Hargreaves for £18m

Bayern likely to accept £18m for Hargreaves

Manchester United’s nine-month pursuit of Owen Hargreaves is finally approaching a successful conclusion, with the Barclays Premiership champions close to striking a deal in the region of £18 million with Bayern Munich for the England midfield player.

Fears were expressed by United officials this week that Bayern’s demand for £21 million may prove prohibitive, but negotiations are understood to have progressed well over the past few days. The clubs hope to reach an agreement that will allow Hargreaves to sign after the end of the Bundesliga campaign a week tomorrow, with a view to completing the transfer on July 1.

Personal terms will not be a problem, with Hargreaves having already approved the offer put to him through a third party last summer, so the only stumbling block is over the structure of the deal, with United keen for a portion of the transfer fee to be based on future achievements, as they have done in deals to sign Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick in recent years.

Hargreaves is envisaged as the first of at least three new signings by Sir Alex Ferguson this summer. The United manager is also keen to sign a new centre forward. Samuel Eto’o, of Barcelona, has emerged as an ambitious leading target, along with Dimitar Berbatov, of Tottenham Hotspur, but in both cases United would almost certainly be required to break their £30 million record outlay.

Fernando Torres, the young captain of Atlético Madrid, may be available for a smaller fee than last summer, when he was a target, but he is no longer thought to be a top priority, leaving Michael Owen as an intriguing possibility should Ferguson be willing to trigger a £9 million release clause in the player’s contract with Newcastle United.

Ferguson is also eager to rejuvenate his squad by signing a left winger as a long-term replacement for Ryan Giggs, whom the manager prefers to use in a more central position these days. Nani, a highly-rated youngster at Sporting Lisbon, is a candidate, but United’s interest in the 20-year-old may not be as strong as it had been. Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson’s assistant, told a Portuguese newspaper Nani is “not a short-term priority” and that no talks have taken place with Sporting.

A similar rationale applies to Gareth Bale, Southampton’s young left back, and, while either he or Nani could move to Old Trafford this summer, Ferguson is understood to be reluctant to commit himself to spending a large portion of his budget on two unproven players. Youthful reinforcements are already lined up with the return of several players from loan deals. Ben Foster is expected to challenge Edwin van der Sar for the goalkeeper’s jersey after his spell at Watford and Gerard Piqué, the young Spanish defender, has also been assured he will be in the first-team squad – most probably at the expense of Mikaël Silvestre – after impressing during a season with Real Zaragoza.

Players such as Foster and Pique will be eager to stake their claims on United’s preseason tour of Asia, but the four-match trip is becoming problematic. The club have been told they are “not welcome” to visit Kuala Lumpur for the final match of the tour against a Malaysia XI on July 26 because of a clash with the Asian Cup, being held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam from July 7 to 29.

United remain hopeful the visit to Malaysia can proceed as planned, but are wary of attracting adverse publicity in a “good-will” visit. The organiser, Pro-Events, maintains the visit will go ahead and is trying to obtain permission from the FA of Malaysia, emphasising the importance of United’s “platinum” partnership with Tourism Malaysia. David Gill, the United chief executive, has said he is “sad and disappointed” by the controversy, adding: “Malaysia is our second home. We are proud to come and celebrate Malaysia’s 50 years of independence and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.”

Originally Posted by rhodzy

Bayern likely to accept £18m for Hargreaves

Still a lot of money isnt it.

We're overpaying yet again. 18 million is far too much for a hard working versatile midfielder who, let's remember, very much wants to join us.

When David Gill and his team of dicks come knocking, opposing clubs must get those pound/dollar signs in their eyes like you see on cartoons.

is worth 18mio to us. although I don't suppose anyone else will be chasing him. still... nani and owen for less than 20mio for both and we'll start to look like we've got a squad. bearing in mind we can forget berbatov or eto'o.

I'm not sure the hargreaves price jumps out quite as much as the assumed profit for spurs on berbatov. the @#%&!s.

Originally Posted by jem

is worth 18mio to us. although I don't suppose anyone else will be chasing him. still... nani and owen for less than 20mio for both and we'll start to look like we've got a squad. bearing in mind we can forget berbatov or eto'o.

I'm not sure the hargreaves price jumps out quite as much as the assumed profit for spurs on berbatov. the @#%&!s.

people said 18mil (14 odd up front) was too much for carrick

How wrong were they I'd be happy to see both Owen's for 18mil and 9 mil!

Considering how much we need someone like him and how much he will give the club in the years to come, 18m is fine.

These things get forgotten very quickly once the player settles in.

It could backfire, but I seriously doubt it.

Rooney, Ronaldo and Carrick all had questionably large fees attached to them and all have made it look like a bargain already.

Oh, and 'personal terms agreed with a "third party"?'

Is that allowed?

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Considering how much we need someone like him and how much he will give the club in the years to come, 18m is fine.

These things get forgotten very quickly once the player settles in.

It could backfire, but I seriously doubt it.

Rooney, Ronaldo and Carrick all had questionably large fees attached to them and all have made it look like a bargain already.

Oh, and 'personal terms agreed with a "third party"?'

Is that allowed?

If you're alluding to a third party in a West Ham type way I don't think thats what it means. I read at the time that United made him aware of the contract he would be offered through said third party and he relayed that he's happy with what was on offer.

£18 million is a bit over the odds just like it was for Carrick but he's a player we need and just like Carrick he'll prove his worth. Hopefully we'll be able to structure it like Carricks deal.

Originally Posted by sparks_uuc

If you're alluding to a third party in a West Ham type way I don't think thats what it means. I read at the time that United made him aware of the contract he would be offered through said third party and he relayed that he's happy with what was on offer.

Not referring to that, no. It just seems shady that he should be made aware of any contract offer by anyone.

Is that allowed?

Surely that's tapping up?
















(forgive my ignorance if it's not the case. I'm not too up on these things.)

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Surely that's tapping up?

Sounds like it to me.

It will be worth far more than £18 millionto us anyway as Lennox Lewis and Greg Rudeski might buy shirts

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Sounds like it to me.

Cant hear a thing.

Originally Posted by Gog Coch

Cant hear a thing.

I know you can't that's why your only conversation" these days consists of shouting "Eh? Eh?" at whoever is talking to you. You need an ear trumpet.

The Eto'o rumours are just ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

The Eto'o rumours are just ridiculous.

Yup as are the Berbatov and Micah Richards ones.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Yup as are the Berbatov and Micah Richards ones.

Exactly. Same as the old rumours about Zidane or Batistuta, it's a waste of letters and reading time.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Exactly. Same as the old rumours about Zidane or Batistuta, it's a waste of letters and reading time.

I'm almost hoping we're after Huntelaar 'cos I'm getting a horrible feeling our forward signing is gonna be one of 2 English dwarves at either end of the country.

yeah, wouldn't get too excited about Owen but I would be genuinely disappointed if United sign the spurs reserve striker. He's the kind of player Liverpool would buy.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

yeah, wouldn't get too excited about Owen but I would be genuinely disappointed if United sign the spurs reserve striker. He's the kind of player Liverpool would buy.

I'll be £#%&!ing angry if we sign that Spurs reserve.

I'd be quite happy with Huntelaar tbh. Although if Saha is going I still think we'll need someone with a bit more power and pace. Huntelaar is no lightweight nor is he slow but I'd like to think we were aiming for someone with a bit more pace. However he's got an eye for goal and his link up play has improved an awful lot this season. From the games I've seen anyway.

Darren Bent could be a good shout but I'm not sure he'll cut it at the highest level week in week out. Mind you the same could be said about Huntelaar.

Will be interesting to see if we're following up our supposed interest in that striker at Sampdoria.