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United make move for Blanc
Monday 27th August 2001
Manchester United are closing in on Internazionale defender Laurent Blanc as they seek to plug the gap left by the shock departure of Jaap Stam to Lazio. The Holland international, meanwhile, says he was forced out of Old Trafford by manger Alex Ferguson.
"United have been in touch with us about Blanc and we are willing to let him go," Inter sports director Gabriele Oriali confirmed.
Stam's transfer leaves United desperately short of cover at the back, and they need to sign a new defender by the end of the week if they are to register him for the Champions' League.
Blanc has been among the top defenders in Europe for the past ten years, and as captain of world and European champions France there can be little doubting his pedigree.
He is, though, 35, and, despite a decent season last year, Inter coach Hector Cuper has made no secret of the fact that Blanc does not feature in his plans for the coming campaign.
Stam, meanwhile, has admitted to being shocked his £16.5 million transfer. "I cannot believe what has happened," he said. "I never saw this coming. I love Manchester United, I love Manchester and I did not want to leave.
"The manager spoke to me after training on Saturday and told me they had accepted a bid for me," he said. "I was surprised and am still trying to take it all in. I do not understand why this happened."
Ferguson claimed that Stam was off-loaded because he had already planned to bring in another defender, but the suspicion is that the United boss felt that comments made in Stam's recently-published autobiography have undermined team spirit.
"The only conclusion I can draw is that I have been kicked out by Sir Alex Ferguson," Stam went on. "I can think of no good sporting reason why I should be sold. For three years I have been in the first team and we have won every trophy we could."
Stam also revealed that an attempt to patch things up with Ferguson had been rejected. "I wanted to clear the air but when we sat down for the talks, they took a very different turn," he said.
"If I hadn't been forced out, though, there is no way I would have signed for Lazio."
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