[marty davidson]

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is set to give youngster Fraizer Campbell a Premier League chance because he is short of strikers.

Campbell, 20, scored the winner against Espanyol in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial at Old Trafford.

"We do not have any strikers apart from Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez and Frazier plays in that area.

"He is quick and determined and he can do very well in the game. Fraizer's future is here," said Ferguson.

Campbell played a major role in Hull's promotion to the Premier League last season and Tigers coach Phil Brown had hoped the striker would return to the KC Stadium this season.

"Fraizer Campbell has taken his goal very well and it won't do him any harm. He's an aggressive young player," said Ferguson, who has been linked with potential moves for Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov and Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz.

"We are also hoping to apply for a work permit for Manucho, who comes from Angola. That will give us more back-up..

"Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney have been struggling with a virus for a few days and they won't be fit for the Juventus game on Wednesday. Hopefully they will be ready for the Community Shield next Sunday."

A crowd of almost 69,000 turned out for Solskjaer's testimonial on Saturday - with all the proceeds set to be donated to charity.

"I could probably bring Ole on for the last 10 minutes even now and he wouldn't let us down," said Ferguson.

"It was a very emotional day for him and fully deserved."

Solskjaer, who officially retired one year ago and is now United's reserve team manager, came on for the final 22 minutes of the match.

"I have had more than a year to get used to not playing, but it doesn't get any easier and I knew this would be my last game at Old Trafford," he said.

"It has been a great day for me and my family, though, the 20 minutes that I played towards the end of the game are something I will never forget."

 

[Drew9]

Fergie mentions Rooney and Tevez are the only strikers we have, what does that say for Saha ...

Im very glad he says Fraizer Campbell will stay, i think he can offer quality from the bench and especially with the 7subs now allowed in the league this year, it's also good news about Manucho, i still think Berbatov is required though.

 

[dlan4327]

I'm quite happy about this really. I mean it's just nice to see that finally an academy player is being told, yeah will use you, with a good chance of ACTUALLY PLAYING. : )

 

[sparkic]

I'm quite happy about this really. I mean it's just nice to see that finally an academy player is being told, yeah will use you, with a good chance of ACTUALLY PLAYING. : )

Spot on

 

[Danny_M]

In many ways am dissappointed with this, in a whole i appreciate what a good player campbell could be, but what happens to a new signing? and Saha?
Does that mean we wont be signing a striker? And if we do sign an other striker it will just mean he will be sat on the bench week in week out when he could be playing a full 90 minutes for Hull every week !

 

[CAS_MUFC]

Brilliant news. Campbell has loads of pace and could cause havoc, Its nice to hear an academy player is going to be given a chance. Hopefully he can shine!

 

[Jesus Hitler]

I'm quite happy about this really. I mean it's just nice to see that finally an academy player is being told, yeah will use you, with a good chance of ACTUALLY PLAYING. : )

100% agree with that comment its really is great to see spech after the whole rossi thing, will he play wont he etc. i just hope campbell makes us proud i have every faith in the lad he was impressive yesterday. and as for saha not being mentioned i think thats fergie talking about the next few weeks where saha will eather be sold or injured and manchado injured.

P.S. well still sign another striker i think fergie is just taking his time he loves signing strikers so hes looking for the best one imo

 

[dublin red]

Its great to see one of our home grown players getting a chance. With guidance from the older players Campbell may become a regular face in the first team squad this season . My only concern is that he is still a bit lightweight . I think he should maybe try to put on a bit of size to help him to not get pushed off the ball too easily .
It would be also nice if Frazier did make the cut cause then we could give the two fingers to those two dopes Platini and Blatter .

 

[versa]

Daily Mail

Striker Campbell sets out his case to fill Solskjaer's role at Manchester United

Even as favourite son Ole Gunnar Solskjaer waved an emotional farewell to his Old Trafford playing days, Fraizer Campbell was setting out his own credentials before the Stretford End.

Campbell had no real need to prove his eye for goal after a prolific loan spell at Hull that helped them to promotion and made the 20-year-old a £5million target for manager Phil Brown.

But it does no harm to show a cool head faced with class opposition and Campbell came off the bench, as Solskjaer did so often, to despatch the crucial goal in the 83rd minute in the 1-0 win over Espanyol to the delight of 68,686 fans who turned out to salute their Norwegian star.

Campbell, who impressed on the club's South Africa tour, insisted: 'Now I'm back at United the plan is to force my way into the first-team plans. I'm going to keep working hard and try to do enough to stay.

'It's brilliant to work alongside the great players we have here such as Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Being a part of that can only make me a better player.'

Sir Alex Ferguson certainly rates Campbell.

'He took his goal well - he's an aggressive young player, very quick and determined. He can do well and his future lies here, because we don't have many strikers.'

Not at the moment, anyway. Rooney's absence with a virus is likely to continue until the Community Shield on Sunday, while injury-plagued Louis Saha is on his way out.

Ferguson even went so far as to cite promising Angolan Manucho to swell the numbers if his work permit arrives.

However, United's manager still hopes to pull off a £24million deal to land Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham and that would severely limit Campbell's chances.

The tenacious Tevez was busy making his own case for playing in virtually every game and then there is the small matter of finding room for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The day Berbatov arrives at Old Trafford, Hull's Brown will be ringing Sir Alex again about Campbell.

His accomplished finish to cap Solskjaer's testimonial, courtesy of a sublime surge and pass from the stylish Giggs, showed why. Solskjaer himself was unlucky not to score in an appropriate cameo as substitute, forcing two good saves from Cristian Alvarez.

Now United's reserve team coach, Solskjaer was serenaded one more time by Old Trafford and can put Saturday's £2m proceeds towards his project to build schools in Mozambique, Angola and Malawi.

Meanwhile, Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted Real Madrid's pursuit of Ronaldo is unsettling their squad.

There is more speculation that Madrid will make a final £60m bid for the Manchester United winger in the hope he will demand a transfer when he returns to the club this week.

Van Nistelrooy said: 'A couple of our players commented that there was only talk about him and not about the current team and stars.

'Everybody's waiting for the next rumour without anything concrete. It is such an issue at the moment in Spain - it gets a bit over the top. If you hear the statements from United it does not sound like they'll let him go.'

 

[piazza]

We wouldn't be short of strikers if he'd just buy one...

 

[FozzyBear]

I dont think we will land a striker now, if we dont get the work permit for manucho we may push through for berba...but times ticking away and its kinda scaring me that fergie PROMISED a new striker and we are now where near a stiker than what we was when he said this.
He says we will keep Fraizer which is great because i really reat him highly, plus either manucho or berba...means plenty of possible pairings for next year


rooney-tevez
rooney-campbell
rooney-manucho/berba
tevez-campbell
tevez-manucho/berba
campbell-manucho/berba

also i think campbell could play well in a 3 pronged attack with nani and ronaldo next to him supplying him the balls....i hope campbell plays against pompey at wembley and gets a hatty hehehe!!!

 

[RN10]

I really do like fraze. but i think he's championship quality. but you never know we could sell him and in 2 seasons he could be awesome and be top goal scorer in the prem i mean torres started out as a goal keeper now look at him

 

[Jay007]

This is great news imo.

He does have potential I think, but even if it turns out he isn't good enough, at least he has been given the opportunity to show it.

I'm a fan of his from what I've seen. Hes strong, quick, has a good goalscoring record, and can run in behind (as we saw at Solskjaers testimonial.) {And I wanted a striker who can run in behind. }

And who knows? He could be the striker we're looking for!

 

[FozzyBear]

Yh he just hangs on the shoulder of defenders like RVN and torres....hes class, now hes got a season to prove it!

 

[Jay007]

now hes got a season to prove it!

Exactly.

He has a chance. Now hes got to grab it with both hands.

This season, if he gets the regular opportunity that he has been promised, he needs to show that he's good enough to play for us, and be an important part of the squad.

If he doesn't, then I think he'll be off.