Highly respected American business magazine Forbes has valued Manchester United as the most valuable sports club in the world.

The Premier League champions are valued at $1.87 billion, according to Forbes which makes them more valuable than NFL team the Dallas Cowboys who are worth $1.65 billion.

Forbes also add that in the last year, the value of Manchester United has gone up by 4%.

Spanish giants Real Madrid come in second of the most valuable soccer brands on $1.35 billion.

September 03, 2009

MAN of the moment Darren Fletcher will return after the international break wondering if he will make United's starting line up against Spurs.

The threat of being dropped is the Scot's driving force and has seen him break through from fringe player to the champion's must-have midfielder.

The 25-year-old's stock grew last May when he was suspended for the Champions League final against Barcelona. His absence was cited as the reason the Spaniards had the freedom of the Stadio Olimpico.

It was perhaps no coincidence either this term that the one Premier League match the Reds have lost at Burnley was the only 90 minutes Sir Alex Ferguson hasn't chosen him.

But this campaign his qualities have also been recognised when he's been on the pitch, never more so than in last Saturday's dramatic match against Arsenal.

However, Fletcher knows his place is on the line every time he walks on to the pitch.

"I always go out on the pitch thinking I have to perform to stay in the team the next week. That is the attitude I had last season and it will be my attitude again this season," said Darren.

"If you start slipping up, or resting on your laurels, you will be straight out.

"Last year through injury and suspension, I began in the team and the manager stuck with me. I like to think my performances kept me in. In terms of consistency and level of performance it was my best and I gained that from playing regularly.

"In previous seasons I was in for a game and then out for a couple. Even though I felt I was playing well I wasn't getting that match sharpness and continuity.

"Every season is a new challenge. We have some great players. But I give 100 per cent every match and I am willing to sacrifice myself for the greater good of the team. I am looking to push on now, keep going and to win a lot more things.

"I am a quiet family orientated person and when I finish training I like to go home and prepare for my next game. Football is my life and I do everything I can to be a better player and a better professional."

Nobody could doubt Fletcher's professionalism when you saw him make the challenge last May at the Emirates against Arsenal when he was red-carded - and it cost him his berth in the European Cup final.

"A lot of people said I should have just let Cesc Fabregas score but that is not in my nature," Darren added. "From the first minute to the last, whether it is naive or what, that is the way I play my football. It was my job to watch his run and stop him scoring. I felt I did that.

"It's in the past and now I have to look at this season and try and get myself to another Champions League final. All the players are desperate to get there after the defeat against Barcelona. I want to get there and play in one (he was an unused sub in Moscow 2008)."

Analysts and fans alike are studying the Reds closely in the early post-Cristiano Ronaldo era and the consensus of opinion is that the champions are lacking his special match-winning qualities. But Fletcher believes United won't be damaged by the loss of the £80m World Player of the Year.

"Nothing has changed. It is still pretty much the same bunch of players," he said.

"We feel we are the same team. We won the league as a team and we got to the Champions League final as a team and won the World Club Cup as a team.

"Yes, we have lost a top class player in Cristiano but as much as he gave to us as a fantastic player, we gave a lot to him.

"Players sacrificed themselves for him and he appreciated that. Maybe now we will become a lot more solid and mostly be 4-4-2. We have players to adapt. United will be the same old United still."

September 02, 2009

YOUNG star Federico Macheda is dreaming of Champions League success with Manchester United this season.

The 18-year-old, who made such an impact in the second half of last season, has yet to make the bench this term.

Away with the Italy Under-21 side this week, Macheda's absence from the United first-team picture does seem surprising given the praise boss Sir Alex Ferguson heaped on the teenager in the summer.

However, it seems Macheda is happy where he is just now even if at some point in the future he would welcome a return to his homeland.

"One day I would love to return to Italy as it was where I was born and of course I always follow Italian football," he told Italian TV channel Sky Sports 24.

"Maybe one day I will return to Lazio but for now I am happy at Manchester United and it is my dream to play with them in the Champions League this season."

FIFA have banned Chelsea from registering any new players until January 2011, meaning they will not be able to recruit any new signings for two transfer windows.

World football's governing body imposed the sanctons after investigating a complaint from Ligue 1 Lens over the transfer of Gael Kakuta in 2007.

FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber passed the decision on a contractual dispute between the French club and their English counterparts.

A statement from FIFA read: "The DRC found that the player had indeed breached a contract signed with the French club. Equally, the DRC deemed it to be established that the English club induced the player to such a breach

"As a result the player was condemned to pay compensation in the amount of €780,000, for which the club, Chelsea, are jointly and severally liable, and sporting sanctions were imposed on both the player and Chelsea in accordance with art. 17 par. 3 and 4 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

A restriction of four months on his eligibility to play in official matches has been imposed on Kakuta. Chelsea are banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the two next entire and consecutive registration periods following the notification of the present decision.

"Furthermore, the club, Chelsea, have to pay Lens training compensation in the amount of €130,000."