Fergie knows top four targets
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SWOOP ... Fergie will target Joao Moutinho
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Alex Ferguson has already identified £40million of new talent to help sustain his stranglehold on the Premier League. The Reds are on the verge of retaining their title and hold a five-point lead over Chelsea with just four League games to go this term.
And SunSport can reveal the names of the four young stars that Fergie has his eyes on ahead of next season. Portugal and Sporting Lisbon stars Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho are top of the shopping list. And Ferguson is also targeting Wigan aces Wilson Palacios and Luis Antonio Valencia.
Old Trafford No 2 Carlos Queiroz has been on scouting missions over the last few weeks to run the rule over all four players. Last summer Ferguson had finished his transfer business almost as soon as the team secured the title — and this year looks to be no different.
STURDY ... Veloso
Sun exclusively revealed in October that Fergie was interested in midfielders Veloso and Moutinho. Both players will be part of Portugal’s Euro 2008 squad. Moutinho, 21, has 11 caps for Portugal and his quick-footed, artistic style is perfectly suited to United.
Veloso, also 21, is a more defensive midfielder who can also play as a centre-half or as a full-back. He has five Portugal caps to his name. United have a terrific relationship with Sporting Lisbon and bought current stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani from the Portuguese side.
Queiroz watched the Sporting players in their Uefa Cup defeat to Rangers last week. And it is believed that United have first refusal on the young stars but the champions-elect know they will need to shell out around £30m for the pair.
Before his trip to Lisbon Queiroz watched Wigan’s game with Birmingham where £6m-rated midfielder Palacios, 23, and £4m winger Valencia, 22, starred in a 2-0 win. Palacios has been a key figure in Wigan’s relegation battle since his January switch from Honduran side Olimpia. Wigan boss Steve Bruce also signed Palacios on loan when he was the manager of Birmingham earlier this season.
Valencia moved to Wigan after impressing for Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup. Last season United forked out £80m for Anderson, Nani, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez. But this year Ferguson wants to improve the depth of his squad and will give the new youngsters time to make their mark at Old Trafford.
While midfielder Anderson has made a big impact in the Premier League and in Europe this season, winger Nani has been used more sparingly. Ferguson knows his starting team is as strong as he could hope for and it would be difficult to improve.
So now he is eyeing long-term replacements for veterans Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. Nani is seen by many as the long-term successor to Giggs and Moutinho is considered a perfect replacement for Scholes.
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soon epl will have portugal vs france vs spain
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haha fergie likes players from Sporting, Ronaldo and Nani hahaha
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Originally posted by brokenluv:
soon epl will have portugal vs france vs spain
at the moment, Portugal winning...
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sporting is like linked to them in some way right? i play FM den they are linked.. i cant find the right term for that.. some "parent club" or something one.. they buy from sporting they got first option or something like that.. or issit just a game thingy? lololol..
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Originally posted by sand king:
haha fergie likes players from Sporting, Ronaldo and Nani hahaha
feeder club? ain't it? -
United have Sporting, Chelsea has PSV... and some other dutch clubs...
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we portugal team liao ......but they are good i admit it..
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Originally posted by Sienx:
we portugal team liao ......but they are good i admit it..
Portugal got star midfielders... but their strikers not very good.
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Originally posted by sand king:
Portugal got star midfielders... but their strikers cmi.
Yeah, that is why we don't look at their strikers...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Yeah, that is why we don't look at their strikers...full Portuguese MF? hahahaha
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Originally posted by sand king:
Portugal got star midfielders... but their strikers not very good.
yeah players like gomes and pauleta ..cmi 1 -
wtf..become like Portugal 2nd Team sia...i noe feeder club but feed until like that..Asst Manager also from there..
id rather he gets Meireles than Veloso..Antunes also showing great form current and can replace the Vidic-Rio combo -
Originally posted by Sienx:
yeah players like gomes and pauleta ..cmi 1haha, yeaaaa. Look at Ronaldo, Figo, Deco and Nani. Star MFs.
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David Bentley anyone?
Might come useful if the limit on number of foreigners come to play.
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no bentley saw how he did nt perform against the united yesterday the limit on foreigners most prob wont happen ltr u see arsenal hardly have huge amount of eng players ,liverpool,
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Bentley isnt that bad, plus he's english, which appeases me, haha!
Pity Micah Richards plays for Man C, otherwise Fergie can sign him.
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striker and 1 more defender more important perhaps get veloso and then hunterlaar