Lack Of Improvement Not The Reason to Adem Ljajic Decision

• zocoss

  3 Dec 09, 12:09

  Manchester United dismiss suggestions of 'financial crisis' over Adem Ljajic move

  Manchester United have dismissed suggestions they might be in 'financial crisis' after abandoning a £10 million option to complete the signing of Partizan Belgrade teenager Adem Ljajic.

  

  Turned down: Partizan Belgrade midfielder Adem Ljajic is no longer in favour with Manchester United

   

   

   

  Manchester United have pulled the plug on the prospective transfer of Adem Ljajic, the young Serbian midfield player, from Partizan Belgrade.

  Ljajic, 18, was due to arrive at Old Trafford next month, but United have had second thoughts about signing the player and told Partizan that they no longer wish to pursue the deal.

  United signed Zoran Tosic, the Serbia winger, along with Ljajic in what was thought to be a combined £16.3 million deal in January, with Tosic joining the Barclays Premier League champions immediately and Ljajic’s move delayed for 12 months.

  However, it was understood last night that the fee paid was only for Tosic, with United holding an option to sign Ljajic, but after monitoring his progress they have decided not to follow up their interest. 

  Despite making moves to secure a work permit for the Serbian youngster in October, United have stunned Partizan by walking away from the deal due to misgivings at Old Trafford over the player's progress and development since agreeing the option to buy for £10 million.

  A United spokesman said: "We had an option to buy the player but, having closely monitored his development over the past 12 months, and taken into consideration the young players emerging through the ranks at the club, we have chosen not to pursue the transfer."

  United were unable to bring Ljajic to England last season due to his age, but with the player celebrating his 18th birthday in September, it had been expected that he would complete a move to Old Trafford in January upon the granting of a work permit.

  But with United chief executive David Gill informing Partizan this week that they no longer wish to pursue the option to buy Ljajic, the Serbian club have claimed that the collapse of the deal is due to United's difficulties in servicing their £700 million debt.

  Partizan president Dragan Djuric said: "Maybe the real problem is that they are in financial crisis."

  United have dismissed the Partizan claims, with senior Old Trafford officials suspecting that the Belgrade club are attempting to protect the player's sale value.

  The £10 million fee for Ljajic had already been budgeted for during this financial year by United and the decision to withdraw their interest is understood to be based solely on the player's unconvincing progress.

  Ferguson spoke earlier this season of his excitement at the prospect of Ljajic, nicknamed 'Little Kaka,' linking up with the club's first-team squad in the new year.

  With fellow Serb Tosic struggling to make an impact since his arrival from Belgrade in January, it had even been suggested that Ljajic would prove to be the key acquisition in the deal.

  But having scouted the player intensively since the turn of the year, and having also monitored him at close hand during visits to the club's Carrington training ground, Ferguson and his coaches have formed the opinion that Ljajic is no better than the young players currently at Old Trafford.

  Mame Biram Diouf, the Senegalese forward signed in a £2 million deal from Norwegian club Molde in July, is now training with United after completing a six-month loan back at Molde. Ferguson is set to make a decision over whether to apply for a work permit for the 21-year-old, or wait until the end of the season, after monitoring him at Carrington in the coming days.

   

• haoguanghg

  3 Dec 09, 22:44

  I hope we won't regret this 5 years down the road.

• omgukilledkenny

  5 Dec 09, 13:01

  wtfx £16.3 m for Tosic. -.-

• zocoss

  5 Dec 09, 21:25

  Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:

  wtfx £16.3 m for Tosic. -.-

  
  No lah, you read wrongly liao... The sum is suppose to be for 2 players... But now minus the amount for this guy, it is more like $7 or under.

• zocoss

  5 Dec 09, 21:26

  Adem Ljajic's Transfer To Manchester United Scuppered By Work Permit Issues - Mike Phelan

  Red Devils coach claims money was not an issue…

   

  

   

   

  Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan has refuted suggestions that his club cancelled the deal to bring teenager Adem Ljajic to Old Trafford from Partizan Belgrade for financial reasons.
  
  Instead, Phelan insists that a work permit and the player's ability relative to the personnel already at the club were the actual reasons behind the £10 million deal's collapse.
  
  "We made a tentative approach to getting a work permit and the word we got back from the Home Office was we couldn't get that through in time to get Adem signed in January," Phelan told reporters at a press conference on Friday.

  "I don't think money is an issue.

  "The point is do you lay out money for Adem knowing there is a possibility that you might not be able to get him? As it stands Adem Ljajic won't be coming to Old Trafford in January."

  Phelan also insists that the Ljajic's non-arrival does not mean an end to the focus on youth at Old Trafford.

  "We have a platform that allows young players to develop and get into the first team," he added.

  "We looked at Adem and he has the potential to do that.

  "But sometimes you cannot fight these things. Sometimes you can get work permits, other times you can't. Adem fell into the latter category, which is why we made the decision."

• zocoss

  9 Dec 09, 18:21

  Partizan Midfielder Adem Ljajic: Lack Of Improvement Not The Reason Behind Manchester United's Decision

  Starlet confirms work permit scuppered the move...

  

  
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  Adem Ljajic has hit back at suggestions his dream move to Manchester United fell through due to a lack of progress on the football field. 

  A Red Devils spokesman was quoted a saying that the £10million deal to bring in the teenager from Partizan Belgrade had been shelved after the club monitored his development. 

  Belgrade president Dragan Djuric immediately responded with a claim that the Old Trafford side may had pulled the plug on the agreed transfer due to financial problems. 

  Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant Mike Phelan then stated that the reason for the move falling through was because of difficulties over gaining a work permit for the gifted youngster. 

  The 18-year-old winger has backed Phelan's version of events and strongly refuted claims that he had not done enough to impress United's coaching staff. 

  He told Serbian newspaper Danas: "Stories about stagnation in my football development are nonsense. 

  "If Manchester United were really not satisfied with how much I've progressed in this year, I would not have been with Ferguson two months ago at the end of my last cycle of mandatory training at the club before moving to England. 

  "The reason for the transfer not happening is that I couldn't get a business licence (work permit). 

  "Who knows what I will do next? I have heard already that clubs are interested and that Partizan want to sell me. We'll see."

• iceFatboy

  10 Dec 09, 14:57

  i hope the worst fears a MU fans won't materalise -> glaciers are bankrupt..