Many Are Called. Few Succeed. Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land

United set to seal deal for boy from Brazil

MANCHESTER UNITED are close to agreeing a £6 million deal with Cruzeiro for Kerlon Moura Souza, the highly rated Brazilian midfield player who has been dubbed “the next Ronaldinho”. A United delegation flew to South America this week to meet officials from the club and are hopeful of concluding the transfer in the next few days.

United have also inquired about signing Edu Dracena, the 24-year-old Cruzeiro captain and central defender, who missed out only narrowly on a place in Brazil’s squad for the World Cup finals in Germany.

“We are always ready to listen to offers for Kerlon,” Zezé Perrella, the Cruzeiro vice-president, said. “We have had a lot of interest in him and we have been in close contact with an English team, but right now we are not there on the money.”

Kerlon, as he is more commonly known, is understood to have caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, while playing for Brazil in the South American Under-17 Championship in Venezuela last year.

The 18-year-old was named player of the tournament after finishing as its top scorer with eight goals, but it was an outrageous piece of skill — which was quickly nicknamed “the seal dribble” — that drew most attention and sparked a media frenzy.

Kerlon’s party piece involves him flicking the ball in the air and running with it as though it is attached to his forehead.“It’s just a skill I have, though it’s not meant to be a mark of disrespect to my opponents,” Kerlon said last year. “Opponents say they will snap me, but this doesn’t scare me, it just motivates me even more.”

Ferguson seems convinced about Kerlon’s talent, although given that he is ineligible for a work permit, the United manager may have no alternative but to loan the player out at first, with Celta Vigo, the Spanish club, believed to be one of several interested parties.

Kerlon, who was born in Ipatinga, can play as an attacking midfield player or a deep-lying forward. He has already drawn comparisons with Ronaldinho, the Barcelona and Brazil playmaker, and is a dead-ball expert who won the Campeonato Mineiro, Brazil’s State Championship, with Cruzeiro this season.

So thats 3 brazilians in the space of a month! First the twins and now him! Fuck yeah! Here's hoping none of em are related to kleberson! Cant wait for him bring old trafford to live with the 'seal' dribble!

Tackled By The Red Devil at 6:00 PM,
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