Journalist claims it's 'make-or-break' for Chelsea ace; club would 'listen to a good offer'

Journalist Simon Phillps has claimed that Chelsea would listen to a ‘good offer’ for Kai Havertz and insists it’s a ‘make-or-break season’ for the German.

Havertz has been a regular feature in the Blues line-up once again this term starting all but one of their fixtures. 

One of Thomas Tuchel’s most used players, the 23-year-old was given the nod by Graham Potter in his first game in charge but his position may be under threat, with Armando Broja catching the English coach’s eye.  

The one-time Bayer Leverkusen dynamo was far from his best last season with only Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Saul Niguez averaging a lower SofaScore match rating than his 6.83.

His only goal so far this season came against West Ham, ironically his only substitute appearance, and Phillips has previously stated that he feels the 6 ft 3 maestro ins on borrowed time. 

Now the journalist has claimed that the west Londoners would consider selling the £150k-per-week Germany international should his form not improve.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think this is a make-or-break season for Kai Havertz. If he doesn’t continue to grow and get better, then I think Chelsea would definitely listen to a good offer if it did come in from Bayern Munich or elsewhere. It really is on Kai Havertz.”

Rediscovering his form

Havertz was signed for £71m just two years ago off the back of a breakout season that saw him register 18 goals and nine assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. 

In his first season at Stamford Bridge in a similar amount of games, he produced 17 direct goal involvements, albeit around 1200 minutes less game time.

The 28-cap Germany international scored the winner as Chelsea clinched their second Champions League trophy in his first campaign and went on to score 14 goals and provide six assists last season.

However, he has failed to capture the imagination for large spells during his time at Cobham with Tuchel previously saying “we want absolutely more” from him.

If he can’t up his game Havertz could indeed be ousted, with Bayern Munich thought to be interested, but at 23 he certainly does have time on his side.

The post Chelsea would ‘definitely’ consider ‘good offer’ for Kai Havertz – journalist appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Football director debunks claims that fans had control over controversial transfer

Manchester United’s collapsed move for striker Marko Arnautovic wasn’t to do with unhappy fans, a new report claims.

It was a top priority for Erik ten Hag to find new solutions in the forward positions due to the uncertain future of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Throughout the summer, multiple striker targets were reported but with time running out, attention quickly turned to the Austrian international.

The club instead opted to sign Antony to play on the right side with Marcus Rashford enjoying a bright spell in the striker position.

According to Sport Witness, various new reports have been published about what really happened when the deal actually collapsed.

Bologna’s director of football, Marco Di Vaio explained the situation in an interview on Thursday with Corriere dello Sport.

He claimed that Man United did in fact enquire about Arnautovi,c with Juventus also showing interest, but failed to question the club about the availability of the striker.

Di Vaio effectively debunked the reports that fans caused the club to walk away from the transfer.

He said to the media: “No, no. Manchester United did not back down because of those fans.

“Only because Arnautovic has understood that he is at the centre of our project now and in the coming years.”

“Marko behaved like a true champion, realising what he represents for Bologna as a team and a city.”

With the current form of the United attack, it seems like this was a blessing in disguise for many fans who will be enjoying the current lineup.

Anthony Martial is yet to get going this season after a spell on the sidelines.

However, it is expected he will feature at some point during the busy October fixtures as he is now back in training.
 
 

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'Going forward...' - Journalist believes 'absolute star' will be given 'more games' at Chelsea

Journalist Simon Phillips believes that “as time goes on” Carney Chukwuemeka will be given a chance at Chelsea.

Chukwuemeka arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer for £20m, despite little exposure at the top level.

Last season, the Aston Villa academy graduate made his first-team debut for the west Midlands club, going on to make 15 appearances.

He appeared in the Premier League 12 times, but only twice as a starter.

Since his switch to the capital, the 18-year-old has been left on the bench four times or not even involved in the matchday squad. 

However, the England U20 international did score both goals as the Blues defeated Graham Potter’s former side, Brighton, 2-1 in an in-house friendly.

Now Phillips has claimed that the talented youngster is knocking on the door and believes it’s only a matter of time before he is given an opportunity by the English coach.

He told GIVEMEPSORT: “​​He’s doing all he can and he’s working hard and there’s no way that he can keep being ignored going forward.

“I think he will get chances, whether that’s off the bench or a start here or there in a cup competition. As time goes on, he will definitely get more games.”

Competition for places

Chukwuemeka has been hailed as an “absolute star” by former Arsenal player Paul Merson (Sky Sports via Birmingham Mail) after making his full debut at Villa Park.

However, the squad in his preferred position of center-midfield is currently quite stacked.

Potter can rely on first-team regulars N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, as well as Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher and Denis Zakaria.

While he has played at number 10, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz are ahead of him in the pecking order.

However, with 13 games in 43 days before the mid-season World Cup, Potter’s squad will be stretched to the limit, which could provide an opportunity for Chukwuemeka to shine.

The post Carney Chukwuemeka tipped to receive more minutes under Potter appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Double boost for Ten Hag as two crucial stars return ahead of Manchester derby

Erik ten Hag says Marcus Rashord is back in training and could feature for Manchester united against Manchester City at the Etihad stadium this weekend.

He also confirmed that Anthony Martial has trained all week and has made a “good impression”.

However, as expected, Harry Maguire will miss the game after picking up an injury while on international duty.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s game, the boss said “Harry Maguire is injured. For the rest we have some doubts, Anthony Martial but he was training all week with the group, performing really well, makes a good impression. Marcus Rashford he returns into training so we are happy with that.”

On Maguire’s ongoing struggles to find form, Ten Hag said “I have to coach him and back him. I back him because I believe in him. I can see his qualities. Quality is there. Almost 50 caps for England, he has high potential. Then it is about him. We all believe in him.”

The boss was also asked what it meant to him to win the Premier League manager of the month award.

“What we achieved we did together, it says we are in the right direction,” he responded.

“There is a lot of space for improvement, we have to. It says we are in the right direction but have to work harder.”

The Dutchman also expressed his intention to try to win Sunday’s game, saying “I approach this by looking at ourselves. Manchester United, we want to win every game. The aim for Sunday is nothing else. We have to do our best and of course a good plan, and the execution.

“I have played many derbies! I know what they are, what the rivalry, what they do with each other. I know it is the most important game in the Manchester area.

“It excites me. You do everything to win that game.”

When asked how he intended to blunt the threat of City striker Erling Haaland, Ten Hag said “We don’t play against Haaland, we play against Man City.

“We are convinced of our capabilities. If we act as a team then we can beat our opponents. That is the belief we need, and we need it even more Sunday.”

 
 

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Not done yet: De Jong saga takes a new turn as United plan £200m blockbuster summer

Manchester United have reportedly not yet given up on signing Frenkie de Jong from FC Barcelona.

The 25 year old was Erik ten Hag’s number one target last summer, but United failed to land him and opted to go for the industrious Casemiro.

De Jong considers Barca his dream club, and we was determined to stay.

He claimed his stance remained the same despite interest from United and Chelsea.

According to ESPN, Ten Hag is still considering the possibility of landing the Dutchman next summer.

The report states:

“Sources told ESPN that United manager Erik ten Hag isn’t put off by the 25-year-old’s public stance and won’t rule out the possibility of making another bid next summer.”

“There is still a feeling at Old Trafford that De Jong could leave Barcelona in the future, and he could be convinced to move to Manchester where he’d reunite with his former Ajax manager Ten Hag.”

United are also said to be interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The 19 year old is one of the most exciting players in the world at the moment and has attracted strong interest from European giants.

Despite fierce competition from Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool, United are keen to be involved in the race to sign the teenage sensation.

Bellingham will be a vital part of the club’s transfer plans next season.

The club is not expected to spend big this January and will plan for the summer instead.

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PL midfield star snubbed both United and Liverpool for this bizarre reason

Manchester United were linked with a move for Ruben Neves over the summer as they sought to strengthen their midfield.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers captain has become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since his €18m move from FC Porto.

And while the Red Devil’s unsuccessful attempts to lure Frenkie de Jong to the club were cited as the reason behind their lack of movement regarding Neves, reports suggest that United did try to sign to Portugal midfielder.

Spanish outlet Sport suggests that both Manchester United and Liverpool contacted super-agent Jorge Mendes over the possibility of a summer transfer.

However both were rebuffed once Neves heard of interest from La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

His interest in becoming a Barca player was strong enough to convince him to spend an extra year at Wolves.

The Blaugrana were unable to move for Neves this summer due to their financial situation.

Their finances were so dire that Barcelona were only able to sign Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso in the summer.

The La Liga giants are expected to make their move for Ruben Neves next summer, having earmarked the Portugal player as a replacement for Sergio Busquets.

As for United, Casemiro was signed to reinforce the defensive midfield position, while Christian Eriksen has taken to the playmaker role with style so far this season.

A player of Neves’ profile, who could cover both roles, would be a good acquisition in future, with Eriksen in particular lacking a backup in the squad.

Man United will surely be looking at strengthening their midfield further, but they are unlikely to do so via Ruben Neves.
 
 

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Sky reporter gives fans huge encouragement about January striker deal

Manchester United will be holding “talks behind the scenes” over a January move for a new striker.

That is according to Sky Sports transfer insider Dharmesh Sheth, who told Give Me Sport the following:

“At the end of the day, you’ve got a situation where the striker that they’ve got there, in Cristiano Ronaldo, is not getting any younger.

“We all know that. We know how brilliant he is but he’s not getting any younger and it seems that the way that Erik ten Hag wants to play, particularly in the Premier League, is not suited to how Ronaldo wants to play.

“I’m sure there will be talks behind the scenes for Manchester United along the lines of ‘yes, we do want to strengthen in that area.’ Whether they’d be able to do something in January is a completely different question.”

Erik ten Hag has not been able to rely on Cristiano Ronaldo this season, with the striker initially searching for a move away from Old Trafford over the summer.

He has subsequently started in just one league match this season – an ill-fated trip to Brentford that saw United lose 4-0.

Since that result, Ronaldo has taken on the role of a Europa League option and was largely unimpressive in each tie.

The legendary goalscorer managed only to net a penalty against Sheriff Tiraspol and looked completely off the pace against Real Sociedad.

He failed to register a shot on target from open play in either of those matches.

Ronaldo’s performances from the bench in the Premier League have also been barren in that regard, with no shots on target across 107 minutes of football since the Brentford match.

And even on the international stage, where Ronaldo is still the undisputed top dog, he has been unconvincing of late, spurning chances against Spain and failing to trouble the goalkeeper against the Czech Republic.

With his ineffectiveness becoming more and more of a concern, a new striker is the clear priority for a United side that only managed to add one attacker to its dwindling list of options over the summer.

And while Sheth is unsure of United’s capabilities in enacting an acquisition in January, United fans will hope that those talks lead to action.

The Red Devils are currently on a four-game winning streak, but it is notable that three of those wins were by one-goal margins, with United players failing to score in either loss at the season’s beginning.

A clinical forward, and ideally one who could offer physicality up top, could make a huge difference to Ten Hag’s attempts to instil his vision at Old Trafford.

The profile of players targeted over the summer certainly seems to suggest that the Man United hierarchy are acutely aware of Ten Hag’s needs up front.

Benjamin Sesko and Victor Osimhen were among their considerations, while a late bid for Ivan Toney was also mooted.

Sesko agreed a move to RB Leipzig instead, while the cost of Osimhen prohibited a serious approach given United’s outlay in fixing other key positions.

Toney may look a little more realistic than those two, however it has been a long time since shopping in the Premier League was a road to good value, particularly for Manchester United.

John Murtough and co could look to players coming to the end of their contracts as they hunt for doable deals in the winter window, with both Moussa Dembele of Olympique Lyon and Memphis Depay of FC Barcelona coming into the last six months of their deals in January.
 
 

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Dutch star’s agent explains how Pogba got away with murder at Man United

Slowly but surely, the pain of last season is disappearing and fans are convinced that Erik ten Hag is building towards something special.

The majority of United’s under-performing stars have found a new lease of life under the Dutch manager with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot looking like brand-new players.

Unfortunately, one player whose condition has remained the same is Donny van de Beek. He recently came back from injury and is currently back in training.

Donny’s difficult Utd career

And despite his former Ajax boss taking over duties at United, his prospects have not seen a U-turn. He has played a total of 19 minutes, all of which came in the first three games.

Donny van de Beek asked to leave Manchester United after seeing Paul Pogba start ahead of him despite turning up late for training, says his former agent 😳

— GOAL News (@GoalNews) September 29, 2022

Since the Liverpool game, Van De Beek is yet to get any game time and was injured prior to the Arsenal game. That robbed him of the chance to start in the Europa League.

It has been a difficult time for the midfielder since he arrived at United back in 2020. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not trust the Dutch international and he hardly started in the Premier League.

And things got even worse next season which prompted the 25-year-old to change his agent. He was earlier represented by Guido Albers but then decided to shift base to Ali Dursun.

After missing out on the Euros due to injury, the versatile midfielder arrived for pre-season with the determination that he would impress Solskjaer and force his way into his plans for the season.

However, that did not happen and Albers, during an appearance on the #DoneDeal podcast, chronicled the events which ultimately led to his dismissal.

“He then made a plan with others to return to United in top condition. Then you hope for a chance, but politics and interests also play a role there.

“He had to compete with Paul Pogba. He reported to the training camp too late, said sorry and was allowed to play again – in the place of a boy who trained ten hours a day for eight weeks to show that he was good enough. I then accept that disappointment,” revealed Albers (via Voetbal Primeur).

Agent change

And that forced Van De Beek to look elsewhere as he felt his career was stagnating at United. But the Red Devils did not allow him to leave and the former Ajax star then ruthlessly changed agents, which hurt Albers personally.

“Because I didn’t see it coming. I saw the disappointment with the way he has been treated by Manchester United and he has seen up close what I did to turn the situation around. But from the day he was not allowed again leaving Manchester United, it was final.”

United have 13 games in the space of little over a month before teams head off for the World Cup. Van De Beek will be hoping to impress his former Ajax boss and get increased game time.

Fans have been patient and still want him to succeed at United. But if it does not happen under Ten Hag, there is a growing belief that a permanent solution would suit both parties.

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Chelsea facing competition from EPL rivals to land 'fabulous' 6 ft 4 ace amid Potter request

Chelsea will look to target centre-back Pau Torres, according to reports from Spain.

The west Londoners invested heavily in their defence in the summer, signing Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella for around £170m, but the spending in that position looks set to continue.

There has already been a change in the dugout this season, with Thomas Tuchel being relieved of his duties. Graham Potter has been appointed in his stead and, after an initial assessment of the squad, it seems that the 47-year-old knows where he wants to reinforce.

Chelsea to rival London duo for Torres

Spanish reports have claimed that Chelsea will rival north London pair Arsenal and Tottenham for the signing of Villarreal centre-back Torres.

The 25-year-old is ‘close to leaving for the Premier League’ when the season ends, and the Blues are thought to have him ‘in their sights’. 

The source suggests that the Stamford Bridge club are on the hunt for more central defenders in an attempt to offer greater choice to Potter. The manager is said to have told the Chelsea hierarchy that they need ‘more quality’ and ‘good ball output’ in that area, and Torres could certainly help in that regard.

One of the best defenders on the ball

Hailed by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves as a ‘fantastic’ player with a ‘fabulous’ left foot, the 21-cap Spain international has emerged as one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in Europe.

With a similar stylistic profile to Manchester City duo John Stones and Ruben Dias, Torres ranks in the top 8% of his positional peers across Europe for progressive passes per 90 (4.66) according to FBref.

Over the past 12 months, he has posted an 85.9% pass completion rate and ranks in the top 2% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for dribbles completed (0.7) per game, illustrating a comfort in possession.

Heralded as ‘sensational’ by his national team boss Luis Enrique, it is clear to see why some of England’s finest are keeping an eye on the 6 foot 4 star, and hopefully Chelsea can win the three-way London race for his signature.

The post Chelsea to target Pau Torres appeared first on Read Chelsea.

'One of the many things': Journalist details 'disagreement' prior to Tuchel's sacking at Chelsea

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and the club’s former manager Thomas Tuchel didn’t agree with one another over the summer signing of Carney Chukwuemeka, journalist Simon Phillips has claimed.

The teenager joined the Blues for £20m from Aston Villa in early August, but the then-Blues head coach had plans to loan him out. Chukwuemeka has stuck around at Stamford Bridge, although he is yet to feature for the first team, often finding himself not even included in the 20-man matchday squad.

Co-owner Boehly expressed his pleasure at finalising the signing of “one of the most exciting young players in Europe” via the official club website, but it appears that Tuchel wasn’t as enthusiastic about the England under-19 international.

Boehly and Tuchel disagreement

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Phillips has since claimed: “This is one of the many things that Tuchel and Boehly ended up disagreeing about, it was the signing of Chukwuemeka.

“I’m not saying Tuchel didn’t want him but they had different ideas about his role and Tuchel was more keen to send him out on loan to go and get experience. Straightaway, you can see why Tuchel didn’t pick him and didn’t play him because, it’s not that he didn’t want him in his squad, it’s that he didn’t think he was ready to play regular matches for Chelsea.

“So there was that disagreement there and Boehly had just spent quite a bit of money on him so Boehly wanted him playing this season.”

Contributing factor to Tuchel’s dismissal?

The highly-rated teenager appeared in 16 games for Villa after earning his first-team debut in May 2021. He has not yet had that chance at Chelsea, but as the season progresses, he might be utilised in some capacity by Graham Potter.

Former Arsenal ace Paul Merson described the 18-year-old as an “absolute star” of the future (Sky Sports, via Birmingham Mail), and the youngster could have benefitted from an initial loan move in order to enhance his development.

However, it does appear that Chukwuemeka’s signing was another contributing factor to the strained relationship between Boehly and Tuchel which ultimately cost the German his job.

The post ‘Disagreement’ over summer signing precipitated Thomas Tuchel’s sacking appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Ten Hag’s dream signing looks on, United star could go in opposite direction

Erik ten Hag has managed to steady the ship but the start of his reign as new Manchester United boss could not have been more inauspicious as his side succumbed to back-to-back defeats at the hands of Brighton and Brentford.

While none of the players covered themselves in glory, David de Gea‘s horrendous mistakes against the Bees was heavily criticised. The Spaniard was to blame for three of the four goals conceded on that dreadful day.

The Spanish goalkeeper has always been an elite shot-stopper but his ability with the ball at his feet and his reluctance to leave the line have held back United for a few seasons now.

DDG woes

Under Ten Hag, those issues have become glaringly obvious to see as the Dutchman prefers his team to build attacks from the back with the goalkeeper expected to be able to pass accurately and under pressure.

🚨| Atlético de Madrid are considering bringing David de Gea back to the club with Jan Oblak potentially leaving next summer.

Brentford’s David Raya and Brighton’s Robert Sánchez are two other options they are looking at. 🇪🇸

[🥈: @GraemeBailey, @90min_Football] pic.twitter.com/C3DhJKqLB7

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) September 28, 2022

De Gea’s below-par passing ability was ruthlessly exposed by Thomas Frank’s side and since the Liverpool game, Ten Hag has opted to go long as he does not believe his goalkeeper can handle his current demands.

And that has created numerous negative headlines with the latest news surrounding the former Atletico Madrid goalie is that United are dithering over whether to extend his current contract.

His poor form, inability to adjust to the new coach’s methods and his humongous wages have been mentioned as factors behind United’s reluctance.

90min have exclusively revealed that “Atletico Madrid are considering offering Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea a route back to the Spanish capital in 2023.”

DDG to Atletico, Oblak to Utd?

Numerous reports have linked the Red Devils with alternatives like Everton’s Jordan Pickford and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez in case the Spaniard does leave for free next summer.

But the strongest rumours have suggested that the English giants might be looking to add Jan Oblak to their roster. And if De Gea does leave for his old club, United could be handed a bargaining chip.

However, the chase will be far from easy. Evening Standard have reported that Tottenham Hotspur are looking to replace their skipper and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris with Oblak. The French goalie’s contract ends in 2024 and the Slovenian is atop their wishlist.

Chelsea were admirers in the past back when Frank Lampard was manager and still retain an interest.

Oblak’s contract with the La Liga giants runs till 2028 and his release clause is set at £107million. But Atletico are open to moving on their star keeper and the next summer transfer window might see a race between the three Premier League giants for Oblak.

The 29-year-old has spoken glowingly about a future Premier League move and United will be hoping to win the race for one of the best keepers in the world right now.

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'I've been told' - Journo drops behind-the-scenes Chelsea claim as Potter set to make big call

Armando Broja is expected to start as Chelsea return to Premier League action this weekend, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The 21-year-old youngster returned to Stamford Bridge following a productive loan spell at Southampton, where he scored nine goals across all competitions. The Albania international has made six substitute appearances this term for the Blues but is still awaiting his first start for the club.

However, The Sun‘s Alan Nixon reported that the imposing forward has beeen grabbing the attention of his new boss Graham Potter, and it now seems likely that he will be rewarded with a spot in the starting line-up against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Broja in line to start v Palace

Speaking about the probability of the Albanian starting at Selhurst Park this weekend, Phillips told GIVEMESPORT: “He’s very close, I’m surprised he hasn’t had it yet, but he had a small injury, so I think that held him up a bit.

“I’ve been told that he is expected to get the nod in the next game if all things go well between now and then and I think it’ll probably be ahead of Aubameyang, who still has a broken jaw issue, so I think Broja will start against Crystal Palace.”

About time

Despite having only 69 top-flight minutes available to him at Chelsea this season, the 6 foot 3 “machine” – as author Simon Peach described him – has made an impression.

As per FBRef, he ranks first for shots on target per game (3.7), far ahead of Kai Havertz in second place with 0.84, with 100% of his attempts being on target. The 15-cap Albanian is also ahead of his Stamford Bridge colleagues in terms of predicted goals per 90 minutes (0.45), narrowly edging top scorer Raheem Sterling in this regard.

Journalist Tom Barclay praised Broja for his “clinical” ability in front of goal, and it is reassuring to hear that Potter seems willing to finally give him a start for Chelsea this weekend.

Based on the output from his sporadic substitute appearances of late, it’s about time that the 21-year-old is thrown in from the start.

The post Armando Broja in line for first Chelsea start this weekend appeared first on Read Chelsea.

United star told “he doesn’t deserve” wages, club should “move on"

Gabriel Agbonlahor has warned Manchester United against triggering David de Gea‘s one-year contract extension at the end of this season.

Reported in Football Insider, the ex-Premier League forward insists de Gea is no longer worth the £300,000-per-week he would continue to earn should the extension be agreed.

“I don’t think he deserves that contract. The wages they’re talking about, £300,000-a-week, he doesn’t deserve that,” the former Aston Villa man said.

Agbonlahor went on to say United would be better served replacing the ‘error prone’ De Gea with a younger keeper.

“I would move on, to be honest. He’ll have a few good games but he’ll make errors. I would move on and look at a younger option instead.”

Question marks have arisen regarding De Gea’s ability to keep goal in an Erik ten Hag team.

Ten Hag’s preferred style is to build from the back and he requires his goalkeeper to be as good with his feet as he is with his hands. De Gea’s passing is not top of his attribute list, as proven so far the season.

De Gea is also one of the highest earners at the club, which adds credence to cutting ties with the Spaniard, in line with getting the wage structure down to a manageable level.

If De Gea was to leave, he would walk out of Old Trafford as one of the finest goalkeepers to ever wear the shirt.

Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year winner on four occasions, De Gea’s importance to the team has been huge, in what has been a rocky decade for the club. De Gea won the award in three consecutive years between 2014-2016 where he was considered as the best goalkeeper in the world.

Should De Gea leave, the replacement will have big gloves to fill. Dean Henderson is on the books but may have burnt his bridges after comments made on his loan move to Nottingham Forest.

Other names circling include Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, Wolves’ Jose Sa and England number one Jordan Pickford. Whoever replaces De Gea will feel the pressure of dealing with one of the most scrutinized positions in world football.

 
 

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Fabrizio Romano provides big update on United's Jude Bellingham battle

Jude Bellingham seems to be one of the most in demand players at the moment and this morning, Fabrizio Romano analyses the interest and the likely competition United will face in the race to sign him.

In his daily column on Caught Off Side, Romano said, “We’re going to have a crazy few months of rumours ahead involving Jude Bellingham. But it’s still important to stress that Borussia Dortmund are not negotiating with any clubs as of today.”

Romano predicts Liverpool will be the front runners as signing a top midfielder is a priority for them.

They have saved money this summer by signing Arthur Melo on loan and they will not want to miss out on Bellingham after failing to sign Aurelien Tchouameni earlier this year.

Romano says both Manchester clubs will be in the running for the England international whilst ex-United keeper Ben Foster has previously said on his YouTube channel how Bellingham would thrive being the main man at United.

Perhaps the biggest threat to United’s chances, as Romano points out, is Real Madrid.

After selling Casemiro to United earlier this year, they may be looking to bolster their ranks, especially as they have two ageing midfielders in Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

Chelsea may also be in the running as they, just like United, missed out on Frenkie de Jong this summer.

However, Romano makes clear that Bellingham doesn’t have an agreement with any club yet.

He says, “They [Borussia Dortmund] will set a final asking price after the World Cup.”

He goes on to add, “Dortmund are aware that Bellingham’s performances at the World Cup will surely affect his market value.”

It is more likely that Bellingham will wait until the end of the season before making his move.

 
 

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€30 million-rated Serie A star emerges as shock target as Ten Hag searches for "right" option

Manchester United’s attacking imbalance was apparent with all their wingers right-footed and preferring to play on the left flank.

Previous managers like Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ralf Rangnick have tried to play them on the right but it produced mixed results.

Mourinho tried to shoehorn Anthony Martial on the right but it became apparent that the Frenchman was far more adept on the left flank or up front.

RW woes

Solskjaer played Marcus Rashford there a few times and while the Mancunian never complained, he was far more dangerous when allowed to run into space from the left.

Marca, Spain, report Manchester Utd, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Everton want to sign Hirving Lozano, around €30m fee.

– looks an agent generated story to get a new deal to me, big outlet and clubs that are linked with everyone.

— Adam McNulty (@mcnultyadamm) September 25, 2022

Jadon Sancho‘s impact from the right at Borussia Dortmund meant his arrival at United would fix this problematic position. But Sancho showed his proficiency more as a left-winger and once again United were left without an all-out right winger.

Rangnick tried to utilise academy graduate Anthony Elanga in that position but even he struggled to make an impact forcing Ten Hag to sanction the record move for Antony.

The left-footed Brazilian is comfortable on the right and has solved a major crisis for the Dutchman. He scored on his debut against Arsenal and has started in all games since his arrival.

Waiting in the wings is Facundo Pellistri, a natural right-winger who has shone for the Uruguayan national team. He is yet to make his United debut and Ten Hag will likely give him minutes in the Europa League.

Could Lozano be the solution?

In case Pellistri is found to be too raw and in need of minutes, United will send him out on loan in January and a need to recruit a replacement will then become necessary.

According to Mexican edition of Marca (via Corriere dello Sport), the Red Devils are closely monitoring the situation of Napoli winger Hirving Lozano.

The Mexico international is not happy in Naples as coach Luciano Spalletti prefers Matteo Politano over him and he is looking for an exit route as early as January.

The report mentions that Bayern Munich remain interested while fellow Bundesliga club RB Leipzig are also eyeing the 27-year-old. Premier League outfit Everton are also admirers.

“Napoli, however, would not be willing to open the table of any negotiations for a figure of less than 30 million euros,” the report adds.

It seems unlikely United would move for Lozano in January due to his price tag and this might be a ploy to either get increased game-time or a new deal.

Ten Hag‘s immediate concern is getting a striker, a right-back and goalkeeper next summer.

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'He would need...' - Ex-EPL player thinks Chelsea must do one thing to lure 29-goal predator

Former Premier League full-back Alan Hutton believes that Tammy Abraham would return to Chelsea if he is guaranteed game-time.

According to Fabrizio Romano’s Caught Offside column (via GOAL), the Blues have the option to trigger the 24-year-old’s €80m (£72m) buyback clause, which becomes active next July.

The Englishman joined Roma from Chelsea in the summer of 2021 for £34m and has gone on to score 29 goals in 61 appearances for the Serie A outfit. However, according to Italian media outlet Corriere dello Sport the striker is keen on a return to the Premier League ‘as soon as possible’.

He seemingly doesn’t see his future in Italy, and with Inter Milan optimistic of holding onto on-loan Chelsea marksman Romelu Lukaku, Hutton believes that Abraham could be a terrific option for Graham Potter to consider.

However, the ex-Aston Villa defender believes that his former team-mate would only agree a Stamford Bridge return if he is guaranteed regular minutes in west London.

Abraham return possible

The 37-year-old told Football Insider: “(Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang, moving forward, for the next three, four, five years, he’s not the guy I don’t think. (Romelu) Lukaku will try and leave in my opinion, it’s just whether they get the money back for him.

“Tammy’s a Chelsea boy. I played with him at Aston Villa, he’s a great guy, he just wants to learn, he’s hungry to do well and it must have been a difficult decision for him to leave because Chelsea’s his team.

“He’s gone away and flourished and he’s done brilliantly under [Jose] Mourinho at Roma. Would he want to go back? Probably because that’s his team.

“There’s no reason to move back there to then not play. He would need some sort of guarantee that he is the main man. It will be a difficult choice for him, pulling the heartstrings a wee bit. But I think at this moment in time he’s doing really well.“

Will there be a second coming?

The 11-cap England striker could indeed be brought back to west London by Todd Boehly after flourishing on the continent.

Abraham scored 27 goals in all competitions last season, including 17 in Serie A, with BT Sport labelling the 6 foot 4 frontman ‘mercurial’ as he grabbed his ninth in the Europa Conference League en route to the Giallorossi winning the trophy.

He has been directly involved in three goals throughout seven league appearances so far this term and could benefit from the recent change in the Chelsea dugout after falling out of favour under Thomas Tuchel.

The £112k-per-week predator was among Frank Lampard’s favourites during the ex-midfielder’s tenure in charge and was the club’s highest scorer under the now-Everton boss, so the 24-year-old may feel that he has unfinished business with the Blues.

The post Alan Hutton makes Tammy Abraham return claim appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Where United sit in the post-Fergie Premier League table

Manchester United’s post Sir Alex Ferguson demise has been there for all to see, but just how far have United fallen in that decade?

Now on their fifth permanent manger since the great man called time on his illustrious career, United are still looking for the antidote to arrest the well-publicised slide.

The Daily Star have provided a table of points acquired since the beginning of the 2013/14 season.

United have gathered 626 points in that period, which sits them sixth in the overall table. Above United are City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, respectively.

The details make for even worse reading. The almost 100 point difference to Liverpool in second is alarming, and the incredible 158-point gap between United and City speaks for itself.

The table does reflect the traditional top six, with United at the bottom of that pile, but the 142-point gap to Everton in seventh is sizable.

Ferguson’s hand-picked successor, David Moyes, sent the tone for the drop, finishing seventh and 22 points away from City, who won the league in the first season after Sir Alex’s retirement.

United then turned to the experienced Louis van Gaal. Unfortunately, the Dutchman’s possession-based style wasn’t cut out for the Premier League and didn’t provide much relief. United finished fourth and fifth in LvG’s two season stint, again below City which led to legitimate concerns of a power shift in Manchester.

Then came the guarantee, serial winner Jose Mourinho walked through the doors at Old Trafford with the promise of league titles. However, City had just appointed their own super-coach in Pep Guardiola. The two went to battle and it was Mourinho who came out second best – the Portuguese did manage a second place finish in 2017/18 but the 19-point difference to City was a chasm.

Whilst Mourinho was sinking, Liverpool were quietly building, Jurgen Klopp found a formula to turn the Premier League into a two horse race for the next four years, whilst United fell further behind not only those City and Liverpool, but the rest of the chasing pack.

Club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the next to have a crack and did equal Mourinho’s second place finish in the behind 2020/21, closed doors season. Again however, the gap of 12 points to City highlighted the gulf.

New season, new manager. Erik ten Hag is the next man tasked with bridging the gap and does currently find himself three points clear of Liverpool after seeing them off at Old Trafford in a notable victory. The Manchester derby is also next up for United, a chance for the new manager to cut the gap in points to City to a mere 153. No pressure, Erik.

 
 

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Erik ten Hag receives huge boost ahead of mouthwatering Manchester derby

Manchester United saw some of their internationals return to training on Tuesday while the final batch prepares to return over the next day.

It was a busy break for many players who joined up with their country to participate in friendly matches or compete in the Nations League group stages.

With the unusual mid-season World Cup rapidly approaching, the one thing on everyone’s mind is the hope that no one is injured for the long term.

A recent article in The Manchester Evening News reports that many of Man United’s internationals have returned fully fit to training with the last couple expected to return soon.

Raphael Varane was spotted at Carrington during yesterday’s session which will be a huge bonus considering the Frenchman’s injury record in recent seasons.

He has formed a beautiful partnership with new recruit Lisandro Martinez who is yet to arrive back in England after only playing 12 minutes in a friendly last night.

The Frenchman started off the season injured after a difficult end to the previous campaign.

United lost the opening two games before Varane started the 2-1 win against Liverpool and contributed to the squad’s current form.

Jadon Sancho, who was controversially left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad, was also spotted in training preparing for the derby match this weekend.

Over the previous two weeks, he has spent a lot of time training with Erik ten Hag which will be useful for him to get used to the manager’s system.

He has already scored three goals this season, making a contribution from both the left and right-wing.

David de Gea, another high-profile player who is expected to miss the World Cup due to not being in the Spanish manager’s plans was spotted yesterday.

Zidane Iqbal who flourished under Ten Hag during pre-season and is expected to play a role at some point this season was also spotted sporting a new haircut.

The club released a gallery on their website showcasing more players who returned from their international duties.

United travel across the city to face Manchester City this weekend with fans hoping for a good result after the Liverpool and Arsenal matches.
 
 

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Zero crosses, dribbles, goals: United forward puts in another international horror show

Cristiano Ronaldo’s performances for Portugal in the Nations League this week will have done little or nothing to convince Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag that he is ready to lead the line for his club.

The 37 year old followed Saturday’s miserable showing against the Czech Republic – in which he failed to register a shot on target despite his side’s 4-0 win – with another bumbling performance against Spain in Braga last night.

Portugal lost the game 1-0 but could and should have won it, with many of their attacks breaking down due to Ronaldo’s errors.

The Madeira man did manage to get his two shots on goal this time, but could have done better with both. He also missed another big chance and on two occasions failed to control the ball when through on goal in fantastic goalscoring positions.

He also failed to register an accurate cross during the game and only won one of his three aerial duels.

Ronaldo lost possession nine times during the game, to add to the seven times against the Czech Republic.

A Sofascore rating in both games of 6.7 made him the second worst player in his team in both matches.

source: sofascore.com

Whether the legend is experiencing a dip in form or whether it is the beginning of the end, only time will tell. But having been given 90 minutes on both occasions by Portugal head coach Fernando Santos, match fitness can now effectively be ruled out as a reason for his decline in performance.

Despite enjoying only 32% of the possession against their neighbours last night, Portugal looked the far better side, but their counter-attacking tactic required pace and clinical finishing up front that Ronaldo could not provide.

Santos’ persistence in playing him could prove to be a problem for the Iberians at the World Cup despite having one of the strongest teams, including the likes of Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix.

Portugal’s struggles to build their game around the aging star will not be lost on Erik ten Hag and will serve to confirm to him that he has done the right thing in restricting him to substitute appearances for most of the season so far.

With Marcus Rashford touch and go for Sunday’s Manchester derby and Anthony Martial still out of contention, it could be a choice of Ronaldo or a false nine for Ten Hag. On these international showings, the false nine could be the better option.

 
 

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Ten Hag receives huge boost as United superstar "winning fitness battle" ahead of Manchester Derby

Manchester United ended up having a solid transfer window, bringing in a total of six players for a combined total of over £200 million.

The start was sluggish and the club ended up paying the price, losing their opening two games against Brighton and Brentford.

The club hierarchy was then jolted into action, and big-money moves for Casemiro and Antony followed.

Rashford’s impact

One rumour which persisted till Deadline Day was whether Cristiano Ronaldo would leave the club or not. Despite his agent Jorge Mendes’ best attempts, a move away to a Champions League club could not be engineered.

Man Utd get huge injury boost with Marcus Rashford winning fitness battle ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby #MUFC https://t.co/42jBKH8quX pic.twitter.com/ynre1rgnVB

— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) September 27, 2022

The Portuguese did not attend pre-season due to personal reasons and that meant United were short of options upfront. Christian Eriksen had to play as make-shift centre-forward against Brighton and the ploy backfired spectacularly.

Erik ten Hag then turned to Marcus Rashford from the Liverpool game and the Mancunian repaid his manager’s faith by netting the winner as the Old Trafford club emerged 2-1 victors.

And Rashford has not looked back since, starting the next three Premier League games on the trot, scoring two more and adding two assists as well as United went on a four-match unbeaten run.

Ten Hag has been so impressed with the 24-year-old’s displays that he feels Rashford is better suited as his team’s striker than Ronaldo and feels the United academy graduate can cross the 20-goal mark for the season.

Rashy’s comeback in Manchester Derby

It represented a remarkable turnaround for the Englishman after suffering abuse and loss of form last season.

However, Rashford suffered a muscle injury which subsequently saw him miss out on the chance to play against Real Sociedad and Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League.

But fans will be delighted to know that he is closing in on full fitness and The Sun have now claimed that “Marcus Rashford is winning his battle to be fit for Sunday’s Manchester derby.”

Ten Hag will be desperate to have a full-strength squad to choose from for this crucial game and Rashford’s availability will boost confidence throughout the squad.

“Rashford is now training again — and feels ready for the Etihad showdown,” the report further claimed.

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This is what really stopped Ronaldo from completing big money Saudi Arabia move - report

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly did not reject a move to Saudi Arabia this summer.

The Portuguese superstar was in the final stages of completing a mega-money move to Al-Hilal.

The Saudi club have revealed the exact reason why the transfer fell through.

Ronaldo was all set to leave Old Trafford, but for the registration issues faced by the buying club.

Al-Hilal President Fahad ben Nafel stated:

“Yes, we negotiated with Ronaldo.”

“The problem was not in the money or the principle. Al-Hilal is able to bring in the stars of the world.”

“But it was in the decision of the Sports Arbitration Centre that prevented us from registering the players.

“We did not stop negotiating with the players despite the decision to ban, but we were delaying entering the final stage of the negotiations until the ban was lifted.”

In a separate story, Fabrizio Romano opened up about how close Ronaldo was to joining Manchester City before joining United in the summer of 2021.

He claimed that while a move was undoubtedly discussed between the two parties, the deal wasn’t as close as some make out.

“As you’ll remember, last summer, there were talks over a surprise move for Cristiano Ronaldo to join Manchester City.”

“Still, it was never 100% approved by the board or by the technical staff at City. There were also some issues at Ronaldo’s end with his agent Jorge Mendes, so the deal collapsed, even though Juventus were happy to accept the move.”

“In the end, United appeared on the scene, and Ronaldo was happy to join them as soon as their interest became apparent.”

Ronaldo is yet to find his goalscoring form this season. Ten Hag has opted to go for a more fluid attack with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony all starting.

However, one cannot discount the Five-time Ballon d’Or winner from making a solid comeback.

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United star outshines PL rival considered by many as one of the best

Discussions are frequent within the Manchester United fanbase regarding Raphael Varane’s impact on the Erik ten Hag era.

The centre back started the new campaign injured, missing the first few games and taking a while to get back into the starting eleven.

With poor performances from Harry Maguire during the opening matches vs. Brentford and Brighton, the new manager soon changed his prefered options at the back.

Since then, Varane has played a part in every Premier League match, partnering with Lisandro Martinez.

For many fans, he has become a natural leader at the back and has provided some defensive stability to the squad after a shocking season last time around.

Varane made his first start of the season against Liverpool with the Red Devils winning unexpectedly and the French international contributing to the performance defensively.

As per sofascore.com, he produced a 7.1 rating despite conceding one goal in the match.

Other stats include, eight clearances, four tackles and four important ground duels won.

Following on from his first start of the season, he has managed to start all league matches and has provided a consistent 7.0 or above rating excluding Southampton and has been an integral part of Ten Hag’s new revolution.

This is in comparison with Virgil Van Dijk who has been attracting a below 7.0 rating with a 6.4 vs. Fulham being the low point.

The Dutch international has been at the top of his game throughout the past couple of seasons.

It’s clear to see that Varane is settling in nicely after arriving at the club last summer.

Last season would have been disappointing for him after huge success in recent seasons in the Champions League with the Spanish giants.

With the arrival of Martinez in the summer, it was always going to be a difficult choice for the manager, who also has Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire fighting for the starting position.

However, Varane is currently performing at such a top level that he is keeping the United captain out of the side.

The club now enters a crucial period with Ten Hag expecting to rotate his centre backs as matches get busy before the World Cup.
 
 

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