If reports are correct, it’s Manchester United and Liverpool who are currently duking it out for Aston Villa wingman Ashley Young. One day Liverpool may be the favourites for acquiring the British youngster, the papers report that Manchester United are in the driving seat. Regardless of who ends up with Young’s signature, it’s my firm belief that a move to Manchester would be the wrong choice for a player with a lot of potential.
At the moment Manchester United must appear to be a much more attractive prospect. They can offer Champion’s League football and a strong chance of winning trophies next season. They’ve had a successful season and will be looking to kick on again and pick up more silverware next year. Would you really bet against them adding another trophy to their collection in the near future?
It’s clear that Young’s ambitions involve winning trophies: “I’m an ambitious person who wants to win titles and leagues and cups and stuff. Hopefully I can do that. I think they say that players start to peak at 26 or 27, and I’m soon to be 26 so fingers crossed I can start peaking myself.”
Innuendo aside, given his aims, it may at first glance appear that Manchester United is the best possible destination for Young. There’s certainly a much higher chance that United will win silverware next season than Liverpool. But to engineer a move to Old Trafford with this motivation in mind would demonstrate a degree of short-sightedness on Young’s part.
Manchester United already have a wealth of wingers. Nani has been arguably the Player of the Season this year, despite what plaudits that have been unjustifiably lavished upon Gareth Bale this season. Down the other flank is Antonio Valencia whose pace and determination has won him a great number of fans this season. With Ryan ‘evergreen’ Giggs and the tireless Park Ji-Sung in tow, there’s a good argument to be made that Manchester United simply don’t need to purchase another winger this summer.
At Liverpool he’d be given ample opportunity to impress and with the Kop’s support would be nurtured into a star. At Manchester United he runs the risk of being a bit-part player who doesn’t get the game time to fulfil his potential. Young has spoken about his desire to ‘peak’ (ahem) and surely at this moment in time, with United’s squad the way it is, Liverpool offer him a better opportunity to do just that?
Winning trophies is one thing and that’s something that Liverpool will be able to offer Young in the future. More important for a professional footballer, however, is securing regular first-team football. For his sake and the sake of the English national team, I hope that Ashley Young makes the right decision.
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But if Ferguson does buy him, it will be to play in the first team and compete for a spot with Valencia and Nani. And he will have the opportunity to win trophies.
If he goes to Liverpool, he will be doing exactly the same as Villa have tried to do the last few seasons – trying to break the top 4. He’s been trying to break the top 4 for about 5 years now.
He’ll go to the place where he has the best chance of winning something, which would be Man United, Man City, or Chelsea of the linked clubs, depending which of those are genuinely in for him – Not Liverpool or Spurs. Both of those currently play at a higher level than Villa do, but it is not high enough for where he wants to be.
Giggs is leaving after next season, park is 30 and has 2-3 three years left at the top
Nani may be going to Inter in part of a swap deal for Sneijder.
Why would he leave Aston Villa to join Liverpool? What Liverpool is offering, from your argument, is no different from what Aston Villa is already offering.
I totally agree with you. Why should Ashley leave Villa. MAN U is the place to be. Look at how all the other young players have acheived and progressed. Its all about winning, not the also rans – nobody remembers the runners up
Young should absolutely embrace the chance to join ManU. He should speak to Michael Owen and learn what good fortune it is to play for the Team!
ManU are going down.if he goes there,going to be next Owen,on the bench
Nani is nowhere near his best when playing on the left, Giggs hasn’t played as a winger for years and Park is hardly a winger either.
Ashley Young isn’t a left-footer, which personally I’d prefer to see, but versatility is never a bad thing at United (just ask O’Shea) and he seems more comfortable on the left than Nani. Plus he can beat the first man at a corner while Nani usually plays it short or hits the first defender.
I sound like I’m being harsh on Nani, I don’t mean to. He’s a quality player but not a natural on the left and not great at delivery from set pieces. I think there’s definitely room for Nani, Young and Valencia to fight it out on the flanks next season and in a team where you’re challenging for every cup then if you’re good enough you’ll get the games.
Are you seriously saying Ashley young is better than Nani at taking on a man… Seriously.. but like joking aside..
Firstly Ashley Young is a RIGHT sided midfielder so same as Nani and cant use his left foot worth squat where as Nani can. From that you would have to assume the winger would have to cut in and cross the ball or beat the man. Nani’s better at both.
I’ll trade Ashley Young for Nani any day!
i can see wht ur saying bt i can guarantee if young moves to utd then he will step it up to a completely different level like he used to play two years ago every week and these performances we only see anything close to this wen he plays for england because he actually wants to play for england whearas we can all see that he wants away wen he puts the shirt on for villa although he still racks up the goals and assists. anyway wht im trying to say is is that he will be motivated to play for man u and also under the guidance of ferguson he will play too a completely different level to any winger in the league and consistently unlike bale or nani therefore it would be a gr8 move for young as what u have seen with nani is nothing u have seen compared to this kid wen on form
trust me this would be a fantastic move and it would lower his ego among squad members because of big players that have won so much among him
this will be him on a daily basis for man u with a team that scores twice as much and has players twice as gd so he’ll do all this three times more in a season (look forward to it guys) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6tRtEuM_Ac
Why on earth would Ashley leave one team with no chance of winning the big trophies to join another one in Liverpool?. He’s clearly stated he wants to WIN things. This leaves Man Utd (his personal preference), Man City (money talks) or Chelsea if the rumours of them being interested are true. Liverpool fans need to get over themselves. It’s not the 70s/80s anymore. He can stay at Villa and challenge for the Europa league and League cup every season.
Your comments are well said. Liverpool team needs rebuilding which will take several years, by that time these players will be too old to play for them. Man u is the team to join if they want to win trophies etc
well done barca ha ha scum united we won it five times
Regret moving to United? He would be a perfect acquisition for us. He would get loads of games and win bucket-loads of trophies as well as playing on the biggest stage. Sounds like a real step down compared to a move to those perennial nearly-men at Anfield. Get a grip
Get a fuckin life you anfield suckers. You know fuck all about soccer. Liverpool will not win anything with the current players. You win a few games and get screwed by Aston Villa and other crap teams.
This time last year Joe Cole chose Liverpool and I am sure he looked on enviously as Owen lifts that trophy last week.
Does Ashley Young want to make the same mistake?
man u scum always think yous are better than every 1 puppets
Pool arent in CL or Europa next season so why would Ashley join the losers because he will not win anything and they have crap players. They cant beat Blackpool and Aston Villa.What a shame no consistency. You belong the second half of the table
ummmm maybe thats cos we are better than everyone u clown!!
MUFC- not arrogant- just better!!
Why cant you just accept that Pool’s days are over. With which team didi Michael Owen win a league medal? Have you lost your memory. 50 Mil for Torres, What a joke, he has done nothing for Chelsea. Our sweet pea for 6 Mil. What a bargain ?
Now for the Champions League – the big one.
Why the argument. Only time can tell if Young makes the right choice. One thing is certain is that he will improve under either SAF or KD and the other for now is that at ManU, he will be able to win silverwares. A not so convincing 2010/11 season that ManU had has gotten them the PL title already, what if a full swing Utd comes out. SAF knows his game plan and he knows what is required to challenge and keep winning. By the way I am Liverpool fan. Whether Liverpool will be challenging, it all depends on what is going to happen during the summer spending. I am hoping the many good years will come soon. YNWA
I should write an article why I regret reading this tripe.
What the hell?
There are no facts just uninformed opinions in this piece.
Liverpool will be able to offer A. young the chance to win trophies? What trophies have they won in the last 5 seasons?!
A team needs more than 2 wingers and Nani is poor on the left. Giggsy hardly ever plays on the left anymore and will retire aoon. This piece is so just really poor.
Nevermind facts, having a basic grasp of the subject matter should be a minimum otherwise please don’t write about football.
You’ve just accused me of not offering facts and then done just the same. You obviously noticed the upswing in momentum that Liverpool have received under King Kenny. If that continues, who’s to say they wont be winning silverware in a couple of season’s time? I don’t think Nani has done poorly this season and you have more than two wingers at the club. Nevermind facts or being able to form a basic rebuttal just slog out your opinion regardless.
Let him go to mu there are alot more players which can perfome more than him and we will take them.Let him fulfill his dreams.
Author is clearly a liverpool fan.
Nope.
The chance to work with Ferguson should be too tempting for any ambitious young footballer. Your statements are unfounded and ludicrous and have been said about numerous players Old Trafford bound including Park (I think Hiddink even warned him about being a bit part play) but whilst he has not played every game he has been integral to the successful United squad. If Young is good enough he will do the same. If he’s not good enough then he should indeed go to Liverpool.
Young would lihgten Old Trafford up
Having read the article again I have to say I strong disagree with what the author has written.
In my opinion, Ashley Young would not and should not regret his decision regardless of which team he joined because both man utd and liverpool are excellent teams and I have no doubt he will develop into a better player playing at either teams.
To suggest that he would struggle to nail down a starting place or make any useful contribution at man utd is shortsightedness on the author’s part.
Ashley Young would not be the player he is if he is not ambitious enough to challenge at the very top level. Players should be encourage to fight for their place on the team and improve. You never find world class players settling for second best just because they think they might not make it at the top.
Just ask Ronaldo, Messi and the likes…
Ultimately, whether the move works out for him is down to his hard work, dedication and his form. Joe Cole probably thinks he can cement a starting place in the Liverpool team and I am sure this time last year the author would have advised Joe to choose Liverpool and that he would regret joining man utd.
I support Young to join man utd coz through fighting for first eleven he proves to be competent and again have hope of winning trophies.