Dong Fanghzou Signs new Deal

[Gavmundo]

Chinese international Dong Fangzhou has signed a new contract at Manchester United and will now begin his Premiership career in earnest.

The striker has been farmed out to United's feeder club Royal Antwerp for the last two-and-a-half years, but was awarded a work permit in December and has now been welcomed into Sir Alex Ferguson's first team squad.

Dong has been handed a new deal that lasts until 2010 and will wear the number 21 shirt at Old Trafford as he looks to become the first Chinese player to make a senior appearance for The Red Devils.

His contribution since arriving from Dalian Shide in January 2004 has been restricted to pre-season tours, but Ferguson insists Dong has a role to play at United for the foreseeable future.

"We're all excited he has eventually arrived and can start playing," Ferguson told the club's official website.

"He sacrificed two-and-a-half years at Royal Antwerp, which showed great patience and determination.

"He is quick and athletic and he can only improve by training with the first team squad here."

Good news. Despite what some fans think he has a career at Utd and is a firm favourite of SAF.

[penalty_20]

We will see how it goes. I am a bit of a doubter but I hope he proves me wrong.

[Gavmundo]

We will see how it goes. I am a bit of a doubter but I hope he proves me wrong.

Maybe coming from Hong Kong you may not be too keen on China?? :lol:

Seriously though if the squad was smaller we'd be complaining we don't have enough players, now he have plenty there are arguments there are some that are in the squad which shouldn't be there! I'm not a big fan of O'Shea but I'd prefer to have him than not! I've seen Dong play and he looks great potential. Fergie has put him in the squad ahead of Rossi who he's sent back to Parma so Fergie rates him too and that's enough for me!

[manfan1523]

fergie also rates fletcher ahead of nearly everyone on the team so thats a useless tactic to take. i really hope he is good. just there is a really big doubt of him hanging around in my head.

the bit about only improve by training with the first squad here scares me shitless. it sounds like he might be getting people ready to be dissapointed by saying he will improve.

i dunno. i guess not much more can be said until we actually see him play.

[Gavmundo]

Well again you can't really dismiss him until you see him make a few appearances in the first team! As for Fletcher... what's whrong with him? He's a great squad player and is hardly played every game. He gets a run out now and then but hasn't figured much this season. When he has he's been excellent!

[penalty_20]

I said, I hope Dong succeeds but I do not think he will ever turn out to be a great player. Once again I hope he proves me wrong.

Fletcher can play ok sometimes but I do not believe he should play ahead of any of out other midfielders.

[manfan1523]

if you watch him he doesnt get the game. when someone gets the ball near him he goes closer to his defender as if he doesnt want to be passed to. he also gives the ball away every other time he gets it.

[Gavmundo]

if you watch him he doesnt get the game. when someone gets the ball near him he goes closer to his defender as if he doesnt want to be passed to. he also gives the ball away every other time he gets it.

Well I've watched him in pre season games and he's scored goals so he's not like that at all. He also wasn't like that at Antwerp either and Rooney, Carrick, Giggs and O'Shea give the ball away all the time too so are they not good enough to play for Utd? :rolleyes: