Manchester United ready to listen to offers for Ashley Young

Oct 19, 2013 10:49:00 PM

The England international has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford and has not featured for his club since the 4-1 defeat at Manchester City in late September

EXCLUSIVE
By Paul Clennam

Manchester United are ready to cut their losses on Ashley Young and will listen to offers for the winger in January, Goal can reveal.

The 28-year-old enjoyed an impressive debut campaign following his £17 million move from Aston Villa just over two years ago but injuries and a chronic loss of form have seen him fall down the Old Trafford pecking order.
Sources have told Goal that coaches have “seen enough” of the player, who earns £110,000-a-week plus bonuses, to determine he is not worthy of a place in the long-term plans of David Moyes.

The former Watford starlet’s reputation has taken a pummelling having been embroiled in several diving controversies, the most recent of which occurred during last month’s 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Afterwards Moyes criticised Young – comments that have served to strain the relationship between player and manager - for falling under the challenge of Kagisho Dikgacoi which earned his side a penalty and the South African international a red card.

Moyes said: "I’ve always said I don’t like diving. He deserved to get booked. I don’t want any of my players diving, I don’t want anybody doing it.
“If you look at it [the penalty], the boy definitely throws his leg out and Ashley’s leg goes into it. I think Ashley has put his leg into it. But I will definitely say to Ashley that it is not what I want.”

Young has not featured for his club since the 4-1 derby defeat against Manchester City and was ignored for England selection by Roy Hodgson ahead the recent World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland.
The emergence of teenager Adnan Januzaj, who committed his future to the Premier League champions by signing a new five-year deal on Saturday, will further restrict Young’s chances of returning to the first-team fold.

Young’s route back into the starting XI is further blocked by Nani, who recently signed a lengthy contract extension, Japan international Shinji Kagawa and Wilfried Zaha a £17m signing from Crystal Palace last January. ------------------ goal.com