Three In; Seven Out: Manchester United’s £102m Summer Transfers Analysed
by Mr Comfort on September 6th, 2009 872 words | 11 commentsSir Alex has done some intelligent wheeling and dealing this summer and here is the analysis of the club’s transfer activity from COS’s Manchester United reporter Christian Bailey.
In
Luis Antonio Valencia
I have to say I wasn’t that sure why so many raved about the talent that the former Wigan man had but then I saw him first hand playing for the Latics against us last season and he was immense, he stood out as a player with real ability. Not your traditional winger as he manages to be part flying wideman who can on occasion beat his man and half great crosser, the best of both worlds in many ways.
Michael Owen
Sir Alex was very wise to bring in the former Liverpool man. He is a player who is keen to show that he is not finished in the game. Still only 29 many had written him off but this season he will be keen to get Fabio’s attention and he will be a great impact player to come off the bench, as he did at Wigan, and also a vastly experienced player to step into the breach should either Berbatov or Rooney get a knock.
Gabriel Obertan
Not exactly a household name but the young Frenchman could be an intelligent swoop. £3m was rumoured to be the price, which is dirt cheap when you consider he is a 20 year old on the fringes of the French senior set up. Another winger and one who graduated from the famed as Clairefontaine academy who of course produced the likes of Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka. One for the future who could well still have a part to play this season if the need arises.
Out
Cristiano Ronaldo
If there was ever a right time to sell a player as talented as Cristiano Ronaldo then I think this summer was about as good a timing as possible for us to cash in on a player clearly looking for a new challenge. There is no doubting the talent the Portuguese international possesses but In my view he will not top the season before last when he was at a peak he will not reach again. He gave us six great years and I do not begrudge him his move to Real Madrid and lets face it we got one hell of a fee for him.
Daniel Galbraith
Talented young midfielder arrived from Hearts but failed to break into the first team reckoning after three years at Old Trafford and now back in Edinburgh where he made an immediate impact in his first appearance for Hibs setting up the winner in an SPL clash with St Mirren.
Lee Martin
Lee has been around the houses during his six years at the club. Nifty winger on his day it did look like he may well make a name for himself at Man United but seemed quite decent when he did get a first team chance. One and only Premier League game came in the last game of last season at Hull. He has of course been on loan to five clubs during his time at the club and now plying his trade under former teammate Roy Keane at Ipswich. I fancy that the 22 year old will be back in the Premier League soon enough.
Fraizer Campbell
Frazier rose to prominence coming through the ranks at the club scoring goals for fun in all age groups. Was then sent out to Antwerp where he finished top scorer. His next move took him to Hull where he helped the club achieve promotion and then came back to the club hoping to be given a chance in the first team and he got a couple of chances early last season before he was made part of the deal that took Dimitar the other way but never really got a look in at White Hart Lane. Campbell opted for Sunderland over Hull City but again finds himself warming the bench and will struggle to find a place ahead of the likes of Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones.
Carlos Tevez
Not sure what to say about this guy that hasn’t already been said. Since he left he has been very disrespectful to the club and in particular to Sir Alex. The former West Ham man clearly has a short memory and should think himself lucky that he lifted the Champions League trophy and two Premier League crowns because he won’t be tasting that level of success again for some time. A great player on his day,he could also be very frustrating to watch and not the kind of irritation you need in a dressing room.
Richard Eckersley
20 year old full back who looked comfortable enough a player when representing the club was always going to find it hard to break past others ahead of him in the queue and he took the brave, and probably correct, decision to leave sooner rather than later and opted for the short move to Burnley.
Manucho
Something of a surprise signing when he first arrived at the club, a livewire of a striker but not a player I could honestly see making it at the club. Now at perennial La Liga strugglers Real Valladolid.
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anonymous - September 6th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
2 million Euro was the amount paid for Obertan and £15 million for Valencia.
Fergie said that during a Sports Channel interview.
anonymous - September 6th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
whats the point in writing this. your far too nice about everyone! Valencia hasnt looked great and Owen doesnt look as though he going to have much success either!
you very much remained on the fence for all the players! plus you have’nt really analysed! what effect will this have on us etc…
anonymous - September 6th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
downhill.
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Valencia got 3 goals and 5 assists last season
In his last two EPL seasons, Ronaldo scored 66 goals and made 35 assists.
No matter how good Valencia can be, he will never be able to do that.
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Is this a joke, are you telling me that Fergie was shrewd to sell Ronaldo, it was his pedigree that has kept Man Utd where they are.
Owen is a has been, he’s only interested in his horses but maybe Fergie bought him in for horse talk and not what he can do with his boots.
Valencia is a great player at ‘wigan’ that does not make him agreat player for them hes stepped up a class and if people view him as ronaldos replacement it will take him even longer to settle in as ronaldos replacement is something he will never be.
Bottom line I think this could be the first season I would not be surprised to see them win nothing.
Burnley! Really?
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Of course Valencia won’t be able to reach those Ronaldo-numbers. But neither would Messi, Kaka, Ribery or any other player for that matter. The combination of Ronaldo’s strengths are what made him such a success in the Premiership. There’s not a player on the planet who could can match those figures, and there won’t be for a long time still. Ronaldo has had his ups and downs through his years at Old Trafford, but he’s been pure class after leaving. Tevez should sit up and take notice.
Comparing any other signing; winger or striker, to Ronaldo would be unfair. Let’s get behind Valencia, Owen and Obertan, and hope that Valencia is able to develop beyond his slightly one-dimensional style, that Owen starts putting his chances away, and that Obertan shakes off his injury and fulfilles his potential.
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Hear Hear!
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Valencia may take time to settle but he is class. He showed that in his performance against us at Old Trafford last season (highlights available on Youtube).
The author is right about Ronaldo. It was time for him to move on and we got silly money for him. Saying “where will his goals come from” is ridiculous. Where did the goals come from before he came along? It’s a different setup without him and different people will take over the goalscoring responsibilities. Rooney is already stepping up to the plate, Berbatov looks much better than last season and even Nani looks like a decent player now he’s out of Ronaldo’s shadow. Owen could be a goal machine once he gets his confidence back. If Owen doesn’t do it then I guess Macheda gets a chance.
No player is bigger than the club. Perhaps we were getting a bit too dependent on you-know-who? I actually think Ronaldo’s best season wasn’t the one where he scored 43 goals but the season before. He didn’t score as many (though he scored plenty) but he created more and had a great partnership with Rooney. After that we got lazy and let him do it all. Now he’s gone its time for us to be a team again.
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Where’s all the money gone???
Utd recieved £90m+ this summer, yet spent roughly £20.
Whats happened to the $70m??
The media go on about Liverpools financial mess but all is not well at Utd.
Yet the media never say anything about this.
Very Strange!!!!!!!!!
anonymous - September 7th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I wouldn’t want to see us spend just for the sake of it. Who was there who was good and available at non-silly prices? Benzema would have been good but he chose Madrid. I expect we’ll spend a big chunk of that money next summer.
anonymous - December 22nd, 2009 at 4:15 am
yeah ronaldo scored a shit loead but valencia is doing his job till this point he even scored his very first game with the team against boca juniors he was such a good purchase same with owen. so quit talking shit about valencia cuz cristiano aint doing soo good in madrid. he’s a bitch now PERIOD. Valencia is gonna be nominated for the best player in the world someday i know it.