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Reports today have linked Manchester United with various moves for strikers around the game. The latest targets are rumoured to be Arsenal’s Robin van Persie, Porto’s Hulk and AS Roma’s striker Mirko Vucinic. Does a deal for a forward mean that United have given up on Tevez? Aboutaball.co.uk assesses the latest transfer targets… The move for van Persie certainly comes as a bit of a shock, but it wouldn’t be the first time that the former Feyenoord striker has been linked with a move away from the Emirates. Last season Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan showed what was understood to be creditable interest in snapping up the Holland striker, and Arsenal could certainly face a fresh fight to keep him on their books. Until recently the thought of Ferguson and Wenger doing business would have been anathema to the pair of them, but the recent renaissance of Chelsea and latterly Liverpool has seen a certain rapprochement between the two clubs. There is certainly some leeway for a deal, as the Silvestre moves in the opposite direction indicates. Nevertheless Arsenal would ask for a silly price for their striker, as van Persie is seen as both integral to the long term ambitions of the Gunners and Wenger would be loath to strengthen one of his team’s direct rivals. That is likely to deter United, as they above any club, know that there is a price to pay for a player, but generally won’t go too far over the odds. The interest in Brazilian forward Hulk is certainly more likely, if stories from the last few days are to be believed. The former FC Tokyo player has had a meteoric rise through the game since leaving his homeland just a few short years ago barely a professional having failed to make much of an impact in his homeland, and opting to sign a contract in the J-League 2 (the Japanese equivalent of The Championship). Since then the goals haven’t stopped coming, both in Asia, and more recently, of course, in Europe with FC Porto. The striker is lively and has good movement, and is imbued with the sort of self-confidence many Brazilian forwards seem to enjoy. Nevertheless, whilst his record in the Portuguese league is impeccable in terms of goals, he failed to register in the Champions League, a more relevant test of a player’s capabilities from Portugal. Surely a player who has failed to hit the back of the net in Europe’s premier club competition, despite numerous chances to do so, is hardly of United’s calibre? That leaves Montenegrin Mirko Vucinic from AS Roma, potentially of the trio the most likely candidate. The intelligent forward has added to his glowing reputation in Italy this season with goals in Serie A, the Champions League and internationally for his ‘new-born’ country Montenegro. He can function both as a wide forward and through the middle, although performs better on his own up-front, as alongside Totti he never looks as good. Roma haven’t qualified for the Champions League this season, and would certainly be open to offers, especially since Vucinic hasn’t got on with Totti (who remarkably enjoys a say in the club’s transfer activity approving comings and goings at the Stadio Olimpico). Whether he would work alongside Berbatov remains open to debate, but the signs would indicate that he might do so, functioning as a target-man drawing defenders towards him giving space for the Bulgarian to work in. Of course, the transfer season is still young, and United flush with the money from the Ronaldo deal, can afford to bide their time, but a move for Vucinic could be widely expected in the next few days. Posted by Walter Townsend on Thursday, 18th June 2009 (Average rating 0 from 0 votes. Vote) (0 Comments) |