Done deal: Serbian star Zoran Tosic has finally completed
his move to Old Trafford.
Manchester
United have completed the signings of
Serbian duo Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajic from Partizan Belgrade, and
Sir Alex Ferguson insists they will be the only new arrivals at Old
Trafford this month.
At one point it was suggested talks had collapsed as the various
parties could not reach a satisfactory conclusion.
However, any outstanding issues have now been resolved, leaving
Tosic free to join the Old Trafford outfit next week, with Ljajic
staying in Belgrade for the remainder of the season.
Ferguson is expecting a quiet month as his Premier League
counterparts gear up for the annual scramble for new faces.
'That is the end of the transfer business at Manchester United
this year,' he said. 'There will definitely not be anything else
this January.'
Despite being just 21, Tosic has already made 12 appearances for
Serbia and is regarded as one of the best young wide players in
Europe.
In theory, his arrival could be bad news for Nani, who has
struggled to make anything like the same impact as fellow
countryman Cristiano Ronaldo, having left Sporting Lisbon for
United 18 months ago.
Ljajic
However, with Ryan Giggs now 35 and set to figure even less over
the next 18 months, Ferguson may decide to persevere with Nani,
giving Tosic time to get used to his new surroundings.
'We have watched him for over a year,' said the United boss.
'Hopefully he does well but we will have to give him time because
he has not played since December 10. He will need to get used to
the tempo of our game and the training but he could play for us
this season.'
At just 17, Ferguson feels Ljajic will benefit from the
stability of remaining with Partizan, knowing his first-team
opportunities at United would be almost non-existent this
season.
Ljajic has already made his presence felt at under-21 level for
Serbia and most observers believe it is only a matter of time
before he gains full international honours.
It has been suggested United could end up paying around
£17million for the duo, who will link up with Nemanja Vidic at Old
Trafford, although that figure is likely to be based heavily on
future success and the club have refused to comment on the size of
an initial payment.
Ferguson confirmed he expects Vidic to play the role of father
figure, which the defender is happy to take on.
Vidic took the pair out for dinner before they finally signed
their contracts, although he insists there was no requirement for
any last-minute arm twisting. 'I did not need to convince them to
come to Manchester United,' he said. 'This is the best team in the
world. Everyone wants to be part of this squad.
'They are having a dream. I know how they feel. I found it very
difficult when I first came here but I am here to help.'