Article
Football transfer rumours: Ashley Young to Chelsea?
Today's Mill will not write that in this standfirst
Stamford Bridge, you say? Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
On the outside Sir Alex Ferguson was all smiles, but inside he was surely raging at how his big day had been ruined. And not in an accidental yet hilarious way either. True enough, everyone knew Carlos Tevez was likely to be on his way this summer, but could he not have at least waited until United had enjoyed their title celebrations before he began casting come-hither - or perhaps more accurately 'let-me-come-thither' - glances in the direction of Manchester City.
"It will hurt me a lot to leave Manchester United," sniffed Tevez at the end of United's draw with Arsenal at the weekend, "but a player knows when he is not part of the team." Tevez had initially hoped that such words might draw the interest of Liverpool or Chelsea, but neither club is willing to cough up the £26m that Kia Joorbachian is after. By total coincidence, City's owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan found that exact sum just this morning in the pockets of an old pair of trousers he hadn't worn for a while.
Chelsea, of course, are busy enough counting out the £22m they intend to pay Carlo Ancelotti over the next four years. Carletto himself is pondering whether it would be bad form to drop Aston Villa a note enquiring as to Ashley Young's availability before he has even taken up his new post.
Over at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp is anxiously looking forward to his favourite time of year – those precious few weeks in which there are no actual football games to distract him from the transfer market. Harry's first order of business this summer will be finding buyers for David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko. The latter is said to have drawn interest from Everton; the former will wind up getting flogged back to Blackburn for a fraction of the price Spurs paid for him last summer.
Elsewhere, Arsenal want Ajax captain Thomas Vermaelen to plug a hole in their defence, while Birmingham intend to put all of their eggs in a basket marked 'Anderlecht midfielder Lucas Biglia'.
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User Comments
RoyalFlush
18 May 2009 9:36AM
Lucas Biglia?
Also, what's the price tag on A. Young? It'd have to be more than whatever ridiculous amount has been slapped on Antonio Valencia, surely?
MenCallMePhil
18 May 2009 9:40AM
How on earth Spurs broke David Bentley beggars belief... If Tuncay ends up there I'll cry
Roquentin
18 May 2009 10:37AM
Young would be a great buy for any of the big four, easily the best left winger in England at the moment. Couldn't see O'Neill letting him go for anything less than £18-20m though, considering how much he cost in the first place.
MenCallMePhil
18 May 2009 10:47AM
Roquentin... I like young but Martin Petrov's quite good and so's Krankjcar but I'd say Brunt's probably the best in the league at the moment
indreamland:- really? So it had nothing to do with 'Arry's apparent desire to devalue all his players by playing Aaron lennon ahead of him?
Jamiespurs
18 May 2009 12:06PM
MenCallMePhil: 'Arry's apparent desire to devalue all his players by playing Aaron lennon ahead of him
Utter rubbish. Lennon won the Spurs player of the season on Saturday and I'd go as far as to say Bentley's poor season has stemmed from a number of incidents including; Lennon's fine form, Spurs' atrocious start, Ramos' reign causing total confidence meltdown, Ramos playing him out of position on nearly every occassion and of course the mystery that is his 'personal problems'
It's easy to forget that professional footballers are still humans and are succeptable to personal issues, but apparently Bentley has been hit by them this season meaning his head hasn't been right. I think it's unfair to bomb him out after one season but it certainly seems like he's going to be sold to raise funds for new purchases.
And as for him returning to Blackburn to play 'anti-football' WHY WOULD HE DO THAT? Unless Allardyce wants him to play in defence and just hammer it long everytime he gets the ball I don't see him fitting back in.
indreamland
18 May 2009 12:27PM
Seeing as we're on the subject, I'd just like to cast your minds back to last summer...
"I grew up through the Arsenal youth team but it's not a problem for me, all my heart is at Tottenham and all my passion will be tunneled into doing well for Tottenham.
"Gazza was my favourite ever player, all my mates are Tottenham fans and so there's a piece of my heart at this club."
"Making the move here was an easy decision to make to be honest. I've been trying my hardest to come here and be part of this. All my friends are season ticket holders. All I want to do is just get out there."
Almost makes you feel a bit sorry for the lad, doesn't it?
No, you're right, it doesn't.
philrobbo
18 May 2009 12:33PM
What price on Harry doing an exchange deal - Bentley plus cash (or AN Other) for Krancjar?
littlenickw
18 May 2009 1:15PM
@MenCallMePhil
Crikey - are you serious?! I like Brunty a lot and he justifiably won our player of the season award, but I'd find it hard not to swap him for Young (or Petrov). He's been playing on the right for the last 6 weeeks though, so maybe we could fit them both in. We might struggle to convince Ashley Young that the Championship is where his future lies though...
ammypam
18 May 2009 3:31PM
The goal of the season is still Bentley's against Arsenal. You have a player who can do that and then bin him. Like West Ham believing Mascherano wasn't worth a place in the team. Madness. Dropping a player because he's a bit arrogant is even bigger arrogance. Ronaldo is a tad arrogant too, isn't he?
Jamiespurs
18 May 2009 4:06PM
Philrobbo
What price on Harry doing an exchange deal - Bentley plus cash (or AN Other) for Krancjar?
You mean get rid of one slowpaced winger capable of the occassional flash of brilliance for an identikit croatian??
I DON'T THINK SO.
For a start due to their club history's Krancjar doesn't get on with Corluka or Modric, Krancjar isn't any better than Bentley and as such I don't think we'd even make a straight swap as Bentley (personal woes or not) is a better player than Krancjar.
Personally I hate this 'NOW' culture that Premier League clubs have nowadays. Ok, Bentley isn't playing well and he's not even close to the form Aaron Lennon is in BUT you don't just become crap in the space of the a season. I'd like to see Spurs keep Bentley and have him and Lennon used tactically in different games.
However, I reckon Bentley is off in order to raise funds for the summer. I reckon if HR buys anyone from Pompey it'll be Glen Johnson - a quality RB who's more than capable of playing at RM should the situation arise.
Now a swap between Johnson and Bentley does sound appealing
TheRedBadboy
18 May 2009 4:32PM
Quote from Roquentin:
"Young would be a great buy for any of the big four, easily the best left winger in England at the moment"
If that were true, it would be something of an embarrassment that England's best LW can't even use his left foot.
Fortunately however, it is clearly nothing more than hype, as I couldn't realistically see any manager dropping Cristiano Ronaldo in favour of Ashley Young.
@ammypam:
Yes, Ronaldo certainly does come close to being as arrogant as David Bentley; the difference is that he has rather more to be arrogant about... DB's season highlights clip would contain but a single moment; a single goal v the Arse 'n'all...
As for Charlie T... good riddance to him - for all his talk of "respect", he has shown a distinct lack of it - if he does go to Citeh it will be clear what his motivation is...
MenCallMePhil
18 May 2009 4:34PM
Jamiespurs:- Hah, no that's not how I meant that to come across. I said at the start of the season that I felt Bentley was signed to motivate Lennon... which seems to be the case. I do however feel that he has acted quite strangely regarding most of your players and they've lost a shed load of money on most of your squads worth which was my point.
clear as mud, I think you'll agree
littlenickw:- Brunt's one of those players that I just rate and on current form is better than Ashley Young and Martin Petrov... in november Young was amazing. now? not so much. signing wise, brunt'd be about 5 million, young'd be 20 million I don't think young's four times better than Brunt
MenCallMePhil
18 May 2009 4:36PM
I do however feel that Harry has acted quite strangely regarding most of your players and they've lost a shed load of money on most of your squads worth which was my point.
skippyscouse19
18 May 2009 4:46PM
If I were Benitez & had some money:
Buy:
Barry
Agbonlahor
Young
Mancienne
Lennon
Sell:
Degen
Itandje
Dossena
Pennant
Voronin
Babel
I know this is wishful thinking but who cares.
+++++++++++++++++++++ Reina +++++++++++++++++++++
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
(Darby) (Mancienne) (Skrtel) (Insua)
Kuyt Mascherano Alonso Riera
(Lennon) (Barry) (Lucas) (Young)
Gerrard
(Spearing)
Torres
(Agbonlahor)
Do you like drinking Bailey's from a shoe?
the103
18 May 2009 8:25PM
Why is
Arsène Wenger gives Arsenal jitters over Real Madrid move
presented as news, while
Arsenal want Ajax captain Thomas Vermaelen to plug a hole in their defence
is presented as rumor? Isn't the latter more likely than the former?
Stiggy82
19 May 2009 12:23AM
@TheRedBadyBoy erm if Ashely Young cant use his left foot why has he been in pratically most team of the weeks and also been nominated for more awards than you've had hot dinners and i guess from your name your a man u 'fan' and if thats the case you idiot you would realise Ronaldo is RIGHT wing whereas Young has changed from right wing to LEFT wing so as for dropping Ronaldo for Young is irelevant its like saying no-one would drop John Terry for Tevez. They play in different postions you spoon, so before you type football 'knowledge' know what your talking about okay?? might be a good idea so i no-one else has to listen to your incompetent drivel, as for being a United fan try to at least go to a game a season or better yet support a team from where you come from.
As for Young going i can't see it happening as losing Martin Laursen due to reitrement and as apprently Barry going to liverpool (cant see that happening either) MON will not lose both Barry and Young as he's not stupid but then again he did buy Heskey an insists on playin him in every game. As for Bentley moving wrong move by Redknapp but Bentley would be a great signing for anyone outside the top four.
TheRedBadboy
19 May 2009 9:36AM
Stiggy82: Having worked my way through your turgid, barely literate and sometimes, frankly incomprehensible ramblings, I am moved by pity to respond and give you the benefit of a knowledgeable, sensible, literate and (importantly) comprehensible answer.
I pointed out that Ashley Young cannot or will not use his left foot. You have said nothing to refute this.
Your contention that Cristiano Ronaldo is solely a Right Winger is erroneous. Ronaldo can, and does play on the right wing, the left wing and indeed up the middle as a striker (He can also utilise both feet, btw).
As you have nothing of consequence to say, I will limit myself to observing, in closing, that your frantic and barely literate abuse does nothing to further your argument; in fact it diminishes it by focussing on your obvious shortcomings.
It's not big and it's not clever...
OrpheusLiar
18 May 2009 9:34AM
With Laursen retiring and Barry looking likely to leave at a knock down price this summer Villa fans must be very nervous about Youngs situation, if he were to go then they stand to lose thier three best players in one summer, combined with the expected influx of talent at Man City and Villa would be doing well not to go backwards next season.
Make or break time for O'Neil this summer the audition for the big jobs starts now