Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has admitted that Norwich City striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel was once discussed as a transfer target for the Premier League champions.
- By Michael Bell
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Meulensteen, now manager of Fulham, faced the Dutch striker in his side’s 2-1 win over Norwich City, where Van Wolfswinkel came off the bench.
Pre-match, reporters asked the Dutch coach about the striker, and if he was surprised to see him accept Norwich’s offer in the summer.
He said. “I was, to be fairly honest. Obviously I know him and know the Dutch league very well and he has an eye for goal and is really good in and around the box and is a quick and clinical finisher – he showed that at Sporting Lisbon.
“I thought at some point he would be heading for the Barclays Premier League or the Bundesliga, but it was a bit of a surprise. My first thought was that Norwich had done well there but it shows again how keen players are to play in the Premier League.”
Then Meulensteen was asked if the 24-year-old was discussed as a target when he was a coach at Manchester United, under Sir Alex Ferguson.
He added, “We had definitely discussed him,”
“I don’t think it was ever to the stage that we needed to do something as we obviously had fantastic strikers at the club and, at a club like Manchester United where you have got top, top strikers, when you bring someone in he needs to be better than you have already got.”
So far this season, Van Wolfswinkel has struggled in the Premier League, netting only once in 10 appearances.
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he has not yet adapt fully to EPL. I think norwich is not the club suitable to progress him. A move to MU is not a wise one as he will end up 99% on the bench and loan out. Arsenal, liverpool perhaps