Chelsea, City and United in £30m battle for Everton starlet Barkley

The Premier League's big three spenders are preparing for a £30million transfer battle which will shatter the world-record fee for a teenage footballer.
Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all made known their interest in Everton's midfield sensation Ross Barkley.

Barkley

He is seen by some as an even better prospect than another Goodison Park product, Wayne Rooney, and is set to top the £25.6m United paid for the then 18-year-old seven years ago.
Although Everton will fight to hang on to Barkley, who is not 18 until December, their dire financial situation has made them vulnerable to big offers. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation.



One top representative said: 'I thought Stevie Gerrard was the best kid in his position that I've ever seen, but Barkley is as good. There's no doubt he is going to be a top player.'
Barkley's progress is all the more remarkable following his horrific triple leg fracture playing for England Under-19s in Belgium last year, which put him out for 10 months.
England coach Noel Blake remembers the incident, a collision with team-mate Andre Wisdom, vividly. 'I still don't feel comfortable thinking about it, as it was so upsetting,' he said.
'Thankfully, he has recovered and it shows his strength of character that he has got back so quickly.'
David Moyes has never been afraid to follow the old adage 'if they're good enough, they're old enough'.
But the Everton manager is determined to nurture Barkley's talents at the right pace.

Barkley: the next superstar from Everton

'Evertonians have not got an awful lot to be excited about at the moment so Ross gives everybody something to look at and cling on to,' he said.
'But I will have to pick and choose him at the right times. It is not just because of his age but also because of his lack of football.'
Barkley's future could be a key factor when Moyes decides whether or not to accept a two-year extension to his own contract.

Man Utd boss Ferguson: Rooney injury may drag on

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits Wayne Rooney's hamstring injury may drag on.

Rooney

United's 100% start to the Barclays Premier League season came to an end at Stoke City in Rooney's absence and the 25-year-old had earlier 'Tweeted' that he was "gutted" he had been unable to play, but hoped he would be fit to feature in the Champions League clash with Basle at Old Trafford on Tuesday.


However, when asked about Rooney's condition after the match at the Britannia Stadium, Ferguson told MUTV: "It is difficult to say. It's a hamstring. It is not a serious one, it is a mild one.


"I don't think he will be available for next week. It will be more than a week out."

Why Man Utd, Barcelona are red hot on Porto signing Juan Manuel Iturbe

The story goes Manchester United will eventually bring Juan Manuel Iturbe to England once he gains his Portuguese passport at Porto.

Juan Manuel Iturbe

Sources in Paraguay say United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to sign Iturbe immediately, but was persuaded to allow the midfielder to join Porto by Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese super agent, with the view to eventually bringing him to Old Trafford when his work permit difficulties were no longer a factor.


But who is Juan Iturbe? Why is Ferguson so desperate to sign him? And how does an Argentine end up playing in Paraguay?



For many in Argentina, Iturbe is 'their' most talented since Lionel Messi - much to the frustration of Paraguayan football, which less than a year ago were building their future around the 18 year-old.


"When I needed them (Paraguay) they were not there," says the 18 year-old. "They did not know what to make of me. So now I've shut the door.


"Going back (to play for Paraguay) would be a backward step. I have decided to play for Argentina. This decision is final."


Born in Buenos Aries to Paraguayan parents, Iturbe has never actually played on Argentine soil. Instead, the attacking midfielder learned his football in Paraguay with Cerro Porteno, where he made a first team debut as a 16 year-old and in the same season was capped at senior level in a friendly against Chile.


But his Argentine roots always left Paraguay wide open to losing their teenage gem and last year the decision was made.

"He's a great champion, who has now been sold at a moderate price," commented former Argentina World Cup star Abel Balbo. "But within a short time he will cost a lot.


"He is the future Messi."

Iturbe and Messi

"It makes me crazy when they compare me with Messi," confessed Iturbe. "The truth is that it is a bit difficult, because Messi is number one, the best player in the world.


"At the same time, I'm proud people and the press say that my style of play is similar to his."


While his senior experience came at Cerro Porteno, Iturbe's registration was actually owned by Quilmes, with the Argentines moving quickly to tie the then 16 year-old to a pro deal after he had made his debut to great publicity in both countries.


It was Quilmes which sold Iturbe to Porto during the summer, but not before his family called in Paraguayan legend Jose Luis Chilavert as an advisor.

Sir Alex is watching Iturbe

With rumours of interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid, the Iturbe family were becoming overwhelmed with dazzling offers from agents and investors. His father, Juan Manuel Snr, revealed last season one business group had offered to pay his 16 year-old son €14,000-a-month to represent him until he turned 18.


"Iturbe's parents approached me and asked me to help with this situation," revealed Chilavert. "We sat down and talked about his future and what was in front of him. They're very excited, but the right decisions now need to be made for both him and his family."


That 'right decision' was to accept a lucrative offer from Porto - before last summer's U20 World Cup in Colombia.


"I just think Porto is the right move for me," Iturbe remarked upon the news breaking last season. "I think I can make a nice career there."


Iturbe chose to pen terms with Porto, despite the frenzied speculation in Buenos Aries of offers from United and Real Madrid.


"Well, in the future you never know what can happen. We'll see ... but for now it is Porto," added the midfielder.


Porto coach Vitor Pereira is already happy with the impact Iturbe has made.


"He is a fast and can unbalance the opposition. He will play on the wings. Or even between the lines, behind a top-class striker. He is a different player to what we have. A player with an enormous capacity for explosion," enthused Pereira.


It's that explosive capability which has Barcelona sports chief Andoni Zubizarreta already scheduling talks with one of Iturbe's glut of representatives, Gustavo Mascardi. But competition will be fierce.





And with no deal struck for Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder, could Ferguson have an opening for the player he first made contact with when he was still a Paraguayan?

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Man Utd boss Ferguson: Real Madrid star Ronaldo up there with Cantona

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson regards Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo among the best he's worked with.

Ronaldo: Is already a United legend

Ferguson was asked to name the best player he's coached while in Rome yesterday.

Cantona: The rebel who would be King

"Who is the strongest player I have coached? I cannot pick one in particular, but Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have been fantastic," Ferguson told reporters during a speech he gave at the University of Tor Vegata, located in the Italian capital Rome.

Neville: Sir Alex unlikely to retire soon

Gary Neville believes that there is no point in planning for Sir Alex Ferguson's successor as Manchester United manager yet, insisting that the Scot will stay at Old Trafford for "as long as he likes".

Longest serving manager of Man Utd

The veteran boss is the longest serving manager for the Red Devils, having been in the job since 1986. And now that Sir Alex is in his late sixties, there has been some speculation concerning who might be capable enough to come in as a replacement if and when he calls it a day.


But Neville says he does not envision the Scot calling time on his career anytime soon.


"There's no point in thinking about succession planning because he will stay as long as he wants," Neville said.


"I don't see this manager quitting. He is just the absolute best.


"How can you think about succession when you have a man that shows no sign of giving up, no sign of wanting to quit, no sign of wanting to be the manager anymore?


"For all Manchester United fans, they hope he stays forever."

Pep Guardiola: been linked with Man Utd

However, Sir Alex has to complete his long and illustrious tenure at Old Trafford someday, and Neville feels that Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are well placed among the current crop to come in as a replacement.

Mourinho: wants to succeed Ferguson one day

"The best managers out there at the moment are Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho but they are at other clubs - Real Madrid and Barcelona," he said.


"Will they let them go? I don't think so. Are they better than Alex Ferguson for Manchester United? I don't think so."