MANCHESTER UNITED could get their hands on Barcelona hitman Neymar in a year's time.
The Red Devils
are keen on signing the 23-year-old and their transfer guru Ed Woodward
discussed a stunning £137.8m transfer with the La Liga champions during
his recent trip to Catalonia.
But
according to South American football expert Tim Vickery, the Premier
League giants could land the Samba star in one or two year's time.
“Clearly it’s not going to happen now for a number of reasons,” said Vickery.
“Firstly, Barcelona have just sold Pedro. Secondly, they can’t
buy anyone because they’ve still got this suspension hanging over them.
But you just wonder if United are playing the long-term game here.
“At
the moment Neymar is very happy where he is but he’s in the shadow of
Lionel Messi. That’s fine for now but if it’s still the case in one or
two years’ time, he might want to go somewhere where he’s going to be
the big number one.
“England is obviously a potential in a year or
two years’ time. That’s the game I think United are playing -
establishing an interest, making it clear that they really want this
player and are prepared to play big money.”
The Spaniard put his creative talents to good use to help Wayne Rooney end his goal drought in the 4-0 win in Belgium
Ander Herrera scores Manchester United’s fourth goal against Club Brugge.
Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters Mission accomplished for Louis Van Gaal, and with style to boot. Manchester United are back where they feel they belong and they got there by playing with the adventure their fans crave.For sure Club Brugge
were too puny an opposition for anyone to trumpet this as a major
milestone in a triumphant European and domestic campaign, but this was
undeniably encouraging even if it did not resolve all Van Gaal’s doubts.United reached the Champions League
group stages and secured only their second away win in eight European
ties; Wayne Rooney hit a cathartic hat-trick and Ander Herrera prospered
in a lineup that was less cautious than Van Gaal had led some fans to
expect.
His decision to give Herrera his first start of the season –
alongside Michael Carrick rather than Morgan Schneiderlin or Bastian
Schweinsteiger – risked leaving the centre of United’s defence exposed.
Schneiderlin’s protection of that defence has been integral to United’s
solidity this season – just as his absence from Southampton is a key
factor in that club’s defensive problems this term.
Of course this was a prime opportunity to rest the Frenchman, with
United luxuriating in a two-goal first-leg lead and facing a team shorn
of several regular starters and seemingly unconvinced about their own
ability to mount a comeback, but even still, there was scope for Van
Gaal to suffer a recurrence of that “twitchy ass” syndrome that he
memorably decried in January. That was back when he was persisting with a
3-5-2 formation in spite of United fans’ pleas to deploy a 4-4-2 but
the point was the same: this lineup seemed to leave relatively thin
cover for United’s defence.
Van Gaal may have squirmed in his seat in the 13th minute when
Herrera was booked after being sidestepped by Victor Vázquez just in
front of United’s back four. Abdoulay Diaby had already, in the sixth
minute, found space to thrive in a similar area before laying the ball
off to the overlapping Laurens De Bock, whose cross could have plunged
United into deep bother if Tom De Sutter had not botched a shot from
eight yards. That move also highlighted the ongoing peculiarity of Van
Gaal’s use of Juan Mata.
The positioning of Mata on the right seems a discrepancy in the
Dutchman’s scheme. It neither caters to Van Gaal’s yearning for control –
since the Spaniard lacks the pace to backtrack usefully – nor does it
play to Mata’s main strength, which is why he frequently wanders
in-field in an effort to exert more influence. Mind you, Adnan Januzaj
does not retreat to great effect either and has been inventive in the
spot that Mata would prefer to occupy, a point he reinforced after just
four minutes in Brugge when he played a cute through-ball towards the
rampaging Luke Shaw.
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Scoring
after 20 minutes was the perfect antidote to any United jitters.
Herrera’s instinct to pick forward passes quickly was important, though
there was hardly anything exceptionally visionary about his ball to
Memphis Depay, who made the most sparkling contribution, dashing forward
and slipping a pass to Wayne Rooney, who ended his scoreless streak with impressive nonchalance.
That goal all but settled the tie but Van Gaal probably still did not
sit comfortably. Brugge were still making too much mischief between
United’s midfield and defence, with Vázquez and Diaby continually
escaping the attentions of Herrera and Carrick and Mata still liable to
leave Matteo Darmian to fend by himself.
A depleted Brugge were just about the most favourable play-off draw
that United could have been given and a better team than the Belgian
side might have punished Van Gaal’s side before half-time. Instead De
Sutter missed another pass from Diaby and then, in the 44th minute,
Diaby neglected to shoot when sent clear on goal.
Van Gaal paid heed to the warnings. At half-time Van Gaal replaced
Januzaj with Schweinsteiger and strung a three-man barrier across
midfield. Leaving on Herrera despite the yellow card could have been
construed as dicey, but the 26-year-old could do with the game time and
he had demonstrated before the break the creative shifts that he can
trigger, twisting past Claudemir on half-way before scampering forward
30 yards and being hauled back at the edge of the box, an offence that
earned his counterpart a booking too.
Within four minutes of the resumption United had relocated to Easy
Street. Shaw won possession deep in opposing territory and fizzed a pass
to Depay, who helped it on to the liberated Herrera, who unselfishly
spoonfed Rooney. The England striker then had a hat-trick, converting
after more sterling service, this time from Mata, who had snuck
in-field. There was still plenty of time for Herrera to offer further
proof of the goal threat he poses, as he collected Schweinsteiger’s
superb deep pass before finishing expertly.
So there’s poor Ronny Deila, sitting atop of a pile of rubble, staring at an unspecified point in the middle distance. Again. Celtic had been hopeful of holding on to Virgil van Dijk, but that was before Deila suffered the second Artmediaing of his short career with the Scottish champions at the hands of Malmo. Southampton have long been favourites to make off with the defender, but Everton suddenly have a John Stones-shaped hole to fill, and now they’re getting involved too. Expect a struggle to develop. A big cartoon cloud with fists and boots poking out of it. As if our simple rubble metaphor wasn’t making the place dusty enough.
Everton, with £40m of Chelsea’s money burning a hole in their pocket, are also interested in Tottenham’s Federico Fazio. It won’t be long before Roberto Martínez has built an entire defence all by himself. The David Moyes era suddenly looks like a speck in the rear-view mirror, doesn’t it. Take deep breaths, the separation anxiety will pass.
However much is resting on the Stones transfer. If the big lad’s move to Stamford Bridge somehow doesn’t happen, Chelsea have a contingency plan. They’ll go for Ezequiel Garay of Zenit St Petersburg instead, in which case you can forget about the first two paragraphs of this article. You’ve already put them out of your mind anyway, haven’t you?
But the Mill is sure this Stones business will be sorted out soon enough. In which case we’ll need a new interminable saga to keep the eyes nicely lubricated with blood until the window closes next week. Saido Berahino and Spurs are fielding this one for us. The dominoes continue to topple: if Berahino leaves the Hawthorns, West Brom will ask Charlie Austin to take his place. Leicester City and Crystal Palaceare also interested in offering the QPR striker another opportunity to make David Sullivan look foolish. Former suitors West Ham, for their part, will make do with a loan of Juventus forward Simone Zaza.
Speaking of interminable ... theLiverpool rumours last year ... Arsenaland Everton in this window ... Dynamo Kyiv winger Andriy Yarmolenko has to make a move soon, you’d think. Barcelona have suddenly shown an interest, so that will probably, finally, thankfully, be that.
Norwich City want Crystal Palace attacker Dwight Gayle and Wolverhampton’s £14m-rated Benik Afobe.
Watford are interested in £8m Rennes midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Celtic skipper Scott Brown is "ashamed" following last night's Champions League play-off defeat to Malmo. (Various)
Defender Virgil van Dijk admits he has almost certainly played his last game for Celtic following the loss in Sweden. (Various)
Southampton are confident of landing Dutchman Van Dijk in a deal worth around £11m. (Daily Record)
Malmo skipper Markus Rosenberg taunts Celtic by claiming their 2-0 home victory was "easy". (Sun)
Norwich manager Alex Neil admits he may sell Gary Hooper after linking Celtic with a return for the striker. (Sun)
Former Aberdeen midfielder Neale Cooper reckons the "flexibility" in the current Pittodrie squad will be key to the side's success this season. (Daily Record)
Hamilton Accies have agreed terms with former QPR centre-half Jamie Sendles-White. (Daily Record)
Hearts have ended their interest in Shaun Rooney after a trial period and the Queen's Park full-back is now on Partick Thistle's radar. (Daily Record)
Rotherham boss Steve Evans confirms his interest in signing Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor. (Sun)
Kilmarnock's teenage goalkeeper Devlin Mackay is to have talks with Derby and could move south before the transfer window closes. (Sun)
Rangers defender Rob Kiernan says standards and confidence at Ibrox is so high that the team go into every match hoping to score "eight or nine" goals. (Daily Mail)
Hibs boss Alan Stubbs says he was surprised that Championship rivals Rangers let Darren McGregor leave after swiftly snapping up the versatile defender. (Various)
Celtic's long-standing finance director Eric Riley is to retire on health grounds. (Daily Mail)
Scotland's record points-scorer and cap holder Chris Paterson says "we're on the right track" after 20 years of pro rugby. (Herald)
Laura Muir has her sights on a medal at Rio 2016 after her fifth place finish in the 1500m at the World Championships. (Various)
Fiona Moore McGrath is stepping down from international netball after winning the last of her 62 caps at the recent World Cup. (The National)
Ander Herrera scores Manchester United’s fourth goal against Club Brugge.
Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters Mission accomplished for Louis Van Gaal, and with style to boot. Manchester United are back where they feel they belong and they got there by playing with the adventure their fans crave.For sure Club Brugge
were too puny an opposition for anyone to trumpet this as a major
milestone in a triumphant European and domestic campaign, but this was
undeniably encouraging even if it did not resolve all Van Gaal’s doubts.United reached the Champions League
group stages and secured only their second away win in eight European
ties; Wayne Rooney hit a cathartic hat-trick and Ander Herrera prospered
in a lineup that was less cautious than Van Gaal had led some fans to
expect.
His decision to give Herrera his first start of the season –
alongside Michael Carrick rather than Morgan Schneiderlin or Bastian
Schweinsteiger – risked leaving the centre of United’s defence exposed.
Schneiderlin’s protection of that defence has been integral to United’s
solidity this season – just as his absence from Southampton is a key
factor in that club’s defensive problems this term.
