United target opts for Real Madrid

EUROSPORT-Highly-rated Lens defender Raphael Varane, reportedly a Manchester United target, is set to join Real Madrid, the club's president has confirmed.

Gervais Martel of Lens, who were relegated from Ligue 1 this season, revealed the deal had been agreed for the 18-year-old at a meeting with his team's supporters.
Martel told the supporters that the club's survival in the top flight would have made no difference to whether Varane remained with Lens.
He did not confirm the transfer fee, though United had been linked with a £10m move for him earlier in the transfer window.
"Even if Lens had stayed in Ligue 1," Martel explained, "Raphael Varane would have left because he is a phenomenon!
"He is going to play for Real Madrid under the leadership of Jose Mourinho who he has already met, just as he has Zinedine Zidane (advisor to the Real president).
"Raphael is an exceptional boy. I am proud that he is going to don the Real colours!
"He has been pursued by Real for the past two months, he was welcomed by Real and he visited their facilities. He told me: 'I cannot turn down such an opportunity!'."
"Letting him leave is not about the money," Martel added.
"I must allow him to pursue his career. He is going to a club which has huge sporting ambitions. I am certain he will earn his place there."

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Young targets 20th title for United

EUROSPORT-New Manchester United signing Ashley Young is already targeting the club's 20th league title after agreeing a five-year deal at Old Trafford.

The England international, 26 next month, passed a medical in Manchester and the formalities of the transfer, reported to be worth anything between £16 million and £20 million, from Aston Villa were completed within 24 hours.
He becomes United's second signing of the summer, following Blackburn's England Under-21 international Phil Jones after he was signed for £16.5 million almost a fortnight ago.
"The opportunity to come and play for one of the biggest clubs in the world is one I couldn't turn down," Young told MUTV.
"It's a chance to hopefully become part of the history by helping to win the 20th title.
"It's a prospect I always looked at from being a child - to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I've got that opportunity now so I've just got to take it with two hands."
 

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Park Ji-Sung ponders Man Utd exit

ESPN-Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung believes he doesn't have long left at Old Trafford and would consider a move to another club in the next couple of years.

Park, 30, has won the Champions League and four Premier League titles during his six-years at United but does not know how long he has left at the top level.
The South Korean's contract expires at the end of the 2011-12 season and he has recently been linked with a move to La Liga duo Sevilla and Atletico.
Park, who quit international football following the 2011 Asian Cup to help extend his club career, says he has no immediate desire to leave Manchester but would like to play for another club before he retires.
"I won't be able to show my best after one or two years. I don't know how long I can stay at Manchester," Park is quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror. "I never thought about retirement but it's obvious that I don't have much time left as a player."
"According to circumstances, I might leave Manchester United and retire in another team," he added.
Park joined United in a £4 million deal from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in 2005 and has been a huge success in England.
 

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Kagawa in Dortmund talks

ESPN-Reported Manchester United target Shinji Kagawa has opened talks over a new deal with Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund.

United have sent scouts to watch Kagawa on a number of occasions but the Japan international, who joined Dortmund from J-League side Cerezo Osaka last summer and is contracted until 2013, is happy to stay in Germany.
"Shinji Kagawa is able to imagine staying on at Borussia Dortmund," the 22-year-old's agent told Bild. "We have even had a first round of talks with Dortmund general manager Michael Zorc with regard to a new contract."
"Shinji is actually contracted to Borussia Dortmund and he likes the club. He is absolutely looking forward to playing in front of the exciting Signal Iduna Park crowd in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League in the new season."
The attacking midfielder scored eight goals in 17 games last term before a foot injury sustained at the Asian Cup in January saw him sidelined for almost the entire second half of the campaign.

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Young deal close for Manchester United

ESPN-Aston Villa's Ashley Young is on the verge of completing a move to Manchester United after undergoing a medical at the club's training complex in Carrington.

The England winger, who has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League champions, travelled north to have his medical examination on Wednesday and is expected to sign for £15 million.
The 25-year-old is believed to have turned down a new contract at Villa Park in favour of a move to Old Trafford and, should the deal be completed, Young will become United's second summer signing following the arrival of defender Phil Jones from Blackburn Rovers in a £16.5 million move.
Sir Alex Ferguson's spending spree is gathering pace, with David de Gea set to join from Atletico Madrid upon returning from the Under-21 European Championships - where he is on duty with Spain.
 

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Valencia named in Ecuador squad

MANUTD-Antonio Valencia has been named in Ecuador's 2011 Copa America squad.

The competition begins in Argentina on 1 July, and Valencia is the star name in coach Reinaldo Rueda's 23-man party.
Ecuador, who have never won the Copa America, have been handed a tough draw, alongside Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela in Group B.Valencia and his compatriots open their tournament against Paraguay on 3 July, then meet Venezuela on 9 July before rounding off the group stage against Brazil on 13 July.
The top two teams from three groups, plus the two third-placed finishers with the highest points total all advance into the quarter-final stage.
 

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Reds duo down after late exit

MANUTD-United duo Danny Welbeck and Chris Smalling have spoken of their disappointment at England's exit from the UEFA European Under-21 Championships.

Stuart Pearce's side were a matter of minutes from qualification for the semi-finals after Welbeck had put England ahead in their final group game against the Czech Republic.
But the Czechs drew level in the 89th minute through Jan Chramosta, before Tomas Pekhart netted a winner in injury time to send them through and put England out.
"I don't know how we're going out after that performance," said a stunned Welbeck afterwards.
"All the lads have taken a hit and it's just a down feeling. We had the tactics right, keep the ball moving and hopefully wait for our chance – we took it, and were just unlucky to lose the game in the end."
Smalling, who played alongside new signing Phil Jones in the centre of defence, agreed it had been arguably England's most polished performance of the tournament.
"We played really well, probably our best game," he added. "If we would have played like that in the last two games then we probably wouldn't have had any complaints that we didn't get the luck of the green.
"They got their luck with a ricochet, but fair play to them that they won the game and good luck in the rest of the tournament."
 

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