“Tevez did ​​it out of spite,” Berbatov told BG TV. “But I wouldn’t do something like that. I had the opportunity to sign for City but I chose United. City are the champions but to me they just bought the title. They bought so many players. I’m sure next year Manchester United will be on top again. Ferguson is honest. He knows how to talk to anyone. After meeting with him you go out so motivated. You want to conquer the world. Before the start of this season, I spoke with Ferguson and asked him if he’ll rely on me. He said to me that he needed me and that I’d play. I’m looking for answer myself why I was sitting on the bench. I spoke with Ferguson about ten times. I was fighting for my place and I was trying but obviously the team will rely on young players.”

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Translated by Inna.

“I rejected City’s offer to play in the best club in the world,” Berbatov told BG TV. “My time in United is over and I should find another place. Right now I don’t feel complete. I’m not a bench player, so obviously my time at United ended. My goal in my life was to reach the top and Manchester United was exactly this.”

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Translated by Inna.

“The work goes on all year round but obviously intensifies as we come to the end of the season in terms of players,” Gill said. “There’s various contracts we’ve got to do, we’ll look at some acquisitions and there will be some players who will leave. It’s an interesting time.”

Whilst Dimitar Berbatov’s contract was automatically extended for a year in March, it is unlikely he will be offered a new deal, so will be sold in the summer. Last season’s Premier League top scorer has only played in 11 games this season but has still managed to score 7 goals.

Michael Owen is another player that could leave after doing little to dispel the injury prone tag in his time at the club. After a relatively successful first season, scoring a last minute winner against City, scoring in the League Cup final and bagging a hattrick in the Champions League, Owen has hardly played over the past two season. This year he has featured in just four games in all competitions, scoring three goals.

Paul Pogba may also leave, having yet to decide whether he wants to continue at the club or sign for Juventus. Pogba suffered ankle ligament damage in the Reserve game on Monday and has been ruled out for the rest of the season, so may have played his last game for the club.

“Mitko appreciates the money but that was always secondary to him, he just wants to play,” he said. “Mitko has to endure this situation but it is not his style to start making scandals like Tevez. In Chicharito, Rooney and Tevez, Sir Alex Ferguson has talented strikers. The only thing they have a little more of than Mitko is speed but Berbatov is more technical. I had three meetings with Ferguson and we accept that he is making the next Manchester United team for the next three to four years and the future of the club is not related to Berbatov. The position of the club is that they will not interfere if an offer comes in for him and they will not make difficulties. Dimitar will most probably leave England but he doesn’t want to move to the U.S., Japan, United Arab Emirates or championships like these. He wants to continue his career in another team that is no less classy than Manchester United. Berbatov will go in one among the major European leagues – La Liga, Serie A or Bundesliga.”

Danchev went on to speak highly of the manager too, showing there is no bad blood between the player and Ferguson.

“There is no punishment that left Berbatov outside of the group and it’s not his notorious Scottish stubbornness. There is hardly a manager who comes close to Ferguson. Two of my meetings with him and Gill left me with the impression that he will remain head coach until he wants. Personally, he served tea and coffee, he does not behave arrogantly. “

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Some translations by Inna

Despite 7 goals in 10 league appearances this season, last year’s Premier League top scorer has barely been given a look in, after falling behind Rooney, Welbeck and Chicharito in pecking order.

Whilst Berbatov has characteristically remained completely professional, always speaking highly of the club, manager and fans, he cannot be happy with such little playing time at this stage in his career.

“He wants to get first team football and we need to consider that at the end of the season,” Ferguson said today.

The contract extension will simply prevent Berbatov leaving on a free in a few month’s time.

Despite this, he’s scored 7 goals in the 10 appearances he’s made in the league and is waiting for his opportunity to score more.

“It’s just about being ready,” Berbatov said. “We have a big squad and you know sometimes you are not going to play. It’s sad and it’s painful but you need to be strong and be prepared for when your team-mates need your help. We are a team and we want to win together. Every time I have played I think I have done well. I’m ready and waiting whenever the boss gives me a chance to show my quality and deliver. I want to do as much as I can to help us win the title.”

- Adebayor has more assists (10) than any other striker in the league.

- Rooney has more shots per game (4.7) than any other player in the league, followed by van Persie (4.6) then Suarez (4.3).

- Van Persie is the best striker on home turf (13), followed by Augero (11) then Rooney (9). Welbeck scored 4 of his 6 goals at Old Trafford, 2 out of 8 for Chicharito, 6 out of 7 for Berbatov.

- Dzeko and Van Persie are the best strikers away from home (9), followed by Rooney and Ba (8). Then Chicharito, Odemwingie and Sturridge (6).

He has scored 7 goals in 10 league appearances this season but has spent most of the season as fourth choice behind Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

“I am a Manchester United player, but I do not currently play in as many games as I want,” he said. “I’m not happy that I do not play. But I cannot blame anyone, especially in the media. When I have something to say, I go and talk face to face with the manager. He decides everything.”

Speaking about his future at United, Berbatov added: “There was nothing concrete as an offer to me. I read about such things, but they are more speculation. I do not know how long I will stay at Manchester United. To my knowledge, the clause to extend my contract for another year is automatically activated in March. I know nothing more.”

The club tried to sell the striker in the summer following his omission from the Champions League final squad but the player wasn’t having any of it, determined to stay on our books and fight for his place and has behaved admirably since.

Whilst Berbatov’s contract expires in the summer, meaning he would be allowed to leave for free, United have the option to extend his deal by a further year. If you are to believe the manager, that is what the club is intending to do.

“There is absolutely no reason for me to let him go,” Ferguson said last month. “He is an outstanding footballer and we will give the extra year. He plays a great role and he trains well. He has no complaints. The boy is a great professional and we are happy for him to be here. You need a good number of strikers in the modern day. If you look back to 1999, we had four great strikers. They all played their part. That is exactly what will happen today.”

However, Berba is one of the highest earners at the club and if the policy from the summer is to be continued, where we saw the likes of Wes Brown and John O’Shea replaced with younger players on much smaller wages, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him leave in January, when at least we could get some sort of a transfer fee for him too. It’s a disgrace to think we could sell him whilst keeping the likes of Federico Macheda and Mame Biram Diouf but that’s a possibility under the Glazer ownership.

Speaking to Bild, Berbatov’s representative, Ivan Dobrinov, has claimed the talk of the Bulgarian returning to his former club, Bayer Leverkusen, is not just a rumour. United will let the player know in the next week whether his deal will be extended for another year, and if it’s not, he will be free to leave in January.

“It’s more than a rumour,” Dobrinov said. “Leverkusen have it on their minds to get Berbatov. There is contact, but nothing concrete yet. It all depends on United’s plans. We wait until 2nd January. Until then, United have the option but if that does not happen then Berbatov would be a free transfer in the summer. The player has never forgotten Leverkusen, the club is still very dear to him. Furthermore, he has a good relationship with the leadership at Bayer.”

Yesterday Leverkusen CEO Wolfgang Holzhauser was reported to have confirmed the interest.

“I would even say that the contact is friendly. But there is certainly nothing concrete at the moment. I also read that Manchester United would like to extend his contract.”

Today though, following an interview with Deutsche Presseagentur, Holzhauser claims Berbatov’s agent is just stirring things and that they haven’t tried to sign him.

“A transfer of Dimitar Berbatov to our club is pure speculation and we will not partake in this gossip,” he said. “Things have been forced by his agents and it displeases me to know that. We have remained in close contact with Dimitar since he left the club but this is purely on an amicable basis.”

In just his second league start of the season against Wigan, Berbatov scored a hattrick, showing that he still has a part to play. Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck were both given a rest and the Bulgarian ensured we got three points regardless. Will he be happy to be used in this way? I don’t see why not, considering that’s how he ended last season.

“My mind was always set on joining Manchester United,” he said two months ago. “How can you not go to United? I don’t play for money. I play for glory and winning championships. I’m happy here. My family is together in Manchester. I hear people complain about the weather, there’s nothing to do and the food. But, for me, it’s not like that. I play for a club I love, the biggest club, and everything else doesn’t matter.”

We would have to understand if he chose to leave though because he is too good to be used as sparingly as he is at United. Leverkusen’s top scorer this season is Eren Derdiyok on 6 goals which a tally Berba would obviously feel confident of beating. Berbatov spent six seasons at Leverkusen and according to his agent would have no problem with returning. He turns 31-years-old next month and this could be his last opportunity to sign a big contract. However, it would be quite a step down to join Leverkusen, who are currently 6th in the Bundesliga.

“Manchester United are at the top,” he said in the summer. “Where can you go from there? If you go somewhere else it is a big step down.” Is he prepared to make the big step down? Will United make that decision for him? Four days until we find out…