Tom Cleverley admits he is 'happy to get away from negativity at Manchester United'

• Tom Cleverley joined Aston Villa on loan on transfer deadline day
• England midfielder admits he needed to get away from Manchester United
• Everton boss Roberto Martinez was also interested in the playmaker

Aston Villa  midfielder Tom Cleverley has vowed to put behind him the negativity that marred his final year at Manchester United and prove wrong those who doubt his ability.

He said: ‘You don’t turn into a bad player just because someone says it on Twitter. I probably wasn’t the only United player to get it last year. For as long as Man United aren’t winning trophies, players will get criticised. I’m fully aware of that. I’ve still got a league title, 13 England caps.

‘If all the players say they were high in confidence last season I think they would be lying. It wasn’t just me. It was the rest of the squad too.

‘I’m sure one season doesn’t turn you into a bad player. That’s football for you. The year before I won the league, played 20-odd games.’

‘Football is a game of opinions, you can’t please everyone and the main opinion for me is the manager I am playing under.’

Cleverley, 25, was told by new United boss Louis van Gaal that his opportunities would be limited this season, so he forced through a loan move in the final seconds of deadline day by calling Villa manager Paul Lambert after a few fraught hours to explain his desire to play.

It appears that his agent, Simon Kennedy, almost scuppered the move, with Villa unhappy that Everton were brought into discussions without a word of notice — and Cleverley admitted he and Lambert gave his representative a ‘bit of stick’.

But Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who worked with Cleverley at Wigan, believes United blocked any chance he had of getting the player on a season-long loan.

‘I am a big admirer of Tom,’ said Martinez. ‘That was an opportunity that we explored on the last day of the window but it couldn’t happen for different reasons. I don’t think there was just one aspect.

‘It’s the parent club that makes that decision. Maybe they just didn’t want to send a player on loan to a club who are going to be challenging for things and finished above them last season, I don’t know.

‘Our information was that the player wasn’t available on loan full stop. You can look at the table from last season and we finished fifth and they finished a bit lower, so from that respect you can understand.

‘But, at the same time, Aston Villa have started the season really well. They are going to be a strong team. But we can’t comment on that, it is down to Manchester United. A situation with Cleverley came up that I was happy to explore. In the end it didn’t work out.’

Cleverley makes his debut on Saturday at Liverpool, where he is expecting a frosty reception after 14 years at Old Trafford.

He added: ‘I am happy to get away from some of the negativity that surrounded me at Man United. I want to get Aston Villa back up in the top half where this club belong. My first target is getting in the Villa team, second is playing well and third is hopefully getting back in the England squad.’

Radamel Falcao unveiled at Manchester United... as Colombian striker reveals he wants 'to stay many years and make history'

• Manchester United signings Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind were unveiled by Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford
• United have spent over £150million on players including Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Hererra and Luke Shaw
• Despite signing six new players, Louis van Gaal emphasised that United would always try and develop youngsters
• Louis van Gaal insists his former international captain Robin van Persie is 'fitter than he has ever been before' 
• The former Holland manager also suggested that he would like to make Radamel Falcao's loan deal permanent 
• Daley Blind insists he is comfortable playing in any defensive or midfield position asked of him 
• Four players could make their United debut in home Premier League fixture on Sunday September 14

Radamel Falcao hopes that Manchester United sign him permanently at the end of his £6million loan, saying that he wants to ‘stay many years and make history’ at Old Trafford.

The Colombia striker was unveiled alongside £14million midfielder Daley Blind on Thursday after taking part in his first training session with Louis van Gaal’s team. United have the option to buy Falcao from Monaco next summer in a deal worth a total of £52million after agreeing to pay the 28-year-old £280,000-a-week this season.

Speaking in a combination of English and Spanish, Falcao said: ‘I hope to stay many years in Manchester United and make history at this club. When I was at FC Porto and Atletico Madrid I always wanted to improve and I dreamed about playing in a team like this. Now I want to stay here for many years.

‘It’s a new process and a new team. This year some players have come and Manchester United are building a big team this season and future seasons. I would like to be here and be part of the project.

‘I am very happy to be here. It’s a big challenge for me for my career. I always dreamed to be in a club like Manchester United.’ 

Falcao has made six appearances and scored two goals for club and country since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee playing for Monaco in a French Cup tie in January, but has yet to complete a full game.

His brief appearance for Colombia as a substitute against Brazil in Miami on Friday took his total playing time to 217 minutes – an average of 38 minutes per game – but he insists that he is fully recovered.

‘Yes I feel well,’ he added. ‘I started to play two months ago with Monaco and I have improved in the last month a lot. I scored goals, and that is important to strikers. I’m confident with my physical form and I’m comfortable with my knee. I feel good in myself and happy to be here.’

Questions have been raised about how Louis van Gaal can fit Falcao, other new signing Angel Di Maria, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata into the same team, but the Colombian is confident that United can make it work as he prepares for a debut at home to QPR on Sunday.

He said: ‘When you’re talking about settling in, when you’re talking about top-quality players it makes settling in more easy.

‘I think I will need not much time because Manchester United has very good players and it’s easier to play football. I’m used to life in cities like this. I don’t think I will have a problem adapting.

‘I see the club in a period of everyone needing to get to know one another. But they are top-quality players and very intelligent players who can apply what the coach has in mind for us on the field quickly.

‘In terms of where I play, that is something the manager will have to decide for me.

‘I’ve been fortunate to play at some big clubs all over the world in big games and finals. I would rather focus on enjoying my football and making the most of the opportunity United have given me.

I tend to set myself personal targets and goals, and that’s how players challenge themselves.’

Falcao was reluctant to talk about the other clubs linked with him this summer, including Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal , but admitted that not playing in the Champions League for a fifth consecutive season is a blow.

‘It’s true, every player wants to play in the Champions League,’ he said. ‘This year it’s not possible in Manchester but we are confident that we will qualify next season.

‘I don’t want to talk about other teams. I can say that I’m very happy here and believe in this project. United are the best club for my style of play, and I am sure it will be a great period for us in the future.’ 

Louis van Gaal reveals he knew Radamel Falcao was money well spent after striker scored with only chance in first training session

• Manchester United signings Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind were unveiled by Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford
• The former Holland manager suggested that he would like to make Radamel Falcao's loan deal permanent
• The Colombia international impressed his manager by scoring with his only chance during first training session 
• United have spent over £150million on players incl. Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Hererra and Luke Shaw 
• The on loan Monaco striker insisted he wanted 'to stay many years and make history' with the Red Devils 
• The former Porto forward is spending a fifth consecutive season without playing in the Champions League 
• Four players could make their United debut in home Premier League fixture on Sunday September 14

It took just one moment of magic, one goal in his first training session as a Manchester United player, for Louis van Gaal to appreciate that Radamel Falcao could be an awful lot of money well spent.

‘When you can hire or buy a player like Falcao then I don’t have doubts because he is, for me, one of the best strikers in the world. When you see his record it is unbelievable,’ said Van Gaal at a press conference to unveil the 28-year-old Colombia striker.

‘At training he got one ball and it was in the goal. He confirmed it in his first training session with me. But when I say that, I put too much pressure on him and that’s not good.’ 

United have spent £6million to ‘hire’ Falcao from Monaco this season, during which time the striker will earn £280,000 a week at Old Trafford. It will cost them another £46m to exercise an option to buy him outright next summer.

Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind — whose appearance on Thursday was rather overshadowed by the man sitting to his left — also came through the door as part of a £150m summer spending spree.

This has inevitably led to questions about United’s transfer policy under Van Gaal and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

That is unlikely to faze Falcao. After all, this is the fourth time he has moved clubs in the last five years.

This time last year he was being paraded as Monaco’s record £48m signing. 

At least the former Porto and Atletico Madrid player expressed a desire to hang around a little longer this time.

‘I hope to stay many years in Manchester United and make history at this club,’ said Falcao, whose record of 220 goals in 356 career games compares pretty well against Danny Welbeck’s strike rate of 29 goals in 142 games — brought up rather surprisingly by Van Gaal yesterday.

‘When I was at Porto and Madrid I always wanted to improve and I dreamed about playing in a team like this,’ added Falcao. ‘It’s a new process and a new team. Some players have come and Manchester United are building a big team this season and future seasons.

‘I would like to be here and be part of the project. I am very happy to be here. It’s a big challenge for me for my career. I always dreamed to be in a club like Manchester United.’

Falcao has made six appearances and scored two goals for club and country since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee playing for Monaco in a French Cup tie in January, but has yet to complete a full game.

His brief appearance for Colombia as a substitute against Brazil in Miami on Friday took his total playing time to 217 minutes — an average of 38 minutes per game — but he insists he is fully recovered.

‘Yes, I feel well,’ he added. ‘I started to play two months ago with Monaco and I have improved in the last month a lot. I scored goals, and that is important to strikers.

‘I’m confident with my physical form and I’m comfortable with my knee. I feel good in myself.’

Questions have been raised about how Van Gaal can fit all his new signings into the same team alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata, who has only been at United eight months since a £37.1m move from Chelsea.

There could be up to four of them making home debuts against QPR on Sunday. 

Falcao does not foresee any problems, however.

‘When you’re talking about settling in, when you’re talking about top-quality players, it makes settling in more easy,’ he added.

‘I think I will need not much time because Manchester United has very good players and it’s easier to play football. I’m used to life in cities like this. I don’t think I will have a problem adapting.

‘I see the club in a period of everyone needing to get to know one another. But they are top-quality players and very intelligent players who can apply what the coach has in mind for us on the field quickly.

‘In terms of where I play, that is something the manager will have to decide for me.

‘I’ve been fortunate to play at some big clubs all over the world in big games and finals. I would rather focus on enjoying my football and making the most of the opportunity United have given me. I tend to set myself personal targets and goals and that’s how players challenge themselves.’

Falcao was reluctant to talk about the other clubs linked with him this summer, including Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal. All three teams are playing in the Champions League in United’s absence.

For Falcao, it will be a fifth season in a row outside the European elite, but he does not expect to be kept waiting much longer.

‘It’s true, every player wants to play in the Champions League,’ he said. ‘This year it’s not possible in Manchester but we are confident that we will qualify next season.

‘I don’t want to talk about other teams. I can say that I’m very happy here and believe in this project. United are the best club for my style of play and I am sure it will be a great period for us in the future.’ 

United’s new signing spoke mainly in broken English but answered a couple of questions from the South American media more fluently in Spanish.

As he got up to leave at the end, Van Gaal grabbed him by the right arm and addressed his audience.

‘What do you think about his English?’ asked the former Barcelona coach. ‘Because I had the same situation in Spain. In my first year I spoke English, in my second year Spanish. And he is coming here and he is speaking English for you. Yeah, OK?’

It brought a round of applause but, for this kind of money, United supporters will expect Radamel Falcao to do his talking on the pitch

Danny Welbeck wasn't good enough for Manchester United and not up to Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie's standard, says Louis van Gaal on sale of striker

Danny Welbeck moved to Arsenal on transfer deadline day for £16million

Louis van Gaal said the striker wasn't up to Manchester United's standard

The Dutch manager said he prefers Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie 

Radamel Falcao came Manchester United on a one-year loan from Monaco

Manchester United has spent £150m on players during the summer 

Van Gaal spoke at the unveiling of new stars Falcao and Daley Blind

Welbeck debuts for the Gunners on Saturday against Manchester City

Man United chase their first win of the season against QPR on Sunday

Louis van Gaal says that Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal because he was not good enough for Manchester United but denies that the club have ditched their vaunted youth policy.

United’s £150million summer spend on six new players, including Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao, has led to concerns that they are turning their back on homegrown talent – especially after England striker Welbeck was sold to Arsenal for £16m.

But at a press conference to unveil Falcao and Daley Blind on Thursday, Van Gaal claimed that United remain as committed as ever to promoting young players. 

He explained the reason behind selling Manchester-born Welbeck, who has been at the club since childhood, pointing out that the England striker’s record of 29 goals from 142 games was not nearly as good as Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie. 

‘I have given all the players a chance to convince me of their qualities,’ said Van Gaal. ‘When you ask about Danny Welbeck, he was here since the age of nine and after Sunderland (on loan) he played three seasons at United but he doesn’t have the record of Van Persie or Rooney and that’s the standard. That’s why we let him go. 

‘Falcao, okay, but also the youngsters who will fit in. That’s the policy and that’s why I’m here. The transformation is in this new process.

‘We spoke with Danny Welbeck and also Chicharito [Javier Hernandez] before we got the chance to sign Falcao. We have to be fair about that. In that part (area of the team) we had a lot of youth who can fit in. They have to take their chance to play football. I have to put them in the squad.’

 

Former United favourites Gary Neville and Paul Scholes have questioned United’s transfer policy, while Sir Alex Ferguson’s former No 2 Mike Phelan has claimed that the club are losing their ‘identity’ by selling Welbeck.

I can’t work it out and I know I worked with Danny Welbeck last week [with England], but it’s odd,' Neville said. 'I have to admit I thought the Danny Welbeck sale was a strange one, but that’s just me.

‘Of all the prices paid this summer, there are right backs and left-backs galore who have been bought for £14m, £15m, £16m?

‘How have Arsenal got him [Welbeck] for £16m? I can’t work it out. It has helped out a competitor because Arsenal are the team they are fighting for fourth possibly.

‘I am struggling to work out the logic, I can’t understand it. It’s odd in two or three ways.

But Van Gaal was quick to point out that having let 14 players go this summer and signed six, United have created the possibility of eight vacancies for young players at the club. 

James Wilson will be in contention for Welbeck’s place and Jesse Lingard and Tyler Blackett have made the first-team debuts already this season.

Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli has further clothing struggles - this time with his shorts!

• Mario Balotelli had problems with his shorts in training at Melwood
• Liverpool forward missed Italy's win over Norway
• Brendan Rodgers' side face Aston Villa in Premier League this weekend 

What's Mario Balotelli up to now? Liverpool’s £16million striker was sporting an odd new look at training.

Whether the 24-year-old carried on training like this was unclear but it had echoes of when he struggled to put on a bib during his time with Manchester City.

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre revealed yesterday the club sold huge numbers of Balotelli shirts on the day the Italian moved to Anfield from AC Milan last month.

Ayre said: ‘Having the right people allows the club to maximise signings like Balotelli,

leading to £50,000 worth of shirt sales.’ 

Liverpool face Aston Villa this weekend, who, after an impressive start to the season, currently sit a point ahead of Brendan Rodgers' side in the table.

England forward Daniel Sturridge will be hopeful of returning for the clash after a thigh injury kept him out of England's 2-0 win over Switzerland. 

Louis van Gaal expected to take Manchester United back into Premier League top three this season

• Manager Louis van Gaal will be allowed to recommend new players despite spending £150million on talent over the summer
• Woodward's announcement came after the club revealed their financial results for 2013-14
• United reported a record annual revenue of £433.2m and profits of £23.8m
• But they expect a 10 per cent drop in revenue after failing to make the Champions League last season
• Former boss David Moyes and his staff were paid £5.2m in compensation after being sacked
• Annual wages have now pushed through the £200m mark after a 19 per cent rise 

Louis van Gaal is expected to take Manchester United back into the top three in the Premier League this season — and he will have to do it without any major signings in January.

The target was revealed by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward as he detailed the club’s accounts for last season and made forecasts for this campaign.

Figures published show United had record income of £433.2million for the 2013-14 season, but that is expected to plunge to £395m because the club are not in the Champions League, from which they made about £55m last season.

Getting back into Europe is an urgent priority for United and Woodward confirmed Van Gaal’s target when he said: ‘We assume third in our budgets.’

Another consequence of David Moyes’ miserable year in charge was £5.2m in ‘exceptional costs’, most of which represented compensation payments to the former manager and his staff.

Woodward gave the strongest indication yet that there will not be a further splurge in January to follow the £153.1m spent on Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao. ‘We don’t intend to significantly increase capital expenditure [by buying players] in January,’ he said during a conference call aimed at investors in the 10 per cent of the club that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

‘We will continue to monitor in association with Louis his view of the squad and which areas we want to strengthen and which areas we want to sell. I wouldn’t have expectations for January but if there is a willingness from the manager, we will engage with him and if there is an opportunity, we will try and take that as we did last January.’

Woodward said the club was ‘very proud’ of the record income figures and added: ‘With Louis van Gaal at the helm as manager, and the recent signing of some of the world’s leading players to further strengthen our squad, we are very excited about the future and believe it’s the start of a new chapter in the club’s history.

‘Louis’ footballing philosophy fits very well with Manchester United and he has an impressive track record of success throughout his career, winning league titles with every club he has managed.’

One potentially worrying figure for United was their wage bill of £214.8m, up 19 per cent on the previous year.

United say salaries will drop in 2014-15 because there will be no Champions League bonuses, though they are not expected to fall by much.

United’s debts have fallen 12.2 per cent year-on-year but still stand at £341.8m — all a result of the Glazer family’s leveraged takeover in 2005. United spent £27.4m serving the debt in 2013-14, approximately the price of Luke Shaw. Critics of the Glazer family regularly cite the amounts spent on debt financing — now well over £500m — that might have been used to bring in more big-name players.

But the debt in itself does not endanger United’s future. They remain by a considerable margin England’s richest club by income. In global terms, only Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are at their level of half a billion euros of income or more per year.

The club’s revenue last season was split between match day income of £108.1m — effectively from ticket sales, pies, pints and programmes — at an average of £3.5m per game at Old Trafford; £189.3m from sponsorship, kit deals and other commercial partnerships; and broadcasting income of £135.8m.

Match day income is likely to remain stable. The other two streams are growing, respectively up 24.1 per cent (commercial) and 33 per cent (TV) year-on-year and are likely to increase significantly in the medium term.

The recently announced kit deal with adidas is worth £75m per year for 10 years from 2015-16, £50m more every year than the expiring Nike deal.

They can expect to pocket TV money of between £90m and £100m from the Premier League this season and next. That is likely to go up under the TV rights deals for 2016-19, which are due to be negotiated soon.

Champions League income for British clubs will also soar from next season because of BT Sport’s near £1bn deal to show all European football from 2015-16. Last season’s £36m UEFA cash for United could feasibly be double that or more by next season — as long as they are back at Europe’s top table.

Gary Neville attacks Manchester United's transfer policy and branded the sale of Danny Welbeck to Arsenal 'strange'

• Gary Neville attacked Manchester United's transfer policy
• Former England star branded Danny Welbeck's sale to Arsenal 'strange'
• Neville also claimed United overpaid for their summer signings
• Radamel Falcao, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, Angel di Maria, Daley Blind all signed this summer

Gary Neville has attacked Manchester United’s bizarre transfer policy after claiming the sale of Danny Welbeck for just £16m is ‘strange’.

United have spent fortunes this summer to sign Falcao, Angel di Maria, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Marco Rojo.

Neville said: ‘It’s not the way I would expect United to go about their business, I thought it would be more controlled.

‘I can’t work it out and I know I worked with Danny Welbeck last week [with England], but it’s odd. I have to admit I thought the Danny Welbeck sale was a strange one, but that’s just me.

‘Of all the prices paid this summer, there are right backs and left-backs galore who have been bought for £14m, £15m, £16m?

‘How have Arsenal got him [Welbeck] for £16m? I can’t work it out. It has helped out a competitor because Arsenal are the team they are fighting for fourth possibly.

‘I am struggling to work out the logic, I can’t understand it. It’s odd in two or three ways.

‘Falcao tipped them over the edge, it surprised and shocked everyone. How he gets them in that team I don’t know. How they get Rooney, Di Maria, Robin van Persie, Falcao, Herrera, Januzaj and Mata into that team I don’t know.’ 

Neville went on to claim United have over-paid for players after their seventh placed finish in the Barclays Premier League last season.

He told talkSPORT: ‘In one sense I am excited because they have signed world class players. People jumped on the bandwagon last year and said they wouldn’t attract players, but they have a massive commercial operation.

‘They have overpaid, there is no doubt about that but people will still go there.’ 

Welbeck is expected to start for Arsenal on Saturday when they take on Manchester City at the Emirates in the Barclays Premier League.

The England striker, who scored twice for his country against Switzerland on Tuesday, admitted he needs a run of games up front to prove he is a top player for club and country.

Arsenal’s £16m signing said: ‘It is well known I prefer to play through the middle so when I get my opportunity I just want to show what I can do. Once I get into the box and getting the opportunities I have got faith in my ability.

‘Before I wasn’t getting into the box because I wasn’t playing too much as a striker and I had to worry about my defensive work. I just know once I get the opportunity and a run of games up front I will do my best.

‘That’s definitely what I need. It is good for any footballer to get a run of games. You become more confident and play much more ease and to get a run of games would be absolutely perfect. That is my first 90 minutes this season so it is just the start of things and really looking forward to it.’