"There’s not many players that are good enough for Old Trafford," Ince told talkSPORT. "Joey Barton excelled himself for Newcastle last season but, whether he's a Manchester United player, I'm not too sure. He's not good enough to replace Paul Scholes, that's for sure.

"I'd say Joey Barton would be better for Arsenal. If you look at where Arsenal struggled last year, it was in the physicality of the Premier League, when they go to teams like Stoke and Blackburn.

"They need a digger in there who can get around and break up play. I think he'd be more suited to Arsenal than he would Manchester United."

Let me finish what you intentionally left out....but then again Paul Ince is a Former Man Utd player as far as he's concerned all their players are World class.

The gist of Ince's comments was never about how good Barton is as a player.

The key words for me were "He's not good enough for United but could do a job for Arsenal".

@ Mwenza & McReggae....for what its worth let me repeat what i posted earlier

"I'd say Joey Barton would be better for Arsenal. If you look at where Arsenal struggled last year, it was in the physicality of the Premier League, when they go to teams like Stoke and Blackburn.

"They need a digger in there who can get around and break up play. I think he'd be more suited to Arsenal than he would Manchester United."

According to Ince Man Utd don't need a defensive midfielder but Arsenal do. He was responding to whether Barton is good enough to replace Paul Scholes and where he would be suited more between Arsenal and Man Utd.

Barton had earlier been rumoured to be a Man U target. Why, pray, did Ince choose to talk of aseno out of 19 EPL clubs? Therein lies the key point.

@ Mwenza....

C & P

25.07.2011 - Joey Barton was linked with a surprise move to Manchester United this weekend, but the controversial midfielder was quick to distance himself from any move to Old Trafford.

Speculation suggested United had identified the combative midfielder to add ammunition to a midfielder lacking bite. The former Manchester City maestro was also linked with Arsenal but a bid failed to materialise from the Gunners.

However, despite confirming he will leave the Magpies at the end of season Barton has confirmed his immediate future lies with Newcastle.

"Nice to be linked with some big clubs but I honestly don't want to leave Newcastle," he wrote on Twitter. "Thanks but no thanks.

"I will most likely leave Newcastle at the end of the season, when my contract expires and I am no longer employed. It's out of my hands."