TheNewsGuru

Tag: Manchester United

  • ‘Van Gaal is one of the worst coaches I’ve worked with’

    ‘Van Gaal is one of the worst coaches I’ve worked with’

    Rafael has described Louis van Gaal has “one of the worst” coaches he’s ever worked with, insisting that the ex-Manchester United boss didn’t give him a chance at Old Trafford.

    United turned to the Champions League winner who had previously coached Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands after sacking David Moyes towards the end of the 2013-14 campaign.

    Moyes failed to pick up from where Sir Alex Ferguson left off at the end of his glorious 27-year reign at Old Trafford, and Van Gaal was seen as a safer pair of hands due to his impressive CV and extensive experience of coaching at the highest level.

    The Brazilian full-back told The Athletic: “When they said Van Gaal was the manager, a lot of friends called me. I could not believe it, as a lot of people told me he does not like Brazilians because of their style of play. They told me, ‘The first thing he is going to do is take you out.’ Actually, it was the second thing because on the first day, he did not speak to me.

    “On the second day, he said, ‘You can leave.’ I had not even trained and he said that. I could not believe it. Ryan Giggs tried to defend me a lot. I spoke with him and I could not understand it because I had not even had a chance to show my football to Van Gaal in training.

    “He just came and said, ‘You can leave.’ He did not explain why. He said, ‘You will not play this season, I am not going to use you, if you want to leave, you leave.’ I said, ‘OK.’ I still tried to battle for my place. I stayed one year with him. It was so, so hard. He is one of the worst people I have worked with.”

  • Not my job to keep Man Utd players happy – Solskjaer

    Not my job to keep Man Utd players happy – Solskjaer

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has warned his Manchester United squad players it is not his job to keep them happy, as several fringe men prepare for a campaign with limited game time.

    The Norwegian has an over-inflated squad, with the club so far unable to sell players who aren’t key to Solskjaer’s plans.

    Phil Jones is still at the club but made only two Premier League matchday squads last season. Marcos Rojo is another player who they are willing to sell but no deals have been agreed.

    Andreas Pereira has missed out on both squads so far this season, Jesse Lingard did not play the first league game and Sergio Romero has fallen down the pecking order with the return of Dean Henderson from his loan spell at Sheffield United.

    “You know, players are happy when they win well and win games, I am too, it’s not my job to keep them happy,” Solskjaer said ahead of his side’s trip to Brighton. “It’s to pick players to get results, and up to them to be fit and be ready when called upon.”

  • Man Utd agree contract terms with Porto fullback

    Manchester United are on the brink of signing Porto fullback Alex Telles.

    Telles has a release clause of £36.7million in his current contract at the Portuguese giants.

    But Porto are thought to be willing to accept over £10m less in a bid to cash-in while they can – with the 27-year-old out of contract this season, says Correio da Manha.

    Telles – who has also attracted interest from Juventus – will therefore be able to negotiate pre-contract terms with European sides from January 1 ahead of a free transfer in July.

    Porto are desperate to recoup as much money from the deal as possible.

    That is because Telles’ former side Galatasaray will be owed ten per cent of any future transfer.

    The one-cap Brazil international’s agents Pini Zahavi and Jorge Mendes also stand to make 15 per cent of the cut as well.

    Telles is thought to have already agreed a five-year deal worth around £70,000-a-week with United.

  • Evra blows hot, explains why Man Utd is failing

    Evra blows hot, explains why Man Utd is failing

    Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has blasted his old club after Saturday’s home defeat to Crystal Palace.

    Evra took to social media to let his feelings known.

    He declared: “If I have a problem with Ed Woodward, I won’t talk on social media.

    “I will just call him or meet him face-to-face about what I think about something.

    “The only problem I would say to Ed is trusting people he should never trust. He even trusts people outside the club that he shouldn’t. That’s what I can say about Ed.

    “Before us, Bobby Charlton, George Best, they make the history of the club. All those people they make the history of the club and we try to respect it, ’99 and us ’08. Just some people they want to blow all this legacy away. For what? Business?”

    Evra, tellingly, blasted the lack of football people involved in negotiations.

    “When we want a player and they cost say £20m, we end up trying to buy him for £100m. Now those players don’t even want our money anymore,” Evra said.

    “A sporting director from a top football club called me and asked me to tell Matthew Judge to answer his phone.

    “The club needs to stop being so arrogant. There are certain people at the club right now that don’t even respect Sir Alex Ferguson.

    “People need to understand we [United] send lawyers to talk to players. So when we send lawyers they talk about numbers, they are not people from the football world.

    “At the time, Fergie, David Gill time, we didn’t hear anything in the paper, but Van Persie, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, everything was fast. When Manchester United need a player they go and they talk them face-to-face.”

    Evra also took aim at some former teammates.

    He concluded: “I love this club and maybe one day I will work for this club again but I will work with my loyalty and I will never lie to any person who loves this club.

    “I think some people who work for this club are damaging this club. That’s why we have to tell the truth to the fans.

    “I know some people are scared to speak up about because they may not get a job in the future, I don’t care, I don’t need Manchester United. I love Manchester United.”

  • Solskjaer gives Man Utd transfer update

    Solskjaer gives Man Utd transfer update

    Manchester United are still working on giving the squad ‘a boost’ before the transfer window closes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed.

    Donny van de Beek is currently the only addition to Solskjaer’s squad this summer after the club wrapped up a swift deal with Ajax.

    But, with negotiations stalling with Borussia Dortmund over a deal for Jadon Sancho and the October 5 deadline looming, time is running out for United to bring in fresh faces.

    Alternatives to Sancho are being considered and Solskjaer confirmed the club are working on getting deals over the line in the next couple of weeks.

    “I can’t say anything about other clubs’ players, can’t speculate,” Solskjaer said about Sancho.

    “We understand to get further we need to develop what we have and strengthen the team but let’s wait and see if we manage to bring anyone in.

    “I’ve been in dialogue with the club, we’re always discussing and let’s see if we can bring anyone in.”

  • Man Utd chiefs set fee cap to sign Jadon Sancho

    Man Utd chiefs set fee cap to sign Jadon Sancho

    Manchester United have set their price cap to sign Borussia Dortmund attacker Jadon Sancho.

    The Daily Star says United are willing to spend £80million on Sancho to end the transfer saga once and for all.

    The problem is, though, that that is still way short of the German giants’ asking price.

    Dortmund want £108m to let the England international depart the Westfalenstadion and are under no financial pressure to sell, despite landing Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland so far this year.

    United have looked at alternatives to Sancho as a result, with the club adamant they won’t be shattering any transfer records while the coronavirus crisis remains ongoing.

    United tried to sign Sancho in the summer transfer window of 2017, only for the forward to end up moving to Borussia Dortmund instead.

    And they also attempted to land him 12 months ago only for their failure to secure Champions League qualification to count against them.

  • Second controversy in one week for Man Utd striker

    Second controversy in one week for Man Utd striker

    Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood is facing another media backlash after his Iceland hotel shenanigans.

    The Sun reports a video has emerged of the United striker inhaling nitrous oxide at a party weeks before he was sent home from Iceland while on England duty.

    Pictures posted show the 18-year-old filling a balloon with nitrous oxide from a canister before appearing to inhale to substance.

    Inhaling nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’ or ‘hippy crack’, can have serious health risks including heart attacks and brain damage, while prolonged use can lead to memory loss and vitamin deficiency.

    The report indicates the United ace last night admitted poor judgement and said he had been made aware of the health risks.

    A source for the Sun suggested Greenwood inhaled the gas in a Manchester apartment, with the video uploaded by the girl he partied with on Snapchat.

    In a statement issued through Man United, the Sun claims the youngster said: “I have now been made aware of the health risks associated with this practice — and accept that even trying it, as shown in these historical pictures, was poor judgment on my part.

    “I strongly urge others not to follow my example.

    “As an 18 year old I am learning all the time. However this week I’ve also learned that I will be judged to a higher standard because of my career, and I must respect that in future.

    “I am determined to repay the faith shown in me by my manager and coaches.”

  • Solskjaer confirms decision on Maguire captaincy

    Solskjaer confirms decision on Maguire captaincy

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Harry Maguire will keep the captain’s armband at Manchester United.

    The England centre-back was found guilty under Greek law of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery after an altercation with police on the Greek island of Mykonos, but his 21 months and 10 days prison sentence was suspended.

    Maguire has since lodged an appeal and is expected to have a retrial, while the Greek prosecutor has criticised him for refusing to apologise for the incident.

    Solskjaer commended the 27-year-old for the way he has reacted to the situation and says he sees no reason to strip him of the captaincy.

    “Of course, Harry, as you said, had a difficult summer. He didn’t have a long break,” he said in an interview with MUTV.

    “His break was different to others as we gave him a few more days and, after, he’s come back and looked fine.

    “He’s handled it really well and, of course, I’ll be here to support him. He is going to be our captain. We’ll just leave Harry and his people and the process to run.

    “For me, he is a top, an absolute top human being and has always been a positive guy with the right values. So I really hope we can see Harry performing at his best.”

  • Man Utd make progress on Jadon Sancho deal

    Man Utd make progress on Jadon Sancho deal

    Manchester United believe they have made progress in their negotiations to try and sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, according to Goal.

    The England international remains a priority target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the club have continued with discussions to sign the former Manchester City man despite the German club’s sporting director Michael Zorc insisting he won’t be moving anywhere.

    Though Dortmund continue to remain adamant they won’t sell, United still believe a deal isn’t completely dead after ongoing constructive discussions with an intermediary.

    Dortmund were believed to be holding out for a €120 million (£108m/$142m) fee for the 20-year-old, who has emerged as one of Europe’s top attackers.

    United are keen not to repeat any mistake they made with Alexis Sanchez when his huge wages upset the team’s structure and have been wary of that issue during talks.

    It is understood there has been some progress made with Sancho’s agent in terms of wages and fees.

  • Man Utd hail Ronaldo for reaching Portugal landmark

    Man Utd hail Ronaldo for reaching Portugal landmark

    Manchester United have congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo after he scored his his 100th and 101st goals for Portugal.

    The Juventus star became the second male player to reach the landmark of 100 international goals in the 2-0 win over Sweden on Tuesday.

    The 35-year-old opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards, before doubling his tally in the second half with a delightful curling finish.