An unlikely alliance

[jimmylibel]

Sheffield United are in talks with Sao Paulo about striking up an exclusive partnership that would enable the Premiership side to take several young players from the Brazilian giants.

 

Sao Paulo are firmly established as being one of South America's top clubs and it would prove to a real fillip for the top flight new boys if preliminary negotiations, set to begin early next year, prove successful.

 

Director Simon McCabe, son of chairman Kevin, is to fly out to Brazil to meet with senior figures following initial contact between the two parties.

 

If talks prove successful then the two clubs will explore ways in which their respective scouting and development experience can be brought together.

 

"Sao Paulo are renowned for producing some of the best players in the world," McCabe told the Sheffield Star.

 

"Cafu, Kaka and Denilson have all come from there, and we'll be seeing how both of us can benefit from having a connection.

 

"They are very keen to have an affiliation with a Premiership club and these talks are exclusive. They aren't speaking to anybody else.

 

"The whole idea is to try and form some kind of link with them to make it possible for their young up-and-coming players to come here.

 

"Providing everything goes well we could send people out there to formalise everything by the end of January or the beginning of February."

 

United have already branched out into the global game having bought Chinese club Chengu Blades last year, while the Yorkshire side have also gone on fact-finding missions to West Africa.

 

Link

 

I'm thinking Sao Paulo may not have carried out a lot of research on this one.

 

Surely Barnsley would have been more appropriate - "It's just like watching Brazil".

[matty]

Oh my, but aren't they in for a shock.

[CarraLegend]

Translated to "Quality players still go to quality clubs, we need someone to take the s**** off our hands" up step Sheff Utd.

[Bootle Buck]

They'll be signing Kids who have only played on the beach just to have a few Brazilians.