Benfica have reportedly rejected a bid of £9million, plus out-of-favour winger Nani, from Manchester United for prized asset Angel Di Maria.
The 21-year-old Argentine has been linked with a host of Europe's top clubs this season following some stand-out displays in Benfica's midfield.
The bid from United was said to be in the region of €10million, with out-of-favour winger Nani also offered in exchange.
However, Portuguese radio station TSF have revealed that Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has dismissed the bid with the club holding out for considerably more money.
The midfielder is said to have a €40million release fee clause in his current contract, but many believe Benfica will do business once they receive a bid in the region of €30million.
However, the Portuguese giants are reluctant to sell in January with the club aware that a successful World Cup with Argentina next summer could see Di Maria's valuation rocket.
30m too ex
i'm worried for man u....they are paying and paying for success these days. Who's the last home grown talent we saw? I think we have to go back to the beckham era.
Originally posted by Rock^Star:i'm worried for man u....they are paying and paying for success these days. Who's the last home grown talent we saw? I think we have to go back to the beckham era.
Erm, Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Welback and Rafael, Fabio and Macheda?
the likes of scholes, becks, the neville bros are over cos of the rule changed when scouting is concerned.
Does Benfica really think he will play many games this world cup? Portugal are'nt exactly short of wingers......
paiseh angel di maria is frm argentina and not portugal.
which makes it harder for him to displace messi unless injury
Originally posted by CKeer:Erm, Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Welback and Rafael, Fabio and Macheda?
Rafael and Fabio were signed from the Brazilian Club (forgot the name already)
Macheda was signed from Lazio when he was young.
Originally posted by TIB657M:
Rafael and Fabio were signed from the Brazilian Club (forgot the name already)Macheda was signed from Lazio when he was young.
Yup, Rafael and Fabio were signed as youth and so is Macheda. But all were further groomed in United's Youth set up before they were thrown into the first team foray.
Rafael's professional football career began with Fluminense in Brazil, where he played at youth level.Rafael and his brother Fábio were brought to the attention of Manchester United by club scout Les Kershaw in the summer of 2005 while playing for Fluminense in a youth tournament in Hong Kong. Manchester United got in touch with Fluminense and asked permission for the twins to travel to Manchester to train with them in 2005. Shortly afterwards, a scout claiming to represent Arsenal visited the twins and asked them to come to England to train with Arsenal without the permission of Fluminense; however, they were dissuaded from this by their mother, who reminded them that they had been with Fluminense since they were 11, and that they should show the club some loyalty. The twins were also approached by Real Madrid while they were on international duty with Brazil.
Born in Rome, Macheda began his football career with local side Lazio. However, due to Italian football regulations preventing under-18s from signing professional contracts, he was not permanently tied to the club, and shortly after his 16th birthday, he was signed by Manchester United of England, where regulations permit the signing of players aged 16 and up. Following his family's relocation to England, he officially joined the club as a trainee on 16 September 2007, and began a three-year scholarship in the club's Academy.
I forgot to mention these names as well:
Darron Gibson and Jonny Evans.
There are a few youth graduates who are doing relatively well but have since left United:
sad to see Nani involved in such makeweight deals..