Tag: Manchester United

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INEOS are all set to appoint Dan Ashworth as the new Manchester United sporting director as part of the structure being formed at the club.

Newcastle and Man Utd continue to try and reach an agreement that will see Ashworth take control of the INEOS project at Old Trafford sooner rather than later, but Newcastle’s demand for upwards of £15million has been laughed off publicly and privately in Manchester.

While a stalemate ensues, Ashworth remains on gardening leave.

Ashworth has a brilliant track record as an executive at Brighton and now Newcastle.

He is well on record being of the opinion that Premier League clubs should look to their youth system more often and avoid the temptation of spending big money on transfer.

“Of all my roles, the one I’m most passionate about is opening up pathways for young players. Sometimes I’ve seen clubs work in silos and the academy is working all hours god sends to try and develop players for the first team and the recruitment department is working all hours god sends to try and sign players,” Ashworth said.

He went on to explain how himself has been a victim of that terming it as a case of having too much money to spend on signing players as compared to other European leagues.

“When you are trying to put together a squad that can survive and thrive in the Premier League, the temptation is to go with proven players that are able to come in and are ‘here and now ready,’” he concluded.

United’s academy will have no problem when it comes to producing Premier-League calibre talent and Ashworth will definitely play his part ensuring the club relies on the youth system more.

As a bonus, the club will be at a better position to navigate financial FFP rules.

The club is perilously close to breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules at the moment, so promoting from within after a sale might be an area they can benefit from this summer.

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West Ham United’s win in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night handed Manchester United a massive boost in what will be a difficult push for Champions League football next season.

By beating Bundesliga team Freiberg at the Olympic Stadium, West Ham have put England in a strong position to close the 0.875 gap in UEFA coefficient rankings that was between the two countries at the start of the week.

Europe’s premier competition will undergo a change of rules for the first time since the 2003/04 season, which will see the competition’s capacity increase from 32 to 36 teams. The usual four-team group format will be replaced with a ‘Swiss’ style.

Teams will play eight matches against eight different opponents in a 36-team league format, with four games at home and four away.

Two of the four extra places offered by UEFA will go to the best-ranking leagues in European competitions at the end of this season. This could be England, Italy, France or Germany.

Two of the extra spots will be awarded to the best-performing leagues in Europe this season, and, thanks to West Ham’s win over Freiburg on Thursday night, England have raced ahead of Germany in the bid to earn the extra spot.

This could be great news for United, who are currently sixth in the Premier League table and five points behind Tottenham, who hold fifth place.

The top five are all likely to qualify should English teams continue to outperform their German counterparts in Europe.

What this means for Erik ten Hag’s side is they now only need to bridge the 5 point gap between them and Spurs instead of the 8 point gap between them and Aston Villa in fourth.

It will now be a race between now and the end of season to see which of Spurs and Manchester United make it to that final 5th Champion’s League position.

A Champions League berth for ten Hag and his side will be a miracle after what has been an absolutely treacherous season for them.

 

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Earlier this week, The Daily Mirror confirmed PSG were sizing up a massive £75 million deal for Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford.

According to the report, PSG see Rashford as a perfect replacement for outgoing superstar Kylian Mbappé and are willing to break the bank for him.

Rashford is on a three-man PSG shortlist for potential Mbappé replacements that also includes Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

AC Milan’s Rafael Leão is also playing his way into the conversation.

Speaking at a press conference before the much anticipated F.A Cup clash with bitter rivals Liverpool, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has rubbished these links, strongly reiterating Rashford is going nowhere.

“We did not re-sign him last season for four more years with the intention to sell him now,” ten Hag affirmed while speaking on Friday.

This was in reference to the new 350,000 pound a week deal the winger signed last July after a sparkling 2022/23 display that saw him bag 30 goals in all competitions.

He should be part of this project. So it is not a subject we don’t talk about,” he added.

PSG have twice on occasion attempted to lure the United academy graduate away from Old Trafford, and failed on both occasions.

Rashford and his camp met PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi both in 2022 and 2023, but a move failed to materialize on both occasions.

Rashford being home-grown is part of the reason why it will be a very tough task to convince him on a move away from Manchester.

The striker recently reaffirmed his commitment to the club after speculations about his future and commitment to the club.

“But if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up. It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man. I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge,” he told The Player’s Tribunal

 

 

 

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According to reports, German club Borussia Dortmund are keen on keeping Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho at Signal Iduna beyond the season.

As Simon Stone of BBC explains it, the German giants want the Englishman to stay and are therefore open to exploring any and all avenues to seal Sancho’s transfer.

Sancho has struggled during his time at Manchester, but looks back to his best again in this second spell at Dortmund, having caught the eye in their Champions League win against PSV Eindhoven last night.

Sancho never really looked himself in a United shirt over the 3 years he spent at Old Trafford.

Over 89 Premier League appearances, Sancho only found the net 9 times, providing a further 4 assists. This in contrast to 38 goals in 104 Bundesliga appearances for the Black and Yellow is very underwhelming.

It all came tumbling down after that very public fallout with manager ten Hag last August. He publicly called out the manager for allegedly scapegoating him after that 3-1 loss to Arsenal, which saw Sancho left off of the match squad.

He did take down the inflammatory tweet but refused to publicly apologize to ten Hag to regain his place back in the squad before being exiled back to Dortmund on loan this January.

He has been having a mixed bag season in Germany this season, although it finally seems like he is stitching it together finally.

He has shown flashes of his brilliance since returning to Dortmund, but he has struggled to put it all together and produce consistently.

What cannot be questioned is the sheer talent the young man possesses and in the right environment, he can be one of the best players in the world without a doubt.

Borussia Dortmund are very keen on keeping him and United will no doubt be open to letting Sancho go provided the money is right, as there seems little sense in passing up the opportunity to cash in on him and spend that money on a replacement to bolster their attacking options.

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Reports coming in point to Manchester United hoping West Ham will be back with another offer for midfielder and top scorer Scott McTmoninay.

According to the report by iNews, the Red Devils will be looking to cash in on the midfielder, who is their joint top scorer in the Premier League, albeit he has been one of the best players for them this season.

The club is in a rebuild era under new ownership Sir Jim Ratcliffe and will be looking to generate an upwards of £100m in player sales.

United will be aiming to clear out deadwood and free up the wage bill to make room for new signings to mark the beginning of a new era.

Despite McTominay saving ten Hag’s skin time and time again, he has struggled to find himself in the starting line-ups as often as he would like on account of the emergence of young Kobbie Mainoo who has made that midfield berth his own alongside Casemiro and captain Bruno Fernandes.

The Scottish international is not the most technically gifted but always leaves it out on the field, and he would make a great addition to West Ham.

The London club had made a £30million bid last summer for the Scotts man, but United rejected the bid.

The status at the time was the club valued him at a little more than £40million, and ten Hag expressed a desire to keep the midfielder at Old Trafford for the season.

Leaving the club to join either West Ham or any other club would help McTominay to get a starting place in the team, something that he is currently looking for.

McTominay is expected to be part of the numerous exits that are expected at the club this summer, and it will be interesting to see if West Ham will be back with another offer or another club will be interested in the Scotland international’s services.

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Manchester United high profile winger Antony Matheus dos Santos has recently been linked with a move back to his native Brazil, with Flamengo eyeing him on a loan transfer.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on his latest Caught Offside column has downplayed these reports, claiming a dose of uncertainty to them.

On his latest column for the Daily Briefing, Romano explained that Antony is not necessarily that likely to accept a proposal from a Brazilian club, having just turned down something similar in January.

“There have been further reports about Antony’s situation at Manchester United, with claims from Brazil that Flamengo are analysing a possible one-year loan move for the winger,” he stated

“I would take this with a pinch of salt, however, as Antony firmly rejected any option from Brazil in January. Let’s see if that changes in the summer, but right now there’s nothing taking place, and I’m not even sure he would change his mind and accept that just five months later.” he added.

Antony, who has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford since his move from Ajax last season, may be looking to move on after a disappointing second season with the club.

He was once seen as a promising talent at Manchester United, and is now under immense pressure to revive his English football career before it’s too late.

Romano hinted that Manchester United would be open to letting Antony leave, potentially paving the way for Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise to replace the Brazilian winger this summer.

While the future remains uncertain for Antony, Romano remains sceptical about the possibility of the 24-year-old changing his mind so quickly about moving back to Brazil.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Antony and things can change quickly in football, but for the moment, a return to Brazil seems unlikely.

 

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Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed that INEOS have all but approved a move for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise.

The right-winger position has been wanting for Manchester United after marquee signings Antony and Jadon Sancho both failed to meet the expectations.

As such, the club will naturally be in the market for a right-winger under new INEOS management.

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with Palace winger Michael Olise who is a huge boyhood United fan and Wolves tricky winger Pedro Neto.

Speaking on Neto, Jacobs confirmed that nothing had been agreed with or advanced.

“Nothing is advanced with Manchester United and Pedro Neto. The only ‘approved’ target so far, regarding specific names rather than positions, is Michael Olise, ” he stated.

“With Neto, you’re looking at £65m, maybe even closer to £70m. That’s not within Manchester United’s capabilities if they pursue Olise, given that they also need to focus on a striker and a centre-back,” he concluded.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano had last week confirmed he was 100% sure Michael Olise would jump at the chance to join United.

“I’m sure that the player would be really keen on joining Manchester United,” Romano told The United Stand. “That’s 100 per cent guaranteed.

INEOS seem to have hit the ground running just a few months after the minority takeover of the club, and it seems the appointed executives have already got to work with regard to summer transfer business.

The deal gave INEOS full control of football operations, and therefore the deciding say on transfers.

While United’s transfer budget will depend on whether they qualify for the Champions League and what funds they can raise through player sales, there are certain areas that INEOS are already making decisions on, like this recent development.

Olise’s contract reportedly includes a £60m release clause that will become active during the market.

The France U21 international put pen to paper on a new deal last summer, having turned down a £35m move to Chelsea.

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Chelsea have joined the race to sign Lille star and reported Manchester United defensive target Leny Yoro.

The young Lille centre back was understood to be on United’s list of potential centre back targets in what is projected to be a very busy summer for the Red Devils.

United are currently in a centre back crisis like never before.

Senior defenders Rapha Varane and Jonny Evans will be out of contract at the end of the season, and uncertainty surrounds their futures.

The club’s best defender in Lisandro Martínez has had fitness issues all season, while Maguire and Lindelof will be attracting interest from rival clubs.

Apart from Yoro, United have already been linked to Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Jean-Clair Todibo (OGC Nice), Antonio Silva (Benfica), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting Lisbon), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace) and Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen).

The 18-year-old is considered to be one of the most exciting youngsters in European football, so it’s no surprise to see many top clubs chasing him.

According to a report by The People’s Person last month, indicated that United are set to face competition from outfits such as Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid for Yoro’s services.

Chelsea now have reportedly entered the race as they seek to replace timeless Brazilian Thiago Silva, who is nearing the twilight of his career.

The Brazilian legend is looking increasingly likely to leave Stamford Bridge when the campaign draws to a close, as his contract expires in June.

Fabrizio Romano had previously weighed up the Leny Yoro situation, stating Lille were yet to slap a price tag on the young defender.

United certainly needs to be alive to the situation and ensure they’re not pipped by Chelsea to Yoro’s signature.

The 18-year-old has made 27 total appearances across all competitions for Lille this term. He has helped his side keep an impressive 16 clean sheets.

 

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According to a report by Spanish publication Sport, Manchester United are one of four Premier League clubs who are closely monitoring the situation of Barça breakthrough defender Pau Cubarsí.

The report claims that Manchester City have been scouting the centre-back of late, while Arsenal and Chelsea are ‘very attentive to his movements’.

Cubarsi has featured in each of his team’s last nine league games, with eight of those outings proving to be starts, while be played the full 90 minutes of Tuesday’s last-16 Champions League second leg with Napoli, putting in a man-of-the-match performance.

“My pulse does not go up when Cubarsi has the ball. That’s the best summary for him. Cubarsi does not get nervous. He’s very calm, his ball output is brutal, he has pause, he generates attacking plays, he links up with interiors and forwards. It’s a spectacle to watch him play,” Xavi praised the young lad after his Napoli performance.

The teenager has been a revelation since his breakthrough into the senior squad. He has averaged 71 passes in La Liga, with an accuracy of 91 per cent.

He has won almost four duels per game, making 3.2 clearances, three recoveries and 1.9 tackles.

The centre-back spent time in the Girona youth system before moving to Barcelona in 2018, and he made nine league appearances for Barcelona B before breaking into the senior set-up.

Cubarsi has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2026, but it is believed that his release clause is around €10m (£8.5m).

The report however also claims that the youngster currently has no desire to leave the La Liga champions.

Barcelona can’t commit him to a new deal until he turns 18 in January 2025. It would be a surprise if United manage to persuade him into joining them instead.

Cubarsi has been with the Blaugrana since the age of 11, and he is unlikely to turn down a renewal at his boyhood club to pursue a new challenge abroad next year.

 

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According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Manchester United have identified Weston McKennie as an alternative option to top targets as they make plans for the summer transfer window.

The former U.S.A. international captain could be set for a shock return to the Premier League following his loan spell at Leeds United in the 2022/23 season.

That loan spell included a £30million purchase option, but that failed to pan out as the Yorkshire side slipped back into the Championship.

The American has since well and truly revived his career at Juventus, putting that Elland Road blip behind him. His performances in Turin have caught the attention of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.

The Dutch manager is gearing up for the first summer under new management and stewardship in Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.

A new, solid footballing structure above him is being built, with top executives like Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth already recruited.

Erik ten Hag has identified McKennie as a decent alternative for midfield target Real Sociedad man Martin Zubimendi.

According to the givemesport report, United will be looking to freshen up their midfield and join Arsenal as admirers of American McKennie.

McKennie has enjoyed a productive run of form in Juventus’ colours this season, with statistics highlighting that he has been performing better than some Manchester United midfielders in various fields, and he could find himself testing himself in the Premier League once again next term.

McKennie’s stint at Leeds only saw him appear in the Premier League 19 times, but that has not deterred potential suitors in the Premier League.

Aston Villa and Fulham have also shown interest in the 25-year-old in the past, and it remains to be seen which of these Premier League clubs will test Juventus’ resolve to keep the American.

Erik ten Hag and United will however be pleased to learn of reports in Italy of major doubts surrounding McKennie’s future at Juventus, as he could be allowed to leave for a new challenge if they fail to negotiate a new contract before the season reaches its climax.