Alex Ferguson confirms David De Gea move

When the agent Jorge Mendes promised Manchester United the unknown Portuguese 20-year-old Bebe would be a star and he proved anything but, the club reflected philosophically that for every Mendes failure there would be a success story next time around. That story is the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea, also 20, whose £17m move to succeed Edwin van der Sar Mendes has brokered.

Opting for an inexperienced individual to replace a keeper twice his age constitutes a significant gamble. De Gea has played only 55 games for Atletico and has yet to win a cap for Spain. But Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced De Gea belongs in the impressive tradition of Spanish keepers, including Liverpool's Pepe Reina, whom the Scot also admires.

De Gea has suffered indecision in the past few weeks about whether the move is the right one so early in his career. Only in this, his second season, has he established himself as his club's No 1. But the rancorous atmosphere behind the scenes at Atletico, which led Sergio Aguero to announce his departure 48 hours ago, has made his mind up. De Gea may be unveiled as a United player as early as next Monday.

"We've been working on it [De Gea transfer] for quite a while. We identified him quite a while back as one we should go for," Ferguson told the club's official website after Gary Neville's testimonial.

De Gea looks certain to replace Van der Sar

"He's a young goalkeeper, very quick, good composure, presence and an outstanding replacement for Van der Sar.

"We were looking for the same type of qualities as Edwin, because the one great quality Edwin always had was his composure and organisational ability.

"With David De Gea, he is very similar that way."

De Gea made 45 appearances for Atletico this season, keeping 24 clean sheets.

He helped the capital club win the Europa League last term, although he is still to win his first senior cap for Spain.

Gary Lineker backs Barcelona to beat Manchester United

Former England and Barcelona striker Gary Lineker believes Manchester United will need luck if they are to win Saturday's Champions League final against his former club.

Lineker has little doubt that Barca will lift the famous trophy at Wembley, even after a season in which United have secured a record 19th Premier League title.

"If Barcelona turn up, they win," Lineker told the BBC.

Many view Messi as the difference between the sides

"Barca have got to have a bad day for United to realistically have a chance. Either that or United get lucky."

Lineker admits United will benefit from the match being played at Wembley, but thinks any 'home' advantage will be overcome by a Barcelona side touted as one of the best in history.

"The fact it is in England and they will probably get the vast majority of the support and it is 90 minutes, not two legs, gives them a better chance," he added.

"But if they played 10 times, United might win one or two of them, there would maybe be a couple of draws and Barca would win the rest."

He added: "Time will tell, but potentially they (Barca) could be the best club side ever.

"They are certainly the best side I've witnessed in terms of the attractiveness of their football, the way they have moved the game on."

Nemanja Vidic says Manchester United must focus on Barcelona

Nemanja Vidic is certain the tear-stained memories of Rome will ensure Manchester United enjoy the briefest of title celebrations.

United were officially crowned champions for a record 19th time at Old Trafford yesterday.

It was the fourth time in five full seasons with the Red Devils that Vidic had finished number one, his personal contribution marked before the game when he was named Premier League player-of-the-year.

But before the Serbian considers the accolade, or revels too much in getting to collect his first major trophy as United skipper, his focus immediately turned to this weekend's Champions League final, and a burning desire to atone for a disastrous performance in Rome two years ago.

"We are celebrating but everyone is thinking about the next game," he said.

"It is the biggest game of the whole year. We have to prepare as best as we can for Barcelona.

"We know what it feels like to go to the final and lose.

"That match was one of the saddest moments of my career. I am sure all the players will not forget it."

Sir Alex Ferguson has always claimed to know what went wrong at the Stadio Olimpico when, after a bright start, United slumped after Samuel Eto'o had scored against the run of play.

They were well out of the contest before Lionel Messi nodded a match-clinching second past Edwin van der Sar, who will play the last competitive game of his career on Saturday night.

"We know we are facing a very good team and have to be physically and psychologically ready," said Vidic.

"Against this Barcelona team you have to be intelligent.

"They have qualities but we will work on their weaknesses and expose them to try and win the game."

In truth, United have been working the tactics they intend to implement against the Catalans since the title was secured at Blackburn on May 14.

By the time they reach kick-off on Saturday evening, it means Ferguson and coaches Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen will have had a fortnight to work on a strategy to stop Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta weaving the pretty patterns that so often prove destructive.

However, it will have also sunk in with those players who have not experienced it before, that United are a team capable of winning big competitions.

Just as former United trainee David Platt observed in the wake of last week's FA Cup final that Manchester City would get a major boost from knowing they had the capability of seeing any task to its conclusion, so Fabio, Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez are aware of it too.

And Vidic knows he can lead a team to glory, not just be in one.

"I was very proud when I was given the captaincy but if you are captain and you don't win a trophy, it is not a great feeling," he said.

"One of our main targets this year was to win the Premier League and go above Liverpool.

"But this is not going to stop. We want to improve and get better."

It seems strange to think now that when Vidic arrived, it was less than a month after United had crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage, they were about to go three years without the title and Ferguson was generally been written off as yesterday's man.

Not any more, although, with Arsenal ending the season so far from glory, Chelsea in the midst of more upheaval and Liverpool not even finishing in the top five, it seems the forthcoming battles will be with the men who had their own parade in Manchester today, seven days before United have theirs.

"I arrived here in 2005 and every year has been getting better," said Vidic.

"It is just amazing. In five years at this club I have won the Premier League four times and am about to play in my third Champions League final.

"It really is a dream."

Jose Mourinho hits out about 'principles' in message to Real Madrid supporters

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has broken his recent silence with a message of thanks to his club's supporters during which he also insisted that the campaigns against racism and for fair play should not "just be words".

Mourinho has not spoken to the media since being handed a five-match ban by UEFA for his actions during and after the fiery Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Bernabeu last month.

That ill-tempered encounter also saw both Spanish rivals lodge complaints against the other to UEFA afterwards, with Barca singling out Mourinho for his controversial post-match comments and Madrid responding by accusing the Catalan club's players of "feigning aggressions" during the clash.

Ahead of the second leg in Barcelona there were also allegations of racism against Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets towards Madrid defender Marcelo in the same game.

UEFA ultimately dismissed those allegations of racism due to "a lack of strong and convincing evidence," while European football's governing body also rejected Madrid's complaint about the supposed actions of Barca's players during the match.

Mourinho appeared to allude to those decisions in today's message to supporters, which was shown on his club's website, saying: "The season has finished and I want to thank the Real Madrid supporters for all the affection and support they have given to both the team and the coaching staff.

"We've worked seriously and with dedication, but obviously we leave to you the analysis the work this squad has done during this last year.

"We will return on July 11 with the same passion and with the same motivation as always to continue trying to dignify the prestige and the incomparable history of Real Madrid.

"Finally, I want to end with a very simple wish, which is that next season we recover certain principles that nobody should ever forget, and which this season some football professionals and some institutions have sometimes forgotten, and which must be the basis of our sport.

"To talk of fair-play, of respect to your opponents and of the red card to racism must not just be words, they must be facts.

"I repeat, I have the hope that next season we can recover for our sport these absolutely fundamental principles."

In the wake of the incidents from the Champions League semi, which Barca won 3-1 on aggregate to progress through to a final showdown with Manchester United at Wembley, UEFA's control and disciplinary body announced various sanctions.

Mourinho, who was sent off in the first leg for his reaction to Pepe's second-half red card, was also fined 50,000 euros as well as his five-match ban - one of which he served in the second leg and another of which is suspended.

Madrid midfielder Pepe was given a one-game ban, which he served in the second leg, for his sending off, while the capital club were also fined 20,000 euros for the behaviour of their fans.

Barca reserve goalkeeper Jose Pinto, who was red-carded after a scuffle at half-time at the Bernabeu, was given a three-game ban.

Mourinho's comments before and after the semi-final first leg caused a huge controversy.

Prior to the game he hit out at opposite number Pep Guardiola and then following his side's defeat he insinuated Barca receive favourable treatment from the authorities and claimed the Catalan club had yet to win a "clean" Champions League title under Guardiola.

This was Mourinho's first season in charge of Madrid, with whom he won the Copa del Rey with victory over Barca in the final and finished second to Guardiola's side in the Primera Division.

Balotelli's absence casts shadow over City celebrations

Manchester City's FA Cup parade was soured last night by the absence of Wembley man of the match Mario Balotelli, who ignored the club's instructions to join the open-top bus tour before fans who had waited 35 years for silverware. City manager Roberto Mancini stood accused of affording special treatment to Balotelli by granting him dispensation to miss the parade and also the club's player of the year awards on Sunday night, where he was named young player of the year. Micah Richards collected the prize for the 20-year-old striker.

Mancini's permission to miss the two events did not go down well in all quarters at City, as it flew in the face of a letter chief executive Garry Cook had written to all players, reminding them of their responsibilities to be present and warning them that they would be fined if they did not comply.

Though one source last night suggested that Balotelli had been allowed to leave early for family reasons, the Italian's family know of no such reason and believe he should have remained in Manchester for the events. The player's unpredictable and headstrong nature makes it notoriously difficult to schedule him into public events at the best of times but the reluctance of an individual who commands £170,000-a-week salary to stay a few days longer will not impress supporters who had begun to take him to heart after his difficult season. Balotelli, who flew out to Italy at the weekend, will probably conclude that a fine of two weeks' salary will not hurt him.

City captain Carlos Tevez, whose presence had seemed highly doubtful until four hours before the procession, put in what was to many City executives was a surprise appearance, having delayed a flight home to Buenos Aires until 10pm last night. Tevez was pictured at the back of the bus with the FA Cup as it pulled away from Albert Square in the city centre.

Carlos Tevez lifts the FA Cup on Manchester City's victory parade yesterday

The club's decision to wait until nine days after the Cup final before staging the tour contributed to the difficulties in securing the goodwill of a few players, who might otherwise have left Manchester. But the uncertainties about those players' willingness to meet Cook's requests underlines the problems the club have in controlling some players. Mancini also ducked a scheduled appearance at a press conference in the Lord Mayor's parlour, which was timetabled to take place before the players boarded an open top bus wrapped with a poster of fans doing the "Poznan" celebration which they have made their own.

Mancini's assistant Brian Kidd appeared in his place but it was left to Vincent Kompany – named City fans' player of the year on Sunday and for many a far more natural choice than Tevez as club captain – to express the club's delight last night as he paraded the FA Cup before the cameras. Kompany, who had delayed plans to join up with the Dutch national squad so he would be present at the parade, said the trophy was a signal of the club's intent to win far more.

"We had a good season but the reality is we didn't finish champions, so there's obviously a gap between first place and second and third," Kompany said. "We will do everything we can to bridge that gap and overtake [the others]. If the club decides to buy [this summer] it will make sense, but hopefully this team will be stronger, regardless of that. United – and only United because we've got equal points with Chelsea – have done better than us in those games. We will do better next season than this season and the gap is going to get smaller."

City are preparing for the usual round of stories linking Balotelli to Milan that will almost certainly begin soon – the striker enjoys the attention which accompanies his returns to Italy – but despite initial uncertainties Balotelli has settled in Manchester and will definitely be back at City next season.

As Tevez's future is shrouded in uncertainty for the third successive summer, Kidd said the gap with United would narrow. "When you win something it becomes intoxicating," he said. "You want more of it. Wembley was wonderful, a fantastic atmosphere and without speaking for the lads I think they want more of that."

Fears of burn-out cause Wilshere to pull out of Under-21 finals

The Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere said yesterday that he had no choice but to miss the Under-21s European Championships next month in order to preserve his fitness for next season and – providing England qualify – the Euro 2012 tournament.

Speaking for the first time about his conversations with Stuart Pearce in which he expressed a fear that he was reaching burn-out, the Arsenal midfielder said that he had made the decision to tell the Under-21s manager reluctantly. Yesterday Pearce named his squad for the Under-21s tournament, omitting Wilshere and the Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

The 19-year-old has, however, been named by Fabio Capello in the senior England squad to play Switzerland in the Euro 2012 qualifier a week on Saturday. Wilshere said: "Missing the Under-21s tournament is not just about the Euros, it is about me looking after myself. Over the last few weeks, I have been feeling tired and my GPS results [that measure his running in training] have shown that.

"They [the results] show I am heading for an injury and that is the last thing I want, especially heading into the Euros. There are players like Steven Gerrard who have been injured while I have been playing and I want to keep my place in the team and I have to be 100 per cent to do that."

Having initially declared his intention to play in the tournament in Denmark – England's first game is 12 June against Spain – Wilshere has changed his mind over the last few weeks as he has been presented with training ground data that showed he is slowing down badly after a 59-game season.

He said: "It's been a long process which started back in February. Obviously I wanted to go and represent my country and I said that. I spoke with the manager at Arsenal [who warned him] and then I spoke with [Fabio] Capello. I saw him in a lift at an Arsenal game. [I said] over the last few weeks, I had started to get a bit tired.

"I spoke to Stuart Pearce and I told him, I wanted to go but I was a bit concerned with my fitness. I didn't want to break down next season or going towards the Euros. I am 19 and I have just got into the England team and I want to keep my place. And with the Euros coming up, it was in everyone's best interests for me to rest. I think Stuart Pearce agreed with me.

"If I had been in the squad, I would have gone [to Denmark]. I would never have pulled myself out and said 'I'm not going'. The main emotion is frustration. Obviously the fact that I was going to get injured, I didn't want to hear that. That wasn't good for me. I said I wanted to play and I meant that. I wasn't lying. I wanted to play and I still want to play. But I think it's for the best. Obviously there's a risk of injury and missing some of next season. I'm not saying I'm going to get injured, but I want to be 100 per cent sure."

Wilshere was presented with the results by Arsène Wenger and his fitness coach Tony Colbert who monitors the players' performance during training. The GPS device the Arsenal players wear in training does not just measure the distance the players run but the "body load" – which measure the stress on joints and muscles.

"It didn't really sink in at first but it just kept going down, on a downward spiral. The stats scared me a bit and made me realise as much as I'm 19 and can keep going and keep going, there's going to be a time when you're going to hit the wall. Maybe that was coming. Over the last four games, after about 60 minutes of games I felt a bit more tired than I did in January."

However, Wilshere will be travelling on Arsenal's first high-profile pre-season tour to China and Malaysia in July. "I wasn't going to go if I went away with the Under-21s because the rule is you have to have four weeks. I'll have to speak to the manager. I'm sure I'll go to that one. It's a bit different. I think it's only two games. It's a lot of travelling, but for me it's important to get a good pre-season under your belt."

Pearce said yesterday that Carroll had not been included because of injury. The Under-21s manager said that he was "disappointed" at having to leave Wilshere out but "accepted" the situation. Fabio Capello has named Bobby Zamora in the senior England squad for the Switzerland game. Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand also make their return.

England senior squad

England's squad for their Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley on Saturday 4 June:

Goalkeepers: Carson (West Brom), Hart (Man City), Stockdale (Fulham).

Defenders: Baines (Everton), Cahill (Bolton), Cole (Chelsea), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Liverpool), Lescott (Man City), Terry (Chelsea), Walker (Tottenham).

Midfielders: Barry (Man City), Carrick (Man Utd), Downing (Aston Villa), AJohnson (Man City), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Man City), Parker (West Ham), Walcott (Arsenal), Wilshere (Arsenal), A Young (Aston Villa).

Forwards: Bent (Aston Villa), Crouch (Tottenham), Defoe (Tottenham), Zamora (Fulham).

Evra 'persuaded to stay' by Ferguson's home visit

Manchester United's Patrice Evra has described how Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to visit him at home last summer and use all his powers of persuasion to make him reconsider a decision to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid or Internazionale.

Evra was considering leaving Old Trafford as recently as January, with no imminent prospect of a new contract, and the left-back admitted ahead of his role in Saturday's Champions League final against Barcelona that the prospect of being nearer his family meant his mind was set on a move before the 2010-11 season began.

"I had thought about leaving Manchester United last summer for family reasons and even concluded that I wanted to," Evra said. "But something changed my mind quite late on. There were other clubs interested like Inter and Real Madrid. But the manager visited me at my house in Manchester to persuade me. I know my heart has really made the right decision. When Sir Alex Ferguson talks, it's a good idea to listen."

Evra's agent Federico Pastorelli said in January Evra was still uncertain about his future, though he then agreed a four-year deal in February.

When Wayne Rooney decided he wanted to leave in October, Evra was the player most critical, but said the striker apologised. "He came, he spoke, he said what he had to say, between us. It stays between us, it's true that he apologised for it," Evra said. "But it brought us together."

The United left back was on the brink of leaving the club until his manager paid a visit. "When Sir Alex talks, it's a good idea to listen," Evra said

Ferguson was last night voted by his contemporaries as the League Managers' Association manager of the year. Remarkably, it is only the third time he has won the award since it was introduced in 1994.

Speaking at the LMA awards dinner in London via video link from Old Trafford, where he watched United's stars of the future win the FA Youth Cup, Ferguson said: "[The award is] a wonderful honour – it has been a fantastic season for us in the most difficult league in the world."

In the game at Old Trafford, Ravel Morrison and Will Keane each scored twice to defeat Sheffield United 4-1 on the night and 6-3 on aggregate as United became the first club to win the FA Youth Cup on 10 occasions.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has meanwhile revealed he will wait for today's forecast from the Grimsvotn volcano before deciding when his side will travel to London for the Champions League final against United on Saturday.

Barcelona were forced to travel by bus to Milan to face Internazionale in the semi-final of last year's competition after flights were cancelled as a result of an ash cloud which covered much of western Europe.

And Guardiola is hoping for the best this time around as another erupting Icelandic volcano threatens to cause flight disruption over the British Isles.

"I hope the volcano sleeps a little bit longer," he said.