Manchester United; Cambiasso set for Old Trafford?

Word reaches the IBWM inbox this evening regarding a favourite of this site; Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso, and a bid from Manchester United.

No sooner has Uncle Roy Hodgson sorted somewhere to get his car 'looked after', then he finds that the English press have already decided who will be arriving at Anfield....and who are already heading for departures.

"Just a pound....and it will be ok?"

First up, the Daily Mirror have plumped for Rafa Beneitez making a raid on his old club with a bid for midfield destroyer par excellence, Javier Mascherano, with Uncle Roy receiving brer Cambiasso and a leather holdall full of Euros.  Plausible, maybe.  Masch, as regular viewers will recall IBWM likes to refer to him, may well be on his way out of Liverpool this summer and there is clearly a queue of potential suitors across Europe.  Uncle Roy will certainly have his work cut out should any tapping up occur over in South Africa; with a sizable transfer kitty unlikely to be sitting in the managers office at Liverpool, it may well be that the offloading of one of Torres, Gerrard, or Mascherano will be the only money raising option available.

Lot of ifs, buts and maybes there, but then it is silly season so please excuse IBWM
indulging this one.....with good reason.

After all, these swap deals are never likely to happen....it's always far more likely that another club steps in, buys one player in a certain position, that frees up cash and wages and we get the whole domino effect.  But that's not going to happen here is it?  is it?

Good evening, Manchester United.

Now I'm never that taken in with 99% of transfer stories that do the rounds, but the intelligence that IBWM has received on this one, direct from Italia, did not have the word FACT in bold at the end of each sentence.  That's enough for this correspondent.

Looking at this objectively, there certainly looks to be some mileage in this.  Cambiasso is not yet 30, but is as good a defensive screen as you will find anywhere.  Instrumental in Inter's treble winning season, Cambiasso was a huge favourite of Jose Mourinho, with many observers suggesting that the former Chelsea boss would look to take the (prematurely) ex-Argentine international over to Madrid.  But with other players, such as Maicon, looking to be a bigger priority for the special one, who will be looking to a more expansive style in Spain, Cambiasso was set to see out the remainder of his contract - till 2014 - at Inter.

But it's Cambiasso's closeness to Mourinho and the fact that he was so influential to his former gaffers Inter side that makes IBWM wonder.  Benitez will want to put his own stamp on Internazionale; following a treble winning season, Rafa has nowhere left to go.....other than to insist Inter do it again, but better.  

So with this in mind, a move for Mascherano, a younger and  - in the eyes of El Diego - slightly better player than Cambiasso could be on the cards.  But someone will have to pay for that.

I read today that Alex Ferguson likes to plan years in advance, and having just missed out to Chelsea in the race for the Premier League this year, the Manchester United boss will be smarting.

Looking at Manchester United last season, it's clear that Ferguson has already started to strip back an assemble another new side, with several younger players being joined by Javier Hernandez.  But last season, United clearly missed an enforcer in midfield.  Owen Hargreaves' long term absence was a huge factor in not retaining the title and I really can't see United standing still.  It's never been Fergusons style

Every inch a United player

As a wise head with some of his best years still ahead of him, Cambiasso looks every inch a Ferguson player, and it's not difficult to imagine him tidying up in front of the Manchester United defence, allowing Rooney, Nani, and - dare I say - Hernandez to do the unlocking?

The fee mentioned was round the £18m mark.  Lets see.

Comments welcome.