Manchester United have pulled the plug on the
prospective transfer of Adem Ljajic, the young Serbian midfield
player, from Partizan Belgrade.
Ljajic, 18, was due to arrive at Old Trafford next month, but
United have had second thoughts about signing the player and told
Partizan that they no longer wish to pursue the deal.
United signed Zoran Tosic, the Serbia winger, along with Ljajic
in what was thought to be a combined £16.3 million deal in January,
with Tosic joining the Barclays Premier League champions
immediately and Ljajic’s move delayed for 12 months.
However, it was understood last night that the fee paid was only
for Tosic, with United holding an option to sign Ljajic, but after
monitoring his progress they have decided not to follow up their
interest.
Despite making moves to secure a work permit for the Serbian
youngster in October, United have stunned Partizan by walking away
from the deal due to misgivings at Old Trafford over the player's
progress and development since agreeing the option to buy for £10
million.
A United spokesman said: "We had an option to buy the player
but, having closely monitored his development over the past 12
months, and taken into consideration the young players emerging
through the ranks at the club, we have chosen not to pursue the
transfer."
United were unable to bring Ljajic to England last season due to
his age, but with the player celebrating his 18th birthday in
September, it had been expected that he would complete a move to
Old Trafford in January upon the granting of a work permit.
But with United chief executive David Gill informing Partizan
this week that they no longer wish to pursue the option to buy
Ljajic, the Serbian club have claimed that the collapse of the deal
is due to United's difficulties in servicing their £700 million
debt.
Partizan president Dragan Djuric said: "Maybe the real problem
is that they are in financial crisis."
United have dismissed the Partizan claims, with senior Old
Trafford officials suspecting that the Belgrade club are attempting
to protect the player's sale value.
The £10 million fee for Ljajic had already been budgeted for
during this financial year by United and the decision to withdraw
their interest is understood to be based solely on the player's
unconvincing progress.
Ferguson spoke earlier this season of his excitement at the
prospect of Ljajic, nicknamed 'Little Kaka,' linking up with the
club's first-team squad in the new year.
With fellow Serb Tosic struggling to make an impact since his
arrival from Belgrade in January, it had even been suggested that
Ljajic would prove to be the key acquisition in the deal.
But having scouted the player intensively since the turn of the
year, and having also monitored him at close hand during visits to
the club's Carrington training ground, Ferguson and his coaches
have formed the opinion that Ljajic is no better than the young
players currently at Old Trafford.
Mame Biram Diouf, the Senegalese forward signed in a £2 million
deal from Norwegian club Molde in July, is now training with United
after completing a six-month loan back at Molde. Ferguson is set to
make a decision over whether to apply for a work permit for the
21-year-old, or wait until the end of the season, after monitoring
him at Carrington in the coming days.
