Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to conclude his summer spending within the next fortnight according to reports in the Daily Telegraph.
As the usual chaotic clamour begins for the top players, Ferguson is looking to add few numbers in a short space of time this summer. Ferguson wants to build swiftly on his Premiership and Champions League winning side before the mad rush begins after Euro 2008.
And it appears that Ferguson aims to reciprocate last years spending, which saw £52 million spent within two weeks on the likes of Nani, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves. Ferguson is expected to be given a similar budget by the Glazier family, and will look to fill a number of key roles in the United squad.
Ferguson is expected to look for a long-term replacement for club captain Gary Neville. Despite Neville making a full recovery from the injury that kept him out of the team this season, even Ferguson has to concede to the fact that Neville is unlikely to be able to carry on playing at the top level for more than another season.
According to the Daily Telegraph United’s main target this summer will be rival club Manchester City’s star defender Micah Richards. Ferguson is reportedly a long-term admirer of the England international, and with Richards already set to replace Neville in the England squad, the defender may now look to take over Neville’s role at club level as well.
A bid of £20 million may be enough to secure the defender away from Eastlands, as owner Thaksin Shinawatra is desperate to change City’s side this year, in order to fulfill the Thai’s craving for success.
Rumours also link Sevilla’s attacking full-back Daniel Alves if Ferguson is unsuccessful in his bid for Richards.
Alves will be seen as the perfect partner for current United full-back Patrice Evra, as both employ a similiar attacking style of play. Alves is renowned for his ability to go forward and attack, as well as his defending qualities, and would suit United’s quality style of play they have shown this season.
Ferguson is also reportedly looking to bolster his strike force options, and therefore may move for Alves’ fellow Sevilla team mate, Luis Fabiano.
Fabiano has been in terrific form this season, and has scored 34 times in 44 games for Sevilla in all competitions. Fabiano would make the perfect addition to Ferguson’s 3-pronged attack force, and would present United with a quality technical player who has the physical nature to match Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.
Manchester United could even look to do a double deal for the pair, with a bid of £30 million possibly being enough to lure the pair away from La Bombonera.
Wishing to avoid any further disruption to his double winning side, Ferguson is unlikely to add much more to his squad this summer, and few players are also expected to leave Old Trafford as well.
Gerard Pique is the most likely to leave, with talks in advance stages with Barcelona, and the deal expected to go through later this week. Louis Saha may also be on his way out of the club, after a troublesome few seasons at Old Trafford, the striker is strongly being linked with a number of Premiership clubs. Mikael Silvestre is expected to return to his home country France this summer, with a move to Bordeaux the most likely option for the left-back.
[Source: Daily Telegraph]
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