Return of the Iron Man

The main story today is that the Phil Jones deal has hit a (minor) snag.  The Guardian describe it, in an article that also claims the Ashley Young deal is a done one:

Jones passed a medical and agreed personal terms with United on Wednesday after the Premier League champions met the £16m release clause in the contract Blackburn awarded the 19-year-old in February. He then joined the England Under-21 squad in Denmark in preparation for the European Championships convinced, along with United and his agent, that the deal had been done.Blackburn's owners, Venky's, have since said they do not have to accept a £16m transfer fee and, mindful of interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, believe he is worth more. Venky's have refused to transfer the player's registration and it may fall to lawyers to decide whether the wording in Jones' contract allows him to be sold at £16m or merely speak to clubs who meet that price. United are said to have no concerns that Jones' transfer will be completed and for £16m.

Young is believed to have agreed personal terms on an initial £16m move to Old Trafford from Villa Park but the transfer will not be formally announced until he has completed a medical. The England international is due to travel to the United States on holiday and is not expected to have had his medical before then.

I think the important thing is the "United are said to have no concerns," and it's just a minor hold-up.

The Telegraph say it's just a misunderstanding:

Venky’s’ football advisers are understood to be attempting to resolve the impasse by making it clear to the Indian owners that the clause, inserted into Jones’s contract when he agreed an extension to his terms in February, enables a transfer to take place at the cost of the escape clause.

 Apparently on the way out of the club, The Mail say that Bebe is going to Besiktas on loan, with an eye to a permanent deal, the same article claims Sir Alex has phoned Alexis Sanchez personally:

Manchester United have off-loaded £7.4million flop Bebe to Turkish club Besiktas on a season-long loan with a view to a £2m permanent move. ...

With Ashley Young set to give United more options out wide, Bebe has been allowed to go out on loan but it seems unlikely he will play for the club again.

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to have made a personal call to Udinese's Alexis Sanchez to persuade him to join United ahead of Barcelona. 

The Chile forward is keen on playing in Spain but Barca are struggling to match Udinese's £30m valuation with possible makeweight Bojan Krkic keen on joining Roma if he has to leave.

 The Daily Star has some quotes from Darron Gibson, sounds like he's off:

the 23-year-old midfielder admits: “It wouldn’t faze me one bit to leave, all I want is what’s best for me. 

“So if the best thing for me is to leave and go to a club where I’ll play every week then so be it. “I haven’t talked with Sir Alex about it but, obviously, if it comes to me not playing as much as I would like next season then I’ll have to move on. “I’m nearly 24 and it’s come to the stage where I’m going to have to go somewhere else if I don’t start playing regularly. 

 Paul Scholes' testimonial opponents have been announced, and Eric Cantona is coming back:

Manchester United icon Eric Cantona is coming back to Old Trafford.

Cantona's return has been confirmed as part of Paul Scholes' testimonial game on August 5, when the Frenchman will coach the legendary New York Cosmos side, currently bidding to gain admittance to Major League Soccer.Although a decent crowd could have been anticipated anyway to mark Scholes' retirement, which was announced in the wake of Manchester United's Champions League final defeat to Barcelona last month, Cantona's presence will only fuel interest further.

Quote from Scholes in the same piece:

"This is going to be a big night for me and my family but one which I intend to enjoy and I will savour every moment," said Scholes.

"I have spent my whole footballing life at Manchester United, so this will be an emotional farewell."This club is special in many ways but the fans are the best and I have always appreciated their support throughout my career."I hope they enjoy the night, especially seeing the Boss and Eric battling it out in front of the dug outs.

The Guardian has a look at the New York Cosmos:

The match – a testimonial for United's Paul Scholes – is the first step of a plan to rebuild what was once the most glamorous franchise in football, and the man with the plan is Paul Kemsley, the British property wheeler dealer best known as one of the three business friends of Lord Sugar called in to interrogate semi-final contestants on The Apprentice.The return of the Cosmos is also a comeback opportunity for Kemsley. His £500m Rock property empire collapsed in May 2009, struck down by the global financial crisis. He quit his TV role as Alan Sugar's "rottweiler" shortly after the collapse.

While the administrators sifted through the financial wreckage, Kemsley headed west to New York to buy and sift through the sporting remnants of the Cosmos legacy.

Finally Brian Reade has a piece in the Mirror arguing that paying a premium for English players is worth it, but kind of ruins his argument by having a little dig at the departing Bebe.  A little undignified.