Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

UNITED SEAL POWELL DEAL

After making a personal visit to watch Nick Powell in action, Alex Ferguson has decided to splash out £4million to sign the Crewe youngster, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The 18-year-old has been a regular in the Railwaymen's first team this season, notching 15 goals in 44 appearances. Powell is another graduate of Crewe's famous academy, run by Dario Gradi, which has produced the likes of David Platt, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson and Dean Ashton in the past.

The transfer signals United's determination to stick to a policy of building with youth, and in Powell they have signed an excellent prospect who can play both as an attacking midfielder and out-and-out striker.

Crewe will hold onto their star player for the League Two playoff final against Cheltenham on May 27, giving United fans the perfect opportunity to have a look at the club's new signing.

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

Nick Powell.... who???

Our beloved Red Devils is scrapping the bottom of the barrel..... really pathetic

Cheerz
AC

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

Who will Hazard choose?

Hazard reveals final three

Belgium star Eden Hazard has confirmed he will be joining either Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea for next season.

The Belgium international is set to make his decision in the coming weeks as the Lille star takes into account a number of variables.

He admits that it will depend on how often he will play and where he will play for his new side.

Arsenal and Tottenham had also been linked with a deal for the 21-year-old forward, but he now admits that it will be one of the Manchester giants or Chelsea.

"I do not know when a decision will be made about my future club," he told the Belgian media after training with the national side.

"It will be between Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.

"The final choice also depends on how much play that I would get and the position where I play.

"Not everyone can say that he can choose from these three clubs."

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

here's a short write up of who nick powell is......

Nick Powell Would Be A Coup For United


According to reports, Man United have a £4million deal in place to sign Crewe youngster Nick Powell. Both Matt Stanger and his Grandad think it's a good move...

For the past 18 months my Grandad has been badgering me about the brilliance of Nick Powell.

As a lifelong Crewe Alexandra fan, his support spanning more than 80 years (I'm not allowed to reveal his actual age), he's seen plenty of skillful players turn out for the Railwaymen. But none, he says, have ever had as much potential as the 18-year-old forward linked with a £4million move to Manchester United.

I have to admit, the first time Grandad sang Powell's praises, I thought he may have had a few too many pints of mild. Given the quality players Crewe have produced in the past, it was certainly a bold claim.

I trusted that Powell was good, but was he honestly a better prospect than Dean Ashton, scorer of 74 goals for the Alex in his first five seasons as a professional? "Yes," was Grandad's reply. Better than Danny Murphy, who helped the club climb into the second tier of English football for the first time since 1896 before leaving for Liverpool? "Definitely." Even better than David Platt, who Dario Gradi snapped up as a teenager after his release from Man United and averaged more than a goal every three games before going on to win 62 England caps? "Yes. Matt, how long is this going to go on for? I'm playing bingo in half an hour."

It was emphatic approbation indeed, from a man who once refused to put one of my drawings on the fridge because I'd accidentally coloured over the lines.

After watching the youngster curl in his first senior goal in Crewe's 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon in October, I could see that Grandad hadn't been exaggerating, unlike his stories about being voted Mr.Cheshire for ten years in a row during his twenties. Here was a player built in the Gradi ethic. Always with his head up, Powell had excellent control, the ability to dribble past defenders and bags of determination.

"With kids we talk about can you get hold of the ball and can you do something with it. Can you keep the ball? Can you pass and move?" Gradi told the Guardian when he was presented with the Contribution to League Football Award in 2011. In his latest prodigy, Crewe's academy chief - who managed the club for over 25 years - has helped nurture those vital and evident attributes.

An England under-18 international, Powell clearly has a bright future ahead of him. After scoring 14 goals in 38 league matches for Crewe this season, he became the first player to pick up all five of the club's end of season awards, including Goal of the Season for this fabulous strike against Gillingham. When a player is acknowledged as being both the Young Player and Player of the Year, you know he's pretty special.

One man who apparently agrees is Sir Alex Ferguson. After receiving glowing reports of Powell from United's scouts, the manager made a personal visit to watch the youngster in action in Crewe's last game of the league campaign against Aldershot. Again Powell didn't fail to impress, helping his side recover from going behind to secure a playoff place.

And despite a gruelling first full season in professional football, the striker saved his best for last, scoring a wonder-goal at Wembley as Crewe achieved promotion thanks to a 2-0 victory over Cheltenham. With just 15 minutes on the clock, Powell picked up the ball on the edge of the area, before turning superbly and rifling across the goal into the top corner. If the move to United is completed, it will prove a fitting leaving present.

"You can't do what Barcelona do if your players aren't as good as their players. Although it looks easy, to receive the ball under pressure, it requires a really high level of skill," Gradi once said. "Plus you can't teach the confidence, the mental side of that kind of play."

Grandad might hold back from suggesting Powell is good enough to play for Barcelona, but should Man United part with the proposed £4million for the 18-year-old's signature, they will acquire a precocious talent with the requisite self-assurance described by Gradi.

Indeed, just over two months ago Powell was younger than the legal drinking age. On May 27 he was given the man of the match champagne following a sparkling performance in the League Two playoff final. Finishing the season as the Railwaymen's top scorer, Powell has already spearheaded one successful project of building with youth. It's now time to play a part in a second.

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

hmm... Pardon me, who is this Matt Stanger??:confused::rolleyes:

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

this matt guy is a sports reporter bro. i quoted his article from football365. :D

on a side note, it seems like eden hazard has decided to go for blue next season......the chelski blue that is. sigh.....another potential signing down.....

no disrespect to the players mentioned, but do we really have to go for the 2nd or 3rd tier players like powell, kevin prince boateng, kagawa etc?

and miss out on hazard, gaitan and modric, when we really need that creative spark in midfield? sigh.....

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

The pathetic financial state we are in.... forget about signing anyone costing more that Euro10million. :mad:

Perhaps, we should recall Van Nisteroy before he really retires....

Cheerz
AC

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

Hazard said he will choose the club that will give him the most playing time in his no.10 position. Then promptly chooses the club with the most uncertainty - Chelsea does not even have a manager confirmed. :rolleyes:

Can't resist the lure of the glitz and glamour of London, just say so. No need to cook up some half-assed 'footballing' reason. We can all understand being 21 y/o and wanting to be in the capital city instead of a grey, rainy Manchester.

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

united are very close to signing kagawa after seemingly losing out on hazard in the report below.

this japanese bloke doesn't come in cheap bro. :)

United close to Kagawa deal - reports


Manchester United are close to agreeing an initial £12m deal to sign Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa, according to reports in Germany.

Kagawa has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford and now Kicker report that Borussia Dotrmund have agreed to accept just £12m, with the fee rising to £17.5m with add-ons.

The midfielder's agent Thomas Kroth has travelled to Japan this week to discuss the move with Kagawa, who has previously revealed a meeting with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Kagawa cost Dortmund just £275,000 from Japanese club Cerezo Osaka and earns less than £15,000 a week so wages will not be a stumbling block in agreeing personal terms.

He notched 13 goals and 11 assists in the Bundesliga last season as he claimed his second successive Bundesliga winner's medal.

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How ironic. Folly of youth, and also CL glitter:rolleyes:

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

No fish prawn also good. Haizzzz

Pls at least sign some players to increase competition

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I think Man Utd is losing its grip on EPL. Now Chelsea and Man City and even Tottenham is catching up.

By the way i am a Chelsea fan.. since Zola, Vialli and Roberto Di Matteo that era. To see that all 3 are now managers already. Times flies

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

since chelski has gotten hazard, means they will not be going for modric now.

united should go all out to sign modric for that creative spark that was sorely lacking last season.

kagawa is more of an attacking midfielder. modric is the creative midfielder where he dictates play and pulls all the strings.

if we can get both modric and kagawa, we will definitely be able to put up a fight and wrest back the epl title next season.

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

Re: Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours
 

one must always look ahead bro. as long as sir alex is in charge, we can be sure that united will fight for the title.

last season we spent more than 60m pounds on de gea (18m), jones (17m), smalling (10m) and young (17m).

i am quite sure we could afford to get modric (asking price now is 35m pounds) and kagawa (15m) for a total of 50m. heck, we can even throw in leighton baines for another 8m and not exceed last year's spending. :D

we have also to most likely unload berba (should worth at least 5m), owen (free), and maybe listen to offers for nani (juve rumoured to be interested) if we need to sell to ease the cash outflow.