Post by No.7 on Dec 6, 2012 13:29:16 GMT
is there Anything to this and if so who we watching? I remember Tatty saying something about Thiago in the summer 
thoughts people's
sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/manchester-united-scout-again-confirmed-at-camp-nou-tonight-with-
It's only four days since the last story about Martin Ferguson being at the Camp Nou probably looking at a Nani replacement. At the time we and others dismissed any possibility of the Manchester United scout being there to look at a Barcelona player and that could be the case again. Of course the fact he's watched two consecutive Barcelona games does raise a suspicion it's related to that club but the starting line-ups for the Barca games were as follows:
Saturday: Valdes, Adriano, Pique, Alba, Mascherano, Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas, Messi, Iniesta, Pedro
Wednesday: Pinto, Adriano, Planas, Motoya, Puyol, Thiago, Song, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha, Villa, Tello
There's been no great surprise with either, the first being more or less the first choice at the moment and the second having expected changes. It's unlikely he's gone out to watch Adriano and therefore it's entirely plausible that the players being watched by Ferguson have been different each night.
The Benfica team tonight is: Artur Moraes, Lorenzo Melgarejo, Ezequiel Garay, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Nemanja Matic, André Gomes, Ola John, Nolito, Lima, Rodrigo
If Manchester United were watching a Benfica player then the assumption would be Gaitan but he was on the bench. The wide player hasn't been a regular starter recently and the season hasn't been one where he's built on the reputation which was largely formed during the summer transfer window. Gaitan can play on either wing and that's an area where Manchester United are short right now and will have even less cover if Nani leaves the club.
Should there have been any truth in the summer rumours, rather than them being pushed by agents in Portugal, then Martin Ferguson trying to watch Gaitan against Barcelona seems to make sense. The player would probably be keen on a move too. The Daily Mail quoted him a year ago as saying "Ever since the pre-season, it has been said that Manchester United are following me. Then, Benfica met United in the Champions League group stage and I did not expect that Ferguson would talk about me before and after the game."
He also gave the classic and barely concealed come-and-get-me-plea "'If the transfer happens, it has to be good for Benfica and myself."
If it wasn't Gaitan, and remember he was a substitute, then the next most likely is hard to fathom. There's Ola John who has been linked with Manchester United previously but he only joined Benfica in the summer and hasn't been ripping up trees since.
If it was a Barcelona player then the most likely would probably be Cristian Tello, he's been 'on the verge' of renewing his contract since the summer but it's still not finalised and there were reports in the Spanish press this week that he'd have a buyout clause of just €10m, something the club would surely only reluctantly agree to.
The 21 year old's current contract runs out in the summer and if he doesn't renew he'd be able to sign a pre-contract from January. If he does agree to a new Barcelona contract and the buyout clause is at the level mentioned then he'd still be a cheap buy.
Or perhaps Martin Ferguson is simply Christmas shopping in Barcelona.
thoughts people's
sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/manchester-united-scout-again-confirmed-at-camp-nou-tonight-with-
It's only four days since the last story about Martin Ferguson being at the Camp Nou probably looking at a Nani replacement. At the time we and others dismissed any possibility of the Manchester United scout being there to look at a Barcelona player and that could be the case again. Of course the fact he's watched two consecutive Barcelona games does raise a suspicion it's related to that club but the starting line-ups for the Barca games were as follows:
Saturday: Valdes, Adriano, Pique, Alba, Mascherano, Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas, Messi, Iniesta, Pedro
Wednesday: Pinto, Adriano, Planas, Motoya, Puyol, Thiago, Song, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha, Villa, Tello
There's been no great surprise with either, the first being more or less the first choice at the moment and the second having expected changes. It's unlikely he's gone out to watch Adriano and therefore it's entirely plausible that the players being watched by Ferguson have been different each night.
The Benfica team tonight is: Artur Moraes, Lorenzo Melgarejo, Ezequiel Garay, Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Nemanja Matic, André Gomes, Ola John, Nolito, Lima, Rodrigo
If Manchester United were watching a Benfica player then the assumption would be Gaitan but he was on the bench. The wide player hasn't been a regular starter recently and the season hasn't been one where he's built on the reputation which was largely formed during the summer transfer window. Gaitan can play on either wing and that's an area where Manchester United are short right now and will have even less cover if Nani leaves the club.
Should there have been any truth in the summer rumours, rather than them being pushed by agents in Portugal, then Martin Ferguson trying to watch Gaitan against Barcelona seems to make sense. The player would probably be keen on a move too. The Daily Mail quoted him a year ago as saying "Ever since the pre-season, it has been said that Manchester United are following me. Then, Benfica met United in the Champions League group stage and I did not expect that Ferguson would talk about me before and after the game."
He also gave the classic and barely concealed come-and-get-me-plea "'If the transfer happens, it has to be good for Benfica and myself."
If it wasn't Gaitan, and remember he was a substitute, then the next most likely is hard to fathom. There's Ola John who has been linked with Manchester United previously but he only joined Benfica in the summer and hasn't been ripping up trees since.
If it was a Barcelona player then the most likely would probably be Cristian Tello, he's been 'on the verge' of renewing his contract since the summer but it's still not finalised and there were reports in the Spanish press this week that he'd have a buyout clause of just €10m, something the club would surely only reluctantly agree to.
The 21 year old's current contract runs out in the summer and if he doesn't renew he'd be able to sign a pre-contract from January. If he does agree to a new Barcelona contract and the buyout clause is at the level mentioned then he'd still be a cheap buy.
Or perhaps Martin Ferguson is simply Christmas shopping in Barcelona.
