SAF to get ´significant´ transfer kitty
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Ferguson to get ´significant´ transfer kitty
Manchester United commercial director Andy Anson today revealed Sir Alex Ferguson has been armed with a ´significant´ transfer kitty to rebuild his midfield - but confirmed no new funds would be made available from the club´s new sponsorship deal.
American International group will be United´s sponsors for the next four years after agreeing a British record £56.5million deal, raising hopes among fans that Ferguson would be given more money to spend in the summer.
But while Anson stressed the capital will be poured into the club´s coffers in the short term, he insists the Glazer family are happy to bank-role big-money moves for world-class players.
´The money goes into the central pot,´ Anson told BBC Radio 5 Live´s Sportsweek programme.
´We manage Manchester United as an integrated business and then we decide where we´re going to spend the money at the beginning of each season when we do our budget.
´It´s been well documented that the budget for transfers has already been allocated for this year and that remains unchanged.
´That is a big pot of money anyway and Sir Alex Ferguson is confident he can get the players he wants in the summer.
´We´ve allocated significant funds and everyone on the playing side is convinced we can get the players we want.
´Obviously it depends on the individual players and you spend what you have to get the right world-class players.
´We´ve all said that getting the right world-class midfield players is a key part of our strategy.
´If we feel we need to get a world class player, as we did with Wayne Rooney last year, then we´ll make sure we get him and will strike the best deal.
´What we have to do is go out and get the best value deal and that´s something chief executive David Gill is very good at.
´In the past I´m not sure we always achieved that. But David is a shrewd negotiator.´
Anson described the Glazers, the family who won control of United last year, as ´ normal people´ and insisted their strategy for the club is long term.
´The Glazers are normal people. We deal with them on a day-to-day basis. They´re very keen on building United with a long-term view,´ he said.
´They´re not rushing into anything and want to build the brand over a long period of time. They´re very relaxed on the here and now and want things to improve over time.´