Manchester United Moves

The insanity of the Cristiano Ronaldo news aside, Manchester United has been relatively quiet since the end of the season.  Although the names of Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Dimitar Berbatov have been mentioned, no rumors have stuck to Alex Ferguson’s squad the way the Adebayor, Barry, and Lampard rumors have hit other clubs.

That all changed today when two British sources reported that Manchester United and Tottenham had agreed to a £28 million fee for Dimitar Berbatov. While there has been no confirmation from the clubs on such an agreement, the idea of Berbatov being destined for United has been floated since before the end of the last Premiership. With Cristiano Ronaldo destined to miss the first one or two months of the season, Berbatov would fill the need United would have for an aerial force and striker. If the rumors of an agreement, however extravagant, are correct, Berbatov and United are now discussing personal terms.

In even more flamboyant rumors, Argentine Sergio “Kun” Aguero has been linked to the Premiership thanks to comments from his agent saying a big club has expressed interest in his client. Sources revealed that club to be Manchester United, a strange connection considering the current make-up of United’s strike force. Aguero,  who last season won the Puerta Award as La Liga’s best player, stands just short of 5-foot-8, making about the same stature of both Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez.

Aguero’s agent did not eliminate either Arsenal or Liverpool from the possibilities, but the amount being discussed would make those clubs unlikely suitors. The 20-year-old who scored 19 goals last season for Atletico Madrid has been linked with valuations from £32 million to £44 million.

Aguero’s reported price plus the Berbatov rumors have led to speculation that an agreement is in place between Manchester United and Real Madrid for the sale of Ronaldo. That theory:  The Ronaldo sale will go through once the main compensating purchase - in this case, Aguero - is made. At that point, Ronaldo would be sold for around £75 million.

Alonso to Juventus Falls Apart - What Now for Barry?

Juventus has their midfielder, and it’s not Xabi Alonso.

Today, Juventus confirmed their purchase of former Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen.  The Dane moves to the Serie A after Juve paid his 10 million Euro buy-out. Poulsen, a deep sitting midfielder like Alonso, was said to be chosen over Alonso as the better battler. That choice eliminates the main suitor for Alonso, who was to be Benitez’s main source of funds for the acquisition of Gareth Barry. Juventus has said they are gone acquiring out-field talent.

Late last week Benitez had confirmed that he needs to sell more players to acquire Barry and the striker he wants (still thought to be Tottenham’s Robbit Keane). With Alonso now either set for an Anfield stay or to be sold for less than the £15+ million Juventus had said to be bidding, Benitez finds himself in a quagmire.  This may be the reason why goaltender Scott Carson was linked to both West Brom and Stoke City for £4 million.  The total is less than he had told Martin O’Neill the England international would be sold for.

If Benitez can sell Carson, the money from his, Peter Crouch’s, and John Arne Riise’s sales come close to the £18 million O’Neill is demanding for Gareth Barry. Assuming Benitez either has or can find the rest of the money, Barry and Alonso may be playing in the same midfield in a month. Unfortunately, they will be playing behind an attack that will against rely heavily on great performances from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerard, a formula that only got the club fourth place last season.

David Bentley Auction Picking Up Steam

With all the talk of Gareth Barry’s thought-to-be impending move to Anfield, many forgot that there was another England international midfielder who had handed in a transfer request. Blackburn’s David Bentley, four years younger than Barry, had his situation confused by the managerial change at Ewood Park, but with Paul Ince now firmly in charge, the bidding has started.

Tottenham has been long thought to be in line for Bentley’s services, and although Bentley’s request to play in the Champions League seems at odds with moving from seventh place Blackburn to eleventh place Tottenham, Spurs’ offseason activity, rumored £17 million dollar bid, and UEFA Cup spot make them an attractive option. Multiple sources have reported the two clubs have agreed on that transfer fee, though there has been confirmation from neither club.

One bid Paul Ince has confirmed is that coming from Aston Villa. There was no value quoted on Martin O’Neill’s bid, but Ince said that he turned it down, reiterating his intention on keeping his star midfielder.

Likewise, Ince does not want to see the Rovers’ other main contributors last season, striker Roque Santa Cruz and goaltender Brad Freidel, move. Both have had their names come up in rumors, with Santa Cruz links to Spurs and Arsenal. The Paraguayan sar has reiterated that he would like to stay with Rovers, though there may be an Adebayor-like temptation to sell high on a goalscorer who many feel performed beyond expectations last season. Friedel, who has been linked with Aston Villa and Manchester City, was thought to be on the wrong side of Ince’s option until this week when his new manager said he does not plan to move the American goaltender.

Around the Premiership

• Chelsea target Robinho said he is under the impression that Real Madrid will only be selling him in the event that they acquire Cristiano Ronaldo, though even in that scenario he has no interest in moving away from the Santiago Bernabeu.
• Chelsea’s other big move, the potential departure of Frank Lampard, may have got slightly more likely with the news of an improved offer from Inter Milan.  Whereas Inter had been offer just short of £8 million for Lampard, their new offer is £15 million plus Brazilian striker Adriano, currently playing for Internacional in Brazil.
• Andriy Shevchenko, last week linked with a return to AC Milan on loan, has seen the Serie A’s Sampdoria start negotiations for a similar move.
• River Plate’s Falcao Garcia, who has been tracked by Manchester United, is said to be the subject of a £8 million bid from Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. The 22-year-old Garcia scored 6 goals in the the Argentine Premier League’s Clasura and is being sought to replace Emmanuel Adebayor’s spot on the roster. If Adebayor stays, it is unlikely Arsenal will move for the Colombian striker.
• On the Adebayor front, Arsenal was rumored to have reduced their asking price on the Togoan, thought previously to be £36 million. Suggesting they are ready to move on, Arsenal was said to be asking only £19 million from AC Milan.
• The agent for Andrei Arshavin said yesterday that his client would enjoy playing for Arsene Wenger, feeding into the idea tha Wenger has been in on the pursuit for the Russia star all along. This, in addition to the Huntelaar, Falcao, and Santa Cruz rumors, is seen as explaining why Adebayor’s price may have dropped.
• Aston Villa has agreed with MLS on the transfer of Chivas USA goaltender Brad Guzan and now await his work permit. Guzan’s recent stretch of appearances for the men’s national team has manager Martin O’Neill optimistic the same stumbling block which blocked a January move will not prevent Guzan moving to England. The only question remains whether Guzan’s nine appearances meet the work permit requirement that a player be a regular on his national team.
• Paul Ince and the Blackburn Rovers have given 33-year-old former England international Robbie Fowler a two week trial.
• Romanian defender Dorin Goian, one of the country’s best players at Euro 2008, has been linked with a move to Sunderland, who would pay a £3.5 million to Steaua Bucharest for his services.
• Hull City have reportedly agreed to personal terms with George Boateng, with the midfielder slated to join the Tigers from Middlesbrough. Boateng was allowed to seek a new home by Gareth Southgate and has agreed to a two year deal with the recently promoted club.
• Further bolstering their midfield, Hull City also acquired French international midfielder Bernard Mendy on a free transfer. The former Bolton Wanderer who had been with Paris St. Germain signed a three year deal with Phil Brown’s squad.