DIMITAR BERBATOV has admitted his erratic form for Manchester United may persuade Alex Ferguson to bring in another established striker this summer, but he also insisted he wants to remain at Old Trafford and that nothing should be read into his occasionally downbeat body language.
“I might not always seem happy, but I can’t just grin like an idiot,” he said.
Berbatov – United’s record signing at €35.8 million, from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 – has polarised opinion among United’s support after a season in which he has been increasingly marginalised and ended up as one of the scapegoats for the club surrendering the Premier League title to Chelsea.
The striker, now 29, announced his retirement from international football with Bulgaria yesterday and admitted there had been times of “tension and stress” during a season in which he scored only 12 times. He has started only six out of 22 Champions League games since joining the club 20 months ago. His problems were encapsulated in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich when, with Wayne Rooney injured and the side needing a goal, there were 25 minutes when Ferguson moved Nani, a winger, into the centre forward’s role and Berbatov was kept on the bench.
“A lot of money was spent on me, and people expected things from out of this world,” Berbatov said. “Over the two seasons I have been at the club it could have been better, it could have been worse. I have had my moments. I became [a Premier League] champion and won the League Cup, but people had great expectations for the money it cost to sign me. We do not know what will happen in the third year.”
His two seasons at Old Trafford had shown him “there are many critics in England”, but he said he has learned to handle the pressure. “Only a weak person would be affected by it,” he added. “I am happy, believe me. I might not show any emotions but I’m really happy because I am with the biggest team in the world. I don’t want to go anywhere because, to me, I am as high as you can go.”
Ferguson has signed Javier Hernandez, a 21-year-old Mexico striker from Chivas de Guadalajara, meaning that United have seven strikers on the books. One of those, Daniel Welbeck, is likely to be lent to Preston North End for all of next season but that still leaves Berbatov, Rooney and Michael Owen, with Hernandez, Federico Macheda and Mame Biram Diouf in reserve, and there is a sense that Ferguson has not finished there.
“I’m sure the club will buy a new striker,” Berbatov said, “but I am there already and that’s important. I don’t want to leave and I will try to fulfil my contract because where would I go after United? I have reached the top with them.”
Explaining his reasons to give up international football, having scored 48 goals in 74 games, he described himself as “exhausted” and said it was time “to give younger players the opportunity to step out from my shadow”.
He has been troubled by a recurrent knee injury and it is possible he may need surgery. “This is a problem that will not go away by itself. I didn’t discuss my decision with Sir Alex, but you know when to say ‘enough’ and I have had ailments for several months. I feel tired. I took this decision on my own and I started thinking about my future with the national team more than a month ago.”
Clubs in the Bundesliga, as well as Milan, have been linked with him, but Berbatov added: “I do not know about interest from other clubs and I have had no meetings because I am a Manchester United player.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has revealed he would love it if Fernando Torres jumped ship to Stamford Bridge this summer. Drogba, who has been partnered by French forward Nicolas Anelka this season, admits he would welcome any move for Liverpool star Torres.
“I have heard the talk about Torres maybe coming in and I would welcome it, of course,” he said. “Every time there is a new player coming here it’s making the club bigger and giving us a lot of strength. If there is a chance for him to come he will be welcome, because any help is welcome.
“I feel that, season after season, I’m getting better. I want to finish the job this year with the FA Cup final. To win the double would mean a lot to the club and to us as players.”
- GuardianService
