United lead way in summer signings

Manchester United have done what most good champions do the summer after a title success - strengthen their squad even further. Eurosport.yahoo.com looks at why United will once again be a force to be reckoned with come the start of the next campaign.

That United ended last season with a team already capable of retaining their crown come next May is of little import to Alex Ferguson; instead of resting on his laurels, the Scotsman has set about his summer transfer activity with a single-minded determination that is sure to send out a clear signal of intent to prospective challengers to the Premiership champions.

Backed by the Glazer family, United have to date spent over £50 million in bringing three new players to Old Trafford before the summer transfer window is even close to closing. Add to that the permanent signing of a loanee and the return from loan spells of two other rising young stars and United appear well set for another season of success.

Indeed Ferguson's close season activity has focused heavily on youth, with 20-year-old Nani and 19-year-old Anderson signing from Porto and Sporting Lisbon respectively while Ben Foster, 24, and Giuseppe Rossi, 20, have both returned from after loan periods elsewhere.

For good measure, Tomasz Kuszczak, the goalkeeper United have signed on a permanent basis from West Brom after last season's temporary deal, is only 25, an age at which a keeper is still classed as young.

It is perhaps ironic that should Ferguson have captured Owen Hargreaves when he first expressed an interest in him three years ago, he would surely have also been classified in the same category, but at 26, the former Bayern Munich man is slightly too old to qualify.

Nonetheless, the signing of Hargreaves could turn out to be the best of all and the England man represents what Ferguson has been searching for ever since Roy Keane left the club two years ago - a high energy defensive midfielder capable of stamping his authority on a game. Michael Carrick was signed from Tottenham at this time last year amid much fanfare and expectation that he was 'the new Keane', but the quietly spoken lad from the north east is not that kind of player.

Hargreaves most definitely can be. His displays for club and country over the last three years have been exceptional and a player who can break up opposition attacks before launching one of his own is really what United have been lacking since Keane left.

Carrick has enjoyed an exceptional season, proving critics of his sizeable price tag wrong along the way, but with Hargreaves now in the reckoning, he will be expected to take up a different role and that could mean, rather unfortunately, acting as an' understudy.

What will be interesting to see is how much Ferguson will use Nani and Anderson. The pair undoubtedly have talent, but whether the boys are ready for the man's world of the Premiership is yet to be seen. Ferguson is a big fan of nurturing his young players and bringing them through slowly, so it may be that their playing time at the beginning of their United careers is limited.

And lest we forget, whilst Nani and Anderson are seen as long term replacements for Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, the veteran pair are far from being thrown onto the Premiership scrap heap. That mistake was made at this time last year, and just look at how they both responded.

But the young duo will get their chances soon enough, as neither Giggs nor Scholes are capable of putting in a full season this time round, and the thought of Nani and Anderson playing alongside Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at some stage in the future is a truly mouthwatering one.

All that remains to complete a thoroughly successful summer shopping spree is the capture of a world class striker. With Alan Smith's future at Old Trafford increasingly uncertain, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer not getting any younger and Louis Saha's regular failure to maintain fitness, United desperately need another forward.

The return of Rossi is undoubtedly a fillip for Ferguson, and the American-born Italian, who played a starring role in Parma's escape from relegation during his loan spell in Serie A last season, could yet prove to be the 'next big thing' on these shores.

But Ferguson will know that he has to bring in a proven goalscorer to partner Rooney up front if United are to sustain a challenge on both the domestic and European fronts next season.

Carlos Tevez, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Dimitar Berbatov, even Eidur Gudjohnsen - all linked with United - would take the pressure of Rooney's, albeit rather broad, shoulders and take Ferguson's side on that step further.

While Chelsea are seemingly reticent to splash any more cash and looking like starting the season with the same problems that hampered them last time out, Arsenal have lost their inspirational captain and uncertainty continues to hang over the future of their manager.

Elsewhere Liverpool's US owners are dipping into their pockets, but possibly on the wrong players, and while there is still plenty of movement to come in this summer's transfer market, United are looking like they will be starting the new season in an even stronger position than last.

_________________

Status : married with two daughter
Location : Pantai Dalam,KL


My Daughter
My Multiply
My Wife

;DMay 2006
;DAugust 2006
;DSeptember 2006
;DOctober 2006
;DNovember 2006
;DDecember 2006
;DJanuary 2007
;DFebruary 2007
;DMarch 2007
;DApril 2007
;DMay 2007
;DJuly 2007
;DAugust 2007
;DSeptember 2007
;DOctober 2007
;DNovember 2007
;DDecember 2007
;DJanuary 2008
;DFebruary 2008
;DMarch 2008
;DApril 2008
;DMay 2008
;DJuly 2008
;DSeptember 2008
;DOctober 2008
;DNovember 2008
;DDecember 2008
;DJanuary 2009
;DFebruary 2009
;DMarch 2009
;DApril 2009
;DMay 2009
;DJune 2009
;DJuly 2009
;DAugust 2009
;DSeptember 2009
;DOctober 2009
;DDecember 2009
;DJanuary 2010
;DFebruary 2010
;DMarch 2010
;DApril 2010
;DMay 2010
;DJune 2010
;DJuly 2010
;DAugust 2010
;DSeptember 2010
;DOctober 2010
;DNovember 2010
;DDecember 2010
;DJanuary 2011
;DFebruary 2011
;DMarch 2011
;DApril 2011
;DMay 2011
;DJune 2011
;DJuly 2011
;DAugust 2011
;DSeptember 2011
;DOctober 2011
;DDecember 2011
;DJanuary 2012
;DFebruary 2012
;DMarch 2012
;DApril 2012


Renewal Road Tax&Insuran

*Mudahkan urusan anda
*Renewal road tax dan insuran
*Terus ke pintu
*Premium insuran boleh dirunding
*6 bulan @ setahun @ budget pocket
*klang valley sahaja

call segera....En.Asmadi di talian 0196633543
-------------------------------------------------

Alpha Lipid Lifeline

Susu berkolostrum tinggi yg dapat menghasilkan antibodi &membina semula sel-sel agar kembali kuat untuk melawan berbagai jenis penyakit. Maklumat lanjut boleh terus ke link=Alpha Lipid Lifeline

real estate website design

cbox