Tag: Manchester United

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There may be many changes happening off the pitch with INEOS, but on the pitch things look like they’re remaining the same.

Manchester United’s first team had not played since the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur a couple of weeks back. With the next fixture coming against Newport County in the FA Cup this weekend, the club arranged for a behind-closed-doors friendly this evening.

And the result was not good.

Journalist Fredrik A. Filtvedt has reported that Manchester United lost in a friendly against Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.

Even in a friendly, it’s not great reading.

Burnley currently sit in 19th position in the table and are one of the favourites to go straight back down to The Championship.

For United to lose to them, it doesn’t make great reading.

There are not many more details about the game, but the result will surely not please manager Erik ten Hag.

With INEOS now seemingly steering the ship at Old Trafford, ten Hag will know that the results on the pitch will need to improve. The Dutchman will be hoping that today’s result is just a blip and not symptomatic of a deeper concern for the squad moving forward.

United møtte Burnley til treningskamp bak lukkede dører i dag. Det endte med tap.

— Fredrik A. Filtvedt (@FAFiltvedt) January 24, 2024

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly gearing up for a significant clear-out at Manchester United, with plans to offload players deemed surplus to requirements, potentially raising £100m, starting with Mason Greenwood. This development follows a report by Pete Hall of iPaperSport, which suggests that the sale is anticipated after Ratcliffe’s stake in the club is officially confirmed.

The Ineos chief is set to prioritise a revamp at the board level, but his focus will quickly turn to reshaping the squad. Greenwood is viewed as a prime candidate for a high-value transfer, especially as profits from academy players are considered highly favorable under Financial Fair Play rules.

Greenwood’s situation has stabilised, making a potential transfer less risky now than it was when Getafe showed interest in the past. This calm comes after a period of significant opposition from fans and activist groups.

Beyond Greenwood, as per the report, the club might also part ways with other homegrown talents. Scott McTominay, despite his contributions this season, is seen as expendable. There’s anticipation that West Ham might reignite their interest in the Scottish player. Additionally, academy products Hannibal Mejbri and Alvaro Fernandez, currently out on loan, have clauses in their contracts that could see their moves become permanent.

Further to these potential academy product sales, the report by iPaperSport, citing inside sources, reveals that Manchester United has been exploring transfer opportunities for several high-profile players to clubs in Saudi Arabia. This was following a visit by United’s football director John Murtough to the region during the Club World Cup in December. Among those mentioned are Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, and Antony, though no official offers have been made yet.

This strategy of offloading high earners aligns with the new management’s approach to economising the club’s finances. The move stands in contrast to United’s recent struggles in generating substantial income from player sales, a feat achieved by other clubs like Manchester City, Brighton, and Liverpool with their young talents.

According to Pete Hall’s report, if the new United leadership succeeds in garnering around £200m from these sales, it could mark the beginning of a significant transformation under the guidance of Ineos and Ratcliffe.

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In a major development at Manchester United, it has come to light that INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will have a broader role than initially anticipated when they acquired a 25% stake in the club. This new scope of operations was disclosed during a staff meeting held on Wednesday, which was overseen by Manchester United’s interim chief executive, Patrick Stewart.

The Athletic has uncovered that in this meeting, employees were informed of the revised understanding between INEOS and the Glazer family. This adjustment in the agreement implies that INEOS will now have a say in business decisions alongside the Glazers, as these are intrinsically linked to the football side of operations.

The report claims that this shift suggests a more integrated approach to decision-making at the club, as opposed to the earlier plan of keeping business and football operations distinctly separate. The primary responsibility of INEOS will remain the management of football operations. However, the Glazer family is reportedly open to allowing Ratcliffe’s firm a wider berth in influencing changes across the club, including the commercial sector, to enhance football success.

As per The Athletic, INEOS believes that the club’s commercial success is tightly bound to its on-field achievements. This belief is further reinforced by their decision to bring in Omar Berrada from Manchester City. Berrada, known for his experience in football operations and commercial acumen, is expected to take over from Stewart as the CEO in the summer.

The report further states that during the call, Stewart also reiterated the club’s commitment to fostering a “football first culture,” centering all decisions around the betterment of the sport within the club.

However, this anticipated change has stirred some unease among the staff, following reports that Ratcliffe is keen on reviewing the club’s staffing, which is often perceived as excessive. Sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared with The Athletic that there is a palpable fear of potential job cuts following this review.

Omar Berrada is slated to commence his role in the summer, succeeding Patrick Stewart, who has been the interim CEO following Richard Arnold’s departure from the position late last year.

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Karim Benzema is set for critical talks with Al Ittihad on Wednesday about his future, as reported by Marca. This follows an initial discussion on Tuesday which did not result in an agreement, with Al Ittihad showing hesitancy to release the star.

Elite clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal, and Lyon have engaged in conversations with Benzema’s representatives. Marca has highlighted that these clubs, along with Chelsea and Benzema’s former club Olympique Lyon, are considering adding the forward to their squad. Their interest has extended to inquiries with Al Attihad regarding a potential transfer.

The situation, however, is complex. The clubs interested in Benzema, namely Manchester United, Olympique Lyon, Arsenal, and Chelsea, faces a major obstacle. Al Ittihad’s reluctance to part with the player, especially since he’s only been with them for six months and is considered a high-profile signing akin to Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar.

The report states that Benzema’s wages aren’t an obstacle because he knows he will not get the same contract he has at his current club, but rather it’s getting the green light from Al Ittihad to facilitate his departure.

With Benzema reportedly uneasy in Saudi Arabia, and Al Ittihad puzzled by his desire to leave so soon, both parties are under pressure to resolve this matter swiftly.

The upcoming meeting on Wednesday, as per Marca’s coverage, is thus poised to be a decisive moment in determining Benzema’s path, although an agreement currently seems unlikely. Both Benzema and Al Ittihad are reportedly keen to resolve this impasse, potentially paving the way for Benzema’s departure.

Sam Barnett, a key figure in Manchester United’s negotiations team, has ended his seven-year tenure with the club, as reported by Training Ground Guru.

Barnett, who joined the club in December 2016, initially took on the role of Player Accountant, focusing largely on player contracts. His expertise in this field was honed through his prior experience in auditing, including a two-and-a-half-year stint at EY, a professional services firm.

Barnett’s career at Manchester United saw a significant shift in January 2020 when he stepped into the role of Football Negotiations Manager. In this capacity, he worked in tandem with the club’s former Director of Negotiations, Matt Judge.

Manchester United stands out, possibly uniquely, for having a dedicated negotiations team, a concept introduced by Ed Woodward, the former Executive Vice-Chairman, and John Murtough, the current Football Director. The team’s main objective is to develop and implement strategies for transfer dealings.

Following Matt Judge’s departure in April 2022, Tom Keane, a lawyer and the brother of Everton defender Michael Keane, filled the position on an interim basis until September 2022. Then, in July 2023, Matt Hargreaves, formerly the Sports Marketing Director at Adidas, joined the club as the new permanent Director of Negotiations.

The negotiations team at United, under the guidance of Hargreaves, handles contract discussions with clubs, players, and their representatives. A significant aspect of these talks often includes image rights, with data science playing a critical role in guiding financial decisions.

This structure is somewhat different from other clubs, where such negotiations are typically managed by the Sporting Director and Head of Recruitment.

Barnett’s responsibilities primarily centered around the Women’s and Academy teams, although he also provided support for the first team as needed. In the lead-up to the Brexit regulations coming into force on December 31, 2020, which prohibited English clubs from signing foreign players under 18, United focused on recruiting overseas talent in the 16 to 21 age range.

Among the notable signings during this period were Alejandro Garnacho from Atletico Madrid at age 16, Willy Kambwala from Sochaux also at 16, and Alvaro Fernandez Carreras from Real Madrid at 17. Garnacho has since become a regular in the first team, Kambwala made his debut in December, and Fernandez Carreras is currently on loan at Benfica.

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According to reports from Football Insider, Manchester United appears set to part ways with Raphael Varane, with the French defender’s contract expiring in June. Contrary to earlier beliefs that his contract would end in June 2025, it was revealed last month that the actual expiration is set for the end of the 2023-24 season.

The 30-year-old World Cup champion is currently eligible to negotiate with clubs outside England for a pre-contract agreement, allowing for a free transfer at the end of the season.

Manchester United has the option to extend Varane’s contract by an additional year. However, sources close to the situation indicate that the club is not in a hurry to activate this clause.

The likelihood of Varane leaving Old Trafford is high, especially with club officials eager to reduce the financial burden of his substantial salary. After his transfer from Real Madrid in 2021, Varane’s weekly wages are understood to be around £340,000.

Varane, who began his professional journey at Lens before moving to Real Madrid nearly 13 years ago, has expressed a longing to return to France.

While he is free to discuss moves to other clubs, it’s believed that his current focus remains on securing his spot in Manchester United’s starting eleven under the guidance of manager Erik ten Hag, particularly after recently reclaiming a regular place in the team.

This season, Varane has made 18 appearances in all competitions, finding the back of the net once. His time in England, spanning two and a half seasons, has seen him make a total of 81 appearances, with injuries affecting his playing time at the club.

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According to the Telegraph Sport, Al-Nassr, a leading team in the Saudi Pro League, has set its sights on Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka to bolster their defense in the upcoming January transfer window, the Saudi team is reportedly ready to bid for Wan-Bissaka.

Their initial £20 million offer for Tottenham’s Emerson Royal was rejected, leading them to turn their focus to 26-year-old Wan-Bissaka.

Following a recent decision by Manchester United to extend his contract by an additional year, Wan-Bissaka is now secured at Old Trafford until the following year.

Despite being sidelined by a hamstring injury, Wan-Bissaka has managed to start 13 games this season. His performance has not gone unnoticed, attracting attention from several European clubs.

However, Al-Nassr’s interest appears to be the most concrete, as they look to reinforce their squad for the latter half of the season. In order to accommodate a new foreign player, Al-Nassr will have to make room by de-registering one of their current lesser-known international players.

Currently valued at 20 million EUR according to Transfermarkt, Wan-Bissaka’s potential transfer fee could be driven higher by Manchester United.

Al-Nassr, who have already made significant signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte, are keen to add a full-back to their roster before the transfer deadline next week.

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The pursuit of Mason Greenwood, the 22-year-old on loan at Getafe, is edging ever closer to a summer switch to Barcelona, according to The Sun Football.

Although The Sun isn’t typically considered a reliable source, it has, however, been accurate regarding news about Mason Greenwood so far.

Greenwood’s current season, marked by five goals, is set against the backdrop of Manchester United’s decision to not include him in their future plans.  This decision follows an internal review by United after Greenwood faced serious allegations, leading to his arrest in January 2022 on charges including attempted rape and assault. These charges were later dropped in February 2023.

With 18 months left on his contract with Manchester United, Greenwood has garnered attention from clubs like Barcelona and Atletico Madrid since his departure from Old Trafford.

Although his loan with Getafe ends in June, the club has shown interest in securing him permanently.

A source, speaking to The Sun, disclosed Greenwood’s aspiration for a ‘dream move’ to Barcelona, though no formal agreement is in place yet.

United is keen on a sale, with the source noting that a ‘clean break’ would be beneficial for all involved. The valuation for Greenwood is believed to be around £40 million, inclusive of add-ons.

Currently focused on making a mark in La Liga, where Getafe stands 10th, Greenwood has been the subject of keen interest from Barcelona.

The club has reportedly dispatched scouts to observe him on six occasions, with feedback being ‘overwhelmingly positive’.

Greenwood also harbors ambitions to return to the England squad, having earned his sole senior cap in September 2020 against Iceland but was then sent home for breaching Covid guidelines. He also holds eligibility to play for Jamaica.

Despite Barcelona’s apparent lead in the race for his signature, Getafe’s manager Jose Bordalas last month expressed satisfaction with Greenwood’s contribution and adaptation to the team, emphasizing Greenwood’s value and good fit within the squad.

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ESPN Brasil has reported that Real Madrid has set a high price tag for Vinicius Junior, informing Manchester United that any offer below €250m (£215m) would not be considered.

The 23-year-old Brazilian star has been linked with a move to Old Trafford amidst growing interest from the Premier League giant.

Despite encountering some injuries, Vinicius has remained a key figure for Real Madrid, delivering nine goals and four assists across 17 matches in the 2023-24 season. His role this season has seen him primarily partnering with Rodrygo in the attack.

Real Madrid, under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, is rumored to be reverting to a 4-3-3 formation next season, a shift that coincides with the anticipated arrival of Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer. This potential signing could impact Vinicius’s position, as both players favor the left side in the attack.

Speculation has been rife about Vinicius’s future, especially with reports of Mbappe’s arrival. Defensa Central noted that Manchester United might be willing to propose up to €150m (£130m) for the Brazilian.

Vinicius, who renewed his contract with Real Madrid last October, has a staggering €1bn (£860m) release clause in his contract.

Yet, ESPN Brasil suggests that Real Madrid values Vinicius’s contribution so highly that only bids above €250m (£215m) would be entertained. The club’s stance, led by president Florentino Perez, is that while Vinicius is considered integral, a substantial offer could lead to a reconsideration.

Since joining Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018, Vinicius has secured 10 trophies, including two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.

His record for Los Blancos is impressive, with 68 goals and 68 assists in 242 appearances. In the Champions League alone, he has notched 17 goals and 20 assists in 49 matches, and in the Spanish league, he has 38 goals and 33 assists in 161 games.

As the transfer window approaches, Manchester United, bolstered by new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is reportedly keen on strengthening its attacking lineup, with Vinicius potentially a key target.

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Manchester United players are reportedly growing “weary” of Erik ten Hag repeating instructions during tactical sessions that sap concentration, according to a report by The Athletic.

At Manchester United, there’s a growing sense of frustration among players with coach Erik ten Hag’s method of conveying tactics, as per The Athletic’s report. The 2023-24 season has been challenging in terms of maintaining consistency for the team under the Dutch coach, who, despite securing the Carabao Cup in his first season, now sees the FA Cup as the sole opportunity for silverware this year.

Back in 2021, Tottenham had the chance to bring Ten Hag on board following Jose Mourinho’s departure but chose Nuno Espirito Santo instead, partly due to apprehensions about Ten Hag’s communication abilities.

Now, similar concerns are emerging at Manchester United. The Athletic indicates that some players are finding Ten Hag’s detailed and repetitive instructions tedious, even when the concepts are fairly simple or straightforward.

Sources familiar with the matter, who have chosen to remain anonymous, have conveyed to The Athletic that Ten Hag’s repetitive teaching style stems from his thorough approach, aiming to ensure all players fully comprehend his strategic nuances.

However, the impact of these methods appears to be mixed among United’s diverse squad, particularly during lengthier training sessions, which can approach an hour – resulting in players, many of whom also consider English to be a second language, losing concentration.

Ten Hag, who previously faced similar challenges regarding his communication and play style at Ajax, managed to win the support of Ajax fans with a string of successful outcomes and multiple trophies.

The big question remains whether he can replicate this success at Manchester United.