World Football Gossip Roundup: Young, Ferguson, Wenger, Gaitan, Tevez, Suarez

Today in the B/R world football gossip roundup, Sir Alex Ferguson almost calls one of his players a diver and Arsene Wenger apparently forgets the nationalities of the players he has signed.

Elsewhere, Nicolas Gaitan is reportedly all but a Manchester United player, while Carlos Tevez and Luis Suarez are set to stick around for a while.

Keep reading for all those stories inside.

Ashley Young: Diver?

Ashley Young drew the penalty that led to Manchester United's first goal in a 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Almost immediately, the England winger was accused of diving.

Even United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Young "played for the penalty."

From The Telegraph:

"

"I think he played for the penalty," said Ferguson. "If the player decides to put his foot in and doesn't straighten his own feet and read the situation, then he's fallen into that.

"He's there for the taking. I think it was a dramatic fall, I think maybe he overdid the fall. But it was a penalty, there was no doubt about that. I don't think there can be any complaints as he does take him.

"Good defending has always been good defending. He's a young lad, don't forget, and if they read the game and keep their feet they should really cope with that.

"He's bought the fact Ashley has jinked in and come inside him. He's gone down quite easily but it was a penalty, he was definitely brought down."

"

Coming from Ferguson, that's as close to an indictment of a United player that you'll ever see.

Others weren't quite so diplomatic.

Blame the Foreigners. Wait, What?

According to Arsene Wenger, the influx of diving in the English Premier League is down to the influx of foreign players.

From The Sun:

"

"Yes, foreign players brought this into the English game. But I must say the English players learn quickly.

“The foreign players have brought good and bad things. In England you respected two things—that you got well kicked but, on the other side, that they did not go down for nothing.

“Another thing I admired here in England is that you never surrounded the referees to give a yellow card to somebody else, you let the referee make a decision. But that has gone as well. Not everywhere, but there is a trend now to surround the referee and give a yellow card—and that never happened when I arrived.”

"

Hmm. OK, Arsene. How many English players have you signed?

Gaitan Deal Agreed?

There's better news for United in the transfer market today.

According to Jason Burt of The Telegraph, the Red Devils have reached an agreement to sign midfielder Nicolas Gaitan from Benfica.

According to Burt, the deal would see £20 million, plus Fabio and Federico Macheda, heading to Portugal.

"

The details of the deal are likely to see Fabio going only on a season’s long loan while Macheda’s transfer could be a permanent one, with Manchester United then reducing some of the costs of acquiring the highly-rated Gaitán.

"

"

Although the figures involved are unlikely to be disclosed, and the deal will not be announced until the season is over, it appears United are valuing Gaitán at more than £20 million plus the players.

"

Gaitan, 24, has played six times for Argentina. He started his professional career with Boca Juniors before moving to Benfica in 2010.

Tevez to Stay?

Remember that crazy Carlos Tevez transfer saga over the winter?

Remember how stupid it became?

Well, it seems Tevez might just stay with Manchester City next season.

The Argentine scored a hat trick in the 6-1 win over Norwich on Saturday, and now Roberto Mancini is reportedly ready to keep Tevez around for a spell.

From the Daily Star:

"

Asked if Tevez, whose hat trick against Norwich on Saturday made it four goals in two games, will play for the club next season, Mancini said: “I don’t know. What is important now is we think about the next four games.

“After that, we can see what will happen with all the players.

“There is no problem with the other players. No, it’s in the past.”

"

Suarez Staying?

Luis Suarez will not leave Liverpool this summer.

So says Luis Suarez.

From the Daily Express:

"

“I will continue at Liverpool,” said Suarez. “I have four years left on my contract and I am very happy and I hope good things continue.”

Suarez’s form had dipped in the aftermath of his eight-match ban for racially abusing United defender Evra, but says the episode is behind him.

“I am over that,” he said. “The important thing was the support from all the people. There is no need to talk about that as it is already in the past.”

"

Suarez, 25, has scored 14 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are reportedly interested in 27-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Raffael.

Napoli have also been linked to the €15 million-rated player.

Odds and Ends

A few odds and ends to send you off.

Ezekiel Fryers, who played for Manchester United's FA Youth Cup-winning squad last season, is out of contract this summer. Tottenham are reportedly interested.

Wolves midfielder Karl Henry could leave Molineux this summer, and Sunderland have reportedly emerged as favorites to sign him.

Txiki Begiristain, formerly sporting director for Barcelona, could take over the same job at Liverpool.