United's laughable $100,000 private jet shambles revealed by The Athletic

Much has been made of Andre Onana’s delayed departure to the African Cup of Nations.

The goalkeeper has been both criticised and praised for his decision to delay his departure so he could help his club, Manchester United, in the FA Cup tie against Wigan and the crucial Premier League clash with Tottenham last Sunday.

However, the drama didn’t end there for Onana, as his flight was delayed and he only arrived at his team’s training camp hours before their opening match.

As a result, the Cameroonian keeper was left out of the game and did not play until yesterday’s disappointing 3-1 loss against Senegal where he didn’t cover himself with glory either by flapping at a corner that resulted in his side going 1-0 down.

There was clearly intention on the player’s part to take part in the opener as The Athletic have revealed United paid around $100,000 for the private jet that took him to the Ivory Coast.

Commenting on the Red Devils’ keeper’s delayed flight, The Athletic states that “there is so much claim and counterclaim as to why he was left out of the side that drew 1-1 with Guinea on Monday evening that it is difficult to know which information to follow. But there is no doubt that the logistical schedule to get him to this tournament did not go to plan”.

“Onana had been slated to land at an airport in Yamoussoukro, the inland Ivorian capital where the Group C game was being held. Instead, he went to Abidjan, 233km (144 miles) away on the coast. Representatives of the player suggest this was because of fog in the centre of the country”.

The Athletic corroborates Onana’s side of events by claiming that they had to drive to Yamoussoukro by road on Monday and there was “a thin layer of mist lifted from the canopies of the region’s forests as the heat of the day began to cut through the atmosphere”. Hence, making it very likely that air travel would have been unsafe.

After the demoralising draw with Guinea, Rigobert Song, the Cameroon manager, “suggested it had been impossible for Onana to play that day, and that he was using ‘logic’ in saying so.

Song asked, ‘How can you arrive at 4am and play at 5pm?’. In fact, Onana was not meant to arrive at Yamoussoukro’s tiny regional airport, where planes need special permits to land, until 6am at the earliest”.

The crux of the debate is why Song continued to insist the player could have arrived earlier.

“Yamoussoukro is a three-hour drive from Abidjan, depending on the intensity of the traffic. Reporters in Cameroon believe Onana did not arrive at the team hotel in the capital until midday on Monday — just five hours before kick-off”.

Therefore, why did Song suggest the impossible time of 4am as an arrival? As the article puts it, Onana was not flying on Concorde.

Either the manager has been “given the wrong information in relation to the planning of the journey, or he has been misled about its execution”.

“Does that mean Song was not counting on Onana, regardless of the late rush to get him back to Africa? And if Song was aware of these arrangements, why did he make him board the plane on Sunday night in the first place, when the player could have travelled later on a schedule that improved the chances of him turning up in a fresher state of mind?”.

Clearly, “the player, the manager and the country’s football federation do not seem to be on the same page about what really happened”.

In another potential source of conflict for the future, Onana did not seem overly impressed by his non-selection for the match and claimed, “I have a lot of things to say, but I won’t say it here because we are in competition. “The most important thing is sacred union. We are here to win AFCON 2023”.

Onana’s camp have also denied that he had to forcibly calmed down by the former Senegalese striker, El Hadji Diouf, at the Charles Konan Banny stadium after discovering that he would be omitted from the squad.

Song has a reputation as a “disciplinarian, bringing some old-school values to the national set-up”, Consequently there have been clashes with established stars who were banished from the squad despite their history with the nation.

If Onana and Cameroon do go on to get eliminated by failing to beat Gambia, expect more tension bubbling underneath to be released, as there is something clearly not working in the Cameroonian footballing federation and certainly not between goalkeeper and coach.

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United man set to finally make his AFCON bow after travel woes

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to make his first appearance in this years African Cup of Nations today (Friday).

The United man left Manchester directly after the weekend draw with Tottenham Hotspur and was hoping to play in Cameroon’s opener, on Monday.

However, fog issues delayed his 5,000 mile trip and he eventually arrived at the ground just three hours before Cameroon’s curtain raiser which they went on to draw 1-1 with Guinea.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Onana is now set to make his bow in the tournament in what looks like a crunch fixture in Group C.

Senegal romped to a three goal victory in their first game and another win would leave Cameroon in danger of exiting the competition at the group stage.

Should Cameroon go out at the first hurdle, Onana could incredibly be back in England for United’s next fixture – the FA Cup round fourth tie at Newport County next Sunday.

If Cameroon go all the way it would leave Erik ten Hag without his number one for up to four matches, with the final on February 11.

Onana has suffered a somewhat turbulent start to his career at Old Trafford with a number of high-profile mistakes costing United, particularly in Europe.

However, he has recently showed signs of settling into life in the Premier League and losing him for any number of games will serve as a blow to the United boss.

Ten Hag is left with a couple of options to step in for Onana; summer signing Altay Bayindir or experienced ‘keeper Tom Heaton.

Turkish stopper Bayindir is yet to make his debut since his £4.3million move Fenerbahçe.

Heaton has looked dependable in his few appearances since resigning for the club but it’s likely that Bayindir is going to get his chance at Newport next weekend.

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Ex United star has 'last opportunity' this window to save drowning career

David de Gea remains a prominent figure in the football world despite his current status as a free agent since his departure from Manchester United last summer.

The Spanish goalkeeper’s career has been a topic of speculation, with various clubs rumoured to be interested yet no deals have materialised.

As the winter transfer window of 2024 approaches, De Gea finds himself at a crucial juncture, with limited options and the prospect of retirement looming.

De Gea’s exit from United marked the end of a significant chapter in his career. Post that, he was linked with several top clubs, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and teams in Saudi Arabia, but none aligned with his expectations.

A recent opportunity seemed to arise with Newcastle United following Nick Pope’s injury, but it fell through, leaving De Gea still searching for a new club.

Despite his impressive record of 629 professional games, clubs are hesitant to commit to him.

There was speculation about a potential return to Old Trafford, especially with André Onana’s absence during the African Cup of Nations.

However, this prospect remains uncertain.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent acquisition of a 25% stake in Man United also spurred rumours of a comeback for De Gea, yet no concrete developments have occurred.

De Gea’s preference is to continue playing in Europe, ideally in La Liga, with Real Betis previously showing interest.

However, the possibility of moving outside Europe to leagues like Major League Soccer or the Saudi Professional League, with clubs like Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq expressing interest, cannot be discounted.

Despite these options, De Gea, who has 45 caps for Spain, seems reluctant to join a project that doesn’t fully engage him.

Having not played competitively since June 3 in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, his hiatus from the game is extending.

This winter transfer market could be his last chance to reignite his career. If he remains without a club until the summer, after a year of inactivity, his prospects could diminish significantly, making this period decisive for the future of the talented goalkeeper.

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Maguire and Varane both set for summer exits as INEOS plans defensive overhaul - report

Manchester United are considering wholesale changes to their backline this summer transfer window.

This is according to ESPN who state that “according to a source, there have been conversations about making changes to United’s defence with players both leaving and arriving”.

It is no secret that the Red Devils have shipped too many goals this season, having conceded 47 goals in all competitions already this year.

There have been numerous reasons for this such as new goalkeeper, Andre Onana, needing more time to bed in than first thought and a revolving door of centre back partnerships due to a plethora of injuries.

However, with new part owners, INEOS, getting the reins of the Old Trafford side by the summer transfer window, they want to put their stamp on the club and invest in new players who are younger and hungrier.

United’s backline is famously creaking with all but Lisandro Martinez and Willy Kambwala over 30 years old, so it stands to reason that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will want to start the club’s makeover in this department.

ESPN highlight the uncertain nature of the future of many United centre backs and claim that “Raphaël Varane’s future is up in the air after United decided not to trigger a one-year extension in his contract and the Frenchman could leave Old Trafford as a free agent in June. Jonny Evans is also out of contract in the summer while Victor Lindelöf and Harry Maguire could also leave if significant offers arrive”.

Furthermore, “United, according to a source, hold an interest in Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo”.

The Red Devils have been linked heavily to all of the defenders mentioned and all fit the INEOS model of being younger and hungrier.

Branthwaite and Todibo would want to take the next step in their career and move to a bigger club than Everton or Nice. Also, De Ligt could want to play for his previous manager at Ajax and try to prove himself once again, as he has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern Munich and is no longer an automatic starter.

Interestingly, it is noted that “ahead of the summer, United are also paying particular attention to players who will be out of contract in June 2025”.

The example of the Mason Mount deal last summer window is highlighted and “United believe they can take advantage of similar situations at the end of the current campaign”.

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Barcelona planning to offer career lifeline to United's "black sheep" - report

Barcelona want to sign Manchester United’s Antony on loan.

According to Catalan outlet El Nacional, the Blaugrana are interested in bringing in “the black sheep” who Erik ten Hag has lost patience with once and for all.

The paper states that the Red Devils have a “serious problem on their hands” with the Brazilian as he was a personal bet from the coach who “was convinced that he could become a key piece, and be one of the pillars of the team”.

This clearly has not become the case, with 18 year old Alejandro Garnacho filling the right wing spot, despite it not being his natural role, due to the former Ajax player’s woeful form.

Things were so different at the end of the 2021-2022 season, however. The sports paper claims that “he had become one of the most sought-after footballers in Europe, and in the Eredivise he managed to attract the attention of the best teams on the planet, so at Old Trafford they were convinced that they had made the right decision with this investment”.

The first year of Antony was seen as “disastrous”, however the club understood that he needed a period of time to acclimatise to his new surroundings.

Apparently United were convinced that the player would find form and “he would be able to demonstrate the sensational skills that he possesses in boots”.

Although, the winger has taken several steps backwards in this campaign.

A mixture of horrendous form which has seen him score zero goals and contribute zero assists in 22 games this campaign along with discipline problems that saw him separated from the group for a while has apparently seen him become the “black sheep of the locker room”.

The Catalan outlet claim that his biggest fan in the past, Ten Hag, is especially frustrated with the 23 year old from Sao Paulo state.

“Ten Hag, who in the past was a great supporter of the Brazilian international, is very unhappy with him, and would not be opposed to a farewell. And here Barça has appeared, who have been very seriously interested in welcoming him into Xavi Hernández’s discipline”.

They claim that Joan Laporta, Barca’s president and Deco, the club’s sporting director, appear to see an opportunity and would be keen to welcome the player into the Blaugrana fold.

Both were interested in his services in the past and under the right conditions, they believe that the attacker can still be a valuable piece.

It is believed that Barcelona could not get close to affording the player in a sale, so the outlet puts forward the idea of a loan, in similar vein to Jadon Sancho’s recent temporary move to Borussia Dortmund.

The piece finishes by asserting that “the only option for him to be able to wear Barcelona is for him to arrive on loan, and it is an alternative that is being studied. Antony would be delighted to try his luck at Barça”.

The player has faced a tirade of abuse from pundits, with Peter Schmeichel claiming that the player must be very “frustrating” for his teammates and Alan Shearer asserting that the player “kills the attacking momentum” of the side.

The Brazilian was also reportedly offered to Barca’s titanic rivals, Real Madrid for €30m by the Red Devils.

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United unwilling to pay the price for generational defensive talent - report

Manchester United are unwilling to pay the price LOSC Lille are demanding for their defensive jewel Leny Yoro.

Old Trafford scouts are believed to be enamoured with the 18-year-old centre-back, who has firmly established himself as a permanent fixture at the heart of Lille’s defence this season.

Yoro has made twenty-three appearances for the French club, scoring three goals in the process.

Lille sit fifth in the Ligue 1, with only OGC Nice having conceded fewer goals in France’s top division this season.

A large part of their success this season has stemmed from their strong defensive unit, with Yoro’s performances an integral part of this.

As such, the French protégé has been attracting attention across Europe’s major clubs, with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain all thought to be interested in securing his services.

A report by The Peoples Person revealed United had also “enquired” about Yoro as the club seeks to overhaul their defence.

Christopher Michel (Sport1) contends this enquiry was met with a firm answer by Lille: “80 to 90 million euros this winter! The club also wants 50-60 million euros in the summer.”

News #Yoro: Yes, MUFC finds the player very exciting. But: Lille are asking for a transfer fee of 80 to 90 million euros this winter! The club also wants 50-60 million € in the summer. MUFC don't want to buy him for that amount. #FCB are also said to be interested.

— Christopher Michel (@CMoffiziell) January 17, 2024

The German reporter believes these prices will prove too costly for United, however – in either transfer window.

Michel asserts United “don’t want to buy [Yoro] for that amount” with concerns over the player’s youthfulness relative to his price likely driving this hesitation.

Old Trafford officials are thought to have designated Jean-Clair Todibo (Nice) and Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton) as their two primary targets at centre-back. Both players will prove expensive recruits and would likely expect to be competing for a first-choice position.

Yoro may, therefore, have made more sense as an additional centre-back to Erik ten Hag’s squad – with continued doubts over both Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire. The price Lille are demanding is not one of a squad player, however.

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United have abandoned their principles and logic with this new transfer approach - opinion

On the surface, things are looking great at Manchester United’s academy level.

The under 18s are having an incredible season where they have won every league game they have played and Omari Forson recently became the club’s 249th academy graduate to make their first team debut for the Red Devils.

United’s Academy Director Nick Cox recently commented on the achievement by stating, “I would like to say well done to all of the staff who have played an important role in supporting Omari to this point. You each know who you are”.

No doubt 250 will be just around the corner with a seemingly prime opportunity to blood at least some youngsters against either Newport or Eastleigh in the FA cup at the end of January.

Furthermore, two of United’s standout performers this season have been Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who were both key components of the 2022 FA Youth Cup victory.

Willy Kambwala has also broken through and played a strong match against West Ham in his debut just before Christmas.

However, below the surface, perhaps something more sinister is brewing.

While certain players have had opportunities, a worrying trend is developing where a sizeable number of players who were considered some of the gems of the academy are being sold without ever having a chance to show their value to the first team.

This window, Manchester United have approved the potential sale of Alvaro Fernandez to Benfica and the permanent sale of Mateo Mejia to Sevilla. It is fair to say that neither player received any sort of chance in the first team and both had strong reputations at youth level.

Fernandez has played well over fifty senior games on loan at both Preston and Granada, so a direct sale without being given a sniff of the first team is strange considering the weird combinations of left backs the club has used with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia suffering long term injuries this year. With Benfica seeming to only have an option to buy it seems possible that Fernandez may stay but it shows where he is in Ten Hag’s thinking that he would rather play Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left back then give the Spaniard a go.

Former United player, James Garner has also recently spoken out about his departure claiming that no one in particular tried to stop him from leaving and that “I feel like I’ve proven it to those who didn’t believe me over that side, but more importantly I’ve proven to myself that I can play in a Premier League side week in, week out”.

In the summer, Teden Mengi was sold to Luton Town for just €2 million and has immediately proven himself more than capable of playing Premier League level football.

Additionally, youth product Isak Hansen-Aarøen has been linked to a move away and his personal trainer has recently publicly stated that the player should leave to get first team opportunities as they are not forthcoming at Manchester United.

Even the deal for Hannibal Mejbri to go to Sevilla on loan can be questioned, because at the start of the season it appeared the Tunisian was ready to fight for a squad place and even with such devastating injuries in the middle of the park, he has barely featured in November and December for the club.

Therefore, are Manchester United abandoning their youth principles by selling academy players in favour of keeping expensive flops such as Antony on their bench?

Both sides of this debate can point to their own examples. The rise of Mainoo and Garnacho can be counter-balanced with the refusal to allow Fernandez or Mejia any sort of first team chance.

It is concerning that Erik ten Hag should understand this better than most. Ajax are one of the few teams in world football who could sensibly argue their traditional commitment to the academy is stronger than that of United and the Dutchman spent a long time at the club. However, the Dutch coach has already claimed he cannot play the Ajax way at United, so maybe he also doesn’t think he has the breathing space to trust youth the way he did at the Eredivisie side.

However, it must also be stated that every team needs to sell some academy products and Manchester United have been previously criticised in the past for holding on to youth team players who were never realistically going to make it and missed on a decent transfer fee as a result. Brandon Williams or Di’Shon Bernard are good examples of this, with the former still being connected to the club as he is only on loan at Ipswich.

All in all, United are still using their academy but they are playing with fire. They need to be careful not to get rid of too many players, too quickly and consequently, create a culture where youth players don’t feel they will have a fair crack of the whip. Of course, only the best should make it at a club like Manchester United and there should be no charity but the likes of Fernandez and Mejia will argue they never even had an opportunity.

So in spite of things looking rosy on the surface, the Mancunian side could be sleepwalking into losing their own youth identity, an identity that has outlasted all managers and owners since the 1930s, if they aren’t careful.

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New information reveals United had full agreement for Erling Haaland but made this simple mistake

Erling Haaland was an hour away from becoming a Manchester United player.

This is according to longstanding Scandanavian senior scout of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton, Bryan King, who was speaking to Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast.

The scout “revealed that the Premier League giants had a full agreement in place for the Norwegian but missed the deadline to call his then-club Molde by one hour”.

The move was just before the Norwegian was sold to Red Bull Leipzig by Molde in 2019.

The 23 year old has since taken like a duck to water in England for United’s cross-city rivals and has scored a remarkable 71 goals in 75 games for the Citizens.

United have been involved in a series of transfer mishaps in the post-Ferguson era, but very few could be described as haphazardous as this incident.

The scout revealed that numerous English clubs were circling over the talent, including the Old Trafford side and Everton.

Speaking of the Red Devils’ interest in the player he claimed, “I know the chief Scandavavian scout at United and he worked really hard to get him over there. There was a mix-up at the end of the season and a lot of people were on holiday at United. They were told that they had to ring Molde at a certain time in the morning.”

“The guy who was handling Haaland’s deal from Molde to Salzburg was Jim Solbakken and he has good connections with Man United. He said that if the call is not in by 10 o’clock, then Haaland will go to Salzburg. The people at United who made the call made it an hour late. They should have rung at nine but they rang at 10, which is 11 in Norway.

“That caused the deal not to go through”.

The Mancunian side were desperate to sign the Manchester City attacker under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020 but the striker opted for a move to Borussia Dortmund, much like Jude Bellingham in the same year.

Many fans will be incredibly frustrated to hear of this news and it sums up exactly the scale of the job that INEOS have when they aim to fix what is so clearly broken at Old Trafford in terms of transfer dealings.

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Picture: United star's fashion choices hilariously compared to Eastenders legend

Marcus Rashford’s fashion choice has gone under the microscope after being seen wearing dangly earrings in the warmup against Tottenham before Sunday’s crucial clash.

The game ended 2-2 with Rashford ending his goal drought at Old Trafford this season and appeared to celebrate his goal by silencing his critics.

The Englishman has been on the end of a huge amount of condemnation about his performances, which have seen the striker only find the net four times for his club despite scoring 30 in the last campaign.

Pundit and former United captain, Roy Keane, has recently called out the player for being “frustrating” and stating that everyone expects more from him.

However, this time around it wasn’t his on-field choices that were being analysed but his off-field ones.

The Daily Star claims that “Marcus Rashford was told he ‘looks like Pat Butcher’ as the Manchester United star warmed-up wearing dangly earrings”.

For context, Pat Butcher was a character on the British soap, Eastenders, from 1986-2016. The character was famed for wearing long, dangly, garish earrings as well as other interesting apparel designs.

“Fans couldn’t help but be distracted by the hoop and crucifix hanging from his ears in the build-up to the Red Devils’ home Premier League clash with Tottenham on Sunday”.

Some fans watching on SkySports even went as far to suggest that the acceptance of a player wearing something like this showed the drop in standards at the club under the current manager, Erik ten Hag.

Others wondered why he was allowed to do it and even mused about what legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, would make of it.

Luckily for Rashford, Keane did not or maybe chose not, to mention the earrings while watching the players warm up and decided to tell viewers what the player needs to improve upon on the pitch.

Keane said: “His desire needs to change, his work rate – I don’t see him doing enough runs off the ball. He doesn’t get in behind, he needs to run more, to me he’s going through the motions”.

United will be hoping that the England international can kick-start his season for good over the coming months so nobody will care whether he looks like a soap opera star or not.

"Desire, work rate, I don't see him doing enough runs off the ball"

Roy Keane on what Marcus Rashford needs to do better pic.twitter.com/zWqHHraX3u

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 14, 2024

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United stoop to new low as Gary Neville praises player for rejecting club's offer - report

Gary Neville has praised Jude Bellingham’s decision to turn down Manchester United’s offer in favour of Borussia Dortmund in 2020.

Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer was thought to be enamoured by Bellingham – then plying his trade for boyhood club Birmingham City – and wanted to bring him to Old Trafford.

As such, the club conducted an elaborate courting process, which even involved Sir Alex Ferguson personally meeting with Bellingham on his tour of the Carrington training complex. Ultimately, it proved unsuccessful, despite United agreeing a deal with Birmingham.

Bellingham may have looked at United’s midfield at the time, which contained both Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, and believed his opportunities to play as a more advanced midfielder would be limited. He instead chose Dortmund – a club famed for helping cultivate young talent – in a move worth in the region of €30 million.

It very quickly proved a wise decision.

The English midfielder thrived at the Signal Iduna Park, quickly establishing himself as one of the premier players in the Bundesliga, and one of the hottest prospects throughout Europe.

A consistent string of impressive performances at the heart of Dortmund’s midfield eventually led to a blockbuster transfer to Real Madrid last summer. Madrid agreed to pay €110 million for the 20-year-old – a price which seemed costly on first glance, but has quickly proven an absolute bargain given Bellingham’s performances in the Spanish capital.

Seventeen goals and six assists in just twenty-four games; the heartbeat of both Madrid’s midfield and attack; top of La Liga and their Champions League group; a leader in a dressing room of Champions League winners at the tender age of twenty; murmurings of a potential Ballon d’Or.

Bellingham has been a revelation at the Bernabeu this season. Yet it’s an ascension to the upper echelon of football which may never have happened had Bellingham not chosen Dortmund over United. Or at least that what’s Neville believes.

“You think of Jude Bellingham, he walks into boardroom here, Man United have agreed a fee with Birmingham and so have Dortmund and he has a choice between them and somehow, well done to him, he chose Dortmund and is now one of the greatest players in the world and greatest English talents.

“What would have happened if he came here? I don’t know, maybe he would be a success but I’m not so sure because of the culture,” Neville asserted on Sky Sports.

The pundit even went as far as revealing the recommendation he used to give players to joining United as “pretty poor advice.”

His fellow pundit, and former teammate, Roy Keane agreed with this idea. “I’ve said for years if you’re a player and have a chance to sign for Man United then go for it. My mind has changed over the last couple of years,’ Keane revealed.

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"I would have loved it": Keane reveals regret at missing infamous moment at Old Trafford - report

Roy Keane has revealed the infamous moment which saw Sir Alex Ferguson strike David Beckham on the eye with a boot was the type which he “used to love.”

On Sky Sports before Manchester United’s pulsating 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, Keane was interviewed in the home dressing room before the game.

The Sky Sports presenter asked him what his immediate feelings were being back in room which he used to run. “Mixed emotions,” Keane replied, but was quick to emphasise what “great memories” he had from that time as United’s captain.

Keane contended how much easier it made it to captain a side full of players he could “rely” on. He questioned how many of the current United dressing room were players you could lean on in the same way.

The former-player-turned-pundit even revealed how surprisingly “relaxed” the pre-match preparations were when he was at United: “Not what you might think for a match, people think players would be ranting and raving [but it was actually] nice and quiet, nice and lowkey.”

One such moment which was less ‘relaxed’, however, was the the injury Beckham sustained to his eye following an errant boot kicked by Ferguson.

United had just lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup and the Scottish manager was apoplectic about the performance by his team. Beckham, in particular, received the brunt of Ferguson’s notorious hairdryer treatment.

According to the former United star, Ferguson then kicked a pile of clothes in a moment of frustration as tensions boiled over, not knowing a football boot was at the bottom.

The boot flew up and struck Beckham just over the eye, drawing blood. Given the level of fame Beckham had already ascended to at this point of his career, the incident quickly became a worldwide story that crossed the divide from football into wider society.

Ultimately, it would prove to be Beckham’s final season at Old Trafford with Ferguson believing the incident led to the winger thinking he was “bigger than the manager.”

Keane agreed he believed the incident to be an “accident” but revealed it “all happened in dressing rooms,” suggesting there are a few more potential headline stories which never made it beyond the confines of Old Trafford.

The former Irish international even expressed his regret at not being present for ‘Pizzagate’ – the infamous moment Cesc Fabregas lobbed a pizza at Ferguson in the tunnel. “I would have loved it”, Keane reminisced, indicating he was a player who enjoyed confrontation off the pitch as much as he did on it.

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"Always on time": do Dortmund chief’s comments on Sancho make Ten Hag look foolish?

Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastien Kehl has described Jadon Sancho as “more mature” following the winger’s loan move from Manchester United.

Sancho re-joined the German club on a loan deal until the end of the season. His availability stemmed from his protracted dispute with Erik ten Hag after the 23-year-old publicly rejected the Dutchman’s explanation for his exclusion from the match-day squad against Arsenal, asserting he was being made a “scapegoat” by his manager.

As a result, Sancho was banished from the first-team and made to train either alone or with youth players; with an apology for his behaviour the only avenue towards being reintegrated. An apology has not been forthcoming and Sancho has not featured for United since the end of August.

The club were desperate to find a resolution to a conflict which was benefitting neither party. Dortmund – who had not initially deemed it a viable prospect to sign Sancho on loan – quickly emerged as a concrete option one the January transfer window opened.

A deal was eventually agreed between the two clubs after intense negotiations which sees the German side paying the majority of Sancho’s wage packet, as well as a small loan fee.

No buy-clause was included as United are thought to be hopeful of the winger rediscovering the type of form which saw him one of the most coveted players in Europe. If Sancho was to find this level again, the market for his services in the summer may be drastically different to the one this month.

Dortmund are believed to be very happy with a deal which sees their prodigal son return. The German side have struggled against low-block defences in particular this season, with Sancho’s interplay abilities a potential solution to this problem.

If the winger helps Dortmund achieve Champions League qualification (they are currently fifth), he will more than have justified his loan fee.

Kehl contends Sancho seems “incredibly motivated” and he is excited by the prospect of seeing the 23-year-old in such a state of mind.

Speaking to Sky Germany, the Dortmund director reveals: “I experience Jadon as changed, I experience him as more mature in his personality. He knows that he is challenged and that he is coming to Borussia Dortmund in a different role. He’s always on time – even over-punctual. He seems incredibly motivated and committed and to see such a player on the pitch is fantastic. I think we’ll have fewer problems than in the past.”

The reference to “over-punctual” appears to be a direct repudiation of the issues Ten Hag had with Sancho at Old Trafford with time-keeping.

The Dutch manager revealed he and his coaching staff had “issues all the way through” their time in charge of Sancho. He described Sancho’s time in Manchester as “not a success, so far,” but reiterated his hope to see the 23-year-old enjoy a successful loan in Germany.

Ten Hag has been adamant the United dressing room must improve their standards and mentality since he arrived from Ajax. Sancho – who became “renowned for his lateness” – appeared an antithetical figure to these demands. The fact Kehl even references the prospect of there being “fewer problems than in the past” offers a damning assessment of the player Sancho was before he joined United.

Issues with attitude, mentality and time-keeping have followed Sancho wherever he has gone in his career thus far, even at international level. Ten Hag appears to just be the first manager who said enough is enough.

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"I've proven it": Ex-United star flying at new club says he has silenced his Old Trafford critics

Everton midfielder James Garner has stated that he has silenced those who doubted him at Manchester United and he harbours no regrets whatsoever about his decision to leave the Red Devils.

Garner had been with United since the age of seven but after a conversation with Erik ten Hag, a decision was made to part ways with the club and complete a transfer to Goodison Park.

Everton forked out £15million to secure Garner’s services in 2022.

He has been a revelation at the Merseyside outfit, especially under the stewardship of Sean Dyche.

Garner is undeniably one of the first names on the team sheet and he is now showing his abilities and why United were wrong not to give him an opportunity to prove himself.

The 22-year-old has made 24 appearances this term across all competitions and registered two goals and one assist.

Garner spoke to The Telegraph and opened up on his Everton progress and exit from United. He said, “When they start signing three, four midfielders you kind of understand your place. It was a decision that I wanted to make.”

“I still live in Manchester so obviously you bump into the odd person. Fans being fans they always give you their little comments and stuff. But look, I’m happy where I am now, yeah.”

“It’s always a tough decision [to leave] when you’re coming from a club that is deemed one of the best in the world. It was a big decision but one I knew was right.”

The Everton star added, “I feel like I’ve proven it to those who didn’t believe me over that side, but more importantly I’ve proven to myself that I can play in a Premier League side week in, week out.”

He told The Telegraph that what matters to him most is the opinions of his family and loved ones as opposed to the critics who thought he didn’t have the talent to play for United.

Garner admitted that he also doubted himself and his abilities at one point but at the moment, he is flying at the top level.

“I feel like I’ve proven it to those who didn’t believe me over that side, but more importantly I’ve proven to myself that I can play in a Premier League side week in, week out.”

He further remarked on his Old Trafford departure, “Some people might have thought it was the wrong [decision] at the time but I knew it was the right one because I didn’t want to stagnate when I’d just had such a good season [with Nottingham Forest]. I wanted to go out and prove to everyone and prove to myself that I can play at the top level.”

When asked whether anyone at United tried to convince him to stay, Garner pointed out that no one necessarily reached out to him. However, he indicated that he had a conversation with Ten Hag, where it was made clear he wouldn’t play significant minutes.

Ultimately, that revelation from the manager motivated his decision to seek a fresh challenge.

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Fabrizio Romano says Ten Hag summer signing is eyed by shock PL outfit for January deal

Manchester United’s summer business included five permanent signings and two loan incomings with both temporary arrivals failing to catch manager Erik ten Hag’s eye.

Due to numerous injuries in the midfield. Sofyan Amrabat is expected to remain for the time being but coaches feel his pace is not suited to the Premier League and is unlikely to earn a permanent stay.

Sergio Reguilon was also brought in at the last minute following injuries to both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia but the Dutch manager ended up using him sparingly.

The Spaniard completed the full 90 minutes only three times, with the United boss preferring to play right-back Diogo Dalot in his position.

Reguilon could not shine at United

The 27-year-old’s loan deal ended after a break clause was activated and he has since returned to parent club Tottenham Hotspur who have no use for him.

The Spain international is expected to depart on loan again for the second half of the campaign and has been linked with quite a few clubs outside of England.

But transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Premier League side Brentford are interested in Reguilon and are pushing hard for his services.

The player will take the final call with Borussia Dortmund also among the sides eyeing the full-back. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.

Brentford interested in Spaniard

“Sergio Reguilon left Manchester United at the beginning of the January transfer window, returning from loan to go back to Tottenham. However, he’s not going to stay at Tottenham.

“Conversations between Reguilon’s agents and clubs are ongoing, and my understanding is that Brentford are pushing to sign the Spanish left-back.

They want him and they will push for this possibility, but then it will be up to the player because there are also other clubs interested in him. Reguilon will consider and assess all the options.”

During his stay in Manchester, it was clear to see that the defender loves bombing forward while simultaneously struggling to defend. It was no surprise to see the manager not select him more often.

The Madrid-born star is not quite up to the mark when it comes to playing for elite sides and Brentford could be a good place to start earning regular minutes.

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United plot sensational loan for multiple Champions League winner to aid goal drought - report

Manchester United have been linked for a sensational loan move for Real Madrid legend and current Al Ittihad striker, Karim Benzema.

This is according to Fichajes who claim that the Red Devils, alongside former teams Real Madrid and Lyon, want to bring the Frenchman in on a loan deal.

The Mancunian side’s goalscoring woes are no secret.

The Red Devils have statistically one of the worst attacks in the league and have suffered due to Marcus Rashford’s inability to recreate anything like the form that saw him score 30 goals in the last campaign.

Moreover, Rasmus Hojlund is the team’s joint top scorer but five out of his six goals have come in the doomed Champions League campaign.

It is obvious that the club needs help. They were linked to Timo Werner before his move to Tottenham and continue to be linked to Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

However, neither signing would have or would potentially get fans’ hearts racing.

Fichajes claim that Benzema faces serious problems at his current club as he has not turned up for the resumption of their season after the break.

Consequently, “by decision of coach Marcelo Gallardo, he will not participate in the ‘ministage’ that the team will carry out in Dubai”.

This has alerted some of Europe’s top teams and according to the Spanish news site, “Manchester United have also set their eyes on the French striker. The Red Devils are looking for a centre forward who can come on loan to compete as a starter with Hojlund. Erik Ten Hag, United’s strategist, believes that Benzema would be a valuable reinforcement to strengthen the squad and increase internal competition”.

Former French United striker, Louis Saha, has also recently spoken for his support for a move by stating the player would “change United’s attack, score goals and ensure better team play”.

Fichajes have had a habit of late of linking United to players who appear out of reach such as Vinicius Junior and Victor Osimhen.

However, United do have form for bringing in older strikers and on loan for six months, it might be an opportunity the club could look to exploit.

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"Sell your dog": Former United winger tells tale of Ferguson's infamous "hairdryer"

Lee Sharpe has claimed that he experienced the worst of Sir Alex Ferguson’s mythical “hairdryer treatment” as an 18 year old at Anfield in 1988.

The highly-decorated Glaswegian manager was famous for his bouts of anger, especially when his side were underperforming.

Numerous players have spoken over the years of being on the end of such a tirade and now, Lee Sharpe has told his tale.

Speaking to The Sun about the infamous “hairdryer” the former winger claimed that, “for me personally my worst one was probably at Anfield at half-time when he told me I have to move out my house and go back to Birmingham”.

United were playing against old rivals Liverpool and Sharpe had a forgettable game up to that point.

However, despite only being the tender age of just 18, Ferguson let the youngster have both barrels. The Premier League winning attacker stated that his coach ordered him “to sell my dog, sell my car and drag it out back. I was only 18 years old at the time as well”.

“And he told me how rubbish I was, how I couldn’t pass it, couldn’t head it, couldn’t run.

“And then [to] get out [for the] second half and go and play well at Anfield, which was a very difficult thing to do in the best of times…”

“He was certainly an aggressive manager but certainly got the best out of players.”

The winger signed from Torquay would go on to have a successful career at the club at the beginning of the 1990s.

He would go on to play 245 times for the Red Devils and win three Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and one League Cup, before leaving to join Leeds in 1996.

It is hard to imagine how the modern player would deal with this type of criticism as we have seen with the Jadon Sancho saga of late.

Nonetheless, the majority of former players, while hating the experience of the “hairdryer” treatment, believe it was beneficial for their overall career as it pushed them even further to achieve their personal best.

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United's only ever Chinese player reveals reason why he didn't make it

Manchester United’s only ever Chinese player, Dong Fangzhuo, has recalled his move to Old Trafford and his subsequent experience at the club.

Speaking to the official club website, the former Chinese striker claimed, “I’m so happy and excited to come back”.

The now 38 year old was on a whistle-stop tour of the north-west of England back in November and returned to his old stomping ground for a quick visit.

The player only made three appearances for the first team and never scored a goal after joining in 2004.

Fangzhuo spoke of the opportunity that brought about his dream move. “The trial was supposed to be two weeks. But ten days into the trial, United decided to give me another two weeks to test how good I could be. Halfway into the trial, the decision had been made for me to sign, but they wanted to see if my performances were consistent.”

The Chinese forward had his issues however. Despite putting pen to paper in 2004, he could not make his debut until 2007 due to being “ineligible for a work permit upon arrival in the UK”.

In the meantime, the player went out on loan to Belgian side, Royal Antwerp, and despite original difficulties with the language barrier and a solitary hotel life, he went on to become the team’s top scorer.

The former China international believes his success came about by bringing in his own trainers.

“I hired my own trainer at Antwerp – I explained to my coach why I needed a trainer and why I did extra training. The argument was: ‘I respect you, I respect your training sessions, but my ambition is not to stay at Antwerp, my ambition is to go back to Manchester United one day.’”

Eventually after his fine form in Belgium and sorting his documentation issues the player returned to Old Trafford and signed a new deal, primed to showcase his talent at the very top of European football.

However, on entering a squad containing the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he said he “felt pressure, even from training with these massive players. There was a consistently high intensity in the training sessions every day. The more pressure I felt from playing with them, the more I wanted to prove that I could do that too.”

Dong finally had his chance at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea at the end of the 2006/2007 season when the Red Devils were already crowned champions and actually received a guard of honour from the side from West London.

Speaking of the debut, “On the pitch, I felt a bit nervous and when I look back, I feel I could have done even better. Some content creators made fun of me, mocked me with highlights as ‘lowlights’, showing me shooting the ball into the stands.”

However, the player would only get two more chances and he believes that his decision to ignore Sir Alex Ferguson’s advice and not get surgery on an injury may have been the death knell for his career at the club.

“Maybe Sir Alex took me continuing to play as a sign that I wasn’t professional, that I didn’t have a long-term plan for myself. Sir Alex thought about the club, he cared about his players and didn’t want them to risk their careers to keep playing with injury.”

The Chinese international’s reason for delaying the operation was so that he could represent his national team in their home Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

“He (Ferguson) made the call in person to inform me [that he was being sold], and I was really disappointed and sad. It was an ultimate honour to represent my country in such a tournament, so I would probably make the same decision again, but what I would change is to have had better communication with the manager and to have made smarter decisions.”

Fangzhou struggled with injury during the rest of his career and was forced to retire at only 30 years old. He now works as a pundit and runs the Dong Fangzhuo Football Club in Xiamen, which aims to develop players who “might one day follow in his footsteps but also at helping youngsters with special needs”.

The former attacker signed off the interview by stating, “maybe you have already forgotten me, but I have to say thank you for your support because as a Chinese player, having that opportunity to play in the red shirt at Old Trafford was already a dream come true.”

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Former United exec Ed Woodward in middle of extraordinary row between Lineker and Mourinho

Gary Lineker, the famous Match of the Day pundit for the BBC, has claimed that he has had a feud with former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, dating back years.

Speaking to The Rest is Football podcast, the presenter asserted that he once had a very positive relationship with the controversial manager but this has not been the case for a long time.

However, things began to turn sour after the ‘Special One’ requested not to receive a GQ magazine award from Lineker in 2015.

The former England international claims that “I remember when he first came, he was this incredible personality, really engaging and I thought he was witty and he was funny. I think the game has beaten him up a little over the years”.

The two even did a documentary together and would exchange texts regularly, with the former Chelsea boss being a fan of his work on British TV.

The former Barcelona striker said that the two had been getting on well for a couple of years and then “something changed”.

The TV personality had been asked to present an award for Mourinho and he gladly accepted. However, to his surprise, “about four days before the event, they got in touch and said ‘Jose has got in touch and he doesn’t want you to present the trophy to him, he wants someone that’s not in football.”

Lineker thought this was odd and stated that at the ceremony he confronted the then Chelsea boss.

“I thought ‘hmm, that’s a bit odd’, but I thought I’ll go along to the event anyway and I went up to Jose and he kind of blanked me. I went ‘are we OK, are we OK Jose?’”.

“He went ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ But he wasn’t OK and he’s never been OK since.”

The former striker claimed that he has no idea what sparked the feud. He put forward the theory it was perhaps something he said during Match of the Day and since, when he has had to interview the Portuguese coach, he has been “very cold”.

The pundit claimed that when he saw him a few years later when Mourinho was Manchester United coach, time had not healed the wound.

“I remember doing a Champions League game which they didn’t do very well in. I went up to the director’s bit at Manchester United and I was having a drink with Ed Woodward, he’s a neighbour of mine so I know him really well.

He went on, “I’m stood there having a drink and Jose comes up, but then he just wandered off. He sent a text to Ed Woodward, ‘why are you talking to him?’”

Despite Lineker’s surprise, not many readers will be taken aback by this news as the Portuguese manager is as controversial as he is successful and he has made an art form of falling out with numerous people connected to football over the years.

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Dutch journalist reveals why United is the perfect destination for Eredivisie star

Dutch journalist, Mike Verweij, with close connections to Ajax, has stated that he believes Manchester United could be the idea landing spot for striker, Brian Brobbey.

According to Soccernews, a Dutch outlet, the journalist thinks Man United is exactly the type of club that could interest the 21 year old for the next step in his career.

The player has had a strong season to date, scoring 12 goals in 24 matches in all competitions.

Verweij claimed, “after Ajax, Brobbey does not want to go to the absolute top, but just below the top. Then Manchester United would be a very good one at the moment”.

It is a sad indictment of the state of the club that they are no longer at the top of the tree but it is hard to argue with for even the most optimistic fan.

The reporter also agrees with the Dutch striker’s viewpoint.

“That also seems very sensible to me. If a club like Real Madrid were to come, I do think he would say yes, but he has it in his head that the absolute top might not be a very good idea yet.”

The striker has been heavily linked to United in the past and was apparently a clear target for the club back in the summer of 2022 when Erik ten Hag took over the reins.

However the youngster decided to reject his former boss and revealed in an interview that, “Erik ten Hag wanted to work with me again and texted me on Whatsapp to ask me if I was open to joining, but I refused him kindly”, as he wanted a return to Ajax.

However, in an interview with ESPN shortly after in 2022, the player claimed that he “would love” to play for the Red Devils in the future.

Furthermore, it has been relayed this month by The Peoples Person that, “Erik Ten Hag wants a nine, taking into account that he has more mobile profiles in the squad. Brian Brobbey is the profile that the coach likes the most”.

Clearly then the manager likes the player, the player likes the manager and the club. If fans of the Old Trafford club can accept being seen as a stepping stone, a move could make sense for both sides. What is definitely non-negotiable is that youngster Rasmus Hojlund needs support that he is currently not receiving from Anthony Martial who seems on his way out of the club if not now, in the summer.

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"I like coaches like that": United prodigy lifts the lid on relationship with Ten Hag

After his strong cameo off the bench against Nottingham Forest, there is clamour among fans to see more of Amad.

The Ivorian looked like a new signing when against Forest, offering something different to Antony and Pellistri’s pure dynamism.

Speaking to the club website ahead of the Tottenham game, Amad said that he wasn’t expecting to play nearly 30 mins in the Forest game.

He had only just recovered from a long-term injury and said that him being thrown into the deep end directly meant a lot to him as it showed the trust the manager had in him.

He said: “Well, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to play so soon,” he recalls of being brought on by the manager.

“I thought I would maybe be playing for the last 10 or 15 minutes because I was coming back from an injury but the fact that he brought me on at that moment meant that the coach trusted me, and I was really happy to have played in that match.”

United ultimately lost the game despite Amad’s enterprising efforts but the winger is determined to be the one celebrating next time.

Amad also opened up about his overall relationship with Ten Hag and his words will come as music to fans’ ears.

He talked about the unflinching standards Ten Hag has set at the club, saying that even if there is a minor drop-off in training, he personally takes you aise and lets you know about it.

Amad said that those are the kind of coaches he likes and working with him is “really something that doesn’t happen every day”, effectively terming working with him as special.

He said: “He is a person who wants to work hard; even in training and when you’re going slowly, he calls you over and tells you to go stronger.

“I like coaches like that, that let you know that you need to train hard. My relationship with him is a good relationship.”

Fans who were worried about how involved Amad will be after his return from injury will be calmed by this news.

Next up, Tottenham, and the time is now for both, the player and the manager, to put their words into action.

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