Amazing new striker transfer talk coincidence?

With United set to take on West Ham United in a crunch Premier League match this weekend, is it not a very odd, yet timely coincidence that the comic that is the Daily Star is claiming that the Reds could make a summer swoop for Dean Ashton?

We are of course heading into the summer transfer window, in other words the silly season. It's bad enough on a Sunday when the downmarket papers print a tissue of lies and half-truths within their sports pages linking just about every well known star to your favourite club.

So what of this latest link, does it have any merits, could it actually be true? United have bought several players with links to the Hammers in the past and usually for over-inflated fees. While he was still at West Ham we could have snapped up Carrick for under £3m, instead Fergie dithered until we ended up shelling out nearer £19m to Spurs...silly money.

Then there was Paul Ince, AKA"Big-Time-Charlie" the self-styled 'Guvnor', and in that instance the stories in the press about him signing for the Reds were true, but it's fair to say at that time United had an awful habit of allowing things to slip via the press. Remarkably we signed Ince for only £1m - no wonder the Hammers fans hate him and United...

Of this latest link, Ashton is reportedly looking to secure a new deal, it therefore cannot be ruled out that his represenatives have leaked this story to the press with a view to prizing a better deal out of the club.

United most certainly do need a new forward as Saha will surely be sold in the summer. If Angolan striker Manucho secures that work permit the Reds problems could be solved at a stroke. But as an insurance policy we do need another top forward, and added to which we do need four top strikers, so would Ashton fit the bill?

Those with half decent memories will recall that Ashton is a product of Crewe Alexander, not that long ago he was being linked with the top clubs in the land, United were said to be interested as were Liverpool and Arsenal, but we did not make our move. So once again, if the rumours are actually true, we will no doubt end up paying double the £8m being touted by the Star... (like we do...)

Ashton is a decent Premier League target man, but I've seen milk turn quicker, one could say the same about Berbatov who is also being linked to United - the Bulgarian has more skill than Ashton, he is just as slow but more lazy, which is why I'm personally not 100% convinced about either of them, this is largely because I believe that to do well in Europe you need pace.

We could do worse than sign Jones from Sunderland who would give us a different option - he is the poor man's Drogba in the making. Jones has the power and he's built like a brick-shit-house like Drogba and he's as good as the Ivorian in the air, but he's a rough diamond right now.

The problem would be the transfer fee, Keane would be need to recoup a lot of money from any potential sale as his spending has been so woeful. Perhaps, the Reds could try to broker a swap deal that involved Jonny Evans?

Samuel Eto'o is top class, but in exchange, Barca would no doubt demand our 'jewel in the crown' Ronaldo in exchange and on that note I will have an update on the future of our wonderboy later ....

For now, expect a lot more names to enter the frame as the search for a new striker has only just begun. On a positive note to end, the Manucho deal came out of the blue, let us hope that Fergie et al surprises us again this summer. No matter how patchy Ferguson's spending has been over the last few seasons, we can all agree that last summer's transfer business was first-rate.

New striker green light?

For those who of you Reds who have not yet bothered to tune into the African Cup of Nations, which kicked-off earlier this week, then you may well want to put that right because United's latest new signing Angolan striker Mateus Alberto Contreiras Goncalves - more popularly known as Manucho, 24, is on duty. Onlooking United supporters will have enjoyed watching United's new striker as he scored against South Africa last night with a spectacular first-half headed goal after superb work by team-mate Flavio whose clever flicked cross found Manucho inside the South Africa penalty area, the finish was exemplary.



Manucho was signed from Angolan club Petro Athletic, United's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz has been credited with discovering the African striker. However, the deal is subject to Manucho acquiring a work permit, the goal against South Africa will do his chances no harm at all and journalist Henry Winter suggested that the goal could signal the green light for the deal to be sealed.

Angola is a former Portuguese colony and so Manucho will have no problem conversing with United team-mates Anderson, Ronaldo, Nani and of course coach Carlos Queiroz.

The African striker arrived at Old Trafford earlier this month and after impressing on his three week trial Ferguson said: "He is a tall, agile, quick forward and through contacts that Carlos Queiroz has, was brought to our attention around six months ago."

Comparisons are being made with Chelsea's Didier Drogba who is on duty in the same competition playing for the Ivory Coast. It's a little early to speculate exactly how good Manucho can go on to be, but the early signs are encouraging. Against South Africa it wasn't just his goal which stood out, the United new boy showed a good touch and awareness around the goal. The United move could turn out to be a great piece of business by the Red Devils, until now Arsene Wenger has been the master of acquiring Africa's top talent for knock-down fees. United fans will be hoping that Ferguson and Queiroz have unearthed another diamond and ironically Angola is well a known source for producing the precious gem stones.

African Nations Cup fixtures:

Thursday, 24 January 2008
Ghana v Namibia, A, 19:30
Guinea v Morocco, A, 17:00

Friday, 25 January 2008
Ivory Coast v Benin, B, 17:00
Nigeria v Mali, B, 19:30

Saturday, 26 January 2008
Cameroon v Zambia, C, 17:00
Egypt v Sudan, C, 19:30

Sunday, 27 January 2008
Senegal v Angola, D, 17:00
Tunisia v South Africa, D, 19:30

Monday, 28 January 2008
Ghana v Morocco, A, 17:00
Guinea v Namibia, A, 17:00

Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Ivory Coast v Mali, B, 17:00
Nigeria v Benin, B, 17:00

Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Cameroon v Sudan, C, 17:00
Egypt v Zambia, C, 17:00

Thursday, 31 January 2008
Senegal v South Africa, D, 17:00
Tunisia v Angola, D, 17:00

Sunday, 03 February 2008
Winner Group A v Runner-up Gp B, Quarter Final,
Winner Group B v Runner-up Gp A, Quarter Final,

Monday, 04 February 2008
Winner Gp C v Runner-up Gp D, Quarter Final,
Winner Gp D v Runner-up Gp C, Quarter Final,

Thursday, 07 February 2008
Winner Q/F 1 v Winner Q/F 4, Semi-Final,
Winner Q/F 2 v Winner Q/F 3, Semi-Final,

Saturday, 09 February 2008
Loser SF1 v Loser SF2, 3rd and 4th Place Play-Offs,

Sunday, 10 February 2008
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Final