It’s not often that Rant comments on transfer speculation, after all there are plenty of red tops chasing paper sales that suit the practice better. More to the point, there has been so little activity of note in recent seasons that speculation is, by definition, an exercise in futility. However, recent tabloid commentary about Aston Villa’s 25-year-old winger-come-forward Ashley Young not only has merit but might point to a deal that brings quality to Old Trafford at a price Sir Alex Ferguson considers ‘value’.
Such is the recent heightened speculation about Young that former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie Redknapp assumes a transfer North is a done-deal. After all, his father, Spurs boss Harry, knows a thing or two about doing a deal and will have sounded-out the player, whose Villa deal expires in 2012.
Indeed, there is more than a whiff of Antonio Valencia’s transfer to United in summer 2009; a deal which United had effectively completed six months previously.
“Ashley Young looks better every time I see him, he has electric pace and dribbles with his head up; he looks a future Manchester United player to me, and an ideal replacement for Ryan Giggs,” said Redknapp today.
“Aston Villa will have to cash in on the England winger in the summer rather than let him go on a free next season.”
No Ryan Giggs of course, but Young’s star is on the rise; a talent that has progressed in each season since the player made his Premier League début with Watford in 2006. Moreover, United is a left-winger short though, with Giggs in his 38th year and Park Ji-Sung injury-prone and normally earmarked for a specific defensive job in the Champions League.
In fact Sir Alex Ferguson is heavily reliant on the pair, whom have played 51 times between them to date this season. Giggs has signed a new one-year deal with the club, keeping the Welsh legend at Old Trafford for one final hurrah, although Park is yet to extend a contract that runs out in 2012. The South Korean’s form this season is patchy enough to question his long-term future in Manchester.
Meanwhile, Young has progressed under Gerard Houllier even if his Villa team has gone decidedly backwards. Used as an orthodox winger by previous coach Martin O’Neil, Frenchman Houllier has discovered a greater flexibility in the player, with Young frequently deployed right or left in a forward three or ‘in the hole’ behind a target man this season. In fact, just the kind of adaptable forward Ferguson treasures.
Young’s statistics are a touch better than average this season, having scored eight and assisted 13 in a poor Villa side. It’s somewhat lower than the 17 assists credited to the former Watford player in 2007-08, although the player has half-a-dozen games to correct the statistics. By contrast, United’s Nani has 10 goals and 16 assists in all competitions this season.
The player would welcome a move to United of course, with Villa in free-fall this season and unlikely to qualify for European competition. Having broken into the England side since the World Cup, Young is unlikely to countenance another season in mid-table ahead of Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
“It’s always nice to be linked to those sort of teams [Spurs, United, Liverpool] but I’m an Aston Villa player, I’ve got a year left of my contract. I just want to do well for the club,” said Young this week, in the usual heavily media-trained guff that footballers normally emit before signing elsewhere at the first available opportunity.
“I’ve always said that I’m an ambitious person. To play in the biggest competitions, the European Championships, the Champions League, FA Cup finals, League Cup finals, the World Cup, the Euros, I want to play in them all. Every player would want to win trophies, titles and medals. I’m no different. I’m an ambitious person like any other person who’s in football.”
The question for United is twofold: is Young good enough for the club and is the deal at the right price? Certainly, Young’s price-tag is likely to be the Glazer family’s liking given the players contract situation. If Gareth Barry’s transfer to Manchester City for around £12 million in 2009 is a benchmark then United may just be close to sealing a bargain for a player whose star is on the rise.
Yet, United supporters will rightly ask questions of Young’s pedigree. After all, the 25-year-old is no top performer in the Champions League, nor is he an 18-year-old with a world of progress ahead. On the cusp of United’s upper age-bracket for transfers, Young can add only to the Reds’ squad resources rather than take Ferguson’s team significantly forward.
Supporters asked the same questions of Valencia though, before the Ecuadorian’s £14 million move from Wigan Athletic. And Valencia, who is only six months younger than the Villa forward, has been a huge hit at Old Trafford. Time will tell whether Young will join the Ecuadorian; in Manchester and success.
nani has 18 assists
ashley young is very direct, not good enough ball control as giggsy and NOT naturally left footed. he might bring ‘value’ in at the 15mm quid or so mentioned for him (laugh) but he’s not adding quality over what we already have on the flanks presently. i think young is definitely coming but at age 25 he does not fit the age bracket united is after these days either. imo not the right answer to our left wing effective most probably but not a giggsy replacement
Im personally not a big fan, and dont think he has done great things this year; not convinced we are in for him, but wouldnt be a dreadful signing by any means – – If anyone can bring him up to desired level, it is Ferguson though.
Cough***BULLSHIT***Cough Cough. Do some research would you before you write an article??
Best season at Villa was his 2nd season, by some distance.
Worst season at Villa – THIS ONE by some distance.
He is NOT Ryan Giggs. He is a totally different player, much more like Nani or Valencia, and you wouldn’t compare either of them to Giggs would you?
He’s played off the striker for the entirety of this season except a couple of England games in a front 3, and the last 2 games for Villa 4-4-2 wide left.
Young has NOT progressed under Houllier. He has become less effective and has decided that playing the ridiculously ambitious ball is better than crossing, shooting or beating the man. The consistency of his delivery has deteriorated hugely in the last year or so.
Houllier was NOT the man who started putting him in the hole. He played there all of pre-season under O’Neill, and under Kevin MacDonald the first few games of the season. Not ONCE have Villa played a forward 3 this season. Young has 9 assists and 6 goals in the league. Thats about half what he had a couple of years ago, when he got 1 less assist than top assister Fabregas in the league.
Villa would be unlikely to let him go for less than 15 million, even at this length of contract. He is still comfortably the best player and top earner (apart from bent on 80k/w maybe) in the squad.
He would be fantastic at Old Trafford if Fergie can sort him out, stop him diving, and get him back to what he was doing best. United bought the wrong £16 million winger when they bought Valencia. Young is a much more versatile, skilful player and only needs to move to a champions league club to prove how good he is (because no one could be bothered to notice him getting 15+ assists and 10 goals a season under O’Neill at Villa)
TJ – why is it that first time commenters always feel the need to throw out an insult in their opening line? Perhaps you think you’re clever or something, or maybe its just that the internet gives everybody the anonymity to be a smart arse? We’ll see if you manage to last a second comment without the inevitable personal insult. Mind you, if your “research” is anything to go by I don’t hold out much hope.
Young career stats
2010/11 – 8 goals, 13 assists to date (Villa)
2009/10 – 9/13 (Villa)
2008/9 – 8/10 (Villa)
2007/8 – 8/17 (Villa)
2006/7 – 6/7 (Watford, PL)
2005/6 – 15/13 (Watford, Championship)
2004/5 – 0/1 (Watford, Championship)
There have been plenty of games in which Villa has played 433 / 451. One in particular you might remember – against United in November. When Agbonlahor played up front, Downing left and Albrighton right. Where did Young play? Floating between attack and midfield. You know, the other position I mentioned he’s played plenty this season.
You tell ‘im Ed!!
Is that TJ I hear sucking on his own foot?
so no one keen on bebe then?
Falls into the same bracket as Park, Hargreaves, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher…
All good players… first teamers for Villa, Everton, Fulham, Newcastle, etc… but only squaddies for Arsenal, Chelsea, United, and not even that for Real or Barca…
Cue abuse, from Valencia/Hargreaves supporters, and Glazer fan boys… and all those that equate Premier League titles as proof of class, but show the limit of their ambition.
I don’t know how many times I’ve said this, but once more for the plebs… Manchester United is SUPPOSED to be aspiring to be the best club in the WORLD… we SHOULD be trying to find, scout, attract and sign the best players in the world…
In my opinion, signing Young only proves that we’re now consistantly thinking mediocre, meat and 2 veg football, and working within financial restrictions, which is sickening considering the revenue United generates…
We’ll continue to be competetive, minimum top 2/3 Premier league… semi final FA cup… quarters of the Champs league… and most fans and the pundits will say that’s great… and we’ll still be the most hated team in England… but… we are no longer admired, even by our rivals, as the the cavalier, exciting, attack for entertainments sake, Manchester United that we were a few years back…
Pity…
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
I agree with you re: Valencia. He isn’t what some people make him out to be. He is like Park, only difference being that he is a proper winger of limited talent.
Sir Alex is on record saying that he would have purchased Valencia even had Ronaldo stayed. That makes me suspect that Valencia was thought of as a replacement for Park.
To bracket Hargreaves with these players is grossly unfair on the former Bayern Munchen player. I remember him taking on the entire Portugal team in 2006 WC and wiping out the entire Real Madrid midfield by himself in 2007. He is a classy defensive midfielder – absolutely no doubt about that.
Similar arguments for Carrick and Fletcher.
But then again even Park had a great game or two…. when he was at PSV he pissed all over AC Milan in Europe.
Still Hargreaves stands above that particular crowd as far as class goes.
Agree entirely with all the above.
Carrick looked ace when we first got him. Fletcher… is nearly a top class CM.
But Hargreaves was a world class CM prior to his run of injuries. I’m not surprised and quietly pleased he looks set to get a pay-to-play contract for next year. One last chance…
‘Not even that (squad players) for Real’ – so Real are better than United? Not sure the stats of the past five years would agree with that implied statement.
I’m a villa fan and all I can say is that I will be happy if he goes to utd 4 15mil he’s lost the plot, whether that’s down to a drop
In form or he wants to move either way I would be happy to see Ashley go and have the money terrible free kick and corner taker dives and complains all the time I get really sick of his attitude towered the game.
I wouldn’t put Valencia in that lsit. He isn’t a media darling, or he’d be getting more credit. One of the world’s best wingers imo and just the kind of attitude a player must have. Goes on with his great, consistent and intelligent football, nothing more or less. We know nothing about Valencia apart from what he does on the pitch. He’s very much like Scholes – brilliant footballer.
I’ll be surprised if we’re looking for Young when we should actually be looking at younger options! We have 2 established wingers already, Park is a very good squad player who can fill in, and do more than a job in the big games. Giggs has extended his contract so he’ll play. If we’re buying, we can afford to risk it on some good, immature youngster in this position. I was hoping we’d go for some establised central players if any.
Young will improve our squad, but he won’t improve our first 11. I can’t think of any established names in the centre of the park though. De Rossi – will he really leave Roma?
why bring young when cleverley is coming back?
ffs think of the children!
yeah, we’ve got cleverley and hopefully morrison (in a couple of seasons) coming through. and obercunt and bebe are in the squad. ashley young is better than all of them right now, but i’d much rather have cleverley being given a chance. he seems to have good technique and a good brain. think he’d enjoy linking up with rooney, nani, valencia and hernandez.
still no one fancies bebe?
I think I’d actually prefer to see more of Bebe than Young being signed. United has taken a lot of stick from both us lot and a lot of rival fans for the way he was signed, after all that we might as well give him a shot and see if he can surprise us all. He’s never gonna show his potential (if any) unless he gets a run in the first team to find his feet and establish himself. Ravel Morrison’s already been mentioned too, and I believe much is expected of Robbie Brady (though I haven’t seen him play personally so I can only go off public opinion), so why waste more money on another squad player who will just hinder the progress of the youngsters?
i like Ashley Young, i’ve thought he was better than Lennon for a while. Dunno if i’m right, but i reckon he’d be good at manchester united.
i suppose one way of looking at it is would you be happy having him go to liverpool? I would not like to see that, not after they got Suarez.
Also i read a rumour (though a pretty far fetched one) about Nani plus cash for Sneijder. Him plus Young Rooney and Valencia would be quite a mouth watering prospect. Wouldn’t miss Nani much I wouldn’t think with Young to replace him, provided they don’t limit their spending to just Young.
Young to Liverpool wouldn’t bother me that much, could well serve to unsettle them if anything, when they’ve got a front-three of Carroll, Suarez and Kuyt with Gerrard coming from deeper, I can’t see how they’d fit him in without upsetting someone.
park serves a purpose. valencia is quality. carrick is better than most central midfielders in UK and would walk into any other team in league (bar chelsea / arsenal). fletcher is vital part of the squad.
fergie has said he is def bringing in 2 or 3 (more likely 2 – GK plus midfielder i reckon). and also getting cleverly, macheda, wellbeck back in. looking at the squad obertan is the only midfielder who is potentially going to be sold this summer (talks of him not being happy earlier in the season) and potentially hargreaves if he cant get fit. i would suggest that if he is fit and gets another deal then we will only bring in a GK (hopefully De Gea) otherwise we will have a vast squad – even if brown, owen, kucshit get moved on.
Carrick is not “better than most central midfielders in UK” – have you watched any Utd games this season and last? He’s gone totally off the boil until recently. WHEN he is good, he is really good, but he’s usually “barely adequate”. How you can dispute this is beyond me.
interesting. i guess fergie just doesnt know what he is doing. i agree he has been poor at times, but all players have dips in form, doesnt mean he is shit. played well again last night.
name me a prem league central midfielder (apart from cesc and wilshere) – who play different roles anyway – that would do a better job
For the love of god, please, no Ashley Young.
Young FFS
Irritating big time charlie cunt
Massive fucking wages
English n all FFS part of the soap opera
And 25
And right footed FFS
Can’t we sign a young left footed foreign lad
You don’t half talk some utter gash sometimes Alf.
Valencia is absolutely outstanding. Have you noticed how, each and every time he gets to the byline, he delivers into the box. He ALWAYS beats the first man. On that alone he’s miles better than the majority of the dross running up and down the wings in the Premier League. So what if he doesn’t spack out and throw half a trillion stepovers before he falls on his arse for a free kick; What he does DELIVER is quality into the box, a pacey and direct threat that defenders despise defending against and an improving understanding with our forward line.
Moreover, EVERY team, regardless of quality and attacking intent, needs someone in the side doing all the dirty work. Claude Makelele at Real Madrid, during the Galactico era comes to mind. While all the attacking players and the half a trillion stepover flash gits were demonstrating how good they are, he was busy running the entire backline, marshalling the defence, distributing the ball to those talented players.
Throwing half arse comments about “OMG WE SHOULD BE THE BEST” makes you look a bit thick if you aren’t considering the wider team element of the game. I agree with you in spirit, YES we should be competing for everything, YES we should be playing the best possible football we can – on the proviso we look like an effective, committed, and interested TEAM. Spunking money away for the sake of spunking it away is retarded. I agree we should spend whatever we need to spend to improve the team.
Though, as ever, I fail to see any suggestions – feasible, realistic, considered and reasoned suggestions – for players that could fit the bill.
Come on Alf, you are better than that!
IMO, Young doesn’t fit the bill because I think he is inconsistent, though whether Fergie could get him out of that rut remains to to be seen. I think he had the tools to be a top player previously, when he was younger, though as you mention Valencia wasn’t of a much different age when he came across.
Nani AND cash for Sneijder? No thanks
Wouldn’t miss Nani much in comparison to Young? Geezus. Grab yourself a clue mate, you’re on planet nonsense.
I personally would welcome Young to OT with open arms. The lad has one of the best crosses in the game today (the English game anyway), and he would be invaluable on corners as well. We have sorely needed someone who can whip in a cross as neither Giggs nor Nani are particularly effective corner takers. Young also has the pace, dribbling ability and eye for goal that would make him more then useful as an option on the wings.
Lets put it this way, after years of trying value options like Bebe, Obertan and Tosic who never looked good enough we are seriously being linked to a man who definitely stands head and shoulders above the value mark.
Get him in, and then spend another 40 million on a keeper, a midfielder and possibly another striker as well. That’ll probably be enough to ensure we can mount a serious challenge for #20 next year.
Ok, I’ll bend a bit, regarding Valencia… he’s not in the same class as Nani, which is the type of player I consider worthy, but he’s a hell of a lot less frustrating.
My point though, is those names I mentioned… these players are apperantly our level now… the limit of our ambition… we are not a team built like the Glacticos, which is a joke… but when you’ve built a team of real top class talent, then you keep players like Park, Carrick, Fletcher as cover for injuries, and give your better players a rest… Fergie has built a team that is capable of winning the PL again, but let’s be honest… everyone, even our rivals recognise that this is the poorest PL winning team in a long time. If United were dropped into the Spanish league, I’ve no doubt we’d finish third… the premier league title is great, but that’s not all there is.
Farcical teams like Real, the Renties, the Bitters, build teams without considering spirit, and balance… 3/4 new players at a time, spend without a real team plan, and just hope that the supreme qualities of a few makes up for the lack of cohesion of the many… I’m not suggesting that… but once, United fans could get excited by transfer windows, expecting 1 new exceptional player, that would come in and really add something to not only the team, but also the entertainment, and pure pleasure of saying to rival fans, “we are United, and this is the class of player that we attract, and you don’t”… that’s not us anymore.
You said this… “Spunking money away for the sake of spunking it away is retarded. I agree we should spend whatever we need to spend to improve the team.”… first of all, we do neither, and yet we’re told we’ve got over £150mill in the bank… I’m getting to the point where, I WANT TO SPUNK MONEY JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT! Better that, than letting the Glazers cream off the interest to line their own pockets. Or why not reduce ticket prices, why not spend it on the stadium, why not give £50mill to charity… just for the fuck of it? You probably think I’m getting off topic… I’m not… it’s all the same thing… we are not building a football team anymore, a fans haven from the week of working life… we are just bleeding the fans dry of every penny they’ve got, for the sake of servicing the Glazers business plan… that means wages are only to be competetive, player signings have to meet a budgetary standard and actual entertaining football is now just a luxury not a team philosophy.
Hargreaves, Fletcher, Park, Gibson, O’Shea… this is what our team is going to look like from now on… Rooney will hold us together, until he fucks off… and that money will disappear like the Ronaldo money… once in a while we’ll strike gold with a Vidic or an Evra but most young talent we sign will either go on to be mediocre, and fit in, or excel and then be sold when their ambitions outgrow our own.
All that matters is that we qualify for the money stages of football… actually enjoying it will be a secondary consideration… and only the casual fan will matter… the die hard fan, will just get sick of the whole fuckin thing and find something else to do on saturdays… but then he doesn’t really matter anyway… the corporate box, and the sky subscription charges… will pay the bills… after that… who gives a fuck anymore?
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
Would take him, will work well in the squad and it is a squad game these days.
Buying johnny big balls is fine if they replicate their form from their previous team, don’t get injured and don’t distribute the dressing room.
I Reckon Fergie will play him in the middle a lot.
He might even see the little arsehole runty bastard as the solution to our creative midfield problems
his head is unusually small, and he wears snoods a lot, whats the opinion on snoods
Over two legs Real would take United to the shed.
Valencia is brilliant at crossing. I rate him above Nani – a very underrated player.
A natural winger (rare) with discipline (rare) – we need that. Noticed how Man Utd finally look at their best with this guy back?
nowt to do with Rooney coming good then?
but i agree, i like valencia a lot
Disagree with the Rooney bit. He’s playing very well, but Valencia’s pace and discipline gives our midfielders a lot more freedom.
Rooney coming good has a fair bit to do with Valencia being back. In rooneys peak last year Valencia was teeing him up with chances week in week out.
Valencia is way more important to this team than some of you give him credit for.
I would be very surprised if Madrid didn’t beat us. They bought our best player and are basically the state football side with unlimited funds! Its fantasy football more or less.
We are not in that position and I doubt Fergus would want to operate in that way either.
dont need him.. we still have giggs
We have absolutely no need for Young. None at all. Except ofcourse if Nani is off in the summer.
We have Park and Cleverly coming back. If we have to get anyone from Villa then it has to be Downing as he is LEFT-FOOTED. He is another Valencia in terms of pace and discipline.
robben on the cheap is more likely if munich fail to make champions league.
we need 2 monsters in the centre of the park. problem solved
Robben will be sensational. However, I am not sure our manager will have forgiven him for going to Chelsea when he seemed odds on to sign for us. He also fits that ‘mercenary’ tag snugly.
Lass at Madrid will be a good start in terms of those ball winners.
Calvino – Ferguson’s not interested in Robben
You tell Terrence – he suggested him first!!
Can we devise a punishment for whoever next suggests a “galactico” style signing?! United don’t do those kind of purchases any more.
Downing >>>>>>>>> Young
If downing can be motivated enough.
You started it…
No YOU started it…
NO! YOU STARTED IT YOU FUCKIN CUNT!!!!!!!!!!
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
I have always been a little bit suspect of young, he is a diver which is proven by the fact that he is the most fouled player in the league this season. He also has looked very fragile in the past and pushed off the ball too easily. However, this season he looks better and is just about an england first team regular. I still think he is far from fergie material but I expect signings this summer
ahh i dont give a fuck anymore, gonna txt him here and tell him he can sign whoever the fuck he wants,
I think he is Spurs bound, there has been bids for Bale already from a number of clubs.
Are we one of them?
I think we will be but not yet. The bids were circa 30 million from Inter and Real from a journalist who covers Spurs.’Bids were rejected but Spurs will listen at 40 million.’
Lets hope.
euch, Downing!?
besides, surely at tht level of football all of them should be able to kick with both feet?
what about the spaniards… Jesus Navas, or Juan Manuel Mata. Given how economically fucked everyone in spain outside of the top two are you’d tihnk they might sell…?
or am i just overrating them ’cause they’re foreign… probably.
not worth it!!! there are enough other talents in the world to be found without having to get raped by Spurs for Bale.
fuck off czuk.. your name is filth and your soul is dogshit
Bale is a briliant player and only getting better.
Navas will be homesick, Mata would be good re: the Spainards. A winger is not a priority though.