Louis Saha is likely to be shown the exit door at Old Trafford this season, with his injuries making him too much of a liability to hold a place in our squad any longer.
United have yet to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy with an out and out striker, not that we haven’t been consoled with the two league titles and European Cup we’ve won since his departure.
Regardless, it is time United got serious about finding a regular goalscorer, particularly if Ronaldo is on his way out.
Is Samuel Eto’o the man for the job?
“I have spent four years with Barcelona. The first two years we won everything with the club and then there were two difficult seasons when I was injured,” said Eto’o yesterday. “Now I am looking for possibilities – at some point I will take a decision either to look for another club or stay in Barcelona. In two years’ time we shall be in the World Cup and I will be at the top level with one club or Barcelona. I don’t have much to prove with Barcelona. I know I am still marketable and this summer we will meet with the club officials to ensure that I am not pushed.”
The new Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, has recently claimed that Eto’o is one of the players not in his long term plans at the club, which certainly indicates Eto’o could be on his way out.
No one could blame Eto’o from wanting to get away from Barcelona though because of the conditions a black man playing in Spain has to deal with. He has been the subject of racist taunts many a time, and even tried to walk off the pitch against Real Zaragoza, where the fans made monkey noises and threw peanuts on to the pitch whenever he had the ball.
“It is something that has affected me personally,” Eto’o said of the racism in La Liga. “At this moment in time I prefer my children don’t go to football matches. In the stands they have to listen to things that are difficult to explain to a child. It is better they aren’t exposed to it.”
Last season, Eto’o managed an impressive 20 goals in 24 games, and his record for Barcelona currently stands at 91 goals in 135 games.
Would you be interested in seeing him sign for us?
Man Utd News 24/7
hell be welcome with open arms by manchester united fans i think hes the answer to our prayers we need a class striker like him
No I personally dont think hes the right man for United. I wasnt impressed with him at Old Trafford when Barcelona played us, I know you cant judge a player on one game, but I dont think he will ever recapture the form he had for Barcelona in 2005/06. As for Ruud as good as he way, United are a better side without him. When Ruud played we used to play to his strengths and rely too much on him to get the goals. Since hes gone our play is more fluid and alot quicker, and we share the goals around the team. I still would love to see Berbatov at Old Trafford. Hes a different option to Rooney or Tevez, he has that arrogance and ability to play on a stage like Old Trafford.
i believe that he would be a great addition to our squad, hes quick, strong and that out and out striker we need. the only issue i have with him is his attitude, rumours of dressing room bust ups do worry me about the effect he may have on us but if he can recapture that form he had in the 05/06 season then we will benefit greatly from him
his goal ratio last season is absolutely ridiculous. however, he seems very injury prone so would we be getting a souped up version of Saha?
Eto’o – NO!
arshavin and benzema would be great signings.
i would even take a chance on ronaldinho
of course we want him on United…he s a top class player!!!!!!!he is fast,strong in the air, and i think that he is the best striker we can sign in the transfer period!!!!eto’o is the best……he can score…and he can share goals….so let cristiano go…and sign eto’o and messi…plz SAF!!!!
he’s better than a sharp stick on the eye
grab him if we cant get benzema or arshavin
United must sign Eto’o!!!!He is the kind of striker United need…he is strong…quick…and he can score many goals…He would be perfect along Tevez and Rooney…And if United let Ronaldo go must try to sign messi…I thin that he can replace Ronaldo and even be better than him…Ronaldo played egoistic…Messi is a team player and he is very good and clever…He is the man United need if SAF let Ronaldo go…With Messi and Eto’o United would have the perfect squad…So think about it SAF and I think that you will be pleased to see Eto’o and Messi come…even if that wonderboy Ronaldo leave…
Like Brian, I would like Arshavin and Benzema BUT let’s have a reality check.
Footies transfers are a “three way” intersection – the buyer, the seller, and the player, ALL have to agree on terms.
BOTH Arshavin and Benzema seem to have stated that they don’t want to play in England. Of course, such reports are usually rumours BUT assuming that they are true then both of these guys are non-starters.
Let’s go back a step in this thought=process and ask a smiple question:
WHAT DOES THE “NEW UTD” NEED TO ADD TO LAST YEAR’S DOUBLE WINNERS ?
I think that the overall consensus was a proper #9 to complement the “whirligig” system that SAF has implemented since Ruud was shown the door.. Of course, opinions differ on what constitutes a “proper #9″ but, given the LikelyLads out there, it seems that the market would include: Roque Santa Cruz, Samuel Eto’o, Dimitar Berbatov, Mario Gomez, Jan Huntelaar.
On pure ability – these guys would line up as: Eto’o and Berbatov in the first group and the others lagging far behind.
Eto’o and Berbatov are about the same age but the comparison ends there – Eto’o is a lead-the-line guy whereas Berbatov is someone who likes to play “in the hole”
Since we already have two prodigious talents who like to play “in the holde”: Rooney and Tevez, it seems to me that Eto’o is the obvious choice.
Of course, there are “reports” that Eto’o has a “bad attitude” but to my way of thinking most of these can be understood in the context of the deep-rooted racism of Spanish football (at all levels – from the terraces to the willingness of the Spanish FA to tolerate someone as odious as Aragones) and/or his sense that Ronaldinho was treated differently (and better) by the powers-that-be at Barcelona. Because none of us has the faintest idea of the truth of these “rumours”, I would suggest putting too much weight on them.
In strictly-footie terms (i.e., ability on the pitch and ability to complement the guys who are already first-teamers), I would be thrilled to have Eto’o on my team. He’s fast, athletic, and has a poacher’s nose for goal. Who could be a better fit ?
I like his pace and power and his goals per game ratio is excellent
downsides
injury prone, can be sulky and he is an african which means every 2 years hell be away for a chunk of the season
in that african cup of nations thing
plus he has never played in the pl before so id go for berbatov who we know can deal with the english game
No. We have Louis Saha for that type of man.
The problem with signing an Eto’o or a Berbatov is that each is an established star – and each will expect a starting place. So that would mean leaving Rooney or Tevez on the sidelines, or playing them in positions which are not their best. Last season’s front two were phenomenal – Ronaldo was the icing on the cake. We’ve disturbed winning patterns in the past to accommodate a so-called superstar (just think Veron, great though he was) and, in the immortal words of Alan Partridge, we need evolution, not revolution. It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.
I accept an extra striker or two is needed. What we want is someone who is tall, mobile, has electric pace, is good in the air and is a team player. Sound familiar? Pity Louis Saha is so injury prone.
For my money, Benzema would be a perfect fit – he’s got plenty already and can be moulded into a United player, just as Rooney and Ronaldo were. Huntelaar? He can’t even get into the Holland team ahead of Dirk Kuyt, never mind our cast off, RVN.
This Manucho is an unknown quantity, and Fraizer Campbell might be worth a punt. Then there’s young Wellbeck who, from what I’ve seen, looks a star in the making. Go through the ranks a little further and we’ve the Italian Macheda, not to mention this new 16-year-old Petrucci we’ve nicked from Roma.
For me, if we’re to buy a striker, let it be Benzema. and if you want a left-field suggestion, how about Mauro Zarate, the young Argentine who looked the biz with Brimingham last season? Imagine him being coached to wear a United shirt properly…….
MKR
Shuld Ronaldo go,messi or queresma,and eto’o or berbatov in dat order are d solution.
If ron stays and benzema wunt come den eto’o wil be d undoubted point man.
sir.israel
I really like Eto’o as a player but I’m not convinced he ticks all the boxes for our current needs. I think height and strength are big issues for us at the moment and although he has the latter he’s not very tall.
I wouldn’t mind his temperament, the main issue he had at Barca was in Ronaldinho’s lack of work ethic – the dressing room divided when Eto’o started complaining about R’s reluctance to show up at training & contribute meaningfully to games. For me it shows good appetite and dedication when a player calls into question a team-mates lack of commitment (behind closed doors of course)
Should we buy Eto’o and Benzema I would be happy, the best of both worlds. If we loose CR7 we need to get a couple of attacking players so why not?
Nope… no more big heads….
no
NO, rather have Santa Cruz as he is proven in Prem. and is a more couragous player in the air, just what we need.
Louis Saha is a good striker. Every year he gets injuried and still finds ways to get goals. He scored 5 goals this year, while only starting 10 times. He came on as a sub and grabbed some crucial goals for us this campaign. He doesn’t want to leave and if he can ever get over his injury bug he could be the striker we are missing at United. Maybe we don’t need to sign anyone ESPECIALLY not Eto. We need someone who can finish in the air and be clinical. Eto is a good finisher but his aerial ability is minimal at best. If we do let Saha go I will be disappointed, I still have hopes he can force his way into the starting line-up , cause if he does he is a great striker.
For me it will be very wise to give Manucho a chance.I don’t think that Eto’o has got what it takes to be a United player. I believe it is not in his blood to be there. Personally I beleive that if we have to buy a striker it has to be Huntelaar. May I remind everyone that we were never let down when we bought Dutch !
I think we should sell off Ronaldo while Madrid still ready to break the bank., lets say for £ 80 millon., then take the same amount and spash it on Messi (Barca won’t refuse – they need the money) and having the transfer money from the oweners untouched., we can go get Sergio Auguero., with those two at Man Utd., we’ll be untouchable., NOT even Scolari., haha!!!
We do need a striker and a fullback to replace Neville, but in all honesty, the one area where I really think we need shoring up is the one everybody thinks we’re fine – midfield. The current lineup is fine in the Premier leaguel but really becomes suspect against top class opposition from Europe. No one could have been more thrilled than I at seeing United win the Champions trophy once again, but did I really enjoy the manner of the win? No, not by a long way. We were played off the park in the midfield engine room, as we were against Barcelona and to some extent against Roma, particuarly in the first game. We desperately need a world class talent to rule the roost there, because as we saw, with Ronaldo closely marked and shut down for space his contributions from the wings largely evaporated away. Messi just danced rings around United by comparison, and we need that kind of quality to really stamp our authority on big games, instead of winning ugly and leaving ourselves open to accusations of being undeserving winners. That was levelled at us after the Moscow triumph, as well as back in 1999 against Bayern, and to some extent it was merited.
I don’t think there’s any way we could prise Messi away from Barcelona, but I think the possibility exists to entice Kaka to United, particuarly as Milan missed out on a European spot. If Ronaldo goes to Madrid, nothing would do more to restore the side than to throw Madrid’s money at Milan for Kaka. Losing a world class talent like Ronaldo would hurt, but getting the likes of Kaka in the side would more than compensate for the loss – he and Messi are practically the only two you could say that about. Ronaldhino maybe, if he can renew his enthusiasm and commitment to the game.
Do that, then start looking for a striker and a fullback to fill out the side.
i wud luv 2 c him at united, sum1 with real pace to make defences play deeper and alow the magic of rooney/tevez to create havoc!! as for his attitude, i think a few weeks and fergie wud have him in tiptop shape, no danger!!!
Saha is good for what 15/20 games a year? as good as he is whats the use is he is sat in the stands for 75% of the season.
Huntelaar got a great scoring record and he could be the next rudd then again he could be the next kuyt or kezman
anyone seen much of him?
I’m a United fan through and through, but my buddies really love Barca. I watched pretty much every match for the last three seasons, and I think Eto’o has recently gone through a change. Previously, he was certainly egotistical. However, during his injury last year, it seemed as if he went on some kind of vision quest or spiritual journey. After coming back last season, his attitude improved tremendously. After scoring goals (which he did frequently) , where he previously pointed at his jersey, he hugged his coach as well as his team-mates on the bench and seemed to generally be a very positive influence on the pitch. I don’t know that he’s completely rehabilitated, I think a little Fergie in his life could turn him into a great team player. Believe me, the talent is there. I really think this might work.
-ian-
i would like to see eto’o wearing man utd shirt next season, but SAF also need to find a powerfull winger to support our striker. Plezzz sell ronaldo at 70m deal and with that amount of money i think united can get a pair of powerfull winger and sriker. plezzz SAF don’t the ronaldo deal quickly and try to sign BENZEMA or ETO’O as a striker and DAVID SILVA, sneijder or Van de vart as winger.
i think we should keep ronaldo because he can change the game at any moment and score lots of goals…………………………………………………………,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
we should keep ronaldo and also buy eto…………………………………….that will keep us in good squad…………