Man U

[DeLorean]

I've only seen valencia play on a few ocassions and whilstplayed well I wasn't overly impressed. Is he good enough for United's level or is he going to be another Quinton Fortune or Djemba-Djemba?

I think that's very harsh on Fortune putting him in the same bracket as Djemba-Djemba but I suppose he won't go down in United folklore either to be fair. I think Valencia looks a different class of player to these guys but only time will tell.

[shakermaker1982]

Decent signing but they need to invest in somebody who can get 25+ goals a season because it's unlikely Rooney and Berbatov can step up to the plate.

[DeLorean]

United seem to have missed out yet again...
Lyon confirm Benzema bid (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5409472,00.html)

[DmanDmythDledge]

United seem to have missed out yet again...
Real agree fee for Benzema (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5409334,00.html)
I'd be surprised if Man Utd don't match that price. Has Benzema ever hinted where he'd prefer to go?

[DeLorean]

I'd be surprised if Man Utd don't match that price. Has Benzema ever hinted where he'd prefer to go?

Last i heard he wanted to stay at Lyon for another season to stay in the hunt for a WC place. Not sure what difference this would have made. No idea where his preferred destination would be.

[jebus]

I'd be surprised if Man Utd don't match that price. Has Benzema ever hinted where he'd prefer to go?

Given Madrid's signings this summer and the general shift in power to La Liga I'd be surprised if he chose United over Madrid

[DmanDmythDledge]

Given Madrid's signings this summer and the general shift in power to La Liga I'd be surprised if he chose United over Madrid
Same here. Although he has been in talks with Man Utd the past couple of days. Don't know if Madrid just entered the race or have they just revealed their interest.

Anyway Lyon deny they have accepted a bid for Benzema.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5409472,00.html

[shakermaker1982]

Are Madrid going to buy any defenders this season? If Benzema does go to Madrid then Man Utd need to look elsewhere fast. I imagine they thought the Benzema deal was a foregone conclusion.

[jebus]

Raul Albiol has been signed for 16m

[DmanDmythDledge]

Raul Albiol has been signed for 16m
Thought you meant United had signed him.:eek:

[Neish]

I think that's very harsh on Fortune putting him in the same bracket as Djemba-Djemba but I suppose he won't go down in United folklore either to be fair. I think Valencia looks a different class of player to these guys but only time will tell.

Aye Fortune was a decent player(not good enough for top level but not bad), what I meant was is valencia just going to be a fringe player like fortune etc

[Closed Account 2]

I agree they seem to be running short of time... I wonder who they can sign now, IMO they need to replace Ronaldo and buy an other striker now Tevez has gone and the jury is still out on Berbatov...

[Macy]

Personally I think it was a lucky escape on Benzema. If Rooney was played up front every time, I reckon he'd be 25 goals a season or thereabouts. Fortune was a very decent squad player, and certainly up to premier league standards. No way should he be classed with the likes of Djemba Djemba.

[rava]

Given Madrid's signings this summer and the general shift in power to La Liga I'd be surprised if he chose United over Madrid

What general shift in power?

[superfrank]

Barca replacing Man U as the best team in the world.

[DeLorean]

Barca replacing Man U as the best team in the world.

By that logic there was a general shift in power to Serie A two years ago when Milan beat Liverpool.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Owen to join Man Utd was 20s yesterday, into evs now.:eek: I haven't heard any rumours on that front. Is the drop just down to the amount of money being put on it?

[Closed Account 2]

To be fair I didnt think Djemba² was that bad!

[Neish]

the jury is still out on Berbatov...

No its not he a great player but his ability is overshadowed by complete and utter laziness if the ball isn't player within a few yard of him he not bothrered. Prehaps fergie can get him working but having watch berbatov the past few years for Man U, Spurs and Bulgaria I doubt this very much

[superfrank]

By that logic there was a general shift in power to Serie A two years ago when Milan beat Liverpool.
You're right there. :o

I think there has been a shift in power to La Liga as a lot of people are focusing on how good Barca have been this year, even in the English tabloids who generally refuse to take their head out of the Premiership's arse. I don't think there's any questions that they are the best team in the world.

[John83]

You're right there. :o

I think there has been a shift in power to La Liga as a lot of people are focusing on how good Barca have been this year, even in the English tabloids who generally refuse to take their head out of the Premiership's arse. I don't think there's any questions that they are the best team in the world.
This is true, and with Madrid buying a fairly impressive team to compete, there might be a lot of focus on those two next year.

[Denis The Red]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8131801.stm

I really can't warm to this. It almost feels like your sister going out with your sworn enemy. :mad:
I never really rated him, even at his "best" when he was with the scousers. I think his whole career was based on one goal (world cup 98 v Argentina). Poborsky (Euro 96 v Portugal). John Jensen (euro 92 v Germany, never scored again for nearly 100 games for Arsenal) rings a few bells.
Sure, he'll have a better supply from midfield than he had at Newcastle and he knows where the net is but he'll offer far less than Tevez did around the area and I think he'll play less games.
Sorry but the jury is out on this one.

[footiefan]

Owens to Utd just seems wrong

[superfrank]

Yeah, he's been injury prone in the last few years but he still has a great scoring record. At the end of the day, that's all he does but he does it well.

[Infadel]

Looks like Manure FC have poached another youth player http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04072009/58/premier-league-italian-claims-united-deal.html (http://http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04072009/58/premier-league-italian-claims-united-deal.html)

[MikeBassett]

I think Owen will turn out to be a good bit of business for United, can see him banging in a few goals this season.

One thing that's baffing me is the Liverpool fans slating Owen for joining United, saying this and that, but what do they honestly expect the lad to do? If you have a choice of signing for Hull City, Stoke or Man Utd who are you going to pick? It's a very easy decision in fairness

[Neish]

I think Owen will turn out to be a good bit of business for United, can see him banging in a few goals this season.

One thing that's baffing me is the Liverpool fans slating Owen for joining United, saying this and that, but what do they honestly expect the lad to do? If you have a choice of signing for Hull City, Stoke or Man Utd who are you going to pick? It's a very easy decision in fairness

Didn't see what fergie was at when I first heard about the move to sign Owen a few days ago, but I 'm starting to come round to the idea. Yes he has a cropped knee but if United can keep him in decent fitness, he has a fairly good scoring record and its not as if its costing the club a great deal he was a free transfer and has taken a wage cut of over 70% if the figure I've seen are correct.

[NeilMcD]

Owens to Utd just seems wrong

Who is this Owens guy :)

[jebus]

What general shift in power?

The one that's seen the likes of Kaka, Benzema and Ronaldo go to La Liga and Whosits and Suchandsuch going to the Premiership

[KK77]

One thing that's baffing me is the Liverpool fans slating Owen for joining United, saying this and that, but what do they honestly expect the lad to do? If you have a choice of signing for Hull City, Stoke or Man Utd who are you going to pick? It's a very easy decision in fairness

No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals. Scholes for example would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Anfield, he's got too much respect for his United legacy to ever contemplate that.

[Norm]

No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals. Scholes for example would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Anfield, he's got too much respect for his United legacy to ever contemplate that.

Michael Owen has not been a Liverpool player for around 5 years. As for "No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals" that in my opinion is nonsense. Weighing up Owens career to-date, this is an offer only a fool would turn down.
I'm a Liverpool fan and I for one think its a great move. If there is any club and Manager capable of getting the best out of M.Owen its United & Fergie.

I think its great that he will have a real chance at playing at the top level again.

[KK77]

Michael Owen has not been a Liverpool player for around 5 years. As for "No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals" that in my opinion is nonsense. Weighing up Owens career to-date, this is an offer only a fool would turn down.
I'm a Liverpool fan and I for one think its a great move. If there is any club and Manager capable of getting the best out of M.Owen its United & Fergie.

I think its great that he will have a real chance at playing at the top level again.

It's just my opinion so please don't call it nonsense because it's not nonsense it's just my opinion. You are right though he left Liverpool 5 years ago for the promised land;)

[John83]

It's just my opinion so please don't call it nonsense because it's not nonsense it's just my opinion.
Sure, and criticising absurd beliefs is illegal.

Wait, what? Damn you Dermot Ahern!

[KK77]

Sure, and criticising absurd beliefs is illegal.

Wait, what? Damn you Dermot Ahern!

:rolleyes:

[DeLorean]

I never really rated him, even at his "best" when he was with the scousers. I think his whole career was based on one goal (world cup 98 v Argentina). Poborsky (Euro 96 v Portugal). John Jensen (euro 92 v Germany, never scored again for nearly 100 games for Arsenal) rings a few bells.

I can't believe this hasn't been absolutely slated. Maybe it's so mental that people didn't even know where to begin. Owen has pretty much a goal to every other game ratio so how can his entire career be revolved around one goal. Yes, it was a very high profile goal but you could hardly argue that he promised more than he delivered, scoring another 39 goals for England including a hat-trick in Germany. He won the FA Cup for Liverpool turning defeat into victory with 2 great goals. He scored 118 times for Liverpool in 216 games and even at Madrid, where he was considered a failure by most, he scored 18 times in 41 appearances (only 15 of which were starts)ref-Wiki!! Yes, I can see how you would compare his contribution to a defensive midfielder who just happened to score one famous goal.:confused: By the way, Jensen also scored once for Arsenal!!

[DmanDmythDledge]

He'd have smashed the England goal scoring record too if he hadn't been plagued with injuries in recent years.


No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals. Scholes for example would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Anfield, he's got too much respect for his United legacy to ever contemplate that.
As soon as Man Utd let Owen know they were interested in signing him his agent was on the phone to Liverpool trying to get a move back to Anfield. Players say they will never play for their rivals all the time and, while they probably mean it at the time, most importantly they have their career to worry about. Man Utd or Hull? Any Liverpool player would choose Man Utd (and vice versa), I've no doubt about it.

[coast boy]

[quote=vidic-class;1187010]I think Owen will turn out to be a good bit of business for United, can see him banging in a few goals this season.

Owen wont be on the field to score any goals. Capello is a great judge of player and wont touch him for the national team. he'l spend most of the year on the treatment table. The United medical team will be busy next year!

[gustavo]

I think Owen will turn out to be a good bit of business for United, can see him banging in a few goals this season.

Owen wont be on the field to score any goals. Capello is a great judge of player and wont touch him for the national team. he'l spend most of the year on the treatment table. The United medical team will be busy next year!

If that is the case then the deal will be costing Manchester United very little given the terms of his contract

I guess Ferguson is going on the adage of form being temporary and class permanent and given that when Owen is fit and playing he invariably scores goals.

It would be more of a risk for a mid table team like Blackburn to sign him given that to go there he probably would have been looking for assurances like a guaranteed first team place and a decent wage

[shakermaker1982]

I was surprised but he costs nothing and if he stays fit he could be a useful acquisition. It's not the big name the fans wanted but you'd think Fergie will splash some of the Ronaldo cash to beef up central midfield.

On his day Owen was a real danger. Pace to burn and a natural finisher but injuries have probably taken their toll so it will be interesting to see how Fergie deploys him. Rooney is injury prone (how many times does he break his metatarsel?!) as well so it might all be down to Berbatov next season....

[old git]

No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals. Scholes for example would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Anfield, he's got too much respect for his United legacy to ever contemplate that.

rafa b .. did you feel the same way when ex utd player paul ince signed for liverpool :confused: not much dignity left in the modern game these days money talks even looks like tevez is eager & willing to join man city after 2 years at utd..:ball:

[Neish]

The one that's seen the likes of Kaka, Benzema and Ronaldo go to La Liga and Whosits and Suchandsuch going to the Premiership

More of a shift to one team prehaps two. I still think most of the english premiership would easily beat the equivalent placed team in la liga

[KK77]

rafa b .. did you feel the same way when ex utd player paul ince signed for liverpool :confused: not much dignity left in the modern game these days money talks even looks like tevez is eager & willing to join man city after 2 years at utd..:ball:

I felt exactly the same way.

[WexCar]

No player with an ounce of dignity would play for their former teams greatest rivals. Scholes for example would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Anfield, he's got too much respect for his United legacy to ever contemplate that.

yeah but how many players play their whole career with one club, f@#k all thats how many, so those that do will obviously be able to show unquestionable loyalty to a club because they will never be faced with a test to that loyalty like for eg. Owen is now or as you say Scholes because he will prob never play for another club.

at the end of the day why should a player ( not necessarily Owen but any player) have so much loyalty to a club he only played with for like 3,4,5,6 whatever short number of years, knowing when he was playing with them that if at any time he was deemed surplus to requirements he would be cast aside without a seconds thought.

so if your saying a player should never play for a former clubs rivals then by extension you're also saying that a club should never go and sign a player that used to play for a rival club and that concept is just ridiculous as at the end of the day football is a business and clubs are there to try and be successful. If you apply ur logic to other areas of business then if you were an accountant with KPMG that would mean if PWC came and headhunted you offering you x2 salary you'd turn it down....I dont think you would:)

all in all i'm trying to say that people should give up the fairytale ideals of footballers having eyes for only one club and start realising its all about the money.:cool:

[KK77]

yeah but how many players play their whole career with one club, f@#k all thats how many, so those that do will obviously be able to show unquestionable loyalty to a club because they will never be faced with a test to that loyalty like for eg. Owen is now or as you say Scholes because he will prob never play for another club.

at the end of the day why should a player ( not necessarily Owen but any player) have so much loyalty to a club he only played with for like 3,4,5,6 whatever short number of years, knowing when he was playing with them that if at any time he was deemed surplus to requirements he would be cast aside without a seconds thought.

so if your saying a player should never play for a former clubs rivals then by extension you're also saying that a club should never go and sign a player that used to play for a rival club and that concept is just ridiculous as at the end of the day football is a business and clubs are there to try and be successful. If you apply ur logic to other areas of business then if you were an accountant with KPMG that would mean if PWC came and headhunted you offering you x2 salary you'd turn it down....I dont think you would:)

all in all i'm trying to say that people should give up the fairytale ideals of footballers having eyes for only one club and start realising its all about the money.:cool:

Yes sadly money is the main player nowadays. Tevez being another example though i do admire him for his "president of England comment"! Second person to speak out the true facts!!!!!!!

[jebus]

I don't see how Tevez is an example of money being king nowadays. This is a foreign player with no ties to any English club coming in and moving on to his third English club in four years, he doesn't owe United anything and when you take into account the frequency of transfers between clubs that have a rivalry on the continent you can see why he doesn't think it's a big deal. If he were an Inter player moving to Juventus after two years at the San Siro for example no-one in Italy would bat an eyelid.

Owen you could argue should have more loyalty, that said he was never really taken in by the Kop in the same Robbie Fowler, for example, was, and at this stage of his career with everyone saying it was the knackers yard for him then he'd be a fool not to jump at a chance of winning a Premiership and Champions League medal. Isn't Owen an Everton supporter as well? He can talk to True Blue Rooney about them so :D

[KK77]

I don't see how Tevez is an example of money being king nowadays. This is a foreign player with no ties to any English club coming in and moving on to his third English club in four years, he doesn't owe United anything and when you take into account the frequency of transfers between clubs that have a rivalry on the continent you can see why he doesn't think it's a big deal. If he were an Inter player moving to Juventus after two years at the San Siro for example no-one in Italy would bat an eyelid.

Owen you could argue should have more loyalty, that said he was never really taken in by the Kop in the same Robbie Fowler, for example, was, and at this stage of his career with everyone saying it was the knackers yard for him then he'd be a fool not to jump at a chance of winning a Premiership and Champions League medal. Isn't Owen an Everton supporter as well? He can talk to True Blue Rooney about them so :D

Tevez will join City because of the wage packet. End of story. Now if another club offers more than City he will move to them.

[jebus]

More of a shift to one team prehaps two. I still think most of the english premiership would easily beat the equivalent placed team in la liga

We'll have to agree to disagree than because I've always thought the 10th placed La Liga team would beat the 10th placed Premiership team and that all the Prem had was the strength of it's top 4.

Also it's not just one team, Barcelona and Real Madrid are probably the two teams no player would turn down at the moment

[Roadend]

Just look at the UEFA cup to see how well the English teams outside the top 4 would do.

[DeLorean]

Just look at the UEFA cup to see how well the English teams outside the top 4 would do.

I'd go as far as to say that the middle/lower ranked German teams would be of a similar/higher standard than those in the PL.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Owen you could argue should have more loyalty, that said he was never really taken in by the Kop in the same Robbie Fowler, for example, was, and at this stage of his career with everyone saying it was the knackers yard for him then he'd be a fool not to jump at a chance of winning a Premiership and Champions League medal. Isn't Owen an Everton supporter as well? He can talk to True Blue Rooney about them so :D
Don't know about Owen but I have read an interview with Fowler where he said the only two clubs he cared about as a kid were Everton and Rangers.