Lazy, slow and disinterested or intelligent, spectacular and magnificent. These are two sets of words that have been used to describe Dimitar Berbatov. Whatever your feeling may be of him, one thing is for sure – however anonymous he can be in a game, he has the ability to produce a moment of magic at any moment.
It was this spark of genius that he possessed, along with his success at Tottenham Hotspur, that prompted Sir Alex Ferguson’s interest and following a summer of negotiation, Manchester United finally got their man for the princely sum of £30.75 million.
By adding him to the ranks United had added the final piece to a very potent attack. The season in which he joined United he ended up with 14 goals in all competitions and ranked 2nd in the league for assists (with 10), thus aiding United to the league, league cup and World Club Cup. Furthermore, in his remaining time at United he has also added 1 league title, 1 league cup, 2 community shields and 2 Champions league final appearances all while scoring a further 42 goals in the last 3 seasons.
However, entering last season, Berbatov was the reigning joint top scorer in the league (with 20 goals), which in most situations would guarantee his place in the starting XI. Unfortunately for Berbatov, he was the victim of both Javier Hernandez’s form in the back end of the 2010/11 season as well as Danny Welbeck’s success on loan at Sunderland. As a result, Berbatov fell to fourth in the pecking order.
While he only started a few games last season, Berbatov was still involved in 21 games in all competitions, scoring 9 goals in total. So it was clear that he did not have the kind of season he would have anticipated. Yet he remained a very good squad player, which is a testament to his character.
Although some have dubbed him as ‘Berbaflop’, his record during his time at United speaks for itself. A few may have expected more given his price tag but he has achieved more than his fair share of success at United and I doubt that Ferguson will have any complaints regarding the return on their investment.
Now though, given his age, he recognises that the most important thing for him is playing first team football rather than sitting on the bench and collecting his pay cheque.
So while Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed a desire to keep him, I think it is only fair that Berbatov is granted a move away from the club. Not only because of the current stage of Berbatov’s career but also because of United’s recent declaration of interest in Robin van Persie, a move that would only push Berbatov down to fifth choice.
Therefore, for the best of all parties, United should cash in and get the £5-10million they could get for Berbatov rather than waste a season and lose him on a free next year. Such a move would help both parties move on and progress with no bad blood, thus providing a fitting end to Berbatov’s career at Old Trafford.
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