In a day where Sir Alex was having to do nothing but deny everything- whether it be Manchester United tactics over the Mikel Obi affair and trying to get Chelsea banned by FIFA in the transfer market- as well as European competitions, or having to deny reports by The Sun that as part of the new sponsorship deal with whoever is bidding to take over from Vodafone– that Old Trafford would be renamed as part of the imminent deal or that he has no intention for bidding for teenage sensation, Freddie Adu– finally some good news emerged from the United camp:
Quinton Fortune is on the way back and will soon be able to help bolster United‘s somewhat depleted midfield.
Fergie said it was “unthinkable” to MUTV that Old Trafford would be renamed. As he said:
“The amazing thing about this club is just when you think you have a nice quiet day, you see nonsense like that. And the problem is we have to respond to it.”
But he would have been thrilled by the recent progress of Fortune, who closing in on full fitness after a long-term knee injury- similiar to what happened to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who also made a comeback recently. The South African International, 28, had surgery on a cartilage injury before the start of the season and is yet to play a first-team game this term.
The ex-Athletico Madrid player is set to make a return for United‘s reserves during the next week.
Fortune‘s versatility has been missed by United, as like Ji-Sung Park he can play on both the right and left flanks. Importantly, he can also play at left back- another position Man United have had real trouble with since the injury to Gabriel Heinze– with first O’Shea and Silvestre trying to cover it, then Kieron Richardson and most recently, the newly arived Patrice Evra, who has had a hard time adjusting to the tempo of Premiership football. But there is no chance of Fortune turning out in Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Liverpool.