Now for the buying game
Fergie must splash the cash to catch Chelsea
Getting the ball rolling: Michael Carrick's possible £15million
move to Old Trafford from Tottenham could kick-start the summer
transfer market by providing a huge injection of funds
The purpose is trying to end Chelsea' s recent domination of the
Premiership, but as Sir Alex Ferguson prepares to dip into the
Glazer family fortune, the repercussions will be felt throughout
the country.
Alarmed by the way a lightweight midfield was exposed following Roy
Keane's departure last season, the Manchester United manager was
always planning a transfer assault to make Jose Mourinho sit up and
take notice.
With Ruud van Nistelrooy weighing up overtures from Bayern Munich
and Real Madrid, and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to follow him out of
Old Trafford, it could snowball into a signing spree that will have
more than just Ferguson's Chelsea counterpart looking on with a
keen eye.
The recent calm of a seemingly dormant transfer market is about to
be shattered, and the likely fall-out was summed up yesterday by
one leading agent, who said: "It just needs one big deal for it all
to kick off. Fergie is going to make a few, so it's going to get a
bit lively."
Michael Carrick's imminent £15million arrival from Tottenham will
be the equivalent of the starting gun and will be followed by more
reinforcements in midfield, with Bayern's Owen Hargreaves and
Villarreal's Spain newcomer Marcos Senna the top names on United's
list.
Confirming that Ferguson had already proposed a swap deal involving
Van Nistelrooy and Hargreaves, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz
Rummenigge said: "We have told United we do not want to part with
Owen. He was one of England's best players at the World Cup, but he
is under contract to us until 2010."
Bayern will press ahead with a cash deal for Van Nistelrooy, but
Ferguson will hope to use Real Madrid's interest in the Dutchman as
leverage to engineer a swap with Hargreaves.
'It just needs money to be released by one or two major deals for
everything to start moving'
United have their own forward targets. Atletico Madrid hotshot
Fernando Torres, World Cup top scorer Miroslav Klose and long-term
target Jermain Defoe are under review, and Benfica's Simao Sabrosa
is an early front-runner for the right flank should Ronaldo
continue to demand an exit.
Whoever wins the Ferguson nod of approval, the outcome will be the
same. The game will be awash with money, and the summer sales in
full swing.
"It has been very quiet of late, but a lot of people are expecting
a last-minute rush," added the agent.
"Lots of players have been identified by clubs, but it just needs
money to be released by one or two major deals for everything to
start moving."
The wheels are already in motion in some areas, with Reading
midfielder Steve Sidwell on his way to Manchester City and
Blackburn planning an ambitious attempt to lure Valencia's
Argentina playmaker Pablo Aimar to Ewood Park.
Some have already re-stocked, Chelsea securing Michael Ballack and
AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, Tottenham adding £19m worth of
talent in Didier Zokora and Dimitar Berbatov, while Everton
lavished £14m on Crystal Palace marksman Andy Johnson and Wolves
centre back Joleon Lescott.
Real Madrid could prove one of the biggest players in the summer
market and new sporting director Predraig Mijatovic confirmed
yesterday that they are not all talk by revealing they will make
official approaches for Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea's Arjen
Robben by the end of the week.
Arsenal's Ashley Cole has been a long-term target for Real but he
is believed to be ready to drop his fight to clear his name over
the infamous 'tapping-up' scandal involving Chelsea.
That could point to a £16m move to Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool are in the market for another striker and a right-sided
midfielder, despite activating a £6m escape clause in Craig
Bellamy's Blackburn contract, but chief executive Rick Parry
refuses to be daunted by Chelsea's financial muscle or the
inflationary pressure exerted by the World Cup.
"Chelsea's wealth puts the rest of us at a disadvantage, but it is
something you simply have to get on with," he said.
Despite a widely-held view that the World Cup flattered to deceive,
there are some who thrust themselves to the fore in the scramble
for Premiership places next season.
Ghana's Stephen Appiah was on United's wanted list, and is still a
candidate for a place in Arsenal's midfield; left back Philipp Lahm
has taken Chelsea's eye, as revealed in Sportsmail last month; and
Luke Wilkshire made such a nerveless transition from Bristol City
duties to lining up against Brazil that top Championship sides are
jostling for the Australia midfielder's signature.
Ferguson may long for the days when he could count on loyalty from
home-grown talent like Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers, but
the rebuilding programme stretched out before him should at least
ensure an eventful build-up to the new campaign.
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