It seems that all the top French clubs are panting at the prospect of signing Anderson.
Despite his being sidelined after a knee operation, David Gill’s phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from Olympique Marseille, Paris St. Germain, St. Etienne and Olympique Lyonnais, trying to secure deals to bring the Brazilian to France.
Having given the ex- Gremio and Porto wünderkind a number of chances for redemption, the Gaffer’s patience seems to have worn thin. The easygoing dread locked one, although sporadically brilliant, has been unwilling to buckle down and unable to score.
Having done a runner back to Brazil earlier this year, the overweight midfielder has spent his recuperation time blowing hot and cold over being sold and, I’m told, stuffing himself with free food at the Porto Allegre Fogo de Chao restaurant.
It appears that Sir Alex is still feeling a twinge of ambivalence or the lad would be gone already and, indeed, there are still many football pundits who feel Anderson will eventually grow up, wake up and smell the coffee.
There has been some movement this weekend, however, as the world has converged on South Africa. The word is that Marseille’s coach, Didier Deschamps, is very much a fan of Anderson but is frustrated by United’s unwillingness to do a straight deal. The name which keeps cropping up is Mathieu Valbuena.
The two-footed Valbuena is equally at home on both wings and in central midfield. Possessing a fantastic engine, the ability to keep and hold the ball and a keen football brain, his only down side seems to be his height as he stands a mere 5’6”.
Having signed for Bordeaux’s youth academy, Valbuena found himself rejected at seventeen owing to his then slight frame, but what follows is a little-engine-that-could story. Valbuena signed for a division 5 semipro club, Lanon-Castets and worked as a salesman in a shoe store. After two years of paying his dues, Valbuena was signed by the Championnat National Division 3 side, Libcume Saint-Seurn. After dazzling his way to the division’s player-of-the year award and helping the club gain promotion, Valbuena was scouted and signed in June 2006 by Marseille.
A year later after a series of injury problems, Franck Ribery gone to Bayern Munich and a new manager in Eric Gerets, Valbuena began to shine. His goal against Liverpool at Anfield in O.M.’s 0-1 win has become a YouTube favourite. Having bloomed under Gerets, Valbuena has been a revelation under Didier Deschamps, helping the club to the Ligue 1 title this past season.
After making a ten minute cameo appearance in France’s disastrous 2-0 loss to Mexico in the World Cup, one wanders what their capricious coach, Raymond Domenech, will do next. Valbuena will be in the shop window if he starts in this Wednesday’s game against South Africa.
Ferguson, I’m told, still feels Anderson can come good and is reluctant to let him go, but, if Valbuena is added to the deal he may be persuaded to pull the trigger.
Honestly speaking, I would not like Ando to go anywhere. The lad’s obviously got quality, else the gaffer wouldn’t have put up with his nonsense even this far. Clearly, with Scholesey retiring, we need someone to pick up the baton and Ando, if he gets his act right and head screwed on right, has all the qualities to fulfill that box-to-box midfielder role. The lad Valbuena seems interesting but you have to wonder about the physicality of the premier league and how he will adapt. Unacknowledged, but I firmly believe that physical attributes were the main reason that Tosic was sent packing without too much of a look in. Will be interesting to see what happens …
Cheers
I’m with you Amrith, I would hate to see Ando leave.
He can be erratic in terms of quality performances but if we just turned our backs on every player that didn’t instantly produce we would have missed out on a few quality player and the most recent example being Nani.
Valbuena seems a decent player and can operate centrally so would be a good addition to the midfield but not at Anderson’s expense!
More crap from the gutter press – SAF is short in centre midfield – Ando is the heir to the position and Scholes/Giggs can likely only play a limited # of games in that role.
Why then would United give up on a prospect like Anderson-limited options coming through – great talent but most too young at present like Petrucci or Pogba – maybe Possebon but like every other position cover is needed.
Also why would any team buy a player who has just done his knee?
If Ando goes it will not be until January after he is cup tied
I would really like the guy to stay. I think he has performed well for the majority of the time, and his quality is undoubted. The only thing that might be a problem is his attitude, if that get sorted out he is one of the most talented midfielders around.
I seems that most want Ando to stay and I’m with them. There’s always the risk that he won’t improve and we’d get even less than we could now; but that is far less worse than the risk of selling a player who is very capable of becoming a superstar.
IMO, unless a player has shown absolutely nothing, our club should be very relunctant to sell anyone under 25 y.o. I think because he’s already been given a pretty good chance over a couple years that some think it’s enough; but the guy’s barely 22 and a very small portion of players are playing to their potential at that age regardless of the amount of playing time they’ve had.
I know little of Valbuena, but he’s only making (some)waves now and is about 4 years older than Anderson. At the very least, Anderson should be at this level in 4 years time.
Anderson needs to work on his attitude, but there is a positive sign in that he has a hunger to play which is a better problem than a guy like Podolski.
I agree,whould hate to see ando leave,,one of the most exciting young midfilders in the foottball world today,just need to get his head together and decide “Am i gonna be one of the best…..or do I want to end up in france…..”
ha ha weezer83 great shout!
yeah i really wouldnt like to see ando leave
Sincerely give Ando chance to prove himself.The habit of disposing players is not Good ,,Sometimes back Fletcher was full of mistakes but now he is the Engine of Man Did you miss Diego Forlan ?????
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