Axel Witsel Bid May Be Imminent

Manchester United are being rushed into making a £10million bid for Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel before Arsenal and Inter move. Sir Alex Ferguson has had scouts in Belgium to watch Witsel in action for the last couple of matches and he turned in a great display against Sevilla in the Uefa Cup last week.

Fergie has been hit by a minor midfield injury crisis with recent news that Owen Hargreaves will be out for the season (is he the new Louis Sahahahahaha ?) and Paul Scholes not due back until the New Year. United could wait for a few months and bid for him in the summer but by doing this his price could have gone through the roof.

The 19-year-old impressed against Liverpool in the Champions League qualifiers last August and had a fine game when Standard knocked Everton out of the Uefa Cup earlier this season.

Arsenal, Inter, Bolton and Middlesbrough have also been following the pacy central midfielder who is under contract at the Stade du Sclessin until 2013. Bolton have already had a £5million bid rebuffed by the Belgian champions who are said to value Witsel at £18million......dream on !!! .....Back To Home Page

Rio Wants Champions League Back-To-Back Wins

Rio Ferdinand, as you would expect, has voiced his desire to be a part of the first team to ever win back-to-back Champions League titles. Of course, in it's old guise as the 'European Cup' a few teams achieved this, but since it's rebirth as 'The Champions League', it has never been done.

United became champions of Europe for the third time last season after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Premier League rivals Chelsea in Moscow, courtesy of John Terry "lying down on the job" as it were ! However, Ferdinand is eager to be a European champion again and also hopes United can complete a hat-trick of domestic titles this season.

"The gauntlet is laid down for us because we want to make history, the Champions League is something we would really like to retain as it has never been done. We want to win the Premier League three times on the bounce because it would give us a shot at number four, which no-one has ever done either. People who think we have won enough don't know this group of players. We want to win and we have a squad good enough to give us a realistic chance."

Ferdinand is also confident that he is approaching his peak as a player, saying: "I would say the best is still to come. A lot of people said my peak time would be after I was 30 because of the position I play in. I am beginning to feel that way now."

Ferdinand, who turns 30 next month, is also in no mood to start reflecting on his career, adding: "I am not going to start looking back yet. But if I get to the end of my career and have only won the trophies I currently have, I would be disappointed. I want to win more. I am greedy. You have to be in this sport to achieve anything." .....Back To Home Page

Jose Mourinho For Manchester United

Jose Mourinho is the man Manchester United want to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson. I am even guilty of voicing my agreement with this idea many months ago ! Either we can carry on in our winning ways with a guy who has won everything in his time, or we should take a gamble with Eric Cantona. Roy Keane would me my final three. But for experience and sheer talent it has to Mourinho as things stand. The United hierarchy are waiting for 66 year-old Ferguson to confirm when he intends to call it a day. But the moment he makes his retirement plans clear Old Trafford sights will be set on recruiting the Inter Milan coach. Mourinho joined Inter last summer on a £7.8million a-year contract.

Significantly, he insisted on having a get-out clause written into his deal with the Italian giants. The man who guided Chelsea to back-to-back Premier League titles has already stated that his next move will be back to English football. He will need little encouragement in activating his get-out clause to join United.

United are conducting a management review. They want to make sure Fergie's retirement, after so many illustrious years, does not derail their inexorable success on and off the field.

The United board recognise they need a manager with the huge personality to step into the post-Ferguson void.

They believe Mourinho is that man.

Some United insiders believe Ferguson may be ready to retire at the end of this season. The manager prefers to keep his options open, well aware that any formal announcement might undermine his team's pursuit of honours......Back To Home Page