Manchester United transfer target James Maddison insists he is “very, very happy” at Leicester City amid speculation surrounding his future.
The attacking midfielder continues to be linked with a move away from the King Power stadium after another successful season in the Premier League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to add a new attacking midfield option to his squad this summer with Maddison and Jack Grealish both under consideration.
“It’s been a whirlwind two years and I’ve loved every second of it,” he told LCFC TV.
“I feel right at home at Leicester. I feel like part of the furniture already and I love it here.
“I love the lads, I love the fans, (we’ve got) a great manager, so I’m very, very happy.”
United continue to be linked with moves for Harry Kane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, though Jadon Sancho is their top target when it cmes to forwards.
Follow all the latest United news on our live blog below.
KEY EVENT
Real Madrid give United Harry Kane transfer ‘boost’
Real Madrid have reportedly ended their transfer pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, paving the way for Manchester United to swoop.
That’s according to the Mail on Sunday who claim that the La Liga giants have “no intention of joining the race”. United aren’t prioritising Kane – who could cost as much as £200million – but this is an apparent boost to their chances of signing the England captain.
Kane isn’t a top target, as United focus on Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish in their transfer search.
Not a bad teacher to have
FC Barcelona have done Manchester United a favour in the transfer market
The last gullible act from Manchester United concerning a contract renewal was that of Victor Lindelof’s. In July, his agent Hasan Cetinkaya claimed Lindelof was Barcelona’s fall-back target after Matthijs de Ligt chose to join Juventus. Two months later, Lindelof and Cetinkaya were arm-in-arm in the Carrington press room, celebrating a new contract.
Lindelof was not halfway through what was effectively a five-year contract and his agent had played a beauty. Lindelof actually rebuked his agent for telling El Mundo Deportivo, of all newspapers, a ‘big club’ had touched base at a press conference in Perth. The Barcelona ‘interest’ was just about believable, though not as believable as Cetinkaya adopting a scaremongering tactic to obtain an improved contract.
United’s willingness to kowtow to Cetinkaya was all the more curious given the information they had gathered about rancour that was simmering behind the scenes at Barcelona. Senior sources at United spoke in October about issues at Barcelona that could be challenging for the club in the coming years, citing the cycle of presidents, and the issues have come to light.
Read more here.
Great picture of De Gea
What an aerial shot this is!
Haaland not moving again
Erling Haaland is not expected to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer, after joining the club in January – that’s according to reports.
Haaland was a United target before he sealed the move to Germany from RB Salzburg, and has hit the ground running for the Black and Yellows with 12 goals in 11 appearances.
It’s prompted talk that the Norwegian could move again, but Inside Futbol claim Dortmund are not willing to consider a sale so soon after signing Haaland.
Ex United youngster on why he left
Former Manchester United youngster Joe Rothwell has spoken about why he had to leave the club in summer 2016 for the benefit of his own career.
The midfielder is now at Blackburn Rovers after a spell with Oxford – and has been a success at both clubs.
He spoke to Rovers’ official site about why he left Old Trafford:
“I joined when I was five or six, and went right through and ended up leaving when I was 21.
”I had some ups and downs during that time, I left home when I was 12 to move into digs, I moved schools and then it came to a point when I felt it was the right time to leave.
“There was interest from a few clubs to be fair. It was a matter of going round and looking.
“I knew the manager of Oxford at the time, Michael Appleton, who had links with United.
“And from the first time I met him, I felt it was probably the right place for me to go and try to develop.
“He said that he would allow me to use Oxford as a stepping stone in a way.”
Lukaku on Greenwood
He’s a big fan.
Scholes on playing with Van Nistelrooy
Paul Scholes has named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the best striker he ever played with at Manchester United.
Scholes used to play alongside Van Nistelrooy for a while as a deep-lying forward for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, and now looking back the midfield great was asked about the best forwards he ever teamed up with.
This is what Scholes told the UTD podcast when asked that tough question:
“I played number 10 with Ruud van Nistelrooy for a season and I loved it. He’s just a ruthless, ruthless goalscorer. He just lived for scoring goals.
“Whenever he did score or didn’t score, the first thing he would do when we got on the team bus after the game was see if Thierry Henry scored. If Thierry Henry had scored he wouldn’t talk to anybody for the full trip home because he was so engrossed in being the leading goalscorer, not just at United but in the league, in the world, everywhere.
“I loved the way he finished as well. Look, I played with some unbelievable centre-forwards. You are thinking Cole, Yorke, Sheringham, Solskjaer. There are loads. Van Persie I played with as well. There are some unbelievable goalscorers. But, to me, Ruud was the best, he was the best finisher.”
Read more here
14:00
Champions League and Europa League matches ‘every three days’ in UEFA’s August plan
The Champions League will be completed in August with matches played every three days, with UEFA set to announce their plans in the coming days.
European football has been brought to a halt due to the coronavirus crisis but plans across the continent are being played for completing the 2019/20 campaign during the summer months.
UEFA also intends to conclude both the Champions League and Europa League, with Sky Sports Italia now stating that a decision has been made that will affect both this season and the 2020/21 campaign.
Read the full story here
Maguire best bits
He’s had a very solid start to his United career.
Havertz ‘on United shortlist’ for summer
Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz continues to be linked with a big money move, with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Liverpool the main clubs touted as possible destinations.
The Standard report that Havertz is on United’s summer shortlist along with Jack Grealish and James Maddison.
Giggs impressed with Levitt
Ryan Giggs believes there are great things to come from Manchester United and Wales youngster Dylan Levitt – and has revealed the teenager has set high standards in training for the national side.
The Wales boss has regularly picked Levitt in his squads recently, though the United midfielder is yet to win his first cap.
Levitt is highly regarded at Old Trafford, having starred for the club’s Under-23s this season and made his United senior debut against Astana in November last year.
Giggs explained in a WalesOnline interview his policy of picking young players like Levitt for Wales and why you need competition for places, like he had growing up under Sir Alex Ferguson at United.
“We just needed to get the balance right. Some of those senior players you talk of were still playing well, and regularly at club level.
“But at Man United we became accustomed to competition for places and I wanted that with Wales, too. Believe me it does make a difference, even in training where everyone steps up, the standard improves and that invariably spills over into matches.
“Look at someone like Dylan Levitt. He’s 19, hasn’t even played yet, but we’ve called him into the squad and he’s been fantastic in training.
“Seeing that standard from someone who hasn’t started a game can only have a good effect on everyone else.”
Read more from Giggs here
Rooney: I should have scored more
Quite an admission from Manchester United and England’s record goal scorer!
Rooney on Harry Kane and Van Nistelrooy comparison
Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United should build their team around a No.9 like Harry Kane – in the same way that Sir Alex Ferguson’s side was built around Ruud van Nistelrooy.
This is what Rooney said on Kane in his column for The Times:
“In the last two seasons we’ve seen him drop deeper more and play balls in behind and he’s very good at it, as we saw when England beat Spain in Seville.
“But if I were managing Harry, I’d be telling him to stay high as that No 9. His biggest strength is finishing and he strikes the ball so well that from 20 yards or closer he should be looking to hit it whenever possible.
“Harry is a classic No 9, the closest I’ve seen to Ruud.
“If I were building a team, he’s the one I’d start with.
“Harry Kane: there’s my No 9. Then I’d build the rest around him.
“What I learnt from Ruud was not having any fear of making that run and the ball not coming. Just do it — and don’t get frustrated if the pass doesn’t arrive.
“Van Nistelrooy was No 9 when I joined United and the first thing we spoke about with the team and Sir Alex Ferguson was defending: without the ball it would be my task to get back in and give us a midfield five or to sit on the opposition holding midfielder.
“Ruud and I would then try to squeeze them to one side of the pitch — for instance if they had a right-footer playing at left centre back we’d squeeze them in that direction, so the team could press from there.
“But when we had the ball there were no instructions, it was down to me and Ruud to have an understanding and I loved playing with him. His movement was exceptional.”
Concept kits
Not sure about either of these, to be honest…
Sanchez to return to Milan
Manchester United loanee Alexis Sanchez will reportedly return to Italy, after spending time during the lockdown in his native Chile.
Italian media outlet FcInterNews report that the Inter Milan player will return to quarantine in Italy, but could be ready to join his teammates in training if lockdown restrictions are relaxed in the coming weeks.
‘Jimenez would do well in top six team’
Manchester United and Man City are among the clubs who have been linked with a transfer for Wolves’ Raul JImenez in recent weeks, although MEN Sport understands he’s not a priority target.
City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, however has been speaking to ESPN FC about Jimenez and why he’s similar to Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski:
“I think he has everything a world-class striker needs.
“For a striker he is so mobile, but also physically so good and talented technically on the ball. I can imagine him playing with us.
“Maybe [he’s] not on that level yet, but he reminds me a little bit of Lewandowski because I’ve played with him. In terms of style I think there is still a lot of potential.
“It’s so difficult to predict but I think [Jimenez] would get a chance in every single top-six team and there’s a good possibility he could do well.”
‘McTominay and Gilmour can be the best’
A midfield comprising of Manchester United star Scott McTominay along with Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour is an exciting prospect for Scottish football fans right now.
And former West Ham and Scotland star Frank McAvennie told Goal how good the national team could be if built around those two.
“Gilmour is class. He is really a class talent. He has been fighting for games at Chelsea for some time. When I went to West Ham, I came to England to play against the best.
“That’s what he has done by leaving Scotland and choosing Chelsea. He is doing magnificently in midfield. Frank Lampard is giving him a chance and I don’t think too many others would have given him a chance.
“If Scott McTominay plays alongside him then we can have a great midfield with a big lad in there too. The Celtic boys have tried to do well for Scotland but we have not got to any tournaments or even come close to it. These young boys have to have that chance to do it now.”
KEY EVENT
Greatest United academy XI of all time
Manchester United have one of the most esteemed academies in world football, known for producing homegrown talent – with the current record of more than 4,000 consecutive games where an academy graduate has been fielded in the first team squad.
So we have put together the greatest 1-11 the club has produced.
Maguire’s routine in lockdown
Man United captain Harry Maguire has explained his new normal day in lockdown, speaking to United’s official website:
“So to start with, I wake up around 7.30 – well I don’t wake up, my daughter wakes me up!
“We go downstairs, we put Peppa Pig on, we chill out for a bit. I go and make a coffee. Then generally we laze about for the first few hours of the morning.
“Then I do a core circuit, try and keep the core switched on. My daughter generally joins in, jumps on me, makes it hard for me, causes a little bit of chaos.
“Then we make breakfast, obviously being inside I’m doing more cooking than normal, which has been a bit different – I’m not the best but I’m getting better! Normally I have scrambled egg, avocado and toast. Then I do a workout around 11am in the garden, running, you’ve seen a few drills on my Instagram. Sometimes it’s on the treadmill as well, I’ve got that and a few weights in the garage.
“It’s a bit repetitive, but we’ve got to keep the mind switched on and keep in physical condition when the end of the season is up and running.
“I spend time with the family in the afternoons, taking the dog on a walk for about an hour each day around 4pm or 5pm.
“Then my finance makes the dinner. Then we put our daughter in bed and we relax, put Netflix on or I play some PlayStation – Call of Duty, I’m sure a lot of people are playing that.
“I’m enjoying it, I’m being positive, I think that’s the main message out there.”
Maguire’s gesture to locals in need
United are doing their bit in the coronavirus pandemic and this is a great gesture from Harry Maguire.
19 years ago
What a weirdly iconic photograph this is. Who could forget it.
Fowler on Pogba v Souness row
Liverpool great Robbie Fowler has urged Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba to watch highlights of Graeme Souness in the 1984 European Cup final.
Pogba recently admitted he didn’t know who the former Liverpool skipper was, with another former Anfield great in Fowler, who also represented Leeds United and Manchester City, now weighing in with his thoughts.
This is what he wrote for the Mirror.:
“If anyone is qualified to talk about Paul Pogba and what the Frenchman needs to do to become a better player, then it’s Souey. And my advice to Paul would be to listen to what he’s got to say and then ask yourself if he’s got a point. You might just end up becoming better for it.
“I was disappointed to hear the Manchester United midfielder slap down my former Liverpool boss by saying he doesn’t even know who the outspoken Scottish guy in the studio is. If he doesn’t then perhaps he should do a bit of background. He’d discover that this is a man who won five league titles and three European Cups with Liverpool.”
Lukaku tips Greenwood for big things
Romelu Lukaku says Mason Greenwood is the best young player at Manchester United.
Saul Niguez
Links between Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez and Manchester United have resurfaced in the past couple of days.
Niguez is a key player for the Spanish side and is understood to have a release clause around the £160million mark. It’s unlikely United will pay that when they could land James Maddison or Jack Grealish for a smaller fee.
James Maddison addresses his future
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United are keen to add a new attacking midfield option to his squad this summer with Leicester’s James Maddison and Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish both under consideration.
Interest in Maddison is believed to be high ahead of the transfer window, with Spanish giants Real Madrid also linked with a move in recent weeks.
However, the 23-year-old told LCFC TV. he is still very happy at Leicester and is very happy to be a key member of Brendan Rodgers’ long-term plans.
“It’s been a whirlwind two years and I’ve loved every second of it.
“I feel right at home at Leicester. I feel like part of the furniture already and I love it here.
“I love the lads, I love the fans, (we’ve got) a great manager, so I’m very, very happy.”
Read more from Maddison here
Marcus Banks
Manchester United’s most dramatic derby victory – the story told by those who played in it
It has gone down as one of the greatest games of all-time, even being named the best match of the first 20 years of the Premier League.
On September 20, 2009, Manchester United shut their “noisy neighbours” up in an incredible 4-3 win at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney had opened the scoring after just two minutes before Gareth Barry equalised to send the teams level at the break. Soon after the restart Darren Fletcher made it 2-1 but it took just three minutes for Craig Bellamy to tie the game up again.
Fletcher added his second in the 80th minute but Bellamy completed a brace of his own in the 90th minute. The Welshman thought he had earned his side a point until Michael Owen popped up to score the winner in the 96th minute and send the Old Trafford crowd into rapturous celebrations.
Read the full story here
Marcus Banks
Why Darren Fletcher’s Manchester United return makes sense
Darren Fletcher has returned to Manchester United in an informal ambassadorial role, linking up with former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian has been looking to hire staff who understand the culture of the club.
Few men understand the culture better than Fletcher, an unsung hero of the 2000s whose distinguished career deserves more widespread recognition. He is a cult hero in Manchester, and yet the Scotsman remains an under-rated member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest Premier League team.
His return to Old Trafford provides us with an opportunity to declare Fletcher as a United great.
Read the full story here
Richard Fay
Manchester United already have their Kalidou Koulibaly alternative
Eric Bailly described it as one of the ‘hardest weeks’ in his Manchester United career, upon reflection it probably was the very worst.
The Ivorian defender has been hugely popular for his attitude and antics ever since he joined United in the summer of 2017, but a year on and fans’ patience was tested to the extreme.
Bailly’s infamous individual display during United’s shock defeat at Brighton at the start of last season was among the very worst seen in recent years.
Read the full story here
Manchester United news and transfers LIVE Jadon Sancho latest as Man Utd get Harry Kane "boost" - Manchester Evening News
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