Hargreaves holds no grudge against Man Utd over departure

Owen Hargreaves holds no grudge against Manchester United after his release.

The free agent is now in talks with West Bromwich Albion after proving his fitness.

Hargreaves told the Daily Mail: "I don't blame them for letting me go.

"I can understand it. There comes a point when you have to say this hasn't worked out. The game has moved on. See you later, all the best.

"David Gill's a terrific guy and a terrific chief executive. And with the boss there is no animosity. There was probably a lot of frustration on his part even if there was a lot more on mine.

"I told the boss I will play 40 games this season. He said he could see me playing again, but he wanted to start bringing the younger players through. When I played for him he was fantastic.

"He's a great manager. He knows the players who can win a game for him. He's the best at that.

"The guys were great, too. It's a wonderful club. The people behind the scenes are terrific. Some of the guys on the medical staff have become great friends. At one stage I did offer to play for nothing this season, just to stay on. But they said, "You don't want to do that" and they were probably right."

Six clubs chasing released Man Utd midfielder Hargreaves

Six clubs are battling for freed Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves.

The Daily Star Sunday says the former England and Manchester United star has gone to extraordinary lengths as he looks for a club, posting YouTube videos of his training regime.

West Bromwich Albion are one of the clubs in the hunt but assistant manager Michael Appleton has revealed the chasing pack is growing.

Appleton said: “There are about five or six clubs linked with him, so it’s a bit of a ­complicated one.

“Whoever has a look at him – be that West Brom, Wolves, Blackburn or whoever – the lad’s hardly played for four years.

“He was an outstanding talent before his injury, so whoever it is, I would imagine they would have to look at him for a few weeks before making a decision.”

Released midfielder Hargreaves waiting for offers

Released Man Utd midfielder Owen Hargreaves is waiting for offers.

The Sun says Hargreaves' career is in the balance, with few takers for the injury-hit midfielder.

The ex-England ace, 30, released by Man Utd after just 39 appearances in four years, is willing to take a pay-as-you-play deal with the right club.

A return to Canada and the Vancouver Whitecaps has been mooted.

Ferguson confirms Owen Hargreaves's exit

Manchester United have called time on Owen Hargreaves' career at Old Trafford and will not offer him a new contract.

The decision almost certainly brings an end to the midfielder's playing days after a terrible time with knee problems.

The United manager has refused to write off the rest of his career. 

'This has been a difficult decision knowing how hard the lad has worked to win back his fitness,' said Ferguson. 'But we have made it in the hope he will be able to resurrect his career elsewhere.' 

His football nightmare began at the start of his second season with United when tendinitis, which first struck at Munich, deteriorated badly.

Not even the skills of famed Colorado knee specialist Richard Steadman could find a cure.

Hargreaves set to be offered a lifeline by Man United as he nears full fitness

Manchester United are set to offer injury-plagued midfielder Owen Hargreaves a one-year contract extension.

Hargreaves has only played a total of six minutes of first-team football in over two years since double knee surgery in January 2009, but United's medical team are satisfied that he has recovered from the tendinitis that he suffered from badly.

Hargreaves, 30, has seen two comeback attempts fail this season thanks to hamstring and shoulder injuries, but these are not related to his knee problems.

But Hargreaves, who has made just 39 appearances for United, is expected to return to action within two weeks - meaning he could play a part in United's run-in.

The midfielder's contract expires on June 30 and although no new deal has been offered yet it is thought that talks will begin soon.

The club have been impressed by Hargreaves' determination to regain full fitness and he could be offered a 12-month deal based on incentives if he continues to improve in training.

If he features in the first-team before the end of the season then a new deal is a certainty.

Ferguson: We have definitely missed Hargreaves

Sir Alex Ferguson admits they've missed Owen Hargreaves.

The England midfielder returned to training on Monday after intensive rehab in Germany on a damaged hamstring.

Hargreaves is off contract in June and Ferguson said: “Yeah, we have missed him. He’s a very good player but he’s been missing so long.

“He’s been a loss but there’s nothing you can do about it. Up until the last couple of weeks we haven’t really needed him. We’ve got a big strong squad with plenty of midfield players like Carrick, Anderson, Gibson, Scholes, Fletcher, Giggs who can play in there.

“We’ve had plenty of ­options in the middle of the park but we’ve coped OK. Antonio Valencia’s been out for most of the season but Nani has progressed because of it. He’s been terrific.

“Sometimes that happens. You lose a player and someone else steps up.’’

Ferguson reveals Monday D-day for Hargreaves

Owen ­Hargreaves is due to launch another comeback bid tomorrow.

Hargreaves, 31, signed for £17million from Bayern Munich in 2007, has been plagued by knee trouble and has played only 187 minutes in the past two-and-a-half seasons.

Sir Alex Ferguson said: “He’s a very good player but he’s been missing so long.

"From what we are told, he’s coming back from Germany and he’s going to start training on Monday with us, so we’ll wait and see.”

Ferguson ready to dump high-profile fringe players

Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to clearout his fringe players this summer.

The Daily Mail says several players who have fallen below expectations, like midfielders Darron Gibson and Michael Carrick and defender Jonny Evans, look vulnerable to a shake-up while question marks hover over Gabriel Obertan and Bebe.

The United manager demands fringe players demonstrate their readiness to grasp a first-team place whenever an opportunity presents itself and has been bitterly disappointed by the way several have fallen short this season.

As an added worry, injury-ravaged former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves may have to accept his United career is over when his contract expires in the summer. There also remain doubts about Michael Owen’s ability to stay fit for any length of time.

Owen Hargreaves to leave Manchester United on a free transfer in the summer!! He won't be offered a new contract.

Owen Hargreaves is set to leave Manchester United on a free transfer in the summer after the club decided not to offer him a new contract.

The midfielder's contract expires at the end of the season and United had been considering a one-year extension on a pay-as-you-play basis.

But the decision has been made not to renew Hargreaves' contract and he will leave the club for nothing in June after injury denied him an opportunity to return to fitness and fight for a new deal.

The 30-year-old has been dogged by injury problems since his £18 million move from Bayern Munich in May 2007. He was left out of Sir Alex Ferguson's 25-man Champions League squad last month and the feeling within Old Trafford is that it is time for all parties to move on.

Hargreaves suffered a torn hamstring just five minutes in to a surprise return to action against Wolves in November. The injury was only expected to keep him sidelined for five weeks but there is no sign that he is closing in on a comeback, with United sources adamant he will not be rushed back too early.

He has played just six minutes of football since September 2008 and had surgery on both knees after suffering problems that threatened to end his career.

United had hoped that the all-action central midfielder would one day return to full fitness but now accept they cannot wait to see if the £70,000-a-week star recovers from his injury nightmare.

The England international has made just 39 appearances in a United shirt, of which 34 came in his first season at the club as United won the Premier League and Champions League.

Hargreaves' injury record will cast doubt over his next step when he leaves the club, although MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps have previously been linked with the Canadian-born midfielder.

Upbeat report on Valencia and Hargreaves injury progress!

Sir Alex Ferguson says winger Antonio Valencia is looking good for an early return.

The Ecuador winger has recovered from a serious ankle injury suffered earlier this season.

Ferguson told manutd.com: "Antonio Valencia has started running, he's out with the physios every day now.

"He's been given the all clear from the doctors so he is under our complete control now, which is good. We're hoping that towards the end of February he should be back in the squad. That's a big boost to us."

Midfielder Owen Hargreaves has also reportedly returned to light training.

The 30-year-old battled serious knee problems that had threatened to end his playing career, but made a surprise return during the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in November.

But the return barely lasted a few minutes as the former Bayern Munich man had to leave the pitch owing to a hamstring injury.

He was initially expected to be out only for five weeks, but a slow recovery has seen the player only recently begin light training, according to The Telegraph.

Hargreaves has made a total of 39 appearances in all competitions since his big money move from Bayern to Manchester in 2007.

No progress on Hargeaves injury but Valencia to make Man Utd comeback in February

Sir Alex Ferguson believes winger Antonio Valencia could be back by the end of February.

It was initially feared that the Ecuadorian international, who was so good for the Reds in his debut season after joining from Wigan, might miss the entire season. But that prognosis was re-evaluated after surgery and he looks to be on target to complete his recovery in just over five months.

“Antonio is making progress exactly as we thought he would,” Sir Alex revealed. “It’s always difficult when you’re talking about long-term injuries because you can be weeks out either way. But we’re certainly looking at the end of February or beginning of March.

"He should be back in training in five or six weeks. But given the extended period of time he’s been out, we’ll give him time to get back into the full flow of things.” 

However, there's little news on the progress of Owen Hargreaves.

After missing the last two years with knee problems, Hargreaves is now struggling with a hamstring complaint.

"Hargreaves went to Germany to see a specialist to treat a hamstring injury," said Sir Alex. "There's no further update on that. He's still injured."

The midfielder comes off contract at United in June.

Owen Hargreaves being told he has no future in the club, set to leave Manchester United on a free transfer

Owen Hargreaves is set to quit Manchester United after being told he has no future at the club beyond this season.

United will cut their losses on the England midfielder and move him on for nothing in the next transfer window, according to The Daily Star.

Hargreaves is out of contract at the end of this season, but Sir Alex Ferguson is not prepared to extend the midfielder's stay.

The 29-year-old is currently receiving specialist treatment on his hamstring injury in Germany.

But Ferguson has reluctantly decided that Hargreaves will not be able to compete on a regular basis after being dogged with long-term injuries since his £18 million arrival from Bayern Munich in 2007.

He had major surgery on both knees due to tendonitis and has been out of action for the better part of two years.

His latest comeback against Wolves in November lasted just six minutes before he suffered a torn hamstring.

And United will try to save some money by removing the £70,000-a-week star from the payroll if they can agree compensation over the remaining time on his contract.

Schweinsteiger revealed Hargreaves as role model and was desperate for his boots!

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has revealed his role model as a youngster was Owen Hargreaves and he was desperate for his boots.

Reflecting on his development and growth at the Bundesliga outfit, the Germany international looked back at the years he had as a child and also revealed a few old memories.

"I was a ball-boy at the stadium, it was always fantastic being up close to the pitch, watching the stars," said the 26-year-old to Bayern's official website.

"Elber, [Oliver] Kahn, [Jens] Jeremies, [Thomas] Linke, [Mehmet] Scholl – and a couple of years later, I was playing alongside them. I also watched them train as often as I could, after I’d cycled back from school to the club’s youth hostel.

"I recall once being the only person at the training ground, and I spent ages watching Owen Hargreaves all on his own, playing a ball against a wooden bench and trapping the rebound. He’d already signed pro forms back then.

"And I was desperate to get hold of a pair of boots like the pros wore, and I basically begged him to give me his!"

When asked whether Hargreaves gave him what he wanted, Schweinsteiger replied: "Yes, he gave in at some point. We’d known each other for a long time, we’d both lodged in the club hostel.

Ferguson frustrated with Hargreaves and won't consider coaching England

Manchester United boss SAF has revealed he's TWICE rejected the England job.

 Ferguson said: "I've been asked to manage the England team on a couple of occasions but, of course, it's out of the question.

"It's a poisoned chalice anyway - it's a terrible job.

"Plus I've a tremendous handicap being Scottish. Any way you look at it, that's important."

Meanwhile, Ferguson had hoped to be able to call on Hargreaves' services this season, but the United boss is unsure when the 29-year-old will return.

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves will remain in Colorado for the time being for treatment following a recurrence of his long-term knee injury.

"He had a recurrence of the knee injury which is of great concern to us," the boss told reporters at a press conference after United's 3-1 win over Celtic in Toronto.

"He will remain in America until he is ready to come back and train.

"There is no point in leaving the people who are treating him and did the operation and then have to send him back again. It is pointless."

OwenS fit for pre-season training

Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves have given Manchester United a massive boost by declaring themselves fit for pre-season training.

The first-team squad - excluding the World Cup stars - are due back on July 5 but both Owen and Hargreaves have already been in at the Red Devils' Carrington training ground to work with the fitness team.

Owen has worked ferociously to recover from the knee injury that cut short his season.

The United staff have been impressed with his dedication and are convinced he is ready to take a full part in pre-season and the club's tour of America and Canada.

Owen will be joined by Hargreaves, who is over his 20-month injury crisis. The England midfielder managed a brief end-of-season bow against Sunderland after crippling tendinitis threatened his career.

He has recently returned from a trip to Colorado, where he continues to receive treatment.

But there have been no ill-effects and Hargreaves has been able to maintain a high-intensity training programme through the summer, much to the relief of manger Sir Alex Ferguson and England boss Fabio Capello.

Capello even considered Hargreaves as part of the pre-World Cup party until Fergie made it clear the player was not match-fit.

The FA's medical staff, however, have been monitoring his fitness with Capello pencilling Hargreaves in for an international return in September for the start of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Owen Hargreaves sees Dr.... AGAIN

Owen Hargreaves has seen specialist Dr Richard Steadman again over his troublesome knees.

The Manchester United star, 29 would have been at the World Cup but for a last-minute intervention by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Instead he has been to Colorado to see the surgeon who operated on both knees to try to cure tendonitis. United do not expect Hargreaves to go under the knife again. Last season Hargreaves played only one minute in the first team yet was initially named in England’s 30-man squad.

Meanwhile, new £10million defender Chris Smalling has already been for tests and training at United’s Carrington training HQ and will start his pre-season work before the rest return on July 1.

Hargreaves wants showdown talks with Sir Alex

Owen Hargreaves wants showdown talks with Sir Alex after being axed from both Manchester United and England squads.

 Hargreaves is due on United's pre-season tour of America and Mexico in July.

But before that he wants to know the extent of Ferguson's part in him being left out of England's 30-man World Cup squad - after initially being named in it.

And also why he was not even given a sub's spot for the club's final game of the season at home to Stoke.

He had come on as a sub, though only for a minute, in the penultimate game with Sunderland.

Hargreaves stormed away from Old Trafford 50 minutes before kick-off against Stoke after discovering he was not in the squad.

The ex-Bayern Munich midfielder, capped 42 times, had hoped to play some part in a bid to prove to England coach Fabio Capello he was fit to be named in his initial squad.

As it was, Capello already had him penned in, having had Canadian-born Hargreaves' medical records assessed following nearly two years out for operations on both knees.

Yet that was before Capello spoke to United boss Ferguson on Monday of last week at a League Managers' Association dinner in London.

Ferguson is understood to have told Capello that Hargreaves was still a long way off playing at the highest level.

The following day, the Italian reversed his decision to include Hargreaves and reinstated ankle-ligament victim Gareth Barry.

Ferguson has been patient with Hargreaves, 29, who has started only 25 games since joining the club for £17million from Bayern in May 2007.

Earlier this season, Ferguson was angry there seemed more attention on Hargreaves getting fit for England than United.

Ferguson said: "Hargreaves owes us now. He has to think of his club not his country."

Hargreaves was voted England's best player in the last World Cup.

Yet Ferguson says there was no chance he could have gone to this year's finals after so long out and so little football.

Ferguson insisted: "Owen has not had enough football. You couldn't possibly have picked him. That was straightforward."

Sir Alex told Capello not to pick Hargreaves for World Cup!

Sir Alex scuppered Owen Hargreaves' World Cup dream during a chance meeting with Fabio Capello.

When the pair bumped into each other at the League Managers' Association dinner in London last Monday, Hargreaves was IN England's 30-man squad.

By the time Fergie's conversation with the England coach had concluded five minutes later, Hargreaves was OUT at the expense of Gareth Barry.

The Manchester United chief convinced Capello that Hargreaves, who has played just 30 seconds of first team football this season, would not be ready for a World Cup.

Fergie told the England chief he was "a long, long way away" from being able to compete at the highest level, forcing Capello into an incredible U-turn.

It also explains why Barry, who was publicly ruled out by Capello on Monday afternoon because of ankle ligament damage, was reinstated when the squad was officially announced on Tuesday.

Hargreaves had initially been picked ahead of Barry after intense lobbying from England's general manager Franco Baldini.

Capello and Baldini had reached agreement some time ago that they would pick one "wild card" entry into their World Cup squad.

That man was Hargreaves, aware that England had been probing for his medical records at United, until Monday night.

The dramatic development will stun Hargreaves, who was suddenly axed from United's squad to face Stoke at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Interestingly, Hargreaves had come on as a substitute in the 1-0 victory over Sunderland in the Premier League the week before.

Although the United midfielder has chronic tendinitis in both knees, the player is convinced he has found a solution to the problem.

Earlier this year Fergie went on record to say "Hargreaves owes us now, he has to think of his club not his country" after showing so much patience.

Fergie took matters into his own hands on Monday night and that explains Barry's dramatic reprieve after first fearing that his World Cup ambitions were over.

England went to great lengths to assess Hargreaves' condition and were certain that he could get through the next two months.

Owen Hargreaves pissed off by England snub

Owen Hargreaves stormed away from Old Trafford after being left out for Manchester United's last game of the season.

Hargreaves, 29, hoped to get at least 30 minutes against Stoke to show Fabio Capello he could do a job at the finals.

 

But there was no place for him in Alex Ferguson's 18-man squad and he left 50 minutes before kick-off.

United claimed Hargreaves' exit was due to illness. But an onlooker said: "At about 3.10pm a member of the security team got into a grey Audi and headed for Gate 4B of the Stretford End.

"The way the car moved off, I thought it was one of the Glazers trying to get away.

"But then Hargreaves appeared and he did not look happy. He didn't hang about long."

Hargreaves, who returned from a 19-month knee injury at Sunderland 10 days ago, was tipped to make Capello's squad.

But the Italian had a change of heart and has gone with Gareth Barry even though the Manchester City man is battling an ankle injury.

On contrary, Mexico have included Manchester United's new signing Javier Hernandez in their World Cup squad.

The striker, 21, sealed a £6million move to Old Trafford last month and has scored four goals in six games for his country.