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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Man Utd capture Kuszczak on loan </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Kuszczak's immediate future has finally been settled</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manchester United have signed Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak on a season-long loan from West Brom, with a view to a possible permanent move.
In exchange, the Baggies will get defender Paul McShane and goalkeeper Luke Steele on a permanent basis.
"He has plenty of ability and knows what challenges the Premiership presents," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson of the 24-year-old.
"He will benefit from working alongside a great keeper like Edwin van der Sar."
Kuszczak, 24, will act as understudy to Van der Sar, with youngster Ben Foster staying a second season at Watford.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>Kuszczak expressed a very strong desire to join United <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>West Brom boss Bryan Robson</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Van der Sar is expected to retire after Euro 2008, at which point Kuszczak will press for a first-team place.
West Brom boss Bryan Robson admitted that he was reluctant to allow Kuszczak to leave the Hawthorns.
"I have had several meetings with the player," Robson told the West Brom website.
"He expressed a very strong desire to join United, with the potential of playing in the Premiership and Champions League.
"In the end, we felt that these were exceptional circumstances and that we would be denying Tomasz a major career opportunity if we insisted on him staying."
Kuszczak, who has won four caps for Poland, spent three years in Germany with Hertha Berlin before arriving at West Brom two years ago.
Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to land the keeper had been frustrated throughout the summer, with an initial £2.5m bid rejected.
But with Kuszczak now at Old Trafford, Foster getting Premiership experience with Watford and Tim Howard on loan at Everton, United are hopeful they have enough strength in the goalkeeping department to maintain healthy competition for the next five years at least.
The transfer of Steele is unlikely to go down well with Coventry, who signed the youngster on loan from United.
But the player was recalled, then immediately sold to one of their local Coca-Cola Championship rivals. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<DIV class=cap>Kuszczak's immediate future has finally been settled</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manchester United have signed Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak on a season-long loan from West Brom, with a view to a possible permanent move. In exchange, the Baggies will get defender Paul McShane and goalkeeper Luke Steele on a permanent basis.
"He has plenty of ability and knows what challenges the Premiership presents," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson of the 24-year-old.
"He will benefit from working alongside a great keeper like Edwin van der Sar."
Kuszczak, 24, will act as understudy to Van der Sar, with youngster Ben Foster staying a second season at Watford.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>Kuszczak expressed a very strong desire to join United <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>West Brom boss Bryan Robson</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Van der Sar is expected to retire after Euro 2008, at which point Kuszczak will press for a first-team place.
West Brom boss Bryan Robson admitted that he was reluctant to allow Kuszczak to leave the Hawthorns.
"I have had several meetings with the player," Robson told the West Brom website.
"He expressed a very strong desire to join United, with the potential of playing in the Premiership and Champions League.
"In the end, we felt that these were exceptional circumstances and that we would be denying Tomasz a major career opportunity if we insisted on him staying."
Kuszczak, who has won four caps for Poland, spent three years in Germany with Hertha Berlin before arriving at West Brom two years ago.
Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to land the keeper had been frustrated throughout the summer, with an initial £2.5m bid rejected.
But with Kuszczak now at Old Trafford, Foster getting Premiership experience with Watford and Tim Howard on loan at Everton, United are hopeful they have enough strength in the goalkeeping department to maintain healthy competition for the next five years at least.
The transfer of Steele is unlikely to go down well with Coventry, who signed the youngster on loan from United.
But the player was recalled, then immediately sold to one of their local Coca-Cola Championship rivals. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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