Man Utd boss Erik Ten Hag and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Manchester United have experienced a disappointing start to the Premier League season with under-fire boss Erik ten Hag already facing questions about his future.
The Dutchman has spent over £210million on five new signings this summer but the Red Devils have lost two of their opening three matches this season. The international break does at least offer a chance to regroup, with the club’s hierarchy offering the dreaded public vote of confidence in the 54-year-old.
It could also offer the chance of some of United’s struggling players to secure moves away, with the transfer window still open in Qatar and Turkey. Casemiro and Antony are among those to have been linked with a move away from Old Trafford with only a few days left to get deals done.
Scroll down for LIVE Man Utd updates from Express Sport
Man Utd to welcome key new recruit
Manchester United have appointed an interim performance director in Sam Erith.
The former Tottenham and Manchester City executive is set to start work on Monday and stay in his post until the end of the season.
Erith’s temporary appointment comes in the same week Andy O’Boyle left the club.
O’Boyle was serving as deputy football director in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new-look set-up at Old Trafford.
Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada are among the other high-profile acquisitions since INEOS landed in Manchester.
Man Utd wage bill leaks
Manchester United spluttered to an eighth-place finish last season but they still spend more on player salaries than just about any other Premier League club. And two underperforming players feature towards the very top of their wage bill.
Casemiro’s eye-watering £375,000-a-week pay packet certainly doesn’t help. United went all out to sign the Brazilian two years ago, and they had to make him their top earner to lure him away from Real Madrid in a £70million deal.
His recent performances have handed United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe further evidence that he aren’t getting good value for money. Casemiro made two costly mistakes in a 3-0 defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday, leading Erik ten Hag to substitute him at half-time.
Having handed Casemiro a contract until the summer of 2026, United could be forced to fork out his mammoth wages for another two years. The former Real Madrid stalwart is not the only Brazilian flop among Ten Hag’s top-five earners.
According to The Sun, out-of-form winger Antony pockets a whopping £200,000 a week. The 24-year-old has been a huge disappointment since becoming, at the time, the fourth-most-expensive Premier League recruit in history.
Read more about Man Utd’s wage bill HERE
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is spending a fortune on player wages at Man Utd
Ten Hag leaves Ugarte confused
Erik ten Hag may need some time to get to grips with his new signing Manuel Ugarte as the language barrier played a confusing role in their most recent interaction.
The pair were spotted walking together at Carrington when Ten Hag said: “This guy brings the fight!”
A baffled Ugarte then replied: “Who?” before Ten Hag exclaims: “You!”
Ugarte seemed to understand the message and said: “It’s normal for me, [to] fight!”
Ten Hag: \u201cThis guy brings us the fight!\u201d
Ugarte: \u201cWho?\u201d
Ten Hag: \u201cYou\u201d
Ugarte: “It’s normal for me, fight!”
#MUFC pic.twitter.com/lAZkQqQXrv
\u2014 MUFC Scoop (@MUFCScoop) September 4, 2024
De Ligt highlights Ten Hag factor in Man Utd move
Matthijs de Ligt has opened up on his first weeks as a Manchester United footballer, giving an insight into Erik ten Hag’s management style.
The Dutchman signed in a £43m deal from Bayern Munich to reunite with his former boss at Ajax, and the 25-year-old says he was an important factor in moving to Old Trafford.
“He’s really demanding, I think,” the Netherlands international told the club’s official website. “He demands, every day, every moment of the training session, he demands a lot.
“Not only on the training pitch, but also outside; how you behave, how you take care of your body, how you rest, how you sleep. And he’s really into discipline. That suits really well with the way I see being a professional footballer.
“This summer when United came for me and the trainer also wanted me really badly — and the club also — it made it really easy to get the chance to get to the Premier League first of all, and second of all to the biggest club in English football history.
“For me, it was a really easy choice to make.”
Arsenal told to sign Man Utd target who can still join the club this summer
World Cup-winning midfielder Emmanuel Petit has told Mikel Arteta and co. to pen a move for Adrien Rabiot.
The Frenchman is currently a free agent following his exit from Juventus earlier this year.
Heavily linked with Manchester United in the past, Petit believes Rabiot would fix many of Arsenal’s squad-depth issues.
During an exclusive interview with Express Sport, in association with BetVictor, Petit said: “Adrien Rabiot is someone who they could’ve gone for, he’s still a free agent.
“I understand that his financial demands are huge, but I still don’t get how he is still without a club. He is someone that they could have signed.”
Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal should sign Man Utd target Adrien Rabiot.
Sheringham: Rashford can’t fit in the team
Manchester United hero Teddy Sheringham says Marcus Rashford’s inability to fit into the team is causing an issue.
“I still don’t know what Marcus Rashford’s best position is. That’s the problem, I think,” Sheringham said, speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes’ “Gaffer of all Accas”‘.
“You’re fitting him in, to score a goal off the cuff, and that’s very hard to build teams around. He’s having a tough time, no doubt about it.
“He hasn’t got leaders out there helping him. He’s having a tough time and the rest of the players are just saying get on with it. You need players that are going to rally around you.”
Man Utd offered bargain deal
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Turkey international Yusuf Yazici on a free transfer.
The winger had played for French side Lille since 2019 before Les Dogues decided not to renew his contract. He is currently a free agent and can be registered outside of the transfer window.
Galatasaray are said to be leading the race for his signature, but that could change if United decide to join the hunt, according to HITC.
It isn’t the first time that United have been linked with Yazici, as the Red Devils wanted to sign him from Trabzonspor five years ago – only for him to snub a move to Old Trafford in favour of France.
United hero heads Down Under
Manchester United favourite Juan Mata has found a new club after agreeing to join Australian side Western Sydney Wanders.
The 36-year-old
Announcing the move on X, Mata said: “I’m feeling, again, very thankful to football for the many experiences and joy that keeps bringing to my life…
“Today, a new adventure is starting, and I’m super excited about it! I will keep enjoying this amazing sport by playing not only in a different country… but in a different continent: AUSTRALIA, HERE I GO!
“I have always been amazed with your country and longed to live there… Now, I will do it in the beautiful city of Sydney. I’m joining @wswanderersfc, the only Australian team to ever win the Asian Champions League, and I cannot wait to arrive and train with the team to prepare for the season ahead.”
I\u2019m feeling, again, very thankful to football for the many experiences and joy that keeps bringing to my life\u2026 Today, a new adventure is starting, and I\u2019m super excited about it! I will keep enjoying this amazing sport by playing not only in a different country\u2026 but in a\u2026 pic.twitter.com/qOfOdeE9ze
\u2014 Juan Mata Garc\u00eda (@juanmata8) September 5, 2024
Man Utd set to announce three signings
Manchester United are eagerly awaiting the green light from the Premier League and FA for their summer transfer window academy signings of Chido Obi-Martin, James Overy and Samuel Lusale.
The Manchester Evening News claim that United successfully negotiated a deal to sign the promising Obi-Martin in July, who had been a high-scoring striker at youth level for Arsenal.
Overy, who attracted Premier League attention after impressing for Perth Glory’s senior side in a pre-season friendly against West Ham at the age of 15, has agreed to a scholarship deal at the club.
Lusale, 16, is another young talent who has joined the academy this summer from Crystal Palace.
The young trio are now waiting for the final details to be ironed out before they can represent the academy, although United aren’t anticipating any issues with their official approval.
Antony responds to Fenerbahce interest
Manchester United winger Antony has shut down speculation linking him with a reported late loan switch to Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, according to reports.
The 24-year-old has struggled to find his feet since his £85million switch from Ajax after deciding to follow his boss Erik ten Hag to Manchester in 2022.
Reports suggested Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce had made a late move to sign Antony before their transfer window shuts on September 13, with a route to Istanbul offering a potential exit out of Manchester for the out-of-favour attacker.
But, according to Fabrizio Romano, there is ‘no truth’ in speculation linking Antony with a move to Turkey as he has ‘no intention’ on leaving the club this summer.
READ MORE
Ex-Man Utd star in line for Brazil move
Anthony Martial has reportedly received an approach from Brazilian outfit Flamengo as he continues his search for a new club.
The Frenchman, 28, has been without a team since leaving the Red Devils in June as a free agent.
Speculation has seen him linked with a move to AEK Athens. But according to Fabrizio Romano, Flamengo are considering a move for Martial after their striker Pedro suffered an ACL injury.
Eriksen blasted for ‘lack of ambition’
Christian Eriksen has been told he has shown a lack of ambition by refusing to leave Manchester United this summer.
The 33-year-old is set to spend the final year of his contract at Old Trafford as a backup player after slipping down the pecking order.
But former Denmark international Thomas Gravesen admits he is perplexed by the playmaker’s decision to stay when he won’t be playing.
“I get so upset because I have such high expectations of him,” Gravensen told Viaplay. “I don’t understand what is going on. It looks like he’s now been told he’s going to get fewer games this year.
“It is therefore a mystery to me that he keeps saying; ‘I feel good and it’s great to be here’. Well, don’t you want to play football?.
“Why do you get selected for the national team when you don’t play football? Now what is that? I can accept one time, but now he is going to sit a whole season without playing football. You cannot take out a player who does not play football.”
Ten Hag agrees emotional return to old club
Erik ten Hag is heading back to his former club during the international break for a temporary role that may provide some temporary respite for the Dutchman.
With the pressure again mounting on him at Old Trafford following Sunday’s humiliating 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Liverpool, Ten Hag is set to be afforded a happy homecoming at former club FC Utrecht this Sunday.
The 54-year-old will take charge of a team made up of former players for Mark van der Maarel’s testimonial match.
The veteran defender reportedly requested his former boss be involved, with a team of former Utrecht players taking on a team composed of current Utrecht stars.
READ MORE
Casemiro exit stance emerges
Manchester United star Casemiro is determined to remain at the club and will reportedly reject any offers to leave the club in the next week.
The 32-year-old has emerged as a target for Turkish giants Galatasaray, who can still sign players up until their transfer deadline on September 13.
The Istanbul club are weighing up a move for the Brazil midfielder, who was hooked at half time during the 3-0 loss to Liverpool and now looks set to leave after the arrival of Manuel Ugarte from PSG.
However, the Daily Mail report Casemiro has ‘no interest’ in leaving Old Trafford at the moment and is prepared to fight for his place.
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to Express Sport’s LIVE rolling coverage of the latest Manchester United news and rumours.
Stick with us as we sift through all of the latest updates concerning the Red Devils during the international break.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1944604/Man-Utd-news-LIVE-Ten-Hag-Casemiro-Antony