Manchester United Fixtures 2007/2008

Date	Type	Match	Home/Away	KO
1st August 2007	Friendly	MAN UTD v Inter Milan	H	19:45
3rd August 2007	Friendly	Doncaster v MAN UTD	A	19:45
5th August 2007	FA Comm Shield	Chelsea v MAN UTD	Wembley	15:00
12th August 2007	Premier League	MAN UTD v Reading	H	16:00

Keep up to date with all Manchester United matches, fixtures and results with ManUBlog:

You can subscribe to the ManU Blog RSS Feed or subscribe to ManU Blog via email

Manchester United New Home Kit 2007/2008

The new Manchester United kit for the 2007/2008 season will be officially launched on Wednesday August 1st 2007 to coincide with the United’s pre-friendly match against Inter Milan at Old Trafford, kick-off 8.00pm.

You will have seen the team playing in the new Manchester United shirt 2007/2008 on their current highly successful Asia Tour.

The new Man Utd kit can be yours to own today, be one of the first to wear the fantastic new Manchester Utd home shirt.

Giuseppe Rossi Sold To Villarreal

It has been reported that Manchester United have sold Giuseppe Rossi to Spanish club Villarreal for a fee in the region of £6.7 million subject to a medical to be held later this week. Rossi follows in the footsteps of former United striker and Sally Gunnell lookalike Diego Forlan, who left Man Utd for Villarreal 3 seasons ago. He has recently moved on to Atletico Madrid as a replacement for Fernando Torres after having a hugely successful time with the Spanish side scoring a hatful of goals.

Manchester United signed Giuseppe Rossi as a 16-year-old and was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as the future of the club. He is small in stature but is a natural goalscorer. In his first season he scored 13 goals in 19 starts for the reserves and his future looked assured but he has since struggled to make the breakthrough into the first team and has been sent on a succession of loan moves, including Newcastle United and Parma.

Guangzhou Pharmaceutical 0 Manchester Utd 3

Manchester United finished their Far East pre-season tour with another convincing win, this time over Guangzhou Pharmaceutical, who sound like they should sponsor a team in the Tour De France! Nani (minus his flamboyant somersault celebration) was again impressive, scoring the second goal with a superb chip.

Although the tour was an undoubted success, with United scoring 15 goals in the 4 friendly matches, there are some injury worries in the squad before the start of the season proper. Ryan Giggs and Edwin van der Saar suffered knocks, joining Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes on the injury list. We should have a big enough squad to handle, it so on with the goals!

Wayne Rooney opened the scoring early on from the penalty spot.

Nani increased United’s lead with a sublime chip which bounced in off the post leaving the goalkeeper stranded. Sir Alex Ferguson has warned him about his trademark somersault celebration and he seems to have listened, deciding to race away without a back-flip in sight. Shame… I was looking forward to seeing him do that at Old Trafford, but I suppose we don’t want to spend £17 million and see him break his leg doing his tumbling antics!

Lee Martin completed the scoring just after half-time with a terrific 25-yard strike. Pick that one out!

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Wayne Rooney Can’t Wait For The New Season

Following his first full summer break in four years, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is raring to go for the new football season. Sir Alex Ferguson predicts that Rooney will take his game to a different level at United in the 2007/2008 season. He has looked very good playing a full part in United’s Far East Tour, showing strength, eagerness and an eye for goal with a sublime chip in the game with Shenzhen.

His international suspension which meant he couldn’t play for England in their Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia in June meant he has not played football since the FA Cup Final in May. This augers well for Manchester United in the forthcoming season because he will have the benefit of his first full proper pre-season since he joined the club. Sir Alex Ferguson has been quoted as saying:

“Wayne’s incredible, a very strong character and he will be a big player next season, believe me. Wayne is the first to the training ground every morning. It’s unbelievable, but he just loves football and training.”

Rooney looks set to continue his stellar career with Manchester United, setting a great example with his work-rate and consistent performance levels. I think the fact he has been given the legendary Number 10 shirt with give him a bit of extra motivation as well.

Gabriel Heinze - Fan’s Hero To Zero

Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze, voted supporters player of the year in 2005, could find himself plummeting from fans
favourite to hate figure in the blink of an eye if the player and his advisors continue to push for his transfer to Liverpool. It’s all very well for Heinze to say that it is a dream move but he obviously does not understand what the fans reaction will be to such a deal - transfers between Manchester United and Liverpool just do not happen.

Even though the Merseysiders have been on the slide in recent years, the bitter rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool remains as stronger as ever. Heinze has played for United for 2 years now so surely he must know this, if not he needs his head testing! Sir Alex Ferguson has made it his position on the matter crystal clear,

“Heinze is not going to Liverpool as far as I am concerned”

The United manager has also expressed concern over the actions of Heinze’s agent, reading between the lines it seems there has been some tapping up going on.

Liverpool are growing more frustrated with United standing firm by continuing to block the transfer deal. Great news! Manchester United chief executive David Gill has said today,

“He is a contracted player for two years and unless we receive an offer which is acceptable to us as a club, he will remain with us.”

As United fans we all know that Heinze is a good player, and we should not sell any of our good players to Premiership rivals. But selling players to Liverpool - no way! It is great to see the club standing firm on the issue and not giving in to player power.

Will Ryan Giggs Break Appearance Record?

Ryan Giggs looks like he will get the chance to break the Manchester United all time appearance record currently held by Sir Bobby Charlton. Giggs is currently 43 behind Sir Bobby’s total of 759 games, but at 33 years of age he isn’t getting any younger and he has only 12 months left on his current contract. It is unlikely that he would be able to notch up the appearances required next season because he is sure to be rested more than in previous seasons to give the new summer signings more games.

Although United have said that there are no plans to open up any new contract negotiations with Giggs or team mate Paul Scholes, Sir Alex Ferguson has dropped some strong hints that both will be staying at the club for a long time to come, saying:

“The situation with them both is straightforward, they are both fantastic professionals who have looked after themselves properly. I don’t have any doubts about them. They are both going to be playing at a very high level well into their mid-30s, certainly next year and the year after.”

So how long can Ryan Giggs carry on? He has been a terrific player for Manchester United, a true legend and it will be great to see him beat Sir Bobby Charlton’s appearance record. He deserves a new contract to give him the opportunity to carry on playing as long as possible. What do you think?

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Paul Scholes Knee Injury

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been forced to fly home from the clubs pre-season Asian Tour with a knee injury picked up during the friendly match with FC Seoul last week. A scan has showed some possible cartilage damage and Scholes is to undergo an exploratory operation on his knee to see the extent of the problem.

Paul Scholes was instrumental in United winning the Premiership title last season but it looks like he will be ruled out for the start of this campaign, missing the rest of pre-season, the Community Shield match with Chelsea and possibly the opening match of the Premiership at Old Trafford against Reading.

Although Scholes will be a big miss in midfield for Manchester United, it will give Michael Carrick and new summer signing Owen Hargreaves a chance to play together in a run of games. What do you think?

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Shenzhen 0 Manchester United 6

Manchester United dished out a football lesson to Chinese side FC Shenzhen in their latest Asian Tour friendly match in Macau, hammering their hapless opponents 6-0. New Portuguese signing Nani made his United debut in midfield, scoring the third goal from the edge of the penalty area.

Manchester United dominated the game from the start with Christiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney both close to scoring before Ryan Giggs made it 1-0 in the 12th minute. The United captain couldn’t miss, tapping in from a Wayne Rooney cross.

Rooney got himself on the scoresheet on 20 minutes with a superb chip from 15 yards.

Nani scored 6 minutes later to make it 3-0 with a crisp right-foot shot from 20 yards out. The second half saw more of the same with a dominant Manchester United far too strong for Schenzhen, Ronaldo hit the bar with a free kick before John O’Shea slotted home on 55 minutes.

Two minutes later, a sweeping move covering the length of the pitch ended with Ronaldo tapping in from 6 yards. This goal shows the attacking flair of the United forward line, Nani powering from midfield to release Rooney who plays a perfect cross for Ronaldo to score.

The rout was completed on 64 minutes when Chris Eagles scored with a sweet dipping volley from 30 yards out.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Nani Scores on United Debut

Nani scored in his first appearance in a Manchester United shirt. His excellent low shot from the edge of the penalty area helped in United’s 6-0 demolition of Shenzhen in the latest match of their Far East tour in Macau.

Nani celebrated his first Manchester United goal with a fantastic double somersault that is sure to become a regular attraction at Old Trafford when the new Premiership season begins in a few weeks time.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

FC Shenzhen 0 - 3 Manchester United (Nani)
Uploaded by MiP-1709

Nice Trick From Patrice Evra

We’re all glad to hear that Heinze is definitely NOT going to Liverpool, you wouldn’t see him doing this in a game either. A great piece of individual skill from Manchester United’s other left back Patrice Evra in the Asian Tour friendly match against FC Seoul. United won the game 4-0, a stroll in the park. Enjoy!!

FC Seoul 0 Manchester United 4

Manchester United sealed a convincing 4-0 victory over South Korean side FC Seoul in the second friendly match of United’s Asian tour. The Manchester United squad have received a fantastic reception in South Korea, most of the crowd at the game were kitted out in United colours!

Cristiano Ronaldo scored after only six minutes with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Chris Eagles made it 2-0 after 18 minutes, slotting home from the edge of the area. Nice flick from Ronaldo!

United new number 10 Wayne Rooney fired the third after 21 minutes, taking on the defender before pulling the trigger. The goalkeeper really should have saved it.

Patrice Evra completed the scoring to make it 4-0 on the hour mark from a lovely through ball from Ryan Giggs.

Jose Mourinho Human Cannonball!

Now Manchester United fans can fire the chosen one Jose Mourinho from a cannon!

Take a trip to the Stamford Bridge Circus Big Top and use your skill and dexterity to shoot Jose from your cannon, steer him into the balloons and land him in the bucket of water to earn points and climb the high score table. It could take some time to get the hang of it but remember, “Keep your chin up”!

Or you can just not bother with points and have hours of fun splatting Mourinho on the ground!

If you can think of anyone else who you would like to see receive the Cannonball treatment, leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do!

Urawa Red Diamonds 2 Manchester Utd 2

Manchester United kicked off their Asian Tour with an unexpected 2-2 draw against Japanese J-League champions Urawa Reds in a friendly match at Saitama Stadium, Tokyo.

United began the game slowly in typical pre-season friendly fashion, trying to play their way into it by playing leisurely possession football, but found themselves 1-0 down early on when a leaden-footed Van Der Saar was caught out by a speculative shot from Hideki Uchidate.

United levelled just after half time when Michael Carrick set up Darren Fletcher in the box to score with a low shot.

Cristiano Ronaldo gave Man Utd the lead in the 52nd minute with a typical run and shot after being released with a pass from Ryan Giggs.

Urawa Reds did not give up and kept attacking and were rewarded with a deserved equaliser 15 minutes from time.

Alan Smith Gets Late Call Up For Tour Squad

Manchester United striker Alan Smith has been given a surprise call-up for the club’s tour of the Far East. He was widely expected to move on this summer but this seems to be last chance saloon for Smith to secure a new contract with United. Smith is one of only two strikers included in the Manchester United squad so he is virtually guaranteed a game alongside United’s new number 10, Wayne Rooney.

Sir Alex Ferguson has included several young players in his touring squad including Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans, who made such an impact in Sunderland’s promotion season together with Darron Gibson, Danny Simpson, Chris Eagles and Phil Bardsley. New boys Nani and Owen Hargreaves are also named in the squad for the tour, which takes in Japan, Korea, Macau and China. A list of the upcoming friendly fixtures can be found here.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Heinze Says He Wants To Move On

As previously reported on ManU Blog, there have been persistent rumours regarding the future of Manchester United left-back at Old Trafford. He has been linked with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Juventus. Why would he want to go anywhere when he is at the best club in the world?

The 29-year old defender played for Argentina yesterday in the Copa America final and finished on the losing team. Argentina were favourites to lift the title and were well beaten 3-0 by a powerful Brazil side. The Argentine defence could not cope with the speed and power of the Brazilian counter attacks.

Heinze’s agent has apparently told Manchester United that he wants to move to another club, but United have had no firm offers for the player. Although it has been reported that Liverpool have matched the £6.8 million asking price. If he does want to go I wouldn’t like to see him transferred to another English team - least of all Liverpool! He is a versatile player and a solid defender though he has some short-comings going forward, I’m sure United will look to move him on to Spain or Italy rather than sell him to one of their Premiership rivals.

Following Argentina’s defeat in the Copa America final, Heinze is taking an extended holiday. He joined Manchester United from Paris St Germain in 2004 for a fee of £6.9m and has made a total of 75 appearances, scoring 4 goals.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Park Injury Nightmare Continues

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji Sung is set to be sidelined for at least 6 months with a long-term knee injury. The hard-working South Korean international had an operation performed by well-known knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in the United States at the end of last season on the knee injury he picked up in a match against Blackburn Rovers on 31st March. He now faces a long battle to regain his fitness and will not be available until December or January at the earliest.

This is a further blow for Park who had shown signs of becoming a regular in the Manchester United first team with some dynamic performances in midfield during last season. His fantastic work rate combined with increased goal scoring made him a good option for Sir Alex Ferguson, but Park has been persistently dogged by injury over the past couple of seasons.

Park has still travelled with the United squad for their tour, which takes in Japan, Korea, Macau and China. A list of the upcoming friendly fixtures can be found here.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Further Frustration for Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez finished up on the losing team last night as Argentina surprisingly lost the Copa America final to bitter rivals Brazil. Argentina were the red-hot favourites to lift the trophy but their silky football was no match for a powerful, uncompromising Brazil team.

As for his move to Manchester United, Carlos Tevez is supposed to be on his way to Manchester for a medical at the club this week, but this story seems to change by the day; who knows what to believe. It is understood that United have agreed personal terms with Tevez for an initial two-year loan deal.

Today, Manchester United chief executive David Gill has described the Carlos Tevez transfer situation as “over-complicated”, saying:

“Effectively, we are trying to work with four parties. We’re dealing with the player, West Ham, the company who own his economic rights and the Premier League.”

For Gill to come out in public with this statement shows that United are becoming increasingly frustrated with the deadlock as ManU Blog reported last week.

Each party in the negotiation has a different story to tell, not least Kia Joorabchian who owns the player’s economic rights. He has been very bullish, insisting several times that the deal is done and Tevez will be registered as a Manchester United player in a matter of days. However, the process could be complicated still further as reports suggest that Joorabchian is wanted by South American police in relation to a money laundering investigation at Brazilian club Corinthians.

I’m not sure I would buy a used car from this bloke; let alone shell out £30 million for a footballer! This is set to drag on for a few weeks yet and you can be assured of one thing, there are more twists and turns to come in this transfer saga before the deal is done.

Manchester United Fixtures 2007/2008

The Manchester United pre-season Far East Tour is about to kick off with a hectic schedule of friendly matches.

Date	Type	Match	Home/Away	KO
17th July 2007	Friendly	Urawa Red Diamonds V MAN UTD	A	11:05 BST
20th July 2007	Friendly	FC Seoul V MAN UTD	A	12:00 BST
23rd July 2007	Friendly	Shenzhen FC V MAN UTD	A	13:00 BST
27th July 2007	Friendly	Guangzhou Pharmaceutical V MAN UTD	A	13:00 BST

Keep up to date with all Manchester United matches, fixtures and results with ManUBlog:

You can subscribe to the ManU Blog RSS Feed or subscribe to ManU Blog via email

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Carlos Tevez Saga Rumbles On

The Carlos Tevez transfer to Manchester United is giving the papers something to write about during the summer. As we posted last week on ManU Blog, United were hoping to have the deal sown up by now but, even though United have agreed personal terms with Tevez, negotiations have reached deadlock. The Premier League have ruled that West Ham United must receive the bulk of the fee and have blocked the transfer, but the Hammers are unable to handle the deal because the player’s economic rights are owned by businessman Kia Joorabchian.

This transfer is turning into a major mess. The Premier League can no longer act as an independent advisor in the deal because they have a vested interest and are now trying to cover their back. You will recall they allowed West Ham to continue playing Carlos Tevez last season, after accepting the assertion in a previous controversial ruling, that West Ham controls the player and not his business advisor.

Apparently, there should be no problem with Manchester United and Kia Joorabchian completing a deal directly, but the Premier League will not let that happen because it will reopen the old can of worms regarding Premiership relegation issues and potential legal action from Sheffield United, who feel they were unfairly relegated. This means that the Football Association and FIFA will now have to stick their noses in to broker a solution to the stalemate, and this will only prolong the saga making it even more complex. Manchester United are anxious to finalise the deal so are sure to endorse any move that would facilitate this.

Amidst all this complicated wrangling, the message from Carlos Tevez is clear – he wants to play for Manchester United and he has told the club he is on his way. It is clear that Tevez is a good player and United fans are excited by the prospect of him pulling on a Reds shirt next season. There now remains an anxious wait to see if the Premier League, West Ham and Kia Joorabchian, the FA and FIFA can sort out an acceptable agreement and avoid a long legal battle.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Thoughts On The Carlos Tevez Affair

Here are some thoughts that have occured to me on Carlos Tevez-gate.

Last season, Manchester United were reported to be interested in Mascherano but not Carlos Tevez, and didn’t pursue the interest further due to the muddy waters that would surround any transfer deal. Was the lack of interest in Tevez due to the fact he is very similar in style and physique to Wayne Rooney and plays in the same position, or did United think he just wasn’t good enough?

What has changed since this time last year? Tevez has proved the talent that it was widely known he possessed (he is an Argentina international after all) by completing a season in the Premiership, and the transfer fee has gone up dramatically. It appears that Manchester United didn’t want him last year because he was too cheap, but now he’s worth in excess of £20 million with a whole load of controversy to go with it, we’ll have a bit of that! This is a common occurrence when it comes to Manchester United signing new players over the past few years; we frequently pay over the odds.

What do you think? Let me know and have your say, leave a comment!

Manchester United Leg-Ends Lounge

Amidst the summer transfer rumours we are seriously suffering from Manchester United football withdrawal symptoms. It’s time for a bit of Red Devils related fun. I heard this feature on TalkSport yesterday and it got me thinking….

Old Trafford has several hospitality lounges where ex-United players entertain the corporate diners on match days with stories of days gone by. We would like to create the alternative ManU Blog Leg-Ends lounge. Amongst the many players who have flattered to deceive at Old Trafford over the years, who would you like to see (or not) entertaining the prawn sandwich brigade at the Theatre Of Dreams? Here are a few ideas to start you off.

In the International Suite we have the goal keeping leg-end that is Massimo Taibi (Mark Bosnich couldn’t be bothered to turn up).

In Salford Suite 1, so good they named him twice, Eric Djemba-Djemba.

In the Stretford Suite, David May gives a run down on celebrity poker tips!

I’m sure you can come up with some better suggestions than these. Who would you like to see in the United Leg-Ends Hall of Fame? Have your say and leave a comment!

Pre order your United kit for the new season

United’s Best Ever Squad?

Manchester United captain Gary Neville has accused the Reds’ Premier League rivals of underestimating them last season and goes on to fire a warning shot over their bows for the new season to come. With new arrivals Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and the likely signing of Carlos Tevez, Neville feels that Sir Alex Ferguson has assembled United’s strongest ever squad saying,

“The manager knew what he was doing over a period of two years in building a new team and now we are in a fantastic position. Last season we played the best football, the most attacking and entertaining football - and we deserved to win the trophy. I don’t think a United fan could ever be as excited about the players, the team and about the way the club is, as today.”

He is desperate to be fully fit for the start of the new season following several months out with an ankle injury. Having undergone an operation six weeks ago, Neville is training hard, pushing himself through a rigorous fitness schedule in an attempt to get himself in top shape for Manchester United’s first match against Reading at Old Trafford on the 12th of August.

There is no doubt that the transfer acquisitions made by Manchester United over the summer have increased the strength in depth of the young squad, especially in the midfield positions. But will the current squad prove to be the best United squad ever? Leave your comments and have your say.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Ole’s Final Season?

Could this be the final season with Manchester United for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer? The legendary baby-faced assassin has had to endure more knee surgery during the summer break following some discomfort he felt during training. He expects to be fit for the start of the new season but does accept that this may turn out to be his last campaign.

Having played an important role in securing the Premiership title last term, his season was still blighted by injury. Ole admits that he may not be able to play twice a week but when he regains full fitness he hopes to build on what he achieved last year, saying:

“The knee will never be 100 per cent again, but as long as it doesn’t hurt I’ll continue to play. I don’t know how long I can continue. It might be over after this season or I might be able to play another season.”

Solskjaer is a fan’s favourite and a true United legend, cementing his place in United fokelore by scoring the last-minute winner in the European Cup final in 1999 during the Red Devils triumphant treble winning season. He has proved to be one of Sir Alex Fergusons greatest ever signings, a fantastic squad player and has shown the strength of character to overcome 2 career-threatening knee injuries which kept him out of football for two years.

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Sir Alex Ferguson - Motivational Magic

As the Manchester United players return for pre-season training the boss will already have been behind his desk for a week, with last seasons Premiership triumph consigned to an entry in the history books. The joy of winning a trophy doesn’t last long with Sir Alex:

“After you have won a trophy, you enjoy it but the next day it leaves you and the hard works begins again. You’re looking for the next one, the next challenge and that is what drives the best players on.”

In an excellent interview given to the Mirror, Sir Alex gives an insight into some of the motivational techniques he uses to ensure that the young players remain as hungry as him for more trophies.

He never asks questions of the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes or Gary Neville, they have proved their desire to win over many seasons. But with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 46 goals between them last season in winning their first League title for the club, Ferguson will sit them down and candidly ask them if they still have the desire to win. This may appear bonkers, these are two of the best players in the world, but it gives us an idea of Fergie’s attitude and desire, not allowing his young megastars to rest on their laurels.

As if we United fans didn’t know it already, we’ve got the best football manager in the world! The guy is just relentless, even after winning his ninth Premier League title the desire to win the next one has not diminished at all and this transmits itself to the players and the supporters. He continues to build a formidable team for the season to come, with the addition of Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson, the team are sure to continue with the stylish, free-flowing football that lit up the Premiership last term. I can’t wait!!!!

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Au Revoir Mikael Silvestre

It looks as though defender Mikael Silvestre will leave Manchester United to go back home to France. Reports suggest that French Division 1 club Bordeaux are preparing a £3 million offer for him. Incidentally, Bordeaux are managed by Laurent Blanc, he was a classy centre back who had an all too brief stay at United.

Silvestre has lost his place in the team with the arrival of the likes of Patrice Evre and NemanjaVidic and although he seems happy to see out the remaining 2 years of his contract it looks as though Manchester United are ready to offload him.

Mikael Silvestre joined United in September 1999 for £3.5 million, and after a shaky start he became a versatile member of the squad, able to play left back or central defence. He has proved to be a great servant to the club winning 4 Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup and 1 Intercontinental Cup. His pace and strength in the tackle were vital assets during his long run in the United team. Having watched him in most of his home appearances for the Reds, the things I will remember most will be his inconsistency and the left-foot 60 yard, raking diagonal balls he would play from the back to no-one in particular! He has been one of the most frustrting players to watch in recent years; one game he is superb then the next he’d have an absolute nightmare, unable to trap a bag of sand!

But I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing Mikky all the best, he has been a longstanding member of Fergie’s squad and the number 27 shirt won’t look right without him in it!

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Manchester United To Sign Carlos Tevez

It has been reported that Manchester United are to sign Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez from West Ham United in a deal thought to be worth in excess of £20 million. There remain several outstanding issues regarding the registration of the player, not least who is going to pocket the cash. United have apparently been desperate to keep the news of the transfer under wraps for as long as possible, the official investigation into his controversial transfer/loan move from Corinthians to West Ham United was only completed earlier this week. It appears that West Ham United have no contract with the player, Tevez is said to be owned by businessman Kia Joorabchian, which has allowed him to enter into negotiations with other clubs.

This news comes as a surprise to me because this time last season, when Tevez and his mate Mascherano (who has since joined Liverpool) were first being hawked around the Premiership, I heard an interview with United chief executive David Gill where he stated that United had been offered both players and neither had been deemed good enough to join the club. Carlos Tevez has completed a season in the English game, keeping West Ham United in the Premiership virtually single-handed, scoring 6 goals in 9 games. I must admit, I was very impressed when I saw him play live at Old Trafford in the final game of last season, he bagged the winning goal and his all round performance was superb.

Reports suggest that the Tevez to Man Utd deal will be completed next week, with the player travelling from Argentina’s Copa America base to join the rest of the Manchester United squad for pre-season training. Tevez has a good relationship with Gabriel Heinze and has previously been in trouble with Corinthians for showing up to an official press conference in a Manchester United shirt! Nice one, does this mean he is a Red Devils fan?

I know Carlos Tevez has proved to be a top performer in the Premiership, BUT is he the right man for Manchester United? It appears that Sir Alex Ferguson is very keen to sign him even though he comes with muchos excess baggage. However, my main concern is on the football side, is Carlos Tevez the player too similar in style to Wayne Rooney? From what I have seen he is not an out-and-out striker and seems to play in the same areas of the field to Rooney, but who am I to question Sir Alex?

Pre order your United kit for the new season

Ronaldo Bets His Hair On Scoring 20 Goals!

Ronaldo has upped the ante in United goalscoring stakes for next season. The Portuguese winger won a £400 bet with Sir Alex Ferguson last year when he scored 17 goals in the Premiership, two more than the target Fergie set for him. This year Ronaldo has bet his hair on scoring 20 Premiership goals!
Here’s what Ronny might look like if he loses the bet! If he doesn’t score 20 times in the Premier League he will shave his off his carefully sculpted locks, if he scores more than 20 goals Sir Alex will have to shave his head! Somehow I think there is only one winner in that scenario! Sir Alex managed to get out of last seasons wager by discounting all the penalties that Ronaldo scored, so I’m sure he’s got plenty up his sleeve to get around this one.

The 22-year old United superstar has got a lot to live up to in the 2007/2008 season, following a breathitaking league campaign last term that brought with it a hatful of accolades including PFA Player of the Year. The fact that Ronldo has set his sights higher for next season shows that he still has the hunger and desire to win more trophies and speaks volumes about the motivation and man-management skills of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Lewis Hamilton F1 Driving Superstar

I know this is a football blog but occassionally I like to post about some of my other interests. It’s British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone coming up and the nation is about to be gripped by Hamilton Fever.

Lewis Hamilton is the hottest property in F1 motor racing at the moment and the great thing is he’s British! A few months ago the name Lewis Hamilton was relatively unknown but in a few short months he has made a record breaking start to his grand prix racing career with 8 consecutive podium finishes in his first 8 races, including 2 race wins in Canada and the USA.

Lewis Hamilton F1 driver is set to become the next world superstar figure to transcend all sporting arenas. He is the first black racing driver to make it to the very top, and his potential world wide recognition has been compared to that of Tiger Woods – just look at the impact Tiger Woods has had on not only the world of golf but also the worldwide sporting sphere beyond golf.

If you need to get some Lewis Hamilton F1 Grand Prix merchandise when he wins the race at Silverstone on Sunday take a look at this website: www.lewishamiltonf1.org.uk

Heinze Linked With Liverpool

We are well into the transfer silly speculation season, there is a rumour gathering pace that Gabriel Heinze is a target for Liverpool. The Scousers have already paid out the thick end of £30 million quid for Fernando Torres and Rafael Benitez wants to shore up their abject defence with the Manchester United left back, and they think they can get him for £4 million - what a joke!

It has been 43 years since United did direct transfer business with the Scousers when the quickly forgotten Paul Chisnall left Old Trafford for Anfield after the 1963 FA Cup Final. You could see Heinze was unsettled last season, when he lost his place to Patrice Evre but towards the latter half of the season he commanded a regular starting spot at left back with some commanding performances, helping the team to lift the Premiership title. It will be a travesty if the Argentinian is persuaded to move to Anfield. Currently playing for Argentina in the Copa America, he has said:

“I already play for one super-club and other ones, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, have been mentioned. For me to go, the offer has to be good for everyone. I’m very comfortable in Manchester. I’ve been a champion, captain, and the fans love me. Everything is perfect.”

He is another fans player in the battling Alan Smith mould, versatile and hard as nails in the tackle, he would be a tremendous loss to the Manchester United squad. The way he celebrated the title on the last day f the season at Old Trafford, in front of the Stretford End in his Argentina top shows he knows how the fans feel about him. I feel he is a much better defender than Evre but he has some shortcomings going forward. But it would be an absolute nightmare for him to move to the Spanish side at Liverpool for £4 million -  he still has 2 years left on his contract, I think this rumour is pie in the sky!

Alan Smith For Middlesborough?

There are some reports today stating that Manchester United have agreed a £6 million fee with Middlesborough for Alan Smith. It appears that Gareth Southgate wants Smudge to inject his team with some grit and battling qualities. I suppose it’ll give the Boro fans something to cheer about, they haven’t had much to be happy with with their mediocre team over the past few seasons.

Smithy hasn’t made a decision yet because he’s still on holiday in Dubai but I certainly don’t want to see him go because he still has a place at Old Trafford and he really is a fans’ player. He has said he doesn’t want to leave and he proved this with his recovery from injury last season, staying on to train hard forcing himself back into the first team when he could have gone out on loan. This shows Smudge’s strength of character but if the club shows no sign of a new contract he may well move on. Also, his good mate Jonathan Woodgate plays at Boro so this may well have a bearing on his final decision.

Rooney Gets Number 10 Shirt

From next season Wayne Rooney will wear the Manchester United number 10 shirt, immortalised in years gone by by such United striking legends as Denis Law, Mark Hughes and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Having worn the number 8 shirt since arriving at the club, Rooney is said to be honoured to be given the number 10 shirt, saying:

“When I was offered the chance to wear the No 10 shirt I jumped at it. Some of the game’s greatest players have become legends wearing No 10, none more so than Denis Law. He was crowned the King of the Stretford End during his time at the club and it is a great honour for me to wear a shirt that has such history behind it.”

Another master stroke by Sir Alex Ferguson, even though us United fans that watch him week in week out know exactly what he can do, I think that this will spur Rooney on to greater things and cement his place as one of the legends of Manchester United Football Club.

Manchester United New Home Kit 2007/2008

It’s here at last! The new Manchester United home kit for the 2007/2008 season has been revealed.

Manchester United New Home Kit 2007/2008  Click on the image to see the official picture from Manchester United showing the players in the shiny new kit, you can save the image and keep it yourself if you want. Note the look on Saha’s face, does he looked pissed off or what! Do you think Fergie’s had a word in his ear before the photo shoot? Or do you think they made him turn up even though he had an ingrowing toenail?Anyway, back to the kit. In the words of our esteemed captain Gary Neville, “….it’s United Red and the badge is on it. The most important things are there”, nice one Nev it’s a fair description!

The new shirt has lost the white collar and white crest behind the club badge from last season and there is a white stripe on the back. I think the plain red looks good with the Nike swoosh to the left and the simple badge design to the right. Also, there is a label inside with the Red Devils emblem and nickname on it - a nice touch. The full kit includes white shorts and black socks.

The goalkeepers kit has seen a change from the dodgy green to a cool blue, I think it looks a lot better than the old one. The team will wear the new Manchester United kit for the first time in their friendly match against Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan later in July.

The kit isn’t available until August 1st.

You can buy the latest Manchester United gear HERE

Anderson Gets His Work Permit

Anderson has finally received his work permit. This should put the seal on his £17 million move from FC Porto. The initial application was rejected due to the 19-year olds lack of international appearances (what do they expect for such a young Brazilian player?) but Anderson made his debut for Brazil in the Copa America the other night.

I was really looking forward to seeing him play for Brazil (have a look at this video clip and you won’t be disappointed), and he came on as a half time substitute against Mexico. Surprisingly, Brazil lost 2-0 but Anderson looked a class act, showing a few flashes of top skill and I can’t wait to see him in a red shirt at Old Trafford.

Is Michael Owen A Striking Option?

There are several reports in the papers this weekend that Manchester United are about to place a bid for Michael Owen from Newcastle United. The story is the offer includes £4 million plus Alan Smith. Apparently Owen has an exit clause in his contract that is triggered with an offer of £9 million so I don’t know how that works if we’re only offering £4m.

We all know that we need another striker and United have done some excellent transfer business this summer with the arrival of Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. However, we have several other players who should be in front of Smudge in the queue for the exit door. Rather than get rid of Alan Smith who, in my opinion, gives his all every time he wears the shirt and can do a job for Manchester United, they should be looking to offload the likes of Saha and Richardson.

Is Michael Owen a viable option to fill the striker gap? Well, he is a proven goalscorer at international and club level - there are very few of them about and, with the supply he will receive from Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes and Carrick, I think he will score a bundle of goals….. BUT will he be able to stay fit? The jury is still out on what long-term effect the knee ligament injury has had on Owen and Manchester United striking options have suffered in the last couple of seasons with the injury prone Louis Saha (who apparently only plays if he is 100% fit!?!) . The last thing we need is to have him on the sidelines for months. Also, Alex Ferguson is building the bedrock of the team on bringing in younger players, I’m not sure that a 27 year old who has been out injured for a season fits in with the rest of the players who have come in.

But, as we have seen before, don’t believe everything you read in the papers! We are getting into the transfer silly season but I think this one has got legs.