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Football: Gabriele Marcotti outlines Sir Alex's signing options as he looks to bolster his squad for the Champions League while keeping one eye on the balance sheet
Last Tuesday, Sir Alex Ferguson did an old mate a favour. He threw open the doors of Manchester United's high-tech training ground at Carrington and let Marcello Lippi's Juventus train there ahead of the Champions League final on Wednesday.
'Alex and I are good friends and I appreciated the gesture,' Lippi said. 'We trade opinions and ideas, our vision of the game is not that different. I expect we'll be chatting some more this summer.'
One of the things they will no doubt discuss is players and how to strengthen their respective clubs. Both sides are domestic champions, but both ended the season with a twinge of disappointment. For Lippi it was losing the Champions League. For Ferguson, it was watching the final being played at Old Trafford and knowing he will never win the European crown in front of his own fans. There is little question that he will feel that, on merit, United could have been one of the two sides contesting the title.
Which only fuels his resolve to strengthen his team this summer, in what could be the biggest overhaul since he arrived at Old Trafford. Sources say the club are looking to bring in at least five new players. And that's assuming nobody -- other than out of contract defender Laurent Blanc -- leaves. Given the speculation surrounding David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Fabien Barthez and one or two others, the number of new faces could increase.
The last time Sir Alex wheeled and dealed on such a scale was the summer of 1996, when he brought in Raimond van der Gouw, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ronnie Johnsen, Karel Poborksy and Jordi Cruyff: a decidedly mixed bag.
The preliminary 'shopping list' includes a goalkeeper, an experienced central defender, a wide player, a central midfielder and a striker. It is understood that rather than giving Sir Alex a transfer budget, the board will review each target on a case-by-case basis.
The good news for United fans is that the club have money to spend in a market which has imploded and which offers plenty of bargains. The bad news is that United do not want to increase the wage bill, which means they will have to find homes for some of their highly-paid unwanted players.
Despite conceding fewer goals than any other side in the Premiership, Barthez is under fire from all quarters. The Spaniard Ricardo, signed last August for £1.5 million, looks certain to move on. The problem with shifting Barthez is his contract: the 32-year-old Frenchman is set to earn in excess of £7m over the next three seasons. Given those numbers, it will be hard to find any takers, even if he were available for free. Especially now that Monaco, who had shown interest in bringing him back to the Cote d'Azur, have been relegated to the French Second Division for financial irregularities. An appeal is pending, but the club are some £60m in debt.
Agents have been alerted that Ferguson is looking for an experienced goalkeeper no older than 30 who is tall and athletic and can dominate his box in the manner of Peter Schmeichel. It's a tall order. The only household name that fits the bill is Juventus' Gigi Buffon, who is not for sale at any price.
Sir Alex may well have to relax his standards. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld has had a brilliant season at Real Sociedad and would relish a return to the Premiership, while AC Milan's Christian Abbiati, whose row with Carlo Ancelotti cost him the No 1 jersey at the San Siro, is also available. Fenerbache's Rustu Recber is also an option, with the added bonus of being a Bosman signing.
But United have been lukewarm on all three, which is why the alternative may be to go for a younger goalkeeper, such as Leeds' Paul Robinson or Rennes Czech Petr Cech, who is said to have impressed the club's scouts. Robinson, in addition to being very expensive, has just one year of Premiership experience under his belt and Cech only turned 21 last week. In addition to signing an everyday goalkeeper, United will pick up a second No 1 as cover if a home can be found for Barthez.
The defensive reinforcement has been described as a Laurent Blanc figure, only younger. The idea is to get a veteran central defender who can aid the development of youngsters John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown. With Brown sidelined until Christmas, it's imperative that the player be capable of stepping into the line-up and contributing from day one.
There is no shortage of alternatives, from the familiar, Gareth Southgate, to the exotic, Deportivo La Coruna's Noureddine Naybet. United have been deluged with suggestions in this department and it is likely to be one of the first positions filled.
Midfield represents the biggest conundrum. United are looking for width and the shortlist includes Leeds' Harry Kewell, who has also been linked with Arsenal, and 19-year-old Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Ricardo Quaresma, described as the heir to Luis Figo. Damien Duff could also enter the fray, though there is a suggestion Sir Alex is not sold on the Blackburn winger.
The hunt for a long-term alternative to Roy Keane continues, with AC Milan's Rino Gattuso and Valencia's Ruben Baraja being the latest high-profile names to be linked with Old Trafford. In both cases, the link originated from the player's camp: a sign that there may be ulterior motives at work, in Gattuso's case an improved deal, in Baraja's an urgency to leave the Mestalla. Neither would come cheap, which is why, in this case, the club may seek a more cost-effective solution, such as a younger player who can be groomed for the role, the way Solskjaer was eased into the first 11 through regular rotation.
Of course, if Beckham or Giggs were sold -- it's an open secret that everyone at United has a price, however high -- this scenario could quickly change. At that point, both Gattuso and Baraja would be within easy reach, as would the likes of Real Madrid's Claude Makelele who is still not entirely pleased with his wages. It's not inconceivable that, if United sell well, they may go for a genuine blockbuster, perhaps even Patrick Vieira -- who is 12 months away from going out of contract at Arsenal -- or Edgar Davids, whom Juventus quietly view in much the same way United view Beckham: a guy they would love to keep, but also a burden on the wage bill who could fetch a massive fee.
Up front, Ruud van Nistelrooy will finally get his long-awaited strike partner, or perhaps even two of them if Solskjaer, who has plenty of admirers, is sold as well. Paris St Germain's Ronaldinho sent Sir Alex a virtual love letter via his Sunday Herald interview last week. Indeed, the young Brazilian seems a perfect match for a club searching for a young, creative second striker. The fact that, along with Michael Ballack, he is probably the best player outside of Europe's big three leagues doesn't hurt, much like the fact that he is a Nike client.
With PSG nearing financial meltdown, United's strategy is to act coy, while driving down the transfer price. They can afford to do so as few clubs can readily come up with the £12-£15m required to secure his services. In the meantime, they are casting their net wide for alternatives in case something goes wrong. Valencia's Pablo Aimar is one name which has been mentioned in the context of a swap deal with Juan Sebastian Veron, though the latter's wages may well scupper the possibility.
Meanwhile, van Nistelrooy has repeatedly voiced his admiration for fellow Dutchman, Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert. Yesterday he went as far as to say: 'We could be the best scoring partnership in the world. We love working together and I would love it even more if we could practise together every day and play together at club level.'
Like Ronaldinho, Deportivo La Coruna's Roy Makaay has spoken of his desire to move to Old Trafford, after the club did not improve his current deal.
'I know that Barcelona and Bayern Munich are interested, but my preferred move would be to Manchester,' says the man who scored 40 goals this season.
Solskjaer's successor -- assuming he leaves -- will be a promising youngster. In Argentina, they mention River Plate's exciting Fernando Cavenaghi, though the answer may well lie closer to home in the form of West Ham's Jermain Defoe. At this stage, with the possible exception of Ronaldinho, United's transfer campaign is about 'types' rather than 'individuals'. From the club's perspective, the strategy makes sense. With so many teams in financial difficulty and United comparatively secure and looking to strengthen, it's a typical buyer's market in economic terms. There will be few bidding wars, which means the closer United keeps its cards to its chest, the more likely asking prices will drop.
Ferguson's shopping list
Positions and possible targets for Alex Ferguson
Goalkeeper
Sander Westerveld (Real Sociedad), Christian Abbiati (AC Milan), Rustu Recber (Fenerbahce), Paul Robinson (Leeds), Petr Cech (Rennes)
Central defender
Gareth Southgate (Middlesbrough),
Noureddine Naybet (Deportivo la Coruna)
Wide midfielder
Harry Kewell (Leeds), Ricardo Quaresma
(Sporting Lisbon), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers)
Central midfielders
Ruben Baraja (Valencia), Rino Gattuso (AC Milan), Claude Makele (Real Madrid), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
Striker
Ronaldinho (PSG), Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona), Roy Makaay (Deportivo), Fernando Cavenghi (River Plate), Jermain Defoe (West Ham)
01 June 2003<a href="http://www.sundayherald.com/34244" target="_blank">From: HERE</a>
Last Tuesday, Sir Alex Ferguson did an old mate a favour. He threw open the doors of Manchester United's high-tech training ground at Carrington and let Marcello Lippi's Juventus train there ahead of the Champions League final on Wednesday.
'Alex and I are good friends and I appreciated the gesture,' Lippi said. 'We trade opinions and ideas, our vision of the game is not that different. I expect we'll be chatting some more this summer.'
One of the things they will no doubt discuss is players and how to strengthen their respective clubs. Both sides are domestic champions, but both ended the season with a twinge of disappointment. For Lippi it was losing the Champions League. For Ferguson, it was watching the final being played at Old Trafford and knowing he will never win the European crown in front of his own fans. There is little question that he will feel that, on merit, United could have been one of the two sides contesting the title.
Which only fuels his resolve to strengthen his team this summer, in what could be the biggest overhaul since he arrived at Old Trafford. Sources say the club are looking to bring in at least five new players. And that's assuming nobody -- other than out of contract defender Laurent Blanc -- leaves. Given the speculation surrounding David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Fabien Barthez and one or two others, the number of new faces could increase.
The last time Sir Alex wheeled and dealed on such a scale was the summer of 1996, when he brought in Raimond van der Gouw, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ronnie Johnsen, Karel Poborksy and Jordi Cruyff: a decidedly mixed bag.
The preliminary 'shopping list' includes a goalkeeper, an experienced central defender, a wide player, a central midfielder and a striker. It is understood that rather than giving Sir Alex a transfer budget, the board will review each target on a case-by-case basis.
The good news for United fans is that the club have money to spend in a market which has imploded and which offers plenty of bargains. The bad news is that United do not want to increase the wage bill, which means they will have to find homes for some of their highly-paid unwanted players.
Despite conceding fewer goals than any other side in the Premiership, Barthez is under fire from all quarters. The Spaniard Ricardo, signed last August for £1.5 million, looks certain to move on. The problem with shifting Barthez is his contract: the 32-year-old Frenchman is set to earn in excess of £7m over the next three seasons. Given those numbers, it will be hard to find any takers, even if he were available for free. Especially now that Monaco, who had shown interest in bringing him back to the Cote d'Azur, have been relegated to the French Second Division for financial irregularities. An appeal is pending, but the club are some £60m in debt.
Agents have been alerted that Ferguson is looking for an experienced goalkeeper no older than 30 who is tall and athletic and can dominate his box in the manner of Peter Schmeichel. It's a tall order. The only household name that fits the bill is Juventus' Gigi Buffon, who is not for sale at any price.
Sir Alex may well have to relax his standards. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld has had a brilliant season at Real Sociedad and would relish a return to the Premiership, while AC Milan's Christian Abbiati, whose row with Carlo Ancelotti cost him the No 1 jersey at the San Siro, is also available. Fenerbache's Rustu Recber is also an option, with the added bonus of being a Bosman signing.
But United have been lukewarm on all three, which is why the alternative may be to go for a younger goalkeeper, such as Leeds' Paul Robinson or Rennes Czech Petr Cech, who is said to have impressed the club's scouts. Robinson, in addition to being very expensive, has just one year of Premiership experience under his belt and Cech only turned 21 last week. In addition to signing an everyday goalkeeper, United will pick up a second No 1 as cover if a home can be found for Barthez.
The defensive reinforcement has been described as a Laurent Blanc figure, only younger. The idea is to get a veteran central defender who can aid the development of youngsters John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown. With Brown sidelined until Christmas, it's imperative that the player be capable of stepping into the line-up and contributing from day one.
There is no shortage of alternatives, from the familiar, Gareth Southgate, to the exotic, Deportivo La Coruna's Noureddine Naybet. United have been deluged with suggestions in this department and it is likely to be one of the first positions filled.
Midfield represents the biggest conundrum. United are looking for width and the shortlist includes Leeds' Harry Kewell, who has also been linked with Arsenal, and 19-year-old Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Ricardo Quaresma, described as the heir to Luis Figo. Damien Duff could also enter the fray, though there is a suggestion Sir Alex is not sold on the Blackburn winger.
The hunt for a long-term alternative to Roy Keane continues, with AC Milan's Rino Gattuso and Valencia's Ruben Baraja being the latest high-profile names to be linked with Old Trafford. In both cases, the link originated from the player's camp: a sign that there may be ulterior motives at work, in Gattuso's case an improved deal, in Baraja's an urgency to leave the Mestalla. Neither would come cheap, which is why, in this case, the club may seek a more cost-effective solution, such as a younger player who can be groomed for the role, the way Solskjaer was eased into the first 11 through regular rotation.
Of course, if Beckham or Giggs were sold -- it's an open secret that everyone at United has a price, however high -- this scenario could quickly change. At that point, both Gattuso and Baraja would be within easy reach, as would the likes of Real Madrid's Claude Makelele who is still not entirely pleased with his wages. It's not inconceivable that, if United sell well, they may go for a genuine blockbuster, perhaps even Patrick Vieira -- who is 12 months away from going out of contract at Arsenal -- or Edgar Davids, whom Juventus quietly view in much the same way United view Beckham: a guy they would love to keep, but also a burden on the wage bill who could fetch a massive fee.
Up front, Ruud van Nistelrooy will finally get his long-awaited strike partner, or perhaps even two of them if Solskjaer, who has plenty of admirers, is sold as well. Paris St Germain's Ronaldinho sent Sir Alex a virtual love letter via his Sunday Herald interview last week. Indeed, the young Brazilian seems a perfect match for a club searching for a young, creative second striker. The fact that, along with Michael Ballack, he is probably the best player outside of Europe's big three leagues doesn't hurt, much like the fact that he is a Nike client.
With PSG nearing financial meltdown, United's strategy is to act coy, while driving down the transfer price. They can afford to do so as few clubs can readily come up with the £12-£15m required to secure his services. In the meantime, they are casting their net wide for alternatives in case something goes wrong. Valencia's Pablo Aimar is one name which has been mentioned in the context of a swap deal with Juan Sebastian Veron, though the latter's wages may well scupper the possibility.
Meanwhile, van Nistelrooy has repeatedly voiced his admiration for fellow Dutchman, Barcelona's Patrick Kluivert. Yesterday he went as far as to say: 'We could be the best scoring partnership in the world. We love working together and I would love it even more if we could practise together every day and play together at club level.'
Like Ronaldinho, Deportivo La Coruna's Roy Makaay has spoken of his desire to move to Old Trafford, after the club did not improve his current deal.
'I know that Barcelona and Bayern Munich are interested, but my preferred move would be to Manchester,' says the man who scored 40 goals this season.
Solskjaer's successor -- assuming he leaves -- will be a promising youngster. In Argentina, they mention River Plate's exciting Fernando Cavenaghi, though the answer may well lie closer to home in the form of West Ham's Jermain Defoe. At this stage, with the possible exception of Ronaldinho, United's transfer campaign is about 'types' rather than 'individuals'. From the club's perspective, the strategy makes sense. With so many teams in financial difficulty and United comparatively secure and looking to strengthen, it's a typical buyer's market in economic terms. There will be few bidding wars, which means the closer United keeps its cards to its chest, the more likely asking prices will drop.
Ferguson's shopping list
Positions and possible targets for Alex Ferguson
Goalkeeper
Sander Westerveld (Real Sociedad), Christian Abbiati (AC Milan), Rustu Recber (Fenerbahce), Paul Robinson (Leeds), Petr Cech (Rennes)
Central defender
Gareth Southgate (Middlesbrough),
Noureddine Naybet (Deportivo la Coruna)
Wide midfielder
Harry Kewell (Leeds), Ricardo Quaresma
(Sporting Lisbon), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers)
Central midfielders
Ruben Baraja (Valencia), Rino Gattuso (AC Milan), Claude Makele (Real Madrid), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
Striker
Ronaldinho (PSG), Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona), Roy Makaay (Deportivo), Fernando Cavenghi (River Plate), Jermain Defoe (West Ham)
01 June 2003<a href="http://www.sundayherald.com/34244" target="_blank">From: HERE</a>