Saha going places thanks to Fulham

In this country, at least, he was known as the youngster who Newcastle decided not to sign after taking him on loan when he was 20.

The French knew his potential after he went through their talent production line at Clairefontaine with Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka and was judged a better prospect. In tests, as a youngster, it was claimed he was even quicker than the lightning Henry.

But Arsene Wenger decided he was well stocked with strikers at Arsenal and it was left to Tigana and Fulham to take the plunge.

They were repaid for their faith in the first season when Saha scored 27 league goals to help them to the First Division title.

The ability which Fulham's former assistant manager, Christian Damiano, had seen when he worked as a coach at the Clairefontaine academy was clear.

Yet Tigana and chairman Mohamed Fayed were not trampled in the rush by other clubs to sign him because there were still doubts.

Saha scored regularly in Division One but his chances-to-goals ratio was not great and that was highlighted during his first two years in the Premiership.

His combined goal tally for that period was just 16, even though Fulham were still creating more than the average number of chances.

But Tigana stuck by him and the faith he showed has been crucial in helping him to develop into the player he is today.

Saha has never had the vital touch of arrogance which helped his friends Henry and Anelka, but coming through more than one crisis of confidence has made him stronger.

Coleman, Tigana's successor, benefited from that, as well as the experience the striker had gained from playing in England.

He pushed his former team-mate and friend a step further this season by adopting a 4-5-1 formation with Saha at the point.

Initially, Saha was not pleased. But his record has proved otherwise.

Saha has scored 15 times this season in a system which forces him to stay central rather than drifting wide and playing more as the winger he was as a youngster. It also makes the most of his athleticism and ability to hold the ball up as well as run at defenders.

He is getting fewer chances than he is used to but scoring more goals, an attribute which has made United hungry for his services.

Of the reserve strikers at Old Trafford, neither Diego Forlan nor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer possesses the same qualities.

Saha's eligibility for the Champions League is also an attractive factor. That he is settled and happy in England and speaks the language means there would be little risk in buying him.

All of this has not gone unnoticed by Chelsea, but their interest in the striker may be simply to upset United and because they can afford it.

Any Premiership manager would be pleased to have Saha in his squad, but Ranieri already has strikers with similar strengths.

No one at Chelsea would be disappointed if Ferguson missed out on his main transfer target or had to pay over the odds for him.

The spin-offs of the episode are good for Saha. His confidence will have been strengthened and he will still be sought-after in the summer when Coleman, who is fighting hard to keep him, would sanction a sale.

For Fulham there are downsides to selling, although club board members would advise Fayed to accept a fee of around ?12m.

It would leave Coleman trying to fill a big hole and possibly forced to change his playing system. No one blames Saha for wanting to join one of the biggest clubs in the world, but showing such public dissatisfaction at having to wait to get your way is no way to say thanks.