Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he may not buy anyone this summer.
Ferguson has not added to his Champions League-winning squad, despite being linked with a host of big-name targets.
Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov is still on the Scot's wanted list and discussions will continue over other potential signings until the transfer deadline at the end of the month.
However, despite a growing injury list that looks certain to keep Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and half a dozen other senior men out of the opening Premier League game against Newcastle on August 17, Ferguson may keep his cash where it is.
"We might well start 2008-09 with largely the squad we had last season - and after all, they didn't do too badly," he said.
"We have not brought in the kind of top-quality player everyone seems to be expecting.
"We are still researching and looking but it is not easy and certainly we are not desperate."
In Nani, who will be suspended against Newcastle, and Anderson, who is on Olympic duty with Brazil, United have two men likely to show significant improvement on their first year at Old Trafford.
Angola striker Manucho is due to apply for a work permit and success of that, plus the emergence of Rafael da Silva at right-back and the failure to get Berbatov for a price he feels is realistic could be enough to convince Ferguson he does not require any new blood.
"We have the right balance of youth and experience thanks to the work we did in the transfer market the previous year," he claimed.
"In terms of numbers we have been boosted by the return from loan of several young players who have the potential to go all the way.
"So I think we already have the men for the job."
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Comment 1 - 16 of 16
I agree with both sides of this argument. I do agree that money is being splashed around too much (thanks to people like Roman Abramovich) so good credit to Fergie on relying on his youngsters. However, I do agree that for this season at least until these youngsters have played some top-flight football, we could do with an out-and-out striker. I know we've got Campbell, Welbeck and Manucho (leaving out the Rooneys etc) but we do need a more experienced player. Personally I'd love to see either Berbatov, Benzema, Huntelaar or perhaps Sergio Aguero (don't know if he fits this category though!) to fill that role. I have said it before but Rooney plays better off a main striker. Tevez can't play there too well (although I bet he could play that position if we were desperate) so it would be good if we could get someone! Come on Man Utd!
football has gone crazy with over valued players agents are the sick side of football not at all interested in a great fan sport but only the pocket for themselves , hence they get rumours started so players get unsettled and then they can get more money for themselves as most players are so thick they cant see this as all they see is more money and forget true loyalty for a club transfer fees at the moment will slowly destroy this game unless someone stands against these evil agents , ie anelka and his agent brother and how many times has he moved ? its MONEY keane was it 18 million a joke ,if we are going through hard times we have to stop spending so it will happen to football no matter how big they are , the fans are the loyal badly treated by high gate prices , but will football listen the answer is NO , good luck to all your teams what ever league you are in
do not give up on manucho,he needs to be given a chance he has got a lot to give to MANU.
Buda, are you a football fan or a bookie?!
The reason united haven't bought any notable new players this summer is because teams are over-valuing their players - Berbatov for 35 million? What?!
I'm fairly sure sure footie players don't look at probabilities and general trophy winning patterns before joining a club. There's many players out there who would sell their soul to play for the english and euro champions - the only problem is that teams and players get too greedy when an offer for a big club comes their way. (Exhibit A: 2 match wonder Arshavin - valuation of 25 million when Deco's worth 10 million? Seriously!)
And in advance of people saying "oh poor man utd, being overpriced cos the're so rich" - man u are 700 million IN DEBT, and are spending the majority of their premier and euro winnings on installments on last summers buys - it's not as simple as splashing the cash on whoever takes our fancy!
I hope united DO get a striker, but if we don't, we'll get by - come on fraizer campbell! and we didn't do so bad last year without an out and out striker. And who knows, maybe saha will b fit for more than 10 minutes, then we'll be a real scoring force!
fergie always has a trick up his sleeve!
I seem to remember man u finishing 7 or 8 or a lot worse for 27 years and still getting full houses. Man c playing in champs league?? Not in your life time!!
ronaldo is a traitor and a peice of S#!t. all u mancs have already 4gotten his disloyalty. you know why? b/c u haven't experienced any hardships. the fans of the sunderlands, and newcastle and rovers, those are footballs true fans. fans through thick and thin, lets see where u all are if united were to ever finish 7 or 8 a couple yrs straight and city starts playing CL football. red will turn into blue pretty quick. MANU SUCKS! CRON likes men! FORZA MILAN!
As far as I know man u havent bought Tevez yet, he's still on loan, unless anyone knows different. If the story is true that he wants to retire from the game in 4 years I cant see the point in buying him anyway. How would utd get any value from him if they paid 32 million just to let him walk away for nothing in 4 years
I'm surprised that no one has stated the obvious about why ManU is finding it hard to sign new players, especially strikers. The chances of winning the champions league twice is quite low, even for a team as great as ManU, and all though ManU has done it, the chance of winning the league title three times in a row is also very low. Since most high profile players want the money and the trophy yesterday it will be hard to get them to come to ManU when they've got such a low chance of winning more than the FAcup this season. However, I'm a ManU fan and will not stop believing we can win it all till the final whistle of our last game.
Now that C. Ronaldo is set to play for UMan, Sir A. Ferguson does not need anyone up front. With Ronnie, Tevez, Ronaldo, Nanni he will win all the silverware available.
i didnt realise that we paid £35 million for tevez...WOW THATS ALOT OF CASH!
UTD TIL WE DIE!!
With Manucho, Campbell, Welbeck, Tevez, Rooney and possible Saha, I don't think we need to be held to ransom by anyone. The only other position we may have needed to strengthen was right back, but Rafael looks like he may make an impact if he gets a few games. Time to blood some youngsters, Possebon, Cambell, Rafael, Welbeck and Evans should all be given a chance this season, and I fully expect Campbell and Evans to make the grade this season, the rest need a breaking in period. The future looks pretty damn good.
We need to blood the youngsters and we need one top striker. So please stop selling quality young players (Pique's gone, Eagles' gone....). Soon we'll run out of them and we'll have to spend heavily in the market. I like Saha (poor guy, his confidence must be so low) but if his legs are gone, we couldn't sell him even we wanted to. So let's wish him a real speedy recovery and either get back to his old scoring form or let Keane take him to Sunderland.
Sir Alex is right. Man Utd do not have to buy anyone at the moment. We have enough debth in all the key areas & with Ronaldo going NOWHERE anytime soon why should we "waste" our hard earned money?
After shelling out 35 million pounds for Tevez, I don't see how we can afford anyone else. I thought that was a mistake. Tevez is a great player, but not worth 35 million pounds. Now the entire world thinks United can afford to severely overpaid for their players.
we need an out and out striker come on fergie. loosen those purse strings a bit. saha should be stadium of light bound and good riddance if u ask me. we now need a berbatov or a villa or a huntelaar which is what we were promised and only right.
also 1st
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