Edmund Blackwater
02-06-2009, 01:06 PM
http://www.timesonline.co.u k/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6409971.ece
Manchester United's preparations for next season have been dealt an early blow with Owen Hargreaves, the England midfield player, unlikely to be back in action until January.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, had hoped to have Hargreaves playing by the start of the new season in August, but his recovery from two knee operations is taking longer than expected and neither the club nor the player is prepared to rush his return for fear of a setback.
Hargreaves underwent surgery on his right knee last November and on his left knee in January at the Colorado clinic of Dr Richard Steadman, the world-renowned knee surgeon, in an attempt to cure a tendinitis problem that has plagued his career since a £20.2million move to United from Bayern Munich in July 2007.
He has spent much of his time since then in Vail, Colorado, being monitored closely by Steadman, but, given the complexity of the injury, the pain has yet to subside properly and the player is only able to do very light training exercises.
The next couple of months are likely to provide more definitive answers, with Hargreaves hopeful of being able to join his team-mates for light training once or twice a week from next month or August before stepping up his rehabilitation programme to include more rigorous training after that. It is doubtful, though, that he will return to action before the new year.
Despite Hargreaves's absence, Ferguson is unlikely to delve into the transfer market for an established midfield anchorman this summer, even though the 2-0 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona last week highlighted the need for a more combative figure in the middle of the park.
Ferguson has every confidence in Darren Fletcher, whose absence through suspension was felt in Rome, being able to occupy that role - as he did successfully on occasions last season. It has not escaped the manager's notice though that, for all the qualities of Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Anderson, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, a physical presence in the Michael Essien mould has been lacking.
Ferguson is prepared to be patient as he waits to see how Hargreaves recovers but, if his return does not go to plan and the player - who turns 29 in January - spends another season on the sidelines, the Scot will probably be forced to cut his losses next summer and look for a replacement.
Hargreaves, who, according to sources close to him, is said to be “very optimistic” about making a full recovery, has made only 25 starts in two years for United. Including his transfer fee and wages of £70,000 a week, Hargreaves has cost United the equivalent of just under £1.1million a start, an alarming sum even for the champions.
Another player facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford is Carlos Tévez, the Argentina striker. Kia Joorabchian, the businessman whose companies own the economic rights to Tévez, is expected to meet David Gill, the United chief executive, tomorrow to resolve the situation. If United agree to pay the £25.5million required to secure the permanent signing of Tévez, the player will have a decision to make.
Does he stay, despite complaining that his pride has been hurt by United's attempts to drive the price down, or does he join one of the five clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City, chasing his signature?
United expect Carrick to be fit to start pre-season training on July 6 after he was ruled out of England's World Cup qualifying matches away to Kazakhstan on Saturday and Andorra at Wembley four days later with a broken toe.
Bayern must be laughing their arses off.
Poor cnut.
Manchester United's preparations for next season have been dealt an early blow with Owen Hargreaves, the England midfield player, unlikely to be back in action until January.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, had hoped to have Hargreaves playing by the start of the new season in August, but his recovery from two knee operations is taking longer than expected and neither the club nor the player is prepared to rush his return for fear of a setback.
Hargreaves underwent surgery on his right knee last November and on his left knee in January at the Colorado clinic of Dr Richard Steadman, the world-renowned knee surgeon, in an attempt to cure a tendinitis problem that has plagued his career since a £20.2million move to United from Bayern Munich in July 2007.
He has spent much of his time since then in Vail, Colorado, being monitored closely by Steadman, but, given the complexity of the injury, the pain has yet to subside properly and the player is only able to do very light training exercises.
The next couple of months are likely to provide more definitive answers, with Hargreaves hopeful of being able to join his team-mates for light training once or twice a week from next month or August before stepping up his rehabilitation programme to include more rigorous training after that. It is doubtful, though, that he will return to action before the new year.
Despite Hargreaves's absence, Ferguson is unlikely to delve into the transfer market for an established midfield anchorman this summer, even though the 2-0 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona last week highlighted the need for a more combative figure in the middle of the park.
Ferguson has every confidence in Darren Fletcher, whose absence through suspension was felt in Rome, being able to occupy that role - as he did successfully on occasions last season. It has not escaped the manager's notice though that, for all the qualities of Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Anderson, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, a physical presence in the Michael Essien mould has been lacking.
Ferguson is prepared to be patient as he waits to see how Hargreaves recovers but, if his return does not go to plan and the player - who turns 29 in January - spends another season on the sidelines, the Scot will probably be forced to cut his losses next summer and look for a replacement.
Hargreaves, who, according to sources close to him, is said to be “very optimistic” about making a full recovery, has made only 25 starts in two years for United. Including his transfer fee and wages of £70,000 a week, Hargreaves has cost United the equivalent of just under £1.1million a start, an alarming sum even for the champions.
Another player facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford is Carlos Tévez, the Argentina striker. Kia Joorabchian, the businessman whose companies own the economic rights to Tévez, is expected to meet David Gill, the United chief executive, tomorrow to resolve the situation. If United agree to pay the £25.5million required to secure the permanent signing of Tévez, the player will have a decision to make.
Does he stay, despite complaining that his pride has been hurt by United's attempts to drive the price down, or does he join one of the five clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City, chasing his signature?
United expect Carrick to be fit to start pre-season training on July 6 after he was ruled out of England's World Cup qualifying matches away to Kazakhstan on Saturday and Andorra at Wembley four days later with a broken toe.
Bayern must be laughing their arses off.
Poor cnut.