A round-up of news and gossip relating to Manchester United over the past 24 hours.
The Mirror breaks the news that Manchester United have agreed a £26 million deal to sign Lucas Moura from Sao Paolo. Leading European clubs Chelsea and Inter Milan had been linked to the attacker but it is United who have reached a deal with the player’s club. Lucas is currently part of the Brazil Olympic Squad and made a substitute appearance in the game against Great Britain on Friday.
This has since been denied by Ferguson but the United boss confirmed interest in the player and that they were in talks with the player’s club whilst considering other options to improve the squad.
Michael Carrick has broken his silence on his England absence. The midfielder talks candidly of his experiences under Capello at the last World Cup conceding that he ‘didn’t feel part of it’ after not making a single appearance. He talks of his disappointment when he was not called up for the European Championship squad following the withdrawals of Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry through injury but declares that he would consider the call if Hodgson were to select him.
Young defender Chris Smalling will be out for 10 weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken metatarsal. The 22-year-old had been suffering from a groin injury that ruled him out of the Olympic squad but will now miss the start of the season, which leaves Sir Alex Ferguson only Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand as his two fully fit central defenders. Nemanja Vidic has returned to full training at United’s Carrington training ground as the rest of the squad continue their pre-season tour but there remain doubts over his fitness to start the Premier League opening day fixture away at Everton.
United arrived in China yesterday as they continue their pre-season tour having spent the past week in South Africa. After a tame 1-1 draw against Ajax Cape Town where Bebe scored a late equaliser, United will hope to improve when they come up against Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday night who now have a reconciled partnership of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.
Sir Alex Ferguson has publicly defended United’s owners, the Glazer family. The manager praises the owners for the sensible management of the club and touches on the club’s recent successes of four Premier League titles and a European Cup as proof of the club’s consistency and continued competitiveness.
According to Goal.com, Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is looking to compatriot Nani at a fee of £25 million. The manager believes that the 25-year-old would fit well into the system he is looking to implement at Tottenham with United possibly being open to move on the player if a deal can be completed for Lucas Moura.
Brazilian midfielder Anderson has affirmed his intentions to stay at the club. The 24-year-old suffered a cruciate injury in early 2010 but is finally fit and ready to return to action despite rumours that United may sell him.
And finally, Dimitar Berbatov could be heading to Zenit St Petersburg after reports emerged in Russian newspaper Life Sports that a two-year contract worth £3.9m a year had been offered by the club.
images: © Andrea Sartorati, © Andrea Sartorati
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