Author Archives: isport

NANI SET TO GO

Manchester United winger Nani has made up his mind to leave the club with France and Italy being touted as his favourite destinations.

The Premier league outfit recently rejected a bid from Turkish club Galatasaray believed to be in the region of £ 8 million. It is thought that Manchester United are looking at around £ 10 million for the player, who has 12 months left on his contract. If a proposed move to Turkey does not take place, Nani is expected to wait for a bid from either Juventus or Monaco in the future.

Juventus have had a long-standing interest in the player and they are thought to be monitoring the situation. Monaco have not shown great interest in Nani up until now, but that could all change due to their failure to get Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. After the arrival of the Russian billionaire owner, the club has already made signings in excess of £ 100 million. They have been chasing Ronaldo throughout the summer with the French giants believed to be ready to part with £ 85 million for his services.

However, Real are adamant that they will not sell Ronaldo at any price, which may prompt Monaco to look at Nani – a much cheaper option.

The Portuguese midfielder arrived at Manchester United with a reputation of being the next Cristiano Ronaldo because of their similar style of play. However, he has lacked the level of consistency required to be considered as a major player in the team, although he has delivered stunning goals and assists along the way. The £ 25 million signing could cost the huge hit in the transfer books of Manchester United, as he would fetch less than half of the money paid by the club several years ago. The 26-year-old has also fallen out with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

NANI SEES RED

The Portuguese winger Luis Nani received a red card as Manchester United lost against Real Madrid in the last 16 stage of the Champions League. United were coming into the match on the back of the 1-1 draw in the first leg.

They were feeling extremely confident that they will be able to seal the progression to the quarter-final stage due to the home advantage. Things looked on the up for Manchester United when they took the lead through an own goal from Sergio Ramos. However, the red card received by Nani midway through the match changed the entire outlook.

Madrid were able to score two goals in the space of 12 min in the second half by taking advantage of the man advantage. The former United legend Cristiano Ronaldo scored the second goal for Madrid that put them 3-2 up on aggregate. After the match, though, the Real Madrid manager José Mourinho admitted that the best team did not go through. Even though Madrid were able to win the match, they were outplayed by United in both legs. Mourinho has recalled how his defender Pepe was sent off in the Champions league semi-final clash with Barcelona a few years ago in similar circumstances. Nani’s future at Old Trafford has been under a cloud of doubt.

“In my opinion, the best team lost. I think it had the same influence as the decision two years ago to send Pepe off in the semifinal. When you are talking about football at this level, with such a fine balance between two equally matched teams, playing with one man down is going to change a lot in the game,” said the Real Madrid manager. Madrid will learn their fate about the opponents for the quarter finals of the Champions League in the next few weeks.

ARSENAL TARGET NANI

The Manchester United winger Nani has emerged as a shock transfer target for Arsenal. The 26-year-old is apparently out of his way at Old Trafford after falling out with the manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The player also has only 18 months left on his current contract and Manchester United are keen to sell him before the end of the transfer window. They are extremely aware of the fact that his transfer value will fall dramatically in the summer, while he will be able to leave for free in the next summer. Due to the significant problems faced by the squad and the pressure from the fans, Wenger has reportedly made Nani his primary transfer target in the January transfer window.

The Portuguese winger will cost around £ 20 million because the Old Trafford club are extremely keen on getting more than the £ 14 million paid for him back in 2007. During this period, Nani has been extremely successful with United and has won every major trophy. However, he has been unable to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo. He was recently involved in a bust up with a youth team player, which has been the reason for him falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson. He is also demanding a £ 130,000 per week in a new contract, while United are ready to offer him only £ 90,000 per week.

This difference between the two players has not been sorted after months of negotiations. Even though the 26-year-old has been previously linked with the likes of Juventus, he is thought to be in favour of a move to London. Nani has the opportunity to be a first-team regular at Arsenal whereas he will face a lot of competition at Juventus. Wenger has been told that he has money to spend in January.

NANI RULED OUT

The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that the winger Nani will be unavailable for the next 10 days after suffering a hamstring problem ahead of the visit to Aston Villa during the weekend. Manchester United recently went top of the table following the 2-1 win over Arsenal. This coupled with the 1-1 draw at Chelsea against Swansea meant that they now have a slender advantage over the Londoners in the title race. He will be looking to maintain that after this weekend as well. Nani has been subject of numerous transfer rumours in the last few days after Ferguson openly criticised him for his error in the 5-4 defeat against Chelsea.

As a result of this, Nani has been linked with a £ 25 million move to the likes of Juventus and Zenit St Petersburg. He has two years left on his current contract and holding out for around £ 120,000 per week. United are willing to offer him significantly lower, which means that the latest criticism from the manager will not have gone down well with the player. He will not be available for the matches against SC Braga in the Champions League and also Aston Villa during the weekend.

“Nani is out with a tight hamstring. It will be about 10 days. Jonny is a doubt. It is not a serious one. We are monitoring it and hopefully he will be OK. It is a daunting task to bring Aston Villa back to where everyone expects them to be. They have a great history. They won the European Cup in 1981. It is correct to say they have not matched their expectations over the years,” said Alex Ferguson. Nani has played very little football this season after falling out with the manager at the end of last season.

NO MORE TALKING TO MEDIA

The winger of Manchester United, Luis Nani, has been strictly told by the United management not to speak about contract issues in the media.

Nani had been put on sale by United during the pre season transfer window and the club was on the verge of selling him to the Russian club Zenit, but, at the last moment, Zenit decided not to buy the Portuguese winger. So, Nani has to remain with United till the mid season transfer window. According to some reports, Sir Alex Ferguson has clearly told Nani to concentrate on his game rather than thinking about a new contract.

Nani has been playing for United since the last 5 years. He had signed a 5 year contract with the club in June 2007. He played his first match for United against Shenzhen. That was a pre season friendly match and Nani scored a goal in his debut match. In his first season for United, Nani played quite well and his performance promised a lot. In the next season, Alex Ferguson gave him regular playing chances, but, he wasn’t able to cement his place in the first XI.

His performance in the last two seasons was way below par. His passing was erratic and many of his team mates were said to be unhappy with his approach on the field. Also, Nani wanted his wages to be increased which had pissed off the United management. These things prompted Alex Ferguson to put Nani on sale this summer. But, unfortunately, Nani’s transfer to Zenit wasn’t completed. According to some reports, Nani demanded a very high weekly salary which was not acceptable to the authorities of Zenit.

Nani has played 200 matches for United so far and he has scored only 40 goals in those matches. He is not likely to get many first team chances in the current season and he would have to spend most of the time sitting on the bench.

Want to win a Man Utd signed photo? Send us your score prediction for the next match via twitter, and you might win! 🙂

NEW DEAL FOR NANI

Manchester United winger Nani is currently looking at the prospect of extending his current deal with the club according to his agent.

There have been reports over the summer that the Portuguese winger will consider a move away from the club after failing to agree terms over a new deal. It was thought that Nani was demanding a contract worth around £ 100,000 per week, which was quickly opposed by Manchester United. As a result, he was thought to be demanding a move away from the club with the likes of Italian champions Juventus showing great interest in the former Sporting Lisbon winger.

The 25-year-old, though, now looks likely to stay at Old Trafford after his agent has revealed that he is currently negotiating a contract with Manchester United. It is expected that he may agree a deal that pays him £ 80,000 per week, but the salary is significantly compensated much better in way of performance related bonuses. Nani is set to return to the Manchester United pre-season training after missing out on the initial few matches due to the extended break he received after the end of the Euro 2012. Nani made it into the semifinals of the competition with the Portuguese national team.

“We will see. I am very happy at Man United and have been there five years and won every title. The manager has great faith in me and that’s what is important. My agent is negotiating and we’ll see what happens. It hurt to miss the league title in the last minutes, City had incredible luck that day. Hopefully next season is our turn and it’s up to us to make that happen,” said Nani. He has also said that his main priority will be to recapture the title from Manchester city.

NANI DELIGHTED TO QUALIFY

Portugal midfielder Nani has said that he is extremely happy with the performance of the national team in the quarter-final match against the Czech Republic, which ended as a win for the Portuguese, according to the Man Utd news website.

The 1-0 win now means that Portugal will be taking on Spain in the semifinals of the Euro 2012. It is an incredible achievement by the Portuguese given that they were not expected to get past the group stages due to the tough nature of the group. However, they now have a chance to repeat the heroics of the Euro 2004 by going into the final of the European championships, although they will be looking to win it this time around.

Nani has been a great foil for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Manchester United winger has been able to utilise his pace and skills in such a way that the opposition also have to keep him quiet as well. This has allowed Ronaldo to thrive in the last two matches against Netherlands and Czech Republic. He has really come into form in the last two matches and he will once again be the major threat for the opponent in the semi-final against Spain. Nani has said that he is extremely happy with the performance of the 11 players on the pitch.

“It was a very difficult game but we did very well. I think everyone was fantastic on the pitch. It’s a great performance by all the players and I’m satisfied with the result. Now it’s going to be more difficult every game but the whole team is confident, I’m very confident for the next game. Now we have to rest and prepare for the big match. I had a couple of chances, Almeida had a couple of chances but finally Cristiano Ronaldo scored a goal and we won the game and that’s the most important thing,” said Nani.

NANI WANTS NEW CONTRACT

Manchester United midfielder Nani has said that he wants to stay with the Old Trafford club by signing a new contract. It is thought that Manchester United are ready to offer Nani a contract extension that will keep him at the club for the long-term.

Many expected Nani to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United due to the large number of similarities both players have had in their careers. However, Nani has failed to reach the extraordinary heights of Ronaldo, but he has been an extremely good player for United over the years. He is set to start on the crucial Manchester derby ahead of Antonio Valencia.

Nani has won every major trophy with Manchester United since his arrival of his seasons ago. He is looking forward to winning the next Premier league title in his trophy cabinet, but wants to focus on the Manchester derby for now. United have the opportunity to close in on the title if they managed to avoid defeat at the Etihad stadium. Even though United could have sealed the title by now, they have made many mistakes in the last few matches, which has put them in a very compromising position. However, Nani believes that United will come out strong.

“I left Portugal for a great personal challenge and to improve as a player. There have been times when it’s not been easy but they treat me well here and, step by step, I am fulfilling my dreams. Manchester United is my home. It has been a season of many ups and downs but our destiny still remains in our own hands. We’re not going to City in fear or living with pressure. Manchester United players are equipped to handle it,” Nani said ahead of the Manchester showdown on April 30.

NANI BACK FOR QPR

Luis Nani has been one of the in and out players for Manchester United this season, but it has been largely down to the huge number of injury problems he has suffered this season.

However, he is back much earlier than expected for the match against QPR during the weekend. Manchester United will be hosting QPR at Old Trafford. QPR will be fresh from their 2-1 win over third placed Arsenal last weekend, and will be looking to build on this victory at Old Trafford as well. QPR manager Mark Hughes has been speaking about the need to build on this victory, as they failed to do so the last time around when they beat Liverpool 3-2 at Loftus Road.

Luis Nani suffered the ankle injury in the match against Athletic Bilbao. Manchester United were knocked out of the Europa league in the last 16 stage by Athletic Bilbao after quite an impressive performance from their Spanish opponents. However, Sir Alex Ferguson was more worried about the ankle injury suffered by Nani, who is one of the best attacking threats within the United team. Even though the return of Antonio Valencia has helped Ferguson be relieved over the attacking options at United, he will certainly be extremely overjoyed to have Nani back into the team for the match against QPR.

“Mark’s managed quite a few clubs now so he’s not a new manager anymore. He’ll have them well drilled and well prepared, just like the majority of teams that come to Old Trafford. They’ll make it difficult for us,” Sir Alex Ferguson said ahead of the match on the official website of Manchester United. Manchester United have the chance to open an eight point advantage at the top of the table to second placed Manchester City, who will be making a difficult trip to Arsenal.

NANI BLAMES INJURIES

Manchester United’s Portuguese winger Luis Nani has admitted that this season has not been the best of seasons for him at Old Trafford and he blamed it much on his inconsistency after returning to full match fitness having spent a month out with a knee ligament injury.

Nani was injured during United’s 2-1 victory against English Premier League rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and made his comeback against Ajax Amsterdam in the UEFA Europa League match at Old Trafford last week but he could not prevent his side going down 2-1 to the Dutch side at the end of the match.

However, Nani believes that the 90 minutes of playing that he got during the match will improve his game and ultimately prove to be valuable in the long term perspectives of the season. United are in a direct battle against local rivals Manchester City for the English Premier League title as well as the UEFA Europa League crown and Luis Nani believes that if he can remain consistent till the end of the season, he can contribute a lot to the success of the side.

Nani, who was bought from Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon as a foil for Cristiano Ronaldo form more than £ 20 million in 2007 has always been regarded as a great player but extremely inconsistent and this season proved that point to the core. However, Nani believes that his inconsistency can be blamed on the several injury layoffs that he has had throughout the season and is looking forward to remaining fit as the season winds down to a close.

Luis Nani also believes that if he can add some more match time with the Reserve squad, he will benefit from it, and he insists that he will be back to his best once he completely overcomes the injury.