United striker Giuseppe Rossi has been sold to Spanish side Villarreal for a reported £6.7m fee.

The six-year deal is subject to the 20-year-old American-born Italian passing a medical on Wednesday.

Rossi was loaned to Newcastle last season and then to Parma, where he scored nine goals in 19 matches.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that clubs have asked about striker Alan Smith.

However, with Newcastle and Middlesbrough thought to have had bids accepted for the 26-year-old England striker, Ferguson insisted no deal was imminent.

He said: “There have been a few enquiries and we know Alan wants first-team football but nothing has been decided.”

Sir Alex Ferguson is planning to speak to want away left back Gabriel Heinze on Monday regarding his future.

The 29-year-old has called in lawyers to try to clinch a move to Liverpool, but Ferguson is adamant that Heinze will not join United’s fierce rivals.

Fegrie said: “Gaby is due back on Monday and once we have met with him, his position may be clearer.”

The future of United target Carlos Tevez is scheduled to be sorted at the High Court on 22 August - but West Ham are still hopeful of a settlement before then.

Tevez’s representative Kia Joorabchian issued a writ to try to seal a £30m move to Manchester United.

The court date over economic rights was set at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing.

It would mean the 23-year-old missing the first three games of the season but should ensure he can join United before the transfer window shuts on 31 August.

According to BBC sports editor Mihir Bose, West Ham striker Carlos Tevez is set to join Manchester United.

Discussions are currently under way and Tevez may move on loan or permanently to the Premier League champions.

Tevez, 23, is currently on international duty with Argentina in the Copa America in Venezuela.
Bose said: “I understand talks have been going on for several weeks now,

“Manchester United are certainly very keen on Carlos Tevez but they are very complicated talks because of the nature of the loan arrangement he has at West Ham.

“What is going on is whether he goes on a permanent move, which would involve a very high fee. Certainly, Tevez’s people would want in the region of what Zinedine Zidane went for when he moved to Real Madrid - about £40m.

“Or he could go on the same arrangement his colleague Javier Mascherano went to Liverpool under when he left West Ham. That was a two-year deal and a sort of extended loan for a much lower fee.”

I DONT CARE HOW WE GET HIM I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS GUY RUN OUT IN RED AT THE THEATRE OF DREAMS! 

Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella claims that he is being targeted by Manchester United.

Quagliarella, 23, says United have increased a reported £10m bid to beat off opposition from top Serie A clubs.

Quagliarella told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I would gladly join the Premier League but I would prefer to remain in Italy.”

He joined Sampdoria from Ascoli last summer, although his sporting rights are jointly owned by the Genoa club and Udinese.

Quagliarella made 35 Serie A appearances for Sampdoria last season and his 13 goals and performances earned him a call-up by Italy coach Roberto Donadoni.

Despite expressing an interest in a move to Manchester, Quagliarella insists his preference would be to stay in Italy to seal his place in the national team.

He said: “It seems a serious offer from Manchester, they have raised it and it is an important figure.

“Manchester United are a big deal and if it ended up going that way, the Premier League is a fascinating and beautiful competition.

“But I am really happy at Sampdoria and would prefer to remain in Italy, having continuity and the trust of Donadoni.”

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO ON THIS GUY? 

Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has admitted that he would be interested in a move to Manchester United.

The 29-year-old Barcelona player has struggled after an £8m move to the Nou Camp last summer and has now been linked with United.

Gudjohnsen said: “If I leave then my idea would be to return to British football.

“A perfect choice for me will be a club that plays in the Champions League. Obviously Manchester United is a club that fits into that category.”

He added: “I joined Barcelona to be part of the club’s triumphs but it is not easy for me when you look at the club’s forward line and see all the big names there.

“Each minute has been a special test for me but to sit on the bench is not the most desirable experience for a player.

“I still don’t think I have failed in Spain, but perhaps I have not totally won the confidence of the coach.”

ALTHOUGH HE’S A VERY GOOD PLAYER I THINK WE ARE MORE THAN EQUIPT IN THIS DEPARTMENT!!

The agents of Manchester United striker Louis Saha have dismissed reports that the player will miss the first few months of next season.

Ranko Stojic was quoted as saying the French forward could be out until December after a knee operation.

Stojic said: “Louis won’t be on the field now for a few months.

“I don’t know when he will be able to start training again but he is looking at being back around November or December. It’s going to be a while.”

However a statement from the Stella Group said: “Louis Saha has absolutely no ties with Ranko Stojic.

“He has successfully undergone knee surgery in America and fully expects to be fit for the start of the season.”
 

According to his agent, United striker Alan Smith is willing to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford.

It has recently been suggested the the former Leeds man was ready to move on if he was not guaranteed first-team football.

However, agent Alex Black told BBC Radio Five Live: “He’s still got two years left at arguably the biggest football club in the world.

“He’s got every confidence in himself to stay and fight.”

Smith has failed to nail down a regular first-team place since recovering from a broken leg.

He said on Wednesday: “If the manager tells me he wants me, I’m there for him. If he doesn’t, it’s time to move on.

“If you’re no longer wanted, then you have to consider your options. I want to be out there from the start.”

Full name: Owen Lee Hargreaves
Nationality: English
Age: 26 (Born: 20 January 1981)
Position: Midfielder

Owen Hargreaves moved at the age of sixteen from Calgary Foothills to Bayern Munich on 1 July 1997. He played in the Under-19 team for two and a half years before spending six months with the Amateur team.

Whilst with the Under 19s the team reached the Final of the German Championship in 1998. They lost in the final to Borussia Dortmund, but only after a penalty shoot-out in Dortmund’s Rote-Erde Stadium.

Hargreaves enjoyed an illustrious 10 seasons at Bayern, winning six league titles and the 2001 Champions League.

But his final season was plagued by injury and ended with Bayern finishing fourth in the Bundesliga, thereby missing out on Champions League qualification.

Hargreaves had a four-month lay-off at the start of the campaign because of a broken leg and went on to play in only nine league games.

He will also miss England’s matches against Brazil and Estonia in June because of a knee problem.

Full name: Anderson Luis De Abreu Oliveira
Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 19 (Born: 13 April 1988)
Position Attacking midfielder

Still a teenager, the dreadlocked Brazilian has made a huge impact, is already in Brazil’s national squad and is considered the heir apparent to Ronaldinho as his country’s star player.

Born in the same town as Barcelona’s buck-toothed wonder, Porte Alegre, Anderson also started his career at Gremio where he is held in high regard after scoring the goal that sent them back into the top flight in a brutal match against Nautico in 2005.

He moved to Europe later that year and made his Porto debut a little over 12 months ago in March 2006, helping the club land the Portuguese double.

This season his progress has been hampered by a fractured leg in October, but he returned to action to help Porto successfully defend their title.

Full name: Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 20 (Born: 17 April 1986)
Position Attacking midfielder

Nani has long been linked with a move to Manchester United ever since he stated it would be a “dream” to play with Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, Quieroz needed to move quickly when it became clear Tottenham were also stepping up their interest in the predominantly wide player.

Born on the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa, he came through the Sporting Academy, a route previously taken by Ronaldo and Luis Figo, once his family had upped sticks for Lisbon.

Having made his debut as an 18-year-old, Nani became a part of the first-team squad at the start of the 2005/06 season and soon got his chance to impress.

Since then the fleet-footed livewire, who celebrates goals with a back flip, has gone from strength to strength with club and country.

He scored on his first appearance for Portugal against Denmark in September and also caught the eye with a wonderful effort in the Champions League against Spartak Moscow this season.

HOW WILL THE NEW LADS FIT IN FOR FERGIE?