Goodbye Fergie ...Hello Moyes

[weslgarlic]

Fellaini has heart set on £23m United deal as Moyes refuses to rule out Fabregas transfer

Manchester United's pursuit of Marouane Fellaini will not signal an end to their interest in Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

United are expected to formally submit a joint bid to Everton for Fellaini and left back Leighton Baines in the coming days.

Manager David Moyes has already had a £12million bid for Baines rejected but is ready to test the resolve of Everton chairman Bill Kenwright with an official approach for both players.

Moyes has still not ruled out another bid for Fabregas, though, and will continue to monitor that situation.

Fabregas is expected to make his own feelings known at a press conference on Thursday while Fellaini is known to have his heart set on a move to Old Trafford.

The Belgian forward, 25, is keen to continue his relationship with Moyes, the man who brought him to the Barclays Premier League.

Meanwhile, Moyes has admitted he has found the challenges of his new job difficult to deal with. Moyes, who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford earlier this summer, is three days away from United's season opener against Wigan in the Community Shield.

Currently dealing with a disgruntled Wayne Rooney and trying to make the first major signing of his time in charge, Moyes has plenty on his mind ahead of the new Barclays Premier League season.

The United manager said: 'The transition from Everton to United has been difficult at times as I have hard decisions to make.

'Everton are a great club and I was proud to manage them. But I can't deny Manchester United is on another level. Let's be honest, it would be a step up from just about any club in the world.'

Moyes is considering whether to play Rooney in Rio Ferdinand's testimonial at Old Trafford tomorrow night.

The United striker, 27, believes he is fit after suffering a shoulder injury at the weekend but Moyes is less sure.

The United boss also has to decide whether to release Rooney for next week's England game against Scotland. That will, in all likelihood, depend on whether Rooney plays any football over the next few days.

Moyes, meanwhile, wants to win the Community Shield in tribute to the work his predecessor did in winning the Premier League last season.

'Of course I will be trying to make the Community Shield the first trophy of many but if we win it's something that will have been earned by Sir Alex,' he added.

'It is because of his good work in the Premier League last season that we're in the Community Shield.

'I'll do my best to finish off the job, but it's Sir Alex who will deserve a lot of the credit if we're successful at Wembley.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2386499/Marouane-Fellaini-heart-set-Manchester-United-David-Moyes-refuses-rule-Cesc-Fabregas-transfer.html

Manchester United are lining up Udinese forward Luis Muriel as a possible replacement for Wayne Rooney.

United manager David Moyes is a long-term admirer of Muriel, and he is ready to try and push through a transfer for the player if he fails to hang on to wantaway England international Rooney.

Moyes has already turned down two offers from Chelsea for Rooney, but the player has made it clear he no longer wants to remain at Old Trafford.

It’s a situation that is testing Moyes’ managerial abilities but he is determined not to be caught short if Rooney eventually does depart.

Colombian international Muriel tops the Red Devils’ list of possible forward targets, with new chief scout Robbie Cooke pushing for the transfer to happen.

Muriel, 22, is a fast and creative forward who can play as an out-and-out striker or on the wings, and would be available for around £18million.

He scored 11 goals last season for Udinese and was watched by United, Liverpool and Barcelona scouts during the Europa League qualifying match against Siroki Brijeg last week, when he bagged two goals.

Muriel would fit in nicely with Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck, making him an ideal option.

Rooney is not likely to be the only striker that departs Old Trafford this month though, with Angelo Henriquez, Kiki Macheda and Bebe also expected to leave in the coming days.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/07/manchester-united-eye-udineses-luis-muriel-as-wayne-rooney-replacement-3915910/

[weslgarlic]

Moyes could move for Bale but wants to keep hold of Rooney

Manchester United are ready to enter race for Gareth Bale

Spurs ace could provide David Moyes with marquee signing as prospect of Real Madrid deal recedes

Manchester United may offer competition to Real Madrid in the pursuit of Gareth Bale this week, with Tottenham Hotspur seemingly more receptive to the English champions, having become deeply frustrated by negotiations with the Spanish side.

United have not made a firm offer for Bale and, as the transfer window enters its last three weeks, they will be acutely aware of any attempt to use them as a way of flushing out a serious bid from the Bernabeu, at a time when Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is beginning to doubt whether the Spaniards actually possess the funds.

But United's failure to land a big-money signing this summer may persuade them to make a huge investment, to deliver the boost which is badly needed at the start of the David Moyes era, as well as goals and momentum. The failure to secure a marquee name has only amplified the noise created by Wayne Rooney and his desire to leave.

The odds are stacked against such a deal coming to fruition. The impediments to United securing Bale include Spurs' valuation which is believed to be around £110m, though the appeal of Javier Hernandez to the north London club could conceivably help in that department. It is also unclear whether United would be able to agree personal terms with Bale. They have been reluctant throughout about the prospect of being strung along by Levy, a frustrating sparring partner in the acquisition of Michael Carrick in 2006 and Dimitar Berbatov two years later. But that sentiment may have changed now that the summer has brought no new big name.

Moyes insisted Rooney is staying at Old Trafford, and his determination to hold on to the unhappy England striker was easy to understand after watching Manchester United labour to a 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic, of the Championship, in the Community Shield. United dominated possession but the provenance of Robin van Persie's goals – an unmarked long-range header and a deflected shot – underlined their lack of creativity. Rooney, of course, was absent with a shoulder injury.

That injury, said Moyes, was genuine, but would not prevent him returning to Wembley to play for England against Scotland on Wednesday, albeit not for the whole game. The Scot said: "Wayne wasn't fit [today], he's a bit short. You don't think I'm going to send England a fit player! It is a big game for Scotland too."

That moment of jocularity was the exception in a spiky exchange with the media regarding Rooney. Asked if he was fed up of talking about the 27-year-old, Moyes said: "I'm enjoying talking about it because so many of you have got it wrong. I didn't fall out with Wayne, he trained with the reserves at his own request. He couldn't have contact because of his shoulder injury so he played as a floating player [a player who plays for the team in possession] with no contact. Anyone who wrote anything else is misleading their readers."

Moyes, who said he had spoken at length with Roy Hodgson about Rooney's condition, added: "I want him to join up [with England]. It would be great for Manchester United, hopefully he can get some playing time. He is not fit and you will probably see that in the game. He will probably play a chunk, but he has not had enough football – just 45 minutes against Real Betis in a friendly. The club's policy is he will not be sold. That has not changed."

With United expected to make a joint £35m bid to Everton for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini this week, Moyes said: "We're moving forward [to making signings]. Every day you get closer – and so does the [transfer] deadline – but if we have to I am happy to go with what we have. We have a lot of good, young English players."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/manchester-united-are-ready-to-enter-race-for-gareth-bale-8756408.html

[weslgarlic]

Cesc Fabregas remains transfer target for Manchester United who are ready to bid £40m for Barcelona player Manchester United are prepared to offer up to £40 million for Cesc Fabregas in the final week of the transfer window as manager David Moyes refuses to concede defeat in his efforts to sign the Barcelona midfielder.

United appeared to have abandoned their pursuit of Fabregas last week following comments by the 26-year-old which suggested he had no intention of leaving the Nou Camp, two years after returning to his hometown club from Arsenal.

After Fabregas had claimed in Malaysia during the Spanish champions’ Far East tour last Friday that he was “very happy at Barcelona”, United responded by issuing a statement insisting they “completely respect everything Cesc has said”.

However, Moyes and senior figures at Old Trafford remain convinced that Fabregas continues to harbour doubts over his first-team prospects at the Nou Camp and that the next two weeks will be pivotal in their attempts to sign the player.

It is also understood that Barcelona have indicated to United a figure which would prompt them to consider selling Fabregas, but Moyes is keen to assess the situation before sanctioning another offer following Barcelona’s rejection of bids worth £26 million and £30 million from Old Trafford.

With Fabregas facing time on the sidelines with sprained ankle ligaments — an injury which ruled him out of Spain’s friendly against Ecuador in Guayaquil on Wednesday night — Moyes is ready to monitor the player’s involvement with Barcelona in their fixtures leading up to the Sept 2 transfer deadline before lodging a third bid.

Fabregas could be back for Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Levante on Sunday and should be fit for the first leg of the Super Cup encounter with Atletico Madrid next Wednesday.

Following the Atletico tie, Barcelona face Malaga and Valencia in the league, either side of the second leg of the Super Cup, and United believe that Fabregas’s contribution to those fixtures will decide the player’s future.

While talking of his happiness at the Spanish Catalan capital and that "triumphing in Barcelona is what I have been hoping for all my life", Fabregas also admitted in Malaysia to being "flattered" by United’s interest and that his priority was to play first-team football.

Comments by new Barcelona manager Tata Martino that Fabregas would be a key player in his plans have been welcomed by the midfielder, but there is also a concern that the £53 million signing of Brazil international Neymar will ultimately lead to Fabregas losing his place in the team.

With Spain due to defend the World Cup in Brazil next summer, Fabregas is known to be determined to ensure that he plays regular first-team football in order to avoid dropping out of Vicente del Bosque’s team.

United are aware, however, that prising Fabregas from Barcelona remains a difficult challenge and that there is no guarantee that a third bid will prove successful, despite the indications from the Nou Camp of a potential transfer fee. United chief executive Ed Woodward, having made it clear that Wayne Rooney will not be sold this summer, is also keen to deliver a statement of intent in his first season at the helm by securing the services of a player in the Fabregas bracket.

Moyes is expected to return to former club Everton with bids for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini in the coming days, but there remains a desire at the highest level at United to secure a marquee signing before the transfer window closes.

On Wednesday Everton manager Roberto Martinez played down the prospects of a United bid for Baines saying one club had put in a “final offer” before his side left for a tour of Austria.

“They put something over and the valuation wasn’t anywhere near the quality of Leighton Baines,” Martinez said.

“That was the end of it but since then there’s been all the speculation, which has been part of what the transfer window is.

“There’s never been another club or anyone else putting in an offer for Leighton.”

Efforts to persuade Real Madrid to sell Cristiano Ronaldo back to United, four years after his world record £80m sale to the Bernabéu, have failed to make significant progress and despite the champions’ interest in Gareth Bale, there is an acceptance that persuading Tottenham to sell the Wales international in the final weeks of the window would be hugely difficult.

As a long-term admirer of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, Moyes could yet move for the former Tottenham player should Fabregas prove unattainable, but the Croatian midfielder remains a fall-back option rather than a priority target.

Similarly, Real’s Germany international Mesut Ozil is another player who could be considered if Fabregas or Barcelona deliver a definitive rejection of any further United offer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10243423/Cesc-Fabregas-remains-transfer-target-for-Manchester-United-who-are-ready-to-bid-40m-for-Barcelona-player.html

[weslgarlic]

Opening game

Swansea 1 Man Utd 4

great start

[weslgarlic]

"Those bids were rejected out of hand as derisory and insulting," said director of communications Alan Myers.

Fellaini and Baines: Everton reject Manchester United bid

Everton have described Manchester United's £28m joint bid for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines as "derisory and insulting".

Former Toffees boss David Moyes offered £16m for Fellaini, whose £23.5m release clause expired at the end of July.

United had a £12m bid for left-back Baines knocked back in June but have come back with the same offer.

The offers came late last week and Myers added: "The club did not make public these details as it was vital Roberto Martinez's preparations for the opening game of the Premier League season were not disrupted in any way."

Both players started in Everton's 2-2 draw with Norwich on Saturday.

After so far failing in his pursuit of Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas, Moyes has put his two former players back among his top summer transfer targets.

The renewed attempt to prise England defender Baines, 28, away from Goodison Park was greeted with anger and surprise by Everton, who rejected the £12m offer out of hand.

United's offer for Belgium midfielder Fellaini has caused particular frustration at Everton as Moyes was manager when the expired release clause was inserted into the 25-year-old's contract.

Everton's new manager Roberto Martinez expressed his delight when the Fellaini deadline had passed - so to receive an offer well below that figure from the man he succeeded will not impress owner Bill Kenwright.

While it remains to be seen whether United will return with improved offers, they may now find Everton's mood more entrenched.

Moyes brought both players to Everton, signing Baines from Wigan for £6m in August 2007 and Fellaini for a club record £15m from Standard Liege in September 2008.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23753129

[weslgarlic]

Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0 ...not the end of the world

only 3 days left of the transfer window ..............smells of panic buying

[chillumpuffer]

They could have gone on to the end of the world before someone scored. Boring Chelsea yet again under the leadership of Jose. Came for a draw and got what they wanted. United were poor also. No chances and to be honest didn't create much. I gave up and watched Stacey Dooley on Ukraine's horrendous drug problems. Anyway she just looked a cutie.

[weslgarlic]

They could have gone on to the end of the world before someone scored. Boring Chelsea yet again under the leadership of Jose. Came for a draw and got what they wanted. United were poor also. No chances and to be honest didn't create much. I gave up and watched Stacey Dooley on Ukraine's horrendous drug problems. Anyway she just looked a cutie.

I watched it in the pub ,knocking them back and i don't drink that often , I remember one attempt hitting the bar , i am a 45 year and i got hit by 21 year old trans-gender " girl " .well "she" tried it on with me and my two friends 55 and 57 , " she " said "she" preferred older men ....anyway i'm waffling just goes to show how interesting the game was

i would been better off saving my money and watching the "highlights" on Match Of The Day 2

[weslgarlic]

only 3 days left of the transfer window ..............smells of panic buying

still no sign of new players .. maybe Moyes likes the present squad , he;s been bigging up the present crop of youngsters too

[weslgarlic]

Fellaini: This is my dream

After completing his transfer from Everton, new signing Marouane Fellaini spoke exclusively to MUTV. Here's what the Belgian had to say...

How do you feel now you’re a Manchester United player?

I’m very, very happy. It’s a big moment for me. I waited for a long time, I’ve worked hard for this and I’m very happy to join this big club, this great club. I hope to do everything for this club.

When you knew Manchester United wanted you, did you always want to come here?

Of course. It’s the biggest club in the world so of course I wanted to join this club. I tried everything to join the club.

What’s today been like? It went right for the deadline…

It’s been difficult, a very long day. I waited to the end… I know the situation, but this day has been very long.

You’ve played and scored at Old Trafford, but what will it mean to run out with a red shirt on?

It’s a big stadium, a big club. I hope I can score a lot of goals for Manchester United.

What do you hope you can achieve as a Manchester United player?

When I was young it was a dream to play for Manchester United. Now I’m here so I’ll try to give my best to the club. I want to win trophies. That’s the most important thing.

http://www.manutd.com/en/NewSignings2013/NewSignings2013News/2013/Sep/Marouane-Fellaini-interview-about-joining-United.aspx

[chillumpuffer]

A disgrace to a world class football club. I knew Moyes would be a disaster. 1 signing and to wait until the 11th hour smacks to me of a desperate man who has no standing in European football. Manchester United have become a laughing stock around Europe. Arsenal have scored a great player no doubt but not sure how he would fit in. Pray tell what did the reds need? Yes a world class midfielder - WHICH WE DIDN'T GET.

My prediction ( for what it's worth) for this season:

Premiership - 4th

UEFA Champions League - Not even pass the group stage

FA Cup - quarters

The Other Cup: Couldn't give a monkeys

I know a few reds who are seriously thinking of not renewing membership next year. I have a freebie to watch Southampton at home. Food, match, free drinks etc. I will be washing my hair !!

[tiptop22]

Being a Liverpool FC fan I have to say it is quite pleasant at the moment, Manchester United "struggling" (compared to usual), David Moyes with a face looking like a Bulldog licking p**s off a thistle (more than usual) and us top of the Premiership. I'm also a realist though...it'll never last!!

[weslgarlic]

A disgrace to a world class football club. I knew Moyes would be a disaster. 1 signing and to wait until the 11th hour smacks to me of a desperate man who has no standing in European football. Manchester United have become a laughing stock around Europe. Arsenal have scored a great player no doubt but not sure how he would fit in. Pray tell what did the reds need? Yes a world class midfielder - WHICH WE DIDN'T GET.

My prediction ( for what it's worth) for this season:

Premiership - 4th

UEFA Champions League - Not even pass the group stage

FA Cup - quarters

The Other Cup: Couldn't give a monkeys

I know a few reds who are seriously thinking of not renewing membership next year. I have a freebie to watch Southampton at home. Food, match, free drinks etc. I will be washing my hair !!

IIf you don't want it , Can I have your freebie , Don't get much chance to get to OT these days

4th is not a given

Man City , Chelsea , Arsenal , Spurs and even Liverpool are all strong contenders