Fergie backs Chicharito to have 'top season'

 

Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Javier Hernandez to take the Premier League by storm next season and play a central role in Manchester United’s bid to reclaim top spot.
The Mexican striker cut a subdued figure last season and only managed 12 goals in all competitions as United finished runners-up to Manchester City.
But after giving him an extended summer break, Ferguson has warned United’s rivals that they are set to reap the benefits with Hernandez raring to go.
"I think this season we'll see a better Chicharito," Ferguson told Inside United.
"For the last four or five years he's played all through the summer. This year, with the co-operation of Mexico, he's had a proper rest. And that started right back in May when I decided not to take him to Belfast for the Harry Gregg testimonial.
"We wanted to give him as much rest as possible. He had a couple of weeks off and then joined the Mexico side for a couple of qualifying games before getting another few weeks' rest.
"That was important for him and I'm sure he'll reap the benefits. We've already seen the fruits of that in the early training sessions and I think he'll have a top season.
"He's such a good professional and such a fantastic personality. He just loves life and loves playing football. Every training session he buzzes around the place with a big smile."

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand charged over Twitter comment

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has been charged with improper conduct by the FA in relation to comments posted on his Twitter page.
The charge is believed to relate to the aftermath of John Terry's race trial, at which he was acquitted, when Ferdinand quoted a tweet calling Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, who was a witness for the defence, a "choc-ice".

The term was in reference to Cole's testimony in court, in which he said that he did not hear Terry make a racist comment to Anton Ferdinand, brother of Rio, during the Blues' match against QPR last October at Loftus Road.

Ferdinand later defended his remark on Twitter, stating: "What I said is not a racist term. It is a type of slang [or] term used by many for someone who is being fake. So there."

The FA said in a statement: "The allegation is that the player acted in a way which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute by making comments which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race."

Terry was also charged by the FA with improper conduct last week for the original comments made to Anton Ferdinand, which the Chelsea captain immediately declared that he would contest

Hernandez: I would swap all of my goals for another title with Manchester United

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has insisted that he would swap all of his goals for another Premier League title.


'Chicharito' has struck 32 times in all competitions in his first two seasons at Old Trafford, but claims that he does not set personal targets and focuses solely on helping the team win matches in whatever way he can.

The Mexico international added that he does not want to be seen as a player who had played badly if he has failed to score – instead hoping people recognise his all-round contribution.

"I've never had a goal target," Hernandez told Inside United magazine. "I don't want to be obsessed with scoring goals, I don't want to be only that player who only scores goals, and if I score goals I've played well and if I didn't score goals I played badly.

"It's more about doing my best for the team - if the goals come then great, but if someone else scores instead of me then it's still great for the United fans and for the club.

"You can never play one man against 11, and one player can never score all the goals by himself. If the goals are coming then good, but as I've always said, I would swap every one of my goals for a title with Manchester United."

United lost their grip on the title in dramatic fashion last season, as rivals Manchester City scored twice in the dying minutes of the campaign to beat QPR and claim their first Premier League crown.

Hernandez admitted that the tables had been turned on a club that has, over the years, come back from a couple of seemingly impossible positions themselves, most notably in the 1999 and 2008 Champions League finals.

"It was difficult to believe, really," Hernandez admitted. "For so many years that type of game was a fable of Manchester United, with goals in the last minute [to win big games], and sometimes it is part of life to experience the bad moments like this one.

"It was a very strange day because in the space of one minute we thought that the title was going to be ours, and then City scored twice, and that's it.

"When you win you learn to keep working hard in order to keep doing the things you did to win the title. And when you lose, you need to learn from the mistakes you made.

"It's not like one, two or three people are guilty of making mistakes - it's a team game and every player wants to do their best to help the team to win trophies. I think we all learned a lot from last season and we're confident we can come back this season."

QPR deny making a bid for Manchester United striker Berbatov

QPR manager Mark Hughes has denied that the club have submitted an official offer for Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov.

he Red Devils are believed to be ready to show the Bulgaria international the door, with a price of around £5 millon being touted. And the Loftus road outfit have been busy in the transfer market this summer - having already recruited the likes of Junior Hoillet, Rob Green and Andy Johnson – but Hughes was dismissive of the latest link.
Speaking after the R’s 3-0 pre-season win over League One side Wycombe Wanderers, Mark Hughes told Sky Sports News: "There are a lot of names flying around. That is a new one on me, in fairness.
"At this time of year, there are a lot of names flying around. But we prefer to get the job done, get the business done, and then we announce it."
Berbatov, who has already been linked with the likes of Turkish giants Galatasaray, has struggled to break into Sir Alex Ferguson's starting line-up following the emergence of England international Danny Welbeck and the form of Mexican youngster Javier Hernandez.A move to east London for Berbatov would see him link up with former team-mate Park Ji-Sung who sealed his switch from Manchester United last month.

De Gea: Spain determined to bow out on a high

David De Gea insists that Spain's Under-23s will not want for motivation in Wednesday's 2012 Olympics Group D clash with Morocco, explaining that they are determined to prove their worth, as well as defend their nation's proud footballing philosophy.

La Rojita have no chance of qualifying for the knockout stages after successive shock defeats to Japan and Honduras and the Manchester United goalkeeper freely admits that they are still coming to terms with their premature elimination.

However, De Gea insists that they are well up for their final tournament outing.

"We are going through a hard time, but we have another game and we will be professional," the 21-year-old shot-stopper told the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) official website.

""We will go flat out and try to win the match. We still trust in ourselves. We know how we play and who we are.

"We will try to vindicate ourselves, and give the maximum to show people that we are a good team. 


"We are frustrated because these are difficult times; it's not easy to deal with an elimination at the group stage, but that's football.

"But you have to get back up, and keep working and fighting. We are young and there are definitely many beautiful things to live for!"

De Gea, who joined United from Atletico Madrid last summer, admitted that he is particularly fired up given the game is being staged at Old Trafford.

"It will be a special day for me as we are playing on my home pitch, in front of my people, so it will be something special," he enthused.

"We played a great game against Honduras, but the ball would not go in, so now we have this opportunity to exit with a good taste in our mouths and say goodbye with a good result."

While Spain are pointless after two games, Morocco did manage a draw with Honduras, meaning a victory could see them progress to the last eight.

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos joins Hull City on season-long loan

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos has completed a season-long loan move to Championship side Hull City.
The 22-year-old, who has previously been on loan to Peterborough United and Oldham Athletic as well as Norwegian Molde, spent last season as United’s third-choice keeper behind David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard.
He made his first appearance for the Red Devils in a League Cup clash with Middlesbrough back in 2008 and has since gone on to play six further matches for the club.

Amos becomes Steve Bruce's second signing in as many days following the arrival of his son, Alex, at the KC Stadium.

The Tigers open their league campaign with a match against Brighton as they look to secure promotion back to the Premier League following their relegation back in 2009-10.

Meanwhile, Sam Johnstone looks poised to be become Sir Alex Ferguson’s third-choice stopper during the 2012-13 season.  

Sao Paulo ready to offer Manchester United target Lucas Moura new contract

Sao Paulo’s director of football Adalberto Baptista has revealed the club are ready to offer Manchester United target Lucas Moura a new contract in an attempt to keep him at the club.


The 19-year-old has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Old Trafford with Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitting the club were interested in signing him.

However, despite still having four years left on his existing deal, Baptista has stated the club are ready to offer him fresh terms.

"It's possible we change his contract," Baptista told UOL. "He has four more years of contract. We may call him to extend, renegotiate his contract, maybe for 18 more months.

Baptista also confirmed Moura’s parents has travelled to England but denied it was to hold discussions over a potential move to last season’s Premier League runners-up.

"His family went to England just to watch the Olympics, they had already told us they would," he added.

Sir Alex recently confirmed he hopes to bring at least one more player to the club before the transfer window closes at the end of next month, with Everton’s Leighton Baines and Arsenal’s Robin van Persie both linked with a switch.