Tag: Manchester United

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Manchester United is gearing up for significant transfer activity, though it’s anticipated that most of their dealings, both in terms of sales and acquisitions, will take off starting from the summer transfer window.

At that time, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have thoroughly evaluated the team’s performance and, in collaboration with the club’s board and manager, he will make decisions ensuring that new signings are truly suitable for United, rather than just temporary fixes.

As per multiple reports, one player who is confirmed to be leaving Old Trafford is Sofyan Amrabat.

Reports from Fichajes indicate that United has decided against exercising the €20m option to buy the midfielder. Despite his commendable stint at Fiorentina, the 27-year-old has not lived up to expectations at United and doesn’t seem to align with ten Hag’s vision for the team.

In terms of potential new talent, Manchester United has set its sights on Archie Gray, the 17-year-old Leeds United prodigy, according to Fichajes.

The young English centre-forward is also under the radar of Liverpool and Tottenham. Fichajes estimates that Gray could command a transfer fee in the range of £40m-£50m.

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Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo has recently commented on the ongoing speculation about a potential transfer to Manchester United.

Reports had surfaced that last summer, the English club was considering a significant financial proposal to persuade Araujo to leave Barcelona for a new chapter in England.

However, such a transfer, if ever seriously considered, did not come to fruition. Araujo continued his career at Barcelona, becoming an integral part of the team under Xavi’s guidance.

Despite the lapse of time, the rumors about Manchester United’s interest in Araujo have persisted. It was reported towards the end of last year that the Red Devils were willing to offer a substantial increase to Araujo’s salary to attract him to Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag is reportedly keen on bolstering his defensive lineup, either in the current transfer window or at the season’s end.

The team has faced challenges with injuries within their defensive squad, impacting their overall performance consistency.

Araujo, 24, addressed the media about these transfer speculations. He expressed his contentment at Barcelona and his lack of intention to leave.

His statement was clear, “In every transfer window there are rumours of all kinds. It’s normal. The only thing I can say is that I’m focused on the team and also on this club.

“I’m comfortable here and I always try to give everything for this shirt.”

He continued, “There are always rumours that appear in all markets. There was talk in the summer about Manchester United, but I am focused on Barca. And I will always give one hundred percent.”

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CenteDevils can now confirm that Hannibal Mejbri has completed his move to Sevilla. Everton were in the race too, but Hannibal ultimately decided to join the La Liga club.

Earlier this week, we broke the story of Hannibal being on the verge of a switch to Seville, but the deal prolonged a bit after Everton entered the scene and tried to hijack it at the last moment.

We also understand, there is set to be a purchase option and a buyout clause in the loan deal.

Hannibal Mejbri is clearly a determined player, who has rejected the chance to play at the Africa Cup of Nations to ensure he gets a loan this month.

The Tunisian international would have almost certainly started for his country in the Ivory Coast.

But instead, he’s pursuing a loan to get some proper first-team football.

We wish him all the best.

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Gary Neville has expressed strong opinions about the club’s acquisition of Casemiro, stating that the move “should have never gone through” and that there “should have been a veto” on it.

The Brazilian star made a switch from Real Madrid to Manchester United in the 2022 summer transfer window, a move that reportedly cost around £70m.

In his debut season, Casemiro was an integral part of Erik ten Hag’s successful start at Old Trafford, contributing to the team’s journey to the FA Cup final, securing the League Cup, and achieving a top-four spot in the Premier League.

Despite these achievements, Casemiro’s performance this season has been less impressive. In his 12 appearances across all competitions, his impact has been limited, partly due to injury issues.

The 31-year-old midfielder, who has been sidelined since Manchester United’s League Cup loss to Newcastle, is back in training following recovery from a hamstring injury.

He is anticipated to possibly return for the upcoming match against Tottenham.

Neville, however, is of the view that Manchester United made a significant error in signing Casemiro, particularly at his age of 30.

He believes that a decision like this should have been blocked by someone within the club’s management.

Neville told the Stick to Football podcast: “Coming in from an owner’s perspective, you employ a head of recruitment who you think is the best guy out there at spotting talent, that will bring value to your club. You’ve got a sporting director equally, who will be thinking the same way – their loyalty is to the club and to make sure we win games.

“A manager’s job is purely to think about the immediate short term and getting results for himself. Casemiro is perfect example of a short-term signing that is going to cost in the long term.

“That signing never should have gone through a good sporting director, a good owner, and a good head of recruitment. That signing should have never gone through, it should have been a veto.”

Neville is the co-owner of Salford City and he’s described the need for him, the sporting director and manager to be on the same page when it comes to transfers.

The Man Utd legend added: “You’ve got a head of recruitment, a sporting director, and a team of scouts who have probably watched between them a thousand games in a season, and they might have watched the players you’re trying to sign between 15 to 20 times live between them all.

“You have a coach and a manager who have literally been concentrating on getting results, coaching his players, assessing pre-match and post-match – fixed on results and everything that is going on in the media – he’s probably never even watched these players live.

“You’re trusting that guy over another football guy, whose got a really good brain, to make a decision. The perfect scenario for me at Salford would have been, the owner and the chairman having a financial veto – if it didn’t fit the budget, it couldn’t come in, that’s a fact.

“The manager has a veto if he doesn’t want a player, but also the sporting director, on behalf of their recruitment, has a veto to say that this player isn’t right for us in the long-term.

“Everyone has a veto in essence and what you’d like as an owner is if the sporting director, the head of recruitment, and the manager are all on the same page.

“If they’re not, and this happened quite a bit [at Salford], you’ve got your sporting director and head of recruitment saying, ‘I’m not sure, we’ve watched him a lot,’ but then you’ve got the head coach who says that he used to have him at Grimsby, for example, and he wants him because he knows him – that’s the scenario that exists.”

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According to The Sun, Manchester United’s recent proposal to Sporting Lisbon, offering Facundo Pellistri in exchange for midfielder Morten Hjulmand, has been turned down.

The report states Sporting Lisbon is holding out for the activation of Hjulmand’s £69 million release clause by the Red Devils.

Reports indicate that United scouts have been monitoring Hjulmand, a defensive midfielder, in at least six of his appearances this season, in both the Primeira Liga and the Europa League.

Hjulmand, who has played in 24 games for Sporting since his transfer from Lecce for about £15 million, has been a consistent presence, missing only one match. He has contributed one goal and two assists across all competitions.

Manchester United’s interest in Hjulmand is bolstered by the presence of Christian Eriksen, a fellow Danish international and close friend of Hjulmand, at Old Trafford.

Eriksen, who plays alongside Hjulmand for Denmark, is seen as a mentor to the 24-year-old. Additionally, Rasmus Hojlund, another Danish international, is part of Manchester United’s squad.

However, Sporting Lisbon has not shown interest in the offer involving Pellistri, who has played nine league games this season for Manchester United.

Hjulmand’s past includes being linked with a move to the Premier League with Southampton during his time at Lecce.

Manchester United, under Erik ten Hag, sees Hjulmand as a potential enhancement to their midfield, which has seen challenges with recent additions.

Both Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat have faced difficulties settling in since their summer arrival, and Casemiro has also had a challenging start to the season before being sidelined by an injury.

Currently, Manchester United is positioned eighth in the Premier League, trailing nine points behind the top four. The team is about to enter a challenging phase with upcoming matches against Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham, and Aston Villa.

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Jadon Sancho will return to Old Trafford after his temporary stint at Borussia Dortmund concludes.

Sancho’s move to his previous club in Germany was fueled by a disagreement with Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag.

The loan agreement, involving a fee of approximately £3 million, will not lead to a permanent transfer, ensuring Sancho’s return to England after the loan period with the German club ends.

Currently training solo, Sancho is expected to join Dortmund’s training camp in Marbella within the next 48 hours.

The Mirror UK reports that Borussia Dortmund is deterred from signing Sancho permanently due to his high salary demands. Sancho’s move to Manchester United in 2021 came with a hefty price tag of £73 million, and his contract with the Red Devils, which lasts until 2026, sees him earning about £250,000 weekly.

The loan arrangement requires Dortmund to pay his salary, a financial commitment they find challenging.

Manchester United, in a bid to facilitate the six-month loan, has consented to pay a third of Sancho’s wages during his time at Dortmund.

This January transfer window marks Sancho’s departure from United, though his contract with the club remains active until 2026.

Sancho’s exclusion from first-team training at Manchester United resulted from a dispute with coach Erik ten Hag, leading to the involvement of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to potentially mediate the situation. Despite not issuing an apology, there is a hope within United that Sancho’s performance in the Bundesliga will revitalize his form, potentially increasing his market value for a summer sale.

However, it seems improbable that Manchester United will recover the full initial investment made in 2021.

During his tenure at Borussia Dortmund from 2017 to 2021, Sancho scored 50 goals and provided 64 assists in 137 appearances. His synergy with teammate Erling Haaland was notable, and together they helped Dortmund win the DFB Pokal in 2021. Sancho’s time at Manchester United, however, has been less impactful, with only 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances.

The upcoming loan spell in the Bundesliga will be a critical period for Sancho to prove his prowess once more.

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Tottenham Hotspur has set its sights on Middlesbrough’s young talent Hayden Hackney, a move anticipated to heat up in the upcoming summer transfer window, a report from Standard reveals.

Under the guidance of Michael Carrick this season, the 21-year-old midfielder’s performances have not gone unnoticed, drawing interest from several top-tier Premier League teams, including Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool.

The report states that Middlesbrough are aware of the growing interest in Hackney and are preparing for potential summer bids. The club has indicated a willingness to consider a January sale only if an exceptionally high offer is tabled.

Raised in the north east and a product of the Middlesbrough academy, Hackney is reportedly content at his current club, who are vying for a Championship play-off spot.

Acknowledging the likelihood of his eventual departure, Middlesbrough seems ready to capitalise on the situation, with a hope to spark a bidding contest for the England Under-21s midfielder, especially from United, who have shown a keen interest.

Hackney is known for his technical skills and ability to navigate through tight situations in midfield, he has been a standout in his defensive midfielder role this season.

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Manchester United’s performance this season has been less than stellar, raising doubts about their ability to secure a top-four finish.

However, the upcoming transfer window presents an opportunity for significant improvements.

United, along with Aston Villa, have shown considerable interest in 23-year-old Jonathan David.

As reported by Football Transfers, both clubs have requested regular updates on the Canadian international, who has been linked with numerous top-tier teams.

David, currently at Lille, appears ready for a new challenge.

Although David has experienced some struggles this season at Lille, with only five league goals in 17 appearances, his form picked up before the winter break, scoring three goals in his last five matches.

His recent performance in the Coupe de France against Golden Lions was particularly notable, contributing to Lille’s 12-0 victory with a hat-trick, three assists, and winning a penalty.

United is in dire need of offensive strength, having scored the fewest goals in the top half of the Premier League.

David, who moved to Lille from Gent in 2020 for €27 million and is under contract until 2025, could provide that boost.

His current Estimated Transfer Value stands at €44.8 million, a decrease from his summer peak of €62 million.

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It seems to be only a matter of time before it’s confirmed that Jadon Sancho will be returning to Borussia Dortmund on loan from Manchester United.

Truthfully, it hasn’t worked out for the England international since he came back home.

Whether it was under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick or Erik ten Hag, Sancho has not come close to the levels that he showed when he was in Germany.

In his first spell at Dortmund, Sancho was viewed as an elite, generational winger who was courted by the likes of Real Madrid.

He is returning, however, as someone that United have struggled to find alternate suitors for.

An indication of how much his stock has fallen has been revealed as reports are now emerging on how much Dortmund are willing to pay to bring him back.

According to The Daily Mail, Dortmund want Manchester United to pay up to a third of Sancho’s wages during this loan period.

With Sancho’s wages reported to be at around £290,000 a week, that means United will be forking out close to a whopping £100,000 a week for the player to ply his trade away from the club.

That means that United will be paying around £2.5m until the end of the season for Sancho to play elsewhere.

According to the publication, there are certain additional clauses inserted into the loan deal that will result in Dortmund paying United additional payments based on Sancho’s performances as well as the club’s qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

Sancho was rumoured to be on around £200,000 a week with Dortmund before his switch to United and it seems that the German side want to pay a similar amount now that they’re taking him back.

If this isn’t a damning indictment on United’s recruitment policy over the past few years, we’re not sure wbat is.

A club known for spending as wisely as Dortmund feel that they’re not willing to push the boat out further than what the player left for, whereas United were happy to pay almost an extra £100,000 a week for the same player.

Despite having played at a higher level in the English Premier League and under a more scrutinised club like United, Dortmund still don’t feel the need to overpay for the player.

Putting what it says about United’s recruitment to the side, many will be hoping that Sancho can hit the same levels in Germany as he did before.

Maybe a spell back there will help boost his confidence before he either returns to England to try again at United or to increase his value before a permanent transfer away from Manchester.

Either way, it seems that this loan can’t come soon enough for all parties – especially Dortmund, who seem to be getting a sweet deal for Sancho’s transfer.

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Lisandro Martínez is eyeing the upcoming game against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday for his comeback from an injury, according to Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler.

Recently, Martinez resumed full training sessions with Manchester United, the club that has won the English league 20 times.

Erik Ten Hag, United’s manager, has mentioned several times in recent weeks that Martinez, along with teammate Casemiro, is expected to be fit for selection in January.

Earlier in the season, Martinez had to have a second surgery on his fractured metatarsal. The first surgery, conducted in April, was not completely successful in resolving the issue.

The Argentine player managed to participate in the initial games of the 2023-24 season. However, he experienced pain in the same foot, leading to a decision for further surgical intervention.

Martinez’s most recent match was against Brighton & Hove Albion in mid-September.

Manchester United have progressed in the FA Cup after beating third-round opponents Wigan Athletic on Monday. Another FA Cup match is now scheduled for the end of January.

Should Martinez not play in the Tottenham match, he would have to delay his Premier League comebacks until February.