Transfers - Gossip Shop: United set to steal Ribery

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Apr 17:47:00 2009

Manchester United look set to steal in to secure the signature of France winger Franck Ribery, despite the Bayern Munich star having already held talks with Barcelona.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Bayern - Ribery - 0

The Spanish giants have reportedly claimed United and Bayern have a £20 million deal in place for the 25-year-old, leaving the door open for Cristiano Ronaldo's prospective exit.

Incessant and frankly tiresome speculation may still surround Ronaldo's departure from Old Trafford, but Sir Alex Ferguson appears to have rendered the Portuguese dispensable by sealing a deal for the former Marseille star.

But Barcelona have not conceded defeat in the race for Ribery, as United officials are likely to be incensed with emerging reports that could put negotiations in jeopardy.

While Gossip Shop is reluctant to go down the tawdry route of quotes from Camp Ronaldo, Spanish newspaper Marca have quoted Ronaldo's godfather Fernao as saying: "Real Madrid's error last year was to talk too much about it. This year, hardly anything is being said, so I'm sure negotiations will run much more smoothly."

Staying at Old Trafford, Ferguson has also been heavily linked with a £12m bid for Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko.

The Bosnia striker has been a major factor in the German side's stunning march to the top of the Bundesliga, with United keen to identify less costly alternatives to Carlos Tevez.

While Barcelona may not clinch the signings of all the names on their summer shopping list, they are not short on options.

Pep Guardiola has reported instructed the club to make a £15m bid for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, with the Dutchman regarded as a logical supplement for an ageing forward line of Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, with both continuing to court interest from a host of Premier League clubs.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, has his sights set on Everton starlet Jack Rodwell, with the 18-year-old highlighted as the next young gun to be acquired at the Emirates.

One of the stranger pieces of Premier League gossip centres around Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson being the latest to catch the eye of Chelsea caretaker boss Guus Hiddink, who believes the left-midfield berth to be a conspicuous gap at Stamford Bridge.

On to more frequent Gossip Shop subjects and Michael Owen has reportedly informed Newcastle's present incumbent Alan Shearer that he will definitely sign his new contract if the club stave off relegation, although cynicism of this statement can certainly be forgiven.

Mark Hughes is a regular participant in this feature, often soley by means of association to Manchester City's owners, but this time the Welshman is the centre of speculation.

The City manager is understood to have been sounded out by Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn, with the Black Cats looking for a potential successor to current boss Ricky Sbragia.

Sunderland remain embroiled in a relegation battle, and Hughes has been highlighted as the ideal man to take the club forward if he is replaced at Eastlands.

And finally, Hull chairman Paul Duffen and manager Phil Brown have been left to rue club-record signing Jimmy Bullard's season-ending injury, but their frustration would be exacerbated if Fulham boss Roy Hodgson follows through on rumours linking the Cottagers with a shock return move for the midfielder.

Bullard left Craven Cottage for £5m in January, but with Hodgson's side having all-but secured their Premier League safety, the wily Englishman is understood to be sniffing out a surprise buy-back move, depending on Hull's end of season fortunes.

The 30-year-old would be required to take a pay cut, given the reasons cited for his departure from the Cottagers, but he is known to be desperate to be playing top-flight football in the 'business end' of his career.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport

Comment 50 - 69 of 69

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  1. How can any MU fan criticize their best player.
    You­ have no memory!!
    Who’s the best striker/winger you have­ for the last 2 years? Who made you win those last­ trophies and put you in such good positions for the­ others?
    With the ease MU fan criticize Ronaldo, I do­ hope Ribery will never be a MU player.

    From ivan_de_maistre, on Fri 10 Apr 2:45PM

  2. Aston villa has no shame leting man u to come from­ behind to win the game i was wanting man u to loose­ three streght matchs.Although Nothing has spol thy­ ought to be ashame for arsenal has gap them with six­ points.is good thy lost and in the other hand is not­ good for liverpool.up gunners,i love you guys.we are­ the best in the world and everybody knowns that gunners­ 4 life.We need ribery replacement of daiby and­ rosicky.Am stanley n. Elewa

    From niceangel2005, on Mon 6 Apr 8:04AM

  3. i rather sell ronaldo n take ribery in..even ronaldo is­ still good but he got no heart with united...sometime­ he said he will stay but sometime he said he might­ go...so as united fans i better lose him then lose­ united spirit..other bench is still young..they still­ can improve...we dont need to sell future­ prospect...nani not bad....he still young...

    From Monkey L, on Mon 6 Apr 7:54AM

  4. Am a gunner arsenal should stop going for small­ players.wenger should sale daiby rosicky and put some ­ money and buy ribery for the term to be­ stronger.Bentner is only good on air will need a good­ striker that can scal goals up front.One love up­ gunners i,m stanley n.elewa

    From niceangel2005, on Mon 6 Apr 7:28AM

  5. Am a gunner arsenal should stop going for small­ players.wenger should sale daiby rosicky and put some ­ money and buy ribery for the term to be­ stronger.Bentner is only good on air will need a good­ striker that can scal goals up front.One love up­ gunners

    From niceangel2005, on Mon 6 Apr 7:26AM

  6. if arsene buys jack rodwell i will hate him for the­ rest of my life

    From Daniel, on Mon 6 Apr 6:44AM

  7. I like Ribery. I think he could do a job for United.­ I'd like to see Nani and Berbatov shipped out and­ then finally seal the Tevez deal. I think Tevez is­ worth two Berbatovs any day.

    From David, on Mon 6 Apr 5:47AM

  8. Hey, 50. You Scouse hater. At least we can spell­ council, even though most of us live in our own­ privately owned houses. You strange man! (or woman?)

    From ALAN G, on Sun 5 Apr 9:22PM

  9. Hands off Rodwell, Arsenal. You just waste your young­ players. They disappear into the reserves and only turn­ up in the League Cup. Ramsay would have been much­ better coming to Everton. There should be a rule­ forbidding this buying up of talent and then renting­ them out to other premiership teams to give them the­ experience they won't get in the reserves. A­ maximum squad number of players, no transfer window,­ players out for the season being able to be replaced­ and wage capping. The game's gone silly!

    From ALAN G, on Sun 5 Apr 9:19PM

  10. RE #65 Apart from 2 goals what did he do??? Flap his­ arms like he was trying to lift off to Madrid or put­ his arms on his hips like a whinger i'm United fan­ but i'm sick to teeth of watching him do that. I­ should be praising him for the 2 wonderful strikes but­ all the other stuff sour's it..

    From jollyrodger, on Sun 5 Apr 7:42PM

  11. NO CHANCE, hes coming to chelsea, abramovich will open­ the cheque book again this summer and sign some younger­ stars for the blues

    From simon, on Sun 5 Apr 6:55PM

  12. there is no dip in ronaldo's performance if you­ would have seen the villa game n he is the joint top­ score in the premier league........i m a utd fan but i­ do think he should leave because he is always under the­ scrutiny by any scum reporters n stupid fans who cannot­ see the side that he can make a team win a hat-trick of­ league titles n maybe if he leaves then we can talk­ about man utd as a team in footballing terms and stop­ this @#$% gossips about anyone personal lives.

    From Aditya V, on Sun 5 Apr 6:46PM

  13. Maybe Ronaldo wants to leave, thats why the dip in his­ performance...!??...This is the style of superstars who­ want more money!

    From marilacson, on Sun 5 Apr 6:27PM

  14. one man team MU. Ronaldo gone and maybe they will­ qualify for champions league next season. bye bye

    From sardvic, on Sun 5 Apr 6:12PM

  15. micheal f -- you just described ronaldo

    From sarah-louise r, on Sun 5 Apr 6:00PM

  16. we dont need ribery... we got MACHEDA!!!

    From MUFCareligion, on Sun 5 Apr 5:59PM

  17. Why would Jack Rodwell (who has only just signed a long­ term contract at Everton) want to go and sit in the­ Arsenal reserves ?

    From markfoxy_fearnall, on Sun 5 Apr 5:41PM

  18. Good move for Ribery but hope his future with Man Utd­ doesnt end like Juan Veron. Big move but only a couple­ of appearences. Man Utd just wasted Veron's time­ and Ribery should aware of that kind of "team­ tactical"

    From KoRNmiLa, on Sun 5 Apr 5:14PM

  19. lol!! forget it united HE IS STAYING AT BAYERN

    From egyptian_guy13, on Sun 5 Apr 5:09PM

  20. i think ronaldo will stay, and ribery will come in with­ nani going out. nani is utterly useless! he can barely­ beat a man, can't cross and his shooting is wild,i­ know he does score wonderful goals on occasions but i­ would rather have a player who plays hard and score­ 15-20 a season rather than this one trick pony!
    ribery­ in, nani out!

    From michael f, on Sun 5 Apr 4:43PM
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