Would Heinze a be deal too far?

I’m going to declare this weekend a “Torres free time” suffice to say that Atletico Madrid have secured a deal with Villarreal for Diego Forlan so, read into that what you will!

Saturday’s papers told us that Rafa, now resplendent with beard and moustache that make him look like… answers on a postcard to “Growing Old Gracefully vs Mid Life Crisis Competition c/o …..”, is interested in Gabriel Heinze. Heinze has been linked with a few of the top European clubs but apparently Rafa is ready to “hijack” these deals and spirit him way to Anfield to the tune of roughly £6m.

I like the word “hijack” it fits in with Rafa’s “new” look/image. I can see him descending on a wire, via a skylight, into the offices of Old Trafford, dressed in black, clutching a box of milk tray and bodily lifting Heinze away from under Fergie’s nose. “F**k me, he was here a minute ago, have you see him Wayne? Are these chocs yours?”

I don’t know if this is just idle paper talk. I’m not counting but it wouldn’t surprise me if Heinze was the, ho ho ho, 57th Variety of player we’ve been linked with this summer. So, now I’ve got the obvious gag out of the way, I can move on….!

I guess Rafa does need to look at the back four situation. Don’t get me wrong, the defence has been great over the last two seasons and has been the difference in many games because of the wastefulness of our forwards. However Sami Hyypia will be 34 in October and has been linked with moves away to Wigan and Newcastle plus others. No one should deny him another pay day at this stage of his career especially if it means a few more seasons of first team football, which he has lost out on recently because of Daniel Agger. However, this will leave us short in defence.

We sold Steven Warnock to Blackburn and Gabriel Paletta’s performances haven’t impressed so far. I’m not one of them, but others have also cast doubts on John Arne Risse’s defensive abilities (is he a defender or a midfielder?). And, what if Agger or Carragher should get long term injuries? I don’t know how much his recent injury has affected him, but on paper Heinze, who can play at left back and centre half, would be a great signing. He was voted Manchester United’s fans player of the year a few years back and is an established Argentinean international.

However………..there’s no easy way of putting this so I’ll just come out with it … should we be signing a player from Manchester United?

The list of players making the journey directly from Old Trafford to Anfield, or the other way around, in recent years is… well there isn’t one! Before you ask Paul Ince played for Inter Milan between his spells with us and United. Much of this, I suspect, has been rooted in local rivalry and the fact that for years we were the top two sides in the country. So, naturally, we would not sell to each other?

However times have changed, and anyway there are numerous examples in the game of players moving from one local rival to another or, from one top club to another. How about Sol Campbell from Spurs to Arsenal and the Gallas / Cashley Cole transfers involving Arsenal, again, and Chelsea? There are lots more examples however, there are also lots more defenders we could sign instead of Heinze.

Nonetheless perhaps the time has come to put away, what to those who don’t support us and United, would see as illogical, outdated prejudices? After all it is not Heinze the man and the player we are against it is the club he currently plays for?

Personally I can’t establish a bench mark for this. For example I like Mark Hughes now but, during his time at United, he was public enemy number one. However, if Michael Owen were to go to United it would hurt! I still think of Paul Ince as an ex Manc, even though he played for us!

You need to look the individual player and the circumstances around any potential deal. It’s not as if we are making Heinze an offer he can’t refuse. United could easily outgun us in that score if they wanted to. It looks like he’s being allowed to leave, a United reject? One also has to ask would Fergie, who in terms of “blind” passion and love for his club we have more in common with than we would ever care to admit (did I really just write that?), be prepared to let Heinze go to Liverpool; whatever the circumstances? Moreover if he is willing to let Heinze go, why? What’s wrong with Heinze? Why is he selling him? If it’s just a footballing issue, and not personal, then surely if he’s not good enough for United he’s certainly not good enough for us?

Help, I don’t know what to think!