Sir Alex Ferguson is playing a very shrewd game at Manchester United as we continue to wait for the first big money signing to walk through the door at Old Trafford. Valencia and Owen are deals that have been completed but we all expected these due to the strong speculation surrounding each.

The point is that a lot of United fans are growing frustrated by Ferguson’s reluctance to part with a great deal of cash in order to bring in a high profile star. Well the boss has parted with another £3 million, or is about to, after taking advice from former defender, Laurent Blanc.

Blanc has advised Ferguson to take a gamble on Gabriel Obertan, a winger who currently plays for Marseille. Apparently Blanc has said that Obertan is better than Nani, which has put the future of the Portuguese player at the club in doubt. The point is that it is now seeming more and more likely that Ferguson will go for unproven stars to replace some important players that have just left his club.

Blanc said: “I was surprised too, but it is an unexpected chance for him to play with one of the best clubs in the world. Manchester United have been tracking him for a long time. They certainly hope to advance him, something that Bordeaux and Lorient have failed to do. He has the potential, but he must overcome psychological and mental challenges so he can express his true value.”

It is interesting to see if the move works. This transfer will create a similar effect to the one that surrounded the arrival of Michael Owen at United. There are those that believe Ferguson is playing a very clever game and has done his homework in order to poach a couple of very good players at very cheap prices and can put them on cheap deals.

However, there will be others, and this group will be the larger, that believe Ferguson is starting to lose his marbles. This is the group that cannot understand why Ferguson is not fighting for some of the high profile targets that he clearly liked. They all seem to be going to Real Madrid but United are not doing a thing to try and get them to go to Old Trafford.

It is very important that United do not get carried away with trying to find a formula that will produce the next Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was a once in a generation sort of player and it would be naïve for the Manchester club to go around snapping up players in the hope that they will progress in a similar vein as the world player of the year did when he was at Old Trafford.

Ferguson is clearly a very shrewd man who possibly thinks that no player is worth a certain amount of money. However, he will have to up his game if he is to carry on competing at the very highest level because it seems that some other clubs are not fussed about morals when it comes to having to pay for a player.

United cannot replace the quality that has left by making such small and unpredictable signings. Sooner rather than later they will have to part with a large amount of cash to make good the influence of the players that have left. If they do not then they will simply get picked apart next season by teams that have a better squad and higher calibre players to spare than themselves.

Ferguson must still have a list of big name players in mind that he would like to make bids for. He has already missed out on Karim Benzema and it looks like Franck Ribery will go for a lot more than United would have been willing to pay. The point is that these are not the only high calibre players that are up for sale and Fergie must be working away on a signing that will shock us all.

If he does not act then he will be conforming to the view of those who feel he is losing it. However, this is unlikely and it could well just be a matter of time until Manchester United’s new star is announced. Clever and shrewd quiet moves are all one thing but they need to be blended with a bit of brashness and ambition in order for the squad to carry on winning trophies.

United seem to be establishing a new and younger squad following the recent departures. Ben Foster has just signed a new contract and the wheels may have been set in motion as Ferguson looks to reinvent himself and the club yet again. There should be no doubts over him because he proves every time that he knows what he is doing and every time he gets it correct.

Plenty of high profile players have left Manchester United in recent years and every time the club goes on to move forward and become better than they were before. However, the task is now more difficult than it has ever been because the players that have left are the most influential that United have had in recent times. You do not replace a midfield player that can score 30 goals in a season and win every personal award going.

United fans should have faith in their manager and should sit tight and hope that he knows exactly what he is doing. Sometimes the club will have to sacrifice a little bit of glory in order to once again solidify and move forwards. There is no better man to do this than Fergie and the imminent arrival of the Frenchman from Marseille could turn out to be a masterstroke. We just all hope that it does not signify the start of a downturn in the career of one of the greatest bosses to have ever graced the game. If all goes as plan then United will be sitting as pretty as any other club by the time the season starts in August.

After the weekend’s games in the English Premier League, Manchester has regained first spot with a 1-0 win at Upton Park in London over West Ham. Veteran Ryan Giggs supplied the winner with a marvelous goal in the 62nd minute.

At the other end of the pitch, goalie Edwin van der Sar extended his British shutout streak to 1, 212 minutes. United hasn’t conceded a goal in over 13 league games now and lead second place Liverpool by two points and also have a game in hand over their rivals.

Down south, Portsmouth blew a 2-1 lead over Liverpool with 12 minutes remaining in the game as Dirk Kuyt tied the contest in the 85th minute and Fernando Torres, who came on as a substitute in the 76th minute headed home the winner in injury time to save manger Rafael Benitez from being embarrassed for leaving his top striker on the bench for so long.

Things didn’t work out so well for Portsmouth manager Tony Adams after the game though as he was sacked for failing to win a game during his nine games in charge. I wouldn’t feel too bad for him though as he brought it upon himself by employing negative tactics in most of those games by employing one striker up front on his own. Adams leaves Pompey with 24 points, just one point out of the relegation zone.

Aston Villa jumped over Chelsea by two points in the standings and into third place with a 2-0 road win in Blackburn, who are still in the relegation zone with 23 points.

Chelsea could only manage a scoreless draw at home against hull and were roundly booed off the pitch at Stamford Park for their efforts.

Arsenal continued their mediocre season with a 0-0 draw with Tottenham in the north London derby and sit in fifth place with 44 points, 12 behind Man United.

The other two cellar dwellers, Middlesbrough and West Brom, both with 22 points, also lost. Manchester City squeaked by Middlesbrough 1-0, while west Brom were edged 3-2 at home by Newcastle.

The best individual performance belonged to Everton’s new on-loan signing of Brazilian star Jo, who scored twice in a 3-0 thumping of Bolton at Goodison Park. It was Jo’s first game with the Merseysiders after moving over from Manchester City, who bought him for 19 million pounds last year.

This shows me somebody isn’t doing a good job. You don’t pay 19 million quid for a player and then discard him halfway through the season. Either the scouts overrated him and the club paid way too much for him, or City never gave him a chance by sitting him on the bench. Either way, he’s already made them look foolish after just one game.

The David Beckham soap opera continues over in Italy as the Los Angeles Galaxy has turned down AC Milan’s offer for their star player. The two clubs are now haggling over the price for the talented midfielder.
Beckham could also be a big story this coming Wednesday as well when England travel to Spain for a midweek friendly against the Euro 2008 Champions. The 33 year old will get the chance at his 108th cap for England, which will equal the record set by Bobby Moore for an English outfield player. Goalkeeper Peter Shilton holds the all time England record with 125 caps.

Meanwhile, Carlton Cole of West Ham and Everton’s Phil Jagielka could get their first caps after being named in the squad.