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"If 'United must sell..."

Despite the fact that Chief Executive Peter Kenyon is believed to be "happy" with Manchester United's recent financial figures from the past-6-months; Sir Alex Ferguson has still been told that he must sell players first, to make space for any new, £multi-million arrivals he may have lined-up, or planned, for the coming Summer. Kenyon has also insisted that Rio Ferdinand's £30m move from Leeds United last-Summer will be the last of the spending 'madness', despite the club's financial status as perhaps the biggest, and richest club in the entire world.

So, then, 'United must sell, first, before any new signings...

Kenyon's main reasonings behind this descision come from the sheer size of Ferguson's first-team squad, when, according to him, 22 players are all your first-team should need. Obviously, this matter isn't about money! But what does Peter Kenyon - a business man - know about football!?! Sir Alex Ferguson must know that what he's saying is wrong. When you consider the possibillities of injuries, suspensions, and fixture pile-ups within a season, you just know that 2-teams of XI-men still may not be enough. But he's the boss, and even the greatest of club Managers have to listen to the men upstairs.

But if we must see some familliar faces pack-their-bags, and on their way to a new direction in today's game, then the question must be asked; who could be leaving if Fergie's been told to sell, first?

At the grand-old-age of 36, even the World Cup-winning French centre-back Laurent Blanc cannot go on forever. He can't even seem to 'hack it' with the pace of the Premiership today - and has found himself 'benched', or in the reserves, a long way down the list behind Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, and John O'Shea for the places. He knows that, and that is why the Frenchman has already, previously, signalled his intentions to retire from football at the end of the season, with a grand farewell at the "Theatre of Dreams", Old Trafford.
That's one player gone, then!...

So, with Blanc's retirement, and 'United's growing wealth, Peter Kenyon should be able to see sense now that there is adequite space for a Kevin Hofland, Phillpie Mexés, or even van Buyten to come in and retain that famous No.5-shirt -- once worn by the great Steve Bruce.
But even if Fergie's defence hasn't alwasy looked "shipe-shape" since Jaap Stam left, sorting out the backline isn't the only problem the "Red Devil's" have on hand... With Ruud van Nistelrooy as the only "recognised" goal-scoring striker, we are not quite the same without him, and struggle desperately to hit the back-of-the-net, without him. So we'll be needing someone else to open-the-gap for another "van Nistelrooy" to come in...

But as far as retirements go, Laurent Blanc is the only man who seems certain to be heading in that direction from the 'United squad, come June, this year. But contracts are coming-to-an-end for many potential first-teamers; including on-loan Luke Chadwick, who has already signalled his intentions of playing regularly for 'United, or decide that it's time to move on; and there's also Ryan Giggs' "under-study", Quinton Fortune - a player who has rarely featured at-all this season, and it seems that the South African interntaional may not be able to obtain a valid EU work-permit, because of this. And with Chadwick ever-impressing on-loan at Reading, after very few first-team chances, when he's been fit-enough almost all-season, we could easily have 2 more space-to-fill-in, here.
And if you're looking for a third candidate to leave on a Bosman this-Summer, then Danny Webber could be your man. Just like Chadwick, he's impressed on-loan, at Watford, yet has only had the last-10-minutes of a European game, of which the results no longer mattered. I've always felt he's deserved his chance, as a consistant scorer in the reserves. But just like David Healy before them, I can see Mr.Ferguson letting these 2 boys go, instead of harvesting the great potential they have - like the Beckham's, Giggs', and Scholes', before them.

But even if these 3, and Laurent Blanc, do go their own ways and leave the spaces for new faces to come in and feel - just like Kenyon wants - there would still be very-little money - if even any at all - coming in. I know it's not like Manhester United are a Leeds United, or Chelsea, who are in-need of money; but being a business man, Peter Kenyon would still like to see some kind of income to compensate for it all - just like when Stam and Andy Cole were sold within the months after Juan-Sébastian Véron was signed, for £28.1m -- and, of course, van Nistelrooy arrived for £19m. And yet, months after Rio Ferdinand arrived for £30m, we still haven't seen a single 'United player go the other way.

So, then, which big-name player (or players) could it be?
We've already read the reports of the interest shwon in both Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, from Inter Milan and Real Madrid, respectively. But no matter how much they may be offering, and how good a "business deal" Kenyon may see it, I am sure that Alex Ferguson would do all-he-could to keep these 2 at the club - even after that "boot incident". There's no way any "true" 'United fan would ever let either of these 2 go - no matter how much money was offered!

There were also a few rumours regarding the uncertainty of Roy Keane's 'United future a while back, after his notable 'change-of-game'. But now it seems that a future hip-replacement isn't gonna stop the Irish hard-man from giving every-game his all, and single-handedly carrying his team through all those rough-patches.

Juan Véron's a player who is constantly linked with Summer-moves away from Old Trafford, no matter what he really thinks about his future in Manchester, and how happy on the sub's-bench he may really be. Just because of the fact that Paul Scholes has often had "his place" in the midfield-four, every-name in the media seems to believe he would be ready to depart, back to Italy, as soons as the first-oppurtunity arrived. But we've seen what he can do for the team in Europe this season, even if he hasn't looked like the 'world-class, Argentine-superstar' all that money was invested in. Fergie must surely know of his value to the team (hence, why he has stuck with the "Little Witch" for so long, now). He may still be able to rake-in a lot of cash to help balance-the-books after the arrival of a player like Djibril Cissé, or even Patrick Kluivert; but I am sure Sir Alex values him as-much-as he does Beckham, van Nistelrooy, Giggs, and Keane. So, there's no way he's leaving!

Fabien Barthez is another player (well, "goalkeeper", actually) who seems to be linked with move away from Old Traford, with every bad-performance, or clown-like mistake he makes. But, again, I feel that Fergie values the France No.1 - who has won both the World Cup and European Championships - too-highly to be simply cast aside like an old football boot. He may have more than his fair-share of off-days, and he can often be blamed for 'United's early-exits in cup competitions; but we all know this guy is irreplacable - just like the "Great Dane" Peter Schmeichel, before him.
You just don't say 'no' to a goalkeeper who isn't afraid to take-on some of the Premiership's deadliest of strikers, while dangling his World Cup medal in their face!

Any-one of the afore mentioned first-teamers would quite easily be able to rake-in a lot of cash, to cover for the damages (or "scratches") that hit 'United's bank account.
But are there really any players out there who'd be able to cover these 'greats'?
Or would they just be imposters, trying to do someone else's job??

These men are irreplacable. I can hardly see Sir Alex Ferguson even consider letting one his his "children" go - no matter what David Beckham throws back at him, on the counter-attack. Even Ole Solskjaer seems more-than-happy to just sit on the bench of the club he now loves more that his beloved Liverpool! And I'm sure we can all think of a few occasions when the Norwegian has helped out the team, in one-way, or another....!!

But if Sir Alex Ferguson has to make a reasonable profit this Summer, before he can bring-in the latest van Nistelrooy, or Jaap Stam, he'll be pushed-hard to do so, with so many faces to choose from, he knows he just can't say 'go' to.

Looks like we 'United fans could be in for another dissapoining time of no-buys (just like January) - even if we do manage to knick the League Title, AND take the European Cup back home...!

There has been a lot about both Beckham and Giggs during the last few months, but I don't see either of them wanting to leave the club the love. And Fergie wouldn't want to sell them - not unless one of them was to write something in an autobiography, or something...

Beckham hasn't done an autobiography, yet. I wonder when... And what this idiot will publish, to end his 'United career - just like all the others....


But Real Madrid have also said - since the England game - that they will not be bidding for him in the Summer, with the likes of Zidane and Figo, already in-place.

I doubt if Giggs will go, if he does however I think it will be abroad as I couldn’t see him playing for any other premiership team.

There has been a lot of speculation about Beckham recently but he is another player that I don’t think will leave.

If someone were to leave for a fairly large sum money I would think it will be Veron. He has been linked with moves away from the club pretty much since he moved to Old Trafford, originally I think he wanted to stay and prove himself to the United fans, but now that he isn’t getting much first team football and seeing as how he isn’t aloud to play in his best position much when he does play I wouldn’t be surprised if he left during the summer. I believe this would be a mistake though, because as Solskjær mentioned we have seen a glimpse this season in Europe of just what he is capable of.

I think Ryan Giggs might be going soon. I don't know who he'll go to but I have this strange feeling that he will go.

Despite the fact that Chief Executive Peter Kenyon is believed to be "happy" with Manchester United's recent financial figures from the past-6-months; Sir Alex Ferguson has still been told that he must sell players first, to make space for any new, £multi-million arrivals he may have lined-up, or planned, for the coming Summer. Kenyon has also insisted that Rio Ferdinand's £30m move from Leeds United last-Summer will be the last of the spending 'madness', despite the club's financial status as perhaps the biggest, and richest club in the entire world.

So, then, 'United must sell, first, before any new signings...

Kenyon's main reasonings behind this descision come from the sheer size of Ferguson's first-team squad, when, according to him, 22 players are all your first-team should need. Obviously, this matter isn't about money! But what does Peter Kenyon - a business man - know about football!?! Sir Alex Ferguson must know that what he's saying is wrong. When you consider the possibillities of injuries, suspensions, and fixture pile-ups within a season, you just know that 2-teams of XI-men still may not be enough. But he's the boss, and even the greatest of club Managers have to listen to the men upstairs.

But if we must see some familliar faces pack-their-bags, and on their way to a new direction in today's game, then the question must be asked; who could be leaving if Fergie's been told to sell, first?

At the grand-old-age of 36, even the World Cup-winning French centre-back Laurent Blanc cannot go on forever. He can't even seem to 'hack it' with the pace of the Premiership today - and has found himself 'benched', or in the reserves, a long way down the list behind Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, and John O'Shea for the places. He knows that, and that is why the Frenchman has already, previously, signalled his intentions to retire from football at the end of the season, with a grand farewell at the "Theatre of Dreams", Old Trafford.
That's one player gone, then!...

So, with Blanc's retirement, and 'United's growing wealth, Peter Kenyon should be able to see sense now that there is adequite space for a Kevin Hofland, Phillpie Mexés, or even van Buyten to come in and retain that famous No.5-shirt -- once worn by the great Steve Bruce.
But even if Fergie's defence hasn't alwasy looked "shipe-shape" since Jaap Stam left, sorting out the backline isn't the only problem the "Red Devil's" have on hand... With Ruud van Nistelrooy as the only "recognised" goal-scoring striker, we are not quite the same without him, and struggle desperately to hit the back-of-the-net, without him. So we'll be needing someone else to open-the-gap for another "van Nistelrooy" to come in...

But as far as retirements go, Laurent Blanc is the only man who seems certain to be heading in that direction from the 'United squad, come June, this year. But contracts are coming-to-an-end for many potential first-teamers; including on-loan Luke Chadwick, who has already signalled his intentions of playing regularly for 'United, or decide that it's time to move on; and there's also Ryan Giggs' "under-study", Quinton Fortune - a player who has rarely featured at-all this season, and it seems that the South African interntaional may not be able to obtain a valid EU work-permit, because of this. And with Chadwick ever-impressing on-loan at Reading, after very few first-team chances, when he's been fit-enough almost all-season, we could easily have 2 more space-to-fill-in, here.
And if you're looking for a third candidate to leave on a Bosman this-Summer, then Danny Webber could be your man. Just like Chadwick, he's impressed on-loan, at Watford, yet has only had the last-10-minutes of a European game, of which the results no longer mattered. I've always felt he's deserved his chance, as a consistant scorer in the reserves. But just like David Healy before them, I can see Mr.Ferguson letting these 2 boys go, instead of harvesting the great potential they have - like the Beckham's, Giggs', and Scholes', before them.

But even if these 3, and Laurent Blanc, do go their own ways and leave the spaces for new faces to come in and feel - just like Kenyon wants - there would still be very-little money - if even any at all - coming in. I know it's not like Manhester United are a Leeds United, or Chelsea, who are in-need of money; but being a business man, Peter Kenyon would still like to see some kind of income to compensate for it all - just like when Stam and Andy Cole were sold within the months after Juan-Sébastian Véron was signed, for £28.1m -- and, of course, van Nistelrooy arrived for £19m. And yet, months after Rio Ferdinand arrived for £30m, we still haven't seen a single 'United player go the other way.

So, then, which big-name player (or players) could it be?
We've already read the reports of the interest shwon in both Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, from Inter Milan and Real Madrid, respectively. But no matter how much they may be offering, and how good a "business deal" Kenyon may see it, I am sure that Alex Ferguson would do all-he-could to keep these 2 at the club - even after that "boot incident". There's no way any "true" 'United fan would ever let either of these 2 go - no matter how much money was offered!

There were also a few rumours regarding the uncertainty of Roy Keane's 'United future a while back, after his notable 'change-of-game'. But now it seems that a future hip-replacement isn't gonna stop the Irish hard-man from giving every-game his all, and single-handedly carrying his team through all those rough-patches.

Juan Véron's a player who is constantly linked with Summer-moves away from Old Trafford, no matter what he really thinks about his future in Manchester, and how happy on the sub's-bench he may really be. Just because of the fact that Paul Scholes has often had "his place" in the midfield-four, every-name in the media seems to believe he would be ready to depart, back to Italy, as soons as the first-oppurtunity arrived. But we've seen what he can do for the team in Europe this season, even if he hasn't looked like the 'world-class, Argentine-superstar' all that money was invested in. Fergie must surely know of his value to the team (hence, why he has stuck with the "Little Witch" for so long, now). He may still be able to rake-in a lot of cash to help balance-the-books after the arrival of a player like Djibril Cissé, or even Patrick Kluivert; but I am sure Sir Alex values him as-much-as he does Beckham, van Nistelrooy, Giggs, and Keane. So, there's no way he's leaving!

Fabien Barthez is another player (well, "goalkeeper", actually) who seems to be linked with move away from Old Traford, with every bad-performance, or clown-like mistake he makes. But, again, I feel that Fergie values the France No.1 - who has won both the World Cup and European Championships - too-highly to be simply cast aside like an old football boot. He may have more than his fair-share of off-days, and he can often be blamed for 'United's early-exits in cup competitions; but we all know this guy is irreplacable - just like the "Great Dane" Peter Schmeichel, before him.
You just don't say 'no' to a goalkeeper who isn't afraid to take-on some of the Premiership's deadliest of strikers, while dangling his World Cup medal in their face!

Any-one of the afore mentioned first-teamers would quite easily be able to rake-in a lot of cash, to cover for the damages (or "scratches") that hit 'United's bank account.
But are there really any players out there who'd be able to cover these 'greats'?
Or would they just be imposters, trying to do someone else's job??

These men are irreplacable. I can hardly see Sir Alex Ferguson even consider letting one his his "children" go - no matter what David Beckham throws back at him, on the counter-attack. Even Ole Solskjaer seems more-than-happy to just sit on the bench of the club he now loves more that his beloved Liverpool! And I'm sure we can all think of a few occasions when the Norwegian has helped out the team, in one-way, or another....!!

But if Sir Alex Ferguson has to make a reasonable profit this Summer, before he can bring-in the latest van Nistelrooy, or Jaap Stam, he'll be pushed-hard to do so, with so many faces to choose from, he knows he just can't say 'go' to.

Looks like we 'United fans could be in for another dissapoining time of no-buys (just like January) - even if we do manage to knick the League Title, AND take the European Cup back home...!