Dimitar Berbatov (Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov)

Personal information

Full name: Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov
Date of birth: 30 January 1981 (1981-01-30) (age 27)
Place of birth: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Height: 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Striker

Senior clubs

Years	Club
1999–2001 2001–2006 2006–2008 2008–	CSKA Sofia Bayer Leverkusen Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United

Berbatov was born in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. His father, Ivan, was a professional footballer with local outfit Pirin Blagoevgrad, and his mother, Margarita, was a professional handball player. As a youngster, Berbatov supported A.C. Milan and modelled himself on Marco van Basten until Euro '96 in England, when the then fifteen year old discovered a new role model in Alan Shearer, formerly of Newcastle United, even sleeping in a Newcastle shirt. His mother later spoke of Dimitar's dream of playing for Newcastle one day. Berbatov learned the English language by watching the "Godfather" films. Outside of football, he lists his hobbies as drawing and basketball.

After much speculation, Berbatov completed a move to Manchester United on 1 September 2008 for a fee of around £30.75 million, with Fraizer Campbell joining Tottenham on a season-long loan as part of the deal. This came despite Tottenham accepting a bid for Berbatov from Manchester City on the same day. Berbatov's contract to United is for four years, and he will wear the number 9 shirt previously worn by Louis Saha.

source: wikipedia.org

21. Fangzhuo Dong

keys: manchester united, Fangzhuo Dong, Striker, Fangzhuo Dong profile, Fangzhuo Dong photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	23 Jan 1985
Birthplace:	Dalian, China
Position:	Striker
Appearances:	3
Joined United:	12 Jan 2004
United Debut:	19 May 2007 v Chelsea (A)
International

Dong Fangzhuo had to be patient to become the first ever Chinese player at Old Trafford. Having joined United in January 2004, he finally made his senior Reds debut in May 2007 against Chelsea.

He spent two years on loan at Royal Antwerp until he was eligible to play in England. In his first season in Belgium, he was the league's top scorer with 17 goals, and scored 35 goals in 61 games during his time at Antwerp.

There is often confusion over the spelling of his name. His surname is Dong, first name Fangzhuo, which is often spelt incorrectly as Fangzhou. In China, the family name (in this

case Dong) comes first, which often causes confusion in countries and cultures where family names appear last.

Dong pulled on the red shirt for the first time in a friendly against Hong Kong XI in July 2005 and scored in the 2-0 win. The following summer he got the winning goal in a 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs during the 2006 pre-season tour of South Africa.

After much ado and a great deal of waiting from the striker, he can now concentrate on becoming a regular member of the United first team squad.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

10. Wayne Rooney

keys: manchester united | Wayne Rooney | Striker | Wayne Rooney profile | Wayne Rooney photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	24 Oct 1985
Birthplace:	Croxteth
Position:	Striker
Appearances:	161
Joined United:	31 Aug 2004
United Debut:	28 Sep 2004 v Fenerbahce (H)
International	England

Wayne Rooney is a player in a hurry. He burst onto the Old Trafford stage in September 2004, just as he had burst into the Premiership with Everton, and has become arguably United’s most important player.

Much was expected of the England’s 18-year-old hero of Euro 2004 when he swapped Everton, his boyhood club, for the Reds in August of that year. Yet becoming the world’s most expensive teenager - £20m rising to a possible £30m – did little to phase him.

In his very first game at Old Trafford he produced a stunning display, putting behind him the frustrations of a metatarsal injury, to blast an

unforgettable debut hat-trick past a shell-shocked Fenerbahce.

It was a fairytale start to his United career and very much a sign of what was to follow. By the end of the 2004/05 campaign he’d amassed 17 goals in 43 appearances. Sadly he missed out on his first winners medal – United losing on penalties to Arsenal in the FA Cup final – but was rightly named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Rooney’s second season at Old Trafford saw him again take huge strides, justifying his billing as one of the world’s most exciting young talents. He netted the Reds first goal of the season against Debreceni and ended the season with 19 goals in 48 matches. It was a contribution that saw him named both Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year by fans and PFA Young Player of the year (again) by his fellow professionals.

The young striker openly endeavours to better his goals tally each season, and the 2006/07 campaign saw Rooney achieve his aim with 23 strikes as he shook off a difficult World Cup with England.

Rooney's red card during England's quarter-final defeat to Portugal caused a media storm in Britain, not least because of the involvement of United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, but Wayne rose above

the controversy to register another excellent year at United.

A long goalscoring drought was emphatically ended with a stunning hat-trick at Bolton, while doubts over his ability to find the net in Europe were well and truly banished as he netted four goals in the Champions League latter stages; home and away against Roma and a brace at Old Trafford against AC Milan.

The development of the man Sir Alex describes as “the best young player I have seen in my time” continues at a rate which causes either exhilaration or consternation, depending on who you support.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

9. Louis Saha

keys: manchester united | Louis Saha | Striker | Louis Saha profile | Louis Saha photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	08 Aug 1978
Birthplace:	Paris, France
Position:	Striker
Appearances:	114
Joined United:	23 Jan 2004
United Debut:	31 Jan 2004 v Southampton (H)
International	France

The celebratory champagne quaffed after clinching the Premiership title probably had a bitter-sweet taste for United’s French international striker, who experienced yet another Old Trafford season that swung from high to low.

In fact, so regularly has his trajectory switched direction since he signed in January 2004 in a £12.85 million deal from Fulham, the graph of Saha’s time at United career almost resembles a footballing version of snakes and ladders.

The 2006/07 season started with great promise – carrying on exactly where he’d left off last term (when he bagged 14 goals in 30 starts).

Goals against Fulham and Charlton Athletic early on in the Premiership – as well as a crucial Champions League strike against Benfica in Lisbon set the tone and he was absent from the starting line-up in just six of United’s games before the festive period. His exemplary form drew praise from the boss, who highlighted both his pace and bravery. “When he puts all the parts of his game together he is an excellent player, and now he is on a great goalscoring run as well,” said Sir Alex.

However, despite other notable achievements – highlights included November’s strike against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park which proved the only goal of the game and an extremely nifty finish against Chelsea in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford – Saha’s fortunes changed after Christmas. A succession of niggling injuries put paid to a regular run in the side, and he was forced to sit out the final nine matches of the season, making his swansong in March’s victory over Liverpool at Anfield.

He remains something of an enigma at Old Trafford – a player of undoubted potential who has yet to really fulfil it. The man himself, who scored on his Reds' debut against Southampton in January 2004, remains as confident as you would expect a graduate of France’s fabled

Clairfontaine Academy to be. “I’ve got so much pent-up energy I want to get out of my system,” he avers. “I feel like I’ve got something to prove again.”

Let’s hope he’s fit and raring to achieve that as the defence of our crown begins in earnest in August.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

32. Carlos Tevez

Birthdate:	05 Feb 1984
Birthplace:	Ciudadela, Buenos Aires
Position:	Striker
Joined United:	10 Aug 2007
United Debut:	15 Aug 2007 v Portsmouth (A)
International	Argentina

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez is one of the game's most lethal finishers. A clinical striker of the ball, Tevez also has the confidence and skill to take on opponents, and is capable of playing as a deep-lying forward or lead striker.

At just 5ft 7in he's not the tallest centre forward to pull on a Red shirt, but his low centre of gravity aids acceleration and enables him to shield the ball from defenders and turn his marker with great speed. Tevez, once dubbed the "Argentine prophet for the 21st Century" by Diego Maradona, has also demonstrated a knack for curling free-kicks past some of the world's top goalkeepers.


Tevez is already idolised in South America after successful spells at Boca Juniors in his homeland, and Brazilian side Corinthians. Initially he had to win over fans in Brazil, but eventually he captained Corinthians to the title and became the first foreign player to collect the league's Player of the Year award in almost 20 years.

And he's no stranger to life in the Premier League, having spent the 2006/07 season with West Ham. After a slow start where he went 19 games without finding the net, Tevez scored the Hammers' second in a dramatic 4-3 loss to rivals Tottenham. He then embarked on a goalscoring spree that saw him net seven times in just 10 matches as West Ham battled to avoid relegation.

Perhaps his most memorable goal for West Ham arrived on the final day of the season, ironically against United at Old Trafford. Tevez showed relentless commitment to charge down a Wes Brown clearance, reach the looping ball ahead of Edwin van der Sar and calmly tuck home a half-volley and ensure the visitors' top-flight survival.

His impressive displays aren't limited to club football, either. He propelled Argentina to gold in the 2004 Olympic Games by netting an incredible eight times

and he's now a regular member of the senior squad. He notched in the 2006 World Cup against Serbia & Montenegro and then turned in a man-of-the-match performance against Holland in the final Group C clash.

Despite claims to the contrary, Sir Alex Ferguson believes Tevez and Wayne Rooney will link up wel for the Reds. "Tevez and Wayne can play in the same side together," he said. "I know people say they both like to drop deep, but I see Wayne's future up on his own. Tevez has shown when he plays right up he is a threat because he can beat a man. He is a real threat."

reference: http://www.manutd.com