Over-26 players not value for money?

• limpper

  6 Aug 09, 16:42

  Man Utd chief Gill: Over-26 players not value for money

  Manchester United chief David Gill doesn't expect manager Sir Alex Ferguson to buy again this summer market.

  He told MUTV: "We’re not in the market for paying a lot of money for players who are 27, 28 or 29. We don’t think it’s good value. That would be their last contract and at the end of that contract they won’t be worth a lot of money. We’re happy to pay significant sums of money for players up to the age of about 25.

  "We’re pleased at the moment with the squad we have and a number of young boys are coming through – we have high hopes for Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck. We’ve also bought in Valencia, Obertan and Diouf from Molde. He’ll join up with us in January.

  "That’s where we’re at, although it’s worth reiterating that people should trust Sir Alex when it comes to what the squad needs. Just because we have a lot of money in the bank, it doesn’t mean we have to spend it."

• ViNnO

  6 Aug 09, 17:26

  IMO depends from player to player, most impt is their adaptability, cuz when old liao harder to adapt to big changes unlike young players. Cuz from wat soccer players claims, epl is tougher than the rest of the other league so yea.

• ASKL!

  6 Aug 09, 18:58

  What about Owen. I know he's free and all. But, they are not worth the money ain't they. Remember, Owen can score goals desite injuries at Newcastle. But at ManU, Owen has to go through everything Newcastle goes through + F.A(further stages like Semis[Which Newcastle can hardly go to]), League cup and especially C.L.

• gUms

  6 Aug 09, 21:35

  Thats why the Epl doesnt have the flair of Spanish or Italian ligas which has more matured players in their squad.

• zocoss

  6 Aug 09, 22:43

  Errr... The word here is, "we are not in the market for paying a lot of money for players who are 27, 28 or 29."... It does not mean they won't buy players that age, just that they find it not worthy to buy a players like for example Villa, coming to 28 yrs old at $40m... Cos after 3, 4 yrs contract, he is almost worthless in the transfer market... Meaning you can't expect to get any return on him...

  But buying players reaching their 30s or over 30s is still not discounted only not with such a high transfer fee... Perhaps those under the $10m range are still acceptable like Henry, RVN, Trezeguet...

  United have alway got some experienced players in regardless of their age, only thing is the price... Is it worthwhile? Laurent Blanc came when he was like 35, 36... Larsson and Van Der Sar both joint when they were like 34 or 35... These are all good bits of business cos they didn't cost alot and yet contributed much... This season they got Michael Owen for practically nothing... A player like him would have cost around $10m last season and considering the market right now, its a great piece of business... He is even willing to take a pay cut somemore...

  Arsenal are rumour to be keen on Patrick Vieira... If he is free or below $4m, I don't see why not. It could give them an experienced head in difficult periods... Something they don't have much of at present.

  So signing older players isn't a bad thing, only the price must be worthy thats all...

   

   

   

• marcteng

  6 Aug 09, 23:19

  what abt berbatov who was bought for 30m last season, when he was 27. he is 28 this year.

• ViNnO

  6 Aug 09, 23:43

  Originally posted by marcteng:

  what abt berbatov who was bought for 30 last season, when he was 27. he is 28 this year.

  
  10mil for his skills, 10mil for his height, 10mil cuz he is bulgarian lol.