Man Utd Thread:

[The Worker]

Next season Fergie could select this team DeGea Rafael,Fabio,Smalling,Jones,Anderson,Nani,Young,Valencia,Rooney,Hernández

Average age 22 

cant see him starting that team, he needs another central midfielder in there.

Don't think he will but injuries play a big part in a season.

Yea so the chances of all them players being fit at same time is slim to none 

[anportmorforjfc]

John O'Shea gone, what a great day! 

[Shrewdness]

To be honest, i'm amazed that Jonny Evans is still at Old Trafford. If given a choice, i would actually have kept O'Shea and sold Evans.
Evans got off to a good start at United, so much so, that Fergie sold Gerard Pique and placed his faith and judgement in Evans. Surely a huge mistake looking at the two players now.

After that, i felt Evans' performances hit a ceiling and he didn't seem to progress. However, he has now gone backwards performance wise, and i wouldn't trust him as far as i could throw him.
A bit flat footed and ponderous, he's too easily dominated by big physical strikers.

For what's it worth, i believe Samir Nasri would be an excellent signing for United, but who would partner him in central midfield if it all comes to pass.

[maxpower]

Darren Fletcher would be the first choice to partner Nasri if he where to sign.

[Orangemac]

Did Nasri not play most of his football on the wing for Arsenal? Good player but if Utd are going to challenge Barca next year they will need someone in central midfield who can dictate a game and keep possession. They should break the bank for Schweinsteiger (are Bayern even in the cl next year?).

Also 3 wingers into 2 doesn't go so would expect to see Nanai offloaded before season starts.

[ross4life]

Did Nasri not play most of his football on the wing for Arsenal? Good player but if Utd are going to challenge Barca next year they will need someone in central midfield who can dictate a game and keep possession. They should break the bank for Schweinsteiger (are Bayern even in the cl next year?).

Also 3 wingers into 2 doesn't go so would expect to see Nanai offloaded before season starts.

Nasri played on the wing last season to accommodate Wilshere though central midield would be his preferred position. I'll be surprised if United sign Nasri then again i was surprised United sold O'Shea.

Bayern like Arsenal have a play off game to get into the CL unlikely they will let Schweinsteiger go unless one of the one of the teams with the huge wages come in?

Would be silly selling Nani whom is only 24 & yet to reach his peak.

[magpie seanie]

Nani is a frustrating player who is capable of moments of magic. Ideal for a team like United who will have large amounts of possession at home in at least 14 of their 19 home league games and need something to break down a packed defense. Giving the ball away doesn't hurt in those circumstances, he only has to get it right once and that's the game. Last season he did the business time and again in these games which worked out to be invaluable.

That said he has improved all round (end product, workrate and giving the ball away less, still too much but less) and is more than useful. Can't see why any United fan would advocate getting rid of him.

[ross4life]

http://www.manutd.com/en/Tour-2011/Tour-2011-News/2011/Jul/manchester-united-announce-provisional-us-tour-squad.aspx

Provisional tour squad named


United will take a 21-man squad to the United States on Monday with six other players set to join the pre-season tour at a later date.

Summer signing Ashley Young will fly out in the initial squad, but other new acquisitions David de Gea and Phil Jones will link up later due to their extended seasons with Spain and England respectively at the recent Under-21 European Championships. The trio have all had their squad numbers confirmed for the new 2011/12 season - de Gea will wear 1, Jones will be 4 and Young succeeds Paul Scholes in the number 18 shirt.

The following Tour 2011 squad list is provisional - subject to change in the event of training injuries:

Goalkeepers: Anders Lindegaard, Ben Amos, Sam Johnstone

Defenders: Rafael, Fabio, Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand

Midfielders: Michael Carrick, Nani, Anderson, Ryan Giggs, Ji-sung Park, Gabriel Obertan

Forwards: Mame Biram Diouf, Federico Macheda, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov, Ashley Young.

The following players will join the tour after their agreed leave time:

Chris Smalling, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, David de Gea, Phil Jones, Javier Hernandez.

United will play five matches in the US, starting with New England Revolution in Boston's Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night, 13 July. Every match
will be shown live on MUTV and MUTV Online.

[Shrewdness]

Agree with Seanie's comments above re Nani.

Heard that Darren Gibson has been omitted from the squad for that tour. Wonder what that's all about, as it seems Fletcher is not going either.

[Boycey]

Agree with Seanie's comments above re Nani.

Heard that Darren Gibson has been omitted from the squad for that tour. Wonder what that's all about, as it seems Fletcher is not going either.

In Gibsons case I'm sure it's a case of giving him time to sort out a new club. He is surplus to requirements, they had a deal with Sunderland but his wages demands were too high. I think there are several other interested party's, Stoke being one.

A respected ITK on one of United forums says Fletcher has the same virus which troubled him last season, which has to be worrying.

The same boyo says the story re Nasri is that United want him but unsurprisingly Wenger is reluctant to sell to United and United have backed off and left it to Nasri to push for the move if he really wants it.

[magpie seanie]

Several nails on the heard here by Scholes:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/933420/paul-scholes-hits-out-at-'selfish'-england-players?cc=5739

[Stevie g 8]

it,s about time fergie got rid of o,shea and gibson,he should get rid of fletcher and carrick now

[ross4life]

it,s about time fergie got rid of o,shea and gibson,he should get rid of fletcher and carrick now

[13aside]

i think Fletcher must be given time to recover as he was holding a place on the team before illness,Gibson will surely leave and Carrick never looked the part at all and seemed like a frightened schoolboy most of the time.

[under the bar]

Inter and Manchester United 'in talks' over sensational £35m Wesley Sneijder deal

Inter midfielder Wesley Sneijder is moving closer to a sensational £35 million transfer to Manchester United as the clubs have begun talks over a switch to Old Trafford, Goal.com understands.

The Italian outfit have informed the Premier League champions that they can land the 27-year-old playmaker for £35m, while Sneijder himself is "intrigued" by the possibility of a move to England.

While the Red Devils have yet to formally submit a bid, Inter have accepted that the diminutive Dutchman is on his way out of San Siro and could be willing to let him go for as low as £30m, Goal.com understands.

"United have increased their interest over the past 48 hours. The clubs are now in talks, but they will have to agree a fee," a source close to discussions told Goal.com.

"Inter know his value, so they are aiming for £35m, £30m at a push. They are ready to sell him, but only under their economic conditions. He is not a player they consider unsellable.

"The next move is down to United. If they satisfy Inter's requests, then Sneijder will be playing for United next season."

Sneijder believes a move to Old Trafford could offer him the chance to add to an already impressive medal haul which includes domestic titles in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, in addition to the Champions League in 2010.

"He knows he would have better chances of winning things at Manchester United compared to Inter, especially on the international front," the source added.

"Sneijder is intrigued by the Premier League and he wants to try a new experience there. He can speak fluent English and so he would have no problems settling down."

The former Real Madrid schemer has indicated that he wants a move to Sir Alex's Ferguson's side, but has not publicly spoken of his desire to leave in order to avoid angering Inter fans. He has a contract at San Siro which expires in 2015 and would be content to see it out if a transfer fails to materialise this summer, hence his reluctance to agitate in public for a move.

"Wesley is trying to make it seem that it was Inter who wanted to sell him, rather than have people thinking he was the one who wanted to leave," the source continued.

"At the moment he does not want to say much as he doesn't want to upset the Inter fans. But if Inter and United reach an agreement, then he would be delighted to join them.

"He said he would be sorry to leave Inter, but in reality he would not be sorry. Sneijder is not pushing to leave, but neither is he against an exit."

New Inter head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has yet to stamp his mark on his squad and would have any proceeds from a possible Sneijder sale at his disposal for new arrivals, chief among them a new left-sided defender.

"Thirty-five million is enough to convince [Inter president Massimo] Moratti to sell Sneijder, and he will then spend part of the money for a top left-back, as Gasperini wants a player for this position," the source added.

Nonetheless, Inter director Marco Branca maintains that no deal for Sneijder to leave is in place and he told assembled reporters at the unveiling of new signings Luc Castaignos and Ricky Alvarez that the Dutchman would not be sold.

Champions League finalists United are embarking on a significant summer rebuilding campaign of their own. Sir Alex has already signed David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, but is still seeking replacements for outgoing central midfielders Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes.

The Manchester United manager confirmed on Tuesday that he was no longer in the market for Arsenal's Samir Nasri but was hoping to bring in a creative midfielder.

Sir Alex said: "If we can get a player along similar lines [to Scholes] in terms of the quality of his passing and vision, then yes we'd have to do something."