Sir Alex has money to spend, say United
MANCHESTER United chief executive David Gill insists the club have deep enough pockets to make one superstar signing this summer – if manager Sir Alex Ferguson sees fit.
United have made just two modest acquisitions for next season, promising Fulham defender Chris Smalling and Mexico striker Javier Hernandez, at a combined cost of around £20m.
Doubt has also been cast on the spending power at Old Trafford after 4,000 season tickets were put on general sale last week, amid reports that renewals are down as much as 10,000 on last year.
But Ferguson indicated there were funds in the coffers when he enquired after £30m-rated Holland World Cup star Wesley Sneijder, only for the playmaker to pledge his future to Inter Milan.
And Gill said: “The money is there if we believe there is a player who can improve what we believe is a very good squad. The team has been together for a number of years and done very well. In order to improve it a player has to be of a very high quality.
“We are always looking at players. We are looking 365 days a year, it doesn’t just start when the transfer window opens. We are looking at it. We studied a lot of players at the World Cup, but we knew about a lot of them before that.
“Overall I think Sir Alex is very comfortable with the squad. That’s not to say something won’t happen, but I think it is a ‘might’, not a ‘will’. We will see what happens over the next six weeks.”
Barcelona admit to loss of £64m
BARCELONA have revealed a loss of more than £64m for last season, taking their total debt to £370m.
The new figures are a further blow to Barca’s attempts to prise Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas from north London.
The club’s new board says its predecessors “cheated” when they announced far healthier figures before the end of their term.
President Sandro Rosell was forced to take out a £130m loan earlier this month after failing to pay players their June wages.