Manchester United's Interest in Ross Barkley

When a young footballer with obvious talent breaks into the first team of a Premier League side who are not one of the teams challenging for Champions League football, the rumours begin instantly, like the flick of a switch. When the player in question is English, it hots up even further, and despite the summer transfer window only recently having closed, the speculation has begun to build already in anticipation for January.

This time it concerns the 17 year-old Liverpudlian, Ross Barkley who has just made his way into the Everton first team this season, having played twice in the Premier League, including his début against Queens Park Rangers in which he was named by some as the man of the match.

He has also appeared for England's Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 sides, and most recently earned a call up to the Under-21 squad. He impressed at all levels, with some commanding midfield performances, showing his mature and composed passing ability and vision, and because of this, has been watched closely by several scouts representing some big Premier League sides including Manchester United and Chelsea.

Barkley is very highly rated by the few who have seen him play, with many tipping him for a very bright and successful future. The former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, commented that Barkley: "[will] be one of the best players we'll ever see in this country." While current Everton stars and former United players Louis Saha and Phil Neville said respectively: “He’s got power, strength, confidence [and] speed," and
"There’s nothing flash or fancy about him, he’s not interested in getting a big car or flash clothes, and he is so humble.”


In the last few days links have been growing between the youngster and Manchester United, who, according to some reports, attempted to bring Barkley to Old Trafford during the summer window with the offer of cash, thought to be £10 million and 23 year-old United midfielder, Darron Gibson. This "deal" of course did not materialise, but now United are apparently looking towards the January market to snap up the fantastic prospect before any other club does.

On the Everton website, Barkley describes his strengths as "heading, tackling and passing," and saying, prior to his move to Arsenal, that Mikel Arteta was his favourite first team player. He seems a rather grounded young lad, and this speculation will only serve to increase the expectation around him, something which Manchester United's Wayne Rooney will know about having been in an extremely similar position at the same age with Everton.

United are supposedly the favourites if the debt laden Everton do decide that they must sell their young starlet, due to the relationship between David Moyes of Everton and Sir Alex Ferguson of United. The two clubs have done business before, with Everton usually profiting well from it, particularly the £30 million they raked in from the sale of Wayne Rooney

Sir Alex is of course thought to be in the market for a central midfielder having missed out on several targets over the summer, but Everton will be hugely reluctant to let Barkley go considering the afore mentioned departure of Mikel Arteta to Arsenal, as well as the general thinness of the Toffees squad.

Time will tell whether this interest is true or false, but Everton fans will be hoping and praying it is the latter, as the state of the club is looking increasingly unconvincing.

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Rooney - Developing Into A Football Great?

Discussing a footballing great or legend who is still currently playing the game is often met with an understandable air of reluctance. Very few fans would realistically and in all seriousness, label one of their players as an all time great before their career has run it's course, and even then, the player in question will have to have done something very, very special to be worthy of the illustrious label of a "legend."

So to even discuss the growing likelihood of 25 year-old Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney as the "L - word" is perhaps pushing it. No doubt at this current time, many will strongly disagree with my observations on Rooney, who is by no means a hugely popular young man, with so much scrutinization and intrusion into his life on, and very unfortunately off the football field as a modern day celebrity. 

However, no one can possibly deny the quite simply outstanding ability the man possesses with the football at his feet. He can do things on a football field that can defy belief - his ridiculous overhead kick against City at Old Trafford is the obvious example of what majestic and elevated skill level he sets himself and everyone else around him. 

Those who are privileged enough to watch Rooney week in week out playing for Manchester United, will know that one overhead kick, however stunning, is only a tiny fraction of what Rooney has in his locker. His passing, his vision, his skill, his work-rate, his passion - all up there with the greats. Whichever way you want to look at it, Rooney is very close to "having it all," as it were, and would have no problems in getting into any football club in the world.

This time last year, he was suffering a very difficult period of his career. He seemed to have lost his first touch, his passing was questionable and the goals were not coming for him. He had been involved in a miserable, high pressure World Cup, and became subject of much hate from Manchester United fans and England fans for his clubs contract saga, and bad form.

However, it is a big, player who has a poor season, yet scored 16 goals overall and assists 11. He was able to turn this form on it's head, and so far this season has continued in that vain of revival - with an impressive 5 goals and 1 assist in just three games. 

At just 25, he has broken inside the list of England's top 10 international goalscorers, and has achieved the same feet with Manchester United. He's won the Premier League four times, the Champions League once, and has won countless individual accolades.

He is currently in the form of his life, with goals flying into the net at will, passes finding their target like a sniper finds its prey, and his influence on players around him is equally exceptional, as Arsenal's Theo Walcott explained: "Just having him on the pitch you seem to get an extra percentage out of all the other players, especially when he’s playing well."

When a players sheer presence on the football field gets an "extra percentage out of all the other players," he is clearly thought of as special by his fellow team mates. Very few have this effect, and I suspect, players in the modern game such as Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta and Scholes, as well as those already undeniably established as legends like Pele, Cruyff, Maradonna, Best and Zidane all had similar effects on the players around them.

I am not blindly championing Rooney as a player as good as or better than the legends listed above, I am simply saying that one day, he absolutely could be. He has the talent, passion and determination in abundance, and if he wants to be considered a great, the man named by his fans as the "white Pele" can be, and he will be.

"Legends take football to another level, producing moments of magic which people will never forget.
It is the ability to turn a match with a flash of brilliance and the determination to win at all costs."

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Wenger's Love of "Belief" & "Spirit"

Arsene Wenger begins answering almost every post match question with two words which are becoming his trademark. As the interviewer lifts the microphone to the Arsenal managers' mouth in anticipation of an answer to the preceding question, you can quite easily predict that the answer will start with the words; "I believe."

The sort of "belief" Wenger talks about in interviews and press conferences are, of course his opinions and convictions on a certain issue, however, he expects his Arsenal team to play with a very different sort of belief. It is the psychological belief with which his players should perform, with a certain amount of confidence and mental strength to trust each-other and themselves, often added to by Wenger with the word "spirit."

Wenger puts a lot of trust in this "belief" and "spirit." He has shown how patient a human being he is in his time at Arsenal, especially during the past 6 years in which Arsenal have won nothing, much to the frustration of the fans. However, despite increasing pressure to do so, Wenger has always been reluctant to spend a lot of money on big, established players and has relied on his youth heavily.

It is his trust in the psychological side of football which he uses as an excuse to avoid the real issue of squad depth so as to prevent the need to spend money on more players. It is frustrating for fans who have shown loyalty to the club and Wenger for so long, yet the clear issue for most people does not seem to register too urgently with Wenger.

The plain fact is, "belief and spirit" will not help an injured player, unable to walk on two feet, nor will it help a team severely lacking in strength in depth. Of course Wenger is right, players need to have a strong mental attitude, with desire, belief, spirit and leadership, but where there are constant injuries during a long hard season, once a side loses games and morale is low due to heavy expectation, the spirit and belief in players needs a little help from new, fresh recruits.

With the loss of two quality players in Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, as well as the sale of Gael Clichy, Arsenal are lacking in numbers. When you compare the squad size to the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and now Liverpool, who have all spent big on new recruits despite not losing as many players as Wenger, the weaknesses are clear.

Unfortunately, signing Gervinho, Jenkinson, Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain do not address the immediate issues Arsenal have, and while they have a very decent and respectable first team, when you take injuries and suspensions into account throughout the season, they will not be strong enough to compete against the best.

Fortunately for Arsenal fans, it seems Wenger is making some movement, with rumours of Yann M'Vila, Marvin Martin, Eden Hazard among others in midfield as well as defensive reinforcements like Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill on his transfer wish list. So while Wenger has more spirit and belief than a priest drunk on vodka, I believe it is quality in depth that counts. Over to you Arsene.

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In Defence of David de Gea

David de Gea may not understand much English, but when he awoke on Monday morning, he would have known why he was the talking point on the back page of most English newspapers.

Manchester United fans will be hoping that their new young goalkeeper did not bother looking at the extremely radical, over the top reactions that were plastered in several papers, because they will have done nothing for his currently fragile confidence.

De Gea knows well enough that his mistake against West Brom which allowed a weak Shane Long shot to crawl underneath his flailing arms, was not acceptable for a Manchester United goalkeeper. However, he will also understand that one mild mistake in only his first competitive game in a completely new country, where he knows little about the language nor the culture, does not mean that he is a "flop," like some have already irrationally labelled him.

Of course, Manchester United fans will have been expecting a lot more from an £18.5 million signing, but those impatient and narrow minded enough to think that Sir Alex Ferguson and his back room staff didn't expect any mistakes in his first year in England will have to rethink their odd logic.

Those fans calling for De Gea's sale or release, one competitive game into his short Manchester United career are probably the same people who labelled Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic flops in their first season in England. Just a quick look at some Manchester United fans reactions to the signing of Vidic back in 2006 shows that some "expert fans" painfully called the Serbian a "waste of money" and "overrated." Five years later, he is a regular in the teams of the year, playing his part in a solid back line for United.

In fact, it's interesting to read about Vidic's struggles when he first started with United. "It was very hard for me," he said, and coming from a completely different country, speaking a different language, "it was difficult for me to communicate." Vidic continued:

"I was... trying to acclimatise to a different style of football and culture. Everything was thrown at me at once. And on top of that I was very aware that the fans were asking, 'Who is this player?' I was unknown and people wanted to see what they were getting for £7m. I was very aware I was under the spotlight."

One can imagine a parallel situation with David de Gea. His large transfer fee means he is the second most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football, and he has a big job in trying to prove his worth because of it. People will, and already have begun to question his ability, like people did with Vidic, but everyone must understand that it takes longer for some footballers to become comfortable with their surroundings than others.

Sir Alex Ferguson said after De Gea's mistake at West Brom that it was almost like a "welcome to English football." It is also a harsh welcome to the English media, who judge harshly immediately, as well as many of the English public who enjoy raising impossible expectations, and follow the media's lead in attempting to crush careers with an overbearing eye for anything not perfection. Just look at the English national team.

Patience is so important in such a young person, with such a large amount of potential. I'm not saying he should be immune from criticism, but fans and pundits need to be patient. Sir Alex knows David de Gea has quality so let's just take a step back, put everything into perspective, and give him a chance.

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Comparing Sneijder & Schweinsteiger

Every Manchester United fan have their favourite as to who they would like to see brought in to the United midfield to replace the almost irreplaceable Paul Scholes, and I'm sure Sir Alex Ferguson also has his favourite for the job too, especially as it is such a vital role in the United team. There are only a handful of player to choose from however - a select few players who are considered to have the quality needed to take on the task of pulling the strings in a Manchester United side fighting to be the best in the world.

Two players who are said to be close to the top of Manchester United's wish-list are Wesley Sneijder and Bastian Schweinsteiger - two players who are very close in age, and most probably soon to reach the peak of their footballing careers. Both are attack minded midfield players, who are both proven on the world stage, playing their football over the past nine years with the biggest football clubs in the Europe. But which player would be the most suitable of choices for Manchester United? In this article, I will compare the two in an attempt to discover the answer to this very expensive question.

Lets start with the basics. Wesley Sneijder is an attacking midfielder and turned 27 last month. He is the product of the highly successful youth academy of Ajax, which has produced previous footballing legends including Johan Cruijff, Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, and the former Arsenal striker, Dennis Bergkamp, so we know that Sneijder has been taught well. In fact, the philosophy of the Ajax youth academy is to play attractive, offensive-minded, creative, fast and fair football - preferably far away from the own goal on the opponents’ half, which is very much Manchester United's style at times.

Bastian Schweinsteiger can play in a similar position to Sneijder - centrally, but has been deployed primarily on the wings throughout his career, though it is this versatility that marks him out as a top player, and he is soon to turn 27. The German international has been at Bayern Munich ever since he turned professional in 2002, after graduating from the Bayern youth set-up. Whilst Manchester United have never seen a German play a role in their side, they have had a Bayern Munich youth academy graduate in Owen Hargreaves grace the midfield - perhaps as he has now left, United will bring in another in Schweinsteiger.

Both players had very successful World Cups last year, playing in the central role that United are looking for in their team, but Sneijder and Schweinsteiger have been the creative forces behind their respective clubs for a while. Statistics are not what football is all about, but looking at the stats for these two players over the years proved some interesting viewing.

Conveniently, the two midfielder's began their careers in football in the same season - 2003/04, - so there is a more balanced comparison when it comes to their appearances, goals and assists. Over the past nine seasons, Schweinsteiger has played the more games, with 348 appearances to Sneijder's 325, however, you may take into consideration Sneijder's moves to different clubs, as well as his period at Real Madrid, when he wasn't always a regular starter.

In the goals scored section, there is one clear winner in Wesley Sneijder, as the 83 career goals for the Dutchman is more than double that of the German's 40. But goals were not Schweinsteiger's game for a long period in which he was played on the wing, as he was the creator instead, and as a result has managed 72 career assists compared to Sneijder's 19 (although assists in 5 years at Ajax have for some reason not been recorded).

Now, how do they fit in Manchester United's side? As mentioned before, they both occupy that central midfield role - an advanced role, similar to that of Paul Scholes earlier in his career. Schweinsteiger played in a more defensive role in the World Cup - a holding role, which again emphasises his versatility, but with United, he would be more likely to be deployed in a more advanced role, which would see him play as a classic box-to-box midfielder.

Sneijder is a great passer of the ball, and someone with a very quick thinking and visionary mind on the football pitch. He can play with both feet which is a useful, and unpredictable advantage to have, and as mentioned before, he scores goals from the midfield, as well as creates them, mainly thanks to his set piece delivery and fierce shot.

Both players are known for their stunning set-piece deliveries - particularly Schweinsteiger, whose direct play also showcases some thunderous shots from long range, which are incredibly accurate. Sneijder also shares the powerful shot, and both are also very energetic and most importantly, creative.

What of their chances to join? Well, Schweinsteiger, my favourite for the job would apparently cost in the region of £30 million, on wages of around £150,000 per week, which is certainly manageable for United, however it is his recently signed contract, running until 2016 which marks any deal quite unlikely.

Sneijder on the other hand has by no means committed himself fully to Inter Milan, and the Inter manager has recently told of the possibility of Sneijder leaving in the summer, saying that he may soon become available for transfer. The Dutchman would cost a whopping £35-40 million plus apparent £200,000 a week in wages, which over four years could end up totalling over £80 million.

While Schweinsteiger seems to me the most natural of replacements for Paul Scholes, Sneijder is certainly both the fans favourite and the media's favourite, with constant rumours linking him to a move to United. It is very difficult to believe much you read at this time of the year, but it does seem a certainty that United will be recruiting a new midfielder. Whether it be Samri Nasri from Arsenal, Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern or Wesley Sneijder from Inter, we will just have to wait and see.

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Why Javier Pastore is Worth £45m

Javier Pastore is 22 years-old, has played 103 competitive football games, scored 25 goals, assisted 14, and cost his current club Palermo only £5 million when he joined them from the Argentinian side Club Atlético Huracán just two years ago. Now, in 2011, the Argentine attacking midfielder is being offered to clubs for over £40 million. How on earth has that happened, and why do so many believe that Pastore is worth that obscene amount?

Many of you may have looked at Pastore on YouTube when you heard clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea were interested in signing him. You may have seen his silky skills and elegant passing, his attacking style and eye for goal. Of course, that's great to see, and possibly a joy to behold, but do you really believe that he is worth the same as Zinedine Zidane was back in 2001? Is he really someone who you would risk splashing a staggering amount on in the hope that he could change the fortunes of your club?

In truth, I don't believe anyone is worth that amount, but then you have to look at the situation from a footballing point of view - football is in a whole world of it's own when it comes to money, and it's a world we can't even begin to comprehend. So I suppose in footballing terms, yes, Javier Pastore looks an impressive and very promising talent, with huge potential to grow into a world beater. But still - £45 million? It seems too much.

Hang on. Who's "interested" in the player again? Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Chelsea and AC Milan. Ah. It makes sense now. Of course Pastore isn't really worth the £45 million that we have been quoted. No, but Pastore's club know, that they have a young player capable of special things in their midst, and clubs with a seemingly limitless bank balance are interested - namely, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

This is something that many clubs with talented young players can now do; raise the price of their player when big clubs circle, quote them the sum expected, watch as they ponder thoughtfully while checking their wallets carefully, and sell the player for a massive profit. It's brilliant, and many clubs set out now, looking for young, promising, rough diamonds, with a profit in mind. Udinese are a perfect example.

Alexis Sanchez, the talented South American, who has been the subject of big bids from Manchester United, City and Barcelona this summer was part of Udinese's project of signing up loads of young, cheap South American and African footballers in the hope that one or two will turn out like Sanchez has so that the club can sell them on for a huge profit. Udinese were lucky that both sides of Manchester - the red and he blue registered interest in Sanchez, as it only increased his valuation - a valuation Barcelona are struggling to meet.

The Palermo chief has recently spoken about Javier Pastore's future, stating that it is very likely that his young star will be leaving this summer:

"There's a 90 per cent chance that he'll go away, because it is the desire of the player. That is normal when you know that certain clubs want you."

"Pastore will go to England or Spain. The favourites are Real Madrid and Malaga. Manchester City are also interested in him, as well as Manchester United and Chelsea."

So the truth is, Pastore isn't really worth £45 million, but Palermo know that clubs will be willing to pay that amount for him - and they will of course be willing to accept the money. Pastore may be very talented; his skills, his passing, his vision, his creativity, his flare, his talent for impersonations, but in my opinion, he isn't worth £45 million.

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Comparing Luka Modric to Paul Scholes: Chalkboard

"Unbelievable", "magnificent", "an amazing footballer"; all words to describe just one diminutive Croatian midfielder who has been quietly weaving his magic at White Hart Lane, a hugely underrated talent of stunning quality and precision in both passing and creativity. Now, he is wanted, perhaps even needed by two of the biggest clubs in England, and although his price at first glance may be considered astronomical, at £35 million, Luka Modric could become the ideal replacement for a retiring footballer, considered by Manchester United as simply priceless in Paul Scholes.

Manchester United's search for a replacement for the midfield maestro is ongoing, with various possibilities offered in generous portions by the worlds media through speculation and transfer gossip. Luka Modric is one of United's prime targets, and it is clear to see why. 

The 25 year-old is a player who, in the centre of the field can do close to anything he wants. His passing is precise and his vision is superb, while he remains tenacious in the tackle and determined on a run. He is supremely intelligent, with an attacking mind similar to that of Scholes himself, as he can spot a team mates run or movement almost telepathically. Indeed, this man is a special talent and one that could unlock the future for Manchester United, both in the Premier League and in Europe, as he pulls the strings in a midfield in dire need of a player with the perfect balance of creativity.

Modric would have huge boots to fill at Manchester United, with Paul Scholes's talents quite stunning, as can be seen from the chalkboard below. Scholes rarely misplaced a pass, and often orchestrated how the game was played. 97 passes, and only ten didn't reach their intended target; it's a marvellous record.

As Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher are more than capable of filling that more defensive role in midfield, one in which the dirty work is done and the ball is won, Luka Modric can do what he has been doing since his career began. He can push forward freely, spreading the play from the left and the right, as well as forcing balls down the middle into the danger area of in and around the penalty box. With his steely composure on the ball, Modric has the ability to control the play on his terms, and command the attacking play, while getting back in his own half to defend when needed.

Paul Scholes's passing was immense throughout his career.  Havin attempted 97 passes, with 87 successful, he was a master at passing, all over the pitch at various different ranges. Keeping the ball was his speciality, and it will take someone special, someone similar at least, to replace him - Luka Modric perhaps?

Luka Modric is not so bad at passing himself. A central midfielder, a play maker, Modric's versatility allows him to drift from one side to another, with this chalkboard showing him predominantly on the left hand side, working to create chanced for his team mates. 90 attempted passes, with only 11 unsuccessful is outstanding, like Scholes.

He is a skilful and very technical player, and while he isn't always the one who scores the goals, nor the one who always assists them, he most certainly creates the chance and enables the attack to happen in the first place. His intuitive passing often sets up, creates and commands the attack; an ability rare in midfield players today. 

With a player like Modric in Manchester United's midfield, everything would become so much more seamless, with Rooney being helped out in the creative side of play, enabling United to utilise the Englishman far more on the attacking capabilities, saving his energy and helping him to score more goals with Hernandez. Modric's versatility of playing deep and further forward would be a breath of fresh air in the middle, and with his aforementioned ability could work alongside his midfield pair in balancing out the United team perfectly.

£35 million and £40 million seems a lot of money for one player, but with few alternatives, and having been proven in the Premier League, Luka Modric would be a fantastic addition to any squad, especially Manchester United's. But will Tottenham let their prized possession go?

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Comparing Charlie Adam To Paul Scholes: Chalkboard

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Sir Alex Ferguson has a momentous task in replacing one of the greatest midfielder of his generation in Paul Scholes. It is a task which may turn Ferguson's grey hair a little whiter whilst doing quite a bit of damage to United's bank balance for transfers. This is a task, which unfortunately, will not be completed with £12 million for Charlie Adam.

Manchester United have recently been linked to the 25 year-old Scottish midfielder, who is a big target for Liverpool, and has been since January, but Sir Alex has reportedly showing a genuine interest in bringing the Blackpool "play-maker" to Old Trafford. Now, when I was watching Blackpool throughout the season, sure Charlie Adam stood out as their most effective player, and one who often posed a real threat to the opposition with his ambitious range of passing, but nothing awe inspiring was present, not much "Paul Scholes quality".

I don't have anything against the guy, but when United are linked to a central midfielder, especially in this transfer window, you will expect them to play at a very high standard, week in, week out. While Adam did his best to keep his club in the Premier League last season, Paul Scholes continued to do what he had been doing for 17 season's at Manchester United; keeping the ball, creating chances and playing like a superb Spaniard, all for the biggest team in the world on the biggest footballing stage in the world.

Below is a chalkboard of Charlie Adam and his passing pattern in a game in which he was considered man of the match against Aston Villa in February. He attempted 77 passes in 90 minutes, 43 of which were successful, and 33 of which were unsuccessful, as well as one assist from a corner. Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Adam's set pieces alone are worth £10 million - an interesting statement considering United's apparent £12 million bid...

Now this is where it gets interesting. Paul Scholes, who was coming to the end of his career in May, against Blackpool, had a far different record in terms of passing inside 90 minutes than Charlie Adam. A far superior one. Remember, this is a player who in a recent rare interview questioned whether he was still good enough and was playing well enough in the Manchester United side to be worthy to continue at all. He decided the response was negative. The chalkboard below contradicts with the humble opinion of himself.

Just look at all of those blue arrows - successful passes. It is a wonder, a joy to behold for a football fan to see what a quality player Paul Scholes is both on the field and on paper. 84 passes were attempted by the midfield maestro, 78 of which were successful - thats more than Adam even attempted, and only 6 were unsuccessful. It was simply, a passing master class, a show of pure, footballing quality that Manchester United must replace to progress.

This is a pattern in Scholes's play which would have been repeated every time he stepped onto the football pitch last season, and all of the other seasons before that. He had a consistency, even at the age of 36 that was just unbelievable. Sometimes, his passing across the field was so accurate, so pinpoint, it defied belief, as well as his lethal, cutting vision through defences, topped off with a couple of stunning long range efforts, or goals from determined, timed runs into the box, predominantly earlier in his career at United.

Is Charlie Adam the man to replace Paul Scholes? From this, and from the overwhelming negative response from Manchester United fans to even the link of United with Adam, it is a resounding no. Unfortunately, a £12 million Blackpool player and Liverpool target is not good enough by a long shot to replace a Manchester United legend with a passing pedigree to challenge the best in the world. Then again, very few are.

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Bébé Leaves Man United on Loan - His United Story So Far

According to reports, Manchester United's 2010 summer signing Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, or Bébé as he is better known has been loaned out to the Turkish side Besiktas. It is thought Sir Alex Ferguson wants the Portuguese 20 year-old to get more games and experience under his belt in preparation for a successful return to Old Trafford, and it can surely only be a good thing.

Watching Bébé's performances in a Manchester United shirt so far have, although disappointing for a £7.4 million signing, showed some signs of promise. Many called him the worst signing of the summer, and a terrible player, but these labels are supremely harsh and unfair for a player who only managed two Premier League performances. He may not have shone in those games, but a goal in Europe and a goal in the League cup, as well as several in the reserve side do show that he has talent.

He has played 75 minutes of Premier League football in two games for United, coming on in the 80th minute against Sunderland for Anderson, and replacing an injured Owen Hargreaves in the fifth minute against Wolves, only to be substituted off himself seventy minutes later. In those games he was played out on the wing, and it didn't do him much justice.

One of the essentials of a winger is of course the ability to cross the ball, and this quality is one that is lacking in the young Portuguese attacker, as can be seen below in the chalk board. All but one of his crosses from the right hand side failed to find a team mate with 14 of his total 32 attempted passes being unsuccessful. Considering this was only his second game in a very different and far more competitive league than what he was in before he joined United.

Of course, all players have their off days, and Bebe clearly had one here, with Sir Alex deeming him ineffective, and substituting him before the game had finished, but goals in the reserves have shown far more promise. Below, you can see two of Bébé's goals in the reserve, the second one in particular showing a fantastic technique in striking the ball.

Loans have their various success's and failures, with Tom Cleverley's loan to Wigan proving effective, while Federico Macheda's loan to Sampdoria not so much. What Bébé needs is some regular football and some proper coaching in the basics of football. He does have talent, but he needs to have the time and people around him with patience to mature it. He needs to be taught to keep the ball, to pass the ball, to run with the ball to head the ball, to control the ball - all the basics really, and if he works peristently, he may become a decent footballer.

It was a rather odd signing on Sir Alex Ferguson's behalf, and he may now be regretting spending £7.4 million on a player who was going at just £125,000 a few weeks before United signed him, and who Sir Alex had never seen in action. According to some reports, Besiktas will have the option to turn the loan into a permanent deal for only £2 million, meaning a £5.4 million financial loss.

Is it all worth it? Lets wait and see more of what Bébé has to offer first, rather than taking the easy option and simply writing him off as a failure. He may very well turn into one of those transfer blunders that the United manager has overseen over the years, but who knows, if he learns to cross the ball, he may have a chance.

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Manchester United Would Give Nasri What He Wants - A Central Role

It started in the gossip columns; Manchester United wanted Arsenal's Samir Nasri and would do as much as possible to cause unrest among Arsenal and the player, to persuade him to move. With only 12 months on his contract, and a reluctance to sign a new deal, it seemed possible, but it was all just rumours, and Wenger announced that he would certainly not sell the player to United. Now however, it seems things have changed, with even the Independent claiming that United have "begun talks" with Nasri's representatives.

I was shocked at first, as I was sure that it was nothing but a little humorous speculation which would irritate Arsenal fans, while Nasri would just hold out for a better Arsenal deal. But now it looks as if a deal really is on, which would see Nasri cross a line that would turn Nasri from a "prince", to a "king" as his French compatriot, Patrice Evra put it.

There is a huge rivalry between United and Arsenal, obviously not a local one, but one between two title challenging sides, two big, globally renowned football clubs, and you would have to ask, why would Nasri do it? Well, the immediately obvious answer seems clear: he wants to win trophies. So far in his Arsenal career, he has not won a single trophy, and has always had to settle for second best. Patience is clearly key in Wenger's long term plan, but for top players who have careers lasting on average around 15-20 years, trophies are a virtue, and Nasri knows United can provide him with that.

Since Nasri joined Arsenal in 2008 for the 08-09 season, Manchester United have won two Premier League trophies and two League cup trophies, while Arsenal have seen no silverware caress their hands at all. It is frustrating for everyone involved at the club, and a player like Nasri who has clear quality and could cut it in any Premier League side, understandably has a competitive hunger for trophies. But there may also be another reason he wants out of Arsenal.

Nasri has been played out of position for a large part of this season. Thanks to Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere's progress together in the middle, Nasri has been forced out wide. At the start of the season, Nasri clearly didn't have a problem with turning the role into a personally successful one, emerging as Arsenal's best, most effective and influential players in that half of the season. But he made no bones about telling everyone where his favoured position is. Nasri has said:

“That’s where I play best, that’s how I was formed. In every age group at youth level, I often played through the middle. I’ve been playing out wide for two years with Arsenal but feel more at ease in the centre of the pitch.”

The chalkboard here is a clear example of Nasri's frustrations as a winger. Starting out wide against Fulham obviously did not impress Nasri, who came inside frequently into his preferred position playing in and around the penalty area, creating chances from the middle.

It may be no coincidence that other Arsenal player played out of position such as Arshavin and Bendtner are looking to leave the club (in Arshavin's case, rumoured to want to leave) too.

Can Manchester United give Nasri what he wants? Yes. Their search for Paul Scholes's replacement would surely be over if the Frenchman joined United. Nasri has shown that he is a very stylish and intelligent play maker in the middle, possessing formidable vision that Scholes absolutely possessed. Lets not draw comparisons between the two, as it simply wouldn't be fair, but Nasri does seem a natural replacement for the Englishman.

After spending a packet on Phil Jones and a load on Ashley Young too, Sir Alex will pleasantly welcome Nasri's signing, which the Independent quoted to be worth only £8 million. This seems unrealistic considering the two clubs involved and Arsenal's reluctance to let him go to Manchester United, but with only a year left on his contract, they surely do not want to risk him leaving for free.

If Nasri wants to win trophies, and if he wants to play in his favoured central position, then Manchester United is the place to be. It is just down to him now.

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Big Future for Man United's New Signing Phil Jones

Manchester United have signed Blackburn's young central defender and occasional defensive midfielder, Phil Jones on a 5 year deal thought to be worth around £16 million. There has been some speculation over his medical and whether he failed it or not, with some saying he has failed it, while other say that United simply want a second opinion - perhaps in particular on his knee which was injured in December and required surgery as well as 5 months recovery. Amid the speculation, one thing is for sure; Phil Jones is a very bright young talent and set for a very fruitful future as a Manchester United and England defender.

Jones was wanted by a number of clubs including Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham, with him even meeting with the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to discuss a move after a bid was accepted for the 19 year-old. However, Jones chose a move to Old Trafford over Arsenal, a move which sees him join fellow Englishmen Chris Smalling and Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the Manchester United back line. He will also be welcomed by United's Nemanja Vidic, who will have plenty to teach his young competitor when the squad rejoins for the start of the season.

This £16 million signing, may seem a big investment in a young player, but Jones is a powerful young who will fight to prove his worth on footballs biggest stage. He may have a lot of eyes watching expectantly, but I am confident Jones has the quality and potential to live up to expectations, as he sets out to impress Sir Alex Ferguson and the rest of the world. Indeed, it is unlikely he will immediately be thrown into the defence, especially when United already have a central partnership which has been praised as one of the best in Ferdinand and Vidic. Like Smalling, Jones will have to bide his time, and gradually see himself integrate into the team as the older players begin to lose their legs.

Jones' breakthrough season came just two years ago at Blackburn under Sir Alex Ferguson's good friend, Sam Allardyce. "Big Sam" may have been consulted by Sir Alex over the player before the signing, but the United manager would have surely had his eye on Jones before then, after all, he doesn't want a repeat of the Bebe situation. Jones continues to impress this season too, with a very respectable 25 appearances for Blackburn in the Premier League, giving him some well needed experience for the young talent.

In those 25 appearances, Jones came up against several of the top sides in the League, and faired pretty well, with solid performances which clearly caught the attention of top clubs. Wayne Rooney said on Twitter today that Jones was "1 of the toughest defenders I played against last season", which is some praise for such a young guy, as Rooney is certainly no push over.

In Jones' début in the Premier League, he came up against Chelsea. With Chelsea comes Didier Drogba, who ended that season as the League's top goalscorer with 29 goals - three ahead of Wayne Rooney. It started badly for young Jones, who saw Drogba score early on, but as can be seen in the chalkboard above, he recovered well, with plenty of successful tackles in his position, breaking up attacks, winning the ball and starting up Blackburn's own bursts forward. Credit to the young lad who was making his début, he was able to keep out the Leagues most prolific striker for 85 minutes, and this is something Sir Alex will no doubt be desiring when he pulls on a Manchester United shirt.

Manchester United have invested heavily in young English defenders now, with Chris Smalling coming in last year for £12 million and now this £16 million signing. However, if Jones settles in as well as Smalling has in the 33 games he has played for United so far, then the Red Devils have a formidable up and coming defence to look forward to when Vidic and Ferdinand are gone.

The United manager may not have decades left in him as United manager, but he is certainly planning ahead, and building the foundations once again for a successful and fruitful future for Manchester United even when he has retired. With United's own youth looking very promising too, it is exciting times for United. Now however, they will be judged on immediate success as always, and will be pushing for that stunning record of 20 League titles next year.
While you are here, check out my other article about United's other new signing, Ashley Young. Click Here.

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Paul Scholes: A Special Player & A Footballing Legend

A footballing legend has retired today. A legend who has been praised by some of the best because he is one of the best. Nothing and no one can take away from the fact that Paul Scholes, the now former Manchester United midfielder has been a sensation at Old Trafford, and anyone who has had the privilege to play alongside him, play against him or even see him in action should count themselves very, very lucky because this man is one of the greats.

Described as the "complete footballer" by Zinedine Zidane, a "role model" by Xavi, and "the best" by Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry, Edgar Davids, Laurent Blanc, Pep Guardiola and Nani, you really do get the feeling straight away that he is a special player. He may not have developed the ability to tackle over his 17 years as a Manchester United professional, but with his stunning passing quality and precision, super natural vision and devastating shot accuracy and power, you can forgive him.

When you look at his career highlights, of which there are many in abundance, you get the feeling that you are witnessing something like magic. He can pick a man out from anywhere on the football pitch, he can spot a through ball that any one else who think of as impossible, and he can keep the ball like it is his life objective to not let it go. Sometimes words are not enough for a player like this.

It is sad to see such a fantastic footballer retire when many believe that he could go on so easily for a few more years and show up countless of players so much younger and quicker than him, but it was very fitting in my opinion that his last game in a Manchester United shirt came against Barcelona.

It was of course hugely disappointing that his career could not end on a perfect high note of lifting his third Champions League trophy, but when you look at the players in the Barcelona team and notice how much they admire the man, you can see why going out to Barcelona was so appropriate.

When the Spanish midfield maestro Andres Iniesta goes out of his way to ask for your shirt because he is afraid that your last game has been played, you know your different - superior to the rest. Iniesta averages 2075 passes per season when the average a player is only 658, and with a success rate in those 2075 passes of 93.7% last season, it is easy to see why Scholes is held in such high regard.

In just 19 games for Manchester United this season, 13 being starts, Scholes managed an amazing 1348 passes with a success rate of 90.4% - at the age of 36! It really is unbelievable, and playing his last game against the pair of midfielder's in Xavi and Iniesta who have seen Scholes as their role model really is a fantastic tribute to him.

17 seasons at Manchester United, 675 appearances, 150 goals, 24 trophies, and a huge impact on the world of football, this shy, humble 36 year old man has made a big name for himself all over the world, letting his football do all of the eloquent and articulate talking. Thank you Paul Scholes.

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Sir Alex Has "Substantial" Funds for Big Name Players

The Manchester United owners may be supremely unpopular at Old Trafford, with the majority of United fans wanting the American family to leave as soon as possible, but they have apparently given the go ahead to a big summer of signings for Sir Alex Ferguson.

Reports suggest that the clubs bank account will rise to £169 million due to huge profits this season thanks to massive sponsorship deals. This will be added to the £80 million from the Ronaldo sale which is largely still unspent, and it adds to a very healthy transfer fund for Sir Alex to do with it what he pleases. One insider said: "What Sir Alex wants, Sir Alex will get."

Of course, the transfer policy will remain the same; young players with big potential and a decent resale value is what the Glazers and Ferguson have agreed on, with only one player in the past 14 years having been over 27 and cost more than £3.2 million - Dimitar Berbatov.

And with United set to have raked in a whopping £50 million from their Champions League journey if they beat Barcelona on Saturday, it is understandable that the Glazers are said to be "relaxed" about the United manager bringing in at least one marquee name to the squad.

After the sale of Ronaldo and the departure of Tevez in quick succession, doubts were raised, if they weren't already about the Glazers long term ambition with United. Wayne Rooney needed the persuasion of a mega money weekly contract renewal to convince him of that ambition, and he must have been told about the funding Sir Alex had when they had those crunch meetings about his future.

The United chief executive has said again and again when questioned that Sir Alex has money at his disposal, doing his utmost to defend the Glazer ownership and handling of the club. This summer may be the summer in which these claims are supported with the showing of cash and the purchasing of players who will be brought in to help United to further success.

The last time United spent substantially was back in 2007 when Nani, Anderson and Owen Hargrevaes were brought in for around £17 million each. Injuries have been a big downer on Hargreaves and Andersons success, with Hargreaves recently released, but Anderson and Nani have begun to show what they are capable of - especially the latter.

United have already confirmed the purchase of Athletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea as replacement for Edwin van der Sar, for a reported fee of £18-20 million. Rumours circulating about other players include interest in Aston Villa's Ashley Young, Arsenal's Samir Nasri, Tottenham's Luka Modric and Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder.

I hear that a deal for Ashley Young is close, while the situation with Arsenal's Nasri is that due to his close expiring contract, his agent has leaked United "interest" to the media in the hope that Arsenal will act by offering Nasri and new, improved contract. Modric and Sneijder would indeed be marquee signings, but would perhaps cost too much.

Despite the big money signings being rumoured, Sir Alex could always look to his youth side, and with a few exciting young talents coming through may decide to slowly begin to integrate them more in the team, much like he did with the class of 1992.

Nevertheless, the funds are there for Sir Alex to spend, and whether he raids Arsenal for Nasri, tests Inter Milans resolve for Sneijder, or tempts Luka Modric with Champions League football is down to him. United fans should confidently leave it all in his very capable hands.

Follow Me on Twitter @DBSFootball