May 13
Manchester United don’t need Barton, can’t have Richards
Rumours connecting Micah Richards to Manchester United have been cropping up for the last month or so, and now people are linking Barton to Manchester United as well.
Honestly, I find this a bit ridiculous. Why would Micah Richards, a Manchester City player, be ‘ever’ sold to Manchester United unless silly money (higher than what Chelsea were asked for, which was 15-20m) is offered (and even then they might not sell him)?
I know (and have said this myself before) that Manchester United should sign the best players, but there are times when you have to step back and think if its feasible or not.
Richards to Man Utd is not happening. One, it’s the City v United divide. Two, he has bad taste.
Granted, other players have ‘loved’ Arsenal and then turned around and said that they’d like to play for United (Ribery), but somehow I don’t think this one’s going to happen. Gut says Richards will stay at City for at least another season, and depending on the next season’s results, perhaps till the 2010 World Cup. After that, if City are still where they are right now, he’ll move.
The other rumour I heard was Barton (although admittedly, this was a question rather than a rumour). There are plenty of reasons why you wouldn’t want Barton in your side but I’ll give you two - his temperament, and lack of opportunities for him at the club (Barton on the bench? Why would he waste his career like that?).
Barton could go to Everton, but right now it’s all up in the air.
As for United? Like Larsson, expect a quiet and quick transfer (not Hargreaves).
Related items from Red Rants:
May 13th, 2007 at 17:24
[...] discussed these two rumors in more detail on Red Rants (the new Manchester United blog), so head over to this article and have your [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 21:46
We don’t want Barton playing for us anyway.
May 15th, 2007 at 8:33
I want him, I do. I feel he si hard enough. Decent enough. Young enough. And Fergei can sort out his temprament. (Remember a psycho named Cantona?)
If we go 4-3-3 next summer, we need a cheap back up holding midfielder to to back up Hargreaves & to stop the O’shea in midfield experiment. I also doubt people would be unhappy with a first choice midfield of Carrick, Hargreaves and Scholes/ Giggs, backed up by Fletcher, Barton, Giggs/ Scholes
May 15th, 2007 at 12:56
I don’t think Barton’s problems are the same as Cantona’s were.
But a question for the author:
You write: “As for United? Like Larsson, expect a quiet and quick transfer (not Hargreaves).”
Do you have any knowledge about a future transfer, or are you just guessing?
May 15th, 2007 at 13:03
Tomas - blind guess mate, if that makes you feel any better.
May 15th, 2007 at 13:11
Well, I’ not sure. You always hope for someone to know a little more than yourself, but I guess that’s really only for SAF, Gill, Glazer-boys and potential signings to know.
The Times wrote recently that the deal with Hargreaves will go through as soon as the German league has finished…I hope so.
May 15th, 2007 at 13:20
Usually the media peeps are speculating themselves, feeding off on rumors in local media (so for Eto’o they use the Spanish newsies, for Hargreaves the German newsies, etc).
Basically, they feed on bull, and they serve it to us on a silver platter.
May 15th, 2007 at 13:26
You’re right, but I still hold The Times in higher esteem than alot of the other papers - even though they reported Hargreaves to United a done deal last summer…:-)