Bebe

[TBM]

Fergie paid £7.4m for a player he has never seen play and now he (Bebe) has been withdrawn from training game cos he was off the pace - he's also not even made the reserve squad.

So is this a dud signing for Utd or will he repay the 7million in a few years time, turning out to be "the new Ronaldo" ?!

[Y21_Royal]

There's something dodgy about this. He signed for his Portugese side on a free at the start of summer and then a month later Utd have bid £7m+ for him. I can't believe they had no knowledge of him before he joined them so someone, somewhere has made a lot of money out of it.

On a slight tangent, he represented Portugal at the Homeless World Cup which gives me an opportunity to have a 'look at me' moment as I helped coach the Ghanaian HWC side a few years ago. They finished ahead of Portugal as well

[soggy biscuit]

If he only left the lower Portuguese divisions a couple of months back then maybe it is just an aductaion the guy needs in fitness, diet etc, maybe he has never had that before and it stood out.

Putting a €9M release clause into his contract when you just bought him from FC McNobody suggests the boy had some serious talent.

Carlos Queiroz was always the name quoted as scouting him before he joined Utd.

[papereyes]

If he only left the lower Portuguese divisions a couple of months back then maybe it is just an aductaion the guy needs in fitness, diet etc, maybe he has never had that before and it stood out.

That would be my initial hunch.

The other one would be adapting to a more physical league and slightly different tactics and expectations of a given role in the side and that whole, slightly trite but probably valid in this case, argument.

[TBM]

If he only left the lower Portuguese divisions a couple of months back then maybe it is just an aductaion the guy needs in fitness, diet etc, maybe he has never had that before and it stood out.

That would be my initial hunch.

The other one would be adapting to a more physical league and slightly different tactics and expectations of a given role in the side and that whole, slightly trite but probably valid in this case, argument.

so then why is he worth £7.5m? - if he's never played at such a level then how can they tell he will adapt to it etc?!

[daswonder]

so then why is he worth £7.5m? - if he's never played at such a level then how can they tell he will adapt to it etc?!

Because Manchester United paid his release fee, Real madrid had logged an interest in the player so they didn't want to wait around.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

so then why is he worth £7.5m? - if he's never played at such a level then how can they tell he will adapt to it etc?!

Because Manchester United paid his release fee, Real madrid had logged an interest in the player so they didn't want to wait around.

Correct. In Spain all contracted players has to have a minimum fee release clause and so you see mediocre players with minimum fees of over one hundred million. They may not neccessarily be worth that but if you want the player without having to have an offer accepted by their club, that's what you pay.

The point is this lad probably isn't worth the money at this moment in time but Fergie must've seen (or heard) enough potential to trigger the release clause.

[Y21_Royal]

All that still doesn't explain why Utd waited for him to move to Vitoria before signing him. Why did they not step in and snap him up at the beginning of the summer?

He was at Vitoria for about a month before Utd (who claim to have little money) shelled out £7m. He must have been phenomenal in that month for them to find him and raise that kind of cash

[soggy biscuit]

Don't think they have to worry, if he is sh*t then Everton or Villa will buy him for £5M or so. I think that is how it usually works

[papereyes]

All that still doesn't explain why Utd waited for him to move to Vitoria before signing him. Why did they not step in and snap him up at the beginning of the summer?

He was at Vitoria for about a month before Utd (who claim to have little money) shelled out £7m. He must have been phenomenal in that month for them to find him and raise that kind of cash

They had a contact at Vitoria according to one story I read. He flagged the player up to Queiroz who in turn spoke to Fergie.

In the grand scheme of things, when hundreds of millions change hands over a season, its not as big a risk for United if they can recoup some of the money or get some performances out of him.

[pea]

There's something dodgy about this. He signed for his Portugese side on a free at the start of summer and then a month later Utd have bid £7m+ for him. I can't believe they had no knowledge of him before he joined them so someone, somewhere has made a lot of money out of it.

He didn't join on a free, I think they paid around £3million for him. Still a very decent profit...

[Y21_Royal]

There's something dodgy about this. He signed for his Portugese side on a free at the start of summer and then a month later Utd have bid £7m+ for him. I can't believe they had no knowledge of him before he joined them so someone, somewhere has made a lot of money out of it.

He didn't join on a free, I think they paid around £3million for him. Still a very decent profit...

My understanding is that his original club were unable to pay his wages so he was able to get out of his contract and join Vitoria on a free. Could be wrong as I think wikipedia may have been source!

[leww_rfc]

Kebe > Bebe

[Barry the bird boggler]

so then why is he worth £7.5m? - if he's never played at such a level then how can they tell he will adapt to it etc?!

Because Manchester United paid his release fee, Real madrid had logged an interest in the player so they didn't want to wait around.

Correct. In Spain all contracted players has to have a minimum fee release clause and so you see mediocre players with minimum fees of over one hundred million. They may not neccessarily be worth that but if you want the player without having to have an offer accepted by their club, that's what you pay.

The point is this lad probably isn't worth the money at this moment in time but Fergie must've seen (or heard) enough potential to trigger the release clause.

Wonder what Shane El Cumming's release fee would be?

[cmonurz]

Bebe now left out of United's CL squad, despite United naming only 24 of their allowed 25 players.

[Stranded]

Did anyone really think this lad was going to come straight in? He's a future investment - I'll be surprised if we see much of him this season.

[cmonurz]

Even for United, £7m on a player who isn't even good enough to travel with the CL squad is spectacularly bizarre.

[Stranded]

Not really - he's considered an exciting talent and they moved earlier than they would do to snap him up. No point naming him if his fitness etc isn't going to be up to CL standards during the group stages - which is unlikely.

[cmonurz]

Just thought it was strange leaving a gap in the squad. And is he that fat he won't be fit before Xmas?

[sheshnu]

Since he's only 20, does he have to be nominated in the 25 man squad?