Manchester United Transfer Rumours - Barton, De Rossi, Nasri and Tevez
After a very active summer, with the signings of Phil Jones, Ashley Young and David De Gea, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has stated that he will not be signing any more players this summer, despite Paul Scholes' replacement slot still remaining vacant.
Scholes brought a remarkable career to an end after last season, and many big name players including Wesley Sneijder, Luka Modric and Samir Nasri were all linked to United as a possible replacement. However, Ferguson has now stated that he would look to players at his disposal to step up and fill the gap.
''We are always looking for good quality players,'' said Ferguson. ''We started the season with the players we have and I am satisfied with that. We are not looking at the moment but we are looking at combinations of central midfielders now at the club.''
The likes of Anderson will be required to step up a mark, but the statement hasn't stopped players from being linked to Old Trafford.
Sunday's newspapers saw Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton linked with a move, but the Englishman has now stated, through the means of Twitter, that he would remain at Newcastle till the end of his contract next summer.
He wrote, "Nice to be linked with some big clubs today but I honestly don't want to leave Newcastle. Thanks but no thanks. #unfinishedbusinesshere"
"I will most likely leave Newcastle at end of season, when my contract expires and I am no longer employed. It's out of my hands #iwanttostay?" he added.
Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford, but the Italian side's sporting director, Walter Sabatini, has vociferously stated that the player is not for sale.
Despite De Rossi having just a year remaining in his contract, Sabatini stated that he would prefer losing him for free next year than right now.
A report in talkSport quoted him as saying, "We are in talks over the renewal (of De Rossi's contract) and will not begin any process with other clubs. He is not for sale.
"I'd prefer to have long negotiations over the contract renewal and risk losing him in a year than let him go today. The club will do everything possible to keep hold of De Rossi.
"Daniele is not subject to negotiations, as he has never and will never be on the market."
Elsewhere, United's French defender Patrice Evra has admitted that he has been attempting to persuade Samir Nasri to move to Old Trafford.
United had a £20 million bid for Nasri turned down by Arsenal last month, and though Manchester City are prepared to offer more both to the club and to the player, Evra told The Telegraph that he has been talking up everything Man United to his French teammate.
"Of course I would like to see Samir at United," Evra said. "I've talked a lot with him during the holiday and told him how great it is to play for Manchester United and how important it would be for him to become one of the biggest players in the world.
"He said that it's a privilege that a club like Man United want him, but that he has to think about his future and talk with his agent. I'm not Nasri, I'm not his agent or his dad, but I would definitely tell him to come to Man United. Definitely.
"I remember I made that little joke saying that he's a prince now, but if he wants to be the king then he has to join Man United. But that's the reality and I've told him that. I said: 'If you want to win trophies you have to come here.' In five years I've won 12 trophies, and I don't know if I'd have won more with another club.
"I just told him the truth. If he goes to City, it's his choice, but I know, as a player, if I have Manchester United and Manchester City, I would go straightaway for United. It's a lot of things. It can be for the money, many different things. But I would prefer to go for the glory. I don't know how negotiations are at the moment, but he has a lot of clubs (interested in him) and he has to think.
"But we will have a nice welcome (at United) and I can help as well because I'm French, but I don't know what he's going to do."
Finally, Ferguson has predicted that no side will be prepared to meet the £45m price tag for Manchester City's Carlos Tevez - whom he mentored during the Argentine's time at Old Trafford.
A report in the Metro quoted Sir Alex as saying, "I think it's a certainty he will start the season at City because you look around and wonder who is going to buy him.
"I'm not sure Inter Milan (who was rumoured to be interested) would pay £45 million, especially after he said he wants to go back to Argentina to see his kids.
"He told us at the time of our negotiations that he was only going to play for four more years so, if we had signed him on a five-year contract knowing that he was going to quit in four years, there is no resale value for us."
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