Who loves you Bébé
Manchester United’s Third Signing of the summer: I love you Bébé
Another morning, and another shock from Alex Ferguson, as he adds to the ranks with a big surprise from Portugal. This time in the form of 20 year-old Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, better known as Bébé.
The shock new 6 foot 3 inch signing arrives at Old Trafford from Vitória de Guimarães, having arrived there this summer just five weeks ago from his previous club, Estrela da Amadora in the Portugese Third Division.
According to reports, Bébé spent time being raised in an orphanage during his youth, after spending part of his childhood on the streets, hardened from a tough background of street football which carries over into his playing style impressing greatly in pre-season friendlies, though his only real experience of note so far came representing Portugal in the homeless World Cup, a competition held annually since 2003.
But the 20-year-old clearly did enough that Portugal coach Carlos Quieroz has identified his abilities and impressed his feelings upon old pal Sir Alex Ferguson, leading to Manchester United acting with lightening speed to secure his signature ahead of their rivals, reported to be no less than Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. If true, Ferguson scores another point against his old sparring partner… which is nice.
Manchester United are reported to have agreed to pay the full release clause to release Bébé from his five-year contract with his previous new club, and while the fee is officially undisclosed, the Guardian and others are reporting a fee somewhere in the region of £7.4m for his services – quite a sizeable fee for an unknown young player from the lower leagues – and enough to fuel speculation that while Bébé is far from the finished article, he has enough in his locker to work on and become something very good indeed. If he turns out to be as good as the young Mexican striker Javier Hernández, another of Ferguson’s surprise summer captures, then Manchester United might well have got themselves another very good deal – even more impressive because it was done out of the public spotlight and away from the ears of would-be rivals eager to snatch the prize away from Old Trafford and Ferguson’s new-look squad.
It’s fair to say nobody saw this one coming until the ink was dry, typical of many of United’s deals of late, now released of their obligation to report their intentions to the stock exchange.
As for the paperwork, it is said personal terms have been agreed with the 20-year-old and he will move to Old Trafford as long as he passes a medical, and no problems are foreseen.
We shouldn’t be surprised as United and Ferguson clearly have their network of spies around the world, but I still can’t help being a bit surprised; Bébé was a relative unknown outside his native country, he only arrived at Guimarães in July 2010 and it is a mark of Sir Alex Ferguson’s belief in his new striker that he was prepared to spend that sort of money on a virtually unknown player who has spent most of his career playing in the Portuguese third division.
Bébé’s arrival takes United’s spending to around £25 million, squashing some fans fears that Ferguson’s war chest is empty and the club are broke. Fans may be somewhat reassured, because despite the lack of star names many were calling for, the wily Scot has already added towering former Fulham defender Chris Smalling and the exciting Javier Hernández to his squad in readiness for the new season, further strengthening United at the back and up front.
Sir Alex Ferguson apparently only met the player for the first time on Tuesday, whilst he was in Portugal to be a witness for Carlos Queiroz in a disciplinary case with the Portuguese Football Federation. Not a lot else is known so far, though I’m sure he’ll be all over YouTube and the Interwebs soon enough. Until then, let’s wait and see if Fergie’s new generation can match the previous all conquering one. I for one can’t wait…
You can join in the debate over on AwayGoalsRule.com football forum. See you there.
Manchester United’s Third Signing of the summer: I love you Bébé
Another morning, and another shock from Alex Ferguson, as he
adds to the ranks with a big surprise from Portugal. This time in the
form of 20 year-old Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, better known as
Bébé.
The shock new 6 foot 3 inch signing arrives at Old Trafford from
Vitória de Guimarães, having arrived there this summer just five
weeks ago from his previous club, Estrela da Amadora in the
Portugese Third Division.
Bébé spent time being raised in an orphanage during his youth,
after spending part of his childhood on the streets, hardened from
a tough background of street football which carries over into his
playing style, impressing greatly in preseason friendlies; his only
real experience of note so far, came representing Portugal in the
homeless World Cup, a competition held annually since 2003.
But the 20-year-old clearly did enough that Portugal coach Carlos
Quieroz has identfied his abilities and impressed his feelings upon
old pal Sir Alex Ferguson, making Manchester United act with
lightening speed to secure his signature ahead of their rivals,
reported to be no less than Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. If true,
Ferguson scores another point against his old sparring partner.
Manchester United are reported to have agreed to pay the full
release clause to release Bébé from his five-year contract with his
previous new club, and while the fee is officially undisclosed, the
Guardian and others are reporting a fee somewhere in the region
of £7.4m for his services – quite a sizeable fee for an unknown
young player from the lower leagues – and enough to fuel
speculation that while Bébé is far from the finished article, he has
enough in his locker to work on and become something very good
indeed. If he turns out to be as good as the young Mexican striker
Javier Hernandez, another of Ferguson’s surprise summer
captures, then Manchester United might well have got themselves
another very good deal – even more impressive because it was
done out of the public spotlight and away from the ears of
would-be rivals eager to snatch the prize away from Old Trafford
and Ferguson’s new-look squad.
It’s fair to say nobody saw this one coming until the ink was dry,
typical of many of United’s deals of late, now released of their
obligation to report their intentions to the stock exchange.
As for the paperwork, it is said personal terms have been agreed
with the 20-year-old and he will move to Old Trafford as long as he
passes a medical, and no problems are foreseen.
We shouldn’t be surprised as United and Ferguson clearly have their
network of spies around the world, but I still can’t help being a bit
surprised; Bébé was a relative unknown outside his native country,
and he only arrived at Guimarães in July 2010 and it is a mark of
Sir Alex Ferguson’s belief in his new striker that he was prepared to
spend that sort of money on a virtually unknown player who has
spent most of his career playing in the Portuguese third division.
Bébé’s arrival takes United’s spending to around £25 million, hardly
backup up some fans fears that Ferguson’s war chest is empty and
the club are broke. Fans may be somewhat reassured, because
despite the lack of star names many were calling for, the wily Scot
has already added towering former Fulham defender Chris Smalling
and the exciting Javier Hernández to his squad in readiness for the
new season.
Sir Alex Ferguson apparently only met the player for the first time
on Tuesday, whilst he was in Portugal to be a witness for Carlos
Queiroz in a disciplinary case with the Portuguese Football
Federation.
