper Bild. It will take €20 million to prize the 21-year-old 6ft 3in tall defender out of Dortmund’s cold, dead hands, says the report. American-raised Subotic, inevitably compared with compatriot Nemanja Vidic, will feature during this summer’s World Cup.
“If Manchester United is wanting to have him, they would need to sign over a property of two oil-fields to us,” said Hans-Joachim Watzke, Borussia’s general manager.
“Or at least two big trucks full of packaged pound notes.”
United would be just Fabiono says Luis
Brazilian’s striker Luis Fabiano, 29, has issued a not-so-subtle come hither plea to Ferguson. Fabiano, who plays for cash-strapped Sevilla, is seeking one last pay day challenge before he retires to the Copacabana. The Brazilian has scored 90 goals in 187 appearances for the Spanish side.
“If you are asking me what team I most admire it is Manchester United,” he said.
“If you play under Ferguson then you are probably going to win a title or another major trophy.”
No Ninis here
United might bid for young Greek midfielder Sotiris Ninis, a 20-year-old Albanian-born Greek international player. United has watched the Panathinaikos star three times this year, says the Manchester Evening News. The midfielder is available for £10 million, with Real Madrid and AC Milan also interested says the paper.