Diouf and Tosic set to leave
Between £5 – £8 million will flow into the Glazers’ financial black hole when Serbian winger Zoran Tošić is sold today Russian outfit CSKA Moscow. Tošić, who spent much of last season on loan at Cologne in the Bundesliga, joined Manchester United in a £17 million deal alongside fellow Serb Adem Ljajić 18 months ago.
United pulled the plug on the £10 million Ljajić deal in January claiming work permit problems, while Tošić’s move to CSKA will see the club make a return on its initial investment.
Although Tošić has stated a preference to remain in Germany, financial considerations almost certainly dictated that a move to the Bundesliga – save for a late bid from Bayern Munich that did not arrive – was not viable. CSKA, incredibly still backed by the Russian Ministry of Defense, have no problem meeting United’s fee or the player’s financial demands.
Tošić, 23, made just five substitute appearances for United in his time at the club, with United taking a £3 million loss on the player.
“We made him an offer to stay,” said Cologne director Michael Meier.
“But the sums of money put before him make it hard for any German club to compete. But, in the end, there are only winners in the deal.
“We stayed in the league thanks to Tošić, Zoran was able to show his form and is at the World Cup and Manchester United can achieve their asking price.”
Another player on the move – on loan at least – is Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf, who has failed to make an impact at the club since his arrival from Norwegian side Molde in January. Injury, competition for places and time required to settle in a new country have limited Diouf’s first team chances to just five appearances, scoring once against Burnley at Old Trafford in January.
With Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Federico Macheda, Danny Wellbeck and new signing Javier Hernandéz on United’s books, Sir Alex Ferguson has plenty of forward options for the new season. The Daily Star reports Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers interested in taking the 22-year-old forward on loan for the season.
Other players set to leave on loan this summer are the aforementioned Wellbeck, who may return with Matt James to Preston North End, and French winger Gabriel Obertan who is heavily linked with a short-term move to Glasgow Rangers.
A slew of other fringe and youth players will also leave on loan in the coming season.