Fergie's shopping list shortens as Man United lose Sidwell to Chelsea

Surprise, surprise Chelsea FC have won the sprint rather than race for Steve Sidwell. The highly-rated midfielder decided to get his future sorted out before packing his bags and jetting off to Malaga, or wherever footballers and their WAGs go for their holidays these days.

Sir Alex Ferguson had Sidwell on his hit-list, along with Spanish striker Fernando Torres, Portuguese winger Nani, Southampton left-back Gareth Bale and, of course, Owen Hargreaves, who is all but hanging up his hat in the Old Trafford dressing room by all accounts.

So Fergie has got one of the five, but he's missed out on Sidders, who is off to join Jose and his multi-talented array of performing dogs at the Bridge when his Reading contract runs out in July. I wonder who Roman will tell the Portugeezer to buy in next then? Being a Man U fan - and proud of it - I couldn't care less!

We are the champions and as long as Fergie manages another couple of quality buys, that will do me. We desperately need two midfielders - a destroying ball-winner and a talented playmaker. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs can't go on forever. So come on Alex, get the cheque book out and sign Kaka and Gennaro Gattuso. Now that would be a feat worthy of the late, great Tommy Cooper. Just like that!

I reckon the Man U faithful will have to settle for yet another mediocre signing to go alongside Hargreaves and Bale, who is all but a done deal for Old Trafford. Torres will prove a target too far. For one, I don't think United will have the cash - even with the reported £53m on the table from the Glazers - if they do sign another couple of players as well. And the competition will be intense if Torres does decide on a move. Chelsea, Liverpool FC, Milan, Real Madrid et al will be after him, so whoever lands him will have done a remarkable job.

Sidwell's move to Chelsea is a bit worrying in more ways than one. First it was so quick and second it underlines Chelsea can sign whoever they want - as long as the player wants to join them, of course. And there aren't many out there who would turn down the fat pay packets on offer at the Bridge.

Money, money, money eh? Well, there's always one way round it. You could always abandon the big boys and opt to support one of the little fish next season. Come on you Morecambe!

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