Man United Complete Signing of “Next Dunga”

Old Trafford welcomes another Brazilian.

Manchester United have signed midfielder Rafael Leao on loan from their Brazilian feeder academy Desportivo Brasil and have the option to make the move permanent.
Leao, a tough-tackling midfielder who has been compared to 1994 World Cup-winning captain Dunga, turns 18 next week and will train with the United academy for the rest of the season.
Sportsmail revealed last week that United had options to sign five promising youngsters from Desportivo Brasil and Leao is the first to reach the age at which he can legally leave his country.
Three of the five – Aguilar, Lucas Evangelista and Agnaldo – played in a friendly for Twente last week and the Dutch champions have been lined up to be a transition club for the teenagers before they come to Europe.
However, United have decided to take Leao straight to their Carrington training base, though it has not yet been confirmed whether the move is subject to a work permit.
Part of the reason for the link-up with Twente is so that the players can take steps to gaining an EU passport, though some South Americans can gain passports through family ties.

SOURCE: Daily Mail

Clearly Manchester United have drafted in a number of Brazilians in recent years and currently they have the likes of Fabio, Rafael and Anderson on the club’s books and the partnership with Desportivo Brasil is beginning to bare fruit and it seems this form of squad building is far more financially prudent than splashing out huge sums on established talents.

Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to refresh his Old Trafford squad and to this end he brought in Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez last summer and both have taken great strides during the season and it seems that the Man United boss sees this as the best way to build a new generation of talent, and whether that decision is down to financial constraints placed on the club by the Glazers or not, it makes a great deal of sense in the long term.

By all accounts slightly built Leao is a tough tackler who is apparently likened to 1994 World Cup winner Dunga, so that can’t be all that bad.

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Arsenal Likely to Complete Signing of Dutch International Who Confirms He Wants Gunners Move

Ajax keeper makes it clear he wants to move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal face competition from Juventus for Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Tuttosport says Juve are ready to cash in on Gigi Buffon to fund their own transfer plans this summer.

A host of keepers are now under consideration as Buffon’s replacement, including Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari) and Stekelenburg. But the Dutchman revealed to Tuttosport: “If an offer from Arsenal arrives, I will leave.”

SOURCE: Yahoo Eurosport

Well if indeed that quote is accurate, and it is all over the web, then surely that is a pretty damn good indication that the Ajax man wants to move to the Emirates, a move that will surely go some way to helping the North London club from resolving their keeper crisis.

Manuel Almunia was of course the first choice keeper at the Emirates when the season began but a succession of clangers led to the Spaniard being dropped and replaced by the improved, but still inconsistent, Polish international Lukasz Fabianski until he fell foul to injury. Then in came youngster Wojciech Szczesny who looked decent but then made huge errors before also getting injured. Fourth choice keeper Vito Mannone is out on loan and also sidelined.

Arsene Wenger has therefore set his sights on bringing in a keeper and the likes of Mark Schwarzer and Pepe Reina have been mentioned heavily over the past year but news that Dutch international Maarten Stekelenburg is interested in a move to the Gunners will surely lead to 28 year old becoming the favourite to become the next number one keeper at the Emirates Stadium.

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William Gallas Delays Signing New Tottenham Contract Until Champions League Future Is Sorted

White Hart Lane veteran is offered new deal but delays decision.

Tottenham Hotspur defender William Gallas will not sign a new contract at the club unless there is Champions League football on offer next season.

The 33-year-old signed a one-year deal last summer after joining on a free from fierce rivals Arsenal. The France international is a key player for manager Harry Redknapp and has helped the club into the Champions League quarter-finals in their debut appearance in the tournament.

Gallas has said he is open to signing another deal with Tottenham but wants to see if the club can retain their place among Europe’s elite.

Spurs currently lie fifth in the table, just outside the four qualification spots but if they win this year’s competition they will gain entry for next season.

Redknapp confirms negotiations have started with the veteran, who he regards as  ’one of the signings of the season’.

“The chairman’s doing a deal,” Redknapp told the Daily Telegraph

“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.”

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Kean defends Anderson signing

Blackburn manager Steve Kean has defended the signing of a pre-contract agreement with Myles Anderson which will see the youngster given a two-year deal in the summer despite him playing just two minutes of competitive football.

The 20-year-old defender, the son of agent Jerome Anderson, who is an advisor to Rovers owners Venkys, made his debut at the end of current club Aberdeen's 5-0 win over Kilmarnock on February 19 but has not featured since.

"We feel that Myles Anderson is a player with great potential as a late developer," Kean told the Lancashire Telegraph. "We think he has a lot of potential but there was the opportunity for him to go Scotland in January and we and he felt that would be a good experience for him."

He had previously had a trial with Blackburn last summer, making a 13-minute substitute appearance in a 3-0 victory at Southport, before moving on to train with Motherwell ahead of his short-term deal with the Dons.

However, despite his lack of experience Kean feels Anderson could emerge along the same lines as Manchester United's Chris Smalling, who less than three years ago was playing for non-league Maidstone United.

Kean added: "He could become something of a Chris Smalling who came through late in football and Myles has done the same because of his schooling.

"There was interest in him from a couple of Spanish clubs but he is our player and will be at our club full time in July."

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown, who brought in Anderson in January, said he always expected the defender to make the move to Ewood Park at the end of the season.

"He was signed as cover and it was always his intention to go to Blackburn," he told the Press and Journal.

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Liverpool Fight AC Milan for £10m Left Back Who Would Be Ideal Anfield Signing

Newcastle United man could be just what Anfield side is looking for.

Liverpool remain keen on Newcastle United fullback Jose Enrique. The Daily Star Sunday says Liverpool face a battle with Ac Milan to land Newcastle defender Enrique. The Spaniard has less than 18 months to run on his contract and suspended talks over a new deal until the summer. Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is a big fan of Enrique.

SOURCE: Tribalfootball

Liverpool’s search for a new left back has taken in a tour or Europe and beyond but perhaps the ideal man for the job is based a little way up north in Newcastle? Jose Enrique is apparently unsure of his Magpies future and his insistence to wait until the summer to discuss a new contract surely can only be read as a sign that the 25 year is not sure about his future at St James’ Park.

AC Milan are also keen on the former Spanish Under 21 international who may feel that a new challenge could also increase his chances of securing a first full senior cap? Enrique has been in good form for the past 18 months and has formed a great partnership on the left hand side with Argentine Jonas Gutierrez in front of him.

Kenny Dalglish doesn’t appear to rate Emiliano Insua or Paul Konchesky too highly and has been using Glen Johnson out of position to fill a hole that needs filling. Fabio Aurelio is also at the club but is seen more as a back up rather than a first team regular.

Speculative valuations of Jose Enrique run at around £10m at present which in today’s market seems very reasonable.

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