R
RedZeppelin
Guest
well if he fails his medical there , why would we want him ?
Wenger, who was aware of the £16m escape clause in the five-year deal Jones signed 13 months ago, had made an 11th-hour attempt to sign the player, who told manager Steve Kean on Monday that he wanted Champions League football. Wenger made contact on Monday evening, in a repeat of the overtures he made to secure the services of Chris Smalling last January. It was to no avail.
Jones was overwhelmed by Ferguson's assurance that he can be the next Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford. Money did not come into the equation – the defender is likely to earn about £50,000 a week on a five-year deal – only a sense that his ambition can be far better fulfilled at United than either Liverpool, Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur, who were also interested. Manchester City also looked seriously at Jones but decided £16m was not good value for a player they felt made too many defensive mistakes.
Wenger is left hoping instead that he can add Blackburn's Chris Samba or Bolton Wanderers' Gary Cahill to his ranks. But neither has been as consistent as Jones, whom Ferguson first became aware of during his fine performance for Rovers in the 0-0 draw against United at Ewood Park in April 2010. Ferguson immediately told the then Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce that he thought Jones was the full article and Allardyce's chairman, John Williams, privately predicted at the time that the Chorley-born defender would soon become a United player.
Jones's move to Old Trafford leaves Liverpool still seeking a central defender. One possible target is Birmingham City's Scott Dann. Paris Saint-Germain's Mamadou Sakho is understood to want to stay in Paris for another year, with Arsenal his preference after that. Lyons' Dejan Lovren is another possibility – he is not as effective as Sakho but is only 21. Liverpool are also understood to have an interest in Lyons' 23-year-old left back Aly Cissokho, though Newcastle United's Jose Enrique is a far more likely recruit for that position.