Berbatov set for Man Utd exit
14 March 2012
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed
Manchester United's record signing Dimitar Berbatov is set to leave Old
Trafford in the summer.
Berbatov, who cost £30.75 million
from Tottenham in 2008, has found first-team places difficult to come by since
being left out of the United squad for last season's Champions League final
defeat to Barcelona.
And, on the eve of a last-16
Europa League second leg tie with Athletic Bilbao, Ferguson confirmed the
Bulgarian striker is set to leave in the summer.
''His concern is not getting
first-team football,'' said Ferguson. ''At 31, he is looking at first-team
football. It is difficult for me to guarantee that so it could lead to him
looking elsewhere.''
Berbatov's contract is due to
expire in the summer, although rather than let the former Tottenham man leave
for nothing at the end of the season, they will trigger a one-way clause to
extend the deal for a further year.
That would mean United would get
a fee for the player, who was linked with former club Bayer Leverkusen during the
January transfer window.
However, the Red Devils hierarchy
know they would get nothing like the mammoth sum they paid for the striker,
whom Ferguson had such high hopes for when he arrived but has never quite
managed to fulfil them, despite ending last season as the joint Golden Boot
winner.
''We will be taking up the option
on his contract but, having had chats with him, I understand he wants to get
first-team football,'' added Ferguson. ''It is something we need to consider at
the end of the season. For a player of his age and his ability it is
disappointing for him that he is not getting first-team football.
''We will look at the end of the
season but until then, he remains at United.''
Ferguson confirmed Berbatov is
again set to miss out aginst Bilbao as United look to overturn a 3-2 deficit
from last week's home encounter, saying: ''He could play tomorrow but I have
good options in terms of front players with Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and
Wayne Rooney.''
No comments:
Post a Comment