With the Premier League title race all but over – it certainly will be if Manchester United don’t win the local derby this weekend – attention turns to transfer speculation. The media, being the media, will ignore United’s financial reality and ‘link’ the club with every available player on the planet. Here’s today’s media speculation round-up…
Hugo Lloris
The brilliant Olympique Lyonnais ‘keeper has broken into the French national side in time for the FIFA World Cup this summer after appearing for Les Bleus at under-17, 18 and 20 level. Superb in this season’s Champions League, Lloris is a £15 million United target according to today’s papers.
Federico Macheda
Kiko retains the confidence of Sir Alex Ferguson despite an injury-hit season that has reduced the Italian’s first team opportunities to just one Premier League start this season. Speculation has Macheda joining Italian club Palermo on loan. Not so, says his agent.
“Interest of Palermo? I know nothing about it, Palermo have not contacted me,” Giovanni Bia said.
“For now Federico is in Manchester and is well there, but it is (too) soon to talk about next season. He has a four years contract there. I don’t think that Manchester would give away a player like him.
“The future of Macheda depends on Manchester United.”
Simon Kjaer
One agent busy on the hustings is the Danish central defender’s. Kjaer, 20, wants to leave the aforementioned Palermo for the Premier League this summer. Reportedly a target of both cash-strapped United and even more cash-strapped Liverpool, Macheda could be used as makeweight in a deal for the Dane, according to some of the more wide-of-the-mark reports.
Fabio da Silva
The Brazilian teenager has not progressed this season, with injury once again blighting the campaign. While brother Rafael challenges Gary Neville for the United right-back spot, Fabio has little chance displacing Patrice Evra bar injury. Could the former Fluminese player join Sporting Lisbon on loan?
David Luiz
Who? United will need to stump up £25 million large ones to acquire Benfica’s 22-year-old central defender. The curly-haired Brazilian, who is yet to feature for his country, is unlikely to receive a UK work permit even if United was to find the cash hidden under Malcolm Glazer’s mattress.
dark days….i used to look forward to the summer.
If the papers are to be believed and the red knights have
raised 1.5 billion to offer the Glazers,even a layman like myself would bet my house on the Glazers taking it,
lets be honest they are in it for the money only,United
to them are just a way of increasing their bank balance.
if the glazers are reading this, take your ill gotten
gains and piss off.
What about gourcuff?? I’d like to see a player like him in united even pato and aguero are attractive options
We have already spent 10 million on smalling and 10 million on javier hernandez. What makes you think we won’t spend 15 million on a young world class goalkeeper who could be in our team for another ten years? Fear mongerers
after last summer, this summer like most will be full of links but short of major signings.
i am still annoyed that we didnt ask for robben, sneijder or anyone when we sold ronaldo.
In a normal season you would say Fabio and Kiko may have gone out on loan. However with the 25 squad limit the u21s like them who are 1st team level will be vital next season to support the main 25.
Gibson and diouf are the kind of players I expect will be loaned at as they are over 21 and would require a squad place but still deserve a chance. 6-12months of first team epl football would be ideal.
On the RK raising 1.5bn. I doubt that as they are being strict on the amount that can be invested hence why they rejected the 1bn two united supporters wanted to pledge. They have two stake packages one said to be around 20mill each and one under 10mill so making 1.5bn with that is unlikley and it’d probally just Harris shouting his mouth off with more false claims and idiotic comments. After all the last two weeks the reports have been that they have 700mill + 300mill in loans against the club (while leaving the bond) and then still need the normal fans to give MUST over 200mill to buy their golden share and that’s only just reaching the clubs Market value. The only way they have found a further 300mill is if a significant amount if that is in more loans and that’s going to cripple the club
45mill in bond servicing leaves the club making around 90mill a season.
300mill in loans would result in servicing costs of upto 30mill (that’s what Liverpool pay for debts around that amount) so a second loan will take the total to between 40 and 60 mill leaving a club profit of only 30-50mill BEFORE the red knights take their cut that most of them would require