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19 March 2024

Man Utd’s double: Macheda to Liverpool, Chelsea’s Cole in

Ashley Cole (L) and Federico Macheda. (GETTY/AP)

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By Staff

Sir Alex Ferguson is going to have a busy January – not least with keeping his own squad in line for the Premier League title and Champions League playoffs.

Federico Macheda and Ashley Cole are going to be two players that Fergie will have to take a call on. And it is going to be a big call.

Macheda is seen by the Stretford End faithful as very much a United Forever man.

However the Italian striker, 21, last played for the club on Boxing Day last year.

In a lineup that boasts Robin Van Persie, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney it is going to be next to impossible for Macheda to get any action.

His agent Giovanni Bia was quoted in the press yesterday as saying: “He wants to play and if he cannot do so by January then we’ll try to find an alternative solution.”

This brings Liverpool into the picture.

Macheda has done his time learning his trade away on loan and may be the perfect answer to Brendan Rodgers keeping it young and winning it all at Anfield.

With one Italian out – Fabio Borini – forcing Rodgers into a January buy, Macheda, who is strong, tall and quick, might be a good buy for Rodgers to consider.

That still leaves Fergie with a decision to make on Ashley Cole.

Cole versus Patrice Evra is perhaps going to be the call.

After his Tweetgate incident and his role in the John Terry racism row, Chelsea, who are clearly intent on building a new dream team for the future – David Luiz, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar – the negative fallout from the English core of the Blues team must seem weary.

Despite Patrice Evra’s resurgence against Newcastle last week and the emergence of Rafael and Alex Buttner as credible forces in the wing back department, surely the presence of someone like Cole will give to Manchester United a commanding presence like never before.

Cole is a genuine defender who can attack with the best and offers United the pace and width they will need to attack a trophy on more than one front.

According to media report yesterday, Real Madrid and Paris St Germain have opted out of the Chelsea race.

It’s Manchester City vs Manchester United, then.

MANC RED OR…