If Manchester United hope to rid itself of a potential distraction before it worsens this season, then it must sell Dimitar Berbatov immediately.
According to The Mirror's John Cross on Wednesday, a number of clubs are interested in Berbatov, who was essentially forced out of Old Trafford by the signing of Robin van Persie last week, per Cross:
The 31-year-old is desperate to quit Old Trafford to get regular games after the arrival of Robin van Persie pushed him further down the pecking order. Berbatov has made a direct plea to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to let him go, and the Reds are likely to sell for £5m.
It's no surprise that clubs around Europe are showing interest in the United forward.
The 31-year-old Berbatov can still play at a high level and is a consistent threat offensively. Berbatov has scored 48 goals in 108 English Premier League appearances with United dating back to 2008.
Will Dimitar Berbatov before United's matchup with Fulham on Saturday?
His ability to bring quality to the pitch is why United must deal him before he becomes a distraction. Berbatov scored seven goals in 12 EPL appearances last season, and if the Red Devils struggle at all early this fall, fans will be clamoring for the Bulgarian.
Not only that, but Berbatov himself will want to showcase his talent as a starter or a major contributor somewhere else. The longer he is forced out of the spotlight, the more unhappy he will grow.
Brilliant scorers must possess a confident mindset, and that will ultimately clash with Berbatov's current situation at Old Trafford.
Only negative things can come from holding onto Berbatov too long. There will always be the risk of Van Persie and Wayne Rooney struggling to score goals or turning out less than stellar efforts up front.
If and when that happens, fans will want to see Berbatov get a crack at it. In addition, Sir Alex Ferguson himself may be tempted to give the veteran a shot to fire up the offense.
Ferguson is a smart man, and United clearly understand how to run a football club. With that said, I fully expect them to settle Berbatov's future before it becomes a significant distraction.
The only way to do that is to sell the star striker immediately.
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