Fergie - Berbatov on the up

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits he did not use Dimitar Berbatov correctly last season, but expects the striker to blossom this season.

The Bulgaria international did not live up to expectations in his debut campaign at Old Trafford following a £30million move from Tottenham last September.

SAF confesses he made a mistake in the way he deployed berbatov who scored only 14 goals in 43 appearances, but the Red Devils chief expects improvements.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star has enjoyed an excellent pre-season, impressing against Hangzhou Greentown, and his boss believes there is more to come.

"I expected the form we've seen from Berbatov in pre-season so far," said Ferguson.

"Last season was a strange one for him and maybe we didn't use him in the right way.

"We know exactly how to use him now - further up the pitch, playing as a centre-forward.

"He will improve and I think he will have a terrific season."

United trial Swedish starlet

Manchester United have handed a trial to Swedish starlet Linus Sjoberg.

The 15-year-old midfielder is currently with Vasteras but he has been spotted by United's Scandinavian scouting network.

The Premier League champions have now made an offer and Sjoberg is expected to link up with United on trial later this summer.

"You have to be cautious dealing with the social and footballing parts as the social environment is important when you are younger," agent Martin Klette told Fotbollskanalen.

"There are both good and bad foreign clubs as there are good and bad Swedish clubs.

"People have a tendency to focus on younger players that have had problems abroad and forget that there are very good clubs to grow in abroad."

Manchester United To Tempt Sergio Aguero From Atletico Madrid - Report

The English side have once more been linked with a move for the dynamic forward...

Premier League champions Manchester United are set to re-ignite their interest in Argentine wonder kid Sergio Aguero, and reports suggest that they will test Atletico Madrid’s resolve with a substantial bid.

The 21-year old had another successful season in La Liga with Los Colchoneros, partnering Diego Forlan in attack for the Champions League qualifiers, and has been previously been linked with a move to Real Madrid

The English side have cash to burn following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, and The Sunday Express comments that Sir Alex Ferguson will look to the young striker as he builds his side for defending their league crown.

A bid of around €41m is expected from Old Trafford, despite Atletico frequently insisting that Aguero is not for sale at any price, but Ferguson sees Aguero as a direct replacement to Carlos Tevez and wants to boost his striking options.

The Red Devils are also interested in Valencia winger David Silva, who has also been linked with rivals Liverpool, and it is believed that an offer of around €29m would be sufficient to commence negotiations with Los Che over a possible transfer.

Manchester United To Move For Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery – Report

Reports suggest the Red Devils could be preparing a bid for the French winger...

Our manager Sir Alex Ferguson could be readying a bid for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery

The United boss has previously revealed that chief executive David Gill enquired into the possibility of signing Ribery in a past meeting with officials at Bayern, but the Red Devils' CEO was told the player was unavailable for transfer.

The German club has communicated to the press through chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his deputy Uli Hoeness in no uncertain terms that the French winger will not be sold this summer.

Despite the odds being stacked against a move, UK newspaper The Sun is reporting Ferguson to be preparing a possible €41 million (£35m) bid for Ribery.

The tabloid is also suggesting the United boss will wait until August 14 to move for the player, at which time it is understood a loyalty bonus will become active in the France international's contract.

If the Red Devils do in fact move for Ribery, the initial offer is almost certain to be knocked back as Bayern would hold out for a substantially larger amount.

Meanwhile, Bayern legend Franz Beckenbauer recently launched a scathing attack on Ribery, telling German paper Bild that the player "does not give a damn about Bayern Munich".

Valencia President: David Silva Will Not Be Leaving The Club

Los Che president, Manuel Llorente, stands fim and declares that David Silva will remain a Valencia player despite interest from other clubs...

Speaking to the local Valencia Press, Manuel Llorente, club president of Valencia, quashed rumours of his talented winger David Silva leaving the club.

"The club is not interested in selling this player," claimed Llorente

"We have not received any formal offers and it is not in our plans to consider David's exit.

"There is still one month left until the transfer window closes, but our decision on this subject will not change" concluded the president.

David Silva first caught the eye of Europe's elite clubs after a spectacular peformance at last summer's Euro 2008 tournemant.

Since then, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have been tipped to make serious moves. Interest from Italy, as well as Realmadrid in Spain, has also appeared.

Regardless of Llorente's declarations, Spanish newspaper Marca believe Silva is widely expected to be in the Premier League by the start of the new season and it is suspected Liverpool lead the hunt for his signature.

Their Spanish manager Rafael Benitez is keen to add a key playmaker to his ranks, and indeed, after his fellow contryman and Kop icon Fernando Torres' recent words to the press, a bid may be taken more seriously.

"We lack players like [Wayne] Rooney and [Carlos] Tevez who can drop back between the lines of attack and midfield and cause havoc for opposing defences and midfields," explained Torres to The Sun.

"Liverpool need a player like David Silva...who can drop deep, find unexpected space, use a bit of quality and open up a game," he declared.

Liverpool are widely expected to offer £25 million to Valencia in the coming days, which will test Manuel Llorente's words.

Manchester United Linked With Bursaspor Striker Sercan Yildirim - Report

Sir Alex Ferguson's spending may not be over just yet...

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Bursaspor striker Sercan Yildirim, despite insisting they are finished in the transfer market for the summer.

Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson had claimed the club would not be bringing any more new players to Old Trafford, before signing another young striker, Mame Biram Diouf.

The Daily Star is now reporting that the spending could well continue, with a bid of €4 million (£3.5m) for the 19-year-old being suggested.

Yildirim has apparently been monitored by the club's European scouts in the past, and reports speculating a transfer could be on the cards had emerged as far back as October of last year.

After the introductions of Antonio Valencia, Michael Owen and Gabriel Obertan, Ferguson revealed he didn't intend to make further purchases to replace the departing Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

United went on to sign Senegalese forward Diouf, with Ferguson forced to act as other clubs had begun making bids.

A similar scenario regarding Yildirim could be in the offing, as United could move for the player if they start to face competition for his signature.

Manchester United's Michael Owen Out To Embarrass Critics

The Red Devil thinks Sam Allardyce and Dave Whelan were wrong about him...

Michael Owen is hoping to answer those who doubted his ability in the upcoming campaign. But the former Newcastle United striker isn't too worried about their criticisms.

“If that was how they were perceiving me, fine, because the greatest accolade I could have is that Sir Alex Ferguson didn't think about that," he told FourFourTwo magazine. “I can quietly sit here and and look around where I am now - and if anyone else wants to look at what they've said, then they might feel embarrassed.

“I don't feel I have to impress these people.”

“I only need to prove things to people who believe in me,” he continued. “I want to show Sir Alex was right to believe in me.”

Owen is hoping he can go someway to plugging the goal scoring gap left by departing Red Devils.

"The team has lost two players - Tevez, who scored a few, and Ronaldo who got lots over the last two seasons," he said. “There's a big hole to fill, and I hope I can help plug it in terms of goals. I can't do it on my own - but I will help out.”

“When you sign for United you get excited about a lot of things. One of them, I hope, is scoring a lot of goals - because I am going to get a lot more chances here than at other teams.”