SOCCER NEWS:RYAN GIGGS says Manchester United are unperturbed by the latest influx of expensive signings at Manchester City and that the pressure is on their rivals to at least qualify for the Champions League next season.
While City are on course to break the €120 million spending barrier on transfers for the second successive summer under the Abu Dhabi United Group – their tally will reach €90 million should Aleksandar Kolarov agree to a €20 million move from Lazio – United’s outlay has been modest by comparison.
Alex Ferguson has signed Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez for €12 million from Fulham and €8 million from Guadalajara respectively, and is banking on the club’s latest batch of young players to improve a team who finished two points behind Chelsea last season.
Giggs believes the disappointment of relinquishing the title and the emergence of young talent will inspire a stronger challenge next term. Although he anticipates increased competition for the four Champions League places, the 36-year-old thinks City have still to discover the consistency required to advance under Roberto Mancini.
“Until we play them I don’t take any notice of what City are doing, like any other team really,” said Giggs, who has extended his Old Trafford contract until the end of this coming season. “If they get a run together, if they get the consistency, they’ll be a force, and no one knows if they’re going to do that.
“It’s a similar scenario to last season really. They’ve got so many talented players that, if they gel as a team, they’ll be a force. If they don’t then obviously it could be a frustrating season for them and they’ll probably get a little bit of stick. But, if they gel as a team, like they proved in games last year, they can beat anyone.”
Giggs also agreed that City’s owners view a top-four finish as a minimum return for their investment. “I think with the players they’ve acquired over the last two years, that is probably the case.”
As for United’s prospects next season, the Welshman insists there is added motivation inside Old Trafford after Chelsea prevented them winning a fourth successive title. “There is that added hunger when you haven’t won the league the previous season. It’s difficult when you’re defending the title because you’re champions and everyone wants to beat you. But there’s also that determination when you don’t win it, to get it back, which is what we want to do.”
Giggs has echoed Ferguson’s belief that this can be the campaign when United’s new generation imposes itself, adding that there are similarities with the famed group that emerged at Old Trafford in the mid-90s.
“Last season we saw a lot of the young players featuring in the first team. Nani had a good season, Antonio (Valencia) had a fantastic debut campaign, Kiko Macheda had a frustrating season with injuries, Chris (Smalling) has come into the squad, so there are a lot of young players who experienced some first-team action last season.
“Hopefully their determination and hunger will see them kick on this season and do even better, because we’re going to need them. The injuries we had in defence last season were unbelievable. We’ve strengthened with the arrival of Chris, and hopefully Rafael and Fabio (da Silva) can get through the season without the niggly injuries they’ve had. Hopefully these young players will get better and better, and I’m sure they will. I see their determination on the training ground. They want to do well, they want to learn, they want to play for United, get in the team and stay in the team.
“That’s what we were like when we were younger and I see the same desire in these young players.”
United have played only one friendly so far, a 3-1 victory over Celtic in Toronto on Friday, but Dimitar Berbatov’s impressive display has also encouraged Giggs to believe the Bulgarian could finally begin to justify his €36 million price-tag and reputation next season.
“I thought he was brilliant against Celtic, running the channels, always available. He was by far and away the best player on the pitch,” Giggs said. “That’s what he needed, to get off to a good start, and hopefully he can continue. Sometimes players bed in quicker than others, and he has started the season well.”
GuardianService
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)