My! How the tables have turned. Just reading the gossip Colin this morning on the BBC website and on tidbit claims thus; Manchester United's hierarchy will risk keeping an unhappy player by insisting that striker Wayne Rooney, 27, will not be sold to Chelsea no matter how much money the London club offer. Now, this is a familiar story line but not one for United. Usually it is some other club, namely Spurs in the past few years, that have been having to posture and pose in defiance as the pressure to sell their top talent becomes too big. United aren't really used to being bullied by players and other clubs in the transfer market so it is interesting to see how they are/will deal with this situation. My guess is that eventually Malcom will step in and say, "It's my club and I want the cash, sell." What your personal preference about him is, is not important but should we get him before the end of this window it will represent the final piece in a significant yet subtle shift I'd the dynamics if the league. United will no longer be immune to having their stars poached and they may well find themselves on the rough end of their own past dealings. They had to way h as Tevez made the switch but in very much different circumstances and now face being forced to sell to a main rival very much against their will. Do you feel that this Rooney saga is much more significant than just an unhappy player wanting a switch? For me this is almost like a boxer coming out of retirement and facing the sons of those he brutalised in the ring before and is now facing the wrath of injuries past. Just my thoughts but I feel this is much more significant than people realise.
You may well be right that a change is in the air. I feel this would have happened despite Fergie sloping off, not because of it. he could see the writing on the wall hence his hasty departure and the somewhat shambolic aftermath. The Club was obviously caught unawares. Moyes is by no means a bad manager , and I think Utd will be there or thereabouts again this year, but their dominance is over for the time being. Can't see better than 3rd or 4th for them. Interesting times indeed
I think none of the main title challengers, Man City , Man Utd or us, would consider selling any key player to each other! They are almost certain to offload them abroad, or less likely to a side without title hopes!
This, I cant see UTD selling Roo to your lot, they will sort things out with him or sell him for a lower cost to PSG etc
Same with Liverpool and Suarez, saying that he is a Livepool player and should show loyalty to the club, stating adamantly that he won't be sold, to then Gerrard saying he won't be sold to a rival and all on the back of Rodgers saying Arsenal haven't yet met his valuation. I would imagine that they are currently hawking him out to any European club that will offer something similar to what Arsenal have, even if it's less.
Manchester United have surprised me somewhat, because, although you would expect any club to not want to sell to a rival, United have always struck me as fearless, hence why they have been so successful in the last 20 years. I half expected them to say "Take him, we will still beat you". But their stance, to me, shows something that United have not been known for.....self doubt. They are doubting their ability to win......... Still can hardly blame them, its an unknown future for them right now, and strengthening a rival would still be stupid regardless.
If Manu want to shell out 250k a week to have a player not giving his all and being used in League Cup games then let them. His value goes down and with wages and loss of value it will cost them 20M+.
Surely it all depends on what the Glazers want, they bought United to use their marketability as a cash cow for their ailing empire and spiraling debt from the Lehman Brothers crash. They will sell Potato Head but the only decision left open to the club will be to who not how much. http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/revealed-the-truth-about-manchester-uniteds-financial-oblivion/
I hate to say it, but I can see Mourinho walking in Fergies footsteps...assuming he can tow the line with Roman that is.
Yeah his value goes down to Utd and any prospective club. If he is used as sparingly as you suggest i.e. League cup games, his weight will rocket and fitness plummet. Who the hell would want him then after 2 seasons of decline?
This is why we didn't sell you Modric, of course, and chose, instead, to sell him to Real for less. We didn't want to strengthen our rivals for the title and CL.
What I've also noticed is that united fans don't seem to be rebuffing this notion. Almost as if they can quietly see this is the case. The world has noticed that United's players are no longer unattainable nor is the financial Klout quite so heavy.
Indeed, there does appear to be an easing all around. Probably due to the shackles that Fergie had on everything. It's going to be a year of anxiousness and trepidation for most United fans.