We'll never get £15m for him...£12m max
You're having a laugh, premier league top scorer despite spending half the season on the bench, in this market, did you go to school?
For the first time I'm starting to believe he might leave in the summer simply because he is 3rd choice behind Rooney and Hernandez. Similar to how RVN ended up behind Rooney and Saha and left instead of warming the bench at age 30.
Seems my crazy theories are becoming more mainstream as time drags on.
Not just other posters but many journalists also.
Remember you heard it here first...
Great, Berbatov out Welbeck back in, along with Macheda and Owen, going from strength to strength then are we fellas!
If Berbatov goes ill happily have a hefty wager with you we wont replace him with anything like the same quality, no one of that calibre and class will come and play rotation with Hernandez so we'll be weaker for losing him whatever way you want to dress it up.
I'll bet you a wager in return that if Berbatov leaves, United will still win the league at least twice in the following five years after his departure and continue to reach the latter stages in Europe, challenge in the domestic cups and will continue to produce home-grown talent and purchase excellent players in every position of the park.
How about that?
It's funny you say we'll be weakened if he left, well he's still here but we look much stronger when he doesn't play, can you explain that?
I'll bet you a wager in return that if Berbatov leaves, United will still win the league at least twice in the following five years after his departure and continue to reach the latter stages in Europe, challenge in the domestic cups and will continue to produce home-grown talent and purchase excellent players in every position of the park.
I agree with Alfarone. I cant see us signing a better 3rd choice striker. If the manager thinks Hernandez is first choice. he will not sign another world class striker. More likely to keep Owen if he feels Diouf, Macheda and Wellbeck are not good enough.
The games played over a 9 month season Johno, not a few weeks, however much you want to down play Berbatovs importance this season the fact remains without his goals we wouldn't be anywhere near a league title challenge right now, thats just how it is, earlier in the season when Rooney went AWOL and Hernandez was still adjusting we relied on Berbatov and Nani massively our attacking play was 100% reliant on them, both those have stepped aside somewhat for Rooney and Hernandez over recent weeks thats how it works and thats why its called a squad game, you cant rely on 2 players for an entire season, Berbatovs played a huge part in where we stand this year.
Ill say this, if you think Rooney and Hernandez with a few kids and a has-been is a good enough front line for an entire season your in for a shock.
As is what's likely to happen after having sold Ronaldo, you mean?
I'm talking about your claim that we'll be worse off without Berbatov because I can guarantee you United will not suffer and we will find a player to match or better him from somewhere, trust me.
I've never once downplayed Berbatov's role in the games he contributed, I have downplayed the games he hasn't contributed however but I'm responding to your claim, or suggestion, that United will suffer greatly if Berbatov were to leave us, despite knowing (hopefully) that United have lost several big names under Ferguson (Whiteside, Strachan, Ince, Kanchelskis, Hughes, Cantona, Beckham, Ruud, Ronaldo etc) and have always come out of the other side strong.
I'm thankful of his goals this year, but how many can I ask contributed to getting us to an almost certain CL Final?
I haven't said anywhere either we would have been in the same position without Berbatov this season, but had we another striker who knows? We might have plenty more, we might have plenty less?
I'm talking about your claim that we'll be worse off without Berbatov because I can guarantee you United will not suffer and we will find a player to match or better him from somewhere, trust me.
Of course wed be worse off for losing Berbatov, who do we get to fill his role if he goes? whos at the same level and happy to rotate with Rooney and Hernandez? any ideas? as it stands we have 3 quality striking options and at any given time have the option of a top class striker on the bench, if Berbatov goes then we either fill his position with a kid (Welbeck/Macheda) or Owen (has-been) or sign someone else whos blatantly not going to be of the same level given we're not going to want to drop either Hernandez or Rooney, what top class striker joins knowing their bench material?
Its just inevitable that we wouldn't be able to replace his role in the squad with someone better unless we went out and spent 30 million on some fancy foreigner who'd demand to be first choice and demote Hernandez in the process, which aint gonna happen is it.
By the way im not suggesting if we lost Berbatov we would suddenly become unsuccessful, that's not my point at all, the squad as a whole without Berbatov would be a lesser one imo given wed clearly not get a better player to fullfill the rotation forward role at the club.
The big question really is whether Berbatov is happy with the bench role. I've never been a fan but at this point I can't see much reason to sell him, given any kind of quality replacement would cost £30M and want to be first choice, something very unlikely to happen given Roonarito is the future.
Berbatov is a class player. He's just a different option to both Rooney and Hernandez. The way the team has been set up and played without him in Europe and other big matches has just worked better. Not Berbatov's fault he plays a different style. He was purchased with the coaches knowing his strength and weaknesses.
Nani was being touted as the player by many that should have got POTY but, right now Valencia is being chosen ahead of him because of his form, freshness and perhaps even qualities required based on our formation where there is even more onus on the wingers to defend. Does that mean he wasn't bought for the big games or isn't vital to our overall success?
Berbatov was bought almost 3 years ago, a lot has changed in that time and even if you absolutely know 100% shadow of a doubt at that time he was bought to play in the big games - things have changed. It doesn't mean he is a poor player or a poor buy or even that he doesn't fit. He still plays a massive role in being one of 3 class strikers that Fergie has the option to play.
Fergie keeps saying it - we have a lot of players available, some are in form and others are coming back, it's a selection nightmare but, one we want to have. Unless it's the price tag along, don't understand why a case isn't being made about all those other players being left out of the starting 11.
Rooney/Chicha works right now and Fergie is rightfully sticking to it but, we'll never know if it happened to be Berbatov/Rooney playing well - with Rooney in this form, in this role that perhaps SAF might have chosen to play both in big games. There have certainly been signs over the season that the partnership was getting better.
Bulgarian star Dimitar Berbatov Manchester United would not twist the hands of the club for a possible re-signing the contract. According to his agent Emil Danchev, it would put immense financial claims when negotiations begin.
Recently been reports that he wanted more than 120 thousand pounds a week, and this was the maximum amount that the Reds' offered.
more info
Even goal.com site announced that negotiations for new contracts have fallen through the attacker. However, they actually have not even begun.
"The theme of money is not mentioned. Mitko himself would not put impossible demands, if he ever get the opportunity to finish his career at Old Trafford. That we have spoken to him two of us.
No negotiations on a new contract because his current expires in 2012 and has an option to renew for another. No need to talk about things in a time when Manchester United fighting for two awards, "said Danchev in front of Darik .
Managers' expectations are any negotiations to begin in coming months, but after the season. He denied Berbatov to have had an offer from another club, although more often his name is associated with interest from everywhere.
"Normally Mitko is tasty morsel for many clubs, although his 30 years and everything that is written about it. Such official talks was not, and he repeatedly has said he wants to finish his career at United "said Danchev.
Berbatov has come in for fierce criticism in England because of gaps in the match with Manchester City in the FA Cup. It was at that match and he got a groin injury for which he has missed the last few games of his team.
"Injury resolves, it two days resulted in normal training. By the end of the week will be completely rebuilt. Read and laugh at any fantasies that coaching has a groin injury and is seated on the bench for negotiations," said Danchev.
Bulgarian is a leader in the goalscorers in the Premiership with 21 goals account and the conquest of this prize will emf of the goals by the end of the season.
"He is waiting for the chance and will try to increase its assets by 21 goals this season. Mitko already accustomed to the comments of his address. He knows it will be in the spotlight because he is a foreigner.
After the match, with City and other flaws attackers did, but it's normal to be more spared because they were English internationals. But Mitko has calmed, "said his agent yet.
Over the course of a season, there are plenty of games where he will play. The question is whether he is happy not to start the big games (well, he could be pretty used to that anyway).
As for buying a striker, with Welbeck and Macheda coming through, I dont think Fergie will buy a forward anytime soon
I'd be happy to see Welbeck come back into the squad, with perhaps Owen moving on. Berbatov deserves to stay, as long as he's happy as third choice striker, because that's what he is. Hernandez, as I've said before, will be regarded as one of the very best strikers in the world within a few years, you can see that in him. So Berbatov must be cool with that. If he is, great, let him stay.
I think a squad with Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov and Welbeck would be fantastic.
They left because they wanted to, that's the main thing. It's not about whether we want him to, of course we do, it's whether he wants to stay.
