What’s worse – United selling to City or to Arsenal?
Usually selling a player to your fiercest rivals would be considered a controversial decision at best, and an absolute travesty at worst.
Think of the outrage at Tottenham when Sol Campbell went to Arsenal, Fergie’s insistence on keeping Heinze away from Liverpool, the stick Lampard gets (ok, that’s a different story, but still), the stick Figo got or the nation-wide (worldwide) abuse Ashley Cole gets (you might think he deserves it, but if he’d stayed it’s hard to think that it would be the same).
But after 9 years of seeing Silvestre float in and out of the Manchester United lineup, and especially after the club have won back-to-back league titles and the Champions League on top of it without a significant contribution from the defender, the only reaction that you’ll get from most United fans is ‘meh’….
Silly has been the butt of many jokes in the past but the truth is that he’s an experienced, talented, fast and dependable defender who can be the crucial squad player or first-team starter, depending on what level the football is being played. Like David James and Sol Campbell, staying out of the spotlight could help him grow and improve, which is why a move out to France or to a non-big 4 team made sense earlier this summer (we’ve been hankering for Fergie to sell him for ages now).
Manchester City would be good for him. Sunderland would have been absolutely fantastic. Arsenal? Bite. Wenger’s. Hand. Off. He could be the bargain of the season, but at United his time’s up.
Topics: Arsenal, English Premier League, Football Transfers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Sunderland
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The Sol thing was different, campbell was at the top of his game when he joined the Gunners. Silvestre is 31 and would be a useful squad player bringing in much needed experience. I dont think Man U need fear selling him to Arsenal but it sounds like they dont have a lot of choice.
August 20th, 2008 @ 10:58Selling to citeh would be worse!!
August 20th, 2008 @ 11:11this is delicious… but I cant see United actually selling a player to us…
August 20th, 2008 @ 12:04Selling to City is worse, sell to Aston Villa or West Ham would be better.
IMHO, sell to Inter(his former club) or club with any of our wanted players and grab the player with an exchange or trade off.
That way Johnny Evans can break thru the team more easily.
August 20th, 2008 @ 13:05This would be fantastic from a United perspective, he was a half decent full back in his prime, but always looked dodgy at centre half, adding that he hasn’t played in the last 2 years, i’d give him to Arsenal just to watch Ronnie run him inside out when the teams meet. Good squad player, with good experience, but if he plays much, Arsenal will suffer.
August 20th, 2008 @ 13:39Convince Inter he’s a forward and snag Mario Balotelli on loan?
Yea, workable, definitely
August 20th, 2008 @ 15:38I don’t think that its the best move for united. Silvestre might not have played that much in the last two seasons but i still thought he had a lot to add either as back up to evra on the left or as cover for the back two. there’s a long season ahead and they’ve already got rid of Pique. Will there be enough quality and experience if there are serious injuries? I hope Fergie knows what he’s doing.
August 21st, 2008 @ 14:30