Michael Owen: I could be earning more elsewhere

Michael Owen has reaffirmed his happiness at Manchester United.

Owen admits accusations of taking the easy option at United does hurt.

He told the Observer: "I joined Twitter and you read a lot of the comments. You're biting your lip and you want to reply but you know a headline will be made from it and you don't want to give people the satisfaction. It's obvious I've had a good career and earned money. The last thing I thought I'd be accused of by going to Manchester United was doing it for money.

"I could have gone to lots of other clubs and earned more. The attraction from Man Utd's end was that they could get a free transfer and use their name and their ability to win trophies and their kudos to attract players such as me. That's where they've got an advantage, where they wouldn't have to pay bigger wages.

"At other clubs a wealthy investor might have to pay twice as much as everyone else because if they don't they won't get the player. My situation is the opposite. I've been attracted to the club by the players, by the manager, the ability to win things. Money is not the motivation. I've had a great career. I've done really well. My management company [the Wasserman Media Group] concluded the deal with United in hours. That shows you. I wanted to play under the manager and in a fantastic team. I just can't believe how many people think otherwise."

Whizkid Barkley could go for £30M as Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea circle

Everton youngster Ross Barkley is set to become the most expensive teenager in English football.

The Mail on Sunday says Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all made known their interest in Everton's midfield sensation Ross Barkley.

He is seen by some as an even better prospect than another Goodison Park product, Wayne Rooney, and is set to top the £25.6m United paid for the then 18-year-old seven years ago.

Although Everton will fight to hang on to Barkley, who is not 18 until December, their dire financial situation has made them vulnerable to big offers. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation.

One top representative said: "I thought Stevie Gerrard was the best kid in his position that I've ever seen, but Barkley is as good. There's no doubt he is going to be a top player."

Smalling, Jones chose Man Utd over Arsenal due to Fergie passion

 Sir Alex Ferguson's determination convinced Chris Smalling and Phil Jones to choose Old Trafford over Arsenal.

The duo have put in some fine performances for Manchester United already this season and are looking like they can be the solid defensive core for Ferguson’s team in the future.

However, a source close to the transfers revealed that both were heading for the Emirates, until Ferguson stepped in.

“Arsenal must be regretting what happened over Smalling and Jones,’’ he revealed to the Sunday Express.

“Arsenal had agreed to sign Smalling from Fulham, but then Sir Alex stepped in. He was in no mood to let Smalling out of his sights.’’

Jones was also linked to the Gunners, although United were always favourites to land the defender.

Fergie will tell Man United hierarchy to let Mourinho succeed him

Sir Alex Ferguson will recommend Jose Mourinho as his successor when he eventually leaves Old Trafford. 

Ferguson’s decision to back his former rival for the biggest job in football will be critical for The Special One, who has made plenty of enemies during a colourful career with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and now Real Madrid.

Senior figures at Old Trafford are concerned Mourinho will tarnish the club’s reputation, and his cause was not helped earlier this month when he allegedly poked Barcelona’s assistant manager Tito Vilanova in the eye following a recent Real Madrid defeat at the Nou Camp. 

But Ferguson, who has grown increasingly close to Mourinho since the Portuguese left England in 2007, still believes he is the right man for the job with the required experience, work ethic and personality - and will tell the United board when he is consulted. 

A source who knows both managers said: ‘Alex and Jose are close - Alex will do what he can to get him the United job. Jose has had many problems at Real Madrid but Alex understands that is largely to do with his nationality.

‘Jose is proud of his country but Spanish people look down on the Portuguese and don’t like to take orders from them. 

‘It is different in England - when Jose left, it was massive news and the Chelsea players felt it was like a bereavement.’ 

One of Ferguson’s most experienced players, Rio Ferdinand, has also gone on record as saying Mourinho is the ‘only man big enough’ to fill Sir Alex’s shoes when he retires.

But he still has to win over other people at United who have balked at his long-running feud with Barcelona.

Mourinho is currently serving a five-match touchline ban in the Champions League after accusing officials of helping Barcelona win last season’s hotly contested semi-final against Real.

Ferguson, whose United team face Mourinho’s former club Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, keeps in regular touch with his one-time rival and spent time in Lisbon ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Benfica helping to contribute towards a favourable biography about the celebrated Portuguese manager, who has won the Champions League with Porto and Inter. 

He credits Mourinho’s arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2004 in helping Manchester United raise their own game, noting in particular the fast starts Chelsea made in the Premier League. 

It is something United have emulated this season, winning all four games so far and scoring 18 goals.

Shevchenko: Man Utd ace Rooney best in world

AC Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko regards Manchester United star Wayne Rooney as a world great.

Rooney’s goalscoring exploits haven’t gone unnoticed by the man who is still the third highest goalscorer in ­European football history.

Dynamo Kyiv striker Shevchenko told the Daily Star: “There is no player in modern-day football who can match Rooney’s efficiency and work-rate.

“He is a magnificent player – the sort that any manager in the world would want in his starting line-up.”

Anton reveals Man Utd defender Rio would take QPR option

QPR signing Anton Ferdinand admits he spoke to brother Rio about moving to Loftus Road.

Anton says the Manchester United star gave the move the thumbs up.

Ferdinand was speaking with Absolute Radio extra’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Football.

He said: "I spoke to my brother about it you know, and he said to me whatever decision you make he’s 100 percent behind me, which a brother would do, but he said if it was him he would go."

Friedel slams critics for caning Man Utd youngster De Gea

Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel has blasted critics of Manchester United's David de Gea.

Friedel admits to being appalled at the way David De Gea, Manchester United’s new £18 million goalkeeper has been vilified.

“The first game, the first two goals in the Community Shield [against Manchester City] and everyone is trying to blame him,” he told the Telegraph.

 “The goal with the cross — if it was any other goalkeeper that goalkeeper would not have got mentioned. I’ve no idea why people want to jump on him. It’s something he has to deal with — and he couldn’t be at a better club for that — but the English goalkeepers get absolutely caned over here and I’ve no idea why.”

Park: The United cash machine who owes it all to a diet of boiled frogs and antlers!

At midnight on Sunday, Korean time, millions will tune their televisions or radios into Manchester United kicking off against Chelsea, none of them sure if their main man will even feature. 

For this is hero worship, Asian-style, and the man they all adore is Park Ji-sung, the most successful footballer the world's largest continent has produced. 

It is also music to the ears of United's money men because, increasingly, even the most far-flung fans are translating to cash. What does Park life sound like at Old Trafford? Ker-ching.

Sales of United merchandise in Korea, including but not exclusively Park-emblazoned shirts, is now a 'multi-millionpound' earner each year, say the club. 

Just over a million Koreans have a United-branded credit or debit card, many showing Park's face. United earn an undisclosed sum from each. 

United have played lucrative pre-season matches in South Korea's capital, Seoul, twice since Park signed from PSV Eindhoven in 2005, during Asian tours in 2007 and 2009. The income from those sell-out games was 'multi-million'. 

Audited data shows that 40million South Koreans in total watch United games on TV each season, or roughly one million people per game. The club have a Korean language website that attracts four million users annually. 

That platform is seen as hugely important to some of United's biggest sponsors and partners, including Audi, Aon and Nike, to deliver their pitches in a language and style that works locally. And there are official South Korean United restaurants in Seoul and Daegu.

Tot up the income from shirts and financial services, from the tours and cafes and sponsor related income derived from the website, not to mention an indefinable sum from Premier League overseas TV rights that might be attributed to United's lure in Korea, and it is many millions per year.

If Park is not quite the man who pays his own way - because, United argue with justification, they would be popular in Korea in any case, and that their signing him helped send his star into orbit - then he certainly keeps the bank manager happy. 

United have more than 300m fans around the world, and claim 27m in South Korea from a population of 49m. Jang Hee-Sung, a Daegu taxi driver in her mid-forties, said: 'We call Ji-Sung "Hero" because we're so proud of his achievements. He is as popular as the president. Maybe more! I watch United because Park plays for them.' 

In Suwon, the city where Park grew up and where the national football museum has its own Park Ji-Sung room, I meet Hyoshin Park, a fan in his twenties.

He said: 'Park is adored not just as a good player but for his character. Even people who don't particularly like soccer are interested in him, and in United.' 

The reaction is the same everywhere. Not a single person was unaware of Park and that he played for United. There is a Park Ji-Sung Street in Suwon and Park has his own charitable JS Foundation HQ nearby, based at his own football academy, which has its own Park museum, and where 500 children a week go to play on grass pitches.

The only son of Myung-Ja and father Sung-Jong caused his parents huge concerns as a frail youngster, so the family turned to a traditional Korean menu to help him grow and increase his strength - boiled frogs, antlers and deer blood. 

'It smelled like intestines, as if deadly and undrinkable,' Park Sung-Jong recalled in a Korean TV documentary. Park Ji-sung himself added that he was unaware at the time what he was consuming. 

'I know now that I ate frogs,' he said. 'I ate antlers and deer blood. If it was good for my body, I ate a lot. I'd sometimes throw up after eating but still I ate what I was given. I wanted to be good at football and my desire was greater than my distaste at eating these foods.' 

Park's father recalled this week: 'There are two reasons he was deeply into football. First, there were not many sports which children were easily able to learn in Korea in the Nineties, but with football you could begin early. Second, he recognised you could enjoy playing without great strength or size - and as a smaller boy, he was attracted to it.' 

Hwang Jae-Lee, from the JS Foundation, stresses that Park's academy is primarily to give children access to sport, not to develop saleable players. United insist their popularity in Korea is long-standing and not reliant on Park. 

'That said, Ji is a fantastic player in terms of how he conducts himself on and off the pitch and our sponsors and fans are hugely appreciative of what he does,' said a spokesman. Such is Park life - that and watching games in your pyjamas.

Frustrated keeper Kuszczak slams Manchester United over blocked move Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2037236/Tomasz-Kuszczak-slams-Manchester-United-blocked-move.html#ixzz1Z7cDmQt7

Tomasz Kuszczak has accused Manchester United of pricing him out of a move away from Old Trafford. 

Kuszczak is desperate to leave the club in search of first-team football and was linked with former employers West Bromwich Albion during the summer. 

But the Poland international reckons clubs were put off by a £4million asking price. 

'I am angry and disappointed with the way I am treated,' said Kuszczak in The Sun. 'I had a few good offers. The problem was the club who wanted to sell me for £4m.'

The 29-year-old is behind David De Gea and Anders Lindegaard in the pecking order at the Premier League champions and has made just 61 appearances since arriving from the Baggies, initially on loan, five years ago.

United will never replace Scholes - we have to move on, admits Giggs

Ryan Giggs wishes his old mate Paul Scholes had not quit in the summer - because he knows Manchester United will never find another like him. 

While 37-year-old Giggs has already embarked on yet another campaign, Scholes is waiting for a planned coaching role to be defined. 

In the aftermath of last season's Champions League final defeat to Barcelona, Scholes decided he was no longer contributing to the United cause in a manner he felt was appropriate.

Most of his team-mates disagreed, Giggs among them, and Sir Alex Ferguson embarked on a fruitless search for a replacement playmaker who could take on the responsibility Scholes carried for so long. 

Giggs felt it was almost a pointless search. He knows someone of Scholes' ability simply cannot be replaced. 

'Will you get another Paul Scholes?' he told MUTV. 'No. Never. Not in a million years. 

'Getting someone in like for like is impossible. But the club has to go on. We have to evolve. That is the Manchester United way.'

Scholes did not ask Giggs for advice prior to making his final decision, and the Welshman did not feel it right to offer any, knowing his long-time team-mate has such clarity of thought. 

However, he does feel the former England star was basing his decision on the standards he set himself rather than those others produce. 

'You want to perform at a high level because of the expectations you have for yourself,' said Giggs. 'If you drop slightly below, you feel you are not contributing to the team. 

'I told him he was controlling most of the games he played in, that is what he was brilliant at, but the longer it went on, I got the feeling he was going to call it a day.

'I would never try and change his mind but I wish he had carried on because he could have done it.'

Giggs has no hesitation in declaring Scholes to be his favourite team-mate: 'In training, you just couldn't get near him. It was a joy to watch.'

Now though, a career in coaching beckons, with Giggs believing his friend, notoriously economic with words, will be an ideal tutor. 

'Five years ago, if you had said coaching to Scholesy, he would have said "no chance",' he said. 'But gradually, as he did his badges and got to the end of his career, you could see him change. 

'He is a clever lad and will instantly demand respect from young players coming through. 

'Just imagine have Paul telling you what to do? If you don't understand, he will demonstrate. He can do everything with a ball.' 

Man Utd following Dundee Utd whizkid Scott Allan

Dundee United starlet Scott Allan is being watched by Manchester United.

Skysports.com says United are one of the clubs keeping tabs on him.

Martin Ferguson attended Dundee United's clash with Dunfermline last month with the purpose of catching Allan in action, but on the day he did not make it off the bench.

But with Sir Alex dispatching his brother, and most trusted scout north of the border, it is a clear indication that Allan has made a big impact.

Owen: I have never been under so much pressure in my career

Michael Owen admits he's never been under so much pressure as he is at Manchester United.

Owen knows if he does not perform when he gets the chance, he could have weeks to dwell on it.

And that is proving tougher than when Liverpool and, indeed the whole country, looked to him in every game.

Owen, 31, said: "If I was playing every week, you could afford a bad game here or there because you can always score one in the next game. That is my first match of the season and, if I didn't play well, I would have a long time to stew on it and people would have a long time to criticise me. It puts the pressure on me.

"I have had some massive games in my career but you almost feel yourself getting nervous more these days because, as I say, it has been a while since I started.

"That negative thought in the back of your mind is definitely there going into games because you know you cannot put things right in three or four days' time like most other players who play all the time.

"I still feel I have to prove myself every time I play."

Ezekiel Fryers happy making Man Utd debut alongside pals Pogba, Cole

Ezekiel Fryers was delighted making his Manchester United debut with two of his Academy teammates.

Fryers was joined at Leeds United by fellow debutants Larnell Cole and Paul Pogba, who both stepped off the bench to produce accomplished, steady performances against noteworthy Championship opposition which was a comforting point for the Reds' defender.

“It was good to have Larnell and Pogba alongside me when they came on," he told MUTV. "We have been playing together for a long time, so this was massive for all of us.”

Berbatov capable as a defender says Owen

Michael Owen believes Dimitar Berbatov could make an accomplished defender after seeing his performance for Manchester United last night.

The Bulgarian striker twice cleared off the line early in the 3-0 Carling Cup win at Leeds United before moving to central defence when youngster Ezekiel Fryers came off with cramp late in the match.

Owen, who scored twice in the win, said Berbatov sometimes plays a similar role in training and was not surprised to see him do well when required down back.

"Berba can play there," said Owen.

"He does it occasionally in training. It was no surprise when he put his hand up and said he would do it."

Ferguson pleased for Pogba, Larnell Cole after winning debuts

 Sir Alex Ferguson praised Paul Pogba and Larnell Cole for their performances in victory at Leeds United.

The pair made their Carling Cup debuts in the 3-0 win.

Ferguson said: “Paul Pogba came on at half-time and had a good 45, young Larnell Cole came on at the end, which was very good for him. He’s a very young under-18s player, he’s the youngest of the players coming on so it was good for them to get a taste of the atmosphere and a taste of what the first team’s like.”

Man Utd owners to hand 500 staff £5M in bonuses

Manchester United are paying staff huge bonus money, it has been revealed.

The Daily Mail says United will pay out a record £5million in bonuses to more than 500 Old Trafford staff.

The Glazer family wrote to employees last Monday to tell them they are all in line for a 7.9 per cent bonus on their annual salary in recognition of the club’s success.

Some members of staff, such as £2million-a-year chief executive David Gill, will net just under £160,000 from the scheme.

Other high-flyers, such as chief operating officer Michael Bolingbroke, chief of staff Ed Woodward and board member Michael Edelson, have all hit the jackpot.

Carrick: Pogba can be Man Utd star

Michael Carrick says Paul Pogba can be a Manchester United star.

The French teen is set to start tonight in the Carling Cup at Leeds United.

"Paul is a huge talent," said midfielder Carrick.

"He has trained with us a number of times, so we have seen quite a lot of him and he looks very promising.

"If he goes about things in the right way and gets a little bit of luck at the right time, he is going to have a bright future."

Park: I used to eat frogs, antlers and deer blood

Park Ji-sung has revealed he was fed a combination of frogs, antlers and deer blood when he was a youngster.

The former South Korea captain’s parents were worried about him because of his frailty when he was a child and decided to put him on a diet of things they thought would help him grow strong.

Park admitted it was a lethal cocktail to swallow but says he wanted to become the best footballer he could so consumed whatever he was served by his parents.

“It smelled like intestines, as if deadly and undrinkable,” he said.

“I know now that I ate frogs. I ate antlers and deer blood. If it was good for my body, I ate a lot. I'd sometimes throw up after eating but still I ate what I was given.

“I wanted to be good at football and my desire was greater than my distaste at eating these foods.”

Sir Alex has played down comparisons between Paul Pogba and Patrick Vieira.

The kid brother of Sunderland defender Wes Brown is in line for a Manchester United debut tonight.

Reece Brown is in the United squad for tonight's Carling Cup tie at Leeds United.

Brown, a defender like Wes, can also play in midfield and tweeted yesterday he was in the squad for tonight's tie.

Meanwhile, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has played down comparisons between Paul Pogba and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira.

"Well, he's the same height! Vieira was a great player and the boy's only 18. What was Patrick like at 18? Playing centre-half at Cannes wasn't he?

"Then he emerged as a midfield player at Milan. Pogba does have great physique, is athletic, has good control and he could be a surprise for us."

Man Utd boss tips even more to come from Nani

Sir Alex Ferguson believes winger Nani will start to produce even more for Manchester United.

The Portugal international is beginning to emerge as one of the clubs key players with 19 goals and 34 assists in 100 appearances for the Old Trafford outfit.

After his cracking goal in the 3-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, Fergie says Nani’s best is still to come.

"Nani's marvellous, he was brilliant today, absolutely brilliant," Ferguson told MUTV after the game.

"He's a terrific player, the lad, and he's starting to mature. We're going to get the best years out of him, no doubt."

Match Analysis: Manchester United 3-1 Chelsea, Extremely fluid and structured in attacking positions brings victory

A crazily open game with no overall pattern, so here are some disparate observations.

1. Early on, there was an amazing lack of pressure upon the player in possession in midfield, particularly when Anderson and Darren Fletcher had the ball. This seems to be an early trend this season around Europe – in Serie A games it has been particularly obvious that sides aren’t closing down until the opposition get into the final third of the pitch. Considering Barcelona are currently the best side around and base their game without the ball around pressing, it’s a strange development.

2. When Manchester United played Chelsea four times last season, the major trend was that Chelsea needed a strong player to stay goalside of Wayne Rooney – when he dropped into the hole, he was a major threat. Andre Villas-Boas wasn’t naive enough to go without a holder, but he did play Raul Meireles there. The Portuguese midfielder is a functional player who can play there (arguably his major quality is his ability to ‘do a job’; it’s difficult to identify a particular area of the game he excels at), but probably not against a player as dangerous as Rooney. Jon Obi Mikel may have been a better bet:

3. United have often been extremely fluid in attacking positions this season, but today there were much more structured. The wide players tended to stay wider, for example – compare Young’s positioning today with his action zones against Tottenham on the opening day.

4. The interesting thing about this week’s “story” about Fernando Torres criticising his teammates was that Torres actually offered a good analysis of the reasons why he hasn’t thrived at Chelsea. His major source of goals at Liverpool was from through-balls played into his path, and his comments that he wanted a more ‘vertical’ game at Chelsea with creative midfielders who played the ball more quickly was a fine analysis. It doesn’t excuse his own poor finishing, but it does explain why he hasn’t suited Chelsea – or why Chelsea hasn’t suited him. His brighter performance today came because Chelsea were trying to slide balls through the defence – see his goal, as well as his inexplicable miss.

(Contender for Miss of the Year)

5. In hindsight, this wasn’t a game for Frank Lampard. Mikel could have dealt with Rooney, and Chelsea would have been able to press better, as well as assist Torres more effectively, with two of Ramires, Meireles and Juan Mata playing just ahead. Lampard has been an extremely effective player – without ever being an extremely talented player – for many years, largely because he was perfect for a specific role in a specific system. Villas-Boas has changed that system, and now roles have changed, even within the same starting formation. It is too soon to write off Lampard, but he may have to adapt to retain his place as a regular.

6. If Villas-Boas is trying to modernise Chelsea and create a better passing side, he’d do well to look at his centre-backs’ ability on the ball. Jonny Evans had a 95% pass completion rate, Phil Jones’ was 88%, but John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic both finished on 77%.

7. Throughout all Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides, perhaps the main similarity has been the use of width, and the use of diagonal balls. That was particularly obvious today – Evans played a great crossfield ball to Nani for the goal, and Anderson did the same shortly before Nani set up Javier Hernandez in the first half. Rooney often dropped deep and played a shorter diagonal. When a 4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 meets a 4-3-3, often the main advantage for the former is the fact that the wingers are often immediately against the opposition full-back – the wide forward in the 4-3-3 usually watches the opposition full-back rather than covers his own. Twice in a row at Old Trafford, United’s right-winger has dominated Ashley Cole.

8. When ahead, players who can come off the bench and play simple passes to keep the ball are invaluable. Michael Carrick is the classic example, but Dimitar Berbatov did well, not conceding possession once from 14 passes.

9. United conceded 22 shots here, 22 at Bolton, 20 against Arsenal, 21 against West Brom and 16 against West Brom. These are surprisingly high figures (they’ve allowed more shots than any other Premier League team) – the question is whether this is because of defensive slackness, or because opponents are overly-keen to test David De Gea.

10. Despite a couple of errors here, Villas-Boas is doing a good job at Chelsea. The side needed an overhaul of its first XI and its general football ideology, and already the side seems fresher, younger and more technical. They competed well here, and were unfortunate to be 3-0 down at half-time. Some managers would have feared a thrashing and shut up shop, but the introduction of Nicolas Anelka for Lampard – and a change to more of a 4-2-1-3 – showed bravery, positivity and confidence in his players, and it broadly worked well.

(Match Highlight)

Pallister's advice to De Gea: You'll be incredible if you bulk up

Former Manchester United defender Gary Pallister has called upon David de Gea to bulk up for the physical challenges of the Premier League, while backing the young keeper to become a success at Old Trafford. 

De Gea, signed from Atletico Madrid for £20million in the summer, has made a nervous start to his career with the champions, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson taking him out of the firing line for the mid-week Champions League draw at Benfica.

His replacement, Anders Lindegaard, impressed in his place in Lisbon - the Dane sending out a clear warning to his Spanish colleague that he intends to fight for the No 1 jersey. 

But Pallister, who won four Premier League titles with United in the 1990s, has little doubt De Gea will establish himself. 

The former England international claimed that legendary United stopper Peter Schmeichel suffered similar difficulties after arriving from Brondby in 1991. 

Pallister said: 'There are similarities. Peter came over with a terrific reputation and found it difficult in his first few games in this league because it's a lot more physical.

'Where he was playing in Denmark or where De Gea was playing in the Spanish league, you're now going to get people standing on your toes at corners or barging you on the goal line to get the ball in the back of the net.

'It's something he will have to come to terms with but it's happened to the very best, so who's to say he won't deal with it? I think he will.

'He looks a very slight lad, he may have to bulk up a little bit. But I think there is belief in the club he will stand in good stead and I think he believes in himself. I think he will be a success.'

Pallister feels the 20-year-old stopper needs to be given time to build his confidence and develop an understanding with the defenders in front of him. 

He added: 'The centre-halves and the goalkeeper have to develop a relationship as well. You have to understand whether the goalkeeper is going to deal with balls coming into your box or whether he will let you deal with it. That will come with time as well. 

'The defence can help by talking to him. Certainly the way he saved that penalty against Arsenal, the way they celebrated telling him they were right behind him, shows they trust him and want him to do well. And I think by giving something back to the Old Trafford crowd, that is very important for his settling-in period.'

Pallister is also full of praise for Phil Jones, claiming the defender could go on to establish himself as an England regular. 

The £16.5million summer arrival from Blackburn has impressed at the start of his United career and Pallister thinks the 19-year-old has what it takes to rise to the top.

He said: 'It's easy to get carried away with his start at Manchester United. But you have to look at the maturity he's got and the type of character he is. 

'He dictates to other people on the pitch, which is very rare for a young lad, and it shows he has a lot of confidence and belief in himself. He has been right out the top drawer.

'You never know the pitfalls ahead, but on talent alone he has a big England future. 

'He has been absolutely outstanding. I didn't expect him to play too many games so early in his career there, but injuries to Rio [Ferdinand] and Nemanja [Vidic] have seen him come in and look an outstanding prospect.

'He plays with great maturity and doesn't appear to have any kind of weakness in his game. 

'He looks a real big star of the future. For a player to come in at that age and be as settled as he is says a lot about the kid's temperament.'

Qatar Royal Family willing to go higher than £1.5 BILLION for Man Utd

The Qatari royal family are willing to pay more than £1.5 BILLION to buy Manchester United.

The Mirror says top Middle East sources revealed last night that an official approach to the Glazer family is being made and a deal could even be clinched by next week.

The American owners - who have angered fans by running one of the world’s top clubs in their own controversial way - could be open to doing business, despite past refusals.

The super-rich Qataris think United is a good deal - even at the profit it would make for the current rulers and other shareholders.

A delegation from the Qatari royal family, headed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, will be in Manchester on Monday in a bid to conclude the deal.

The news would be a boost for boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who is trying to compete with neighbours Manchester City’s new wealth, which also, ironically, comes from the Arab world.

Ferguson sees similarities with Chelsea rival Villas-Boas

Sir Alex Ferguson can see similarities between himself and Chelsea rival Andre Villas-Boas.

Ferguson feels it is what happens from this point forward that will determine whether he makes a success of the job.

"There are similarities to the time when I came down from Aberdeen," he reflected.

"I had achieved some things at Aberdeen. That helped me.

"It is the same for Villas-Boas. He won the double last year with Porto and also the Europa League.

"That achievement will stand him in good stead in terms of the start to his tenure at Chelsea.

"After that, the impression the players will get from him, in terms of his knowledge of the game and his man-management skills, is all in the future.

"He has had a good start though."

Man Utd consider delaying Singapore flotation

Manchester United may wait until stock market begins to settle before going ahead with their Singapore flotation.

United, who have privately dismissed renewed speculation about a potential £1.5billion sale to the Qatari Royal Family, have been given permission to launch a flotation.

It had been thought the Glazer family would actively pursue a move that would allow the whole process to be completed by the end of next month, which is still possible.

However, with the club keen to ensure a successful flotation, insiders say they are currently "in no rush" to execute their plans.

One of the reasons for this could be to allow the Stock Market to settle, thereby maximising returns which the Glazer family are hoping will be around £600million if, as anticipated, they opt to put 25 per cent of the club on the market.

Solskjaer linked with Kean Blackburn post

 Legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is being linked with Steve Kean's job at Blackburn Rovers.

Solskjaer is currently impressing in charge of Norway's Molde.

Solskjaer's agent Jim Solbakken, though, has refused to comment on the possibility of Norwegian returning to English football.

"Blackburn Rovers have a manager," he told the Daily Mirror.

"And Ole is doing very well in Norway."