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David Moyes 'confident' of strengthening Manchester United squad

 

Agency
Sunday 28 July 2013 14:12 BST
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David Moyes is finding it hard to sign Cesc Fabregas
David Moyes is finding it hard to sign Cesc Fabregas (Manchester United/Getty images)

Manchester United manager David Moyes is confident he will add to his squad before the transfer window closes on September 2 - but he has yet to decide whether he will make a third bid for Cesc Fabregas.

Moyes has already had two bids rejected for the player and Barcelona officials have once again confirmed Fabregas is going nowhere.

United had been of the belief Fabregas was open to the idea of moving back to the Premier League.

However, even if the Arsenal skipper is not landed, Moyes is sure he will catch someone.

"I couldn't tell you if there will be another bid," he said.

"Obviously we will take stock of it and consider what we are going to do next.

"But what we have here is a really good squad of players already.

"You mustn't forget about the quality that is already here at Manchester United.

"Undoubtedly we are hoping to add to it.

"I am quite confident we will do, certainly before the window shuts."

Given how long the situation has rumbled on for, and that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew home on July 18 on "urgent transfer business", it could be argued it will be an embarrassment for United if Fabregas does not come.

"I never at any time said I knew we would get him," said Moyes. "I just said we had made offers.

"They have been rejected. We will take stock from there and decide where we go from there."

Moyes also dismissed concerns about the surface, which was so poor for the Barclays Premier Cup and concluded in abysmal conditions last night.

"We are used to playing on good surfaces and pitches," said Moyes.

"But it was the weather that didn't help. There was nothing the people in Hong Kong could do to make it any better.

"The weather was terrible for three or four days but it is drying out now, which might make it worse if it gets bobbly.

"We will play. The players have been brought up playing on all sorts of pitches. I take the point that nowadays, the quality of the surfaces tends to be very good.

"The ones in Japan were probably the best I have played on anywhere."

Defender Phil Jones is certainly not worried by the prospect.

"I am not sure what the worst pitch I have played on is," he said.

"Players play on different pitches every week. They are brought up playing on different pitches.

"No matter what is presented to us tomorrow night, we are ready to play.

"Hopefully we will put on a good spectacle."

Moyes confirmed central defender Jonny Evans was the only senior player who will miss out on the final game of the tour.

"The only one who won't be involved tomorrow is Jonny Evans, who is feeling his ankle," said Moyes.

"We will make sure we keep him out of it tomorrow."

However, Moyes revealed skipper Nemanja Vidic will feature in a friendly at Crewe tomorrow after recovering from a back problem that kept him out of the tour completely.

"Nemanja is coming on well," said Moyes.

"All being well, he will play at Crewe tomorrow evening."

Wayne Rooney will not play at Gresty Road, though.

Instead he is likely to figure in the friendly against AIK Solna in Stockholm on August 6.

"No (chance Rooney could play on Monday)," Moyes said. "He is not quite ready for that yet.

"At the moment we think he is on course to play in that (AIK) game."

With only one win from their four tour matches, it can hardly be claimed to be the most productive pre-season results wise.

However, the process of transition from Sir Alex Ferguson to Moyes is under way and in Friday's draw against Cerezo Osaka, Moyes detected clear evidence the way he wants United to play is starting to get home.

"It was the most coherent we had looked," he said.

"We started to find a little bit of rhythm in our play and I started to see some of the things we had worked on, talked about and looked at since we had been here. And they were starting to come off.

"We missed several chances early on to get the game out of sight.

"But Manchester United never give in and we got an equaliser right at the end.

"I thought there were a lot of good signs."

PA

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