One-time Manchester United target Douglas Costa has sprung a major surprise by signing for Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk.
Last season's UEFA Cup winners have made a habit of recruiting high-profile Brazilians, with Elano joining Manchester City in big-money deals having first played for the club.
However, Costa's transfer from Gremio is a shock and puts on hold any thought Sir Alex Ferguson might have had of resurrecting a deal to bring the 19-year-old to Old Trafford.
At one stage last summer it appeared Ferguson would definitely sign Costa, only for the deal to go cold, amid concerns about the player's attitude.
United did invite the Brazilian Under-20 international to spend a short trial period with them. But Costa refused, preferring instead to remain with Gremio.
However, now he has agreed to make the big move from South America, as so many have done in the past, but join a relatively minor European league compared to Spain, Italy or England.
'I was not expecting it,' he said. 'I only thought of Gremio.
'Today I think about Donetsk and I'm extremely happy.
'That's two times they tried to sign me. I do not know if this is the right time to leave but I mostly thought about my family

source:manutd people

According to The Sun, Wayne Rooney will be named Manchester United captain once Gary Neville hangs up his boots at the end of the season.

Speculation is rife over Neville's future in the game, as his current contract expires in the summer and the Red Devils are yet to offer the veteran defender a new deal.

And having spent the entirety of his 18-year professional career at Old Trafford, it is highly improbable that the 34-year-old will look to join another club.

In any case, should Neville's time at United come to an end as and when expected, Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to hand the armband to his superstar striker.

Rooney has found another gear since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure for Real Madrid last summer, and his lead-from-the-front attitude has drawn praise from team-mates and outsiders alike.

Ferguson has often hinted that the England talisman could be his next permanent skipper, and once said: "Wayne is determined, hungry and has a desire to do well. He always tries no matter how the team is playing. These are wonderful qualities for a captain."

Now in his sixth season at United, 24-year-old Rooney has 112 goals to his name in 261 appearances.

Source:Goal.com

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will honour his former player Eric Cantona with the prestigious Legend of Football Award at the annual Football Extravaganza, which this year will be held at the Hilton Park Lane, on Monday 12th April 2010.
The Frenchman, widely regarded as one of the best players in Manchester United’s illustrious history, spent five years at Old Trafford inspiring Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to four Premier League titles and two FA Cups. One of Ferguson’s greatest ever signings, the Scot will be in attendance to give the former striker his award on the 15th anniversary of the event in aid of Nordoff Robbins.
Signed from Leeds United in December 1992 for just £1.2 million, Cantona was voted Manchester United’s player of the century and is still revered at Old Trafford where fans still sing his name. He was voted PFA Player of the year in 1994 and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1996.
Previous recipients of the Legend of Football Award at the annual Football Extravaganza include Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Bobby Charlton and indeed Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Expected to be in attendance to see Cantona receive his award are a host of luminaries from the world of football including Tony Adams, Sir Bobby Charlton, Alan Curbishley, Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Teddy Sheringham and Alan Shearer, all of whom are official patrons of the longest running annual charity football event.

The Football Extravaganza has so far raised over £4 million and all proceeds from the event will be donated to Nordoff Robbins an organisation that initiated the use of music as a therapeutic tool in building relationships and communications with severely disturbed and traumatised children and adults. Nordoff Robbins is now the largest music therapy charity in the UK and is recognised throughout the world as a powerful force for transforming live

source:ManUtdNewsNow

I think it should go into this part of the forum if not ill move

Out-of-favour star may have to wait until summer to leave Old Trafford

Jan 7, 2010 6:00:00 PM
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Portuguese winger Nani is unlikely to leave Manchester United in the January transfer window, Goal.com UK understands.

Despite being linked to a series of European clubs after falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson, the 23-year-old's representatives have now set their sights on securing a transfer after the World Cup.

Mooted moves to AC Milan, Fiorentina and Benfica - who reportedly turned down the chance to take him in a cash-plus-player exchange deal with Angel Di Maria - have failed, leaving Nani fighting for his place at Old Trafford.

A source close to Nani's agent Jorge Mendes told Goal.com UK: "There are always links and stories about Nani, but I am sure that he will not leave Manchester United in January.

"In the summer? Maybe, after the World Cup. But, at the moment this would be too difficult and he will not leave Manchester. Any talk of a move will have to wait.

"He has not been offered to other clubs through his agent as this would be illegal and not moral without Manchester United's permission. For now, I am convinced he stays."

Nani has made just one first team appearance since November when he publicly criticised Sir Alex for dropping him from big matches and 'trashing' players when they have a bad match.

He started in the 3-1 win at Wolfsburg on 8 December, before injury curtailed his involvement over the festive period.

Nani moved to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2007 for an undisclosed fee thought to be around £17 million.
Touted as the 'next Ronaldo' the pacy winger has struggled to fulfill his potential at the club.

His agent, Jorge Mendes, is rumoured to have had interest from clubs in Italy, Spain and his native Portugal and with the World Cup approaching the winger is desperate for first team football.




Portuguese pain | Nani has been frozen out


Goal.com Italy editor Carlo Garganese also cannot see Nani getting a fresh start in Italy this month. Decreased budgets and different priorities make him sceptical any move could happen.

“He [Nani] has been linked with [A.C.] Milan and Fiorentina. Milan vice president Adriano Galliani has said numerous times that Milan won't sign anyone else this month as they have already bought Beckham, [Dominic] Adiyiah and a young Ghanaian, 16-year-old Edmund Hottor,” he said.

“It is likely these statements are genuine, although Milan need, and Leonardo does want, to sign a player who can rotate with Ronaldinho and [Alexandre] Pato on the left and right of attack.

“Milan has very few alternatives for these positions if either Ronaldinho or Pato gets injured and it could cost Milan in the business end of the season. Nani can play both roles, so in some senses he is perfect, but I doubt it will happen.

“As for Fiorentina, they have already signed a centre back Felipe from Udinese, and their next priority this month is a centre midfielder as Cristiano Zanetti is always injured. Once they achieve this, I doubt they will have any money left over to buy Nani, nor am I sure they would meet his wage demands.”

With his options narrowing by the day, Nani looks like he will have to fight for a first team place at the Premier League champions amid stiff competition from the impressive Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia.

With Ferguson's well known 'zero tolerance' policy on players that question his authority, he will have his work cut out.

Source: GOAL

Name: Gary Cahill
Club: Bolton
value: £15m
Ferguson has ruled out spending big on a defender during this transfer window but, given the recent injury crisis which saw Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick have to fill in at centre-back, this assertion could be taken with a pinch of salt. A bid in the region of £15m for impressive last-ditch defender Cahill could well tempt Bolton into trading him in and giving the money to new manager Owen Coyle for squad rebuilding.

Name: Ashley Young
Club: Aston Villa
value: £20m
Former Watford wide man Young has struggled to recapture his form of last season but Ferguson will know that he is still a tremendous talent. He cannot keep relying on Ryan Giggs for ever and, with his ability to beat men and hug the touchline, Young could prove to be a rewarding project for Ferguson. Witness the improvement of Antonio Valencia since he moved to Old Trafford from Wigan Athletic in the summer.

Name: Edin Dzeko
Club: Wolfsburg
value: £20m
Wayne Rooney is magnificent but susceptible to going games at a time without scoring, Dimitar Berbatov remains far from convincing and Michael Owen cannot be relied upon for form or fitness. As such, United still need more strike power and the prolific Bosnian Dzeko is sure to have caught Ferguson’s eye after scoring against United in successive Champions League games earlier this season. Prolific and strong in the air, Dzeko would give United the kind of robustness in attack that they have lacked perhaps since Mark Hughes.

source: Manutd Newsnow edited a wee bit