Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[yinyang]

Monday's football gossip
TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are set to make a second bid to land Southampton's Gareth Bale, with the defender being loaned back to the Championship club until the end of the season. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, United have told Real Madrid that they are wasting their time preparing a £45m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo. (Various)

OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce is in a battle with his board over his acceptance of the position of England Under-21 manager, with the club not having yet given their permission and still holding talks with the Football Association. (Various)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has warned owner Roman Abramovich that he will be an impossible act to follow if he is forced out in the summer. (Various)

West Ham are ready to make a £14m bid for Charlton striker Darren Bent. (The Independent)

Newcastle are closing in on a £5m deal for Ajax striker Ryan Babel. (Daily Mail)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger may have to panic buy before the January transfer window closes because of mounting injury concerns. (Various)

Edgar Davids is to leave Spurs and join Ajax after a bust-up with boss Martin Jol. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea are considering a fresh bid for Bolton's Tal Ben Haim. (The Guardian)

[CibLover]

Bro Yinyang,

How do you do. Thanks for the rumours and gossips update.

As a Red Devil fan, we could ask Predrag Mijatovic and the Real president (or president to be during their next election) to collect all the 45 mil Pound and shove it up their arse. Couldn't even handle their so-called ageing Galacticos but now wanna come and di-siao people's rising star.

David Gill's press release is just right. If we receive a bid of 45 mil Pound for C. Ronaldo, we'll just turn down straight away. Man Utd is known for developing and playing young, bright prospect like the famous Fledglings. On this note, Gareth Bale should also be heading our way. Real only know how to use monies to buy. Hmmm....sounded familiar??

Anyway, Roon is back with a bang after his goal drought. We'll get more goals from him now...hopefully.

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by CibLover

..As a Red Devil fan, we could ask Predrag Mijatovic and the Real president (or president to be during their next election) to collect all the 45 mil Pound and shove it up their arse. Couldn't even handle their so-called ageing Galacticos but now wanna come and di-siao people's rising star. ...Man Utd is known for developing and playing young, bright prospect like the famous Fledglings. Gareth Bale should also be heading our way. Anyway, Roon is back with a bang after his goal drought.

Thx, hope you keeping well too. Yo, galacticos = big EGOS too. For RM, they only know colour of money -also invariably tied up with vested political interests. Just think how many coaches/managers over last seasons (just as many or more!). Youth development? It's ALIEN to our moneyed spaniards

[no_faith]

Originally Posted by CibLover

Real only know how to use monies to buy. Hmmm....sounded familiar??

eh...do ring a bell?

[qbdp]

Bayern dig in on Owen

OWEN Hargreaves is set to become a United player, but the saga won't end until the summer.

United's pursuit of Bayern Munich's midfielder will go the 12-month distance.

The January transfer window closes on Wednesday and as the German club have consistently insisted, the 25-year-old England midfielder will not be allowed to leave mid-season and have turned down a £20m bid from Old Trafford.

But Bayern's president Franz Beckenbauer has suggested Sir Alex Ferguson's patience will be rewarded at the end of the season.

"Money talks and I would say United have a good chance - but not until the end of the season," says Beckenbauer.

"We know Hargreaves wants to leave. He is under contract but at the end of the season maybe, yes."

Meanwhile Henrik Larsson is on the verge of extending his loan spell at United from Helsingborg - thanks to his nine-year-old son Jordan.

The Swede's deal expires on March 12 and Helsingborg have said they would not stand in the 35-year-old's way and it was up to Larsson to decide.

The striker was adamant he'd return home to be with his family, but Larsson junior has told him to stay on at Old Trafford.

However, United chief executive David Gill said: "He is due to go back in the middle of March and we haven't really discussed that yet as we are focusing on the next few weeks and we will see what happens.

"I think it is a bit early. You can never say never and we will go through that nearer the time with Henrik and the club."

Meanwhile, Gill has hit back at reports of Real Madrid's revived interest in Ronaldo, maintaining that the Portuguese star will not be leaving Old Trafford at any price.

[yinyang]

Why chelskis not down on their luck for FA 5th rd draw, again face minnows? We meet Steve Coppell's gang again..

Man Utd & Chelsea given home ties

Favourites Chelsea and Manchester United were both handed home ties in the draw for the FA Cup fifth round. Chelsea will host either Blackpool or Norwich, while United will face Premiership rivals Reading.

Two other all-Premiership matches came out of the hat, with Spurs away to Fulham and Blackburn travelling to the winners of the Arsenal-Bolton replay.

Preston will host neighbours Manchester City, with matches due to take place on the weekend of 17 and 18 of February.

One Championship side is guaranteed to reach the last eight, after Plymouth were drawn at home to Derby.

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Chelsea v Blackpool or Norwich
Watford v Ipswich
Preston v Man City
Plymouth v Derby County
Man Utd v Reading
Arsenal or Bolton v Blackburn
Bristol City or Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion
Fulham v Tottenham

[Castrol]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Fulham v Tottenham

jia lart, spurs dont do so well in craven cottage.

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by Castrol

jia lart, spurs dont do so well in craven cottage.

Bro, dont give up hope on a Man Utd - Spurs FA Cup final!

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by yinyang

Why chelskis not down on their luck for FA 5th rd draw, again face minnows? We meet Steve Coppell's gang again..

What to do they depend on luck....the rest have to depend on skills.

[machoman]

Rooney prostitute libel case thrown out

Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 01:07:09 HRS

A woman sueing a British newspaper over reports that she was a prostitute who had sex with footballer Wayne Rooney saw her claim thrown out of court.

Patricia Tierney, 52, a mother of seven, claimed libel damages of 750,000 pounds (1.47 million dollars, 1.14 million euros) in her case against The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling daily.

She claimed that the tabloid's August 2004 article, which carried a front-page picture of Tierney bearing the headline "Don't fancy yours much, Wayne," had destroyed her reputation and her life through "horrible lies."

Manchester United striker Rooney, 21, who has admitted that he visited brothels when he was "young and stupid," had been put on notice by the court that he might be called as a witness.

Tierney claimed she had only ever worked as a receptionist at Diva's massage parlour in Liverpool, northwest England. Rooney played for English Premiership side Everton in the city at the time of the article.

But at Manchester Crown Court in northwest England, The Sun's defence lawyer produced a May 2002 police witness statement in which Tierney told officers she sold herself for sex.

The judge said that the central plank of Tierney's case that she was not, and never had been, a prostitute and worked only as a receptionist was plainly not true.

In a statement, The Sun said: "This lady is the latest in a long line of people who think they can get away with a dishonest and fraudulent claim by suing newspapers.

"The Sun story was 100 percent accurate and we are glad justice has been done. This is a good day for The Sun's journalists and Sun journalism."

- AFP

[Castrol]

Originally Posted by qbdp

Bro, dont give up hope on a Man Utd - Spurs FA Cup final!

oh ya bro i nearly forgot, what a final!

[qbdp]

United gag Ronaldo
Tuesday January 30th 2007

Winger banned from Madrid talk as speculation mounts

GUILTY of a few untimely indiscretions during the summer, Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he has been forbidden from talking about Real Madrid by Alex Ferguson.

And so, with the Spanish club to confirm their interest in the Manchester United winger publicly this evening, there appears to be a recognition within Old Trafford that retaining his services may prove easier said than done.

Predrag Mijatovic, the Real sporting director, has admitted his interest in Ronaldo in an interview that is due to be broadcast tonight and, while both Ferguson and David Gill, the United chief executive, have declared that the 21-year-old will not be sold, the manager's words behind closed doors - somewhat misguidedly revealed by the player to, of all things, a Madrid-based sports newspaper - betray more than a little unease at the speculation emanating from the Spanish capital.

Real's courting technique is tried and tested and, after the initial leaks to their chosen media outlets, Mijatovic has confirmed in an interview with Sky Sports' Revista de La Liga show this evening that Ronaldo is a target.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is a fantastic player and any team would love to have him in their squad," Mijatovic said.

"The fact that he is already at such an important club as Man U, with the contract he has, shows what an important player he is. It is very early on to be talking about this."

Whether it is based on intelligence or mere arrogance, Real are confident that they will get their man.

Ronaldo announced on a number of occasions last summer that he wished to join them, particularly after being vilified for his role in England's elimination from the World Cup finals, and even reached a verbal agreement whereby he pledged to sign for them if Juan Miguel Villar Mir won the presidential election - which, perhaps to United's relief, he did not.

On Sunday afternoon, Spanish journalists camped outside Ronaldo's Cheshire home and, when he emerged, they were told more than they might have bargained for.

"I know of the interest in me from Real Madrid, but I can't say anything about it," the player said. "I had two conversations on Saturday, with Carlos Queiroz and Alex Ferguson, and they banned me from talking about Real Madrid. I had to understand them, as I don't want to have any problems at United."

Insisted

Last Friday, Ferguson insisted he was accustomed to Madrid methods since the departure of David Beckham in 2003, but added: "We only sell the players we want to sell and there is absolutely no way Ronaldo is leaving."

Despite the winger signing a new deal committing himself to United until 2010 only 14 months ago, estimated to be worth £70,000 a week, United are now prepared to bring him into line with their highest earners, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, on £100,000 a week. United, however, know better than most how a player's head can be turned by a rival club.

In the case of Owen Hargreaves, the England midfield player, they have been willing suitors while he has spent the past six months pleading for the opportunity to join them from Bayern Munich.

Gill suggested on Sunday that no deal will be done until the summer, but, even over the past three days, discussions between the clubs have continued.

Certain

With less than 48 hours remaining before the transfer deadline, United now have only a slim hope that an agreement can be struck, but it is all but certain that Hargreaves will finally move to Manchester in July.

The 26-year-old held discussions with Uli Hoeness, the Bayern general manager, on Sunday and was told that, while the club's management are opposed to selling him now, they will reluctantly allow him to join United in the summer if he gives his all in the season's final months.

Barring a last-minute twist or an improved bid for Gareth Bale, it means that Ferguson will continue with Henrik Larsson as his only mid-season acquisition, but another player who will be at United next term is Ben Foster, goalkeeper, who has impressed on loan to Watford.

Foster does not want to return to play second fiddle to Edwin van der Sar but Ferguson believes that the 23-year-old, ineligible for Watford's visit to Old Trafford tomorrow evening, can establish himself at United soon. (© The Times, London)

[qbdp]

Paolucci: I'd jump at United move

Ascoli attacker Michele Paolucci has revealed Manchester United are interested in signing him and he would jump at a move to Old Trafford.

The 20-year-old is owned by Juventus but has impressed during his loan stint at Ascoli and has caught Sir Alex Ferguson's eye.

Although under contract with Juve until 2009, the young Italian would relish the chance to head for Manchester and possibly work alongside Giuseppe Rossi, who is currently on loan at Parma.

"I have a contract with Juve until 2009 and I should return there next year," he told Corriere dello Sport.

"My future does not depend on me.

"Manchester United want me and I know that there has been the possibility to sign me and wait for two years.

"I would accepted the offer from Manchester United immediately but it will be up to Juve to appraise it."

[qbdp]

Deco: Barca need Ronaldo

Deco says he would love to team up with Portuguese team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Camp Nou.

The Barcelona schemer is a big fan of the Manchester United ace.

Ronaldo has enjoyed a fantastic season for the Premiership leaders, but has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford with Barca and Real Madrid both keen to secure his services.

Real attempted to lure the 21-year-old to La Liga last summer but were rebuffed by Sir Alex Ferguson, but Deco would like to see the United star join him at Barca.

"I would like to have Cristiano here in Barcelona," Deco told MaisFutebol.

"He has great talent and is still very young, but it seems unlikely he would leave Manchester in their current position."

With Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi both sidelined the midfielder feels Barca are in need of bolstering their squad sooner rather than later.

Deco claims he has been forced to play in some games despite not being fully fit.

[CibLover]

CRISTIANO RONALDO’S agent insists he could still be heading for Spain this summer.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are ready to pay £35million for the Portuguese winger — even though Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson insists he is not for sale.

Ron’s agent Sergio Alves said: “When Real and Barca are involved the future is always open, not closed. Given a little bit of time the situation may change — let’s see.”

Fergie will be fuming at Alves’ comments because he has already banned Ronaldo, 21, from talking about a move.

Alves added: “There is not much we can do at the moment because United are making their position very clear.

"But you never know in these matters.” Excerpts from The Sun.

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CCB.... all these KNN agents only wanna earn their farking commissions from big monies transfer.

After this public statement, I'm sure that Ronaldo will get an earful from SAF. Hmmm....wonder Ronaldo will go and fark his agent, boh?? Crossing finger that Alves will get dumped. Dun wanna see Ronaldo in a white jersey or a blue/red jersey. It's never a good idea to sell your best player to a rival (except if that player is in loggerheads with the Gaffer).