Dyer emerges as United's man for future

BY MATT DICKINSON, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT

MANCHESTER UNITED will not be panicked into blowing their entire transfer budget on Rivaldo, despite another failure to regain the European Cup. Kieron Dyer is a far more likely target as the Old Trafford board continues its prudent policy of purchasing hungry, young players who will not expect wages of more than £50,000 a week. The purchase of Dyer would also act as insurance should contract negotiations with David Beckham’s representatives this summer fail to conclude with the England captain signing a long-term deal. There is still hope that Beckham will accept a wage that will be no higher than that already paid to Fabien Barthez or Roy Keane.

A third quarter-final exit in five seasons has increased the pressure for a significant overhaul of the English champions, but talk of a £50 million splurge has been denied by senior figures at Old Trafford. Money has been set aside for three notable additions to the squad, but 29-year-old Brazil strikers with £60 million get-out clauses are unlikely to figure. Wednesday’s defeat by Bayern Munich has not persuaded Sir Alex Ferguson or the United board to make drastic changes. Three signings are likely, starting with the purchase of Ruud van Nistelrooy, recalled to the Holland squad last night for the first time since a serious knee injury put paid to an £18 million transfer to United last year.

Dyer is another under consideration, with Newcastle United understood to be ready to make a heavy profit after signing him from Ipswich Town for around £6 million. Foreign options such as Edgar Davids and Pavel Nedved could be available but Dyer, 22, fits United’s ideal profile. In defence, Lilian Thuram is known to be admired by Ferguson, but the cost could be prohibitive.

The new signings are likely to be funded by the sale of Dwight Yorke and Nicky Butt. Yorke has failed to recapture his best form since the treble-winning season of 1999 and a string of tabloid revelations about his private life have not done much for his reputation. Chelsea, who are likely to lose Gianfranco Zola this summer, could make a bid.

Talk of mass changes at Old Trafford is not borne out by the long-term contracts recently signed by Andrew Cole, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Jaap Stam, and the United board will expect to wrap up deals with Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shortly.

Teddy Sheringham has been told to take or leave a one-year extension while Jesper Blomqvist will be released. But Beckham’s future is the most fascinating

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

Answers

Sorryt, I should have added that the article comes from this mornings Times.

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

I expect Manure will make a formal bid in the near future but realistically they should have to pay upward of £20 million.

The club and Dyer nneed to quash these rumours before they get real credibility.

The trouble I see is that if Manure did sign him they'd stick him on the right wing and he'd light up the premiership again, unlike us who persist with forcing everything through Dyer in the middle in this excuse for a central playmakers role.

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

>'Dyer emerges as United's man for future'

Well, we knew that already.

w**kers.

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

I'm afraid we have to accept that if manure were to offer £20 million for him then he's gone.

Personally, I can't see that. If they did decide to take on risk signing a player who has had a serious injury before he proved his form & fitness, they'd probably first seek to undermine his situation at the Toon by guaranteeing him massive wages, while making a derisory official offer to the Toon - say £10 million - for him.
Dyer would eventually demand the Toon allow him make his dream move, undermining their negotiating position to the extent that they end up having to accept something like £12 million for a player worth £20 million in these days of lunatic valuations. Or is that Liverpool?

-- Anonymous, April 21, 2001

has dyer expressed an interest in moving?

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2001

I don't believe so Gibbo - in fact, last thing I remember him saying was that he was happy here, and was just looking forward to getting fit and fully expected to play here next season. However, you know how these big Club's work by improper private approaches to destabilise the player with promises of 'mucho lucca'.

My guess is that Dyer's probably earning ca. £20-25k pw under his present contract. While it would be costly, I'd like to see the Toon show their ambition by offering him an extension and increasing his pay to say £35-40k - which is actually just the going rate for a current international. Otherwise, some Club like manure could easily lure him away on a promise of £45-50k pw. and if he decided to 'up sticks' there isn't realistically much we could do about it.

-- Anonymous, April 22, 2001