WE’LL BE KINGS OF EUROPE AGAIN, INSISTS FERGUSON
From Back Page rivals, with midfielder Luka modric absent from training yesterday after meeting manager andre Villas-Boas on Thursday.
Tottenham’s squad fly to america for their pre-season tour today and the club will decide this morning if modric is in the right state of mind to join the tour.
Ferguson refused to comment yesterday on the specifics of united’s offer for Van persie but said: ‘ obviously arsenal have given out the fact that we’ve made a bid for him. We try to keep business as close as possible to us until we conclude a deal. There’s no point talking about something that might not happen.
‘There are other clubs interested. We’ve shown an interest and that’s where we’re at.’
arsenal want Van persie’s exit completed as quickly as possible after his talks with Wenger over a new deal broke down.
united feel anything over £15m would not represent value for money considering Van persie turns 29 next month, has a poor injury record and less than 12 months to run on his contract.
Juventus seem more determined to land the striker — an option arsenal are likely to prefer as they reluctant to sell their prized asset to a premier League rival.
The serie a side are trying to offload striker alessandro matri to aC milan for around £12m to help fund Van persie’s arrival.
as Sportsmail reported on July 6, Juve are also willing to make Van persie the best-paid player in their history with a deal worth £ 180,000 a week plus a huge signing-on fee.
City manager roberto mancini has made Van persie his top summer target but, despite their riches, they are also unsure about forking out £20m for Van persie.
Wenger is today likely to blame Van persie’s involvement at Euro 2012 for the decision to omit him from the travelling squad. however, alex oxlade-Chamberlain, olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott all spent longer at the tournament and are expected to travel.
Certain arsenal staff had felt Van persie’s stated intention not to sign a new deal was a ploy designed to prompt the Gunners into improving their offer of a threeyear deal worth £130,000 a week.
however, some of his team-mates were said to be unruffled by the news he would miss the trip to asia, knowing the striker had every intention of leaving.
It is also understood Nicklas Bendtner, who has been linked with malaga, will also miss the tour as he looks to secure a move.
But key defender Laurent Koscielny looks set to sign a new five-year contract next week. The France centre half became a key component of the arsenal defence last season, earning him a Euro 2012 call-up. United warriors: Rio Ferdinand poses with a Zulu weapon and shield at PheZulu Safari Park in Durban while (inset) Anderson shows he has no fears of snakes SIR ALEX FERGUSON has vowed Manchester United will not make the same mistakes in Europe as they did last season and backed his team to win the Champions League for a third time. United failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League before losing to Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League. However, asked if his squad are capable of winning the European Cup again, the Old Trafford manager said: ‘Oh yes, absolutely, there is no doubt about that.’ Ferguson accepted some of the blame for United’s poor showing last season. He said: ‘Over the last few years we have used the group stage as an opportunity to play the youngsters but last season it backfired. We changed the team too much. We won’t be doing that again.’ United’s problems in central midfield were partly to blame, especially the loss of Darren Fletcher, prompting Paul Scholes to come out of retirement in January. Having failed to sign Wesley Sneijder 12 months ago, it appears unlikely they will win the race for Luka Modric this summer. But Ferguson believes that, in Michael Carrick, he has a match for Tottenham’s Croatia star, Yaya Toure and Steven Gerrard. Ferguson. said: ‘I think Carrick is the key to it. If you look at the central midfielders in the Premier League, the likes of Modric, Yaya Toure and Gerrard, he can match up against any of them in terms of quality.’ Fletcher is determined to play again amid fears he will be forced to retire by a chronic stomach condition. ‘It’s not an option, I want to keep playing,’ he said. ‘I know some day I will be back.’ United play the second game of their South Africa tour against Ajax Cape Town today.