Time To Stop Talking

Ashley Young and Samir Nasri are the names on everyone's lips this morning.

Here's how The Independent describe the Nasri situation:

The talks in Manchester were only exploratory, conducted among intermediaries from both sides, and did not include the Frenchman's agent Jean-Pierre Bernes. But United's willingness to open negotiations with a midfielder who appears to have concluded that he has no future at Arsenal suggests they may be ready to capitalise on an opportunity in the transfer market. The 23-year-old, who was superb in the first half of last season, will fall out of contract next summer and will therefore come cheap – possibly as little as £8m.

United hold a fair number of the cards if their interest firms up...

We'll see how that pans out I guess...

The same article contains this quote from Wesley Sneijder, pledging his future to Inter, which Sky Sports News are currently scrolling across the screen as breaking news...

"At Inter, there is a family atmosphere, and there is every reason to aim high," he said. "Milan is beautiful, picturesque. Elegance reigns, and I love it. At the moment I am very happy here, I do not see why I should go." 

The Mirror show (yet again) how awful they are by saying, "The Mirror has learned," before writing the Nasri story that's in every paper.

Onto Ashley Young and The Sun claim we've already signed him up:

Young, 25, passed a medical at the club's Carrington Training Ground yesterday and put pen to paper on a four-year contract.

Which is a step ahead of all the papers if true.  The Mirror has it as "imminent":

Ashley Young has agreed to sign for Manchester United after finalising a mega five-year contract worth £130,000-a-week.

United sanctioned the bumper personal terms to see off interest from bitter rivals Manchester City - who were offering Young even MORE cash.

The Aston Villa attacker will ink the agreement next Friday when he completes a medical ahead of the £16million switch.

Young’s agent Eric Walters was at Old Trafford this week to finalise negotiations...

 The Sun also have an article looking at Sir Alex and rebuilding the team, both buying established names and spotting talented youngsters:

Ferguson will be 70 this New Year's Eve but shows no signs of stopping and no signs of losing his touch in his constant rebuilding at United.Even if he does call it a day he will make sure his successor has the tools at his disposal with which to continue the good work.

As Ferguson insisted: "We've got a good nucleus of young players in the club which gives you the foundation to be able to protect the future and know it's going to be all right."

Onto other things and The Mirror (YET AGAIN) shows itself up with a stupid article on Giggs maybe giving the game up, unnamed sources galore (well, two sources).

The Daily Mail lazily gets a story from Wayne Rooney's Twitter.

The Guardian says that the prospect of new FIFA rules is driving up the price of young British talent, like Phil Jones:

Less than a decade ago the £20m and £16m that it has required to take Henderson, 20, to Anfield and Jones, 19, to Old Trafford would have broken the British transfer record. Today that combined £36m buys you a single England cap.

Finally, The Daily Star reports that Kuszczak has given Sir Alex an ultimatum - 

“I don’t know if I can stick it any more. It is clear in my mind that either I play in goal for United or else I leave the club.”

Bye.