Manchester United: 3 Reasons Why Alex Ferguson Should Part with Dimitar Berbatov
Following the exclusion of Manchester United top scorer Dimitar Berbatov from last week's Champions League Final, football fans and the media alike appear to have reached the consensus that his departure is a now a foregone conclusion.
Surprisingly, most United fans are generally supportive or indifferent about such a move.
Shouldn't Man U supporters be concerned that they are apparently about to lose the man that just scored 21 goals this season while insisting that he wants to return and "fight for title number 20"?
Most fans scoff at this suggestion insisting that young talent (Javier Hernandez) is superior to old talent (Berbatov).
In other words, despite exceeding expectations, the 30-year-old Bulgarian is now surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
Believing this argument is too simplistic to explain the complexity of Berbatov's unique situation, I have provided three practical reasons why a move away from Old Trafford is best for both parties.
Berba's Deceptive Goal Return
1 of 3
At first glance, Berbatov's 20 EPL goals this season represents a marked improvement over the 12 goals he scored during the 2009-2010 EPL season. Yet, after taking a closer look at his goal return, I noticed he did the vast majority of his damage against sides in the lower half of the table.
In fact, he scored a combined total of 12 goals, more than half of his total, against lowly Blackburn and the relegated trio of Blackpool, Birmingham and West Ham.
Berba managed to score a combined total of five goals against opponents finishing between seventh and 14th in the table in addition to bagging a hat trick against sixth place finisher Liverpool. While his hat trick against United's chief rival was significant, we must also consider that Liverpool was floundering near the bottom of the table under former manager Roy Hodgson and had not yet acquired Luis Suarez or Andrew Carroll.
Failing to net a single Champions' League goal, Berbatov's only other goal came against Chelsea in the Community Shield.
Essentially, his exceptional performances against weaker sides inflated his goal tally and masked his subpar performances in meaningful contests against top tier performers.
Excellent Market Value
2 of 3
Having just scored 20 EPL goals, the 30-year-old striker's transfer market value is higher now than it will be in at any other point during his career. Considering that manager Sir Alex Ferguson does not appear willing to extend Berbatov's contract beyond the one remaining year, he might as well cash in and add the proceeds from the sale to his transfer kitty.
According to ESPNsoccernet.com's transfer blog, the wealthy Qatari owners of French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain are considering a £15-20 million bid to secure the mercurial striker's services.
£20 million?
If this report is accurate, Fergie could recoup two-thirds of the roughly £30 million he originally invested in Berbatov's 2008 move from Tottenham. Such a fee would represent a tremendous return considering Berbatov's age and lack of first-team opportunities.
In addition to the more than £40 million still apparently available from the Ronaldo transfer, an additional £20 million could certainly help overcome some of the financial obstacles preventing top stars such as Wesley Sneijder from moving to Old Trafford.
Berba Is a First Team Player, Not a Reserve
3 of 3
Much like the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) which relies almost exclusively on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to score the most important shots, the current Man U squad depends on Chicharito Hernández and Wayne Rooney to produce the lion's share of important goals.
As a regular first-team player who proved himself as a first-class striker during his tenure with Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham and the Bulgarian National Team, Berbatov should not play at a club where he struggles just to make the substitute bench.
With 33-year-old former Real Madrid star Raúl demonstrating that a silky touch and excellent goal-scoring instincts can compensate for diminishing athleticism, Berbatov could flourish for the next four to five years if given the appropriate opportunity.
In fact, he would be an excellent addition to an upstart team such as Borussia Dortmund or perhaps even Lille OSC. In combination with his undeniable ball skills, his years of experience as a top-flight footballer would ultimately help such teams remain competitive in both domestic competitions and the Champions League.
Realizing that Berbatov could yet resurrect his career with another club, Fergie should reward his much maligned striker's efforts by helping him find a new home.
