United train their sights on former Arsenal flop for shock January transfer

Manchester United have AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud on their forward wishlist for January.

United are in the hunt for a striker who would come in and lead the line.

With the January window now open, United can finally make their move. A number of names have been mentioned in this regard.

The Red Devils are reportedly preparing a significant bid for Eintracht Frankfurt forward, Kolo Muani.

Also on Erik ten Hag’s priority list is Borussia Mönchengladbach talisman Marcus Thuram, with a contract proposal already made to the Frenchman.

Giroud is the latest name to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, in what would be his third spell in England after stints at Arsenal and Chelsea.

The Times relay that Giroud is a potential target for United, with the 36-year-old firmly in the club’s thinking.

“It is understood that former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is another player United have had on their radar.”

United are keen to capitalize on Giroud’s contract situation at the San Siro to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Times indicate that Giroud would be more than happy to stay at AC Milan if the Rossoneri offer him fresh terms.

Giroud has scored nine goals for the Serie A champions this season, including four in the Champions League –  a competition he will undoubtedly be reluctant to drop from in the sunset years of his career.

The AC Milan star had a stellar World Cup with Les Bleus, where he broke Thierry Henry’s record to become the country’s all-time top goalscorer.

Despite having an awful final where he was substituted in the first 40 minutes, Giroud netted four times in six games.

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The post Manchester United earmark Olivier Giroud as potential striker option in January appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Fabrizio Romano issues crucial update on United’s sensational €70m January target

Manchester United have French striker Kolo Muani on their radar.

Yesterday reports from France indicated that the Red Devils have earmarked Muani for a January transfer and are preparing a bid.

United are keen to ward off competition from Bayern Munich for Muani’s signature.

Muani himself would reportedly prefer to stay at Frankfurt but if a move happens, he would prefer a switch to the Allianz Arena over Old Trafford.

Muani’s reputation was enhanced during the World Cup.

Mainly deployed as a substitute by Didier Deschamps, the 24-year-old scored in the semi-finals for France against Morocco.

His introduction to the final helped to revitalize a lethargic France who mustered a spirited comeback in their attempts to beat Argentina.

Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has relayed that Frankfurt do not have any intention of parting ways with Muani this month.

Romano reports, “Still, in January it is more than difficult for any club [to sign Muani].”

“There is no intention from Eintracht Frankfurt to sell the player, and his price tag is around €70m.

“I think Kolo Muani alongside Jonathan David is one to watch for the summer.”

Speaking to the press ahead of the Bournemouth game tonight, Erik ten Hag reiterated his stance that the club needs to bring in attacking reinforcements in January.

Ten Hag said that while he’s happy with the current players at his disposal, the incoming volume of games and fixtures in different competitions necessitates new recruits as soon as possible.

The United boss again warned that any signing must be aligned with the club’s ethos and goals for the future.

The post Fabrizio Romano reveals Eintracht Frankfurt’s hardline stance on Man United target Kolo Muani appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Former United favourite heads back to Brazil in early January transfer move

Fabio da Silva has left French club Nantes to join Gremio in an early move in the January market.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal on his Twitter feed, yesterday.

Brazilian fullback Fábio leaves Nantes to join Gremio on permanent deal. It’s done and sealed, contract will be valid for two years. 🇧🇷🤝🏻 #transfers

Former Man Utd fullback is already in Brazil for medical tests — he’s gonna play with Luis Suárez at Gremio. pic.twitter.com/uIQDxnXJ1E

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 2, 2023

The former Manchester United full back will return to his native Brazil on a permanent deal, pending a medical.

Fabio left United in the summer of 2014, moving to Cardiff after a loan spell at Queens Park Rangers.

The Brazilian played 56 games during his six-season stay at Old Trafford, scoring three times across all competitions.

Fabio started the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley, which despite ending in defeat, was surely the highlight of the full-back’s stay at the club.

Along with his twin brother, Rafael, the pair became fan-favourites at United due to their high energy, commitment and tenacity every time they put on the red shirt.

Now 32, Fabio’s move back to his native Brazil may be the last stop on his footballing journey, a journey he can be very proud of.

Rafael, who left United for Lyon in 2015, is incidentally also back in his home country, plying his trade in Brazil for Botafogo after having left Europe in 2021.

United have struggled to find the perfect full-back since the duo left.

The right-back berth is yet to find a long-term heir while Luke Shaw has consistently faced question marks on the opposite flank.

Erik ten Hag’s side are back in action against Bournemouth tonight, as they continue their pursuit for a place in the top four.

 

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Unhappy United boss admits side is "nowhere near" where he wants it to be

In an interview with MUTV, Marc Skinner gives an update on the squad ahead of their winter training camp in Malta this coming week.

He began by reflecting on the Reds’ last league game, their 1-1 draw with City away at the Etihad.

“We were disappointed not to take the three points, it was a much more open game than both teams would have liked but it shows a lot about our attitude,” he said.

“We’re not content in having a draw. I think that’s a positive step going into the New Year.”

He talked about the progression of the squad as he looked ahead to the team’s goals over 2023 saying, “We’re nowhere near our end product of where we want to be.”

“If you think about the last couple of games, we limited the top goalscorers to not scoring, Bunny Shaw and Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), who are the top goalscorers in the WSL this season.”

“We need to get over the little percentages to get those victories,” he concluded.

The Reds finished 2022 with a victory over Sheffield United in the Conti Cup, a reslut that unfortunately was not enough to get them out of the group.

United’s main focus heading into 2023 is finishing the league in the top three, the coveted Champions League places, but due to how tight this league is, it will require a near perfect record over the second half of the season.

United are heading to Malta this week as they look to regroup ahead of the resumption of competitive football.

They play Maltese First Division champions, Birkirkara FC at the end of the week.

Upon their return they will prepare to face Liverpool on January 15th when the WSL resumes.

It is set to be a busy month for the Reds as they look to also add to the squad in the January transfer window.
 

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Report: United legend snubbed for major honour due to leaked email

David Beckham has again been left out in the cold, overlooked from the New Year Honours list. The England legend has no shortage of accolades or achievements tied to his name, but his wait for a knighthood continues.

Many expected the former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger to be knighted, having also captained the Three Lions for six years (via The Mirror).

Beckham was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021. He has also served as a goodwill ambassador for Unicef since 2005.

While knighthood has eluded the former England skipper, he did receive an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2003.

The United legend’s latest disappointment came despite his consistent displays of reverence and respect, including queuing for more than 13 hours to view Queen Elizabeth lying in state.

The earliest Beckham can hope to attain distinguished honour will have to be the King’s Birthday Honours List later this year.

A few black marks

Beckham’s campaign for knighthood has taken a few hits over the year. His life and career have often been followed by controversy and drama – such is the guilt-edged experience of fame.

In 2013, Beckham was one of 140 celebrities allegedly caught up in the 2013 Ingenious tax avoidance scheme. He was eventually cleared and returned to the official recommendations list in 2021.

In 2017, Beckham received yet another black mark against his name. A series of incriminating emails showed his disdain for being overlooked by the committee.

In the leaked emails, Beckham called committee members “unappreciative c—s” and claimed he didn’t “care about being knighted.”

Later, the England hall of famer claimed that some emails were doctored. Beckham has been widely criticised for his Qatar 2022 ambassador role. The role is reportedly worth £150 million over ten years and preceded his latest snub.

While an unblemished career is beyond the England great, he will hope against the odds that this year he will receive the knighthood that has eluded him for so many years.
 

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Picture: United’s controversial leaked 23/24 away shirt sends fans into meltdown

Manchester United’s 2023-2024 away shirt will take a radical and uncommon approach and be very different from the kind of design fans are used to.

This is according to Footy Headlines who reveal that the away kit for next season will have bold white vertical stripes running down the shirt.

Footy Headlines reports, “The Adidas Manchester United 2023-2024 away shirt has a fresh and uncommon colour combo for the club.”

“It combines a very dark green main colour with white and maroon.”

“What makes the shirt bold are thick vertical stripes in white and dark green.”

Footy Headlines adds that the official colours for Adidas’ Man United’s shirt are “Green Night/Core White/Active Maroon.”

It was reported last month that the home shirt would undergo a major change, with the club and Adidas logo featuring in the middle of the jersey.

The away kit will also follow the same pattern with the Adidas logo and the United crest sitting in the centre of the shirt.

#mufc's 2023/24 away kit will feature thick vertical stripes in white and dark green. The Adidas logo and United crest will sit in the centre of the shirt [@Footy_Headlines] pic.twitter.com/C3CLNH27vA

— utdreport (@utdreport) December 31, 2022

This uncommon away kit would be available to purchase from May/June/July 2023. Comments on Footyheadlines’ tweet suggests that fans are not at all keen on the design.

The predicted mockup of next season’s kit interestingly does not contain the logo for the team’s primary shirt sponsor.

The Red Devils recently arrived at a mutual agreement with Teamviewer to end their ongoing deal. United are therefore in the hunt for a shirt sponsor.

It was recently reported that Richard Arnold met with the Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority with a sponsorship deal the main item on the agenda.

The signing was however called off at the eleventh hour due to unexplained or unknown circumstances. As the takeover process gathers pace, it will be interesting to see how the sponsorship situation develops.
 

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Ten Hag reveals reasoning behind Maguire snub and Shaw promotion

After the World Cup ended, there was a feeling that Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire would finally get a chance to stake his claim in the first-team after his impressive performances for England.

That coupled with the fact that Erik ten Hag’s first-choice pairing of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez would be involved in the final of the competition meant the club captain finally had the chance to impress the manager.

But as the fans found out, the Dutchman ended up playing Casemiro at the back alongside Victor Lindelof for the Burnley game before employing Luke Shaw alongside Varane for both of United’s Premier League encounters.

Why Shaw over Maguire

Ahead of the Bournemouth game, the manager was specifically asked about the change in defensive shape and why the Dutch boss preferred Shaw over his club skipper against Wolves.

“Of course, you have your ideas and a plan but sometimes it changes by circumstances like the illnesses for Harry and Victor,” Ten Hag said.

“Normally, they start in the games we have just played, but then Casemiro did well as a centre half (against Burnley) and then Luke Shaw did very well against Nottingham Forest.

"You have your ideas and a plan, but sometimes it changes by circumstances." 🗣️

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was asked about his defensive options, including playing Luke Shaw ahead of Harry Maguire 👀⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bVmSj9stXS

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) January 2, 2023

“Also, you look at the game plan, the way we had to approach Wolves, and I thought it was the best match with Rapha and Luke.

“Especially we knew the speed of Wolves from the right side and we could cover that because we wanted to attack over the left side with our offensive game from Tyrell Malacia.

“That was a good fit and also in possession you can have better angles with the left foot.”

The former Ajax coach was also asked about the injuries of Scott McTominay and Diogo Dalot and whether World Cup-winner Martinez was fit to play against the Cherries on Tuesday.

Dalot return soon

McTominay did play against Burnley in the EFL Cup but has since been sidelined while Dalot returned from World Cup duty with Portugal with an injury, which finally allowed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to receive some much-needed game-time.

“We have to see. Both were training yesterday and today,” Ten Hag said of Martinez and McTominay. “I’m quite optimistic that they can both return to the squad.

“Diogo Dalot also made good progress. We don’t want to take risks with anyone because we know there are many games to come and we need a full squad to cover all the games.”

 

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Casemiro makes incredible Rashford prediction that will get fans buzzing

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has tipped teammate Marcus Rashford to be among the top-five players in the world.

Casemiro spoke to the press after United’s 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux.

Initially starting on the bench, Rashford was brought on by Erik ten Hag in the second-half and and the striker had just the effect the manager would have wanted.

Rashford scored the winner as United clinched all three points. The Mancunian did well to hold off a Wolves defender with his upper body before powering a low shot beyond Jose Sa.

The Englishman’s goal over the weekend was his eleventh in the league, in what is turning out to be a brilliant campaign for him.

The Brazilian midfield general heaped praise on Rashford after the game and expressed his delight at playing along side the 25-year-old.

The Brazilian said that he was not expecting Rashford to be as good as he is.

Casemiro told ESPN Brazil, “I’m going to be very honest with you; I was really surprised with the player Rashford is.

“In my opinion, especially knowing the player off the pitch, I can tell you that if he’s doing well, he can be one of the top five players in the world.”

“He was one of the players that really surprised me. Of course, when you play in a different league you already know the player, but when you’re in the same club every day.”

Casemiro added, “I’m delighted to play with him and I’m sure if he stays like this, with the conditions he has, he can easily be a top-five player because he’s exceptional.”

The former Real Madrid star also outlined the qualities and attributes that make Rashford an exceptional operator.

Casemiro named Rashford’s ball-striking, pace and incredible strength as his definitive traits.

 

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Joao Felix to Man United is a go in January under this one condition - The Athletic

Manchester United are in a strong position to sign Atletico Madrid’s João Felix this month, according to tier one journalist David Ornstein and Dermot Corrigan.

Felix has asked to leave the Wanda Metropolitano after falling out with head coach Diego Simeone.

Such is the situation that the club is willing to let the Portuguese international leave on loan this month but they have slapped a pre-emptive €21 million price tag on that loan – a massive amount for six months.

“The chance of the Spanish club recouping anything close to the €127million they paid to sign Joao Felix from Benfica in the summer of 2019 is small, given how his development has stalled under Simeone’s management,” Ornstein and Corrigan say in The Athletic.

“[Felix’s agent, Jorge] Mendes has contacted multiple English clubs to lay out possible terms for a loan until the summer.

“These initial conversations have focused on a €21million package for the remainder of this season, with a €15million loan fee going to Atletico, and the rest covering the player’s wages.

“Industry figures believe that [figure] may come down, perhaps significantly, as the January transfer window progresses.

“At present, interested parties are thought to be prepared to pay less than half of the requested loan fee, plus the salary.”

This puts the counter offer at €13.5m, or £11.7 million – little more than United paid for six months of Odion Ighalo’s time in 2020.

The competition is said to be between United, Arsenal and Chelsea, with City “not thought to be interested” and Liverpool having signed Cody Gakpo.

However, Ornstein and Corrigan believe Arsenal could be more needy and intent than United on making the deal happen.

They point out that the Gunners have little cover across the front line, especially now given the injury to Gabriel Jesus.

They believe United are more interested in a traditional style of centre forward.

“United and Arsenal have both expressed interest but not at the level of finance Atletico are seeking,” they continue.

“There was contact between the United and Atletico hierarchies about Joao Felix last summer. At that point, The Athletic was told Atletico even turned down a bid from Old Trafford, amid Spanish press reports of a €135million price tag.

“However, ideally United would like to add a more traditional centre-forward, especially following Cristiano Ronaldo’s mid-season departure.

“The size of the current package is considered too expensive, even for a club with United’s resources.”

Chelsea are said to be in a similar position to United, that is, interested in Felix but perhaps keener to find an out-and-out striker.

The situation looks unlikely to be resolved until closer to the end of the month. In the meantime, United are likely to be exploring other options, which reportedly include Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko and Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram.

Should that sort of option not pan out, or Atleti lower their demands for the loan fee, then United could very well be a strong contender for Felix’s January signature. Whether that would then become a permanent deal is likely to depend on who will be running the club come June.

 

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United star in crosshairs of Premier League rivals for sensational January switch - report

Everton are interested in Manchester United’s Anthony Elanga as they look to improve their attacking threat.

The Peoples Person previously reported that Frank Lampard’s side held an interest in the Swedish international.

It is rumoured that the forward is currently unhappy with his minutes on the pitch under Erik ten Hag.

Elanga has started only three times this season despite his three-goal breakthrough campaign during the last campaign. He was trusted almost every match under Ralf Rangnick and looked like United had a great prospect on their hands.

However, he hasn’t been used as often as he would like with Alejandro Garnacho taking the spotlight this season. For example, Elanga came on with just a minute remaining in the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers over the weekend.

Football Insider247 reports that Everton has made a move for Elanga, who is valued at £18 million.

This would appear to be on the basis of a permanent deal.

The Premier League club faces stiff competition from other teams who are also interested in signing the 20-year-old.

The Merseyside club are looking to find a goalscoring threat after what has been deemed a poor start to the season.

The Toffees have been impressive defensively after almost being relegated last season, but have scored just 13 goals this term, with only Wolves and Nottingham Forest falling short of this number.

Frank Lampard will be keen on fixing their attack for the remainder of the season in what could be another relegation battle.

Meanwhile, with Erik ten Hag looking to find a new forward after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, it remains to be seen whether losing Elanga would be seen as a problem, with options already short on the bench in attacking areas, or an opportunity, in terms of raising funds to buy an out-and-out striker.
 

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Pundit blasts €100m United star after horrendous performance

Former manager Stuart Pearce ripped into Antony after his underwhelming performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Manchester United winger is not in the best of form and looks lost.

He was relatively quiet throughout the game and did not offer much going forward.

Pearce went on to state:

“Antony has got no intention of tracking back, Wolves can get a lot of joy down that side.”

Later on he said: “Antony has failed to make an impact – he’s given away the ball on far too many occasions.”

“He irritates the life out of me. Every time he gets the ball he points to his teammates and tells them what they should do.”

“I saw recently that Ten Hag and Fernandes said he would be a really good player if he listened. He’s certainly doing more talking than listening right now.”

The Brazilian is an exceptional talent and will surely bounce back stronger.

Ten Hag could rest him for a game or two to get him fired up again.

Antony has too much quality to remain quiet for many more games.

On his day he can win United a game by himself so the coach will be giving him the necessary confidence.

 

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"I have to be honest": Legend delivers damning verdict on this United star

Erik ten Hag has worked wonders with previously under-performing players with many of them starting to show signs of fulfilling their enormous potential.

But then there is Harry Maguire, the world’s most expensive defender, who has seemingly lost his place under the Dutchman.

He was a regular under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who kept playing him despite quite a few high-profile errors.

Maguire’s nightmare season continues

But the former Ajax boss is not of the same ilk and after a few underwhelming performances early on in the season, the England international lost his place to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

Since then, the club captain has had to be content with a place on the bench while getting a few cameos off the bench in almost every game.

But the former Leiciester City man did enjoy a great World Cup with the Three Lions and was one of the few players to return from the tournament with their reputation enhanced.

And at that time it seemed like he would return to the Red Devils with his confidence up and would hit the ground running.

Rio Ferdinand on Luke Shaw being picked at CB yesterday..

"If I'm Harry Maguire, I would be looking for a new club." pic.twitter.com/O9w4RlFjKU

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) January 1, 2023

But illness meant he missed the first game against Burnley and since then, compatriot Luke Shaw has taken over the left centre-back role, playing in both Premier League games so far.

It is damning to see this for Maguire considering the absence of World Cup-winning defender Martinez. If he still cannot make the first XI, there is little hope he can displace Ten Hag’s preferred duo going forward.

Maguire has once again been left on the bench and United club legend Rio Ferdinand has indicated that the 29-year-old’s time at United could be up and a move would be in the best interest of both parties.

Rio suggests Maguire should move on

“If I’m Harry Maguire, I am looking for a new club right now, I have to be honest. You saw what he does for England, he is impeccable for England, he is faultless for England. He puts in good, solid performances for England.

“At Manchester United, it just hasn’t worked out for him. This manager, it is showing in his team selection that he is not going to be one of the top two, three centre-halves in his squad.

“So I am thinking if I am him in his shoes, I would be saying, find me somewhere else where I can go and enjoy my football and be playing regularly,” the former United defender was quoted as saying by BT Sport (via Metro).

 

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United's on-loan academy star "on the wanted list" of European giants - report

When Erik ten Hag took over as the new Manchester United manager, he had a lot to figure out with respect to both incomings and outgoings.

While the Dutchman did navigate the perils of the summer transfer window like an expert, sending out players on the right loan move did prove to be quite the challenge.

However, there have been quite a few positive loan spells to talk about, most notably Amad Diallo at Sunderland.

Hannibal has impressed at Birmingham

Another United academy graduate who has quietly impressed so far this season is Hannibal Mejbri, currently spending his time at Birmingham City.

The midfielder has racked up 19 appearances for Birmingham so far this campaign, and has started each of their last nine contests.

He was also called up by Tunisia for the World Cup in Qatar, where he made one appearance off the bench for the African side and was memorably involved in and off-field altercation during the clash against Australia.

🚨🇹🇳 Marseille want to sign Hannibal Mejbri. [@reluctantnicko] #MUFC pic.twitter.com/f4U9td91Rh

— United Update (@UnitedsUpdate) January 1, 2023

The 19-year-old has impressed with his work-rate and all-round play with Birmingham manager John Eustace praising him for the impressive stats he had racked up.

“The way he has played in the last couple of games has been phenomenal,” said Eustace back in November.

“He has broken records for total distance [covered], all that kind of stuff.” He’s also provided three assists during his stay at St. Andrew’s.

Marseille want Hannibal

Now it has been revealed by The Sun, that “Hannibal Mejbri is on the wanted list of French giants Marseille.”

The Ligue 1 side even “sent one of their top men to check his progress last week,” the report mentioned.

Hannibal had joined the Red Devils from Monaco back in 2019 in a deal that could potentially go up to £10million.

Ten Hag will have the final say on this matter but he is unlikely to sanction his permanent departure considering the club’s significant outlay and the fact that he was never given a proper chance considering his young age.

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United fans on edge of their seat as Glazer schedule sale by this date

Manchester United are expected to undergo a takeover during the second part of the current season.

Having announced in November that the club was “commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives”, the Glazer family – who selected The Raine Group to conduct this process – are set to go through with a complete sale before spring of this year.

David Ornstein of The Athletic reported via NBC that:

“The Raine bank [sic] – who are in charge of this process – they’re aiming for a complete sale of Manchester United in the first quarter of 2023. Therefore, the Glazer family are not going to be willing to sanction a massive outlay of cash on deals at this time of the year.”

James Rhoades of United Muppetiers aligned his insider information alongside Ornstein’s, detailing that:

“Talks are continuing, and it has to be sooner rather than later because right now the club is bleeding money.” The latest fiscal financial report revealed that the club’s current available bank balance sits at £24million, £97million less than last year – the Glazers were thus unable to take out dividends. The report also detailed that United have been paying an interest of £1.02m per week for the privilege of having the Glazers as owners, while the club’s debt still sits at $650m.

Ornstein’s verdict that the club should be sold by the first quarter of 2023 leaves the Glazers theoretically with twelve weeks left as owners of Manchester United if their financial advisors are to be successful in their aim.

The Raine Group also managed Chelsea’s sale to Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital backed consortium. Following links to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Roman Abrahmovic released a statement on March 2nd confirming that Chelsea would have to be sold. The takeover was completed on May 31st – just short of twelve weeks after Abrahmovic’s statement.

Sports agent John Morris expressed his views via Twitter following Ornstein’s update:

“If the Raine Group are expecting this to be finalised in Q1 of 2023 then I would guess an offer has been made and accepted. A deal this size usually takes more than 12wks to conclude unless already well done [sic] the line.”

Ornstein also suggested that The Raine Group are seeking a sale price between £6billion and £7bn – nearly double of Chelsea’s final cost.

The Athletic reported two weeks ago that Avram Glazer was using his time at the World Cup to conduct business meetings. The American family is known to have other interests in the Middle East, but The Athletic clarified that Glazer held talks with potential investors from Qatar and Saudi Arabia regarding Manchester United and its “exploration of strategic alternatives.”

These meetings with Saudi Arabian businessmen comes after sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal revealed that he would support his compatriots if a bid from the kingdom were to be launched:

“I think it is a good opportunity and if the numbers add up and, if we can all benefit from that from a business perspective, why not? If there is an opportunity that benefits us I would encourage the private sector to do so.”

Reports recently alleged that Richard Arnold sat down with Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority (Anas al-Sharif and Saud al-Subaie) to discuss a deal which would see the country – which has relaxed its border rules following Covid – become United’s main shirt sponsor. Negotiations fell through after contracts had been readied to sign this week.

Whether this withdrawal could be connected to United having already agreed a deal with a conflicting party is unknown – or to Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure is merely speculatory.

The post Explained: When will Manchester United be sold? appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Crisis for United as key squad member departs for Premier League rivals

Newcastle United have recalled Martin Dubravka from his loan at Manchester United.

The Red Devils put out a statement on their official website stating:

“Martin Dubravka has been recalled from his season-long loan to Manchester United by his parent club Newcastle United.”

“We would like to thank Martin for his contribution during his time with our club, and wish him all the best for the future.”

The decision was made by Newcastle, who are in prime contention for a top-four spot in the Premier League.

The 33 year old made just two appearances for United in the Carabao Cup.

He was brought in last summer on loan as a backup for David de Gea.

The Spaniard’s brilliant form did not give Dubravka a sniff at a first-team spot.

United have Tom Heaton and Nathon Bishop as reserve options.

It will be up to to Erik ten Hag to decide whether to pursue a goalkeeper in the winter transfer window.

The club are said to be looking for a striker, hence it is likely that United will make a decision regarding a keeper in the summer.

De Gea has been in scintillating form and United fans will be hoping for him to carry this into the second half of the season.

 

 

 

 

The post Newcastle United recall Martin Dubravka from loan at Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

"Not good enough": United pull the plug on 15-goal emerging star - report

Erik ten Hag’s philosophy is well and truly taking shape at Manchester United as the club have lost just once in their last 15 games.

But despite the impressive run of results, the Dutchman is having to deal with a major problem — the lack of an elite goalscorer.

Marcus Rashford has helped ease some of those worries, having now scored three times in the last three games since European league football resumed post the World Cup.

Striker search in turmoil

But the former Ajax boss is aware of the pitfalls of placing all his trust on one player and that is why he has publicly admitted that the club needs to find the right striker in January.

With the Glazers potentially selling the club, finances are scarce at the moment and not much is available in the form of a transfer budget.

Official: Chelsea have completed the signing of Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana from Molde on €12m fee, here we go confirmed. 🔵🤝🏻 #CFC

Long term deal signed, medical done and full agreement in place for deal completed by the agent Atta Aneke. pic.twitter.com/eIboNLHFfU

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 28, 2022

That ensured Cody Gakpo slipped out of United’s hands and Goncalo Ramos is pretty much untouchable as of now.

In even more damning news, a temporary deal for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, who is available on loan, is also beyond the club’s reach.

Football Insider have revealed that the Red Devils were monitoring incoming Chelsea striker David Datro Fofana.

But after compiling 18 unflattering scouting reports,  a move for the centre-forward broke down.

Chelsea-bound Fofana deemed not good enough

“United were also keeping close tabs on Fofana but opted not to pursue a deal even though they are in the market for a new centre-forward in the window that formally opens on Sunday.

“It is believed from one well-placed source that United had a dossier of 18 scouting reports on Fofana but they deemed him not good enough,” the report added.

The Blues have agreed to pay Norwegian club Molde £8.7million for the Ivory Coast international after the striker scored 15 goals in 24 Eliteserien games – including seven consecutive strikes at the end of the campaign.

 

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The post Manchester United opted against signing David Datro Fofana after unflattering scout reports appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

United star heaps praise on underrated teammate after emphatic victory

Luke Shaw praised teammate Raphael Varane for helping him cope with his change in position as a centre back in today’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester United came away with all three points in a hard-fought contest at the Molineux.

Substitute Marcus Rashford came off the bench to score the winning goal, much to the delight of Erik ten Hag.

United were solid in defence, and both the centre backs Shaw and Varane played really well.

In his post-match interview, Shaw said:

 

“It helps when you have someone like Varane next to you. He spoke to me a lot, not only in the game but before too.”

Luke Shaw: "It helps when you have someone like Varane next to you. He spoke to me a lot, not only in the game but before too." [@btsportfootball]

— utdreport (@utdreport) December 31, 2022

He was asked about the manager’s decision behind benching Rashford to which he replied, “People can’t do whatever they want, maybe that has been the problem in the past — people getting away with silly little things but the manager takes that into consideration.”

“You saw today that if you don’t keep standards high you won’t play.”

“When you’ve got someone like Marcus Rashford to come on in the second half, you know there’s a goal coming.”

Luke Shaw: "When you've got someone like Marcus Rashford to come on in the second half, you know there's a goal coming." [@btsportfootball]

— utdreport (@utdreport) December 31, 2022

Shaw has nailed down his position in the first team after yet another flawless performance.

When Lisandro Martinez returns, the Englishman is expected to move to his original left back position.

The post Luke Shaw praises Raphael Varane for helping him adapt as a centre back appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Rebel Rashford finds redemption in United's hard-earned victory over Wolves

Manchester United have broken into the top four after victory over Wolves in the Premiership.

Alejandro Garnacho, who was coming in for the disciplined Marcus Rashford, gave a free kick away in the opening two minutes in a threatening area for Wolves but luckily it didn’t come to anything.

There was a corner for United and Casemiro had a free header as the defenders didn’t pick up his run but it was deflected over the bar. It was clear to see that the Reds had been working on their set-piece routine.

Wolves made some good runs but United’s defence looked tight and put some good blocks in to deny them crossing into the danger zone.

Garnacho had a golden opportunity to put United in front in the fifteenth minute, a short pass back to his keeper from Semedo allowed Garnacho to find himself one on one with the keeper. He should have done better but his shot was well saved by Sa.

At the other end and Wolves found themselves in a fantastic position inside the box but Wan-Bissaka put in a brilliant block to deny the hosts the opening goal.

They were trying to get the ball to Costa, United needed to cut out that channel.

It was end to end football in the first half as Martial found himself in a good position as Fernandes played the ball into the box but he couldn’t get his feet around it and find the target.

Moments later and Podence had a shot on the half volley but it was Varane with the block this time. It felt like the first goal could go either way.

The game was becoming more physical with Casemiro and Fernandes having a stern talking to by the ref.

In the final touch of the first half, Antony should have scored as he dived at the back post to try and head home Garnacho’s cross but Sa got a hand to it to keep it from crossing the line.

Rashford was forgiven at half time as he came on for Garnacho and he instantly showed why as he made a fantastic run, dancing through the Wolves players but unfortunately it amounted to nothing.

Wolves continued well though, putting in a couple of good crosses into the box but they were headed away by United’s defence.

At the other end, Antony had a great chance to break the deadlock but it was blocked by the Wolves defence. Rashford had boosted the energy levels, there was no doubt about that and many of their early chances were generated by him.

Casemiro found himself in the book as he brought down Podence. The resulting free kick from around 25 yards out was delivered with power by Neves and was on target but De Gea pulled off a magnificent save to deny Wolves.

Antony found himself in space down the right but his cross was blocked again. He kept finding himself in the right places but couldn’t deliver the correct ball into his teammates.

Shaw had a chance from a well worked corner but Semedo did just enough to prevent him from finding the target.

It was the rebel, Marcus Rashford, who made the breakthrough for the Reds. He began the move and had a little one-two with Fernandes as he danced into the box and was strong against two defenders as he slotted it through the gap, just inside the near post.

United just had to hold on now but Wolves were desperate to take something from this game.

Rashford thought he’d got a second as again he wiggled his way through the defence and got his shot off, it was saved by the keeper and rebounded off him into the back of the net but VAR chalked it off as it was deemed to have come off the Mancunian’s hand.

Wolves had the momentum after that let off and they launched an attack, luckily the Reds defended strongly.

At the other end United found themselves three against two with Van de Beek leading the attack through the middle. He played it to his left to Fernandes whose shot was straight at the keeper.

United won it back, Van de Beek making the tackle in the area but his next pass was cut out by Wolves and gave them a chance to counter.

Deep into injury time and Wolves were piling on the pressure with a series of corners. Jimenez had a brilliant chance to equalise but De Gea’s reaction was quick as lightning as he got his hands up to punch it away.

United had done it, they had crept into fourth thanks to Rashford’s second half goal.

Team: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Shaw, Malacia, Eriksen (Fred 61), Casemiro, Antony (Elanga 93), Fernandes (Maguire 93), Garnacho (Rashford 45), Martial (Van de Beek 81)

The post Match report: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – 1 Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Three things we learned as Rashford fires United to victory against Wolves

Manchester United travelled to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers for the Red Devils’ final game of 2022.

Erik ten Hag was keen to build on a brilliant win against Nottingham Forest and use it as a launchpad to finish the year on a high note and go above Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table.

The United manager fielded the same starting XI as he did against Forest, with the exception of Alejandro Garnacho who came in for Marcus Rashford.

Ten Hag confirmed that Rashford was dropped for “internal disciplinary” reasons and so opted for Garnacho to start in attack alongside Anthony Martial and Antony.

Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers

Poor first half

Ten Hag’s men were poor in the first half in comparison to their displays against Burnley and Forest.

The Reds struggled to break down a resiliently stubborn Wolves defence that did well to keep the 20-time English champions at bay.

In the midfield, United got dominated by the Wolves trio consisting of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Matheus Nunes. Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen barely made any meaningful impact in the opening 45 minutes, with the Brazilian coming closest to holding his own.

United did not fashion nearly enough chances. The best chance of the half fell to Garnacho who came up in a one versus one against Jose Sa, but the Argentine could not guide the ball past the Wolves’ shot-stopper.

Towards the end of the first half Martial also had a golden chance from a brilliant cross but could not connect the ball. An offside Antony also failed to put it past Sa.

At times United looked defensively vulnerable causing the defenders to come up with last-ditch tackles and blocks.

Several of the players didn’t turn up and looked bereft of any ideas. Wolves were always going to be a tricky proposition but Ten Hag would have been disappointed by some of his stars and their awful showings heading into the break.

Antony extremely poor again

Against Forest, Antony was United’s poorest attacker by a margin and he continued his sub-par performance against Wolves.

Antony lacked any threat and most of United’s attacking forays broke down with the Brazilian. His passing was also not up to the level.

Antony’s fundamental flaw was on full display against Wolves – the winger’s overreliance on his left foot.

Opposition defenders on multiple occasions clocked Antony’s shifting of the ball to his left and blocked this action, effectively neutralizing his influence.

The 22-year-old attacker failed to take his man on when opportunities presented themselves. From a defensive point of view, Antony was also reluctant to track back in instances where any other decent team would have capitalized and punished United.

Ten Hag has a decision to make with regard to Antony. Should he continue playing him through bad form or take him from the firing line?

Lack of quality depth still a major issue

The lack of quality bench options available to Ten Hag was a glaring issue against Wolves.

Apart from Rashford who came in for Garnacho after the break, the United boss was limited in who he could bring on as an impact substitution.

Ten Hag for instance had no one who could come on for Antony. In place of Martial, Ten Hag brought on Donny van de Beek, hardly a striker by any stretch of the imagination.

The absence of a left-footed centre-half also made it necessary to play Shaw at the heart of the defence yet again.

United must dip into the January transfer window and get Ten Hag one or two additions. The club must bolster the squad and aid the manager in his ambition to get United back into the Champions League.

The post Three things we learned from Manchester United’s hard-fought win against Wolves appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Rashford the hero again, but this United star was easily the worst vs Wolves

Manchester United beat Wolves 1-0 at Molyneux this lunchtime in the Premier League. Here are our player ratings for the game:

(A score of 6 is around average.)

David de Gea 7 – Good save from Neves free kick and great stop in injury time. Had very little to do otherwise.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka 7.5 – Excellent penalty box tackle in first half saved a certain goal. But leaving way too much space on his flank at times with that old habit of drifting infield for no reason. Better in second half.

Raphael Varane 7.5 – Did well.

Luke Shaw 7.5 – A good game for Shaw at centre back.

Tyrell Malacia 7.5 – Defended very well. Ventured forward a few times but would like to see more.

Christian Eriksen 5 – Quiet and ineffective. His normal personality was missed from the game.

Casemiro 6 – Did OK but didn’t dominate the game like he did against Burnley and Forest.

Antony 4 – Very poor in the first half and hard to understand why it wasn’t him that came off at half time. Embarrassing dribbling, woeful passing and poor finishing. Good tracking back in second half to stop United from getting caught on the break.

Bruno Fernandes 5.5 – An unusually ineffective and subdued performance from Bruno. Terrible free kick.

Alejandro Garnacho 5.5 – Not his day, should have finished when put through from a defensive error. Worked hard though.

Anthony Martial 5.5 Didn’t get much service and didn’t do much with it when he did get it.

Substitutes

Marcus Rashford 8 – Saved the day. Great goal out of nothing. Could’ve gone down for a penalty but was strong and determined. Unlucky with the disallowed one, too. Would have probably gone in with or without the hand involvement.

Fred 7 – Lively, an upgrqde on the out-of-sorts Eriksen.

Donny van de Beek 5.5 – Got clear a couple of times but didn’t make it count.

Harry Maguire 6 – Not much influence.

Anthony Elanga 6 – Not much influence.

The post Player ratings: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Man United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.