If, and it's a very big if, Fergie actually has any money to spend this summer then he shouldn't be wasting it on another winger. United already have Park, Giggs, Valencia and Nani: he doesn't need James Milner.
Fergie is in desperate need of another goal-scorer, someone who can take the weight off Rooney and preferably someone who will complement the England striker. Berbatov isn't that man, what's more, despite what the manager says publicly, he has lost faith with the Bulgarian. For the record, Milner has scored an average of just over 4.2 goals in nine seasons, but he did well last season scoring 12: clearly, Milner isn't going to provide much support for Rooney and clearly, if the manager did indeed want to bring him to Old Trafford then would Fergie wouldn't be expecting him to score 20 goals a season.
There was a time when Fergie could have signed Milner and or Aaron Lennon for peanuts, that was when they were both still with Leeds United. Milner was eventually sold to Newcastle for just £3.6m; Lennon was sold for just £1m. The figures are sobering at this time when Fergie is carping about lack of value: the trick is to spot talent early and make your move before these developing stars blossom, which did not happen in both instances. The asking price for either player would now be ridiculous and out of proportion to their worth.
Milner has the attraction of being ‘versatile’; apparently he can play in midfield too. The question is could Milner do a better job than Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs and Scholes? Here again the answer is probably not. Granted, Milner is still developing, he's young too, but he's just another runner: a player with bags of energy.
Fergie most definitely needs to replace Scholes, but Milner isn't the right player. Fergie needs a midfield general - not another water-carrier: United already have a bucket full of them.
If Fergie spent £30m on Milner it would amount to a criminal waste of money when other areas of the team need strengthening, especially with a lack of funds at the manager's disposal.
Manchester City want Milner; Fergie should let them have him, but not until United's 'interest' has raised the asking price to well over £30m by appearing to want him.
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Milner has mostly been playing centre midfield for Villa recently where he has added a lot of creativity and the odd goal. We could do a lot worse, I reckon
ReplyDeleteumm Milner has been playing in the middle this season. Have you not watched any football this year????
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've paid as much attention to Milner as you have to my post. I mentioned his 'midfield role / water carrier role' - or are you telling me Milner is the next Paul Scholes? Get down to Specsavers promto if so...
Jimmy,
ReplyDeleteFor £30m, are you having a laugh? Sneijder went for just 15m Euros last summer. Fergie needs to work harder on transfers IMO, especially with so little cash to spend.
Seriously, im given up on the transfer window. Fergie clearly doesn't have the money and for 2 season keep saying the market has no value. I think there is 2 factor that United can't buy players. Firstly, the club doesn't have much cash to pay the fees and wages. Secondly, the club has lose its appeal. United is not a club which we once were. No one fear us and we can't guarantee we will win all matches because Rooney is the one threat upfront.
ReplyDeleteKK,
ReplyDeleteRooney is in serious danger of burnout next season. I hate to be a constant harbinger of doom, but unless Fergie signs that new striker I think we could follow Liverpool...
And btw, the ONLY reason Fergie is saying he is keeping Berbatov is because no one will pay decent money for him, that and Fergie will look stupid if he loses £15m+
It doesn't seem like it will happen... unfortunately Fergie says he won't be spending at all during the summer. A huge shame, it's really pissed me off. Milner would be a great signing and hopefully we do sign him, though it's starting to look more and more grim. The Glazers and now this. F*CK.
ReplyDeleteHagibest,
ReplyDeleteI agree, it pisses me off too, but we don't need Milner, not at £30m.
IF Fergie thought he was any good then why didn't he go for him when he was still a Leeds player?
Rooney needs help, but not from Milner:) 30M would be a great disaster of idiotic proportions...
ReplyDeleteWe need to strengthe our left side because: Nani is by far the best option on the right... Valencia is at times a headless runner with poor crossing-ability... Great squad-player for bolton and blackburn matches.
I can't believe we didn't buy Sneijder last season or van der vaart... however Kaka would be my dream-catch:)
It's true and i hope he does burnout. Not that im cursing but wanting to let fergie realised the truth? Look at Arsenal as a big example. I cant imagine fergie could do what he is doing now 10 years ago. Now the players are so happy living in nursery where they are pamper till they are old. We dont sell any players. Berbatov is not going as you say it could a big shame on both parties.
ReplyDeleteTrends and Macros,
ReplyDeleteI fear Fergie has lost some confidence in his own buying ability/judgement. He's spent a lot recently and players who have fallen well short of expectations.
You don't spend £30m on a striker then leave him on the bench, especially when you're short of quality options up front.
IMO, lack funds is most definitely another huge factor. But according to Fergie he could have spent the Ronaldo cash, so for the life of me, I don't know why Fergie didn't go for Sneijder - the fact he didn't even try is damning.