“If the right player comes along you have to be prepared to make a move. I can find room for anybody here as long as they have the required quality. I am not sure Lewandowski will be sold to Bayern now. The Dortmund fans are not going to be happy and I don’t think they will sell to their main rivals. I think they will either let his contract run out, or sell him somewhere else.” Sir Alex Ferguson, April 2013

Borussia Dortmund have moved to quash speculation over the future of want away striker Robert Lewandowski.

The German club has remained insistent the player will not leave the club this summer amid interest from a host of clubs including Manchester United who have kept tabs on the striker for months.

Speaking on the future of Lewandowski, Dortmund’s general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke told Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the Pole would be no going nowhere this year.

“Robert will definitely be playing for Borussia Dortmund next season,” he said.

“We need this security to be able to plan (for the season).”

The 24-year-old has just one year to run on his current contract and has become the subject of a transfer saga where every passing day brings a new angle on the story.

He appeared all-but destined to seal a switch to Bayern Munich with outgoing coach Jupp Heycknes virtually confirming the signing in the wake of the Champions League final in May but with Dortmund already losing prized asset Mario Gotze to the Bavarian outfit, they are understandably reluctant to sell to Munich.

It seems Dortmund would rather lose Lewandowski on a free transfer next summer than cash in on another prized asset this year.

Lewandowski had a fabulous 2012/13 campaign, scoring 36 times in all competitions including a fabulous four goal salvo against Real Madrid. The striker is regarded as one of the best on the planet and his game has no obvious weaknesses; he is able to drop off and play wide, hold the ball up, is strong in the air and finish with both feet.

And despite United’s wealth of attacking options, United’s interest in Lewandowski was genuine but now seems to be futile with Dortmund unwilling to sell.

The post Dortmund close the door on Lewandowski’s Manchester United move appeared first on The Peoples Person.

Prince William was grateful to meet someone with real power.

Gilluminati took on a new meaning this week with news that United’s former chief executive David Gill will be given the power to punish clubs that don’t abide by the new financial fair play rules that are being introduced.

The Mail notes:

Having stepped down from his post at Old Trafford at the end of last season to become a UEFA executive member, Gill has now been appointed chairman of the governing body’s extremely influential Club Licensing Committee.

The committee essentially decides which clubs are entitled to licences to play Champions League and Europa League football. This will become increasingly important as UEFA’s FFP rules shape the landscape of European football in the coming years.

Gill’s appointment will certainly raise eyebrows at clubs such as City and Chelsea who are currently striving to ensure their losses are no greater than the 845million (£38m) limit allowed by FFP across last and next season.

FFP may be United’s best chance of staying financially competitive with the likes of City and Chelsea who have an almost unlimited amount of money to throw at transfers. To be fair to the Noisy Neighbours, there seemed to be a slight shift in policy last season as the realisation that not all players can be bought- Robin Van Persie for one- made the club look towards more modest signings such as Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair.

This season City have already spent around £50 million while there’s talk of new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho being handed a transfer kitty around the £100 million mark. United have always been able to make major signings when needs be but are unable to go toe-to-toe financially with their rich Premier League rivals, with Gill overseeing the new rules, maybe that will change.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2343384/UEFA-David-Gill-power-punish-Manchester-Uniteds-rivals-like-Chelsea-Manchester-City.html#ixzz2WWsYrZsh

The 22-year-old midfielder is currently away on international duty with Spain at the U21 European Championships but rumours of a move away from Catalan have been rife ever since his €18 million release clause was activated due to a lack of first team action.

Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for the player and only this hour, CNN Italy correspondent Tancredi Palmeri has stated that one of the two Premier League offers discussed in SPORT has come from United.

Thiago Alcantara has informed Barcelona of his intention to leave, according to catalan sport paper Sport. At least two offers from Premier

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) June 17, 2013

The one I'm sure about is the Manchester United offer for Thiago Alcantara. Let's see the others

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) June 17, 2013

On paper, Thiago’s signing would be perfect for United. Spanish players have set a precedent in the past five years and the country is currently a conveyor belt of world class players with their U21s side currently boasting the likes of Isco, Munaian, De Gea and Thiago.

And Spanish freelance journalist Rafael Hernandez believes that the move would suit both parties and can see Thiago blossoming at Old Trafford.

“I think Thiago leaving is imminent,” he said.

“He is unsatisfied with Tito Vilanova and his playing time  is indeed disappointing. I don’t blame him.

“Manchester United is the best move for him, I’ve no doubt. He probably fancies Bayern more because Guardiola is there but at United he has the chance to be one of the star players and the team needs someone like him.

“But he’ll hardly sign and start right away playing well like Mata did for Chelsea, because Thiago offers more control and pace to the entire team, Mata works differently – hopefully United will understand that.

“After his adaptation he’s going to become one of the best players in the squad, maybe even one of the best in the world.

Given that only last year his release clause was set at €90 million, it is down to Barcelona’s carelessness that Thiago’s €18 million release clause has been activated and United have moved to take advantage of it according to CNN’s Palmeri.

De Gea has already nudged Thiago in the direction of Old Trafford and if it is game time he is after, he is guaranteed of that under Moyes given how weak United’s midfield is with Scholes’ retirement, Fletcher’s illness combined with Cleverley and Anderson’s inconsistent form.

Alongside Carrick, he could create a central midfield partnership that United’s sides have lacked for years. His natural passing game would compliment Carrick and could provide United with a midfield capable of challenging in Europe.

At 22, he represents the type of signing that United have completed over the years and he would slot well into a youthful side.

Further movement is expected from the Thiago camp in the coming days after he finishes his international duty with Spain on Tuesday.

The post Manchester United make offer for Barcelona’s Thiago claim reports appeared first on The Peoples Person.

Kevin Strootman is only looking for a move to the Premier League this summer his agent has confirmed.

The 23-year-old PSV midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United and a host of other clubs including Napoli and teams from Russia and France.

But his agent Chiel Dekker has said that Strootman has his eyes set on a move to England ahead of any other league.

“He is focused on England because that would suit his style,” said Dekker.

“He has the physique, the character and the fitness for it.

“I am certainly not afraid he could handle that level.”

Speculation linking Strootman with a move to United has been prominent for over a year now with the Dutchman reportedly sounded out by the club as the man to bring some much-needed physicality to the midfield area.

The 23-year-old, who captained Holland as they reached the semi-final of the U21 European Championships, has three years remaining on his contract with PSV but he looks to be wanting a move away from the Eredivisie.

“From PSV it would have to be a step up to a good club,” Dekker continued.

“It is not simple though because the price will be expensive and not many teams can afford him.

“The clubs know what he can do now. It is up to them whether they want to reach an agreement with PSV and take him.”

Chief scout Jim Lawler cast an eye over Strootman as Holland met Russia during the opening stages of the U21 tournament and although David Moyes is yet to make a formal approach, midfield is likely to be a priority and Strootman appears to represent a near-perfect solution to United’s woes in the centre of the park.

Now that the U21 Championships are over, movement is expected in the Strootman camp and these quotes from his agent are probably the first move of many to try and orchestrate a move away from PSV.

At a reported £15 million, Strootman would represent great business given a potential selling on fee and at just 23, he would slot nicely into a youthful United side that is a couple of players away from challenging in Europe.

The post Manchester United given boost in Kevin Strootman transfer appeared first on The Peoples Person.

There is no place in the squad for Michael Keane who pulled out of the U21s squad with injury and it is a real shame for him given his fantastic progress this season.

The trio that did make the squad all played a major role in United’s U21s Premier League triumph with club captain Thorpe, goalkeeper Johnstone and top goalscorer Cole playing the majority of games for the team this season.

England have been placed in a group with Iraq, Chile and Egypt meaning that United striker Angelo Henriquez will pit his wits against his team-mates.

As a spectacle, the tournament will be a real look into the future with a host of talented players on show. From an England perspective, let’s hope that Peter Taylor’s side don’t suffer the same fate as Stuart Pearce’s U21s did in the European Championship this month where they crashed out with three defeats.

Here is the squad in full as published by the excellent Aidan over at England Youth:

• Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Manchester United), George Long (Sheffield United), Connor Ripley (Middlesbrough)
• Defenders: Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), Jamaal Lascelles (Nottingham Forest), Danny Potts (West Ham United), Adam Reach (Middlesbrough), John Stones (Everton), Tom Thorpe (Manchester United)
• Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Gael Bigirimana (Newcastle United), Conor Coady (Liverpool), Larnell Cole (Manchester United), John Lundstram (Everton), James Ward Prowse (Southampton)
• Forwards: Chris Long (Everton), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Alex Pritchard (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Williams (Middlesbrough)

England’s first match will be against Iraq on Sunday 23 June. The Peoples Person’s Dillioni will be following the progress of all United’s players as the tournament.

The post Three United youngsters make final England World Cup squad appeared first on The Peoples Person.

“If United come in for you, you take it,” Ferdinand said. “Even if you are a great player you become a better one at this club. Cristiano Ronaldo became the best player in the world having come from Sporting Lisbon. The likes of Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Andy Cole all became great players at United. With this platform you cannot believe anyone would ever turn it down. If you have ambition your aim has to be to make a name for yourself at a top club. As a player aged between say 23 and 27 that is what you should be looking at. It shows you are going somewhere and want to win trophies.”

Ferdinand has played for Sir Alex Ferguson for eleven years but is looking forward to David Moyes’ reign.

“Moyes is a real football man and an honest guy,” he added. “His hard working ethic reflects the man himself and he obviously wants success. We’ve got a great chance with this manager. Every year when we have the end-of-season party we are thinking about the next season and what we are going to do. We always talk about improving on the previous season. That was no different this year just because the manager has changed.”

“Of course, I am very grateful for the effort they made to buy me and for the support they gave me,” he said. “First Atlético, then United trusted in me. My objective is to be right up there with the best players in the world, that’s what makes me excited, and I’m doing everything I can to achieve that. I am playing at a very high level. I have had one year playing well but I’m still very young. I think that I still have a way to go before I reach the level of the best in the world.”

De Gea has acknowledge that season will be a strange one in the absence of Sir Alex Ferguson but salutes our former manager for the impact he’s had on his career so far.

“It will be very strange because Sir Alex spent 26 years at the same club, but this is football, and all eras must come to an end,” he added. “We are delighted that David Moyes is the new coach as he has the same level of enthusiasm as Sir Alex. I am very proud to have had the privilege of working with Sir Alex, it was a real pleasure. He is the best coach of all time and working with him is something I will be able to tell my children and my grandchildren about. The best advice that he gave me was to simply give my all. He told me to continue with the same mentality I have always had. I owe a lot of my capabilities as a goalkeeper to him.”

Danny Welbeck: What has been the main reason behind your good goalscoring record this season?

Jonny Evans: I’ve tried to get myself in to the box, right in front of the goalkeeper, waiting for any spillages. That’s been my technique really.

DW: Was it a vote of confidence from the manager to be selected in the team to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu?

JE: I think I’d been playing in a couple of games before that so it was just all about keeping momentum going. Nemanja was coming back from injury at the time. It was nice to get picked. I’ve played in quite a number of the Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals so I was just carrying that on really.

DW: Not a bad CV. So, what did you think of the goal United scored in that game?

JE: It was alright. I thought the guy who scored was going to miss. I thought it was going to hit the post and rebound to me, so I was actually on my toes, waiting for any spillages. But obviously it creeped in to the back of the net so I was a bit gutted really.

DW: Who’s the most difficult striker to play against in training?

JE: I’d have to say Danny Welbeck’s up there.

DW: Really?

JE: Yehh. He’s got a lot of good movement, he’s quite quick and strong, so I’d say Welbeck. Hernandez is another one who doesn’t give you an easy day.

DW: Nice to know. So, getting married, how will that change you as a person?

JE: I think it’s already changed me. I’m whipped [laughs]. I’m under the thumb.

DW: Is that lock down?

JE: I don’t really get to spend any time with the lads any more so the only time they get to see me is at the training ground.

DW: Well it’s a pleasure to see you at the training ground every single day. Thank you.

———-
The footage of this interview is on the official site.

He didn’t play well in 2012/2013, although he suffered from injuries and wasn’t given a regular run in the team even when fit.

Still, is one bad season justification for wanting rid? How did he perform in recent seasons?

2011/2012
- Started 24 games, played in 29
- Assisted 10 goals, only 5 players assisted more (and Valencia was the only one of those to play in fewer games)
- Scored 8 league goals (notably against Arsenal, Chelsea) and a total of 10 (not including the 2 he scored against City in the Community Shield).
- 1.8 successful dribbles per game (7th highest in the league)
- 0.62 goals/assists per game. For comparison: Valencia 0.63, Silva 0.58, Mata 0.56, Bale 0.53, Nasri 0.47, Walcott 0.46.

2010/2011
- Voted Player of the Year by his team mates
- Named Man of the Match 6 times (only Tevez, 7, and Van Persie, 8, had more)
- Started 31 games, played in 33
- Assisted 14 goals, more than any player in the league
- Scored 9 league goals (notably against City and Spurs) and a total of 10.
- 2.5 successful dribbles per game (2nd highest in the league)
- 0.70 goals/assists per game. For comparison: Walcott 0.57, Young 0.5, Arshavin 0.46, Silva 0.31, Milner 0.19.

2009/2010
- Started 19 games, played in 23
- Assisted 6 goals (20th in the league)
- Scored 4 goals in the league and a total of 6, including the 2 against Bayern Munich (and not including 1 against Chelsea in the Community Shield)
- 0.43 goals/assists per game. For comparison: Malouda 0.61, Lennon 0.55, Milner 0.53, Valencia 0.35, Young 0.32.

The 20-year-old had a stellar season in the Eredivise with Alexander Buttner’s old club Vitesse Arnhem, scoring eight goals en route to securing the clubs highest finish (3rd) since 1998, and has already had over 100 first-team appearances despite his age.

His progress earned him his senior Holland debut in a friendly against Germany and big things are expected for Van Ginkel in his future.

But speaking to Sky Sports News Radio after Holland’s loss to Italy, Van Ginkel remained coy on whether he will move away from Vitesse this summer.

“My future? Now I have a vacation and I’ll concentrate on that.

“After my holiday, we will see. Maybe!” Van Ginkel told Sky Sports News Radio after the loss to Italy.”

And on learning of the United link, Van Ginkel admitted he was surprised.

“I will not necessarily leave, but you never know what will happen. We saw last year with Alexander Buttner, If suddenly Manchester United are at the door, it’s a different story.” Marco van Ginkel

He continued: “Manchester United, I didn’t know… I have two more years at Vitesse. It’s a club who’s growing, so I’m also happy there.”

United’s chief scout Jim Lawlor has been present in Israel at the U21 European Championships and would have been impressed by van Ginkel’s performances from midfield.

Buttner made the move from Vitesse last summer and Van Ginkel admitted it would be hard to turn United down if they came in for him.

There has been a long line of Dutch successes at United with the likes of  Van Nistelrooy, Stam and Van Der Sar all legends at the club.

And with Van Persie and Buttner at the club now, Van Ginkel could well be the next Eredivisie star to make the move to England.

At just 20, Van Ginkel is extremely young but showed a commanding presence in Israel with Holland’s U21s. Chelsea would likely provide stiff competition for his signature if they were interested given that they reportedly have first refusal on players given that they have a loan partnership with Vitesse.

The post United in for Dutch Young Footballer of the Year appeared first on The Peoples Person.

“I only want to leave United when I’m too old and can’t do it anymore. That’s not now. I got offers from other clubs and heard about ones that might come. I can’t lie, some of them involved astronomical amounts of money and you think ‘wow’. But the club is part of me and my life,” the former Leeds United man explained.

Ferdinand made 28 Premier League appearances in the 2012/13 campaign, scoring his only goal of the league season at home against Swansea City. The match was former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s last home game before retirement.

The Old Trafford veteran has over 400 appearances for the club, with eight goals to his name.

“My two boys are desperate to watch me playing for Man United,” Ferdinand said. “That was a big factor. They were being asked at school what was happening with me. They are six and four and I want them to be able to remember me in a United shirt.”

The centre-back also spoke about his retirement from international football. He announced his retirement in May, stating he wanted to allow younger players the chance to represent England and also wanted to concentrate on his club career. Ferdinand made his England debut in 1997, against Cameroon, and has 81 caps to his name.

“Basically, I could play for another three or four years – or play two or three games for England and be finished in a year. It wasn’t a contest. I couldn’t sacrifice my fitness for the sake of a few more England caps. It would not have been fair on United… it would have been a disservice to the club and to England. I’ve always been a team player,” Ferdinand said reported  Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has revealed he turned down big-money offers from clubs all over to finish his days off a Red Devil.
“I only want to leave United when I’m too old and can’t do it anymore. That’s not now. I got offers from other clubs and heard about ones that might come. I can’t lie, some of them involved astronomical amounts of money and you think ‘wow’. But the club is part of me and my life,” the former Leeds United man explained.
Ferdinand made 28 Premier League appearances in the 2012/13 campaign, scoring his only goal of the league season at home against Swansea City. The match was former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s last home game before retirement.
The Old Trafford veteran has over 400 appearances for the club, with eight goals to his name.(IBTimes) 
The 34-year-old ex-England international signed a 12-month extension with the Premier League champions and looks set to end his playing career at Old Trafford

In Israel at the European u21 championship to apparently watch Kevin Strootman, another midfielder has caught the eye of Manchester United scout Jim Lawlor.

Strootman has been heavily linked with United this season, and as captain of Holland’s u21 side the competition provided United with the perfect opportunity to watch the midfielder before the transfer window opens in July but it appears one of his team mates has stolen his shine.

The Sunday Express are reporting that Vitess Arnhem’s Marco Van Ginkel has played his way into United’s interest alongside Strootman in midfield. The 20 year old played in 3 of Holland’s 4 games, creating 2 goals and this has been enough to draw United into the hunt for the player.

But if United’s interest is confirmed to be authentic, then they will face a stern test in bringing Van Ginkel to Old Trafford. Ajax are said to also be interested but have been put off by the £15m price tag but Chelsea suffer from no such concerns and are said to be intent on snapping him up.

Chelsea have a deal with Arnhem that has seen a number of their players head to the Dutch club on loan including Tomas Kalas, Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta and it is believed that they have first refusal on the Eredivisie club’s players.

Despite not knowing about interest from United, the player is said to be open to the idea of leaving the club he joined as a 7 year old. Asked about the United link Van Ginkel said:

“My future? Now I have a vacation and I’ll concentrate on that. After my holiday, we will see. Maybe!

“Manchester United? I didn’t know. I have two more years at Vitesse. It’s a club who’s growing, so I’m also happy there.”