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原文
Heinze misses the bus as Hargreaves jumps on.
SIR ALEX FERGUSON ONCE DESCRIBED Manchester United as “a bus that waits for no man” and, as he consoled himself with a little retail therapy yesterday with long-awaited confirmation of a deal to sign Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich,
it became clear that Gabriel Heinze would be foremost among those passengers left behind.
Heinze was chosen ahead of Patrice Evra at left back on Saturday, at the end of a season-long battle between the two of them, but the FA Cup Final seems certain to mark the Argentina defender’s swansong as a United player. He has told teammates that he does not expect to be at Old Trafford next season, with a move to an unidentified Spanish club believed to be on the cards.
Having served three years of a five-year contract, Heinze could be bought out of his existing deal for approximately £6 million under new Fifa transfer regulations, but United are likely to settle for a slightly smaller sum for a player who has struggled to regain his top form since suffering cruciate knee ligament damage in September 2005 after a highly impressive first season at the club.
There will be other departures this summer, with Ferguson eager to find reinforcements in certain areas and to accommodate a number of young players who have impressed on loan this season. Mikaël Silvestre and Louis Saha are also vulnerable, despite having signed new contracts in the past 12 months, although Saha hopes that recent uncertainty over his future, arising from a series of injuries, will be eased when Ranko Stojic, his agent, speaks to the club this week.
As for Hargreaves, a fee in the region of £18 million was agreed with Bayern last week, with the German club waiting until the end of the Bundesliga campaign yesterday to announce that the deal was done. The midfield player has agreed a four-year contract and could undergo a medical examination at Old Trafford this week, possibly to coincide with his planned appearance in an England B international against Albania at Turf Moor, Burnley, on Friday. No problems are expected, even though he has not recovered full fitness since suffering a broken leg last September.
The signing would be welcomed by Michael Carrick, who would expect to play alongside Hargreaves in midfield next season. “World-class players are going to strengthen you,” Carrick said. “We’re at the biggest club in the world, we want the best players and Owen is a top player.”
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发表于 2007-5-20 22:16:00
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发表于 2007-5-23 22:29:00
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