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The end is nigh for Jadon Sancho after what happened to the last three Manchester United players who were exiled

The nine-point plan for Manchester United’s new transfer criteria

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was both right and wrong about Jadon Sancho at Manchester United

Jadon Sancho banned from Manchester United first-team training

Manchester United transfer news LIVE Jadon Sancho banned from training and 'refusing to apologise' plus Sofyan Amrabat boost

Erik ten Hag introduces new rule change at Manchester United

Why Anthony Martial left Manchester United training ground after five minutes

Sofyan Amrabat could hold the key to new Manchester United tactic

Manchester United transfer news LIVE Sofyan Amrabat updates as Harry Maguire speaks on failed Man Utd exit

Erik ten Hag’s trusted Manchester United players will start vs Brighton

 

The end is nigh for Jadon Sancho after what happened to the last three Manchester United players who were exiled
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-15 @ 4:00:22 -0600

The end was nigh for the last three senior Man United players banished by managers and it has to be for Jadon Sancho, too.

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NEW - Sign up for exclusive insights and views in our brand new newsletter from chief Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst

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A sheepish Jadon Sancho attempted to conceal his face as he drove into Carrington on Thursday afternoon. Deleting his impetuous Twitter post cannot save face.

Whoever is advising Sancho - and his 110-word statement had the makings of PR assistance - they have torched a Manchester United career.

Sancho cannot play for United again. He should not have a leg to stand on after publicly accusing the manager of lying and Erik ten Hag has taken the right decision to banish him.

Also read: The nine-point plan for United's new transfer criteria

Also read: Ten Hag introduces new rule change at Carrington

United have a shortage of right-sided forwards for Brighton's visit on Saturday and some of Sancho's acolytes might have delusionally hoped for a recall. No chance.

Removing a post is no form of apology. Sancho had to show public contrition and he has not done so. Twelve days ago, Sancho signed off his statement with: "I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!" Clearly not.

Sancho knew the score. He saw how Ten Hag handled Cristiano Ronaldo when he transgressed and he still not only published an incendiary statement but pinned it to his Twitter profile.

Ten Hag wants players to take accountability and too many modern players are incapable of that. Sancho is one of them.

His timekeeping was an issue at Borussia Dortmund and his training form restricted him to six minutes at the European Championship in 2021 prior to the quarter-final. More fool United for lacking due diligence.

Ten Hag has restored authority to the United manager's role that eroded over a four-year period. You hoped for Ten Hag's sake that Sancho was not Joel Glazer's favourite player. That spared Anthony Martial from being sold in 2018. Martial could be released next year.

United tolerated Paul Pogba revelling in Jose Mourinho's sacking and furnished Martial with a new contract 45 days later, with the manager's office still not permanently occupied. The player-power era ended last summer.

Sacnho has not transitioned from the cosy culture that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cultivated. For someone who players likened to Sir Alex Ferguson and purported to restore that ethos, Solskjaer was, in the words of one, a soft touch.

Players were afforded too much leeway and Sancho was one of the last, granted an extra week off after the European Championship. His England teammates, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire, dutifully reported at United's training camp at St Andrews.

Sancho was a belated arrival at United and he will never arrive. Ten Hag seemed the ideal coach to reignite his career and the Dutchman's duty of care was such that Sancho had three months off last season to improve his physical and mental shape.

Three months from now, it will be mid-December. Then two weeks later, the transfer window opens. That is not an inordinate wait for United to seek a buyer for Sancho, unless they cut their losses.

It would be logical to obtain a fee. There is resale value in a 23-year-old winger with 23 England caps who was hot-housed in the Manchester City academy and illuminated the yellow and black of Dortmund. Sancho's contract has a maximum expiry date of 2027.

History tells us there is no way back for Sancho. The last three United players that were banished by the manager were Ronaldo, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Victor Valdes. The end was nigh for all of them.

Ronaldo was reintegrated after a brief spell training separately and appeared four more times but Ten Hag's discipline convinced Ronaldo he had to take drastic measures. He had his ego massaged by Piers Morgan in an interview that ensured the divorce would not be amicable.

Schweinsteiger briefly came back into the fold in October 2016 but did not see out the season and played only 134 more minutes before settling in the MLS retirement home.

A year earlier, Valdes questioned Louis van Gaal's methods in front of other teammates but at least did so on a Carrington training pitch, rather than on national television. Valdes was immediately transfer-listed.

Valdes took his seat in the Old Trafford directors' box for the first game of the season against Tottenham. Van Gaal passed down the order that Valdes was never to enter the stadium again.

Sancho may not, either.

 
The nine-point plan for Manchester United’s new transfer criteria
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-15 @ 3:30:18 -0600

Despite spending £406m and recruiting 16 players within 12 months, there is a danger Man United are getting worse.

NEW - Sign up for exclusive insights and views in our brand new newsletter from chief Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst

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NEW - Sign up for exclusive insights and views in our brand new newsletter from chief Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst

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Of the 16 players Manchester United have signed under Erik ten Hag, eight have played in the Netherlands and two have switched to the same agency that represents Ten Hag to coincide with their transfer.

Sofyan Amrabat is now a client of SEG International, who claimed the credit for his €10million season-long loan with the option to make it permanent for €25m. Separate intermediaries acted on behalf of United to negotiate that deal.

Time will tell if Amrabat is a worthy addition. He is familiar to Ten Hag and his stock has risen after a terrific World Cup. The last time United recruited swiftly on the back of a World Cup to scour the loan market they got Wout Weghorst.

Ten Hag's recruitment hit rate now looks iffy and United continue to cut corners. Mason Mount had entered the last year of his contract, Rasmus Hojlund was a compromise and half of the arrivals during Ten Hag's time have been on loan amid financial fair play and profitability and sustainability rules to adhere to. Having owners who literally invest in the club would have limited the loans.

Also read: Ten Hag introduces new rule change at Carrington

And yet for all the finger-pointing at the Glazers, United have committed to spending £406million over a 12-month period. They have the highest net spend out of any club in the world over the last decade and the CIES Observatory listed United's squad as the most expensive.

If there is a club where it can suddenly spiral, it is United. But the profile of many of their 16 signings for Ten Hag suggests they recruit for the manager, rather than the club.

Separate to ongoing investigations in Brazil and by the Greater Manchester Police, Antony was a dubious signing. United invested €100m in a 22-year-old who had two years experience of playing in Europe (in the Eredivisie), a modest goalscoring record and lacks the pace that is a prerequisite for elite wingers in the Premier League.

United have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. They were exposed in the final weeks of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as they were devoid of a contingency plan. So his sacking was delayed by four weeks.

Whatever the circumstances when a manager inherits a squad, it has to be a United squad true to the club's ethos and modernised to reflect the tactical nuances of the game.

1. Sign players for the club, not the manager

United restored authority to the manager's role with Ten Hag and his discipline has benefited the squad. Granting the manager autonomy has its limits and too many of his signings are already in the red under Gary Neville's traffic-light system.

Recruitment figures at United were unconvinced by Amrabat but, three games into the season and with Casemiro exposed in each of those struggling performances, United yielded to Ten Hag's demand despite reservations over the eight-figure loan fee.

Of the recent recruits, Mount is not an out-and-out central midfielder and has arrived in a summer where athletic midfielders transferred clubs. United should have been in for Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo but plumped for an attainable target running down his contract.

Hojlund is now one of Ten Hag's stablemates at SEG and his inexperience will not protect him from the harsh scrutiny of a United striker. As Neville said, "he'll be judged straight away". United declined to go all-out for Harry Kane. Any manager in the world would want Kane.

2. Sign players invested in the club as much as, if not more, than their national team

Boyhood fan is not essential criteria but Hojlund's work ethic in his 20-odd minutes at Arsenal trumped Anthony Martial's hour-long shift. Ten Hag cited Hojlund's character among the pros and he has the opportunity of a lifetime to lead the line at United.

Centre halves Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez were forced off with the game deadlocked at Arsenal but still travelled to link up with their national teams. Lindelof and Martinez are actually trusted squad members but that is a reminder that a surfeit of signings have seemed more invested in representing their country than their club.

Harry Maguire has reserved his finest form for England, Luke Shaw had a season-long hangover after a stellar European Championship and Paul Pogba was more consistent for France than United, where he wanted out for four-and-a-half years of his six-year contract. Romelu Lukaku gained muscle for Belgium and then failed to lose it for United while Edinson Cavani rewrote quarantining rules by staying in Uruguay long after playing for them.

3. Personality to match performance

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is starting to conduct more media engagements now he appears to have won over Ten Hag. United still prefer safe interviewers to question Wan-Bissaka, who was chosen for the innocuous pre-match chat at Arsenal.

In the summer that United signed Wan-Bissaka, the club placed an emphasis on X-factor signings who are respectful and humble before showing 'arrogance' when they pull on the shirt.

Wan-Bissaka has never oozed playing arrogance and never will. For much of his United career, he has lacked the personality to cut it and the club were prepared to cut their losses last summer.

It is to Wan-Bissaka's credit he has improved this year and he has had a creditable start to this season. Character became as important as quality when United went about their squad rebuild under Ten Hag and some certainly fit the bill (Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Andre Onana).

4. Players developed in intense and/or high-calibre leagues who would assimilate quickly to the Premier League

In their 15 years under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour, Manchestrer City have only ever bought one player from the Eredivisie: Angelino, an academy graduate whose buy-back option was exercised in the summer of 2019.

Angelino was involved in decisive defeats to Liverpool and United in the only season in the last six that City failed to win the title. He was jettisoned after six months.

Of the three players United have bought from Eredivisie clubs, only Martinez has been a success. Tyrell Malacia is a back-up left-back at best while Antony is a poor imitation of Arjen Robben, an Eredivisie export in 2004 back when the league was a goldmine. Lessons have not been learnt from Donny van de Beek.

Ten Hag said during the pre-season tour the Bundesliga is "perfect preparation for the Premier League". Shinji Kagawa, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer is not a compelling quintet to sanction future raids on the German league.

Schweinsteiger's brother, Tobias, admitted to the United football director John Murtough that German football is now five years behind England and Hansi Flick became the first-ever Germany national team coach to be sacked.

United seldom look to Spain, despite its technical proficiency. They have only ever bought two players from Barcelona (Mark Hughes and Jordi Cruyff) and Real Madrid have cashed in at their convenience.

Trading between the upper-echelon Premier League clubs is rife yet United did not test the waters with Kane. Direct dealings with City and Liverpool are a no-no.

5. The Fernandes prototype

United has become a retirement home (Schweinsteiger, Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his second season), a pay-day for busted flushes (Alexis Sanchez) and a lavish halfway house (Angel di Maria).

Bruno Fernandes has been United's best signing in the last decade as he has the drive to succeed. He embraced the challenge of moving to an elite club, is a risk-taker and has leadership characteristics. He would not be out of place in the great teams Sir Alex Ferguson assembled and Fernandes has to be the prototype of any future signing.

6. Leadership characteristics

Wan-Bissaka and Van de Beek are two high-profile examples who have never been truly in sync with their teammates. Fernandes and the Ibrahimovic of 2016-17 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021-22 quickly imposed their personalities on the dressing room.

On his final appearance for the club with an impending move to Paris Saint-Germain agreed, Ander Herrera was the United player cajoling teammates during their dismal draw with Huddersfield in 2019 that consigned them to another Europa League campaign.

Herrera was not a stellar signing but he made the most of his qualities and was one of two outfield players of the year across a five-year period. Herrera was serenaded on his farewell appearance at Old Trafford and a year later impressed in PSG's Champions League final defeat to Bayern.

Onana is already one of the most vocal players, Casemiro has an unmistakable aura and Raphael Varane has been at the forefront of the team's reconnection with supporters.

7. Get the finished article, or close to it

United's £46m outlay on Facundo Pellistri and Amad on deadline day in 2020 was part of a brief strategy to recruit the best players in tiny territories. Moises Caicedo almost joined that list three months later until agency interference convinced United to walk away.

Giving youth a chance will forever be an obligation at United and Kobbie Mainoo is poised to become Ten Hag's second academy legacy after Alejandro Garnacho. While any club worth its salt has to be on the lookout for outstanding overseas prodigies (eg. Hojlund), it has not often paid dividends for United.

Their standout signing last summer was Casemiro, an acquisition driven by the football director rather than the manager. Onana has history with Ten Hag but also came through the Barcelona academy, played for Inter Milan and, at 27, is one of the top-10 goalkeepers in the world.

8. Have a specialist role but adept in other roles to allow for tactical fluidity

Julian Alvarez was briefly of interest to United in January 2022 until City swooped in. Alvarez, once seen as cover for Erling Haaland or the Norwegian's heir apparent until he relocated to Madrid, is now accommodated in the same XI as an attacking midfielder.

Pep Guardiola's genius is such that City started the Champions League final with four centre-backs and they have operated without a specialist left-back for most of the last five years. Ten Hag is striving to modify some of United's players but they are playing catch-up after years of rigidity.

Pogba could adapt to different roles and had a sensational run off the left in the run-in of the 2020-21 campaign and Fernandes has also excelled from the right and in a deeper role.

But Sancho, seen as the panacea for the right-sided ills, prefers to play on the left, an issue United had already encountered with Daniel James, their stop-gap signing in 2019 until Sancho eventually signed two years later.

Ten Hag sounded impatient when it was suggested Mount would require time to adjust to a deeper role and Eriksen's return to the starting XI has been like a comfort blanket for Casemiro.

9. Avoid sentimentalism

"You know, Jonny Evans should have been a Manchester United player now, of course," said the United manager. "I'm sure that Jonny Evans has feelings for Manchester United and we have feelings for him, too." That was Solskjaer discussing Evans in 2021.

Evans spent seven years in the United first team, had an excellent first season and enjoyed a resurgent 2012. Either side of those were seasons that ranged from fitful to forgettable. He was sold to West Bromqich Albion, 13th in the Premier League in 2014-15, eight years ago.

Now 35, Evans was parachuted into the backline against Arsenal with the game deadlocked at 1-1. In what was his first United appearance since he was 27, Evans was at sixes and sevens for Declan Rice's winner that he deflected past Onana.

United fans revelled in Ronaldo's return but the manner of the approach was troubling. What other club would allow a prominent ambassador to stick his oar in and dictate transfer policy over a football director and the manager?

Fourteen months later, Ronaldo engineered a divorce in an incendiary interview where he said he had "no respect" for Ten Hag. Having also anointed David Moyes, there is a reason why Ferguson does not have great influence at United in retirement.

 
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was both right and wrong about Jadon Sancho at Manchester United
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-15 @ 0:30:17 -0600

Jadon Sancho has spent over two years at the club and it felt like a coup when Man United signed him from Dortmund.

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Jadon Sancho finally did on Tuesday night what everyone was waiting for him to do: delete his bombshell social media post.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and Sancho held talks at Carrington on Monday afternoon following the return to training of the non-international players and it was concerning the post remained on his profile after that.

The post being pinned to the top of his profile on X, formerly known as Twitter, seemed like an act of defiance, and deleting it did not spare him consequences.

ALSO READ: United confirm 25-man squad for 2023/24 season

There was little chance of Sancho being involved against Brighton this weekend and it was confirmed on Thursday that he would train alone indefinitely.

A one-sentence club statement said: "Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue."

Ten Hag will speak at his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon and an update on Sancho will surely be given.

Last October, Ten Hag imposed a one-game suspension on Cristiano Ronaldo for dramatically refusing to come on as a substitute and walking down the tunnel against Tottenham, and it remains to be seen how long Sancho will be left out in the cold.

If he is eventually welcomed back into the team, what happens beyond that will be decided by his performances, which have been overwhelmingly disappointing since he arrived with a burgeoning reputation.

Sancho was regarded as one of Europe's finest young talents during his time at Borussia Dortmund and the £72.8million fee paid felt like good value, especially considering Jack Grealish commanded £100m in the same summer.

After a slow start, Grealish has become instrumental at the Etihad while Sancho has continued to flatter to deceive at Old Trafford and, even before his outburst after the Arsenal game, it already felt as though this season could be his last at the club.

Ole Gunnar Solskajer waxed lyrical about Sancho when the winger signed in the summer of 2021 and the Norwegian's comments from the unveiling of the transfer feel like they could actually now be about a different player.

“He’s such a creative, positive winger and forward player. He can play wide, nip into the pockets and he excites the fans," Solskjaer said. " He takes people on one-against-one, he creates chances, he works hard and he loves football.

"And there is some untapped talent there I am sure, and coming into this environment will help him improve as well. We’ve followed him and decided to go for him and finally we made the breakthrough and got the deal done.

"He’s got that DNA of exciting fans and entertaining and he’s also a winner. He wants to win and that’s the next step for us. We need to take the next step, we want to take the next step and we feel that he can help us do that.

"Of course we’re going to give him a chance to develop more and more throughout time. It’s not like in your first game you have to show everything; we’ve seen so many times with our players that when you play for Manchester United that gradually, with the help of the coaching staff and the platform of Old Trafford, you’ll improve as a player.

“I think he made a good decision going to the Bundesliga, it was probably the right step for him, the right level and right club. I think Dortmund have shown so many times what they can do for young talent and in the Bundesliga what that can do.

"The Premier League is a different animal though. I don’t want to sound disrespectful to the Bundesliga, but I think the Premier League is a step up. We’ve seen that in the last few years in the Premier League."

That initial description of Sancho, someone who excites fans and takes defenders on, doesn't apply now. It's been sad to watch him regress and Solskjaer was clearly right to suggest he could struggle outside of the Bundesliga.

The silver lining is he still has time to return to those levels and he can still get it right, aged 23. The bottom line is there isn't much time remaining to show that in Manchester.

 
Jadon Sancho banned from Manchester United first-team training
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-15 @ 0:30:17 -0600

Jadon Sancho was omitted from the Man Utd squad to face Arsenal prior to the international break and will not figure until further notice.

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Jadon Sancho will not take part in team training until further notice due to a 'squad discipline issue', the club said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

Sancho returned to United's Carrington training complex at around 12.30pm on Monday, where he was widely expected to hold talks with Erik ten Hag over the public disagreement the pair had following the loss to Arsenal prior to the international break.

Ten Hag said Sancho was omitted from United's squad for the trip to the Emirates Stadium due to his poor form in training, and Sancho swiftly responded on social media, saying he would not be made a 'scapegoat'.

The post remained pinned to the top of Sancho's X profile until earlier this week, when many assumed he had deleted it after resolving the issue with Ten Hag.

However, United have now confirmed he will train individually for an indefinite period of time. United are already without Antony, who is taking time away from the club to address allegations of abuse, which he denies, while another forward in Mason Greenwood left the club on a season-long loan to Getafe on transfer deadline day.

United did not rule out the possibility of Sancho, 23, moving to a Saudi Arabia club last week before the Saudi Pro League's transfer window closed on Thursday evening.

The Manchester Evening News reported in April that Ten Hag was becoming impatient with Sancho, who has consistently underperformed since he joined United in July 2021.

Sancho is contracted to United until 2026 and the club has the option of an additional year.

 
Manchester United transfer news LIVE Jadon Sancho banned from training and 'refusing to apologise' plus Sofyan Amrabat boost
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-15 @ 0:30:16 -0600

Stay on top of the day's Man United transfer rumours, injury news and takeover updates.

Manchester United return to Premier League action tomorrow but the build-up to their game against Brighton has been dominated by off-field issues.

It's been nearly two weeks since United were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal but a season's worth of news has unfolded since. Controversy surrounding Jadon Sancho's omission from the squad and subsequent reaction has stretched on for the entire fortnight, coming to a head yesterday.

United confirmed in a 21-word statement that Sancho would be training away from the first-team for a period of time while the club look into a 'squad discipline issue'. Reports have since surfaced suggesting the winger refused to apologise for hitting back at Erik ten Hag, unhappy at the standards he is being held to.

Sancho will be unavailable for tomorrow's meeting with Brighton at Old Trafford, while Antony will also be absent as he addresses allegations of abuse made against him in Brazil, which he denies. However, Ten Hag has received a boost in the hope of having Sofyan Amrabat fit for a debut.

The midfielder was not signed in time to face Arsenal but did join up with his Morocco teammates, only to withdraw from international duty as a precaution. He has been at Carrington since and could be ready to feature.

Follow the blog below throughout the day for the latest United news.

United's Adidas home shirt is made up of the same colour of the city's iconic red rose and features a black collar. The collar also features a dash of both red and white, giving it a slick and modernised look.

Prices start from £55

United hope to have Sofyan Amrabat available to face Brighton on Saturday, according to the Telegraph.

Amrabat hadn't signed in time to face Arsenal before the international break but did join up with the Morocco squad, only to withdraw with a precautionary issue.

He has been back at Carrington dealing with the issue but is hoped to be fit for a debut at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag's decision to ban Jadon Sancho from first-team training came as a result of the winger 'refusing' to apologise for his social media post, according to the Athletic.

Sancho claimed he was being made a scapegoat after Ten Hag cited poor performances in training as the reason for his absence against Arsenal.

United confirmed earlier today that Sancho would train away from the first-team due to an ongoing disciplinary matter.

Jadon Sancho will not take part in team training until further notice due to a 'squad discipline issue', the club said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

Sancho returned to United's Carrington training complex at around 12.30pm on Monday, where he was widely expected to hold talks with Erik ten Hag over the public disagreement the pair had following the loss to Arsenal prior to the international break.

Ten Hag said Sancho was omitted from United's squad for the trip to the Emirates Stadium due to his poor form in training, and Sancho swiftly responded on social media, saying he would not be made a 'scapegoat'.

Read the full story here.

Good morning all and welcome to our LIVE United blog this Friday.

There is plenty to get stuck into, so let's get right to it!

 
Erik ten Hag introduces new rule change at Manchester United
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-14 @ 9:00:23 -0600

Erik ten Hag continues to impose his authority at Man United as the club maximises their new nutritional strategy.

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Manchester United players are leaving the club's Carrington training complex later now as they are kept in for lunchtime meals.

United are maximising their recently-refurbished canteen and new head chef Omar Meziane as part of manager Erik ten Hag's nutritional drive.

Ten Hag identified nutrition as one of the three key areas United were flagging in when he took over in May 2022 and Meziane was hired from the Football Association earlier this year.

United players are now leaving Carrington at around 2pm when they were previously free to depart at lunchtime.

Also read: There's a lot to like about Pellistri and now it's time for a proper look at him

Many would often dine in restaurants in nearby Hale or Alderley Edge but restauranteurs in Cheshire's 'Golden Triangle' have complained at the sudden absence of United players in the villages during daytime.

None of the United players have grumbled about Ten Hag's tweak to their training schedule.

Ed Leng was promoted to the head of physical performance in March after spending nearly four years as United's lead sports scientist and United made modifications to their nutritional analysis at the start of their pre-season tour of the United States in July.

Players started to wear continuous blood glucose monitors to study their individual nutrition strategy on matchday, as well as sweat patches to analyse their hydration levels.

United staff have backed Ten Hag unequivocally with a "football-first" strategy which has involved changing the home dugout at Old Trafford, the restoration of the players' lounge at the stadium, a tiered briefing room at Carrington and additional developments at the training ground.

 
Why Anthony Martial left Manchester United training ground after five minutes
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-14 @ 5:00:23 -0600

Anthony Martial arrived at Man United's training ground just before 9am but left five minutes later.

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Anthony Martial left Manchester United's Carrington training complex as he arrived at the wrong time.

Eyewitnesses have told the Manchester Evening News Martial turned up at Carrington at 8.56am and left at 9am on Thursday morning after he was informed training was later in the day.

United players reported for training on Monday at 12.30pm but were due in on Tuesday at 9am. United players started arriving at 11.30am.

Martial started the last two games against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal but failed to score and was substituted in both.

Also read: Ten Hag introduces new rule at Carrington

The 27-year-old is likely to make way for new £72million striker Rasmus Hojlund, who could make his full United debut against Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Martial has scored 17 goals for United in the last three years and has not completed 90 minutes in a Premier League match since the home defeat to Sheffield United in January 2021.

United were open to selling Martial in the summer but he tore his hamstring in the final league match of last season against Fulham and did not play during pre-season.

The Frenchman is out of contract next summer and although United have the option of an additional year Martial could be released if his stagnation continues.

 
Sofyan Amrabat could hold the key to new Manchester United tactic
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-14 @ 5:00:22 -0600

There could be a new look to Man Utd when they travel to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League next week.

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Manchester United are in need of a lift, and they could get one this weekend.

After what has felt like an exceptionally long international break, United return to action when they host Brighton on Saturday, well aware that a win is required to raise spirits after a testing few weeks.

Erik ten Hag will hope that the football can do the talking this weekend, a mantra that is echoed by summer arrival Sofyan Amrabat ahead of his possible debut.

"I don't like to speak about myself," he admitted last week. "I want to show it on the pitch, but I can promise that I will give my best with everything; every day, every minute, every second. So, it is the only thing that I can say now."

Read next: United sign free agent goalkeeper

Amrabat is already one of the most popular players before he has even stepped onto the pitch in club colours, and there is a real sense of excitement amongst the fanbase over what he could bring to the side this season.

The 27-year-old was one of the stars at the World Cup in Qatar as Morocco made history, but having only signed on a loan, he now faces the challenge of proving why United should trigger their option to buy him at the end of it.

Motivation won't be an issue for Amrabat as he looks to extend his stay beyond a solitary season, and there is hope he could be involved against Brighton after not featuring over the international break.

Amrabat's arrival finally looks to have given United a worthy replacement for midfield maestro Casemiro in the defensive role, though Ten Hag has already suggested that he could look to use the pair together against elite opposition.

"He can also play alongside Casemiro because he can play higher on the pitch, and it's good to have him," the manager stated after defeat to Arsenal last time out. "He fits good to Premier League football, Champions League football, the demands."

Brighton might be one of the most exciting teams in world football right now, but they can't be classified as elite opponents. They should be respected, not feared, and this weekend there will be an onus on United to attack.

That approach could mean Christian Eriksen is preferred from the start, with Amrabat saved for a bench role and then a possible start away against Bayern Munich next midweek.

It is the combination of Casemiro and Amrabat in the same midfield trio, or diamond, that is so compelling and could revolutionise the way United approach bigger matches.

This, in turn, could hold the very key to transforming their atrocious away record against top sides under Ten Hag, stemming from a midfield that is defensively robust but also has the creativity to stamp their authority on a match.

Another key component of United's approach to big matches could be the repurposing of Mason Mount as a right winger, something we saw Bruno Fernandes do on occasion last season.

The Portuguese is the best creative threat in the side and needs to be playing in a central position to have a greater influence on proceedings, but Mount's high work rate and ability to win back possession could make him a wise selection out wide.

Another key component of the approach will be Rasmus Hojlund, who was the only real positive to come from the defeat to Arsenal last time out.

He still needs more time before he can be fairly judged at the club, but it is clear he will bring more than just goals to the forward line, with his hold-up and link play catching the eye on his debut.

With injury concerns surrounding both Amrabat and Mount, it might be a while before we see them both at their best in a big match, but it seems certain they will both have a big part to play.

United might have a new tactic thanks to their summer signings, and we could get a glimpse of it in the coming week.

 
Manchester United transfer news LIVE Sofyan Amrabat updates as Harry Maguire speaks on failed Man Utd exit
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-14 @ 4:00:22 -0600

Stay on top of the day's Man United transfer rumours, injury news and takeover updates.

Manchester United have just two days left to prepare for their return to Premier League action.

It might be nearly two weeks since United slipped to a dramatic defeat at Arsenal but there has been plenty going on. In the time since the loss to the Gunners, the protracted takeover process has continued to drag on, Antony has taken a leave of absence and Jadon Sancho has challenged Erik ten Hag.

Sancho has now deleted his tweet but took issue with the manager saying he was left out of the trip to the Emirates due to his poor performances in training. It remains to be seen whether he will be involved at the weekend.

It's not an easy return to the field for United as they will take on high-flying Brighton who have beaten them by an aggregate score of 7-1 in their last three league meetings.

Follow throughout the day for all the latest United news.

United's Adidas home shirt is made up of the same colour of the city's iconic red rose and features a black collar. The collar also features a dash of both red and white, giving it a slick and modernised look.

Prices start from £55

Harry Maguire's mother has condemned the abuse of the United star in an emotional message on social media.

Maguire did not start in England's friendly at Hampden Park in Glasgow earlier this week, but Marc Guehi picked up an injury and he replaced him for the second half, which led to his every touch being jeered by Scotland fans.

Unfortunately, that was followed by Maguire scoring an own goal in the 67th minute when turning a Scotland cross into his own net.

Read what she said here.

United have signed young goalkeeper Kie Plumley in their latest overhaul of the position.

The 20-year-old joins the club after being released by Oxford United at the end of last season, where he gained plenty of experience through loan spells.

Plumley never made a senior appearance during his time with Oxford, but he was named on the bench seven times during his spell with the League One club.

Read more here.

The player has taken down his tweet and a update should follow tomorrow.

Jadon Sancho to sign for before February 2nd 2024

Odds via Betfair.

Diogo Dalot played 180 minutes for Portugal across their European Championship qualifying wins over Luxembourg and Slovakia and his nation kept two clean sheets in those games.

Dalot won nine out of 11 duels and completed all four of his attempted dribbles and also posted one of the highest passing percentages in the team of 88%.

Roberto Martinez deployed Dalot as a pure full-back in defensive situations and as an 'inverted' full-back in attacking phases. Dalot has now started in four of Portugal's last five matches and he is poised to continue at left-back for United against Brighton on Saturday.

United are one of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's many admirers, according to the Daily Mail.

The exciting Napoli winger was the breakout star of last season as his 14 goals and 17 assists helped fire his new club to their first Serie A Triumph since the 1980s.

Napoli managed to fend off interest this past summer but several clubs are said to be interested.

Maguire 'didn't come to an agreement' about his potential departure this summer.

"I want to play games, I want to play football…” Maguire told The Express.

“How can I put this? We [him and Man United] just didn’t come to an agreement,” Maguire said about leaving for West Ham.

“They were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place. I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.”

The latest episode of the Manchester Is Red podcast is available now.

You can listen for FREE on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

United have submitted their official 25-man squad for the Premier League season.

After the closure of the summer transfer window, Premier League sides were required to submit an updated 25-man squad list this week and Erik ten Hag has now confirmed which players will be available for selection.

Five of the club's newest arrivals, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Sergio Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat, have been named in the squad, but Rasmus Hojlund has not been included because of his age.

Read more here.

Harry Maguire briefly looked down and trudged back to his position for the restart after his own goal against Scotland.

Should Maguire have stuck a leg out when Andy Robertson played a cross into the box from the right? No. Does that mistake make him the worst player to have represented England and deserving of abuse? No.

Continue reading.

United have confirmed their 25-man squad for the Premier League season and there are one or two eye-catching absentees.

Clubs are required to submit an updated squad to the governing body - including any changes made to shirt numbers. United have submitted theirs, though Garnacho, Mainoo and Hojlund are not included.

Read why here >>>

Sancho has deleted a social media post in which he undermined Ten Hag.

An astonishing exchange between Sancho and Ten Hag took centre stage during the season's first international break. Ten Hag put the decision to leave Sancho out of the squad vs Arsenal down to underwhelming training performances.

Sancho hit back in a now-deleted social media message.

Read on.

Welcome to today's United blog.

 
Erik ten Hag’s trusted Manchester United players will start vs Brighton
Posted by  Bill   on   2023-09-14 @ 4:00:22 -0600

Up to nine players could be unavailable for Man United this weekend but Erik ten Hag should still have enough trusted starters to select.

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Manchester United have sieved seven goals in four games and three centre halves have succumbed to injury or illness. Yet Harry Maguire will not start against Brighton.

As long as Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez get a clean bill of health after international duty, they will continue. If Raphael Varane is match-fit, then Maguire will be the penultimate centre-back in the queue.

Jonny Evans is at the back and that was a regressive sight for United in the dying embers at Arsenal: Claude Puel's first-choice centre halves at Leicester five years ago shielding Andre Onana.

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong for Maguire. He came on at the Emirates Stadium with the scoreline 1-1 and United lost 3-1. He emerged in Glasgow with England coasting and he put through his own net.

Also read: Erik ten Hag introduces new rule change at Manchester United

Five months ago, United led Sevilla 2-0 in the Europa League quarter-finals and Varane was forced off with an ankle injury. With Maguire on for the remaining three halves of the tie, United were thrashed 5-0 on aggregate.

Maguire is in a vortex of negativity that will only end once he leaves. He should have left in the summer but was unprepared to accept the shortfall in wages or United's recompense. Maguire was said to have demanded a pay-off of around £12million.

There is little pay-off to remaining at United. Maguire has lost his place and lost the captaincy. The England camp provides some respite - he was assured on the ball against Scotland amid the Hampden heckles - yet some ingrates booed him at Wembley 18 months ago.

Maguire has never been booed by regular United matchgoers at Old Trafford. Without wanting to diminish the enthusiasm of some supporters at overseas games, Maguire was subjected to jeering in Melbourne, Las Vegas and Dublin. He has made far more egregious errors at Old Trafford and Anfield without United fans turning on him.

Ten Hag has managed Maguire's club decline for the betterment of the team. Of Maguire's 11 starts for United this calendar year, six have been in cup games and his presence in the Premier League fixtures was either rotational or enforced.

United have started their campaign so alarmingly that rotation cannot be entertained apart from against Crystal Palace in the League Cup - the only trophy United have had on a plinth in the museum in the last six years. An outright selection of Maguire against Brighton is unforeseeable.

Lindelof and Martinez swiftly recovered from illness and injury at Arsenal to link up with their national teams. Lindelof started both of Sweden's European Championship qualifiers while Martinez flew 6,963 miles to Ezeiza in Buenos Aires and was not on the bench for either of Argentina's matches.

Whatever the misgivings about their excursions, the pair are trusted by Ten Hag and so are the full-backs. Diogo Dalot had one of his most stable performances all year at Arsenal until he slid past Gabriel Jesus in the 101st minute and 2023 has been an annus mirabilis for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

If Sofyan Amrabat has recovered from the precautionary injury that prevented him from representing Morocco, then a full debut may beckon against Brighton. Though Ten Hag is deprived of Antony, it feels a stretch that he would turn to Facundo Pellistri, starter of one United match in three years, against the dynamic left-sided combination of Pervis Estupinan and Kaoru Mitoma.

Bruno Fernandes has excelled from the right, a tactic Ten Hag has reserved for some of the most tactically fluid sides in Manchester City and Barcelona. Roberto de Zerbi's brilliant Brighton are worthy of mention in the same breath.

Ten Hag started the wrong striker in United's first four fixtures and has to get it right with Rasmus Hojlund as the focal point, flanked by Marcus Rashford. Two of Christian Eriksen's poorest performances last season was as the No.10 against City at Old Trafford and in the FA Cup final but there is not a credible alternative if Fernandes shifts to the right.

Fernandes is easier to shift there than Maguire was to West Ham.

 




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