Man United Thread

[RawIsWar]

:crying nearly: I cant believe Smith as joined scum, i thought he really loved Leeds, if he did he would of joined anyone but Man U

[G-O-D]

Smith completes £7m Man Utd switch

Manchester United have completed the controversial £7million transfer of Alan Smith from Leeds United.

Smith: £7m Old Trafford deal

The 23-year-old England forward completed his medical this afternoon and has signed a five-year contract with the Old Trafford outfit.

Smith, who is on standby for England's Euro 2004 campaign, has attracted intense criticism over the move from Leeds fans who have condemned their former hero for joining their fiercest rivals.

Commenting on the move Smith said: 'I have grown up at Leeds and spent some wonderful years there and would like to thank everyone associated with the club.

'Now I feel it's the right time to move on and there could be no better club than Manchester United.

'To be joining one of the best clubs in the world is fantastic and I'm looking forward to the new challenges that face me.'

Leeds receive an immediate £6million from their bitter rivals for Smith, with the balance reflected in the savings made by the Whites on the player's signing-on fees and other associated considerations.

Smith has agreed to waive his signing-on fee as a sign of goodwill, with the club also confirming no agents' fees have been incurred.

Smith's open desire to move to Old Trafford has infuriated the Leeds fans who chaired him from the Elland Road pitch following the West Yorkshire side's final home game of a miserable season against Charlton three weeks ago.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson sees the blind vision as a major selling point in Smith's move to the FA Cup winners.

The Manchester United boss said: 'I have never been more impressed with a young player, his desire to play for Manchester United is fantastic.

'Certain young people come along with a special determination, and after speaking to him I expect that from Alan Smith. That desire will take him a long way.'

Smith will return to United for pre-season training in July but knows he faces stiff competition from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha for his first-team place.

Leeds chairman Gerald Krasner said: 'We are beginning a major programme of rebuilding and restructuring at Leeds and we both believe his immediate future in football lies away from Elland Road.

'We know the feelings he has for our club and supporters and what it means to him to leave the no 17 shirt behind. We thank him for his service to Leeds and wish him well in his future career.'

Chairman Gerald Krasner, meanwhile, has officially confirmed talks with Parkin are now at an end.

In a statement, Krasner said: 'Over the past four weeks the board of Leeds United has been approached by a number of interested parties looking to invest in, or takeover, the club.

'One of those has been Steve Parkin, but with effect from yesterday, negotiations have been terminated.

'Due to confidentiality agreements having been signed, no details of the reason will be given and the matter has now been concluded.' 

Source

IMO, £7m is way too much for Smith. He is way overrated.

[FLiam]

I know a lot of Mancs and not one likes this deal. Should be interestng, the majority of mancs hate it, Leeds hate it. Funny really, and yes £7m is too much, he has scored like 40 goals in about 200 games and he calls himself a striker? Dennis Law was saying it is a bargain, sorry Dennis, it isn't.

Guess we will have to see though won't we?

Edited May 26, 2004 by Gooner4Life

[Whisper]

As a United supporter I have to say i'm delighted we've got Smith... I may hate Leeds with a passion but i've always liked Smith and I can never work out why players like Heskey make the England squad ahead of him.

Smith has always been my favourite non-utd player and I don't think £7m is too much, so he doesn't have a great goalscoring record... he's not a "goalscorer" as such and you have to look at the team he has been playing in as part of the reason he doesn't get so many. At Old Trafford he will get far better service and hopefully wont be stuck on the right of midfield like he often was at Leeds.

I may be biased since I've been wanting us to sign him since it first came out that he was leaving Leeds. Still, all those who are saying he isn't worth the money.... (and i'm not directing this at anyone in particular on this board)... I just wonder, had he gone to their club, or anywhere other than Man Utd would he still have been overrated? I personally think not...

Edited May 26, 2004 by Whisper in the Wind

[FLiam]

If he isn't a goalscorer what is he? He doesn't assist anything, he just hacks people out. You should have gone for van der Vaart, but never mind

[Whisper]

His main asset is the way he works for a team and puts himself about up front, thus indirectly creating chances for other players. Plus I meant he's not a natural goalscorer like Van Nistlerooy and Henry, but he could still easily bag 20 goals a season.

Edited May 26, 2004 by Whisper in the Wind

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

If he isn't a goalscorer what is he? He doesn't assist anything, he just hacks people out. You should have gone for van der Vaart, but never mind

←

Hey you didn't bother to mention how Smith was playing alongside pretty poor team mates. I'm not a Man United fan, but there team is ten times better than Leeds. Smith worked good enough at Leeds, but didn't have good enough players around him for him to be at his best. Now he is at Man United, I think he can finally show how good he is.

[FLiam]

Well, we will see.

I thought Nistelrooy and Saha had a good partnership coming along

[G-O-D]

Fletcher to skipper Scotland aged 20

Darren Fletcher was today told he is to be handed the Scotland captaincy at the tender age of 20.

Fletcher: Scotland captain

The decision to give the Manchester United midfielder the armband for tomorrow night's friendly in Estonia means he is almost certainly Scotland's youngest ever captain - and definitely the most youthful in living memory.

Scotland manager Berti Vogts decided to pick Fletcher ahead of Steven Pressley, who is captain at Hearts, in the absence of Barry Ferguson, the first choice skipper and Christian Dailly, his deputy.

Vogts said: 'Darren Fletcher is a guy in a key position in my team and a key player for the World Cup qualifiers.

'He is the future of Scotland and also the future Scotland captain - and I think he is the future captain of Manchester United.'

Portsmouth midfielder Nigel Quashie is set to make his Scotland debut and in the process become the first black player to represent the country since Andrew Watson in the 1881-82 season.

A former England B international, who re-qualifies through a Glaswegian grandfather, Quashie could also be joined in the starting line-up by fellow debutant and Pompey team-mate Richard Hughes.

Norwich duo Malky Mackay and Gary Holt are also in the starting line-up but Vogts has still to decide on certain positions after 18 players made themselves unavailable.

Pressley is set to play the first 45 minutes but is likely to captain the side in Edinburgh on Sunday when the season ends with a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago. 

Source

Is Fletcher that good to be captained by Scotland?

[fineintent]

Is Fletcher that good to be captained by Scotland?

I don't know if Fletcher is that good, but Scotland are certainly that bad. They don't have natural leaders pouring from the squad these days.

Darren Fletcher comes across as quite petulent to me, and I personally (Ok, I don't support Man U) don't see the big deal about the kid. Ronaldo on the other hand will be something special.

[Jook]

Yeah he is good enough, he's a great player. He holds the ball well, he's a great passer, and he's intelligent. Scotland don't have that many players like that.

[Turbo Yannis]

Personally, I don't agree with Fletcher being the captain when Pressley deserves it far more...

[Sam]

I think United are trying to make Fletcher into a next sort of Roy Keane style figure just minus the temper. Being made captain of your interenational team now can never be bad for your career though.

[G-O-D]

Manchester United and Juventus are understood to be ready to slug it out to acquire the services of Monaco full back Patrice Evra.

The France international has enjoyed a stunning campaign and played a major role in the club reaching the UEFA Champions League final.

Evra was also named Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year and his form has attracted admiring glances from the continent's biggest clubs.

Italian titans Juventus have been long-term suitors of the 23-year-old and are rumoured to have offered €8 million to Monaco several weeks ago.

The Red Devils are also reportedly keen on the left back and have been watching his progress this term with interest.

Evra is contracted to Monaco for a further three years but, after scaling such heights with the Principality side this term, may decide a move abroad will be beneficial to his career.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain continue to be on the trail of Evra's team-mate Jerome Rothen, who is another to have revelled on the European stage this season.

Rothen has regularly stated it would fulfil a dream to play for PSG and Vahid Halilhodzic is expected to try to tempt the midfielder to Parc des Princes.

Monaco would be reluctant sellers but an offer in the region of €8 million may prove difficult to refuse, if PSG can raise sufficient funds.

Source

From what little I have seen of Evra in the CL, he looked good, and I think he can realise his potential if he moves to United.

[SaNtY]

I thought Nistelrooy and Saha had a good partnership coming along

←

Nistelrooy and Saha have barely played together. The signing of Smith can only be a good thing for Man Utd IMO, remember in 1999 they had Sheringham, Cole, Yorke and Solskjaer and they all were kept happy. So with Smith, Saha, Nistelrooy and Forlan/Possibly new striker...they have a good strike-force.

I don't know why everybody writes Man Utd off so easily, Im certainly not, you can see Ferguson building a new squad. It's quite frightning to be honest, you are bound to have the odd hiccup when signing youngsters, but all the people that Ferguson has signed have potential...a "Cantona like" spark is all that's needed to set United off again.

[Johnny Drama]

They have still jave solksjaer who can play up front to and Forlan will probably go in pre-season he hasnt done much at all really.

[J-Rod]

As much as I hate saying it, I think it has come to the end of the road for Ole Gunnar Sojskjaer. He's a great player but with Louis Saha and Alan Smith to compete with I think he should leave and go to Celtic.

BTW any more news on Heinze

[TMM]

Man Utd warned over Heinze

Paris St Germain have told Manchester United they face competition over the signing of defender Gabriel Heinze.

The 26-year-old left-sided central defender is thought to be close to agreeing a move to United, who look set to pay £6m for his services.

Graille said: "Nothing is done but if Manchester United pay what we ask, yes, we are on the right way.

"However, United's officials had better hurry up because we have other contacts with Spanish clubs."

Heinze's capture would take United's summer spending to £13m following the arrival of £7m striker Alan Smith.

Graille earlier admitted: "We are keeping in touch with Manchester United's chief executive David Gill.

"I am confident but we will see what happens in the coming days."

Argentina have called Heinze into their squad for the World Cup qualifiers next month.

Before joining PSG, Heinze played for Valladolid in Spain and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.

United would have no problems gaining a work permit for Heinze as he holds a German passport.

Heinze could be an ideal partner for Rio Ferdinand when the England defender returns from suspension, allowing Mikael Silvestre to return to left-back.

Chelsea reportedly made a £7m bid for the player in January, but Graille said at the time Heinze would not be allowed to leave until the end of the season.

BBC.co.uk

Not much, but it's a bit of a development.

[G-O-D]

Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt revealed he will reconsider his Old Trafford future after the Euro 2004 finals.

Butt put in a transfer request earlier this season after finding himself on the sidelines but the right move never materialised as he was not interested in a £5million switch to Birmingham City.

After rebuilding bridges with Sir Alex Ferguson, he started playing more often and soon insisted he was happy at his U-turn, saying: 'It's the club I've grown up with and I definitely see my future here.'

But he still failed to hold down a regular starting place and was left on the bench for the FA Cup final.

Indeed, he now has a better chance of playing for England at the Euro 2004 finals than he does of starting in the United team next season.

No wonder, therefore, that the 29-year-old midfielder looks to be undecided once again about his long-term future as he contemplates the next Premiership campaign.

'It's something that I've spoken to the manager about and, in all honesty, I don't really want to start thinking about that again until after the European Championships,' he insisted.

'This is far more important to me than anything that might happen next season. It's difficult, though. I haven't been playing regularly and I don't want to be in the same boat next season, especially now we have these transfer windows.

'You can find yourself stuck for months and then, when it gets to January, making a move to another club is not something you particularly want to rush into. It's something I need to sit down and think about. I need to talk to my family. I've got a wife and children to consider.

'Obviously I also need to talk to the manager at Old Trafford. It's something I need to think about seriously and I don't think now is the time.'

Butt nevertheless admitted: 'Things just haven't gone right for me at United this year but that's in the past now.

'That season is over and I need to look forward. I've always taken that attitude. I don't sulk. I just get on with it, and when I get my chance I try and take it.

'I haven't got a clue why I've been left out so much this season, although obviously people who have played there have done well.

'They've got a case for saying they should be in the team. Phil Neville's done brilliantly and, towards the end, Darren Fletcher has done well as well.

'Then, of course, you've got Roy Keane. I got injured early in the season and I don't think that helped. The lads who came in did well. They deserved to stay in

Source

Butt should leave if he wants to get regular first-team action. With Djemba-Djemba, Fletcher, Keane and Kleberson, I doubt Butt would get much of a look in the first team sheet next season.

Man Utd have a good strike force for next season in Van Nistelrooy, Saha, Smith and Solksjaer, but I think what they need is a playmaker. Ronaldo will be one, but he's too young and inexperienced just yet, so Man Utd should bring in someone who can create chances for the strikers.

[Jook]

How about Beckham?

*groan*