Charlton confident of Chinese Dong joining Man. United

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 13, 2003

Charlton confident of Chinese Dong joining Man. United

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English soccer legend Bobby Charlton has expressed confidence that Manchester United would sign Chinese teenager striker Dong Fangzhuo, who has been impressive in his month-long trial at the English premier league club.

"It (the move) is not finalized yet," United director Charlton told Xinhua on Friday.

"Alex Ferguson is the manager, he is the one to decide which player he would like, so he must have been impressed (by Dong),"

Dong, 18, had a trial at Manchester United in September and impressed the coaching staff so much that Ferguson asked him to extend his week-long stay to one month. He also scored in a reserve team match a few days into the trial.

"We brought him over for a month and we like the look of him. He's aggressive and quick," said Ferguson last month.

United has held talks with Dong's club Dalian Shide recently inLondon, and reached reportedly an initial agreement which need to be approved by United board.

"We have a lot of things to talk about, but I am sure we will do our best to get him," said Charlton.

"We are very hopeful, I would very much hope to have a Chinese player in the club."

When asked about if it is a commercial move to sign Dong, Charlton said: "It is both."

"But first of all we want a good player, when you have a good player, the commercial side comes into it," he added.

No matter how the talks on Dong go, United will not stop their efforts to tap the Chinese market.

Charlton will leave next week for the opening ceremony of a football-themed cafe in Chendu, Southwest of China.

"We have opened the Chinese website of Manchester United last year and this is a further step in cooperation with China.

"We know we have so many fans in Chins and it is necessary to do this," said Charlton.

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