Tag: Manchester United

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Manchester United emerged victorious in what was one of the greatest F.A Cup matches of all time. 2 goals in the final four minutes ensured it was United marching on to Wembley for a semi-final date with Coventry City.

That euphoric win will do a lot of good to Erik ten Hag and his boys.

This one upturn in form however will not be enough to convince Sir Jim Ratcliffe to keep ten Hag after the summer.

It is expected that Ratcliffe will be judging ten Hag between now and the end of the season, and this one win, however monumental, may not be enough to convince him.

This win, however massive, cannot mask the huge mess that has been this season.

Manchester United are currently languishing in sixth place, 9 points away from the top four, and were disappointedly last in a Champions League group that included miniatures like FC Copenhagen.

United’s problems this season have far superseded Erik ten Hag, and only Champions League qualification could convince the new boss to keep him at the helm longer.

United have managed only 39 goals in the league this term, 31 fewer than league leaders Arsenal and 20 shy of Spurs in fifth. Only five teams have scored less, and four of them are in the bottom five.

Should Champions League qualification be decided on goal difference, which is an outright Hail Mary, United would appear to have no chance with a goal difference of zero, 17 worse than Spurs and 18 behind Villa.

What happens between now and the end of the season will be make or break for ten Hag.

An F.A cup win and Champions League qualification will well be an overachievement after all the ups and downs this season – more downs than ups in fairness.

I am of the opinion Sir Jim should retain Erik ten Hag and back him properly in the summer. He still is an elite manager and with the proper support and squad, he just may be the right man to take us back to glory.

 

 

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Manchester United are set to suffer a huge blow in their interest for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. According to a report from iPaper, Newcastle are considering putting a transfer ban on any dealings between them and Manchester United as part of the Dan Ashworth deal.

Sir Jim and his INEOS contingent have been hell-bent on forming a proper footballing structure at United, and Dan Ashworth is the next name on their list.

Newcastle CEO Darren Eales is said to have spoken with the Red Devils earlier this week, but a fee is yet to be agreed upon.

The Magpies are keen to receive markedly more than the £3million fee that they paid Brighton for the services of Ashworth in 2022, though other clauses are also being discussed as part of the negotiations.

Newcastle are weighing up whether to put a ‘transfer ban’ on Man United, which will prevent the club from poaching any stars from St James’ Park for a certain period of time

If it takes effect, this would mean the Red Devils can no longer sign any players from the Magpies, putting a dent in the existing interest in Swedish striker Alexander Isak.

The striker has put the whole Premier League on notice this season with his pace, finishing ability, silky dribbling for a 9 and link up ability.

This potential ban means Arsenal are now the favourites to nab the striker. The Gunners have been interested in the Swiss since his Real Sociedad days.

Rumour has it that Newcastle will be having major sales in the summer to comply with financial regulations this summer, which could mean Newcastle’s stars could be up for grabs.

Newcastle’s proposed ‘ban’ on Man United could mean the Red Devils lose out on this and any potential purchases from Newcastle in the future.

If that remains the case, Arsenal could have an open road to Isak, especially with Newcastle needing to make sales to comply with FFP rules.

 

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Manchester United have received a huge blow with regard to their summer budget as reports of issues with tax payment surface.

HMRC are reportedly in talks with the club over unpaid taxes. The amount paid on arrangements with players and agents is in question, and the eventual outcome may greatly hamper the summer’s spending plans.

His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the national taxing authority of the United Kingdom that is responsible for direct and indirect taxes and administers benefits and tax credit payments to residents.

The amount in question is still unclear but if the club ends up having to pay a significant amount of money, it could surely hamper the summer transfer plans coupled with Premier League FFP rules.

The club was unable to significantly spend in January even after an injury-riddled first half of the season on account of FFP rules.

They managed to scrape away with balancing the books, but FFP combined with these fresh discussions with HMRC will definitely impact future budgeting and planning.

Manchester United are not the first club to fall victim to the commission’s activities as last year they collected £124.8m in unpaid taxes from Premier League clubs for the 2022/23 financial year.

“We will continue to carefully scrutinize arrangements between clubs, players and agents to ensure the correct tax is paid,” HMRC said at the time.

“We work closely with the football industry to educate and deal with tax risk head on,” they concluded.

Unpaid taxes have been a constant issue for HMRC for the past couple of years.

Tax Policy Associates, a non-profit company that aims to improve the public’s understanding of tax, claimed that HMRC had lost out on £470m from Premier League clubs between 2015 and 2021, due to avoiding VAT, income tax and national insurance on payments to agents.

HMRC are thought to be in talks with several clubs not just Man Utd about potential money owed.

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Manchester United’s interest in Dan Ashworth has led to a reconsideration of the initially demanded compensation by Newcastle. Initially demanding a staggering £20 million for their sporting director on gardening leave, the Toon have moderated their asking price amidst ongoing negotiations.

Ashworth, expressing a strong desire to join Manchester United, found his aspirations met with what Sir Jim Ratcliffe termed “silly” valuation by Newcastle in a discourse last month. Despite this, dialogues have persisted, and a revelation from iNewsSport hints at a possible £9 million compromise being discussed by the involved entities.

Manchester United, however, “strongly rebutted” the suggested figure of £9m, reminiscing about the £3 million Newcastle expended to secure Ashworth from Brighton in 2022. They aim for a settlement much closer to that precedent, as per the report.

According to iNewsSport, negotiations are actively being pursued, with Darren Eales representing Newcastle in these discussions. Despite the efforts, a significant gap in valuation and terms for Ashworth’s transfer persists, leaving the deal in a state of flux.

Among the nuanced discussions, as per the report, a potential restriction on Manchester United’s ability to acquire Newcastle players for a specified duration post-Ashworth’s transition is on the table, yet unfinalised.

The ongoing talks, now flirting with figures below the £10 million mark, signal a progression likely influenced by Ratcliffe’s critical commentary.

Ashworth’s eventual move would mark his integration into United’s evolving INEOS structure, complementing new CEO Omar Berrada and fortifying the recruitment division alongside an anticipated Technical Director and a Head of Recruitment.

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According to a report by Todofichajes, Manchester United defender Raphael Varane is willing to take a huge pay cut for a new contract come the summer.

The French World Cup winner will be out of contract in June and, as ESPN had reported earlier in the year, United will not be looking to trigger the optional one-year extension on his current contract.

The report also did speculate that there was room to negotiate a new deal, one that will involve new terms including a pay cut.

The 30-year-old is currently on a  £340,000-a-week contract at Old Trafford and the new executives will probably be looking at lowering those wages as they seek to lower the overall wage bill that has ballooned over the past couple of years.

Raphael Varane is still comfortably United’s best box defender, and there is no reason they shouldn’t offer him another deal. Still only 30, he definitely has at least 5 more years at the top.

The defender has been attracting suitors from the Saudi League, but he has no intentions of moving to the Middle East.

He was recently quoted saying he is only willing to retire at the clubs he has played for, which are Real Madrid, RC Lens and Manchester United.

There is a massive rebuild incoming in the summer with lots of departures, and Manchester United will be wise to keep someone of Varane’s experience and quality.

His leadership and experience at the back will certainly be crucial, and he will be a worthy partner to whoever Erik ten Hag settles on at centre back if his regular partner Lisandro Martínez isn’t available.

In case the new contract doesn’t fall through, United will definitely be looking to get back some of the  £41m they paid for the Frenchman if worthy suitors come their way.

 

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Speaking at a press conference, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed he has received a massive injury boost ahead of Sunday’s F.A Cup clash with Liverpool.

The manager confirmed injured players Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been training all week and will be available for selection come Sunday.

“They returned on the pitch. Partly in the start of the week and today we had a session that they were all training,” Ten Hag told reporters on Friday. “I think they will be available. We have, (Saturday) one session. We have to see how they recover from this, but it looks good,” he stated.

Striker Hojlund had been on a fine run of form last month, scoring in six consecutive matches in all competitions, before a muscle injury sidelined him for the last 4 games.

Maguire has missed the club’s last three games, and his return comes as United confirmed centre-back Jonny Evans had been “nursing a minor issue” in recent matches.

Wan-Bissaka had been in and out of the squad since mid-September with various issues, the latest being a leg issue.

The FA Cup is United’s last chance of winning silverware this season, while Ten Hag’s side have the opportunity to deny Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp their hopes of winning the quadruple in what is expected to be a massive clash at Old Trafford.

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Manchester United Mason Greenwood seems set to be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season and has attracted some suitors in La Liga.

According to a recent report from The Times, Greenwood has attracted interest from La Liga giants Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

The former has however turned down their interest in the Englishman amid fears of backlash on account of Greenwood’s troubles with the law.

The Catalan giants are also worried about Greenwood’s price as they struggle to recover from economic turmoil birthed from former president Bartomeu’s reign.

According to Marca, Manchester United will most likely ask for a figure around the €50m mark.

This deters Barcelona as it is perhaps well out of their reach unless they make a lot of sales in the summer and raise lots of revenue.

The Englishman is currently on loan with Spanish side Getafe and is having a good season, scoring eight goals and producing a further five assists across 28 matches.

There is no questioning Greenwood’s talent, and he would be a great addition to any squad if United decide to let go of him, which will likely be the case.

United had attempted to integrate him back into the squad last year after all charges against him were dropped, a move which was met with so much backlash the club had to back down.

That test proved Greenwood most likely doesn’t have a way back into the Manchester United squad and perhaps English football as a whole.

As such, selling Greenwood in the summer is the right decision for both club and player. His contract runs out next year and if United wait too long, they will end up losing him for free.

50 million euros is a massive price tag for the 22-year-old, and whoever wants his services will have to part with that or an amount nearing that.

It may be unlikely a club will spend so much, but it just might be a possibility if he keeps impressing in Spain between now and the end of the season.

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Manchester United are close to signing Ipswich town teenage sensation Silva Mexes. This is according to a report from the Secret Scout. A deal is close to being sealed between the two clubs, according to the report.

The Secret Scout – a reliable and reputable source when it comes to youth football and transfer news – posted the information on their X account on Friday afternoon, claiming that the 14-year-old forward has been watched by all the top clubs in England.

Former United youth manager Kieran McKenna, who is the Ipswich manager, certainly will not get in the way of the transfer and will most likely send the young man with his best wishes.

Ipswich and Manchester United have a good working relationship having done some business in the past.

English defender Axel Tuanzebe, who made 36 senior appearances for Manchester United, joined Ipswich last September after being released by the Red Devils.

Full back Brandon Williams is also currently on loan at Portman Road for the season, and another deal seems likely to be sealed with Silva Mexes.

Manchester United boast of one of the best academies and youth systems in the world, and the 14-year-old will certainly be tempted to hone his talents at Carrington.

United have a proud and rich history of nurturing academy prospects, with October 2022 marking the 85th anniversary of consecutive match days with a home-grown player in the squad, a very impressive record by all standards.

Mexes is the son of EFL legend Robert Earnshaw, and if the Welsh international has been giving his son shooting tips, United are likely to have one of the best goal-getters in the land on their hands in the future.

With plenty of home-grown talent to look up to like Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, Mexes could well be on his way to being the next young star to emerge at Old Trafford, as long as a deal gets sorted with the Tractor Boys this summer.

 

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Spanish publication Nacional today reported that Manchester United have allegedly offered Antony to Barcelona as they seek to rid themselves off the Brazilian flop.

The Red Devils will be making big changes and with a massive player exodus looming, and Antony finds himself on the sharp edge of these departures.

The Brazilian has been more than a disappointment in his two seasons at the club, being a shadow of the promising young talent Erik ten Hag splashed close to a hundred million euros on.

This season in particular has been horrible for the winger, failing to register a goal or assist in 22 Premier League appearances.

He without a doubt is on the Hall of Fame of failed Premier League transfers, and the Red Devils are looking to offload him in the summer, reportedly offering him to Spanish giants Barça.

It is reported that Ratcliffe and the rest of INEOS hierarchy are ‘tired of’ the ten Hag favourite and are hopeful of to find buyers for the Brazilian.

The Red Devils will be inclined to let Antony leave on loan so he can at least get his form back and raise his market value a bit so when it’s time to sell, they recover a better part of their £85m initial investment on him.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Brazilian club Flamengo was interested in signing Antony on loan but as Fabrizio Romano confirmed, Antony may not be inclined to a move back to Brazil.

Selling the idea to Barcelona will not be easy, as well as the Catalan giants have some concerns of their own about Antony.

They are worried that he has ‘similarities’ to compatriot Raphinha who has not reached his full potential since his transfer from Leeds, and it seems ‘unlikely’ that Barcelona ‘will make an attempt’ to buy the Manchester United winger.

 

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According to reports coming from Spain, Manchester United are allegedly considering a move for former Chelsea manager and current Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel should they decide to change managers in the summer.

The report as cited by The Hard Tackle alleges Tuchel is on the list of potential manager options along with Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi.

Manchester United are languishing in 6th and were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages – a position which has left Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford hanging delicately by a thread.

The only chance left to win a trophy is the F.A Cup which will be an uphill task as they face high-flying bitter rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals this Sunday.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe remains unconvinced by Ten Hag, who has failed to help his team build on their success last season when they secured a third-place finish and won the League Cup.

It remains to be seen what decision he makes as he aims to judge ten Hag by the remainder of the season. It is absolutely paramount that ten Hag at least secures Champions League football whether he wins the F.A Cup or not.

German tactician Thomas Tuchel is reportedly being admired by Sir Jim as a potential replacement for ten Hag in the summer.

Tuchel will be leaving German giants Bayern Munich at the end of the season after a rather underwhelming season with the Bavarians.

Bayern are dangerously toying with the reality of going trophyless for the first time since 2012.

They are currently 10 points behind Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side in the Bundesliga with only 9 matches left to play.

They also have already been kicked out of the DFB Pokal and all their hopes for a trophy lie in the Champions League where they are set to face Arsenal in the quarters.

Tuchel’s issues at Bayern haven’t put Man Utd off though. They reportedly admire the manager for the job he did at Chelsea, when he helped the London club to win the Champions League in 2021.

It’s claimed that the Red Devils are confident that Tuchel could be the perfect man to turn them into serial trophy winners again.

The report adds that the chance to manage in England again at a huge club like Man Utd ‘would be an attractive proposition for Tuchel.’