Manchester United May Accept £22m Bayern Munich Offer for Striker Dimitar Berbatov

Old Trafford side may opt to sell Bulgarian international.

Manchester United are reportedly considering selling top scorer Dimitar Berbatov to Bayern Munich this summer. The Bulgarian international has found himself warming the bench in recent weeks and has not appeared particularly happy about sitting out on the action given his prolific goals return and reports are filtering through that the Allianz Arena side are readying an offer of €25m (£22m) for the former Tottenham striker.

Berbatov enjoyed a successful time in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, netting 91 goals for the club before moving to White Hart Lane in the summer of 2006 and now incoming Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes wants to bring the 30 year old to spearhead the Bavarian side’s attack. There is growing speculation that current top scorer at Bayern Munich, Mario Gomez, may well be heading to Italy where there is interest from both Napoli and Lazio.

Given that Sir Alex Ferguson has a successful strike pairing in Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez the Old Trafford boss may well be ready to listen to offers for Berbatov, but only if the cultured front man asks to leave the club. Perhaps crucially the player is in talks to secure a new three year deal but as yet no deal has been completed and come the summer the Man United man will have just a year left on his current contract.

Ferguson knows he will struggle to keep all three of his main striking options happy and given Javier Hernandez is just 22 and already a prolific marksman having netted 17 goals this season already. The Man United boss may feel that he could more easily deal with back up strikers who are young and up and coming and may feel the time is right to give youngsters Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda a chance to become part of the club’s first team squad.

Michael Owen, United’s other attacking option, is unlikely to receive a new contract when his current deal comes to an end this summer.

Some may feel that a fee of £22m may be a little inflated given Berbatov’s age but it’s worth noting that the Man United striker is having the best season of his career and may well be tempted by the offer of a new challenge in familiar surroundings back in Germany.

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Real Madrid to Offer £15m for Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba

Bernabeu boss to be reunited with his former Stamford Bridge star.

Real Madrid are preparing to offer £15million for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in a bid to keep Jose Mourinho as manager.
The Spanish club have been wracked in turmoil behind the scenes this season with Mourinho jostling for more power from president Florentino Perez and general director Jorge Valdano.
The ‘Special One’ has made it clear he is willing to walk away at the end of the season unless he gets his way and Perez is ready to hand him the control he craves.
Drogba has been long coveted by Mourinho and Perez sees the potential signing as a sop to the coach he believes can topple fierce rivals Barcelona from the summit of world football.

Despite his advancing years, Drogba will give Real the cutting edge and power they have sorely missed this season.
They have leaned heavily on Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals return following Gonzalo Higuain’s back injury and Karim Benzema is only just starting to show the potential they invested in. Although Emmanuel Adebayor has been a moderate success, he is more likely to return to Manchester City in the summer.
A £15m fee for the 33-year-old Drogba would suit all parties. The Chelsea idol’s status as number one striker is under threat from Fernando Torres’s arrival and he knows owner Roman Abramovich is determined to lower the age of the club’s squad as he looks to prolong the club’s success.

SOURCE: Daily Mail

This is indeed a deal that could suit all parties and one that does appear to have semblance of truth about it. Chelsea would surely deem £15m a very fair price for a player of 33 years of age and it would helpfully avoid issues of dressing room harmony that would surely ensue if next season saw one of Ancelotti’s main strikers sitting out large chunks of the season the bench.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear he needs another striker and Emmanuel Adebayor doesn’t look the part and although Karim Benzema has shown good form of late, having another effective option to call upon would be very handy, especially when battling on multiple fronts.

The Stamford Bridge side will hope that Fernando Torres will get into gear sooner rather than later and Nicolas Anelka is the current top scorer at the club and may work better alongside the Spaniard than Drogba.

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Liverpool to Offer Alberto Aquilani in Wise £10m Inter Milan Swap Deal

Anfield outfit consider using one Italian to land another.

Liverpool will reportedly attempt to land Inter Milan left back Davide Santon by offering Alberto Aquilani in return for the talented young Italian international. Anfield director of football has identified the young San Siro full back as an ideal answer to what has become a problem position and believe that by offering a swap deal they may well persuade Nerazzurri boss Leonardo to sell.

Santon is considered one of the hottest prospects in Italian football but is finding it next to impossible to dislodge either Maicon or Christian Chivu who currently occupy the wide areas of the Inter Milan defence. The 20 year old has therefore been farmed out on loan to struggling Cesena.

Though Santon can operate on either flank Comolli would look to the attack minded Italian to ply his trade on the left as the right side of Liverpool’s defence seems covered with youngster Martin Kelly proving a very able customer and Glen Johnson also available in that position.

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani is currently out on loan to Juventus but the Turin side are unwilling to come close to the valuation placed on the former Roma man and the Merseyside outfit are not willing to budge on price so will look instead to offer the proven Italian international in a swap deal to land Santon.

Leonardo may well be interested in such a deal as he seems likely to offload the likes of Sulley Muntari (on loan to Sunderland) whilst Dejan Stankovic and Esteban Cambiasso are both getting on in years and the signing of the 26 year old Liverpool man may represent a good bit of business for all parties concerned.

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Tottenham to Make Big Money Offer to Sign Ruud Van Nistelrooy In the Summer

White Hart Lane side keen on Dutch international veteran.

Harry Redknapp is preparing a big money offer for soon to be out of contract Hamburg striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The Dutch international has stated his intention to leave his Bundesliga side after they refused to allow the 33 year old to pursue a move back to Real Madrid in January and now the White Hart Lane boss is hoping to lure the former Man United man to the Premier League.

Redknapp has stated his displeasure at his current crop of strikers and their lack of success this term, especially during the North London club’s Premier League campaign, and will look to make the Dutch goal machine an offer he will find hard to refuse as he plans to take advantage of the fact that the experienced striker would cost nothing by offering a substantial contract offer.

Whilst clearly a move for the veteran would be more of a short term solution to the club’s faltering fire-power issues there is no denying that Van Nistelrooy still has a lot to offer. The predatory finisher has netted 16 goals in 41 games for Hamburg and whilst at Real Madrid managed 64 goals in 96 appearances despite lengthy injury problems during his spell at the Bernabeu.

Tottenham boss Redknapp had attempted to sign Van Nistelrooy last January and apparently talks had begun on such a move but in the end a move to Hamburg was completed but this summer a move may prove more successful.

So far this season Spurs striking quartet of Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko has netted just 11 Premier League goals between them as opposed to the combined total of 37 last term. This has led to the top four chasers making numerous attempts to land big names strikers both last summer and in January with reported moves for the likes of Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll, Fernando Llorente, Diego Forlan and Giuseppe Rossi all failing to bear fruit.

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Manchester United to Offer Two Player Swap to Land £20m Everton and Sunderland Stars

Old Trafford boss looks to use squad players to land either Goodison Park or Stadium of Light youngsters.

A slice of United’s Manchester connection could be sacrificed in the summer to rebuild the Reds’ midfield. Mancunians Danny Welbeck and Wes Brown could both be on the way out of Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson closes in on his summer wanted list.

With Paul Scholes yet to announce whether he will carry on next season and serious doubts over the futures of Owen Hargreaves, Darron Gibson, Anderson and even Ji-sung Park – whose contract ends in 2012 – Fergie will focus on boosting his midfield once the season ends.

Fergie is also looking to replenish his stock of young stars in the centre of the park with Everton’s Jack Rodwell and Sunderlands’ Jordan Henderson on his shopping list. Goodison boss David Moyes has recently put the block on England Under-21 Jack Rodwell leaving Goodison Park, while Steve Bruce says £20m wouldn’t be enough to tempt the Black Cats into selling their star midfielder.

But that’s where United’s two home produced Manchester players come into it. Welbeck is enjoying a hugely successful loan spell at the Stadium of Light and Bruce wants to sign the 20-year-old, especially following Darren Bent’s surprise mover to Aston Villa in January.

The experience and defensive qualities of Brown, who fell out of favour with Fergie this season before his recent recall as injuries mounted up, are also attractive to Bruce. Welbeck, on his own or the double package, would be the kind of deal that could persuade Sunderland to part with Henderson.

The same Old Trafford combination is the draw for Everton. Securing either Brown and Welbeck or one and cash could swing the Rodwell deal in the Reds’ favour. Fergie has insisted Welbeck will return to Old Trafford for next season and that he is a part of United’s future, but it might be a case of needs must as he revamps his midfield especially with Javier Hernandez making such an impact in his debut season.

SOURCE: Manchester Evening News

This could well be a good bit of business by Sir Alex Ferguson as he looks to cut transfer costs by offloading some of his squad players to land players to help build a new generation of talent at Old Trafford. Both David Moyes and Steve Bruce would like to keep their young English talents but will know that when a club the size and grandeur of Manchester United come calling then it is very difficult to prevent a player’s head from being turned.

Moyes has of course been through all of this before with Wayne Rooney and indeed also when Joleon Lescott forced the Toffees into selling him to Man City. Jack Rodwell has been linked with a move to Man United for the best part of two years and this summer a deal could be struck.

Everton may prefer a straight cash deal as the Goodison Park boss may want to invest his money elsewhere as it seems his needs are a little different from Steve Bruce who clearly would be interested in Danny Welbeck given his decent showing for the Black Cats and the sale of Darren Bent.

Wes Brown apparently fell out with Ferguson earlier this season and seems destined to end his 14 year tenure at the club.

Jordan Henderson has stated his desire to stick with Sunderland but if a concrete offer is made then the England international may change his tune. Some may feel that the use of players to finance deals could have something to do with the big debts reportedly accrued by the Glazers, Ferguson has been told by chief executive David Gill that funds will be made available to the Scot this summer.

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Manchester United Agree £17.5m Deal to Sign Atletico Madrid Keeper David De Gea: Spanish Press Claim La Liga side Have Accepted Offer

Old Trafford club to seal signing of promising Spaniard.

Manchester United have reportedly agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid to sign young keeper David De Gea this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press today. Sir Alex Ferguson has sent scouts to monitor the talented 20 year as the Old Trafford side look to replace Edwin van der Sar who is set to hang up his gloves and retire from the game this summer.

Spanish publication Sport suggests that a deal has been agreed between the two sides that will see the Spanish Under 21 international join Manchester United for a fee of €20m (£17.5m) dependent on the Madrid born goalie agreeing personal terms with the Premier League table toppers.

De Gea has shown maturity beyond his years to become the first choice custodian at the Vicente Calderon and helped his side to clinch the Europa League in his first season at the club last term. Ferguson has been linked to a myriad of potential replacements for Van der Sar with the likes of Manuel Neuer, Hugo Lloris, Maarten Stekelenburg and Liverpool’s Pepe Reina often being mentioned as possible purchases.

Atletico Madrid are reportedly in something of a financial predicament that has led to much speculation that some of their top talents may be offloaded this summer with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan linked with big money exits and the fact that Quique Sánchez Flores’s side are currently languishing in eight place and could miss out on European football altogether next term may force the club to sell to balance the books.

Manchester United brought in Anders Lindegaard as further back up and there has been much speculation that Tomasz Kuszczak will leave in the summer. Sir Alex Ferguson has been looking at bringing in top young talent to help build a new generation of players to mix with those coming through the youth ranks and the purchases of Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling appear to have paid off and David De Gea is seen by many as an ideal long term replacement for Edwin Van der Sar.

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Tottenham To Offer Defender William Gallas New Deal

According to the Telegraph, Tottenham are set to offer defender William Gallas a new deal. Gallas joined the club on a free transfer last summer and signed a one-year deal, although the contract will extend another year for playing in 30 games. Manager Harry Redknapp said,

“The chairman’s doing a deal … William fully deserve it, he has been top class. He’s a nice man, a quiet man who just gets on with it.

“He could have gone abroad during the summer and made money, but the deal he did with us was an awful lot less than he was on at Arsenal. He has been one of the signings of the season. He has been magnificent for us and has played nearly all the games.”

This entry was posted on Friday, March 25th, 2011 at 5:16 am and is filed under Tottenham Rumors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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