Brazilian star tops Fergie’s wish list
Ferguson told United’s official website: “There won’t be massive dealings. But hopefully there will be two, maybe three, that will come in.”
The top three on his wanted list are French under-21 international full-back Julien Escude (£4m), who plays for Rennes, Sporting Lisbon’s 19-year-old Ricardo Quaresma (£5m) and Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson (£8m).
Paris St Germain new coach Vahid Halilhodzic has already said he does not want to lose Ronaldinho but the in debt French club would probably take £15 million.
New club chairman Francis Graille has told United to come back after the French Cup final on May 31. But Spanish sides Barcelona and Valencia are also interested.
Ferguson was said to have been put off by the £15 million Blackburn Rovers have demanded for their Irish winger Damien Duff. And Leeds’ Australian forward Harry Kewell was reported to be unimpressed about a move to Manchester, who have offered £7 million.
That could let in Joe Cole now West Ham have been relegated.
Ferguson wanted to sign the £8 million-pound-rated 21-year-old as a youngster but he preferred to stay at home in London.
Juventus’ French international defender Lilian Thuram, Dutch striker Roy Makaay, the leading scorer in Spain with Deportivo La Coruna, and Sunderland’s 20-year-old French forward David Bellion are other possibilities.
Elsewhere, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri is reported to be poised to sign Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta from Roma. The 34-year-old striker, on loan to Inter Milan, becomes a free agent in June and has said he would like to play in the English Premiership. Batistuta started his Italian career in 1991 with Fiorentina, but was loaned out to Inter after a disappointing third term with Roma.
Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd headed for London yesterday to try and prevent the club’s move for Lee Bowyer being hijacked. Shepherd acted as it became clear that Newcastle are not the only club in the race to capture the 26-year-old midfielder.
United believed they had all but tied up the deal earlier this week with only a medical to be completed.
However, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa now linked with moves for the former Leeds player, the chairman travelled south in an attempt to make a decisive intervention.
His move came as the company acting for Bowyer confirmed talks were still ongoing with more than one potential employer.
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