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Manchester United are set to be one of the busiest clubs in Europe this summer, with new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe now in charge.

A complete overhaul is almost guaranteed to occur as Ratcliffe looks to change the culture at Old Trafford that’s seen a big club run into the ground.

This includes first-team players, backroom staff, and potentially even Erik ten Hag, whose job as Man United manager is under intense pressure due to a season of inconsistency and poor performance.

Despite a report from The Guardian stating that the boss won’t be sacked until the end of the season, his future beyond that looks extremely doubtful.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three players who Ratcliffe could send packing along with Ten Hag this summer.

1

Raphael Varane

Raphael Varane’s future as a Man United player seems to be in doubt, and he could be one of the first to make way at the end of the season.

There’s no doubt that when the French defender is on the field, he’s a consistent performer who brings success, but the problem lies in the fact that he’s extremely injury-prone, as shown by his nine games missed this season.

When that’s combined with the fact that he’s United’s second-highest earner, with a salary of £340k per week, it’s difficult to see Ratcliffe justifying the cost of an inconsistent return.

A report back in January from the Daily Mail stated that Man United have opted against handing Varane a new contract this summer, meaning that the 31-year-old will be allowed to walk for free if a lower wage isn’t agreed upon.

2

Antony

Since moving to England for a huge fee of £82m, Antony has failed to live up to his expectations, now losing his place in the side.

Over 25 Premier League matches this season, the winger has scored zero goals and provided just one assist, which simply isn’t good enough at the elite level.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that Ratcliffe is keen to purchase a new right-winger after this campaign, with Michael Olise reportedly noted as a potential replacement for Antony, who’s scored seven goals and provided four assists in ten league starts.

A repeat of this season would simply be too damaging to Antony’s market value, which has dropped to just £24m, as per Transfermarkt, since his arrival, therefore meaning that the best option would be to move the Brazilian on.

3

Casemiro

Since returning from injury at the start of the year, Casemiro’s performance levels have dropped significantly, to the point where he’s now at the top of Ratcliffe’s list of departures, according to a report from Football Insider.

The 32-year-old has displayed a clear lack of athleticism and professionalism at times, with his lack of mobility causing United plenty of issues, with football content creator Liam Canning even saying that “Casemiro cannot run.”

As you can see by the table above, Real Madrid’s former star doesn’t really offer very much to the United side barring tackles, but his constant complacency on the ball frequently undoes his defensive work, which football reporter Josh Bunting has previously called him “awful” for.

Casemiro’s role in the side is to set the tempo of play and simply regain possession, but he’s now only winning 47% of his ground duels and being dribbled past 2.2 times per game, which makes Ten Hag’s side so vulnerable.

Even handed a chance at centre-back in the win over Coventry, that didn't go too well either with The Standard's Nizaar Kinsella giving him a 4/10 rating, taking specific note of a dreadful penalty in the shoot-out.

Furthermore, given the fact that he’s United’s highest earner on a wage of £350k per week without bonuses added to the mix, on top of his declining performances, it’s clear that the Brazilian simply has to be sold this summer.

Luckily, earlier this month, Fabrizio Romano confirmed via the United Stand’s YouTube channel that the midfielder is of interest to clubs from Saudi Arabia, and despite there being no offers thus far, it seems like a likely destination for the midfielder.

Ratcliffe could sack Ten Hag & hire Man Utd a “tactical genius”

The Man United manager target is a master in the Champions League.

By
Tom Lever

Apr 23, 2024

Manchester United owe a debt of gratitude to Facundo Pellistri after the winger's role in convincing Uruguay team-mate Manuel Ugarte to join the club.

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• Ugarte traded PSG for Man Utd
• Spoke to Pellistri about new club
• Uruguay co-star left Old Trafford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ugarte completed a long-awaited transfer to Old Trafford on the final day of the transfer window after United and Paris Saint-Germain came to an agreement worth a reported a £51 million ($60m). While Ugarte traded Paris for Manchester, his compatriot Pellistri left the club on a permanent basis to join Panathinaikos.

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  Despite his failure to establish himself as a first-team regular at United and opting to continue his career elsewhere, the 22-year-old attacker spoke in glowing terms of the Red Devils when Ugarte asked for his opinion before he agreed to the deal.

• WHAT UGARTE SAID

  Asked by club media why he decided to move to United, Ugarte said joining "one of the best teams in the world" appealed to him, but he added: "I also spoke a lot with Facu Pellistri and he told me all about everything: the atmosphere that's generated, the matchday atmosphere that builds up at Old Trafford is incredible. So yes, I'm really excited. I'd love to experience United's legendary stadium as a player and feel the presence of the supporters."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR UGARTE?

  Ugarte was not registered in time to make his debut as United suffered a 3-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday. Having seen midfielder Casemiro crumble in that game, coach Erik ten Hag will be eager to bring Ugarte into the fold when he settles into his new surroundings.

The 2023/24 season has been a frustrating time for Chelsea Football Club. They have struggled in the Premier League all season, and currently reside in ninth in the table, on 47 points, having lost 11 games altogether.

The Blues also faced cup heartbreak at Wembley twice this season. They lost the Carabao Cup final in February against Liverpool, before being eliminated from the FA Cup in the semi-final by reigning champions Manchester City in April.

It has certainly been an unforgiving time for Chelsea, and Mauricio Pochettino’s future at the club has come into question of late. The Argentine has struggled to settle into life at Stamford Bridge and has often been bailed out by summer signing Cole Palmer, who joined the club from Manchester City for £42.5m including add-ons.

Palmer has 20 goals and nine assists in the Premier League for Chelsea so far this season and is currently joint-top of the Golden Boot rankings, alongside former City teammate Erling Haaland.

With question marks over Pochettino's future, rumours have begun to spread about who Chelsea owner Todd Boehly might replace him with. There is one in particular name that has piqued the interest of many Chelsea fans.

Chelsea's managerial plans

One of the leading candidates to have been discussed in recent days is Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi. However, the fact of the matter is that he's not the only manager in the frame to potentially succeed Pochettino.

The man we want to focus on here is former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Hansi Flick. According to Ben Jacobs, who spoke to GiveMeSport last month, the potential appointment of Flick has been “discussed internally” by those within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Following Chelsea’s brutal 5-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal on Tuesday night, Pochettino’s Chelsea future is thought to be “hanging in the balance”, according to The Times, and the Blues board could well decide to remove the former PSG manager from his post.

Should they decide to appoint Flick, it will be a relatively easy deal to do, in theory. The 59-year-old, who has had plenty of success as a manager with Bayern, does not currently have a job. Flick’s last role was Germany manager, but he was removed from the post on the 10th of September, 2023, after 25 games in charge and a disappointing 2022 World Cup campaign.

How Flick would benefit Chelsea

There is little doubt about Flick’s pedigree as a successful manager. During his time in charge at Bayern, he won seven trophies, spread across just two seasons, and was described by former Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker as a “fantastic” manager at the time.

The 59-year-old won two Bundesliga titles, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the DFB Pokal, the German Super Cup and the UEFA Super Cup during his managerial stint in Munich, an exemplary trophy case.

With that being said, he had a disastrous spell as Germany manager, after they crashed out at the group stages of the 2022 World Cup. Flick was a member of the coaching staff for their 2014 triumph, though, as an assistant to then-manager Joachim Low.

However, one thing that works in Flick’s favour is the fact that he “knows how to handle players”, as Oliver Kahn put it. The former Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper, and more recently CEO at the Allianz Arena, worked closely with Flick during his time as Bayern manager.

This is certainly something that the former Bayern midfielder could use to his advantage at Stamford Bridge. There are lots of big personalities there, and a fairly sizeable squad, meaning it is hard to keep everyone happy with the amount of playing time they are getting. Flick’s experience in handling big personalities would certainly stand him in good stead at Chelsea.

Said to be "one of the best coaches in the world" by one journalist, Flick’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system could further suit Chelsea, who have a squad ready-made for such a system, such as Malo Gusto, Christopher Nkunku and Palmer. With that being said, they would certainly have to add some players in a few key areas.

In particular, they could look to strengthen at left-back, with Flick’s system requiring someone who can get up and down the flank with ease, and perhaps a centre-forward more similar to Robert Lewnadowski’s profile.

If Chelsea were to move for Flick in the summer, he could be a shrewd option for the Blues, considering his trophy-winning pedigree and ability to handle lots of big personalities. If given time, he could well be the man to help return them to their former glory.

Chelsea eyeing "unique" Poch replacement who'd be perfect for Caicedo

The Blues are looking at a possible swoop to appoint the Premier League head coach.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 22, 2024

Bayer Leverkusen continued their incredible unbeaten run under Xabi Alonso with yet another late winner against Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday.

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• Leverkusen scored injury-time winner
• Unbeaten in 35 league matches
• Champions kick off defence in style

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bundesliga champions Leverkusen kicked off their title defence with a stunning victory over Borussia Monchengladbach, thanks to a remarkable late goal. Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz had given Xabi Alonso's side a commanding 2-0 lead, but strikes from Nico Elvedi and Tim Kleindienst brought Gladbach level. Wirtz, though, scored in the 11th minute of injury time to extend Leverkusen's unbeaten league run to 35 matches.

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  In addition to Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten run, they also have a record of scoring 12 game-tying or go-ahead goals in injury time since the start of last season. In 2023/24, of course, Leverkusen lost just one game they played: the Europa League final. They went unbeaten in the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bayern Munich will have winced at seeing Wirtz's late winner, having finished third last season. They lost eight games throughout the campaign and finished 18 points behind Leverkusen, as well as one point behind second-placed Stuttgart.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Leverkusen are next in action on Wednesday in a DFB-Pokal clash with Carl Zeiss Jena, who play in the fourth tier of German football. Their next Bundesliga fixture comes against RB Leipzig.

Now near the end of Ange Postecoglou's first season in charge, Tottenham Hotspur can reflect on the positives more than the few negatives, with plenty more to come from the Australian. One forgotten man could be forced to wait another season before playing his part under the Spurs boss, however.

Tottenham transfer news

Credit where it's due, Spurs have backed Postecoglou on the most part since the sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich last summer. The likes of James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven have all arrived to hand the Lilywhites a welcomed boost this season. Now, in his second summer in charge, Postecoglou could receive similar backing.

Tottenham chiefs "ready" to shop for "extraordinary" breakout Serie A star

The Lilywhites are set to return to an old stomping ground for the deal.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 3, 2024

It remains to be seen just who will be walking through the door, but reports have at least given those in North London some clues. Players such as Brentford's Ivan Toney and Alexander Isak have both been linked with moves to the Lilywhites ahead of the summer, with a clear emphasis on finally landing an out and out replacement for Kane.

Meanwhile, away from the incomings, Postecoglou could be set to show the door to certain players too, if just on a temporary basis. According to Spanish journalist Uriel Lugt, Alejo Veliz could be heading out on loan once again this summer, having spent the second half of the current campaign on loan at La Liga side Sevilla. This means that the forward could be forced to wait until August 2025 to play for Spurs again after arriving last summer.

The Argentine may at least get his first real taste of Premier League action next season, however, with Bournemouth reportedly attentive to his situation. Given that the Cherries could be forced to replace the Spurs-linked Dominic Solanke this summer, Veliz represents an ideal option. It's certainly a deal that would suit all parties, offering Spurs the chance to see their youngster in regular top flight action.

"Promising" Veliz must have patience

Whilst it's undoubtedly a frustrating wait for his Spurs chance, Veliz must take the mentality that his opportunity will eventually arrive when he is ready. Admittedly, however, his Sevilla loan spell has hardly helped speed things up, having made just three appearances in La Liga and not a single start for the Spanish side.

If it is to be Bournemouth next season, then game time is a must for the 20-year-old, who cannot afford another season away from North London just to sit on the bench. Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig will be among those frustrated by Veliz's lack of opportunities, having detailed his talent before his move to Spurs last summer.

As Spurs look to finally replace Kane this summer, the hope will be that Veliz kicks on away from the club to eventually emerge as a far more ideal candidate to fill the boots of the Lilywhites legend.

Real Madrid boss makes 'no princes or kings' declaration ahead of Kylian Mbappe's debut

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• Al-Ahli ready to spend big on Vinicius Junior
• Brazilian star yet to knock back offer
• Ancelotti responds to transfer talk

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Vinicius Junior has emerged as a transfer target for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, who are willing to offer the Real Madrid star a blockbuster contract that would make the Brazilian the highest-paid athlete in the world. GOAL understands that Vinicius Junior is yet to reject the contract and talks between the two clubs are taking place.

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  Superstars such as Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already been lured to Saudi Arabia but it remains to be seen if Vinicius will join them in the Middle East. The 24-year-old is a vital player for Real Madrid, scoring 24 goals last season to help Los Blancos claim La Liga and Champions League titles.

• WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

  Ancelotti has played down the Vinicius transfer talk ahead of Real Madrid's Super Cup final clash with Atalanta. He told reporters: "There isn't anything at all. There's just speculation, at this time in the [transfer] market, which closes on Aug. 31. There's just speculation, nothing else. Of course speculation doesn't affect [Vinícius]. He's here, he wants to be here. He wants to do his best and help Real Madrid."

  Vinicius is expected to play against Atalanta on Wednesday alongside new signing Kylian Mbappe. The France star is set to make his debut and Ancelotti says he's adapting well.

  "Kylian has arrived well, like all the other [players], who haven't had much time [to train]. He's arrived in good form, he's adapting well. Obviously everyone who's here [in Warsaw] could play tomorrow. There's an atmosphere here that's very healthy. That's down to the players who've been here, like Dani [Carvajal], like Nacho [Fernandez], [Luka] Modric. There are no princes or kings; there are just players with different qualities, players who've used their qualities for the good of the team."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID

  Al-Ahli are willing to offer Vinicius a package worth around €1 billion (£854m/$1.1bn) to make the switch to the Middle East but it remains to be seen if a deal will go ahead. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will be aiming to lift their first silverware of the season against Atalanta before kicking off the defence of their La Liga title title on Sunday away at Real Mallorca.

Despite finishing in 17th place in the Premier League table, Leeds United were still a very capable attacking side at times this season.

In fact, the Whites racked up a total of 711 shot-creating actions throughout the campaign, which is more than a number of teams that finished above them in the table such as West Ham United, Wolves and Leicester City.

One figure that played a massive part in Leeds’ season in an attacking sense is Raphinha.

With 35 appearances under his belt as well as 11 goals and three assists, no other Leeds player managed to equal the number of shots at goal (85) or successful dribbles (59) the Brazilian made.

Now that their turbulent campaign has come to an end and Jesse Marsch has guided them to safety, the focus can turn to getting ready for the next campaign and making sure they aren’t involved in another relegation battle.

One figure that the Yorkshire club have been linked with that could benefit from having such a deadly attacking player next to him, such as Raphinha, is Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton-Diaz.

Last August, Tony Mowbray said that he hoped the centre-forward would be “hungry for goals” for his current club, which is exactly what he turned out to be by finishing the season as their top scorer.

Specifically, the 23-year-old found the net 22 times in 37 league appearances, leaving only Aleksandar Mitrovic (43) and Dominic Solanke (29) scoring on more occasions than the Chile international in the entire division.

This shows just how capable he is of putting away goalscoring chances, which is why having a player like the Leeds star, who delivered 90 crosses in total throughout the campaign, could be so beneficial for him and the team in general.

With a reported price tag of £20m, it would surely be an investment worth making for Victor Orta as the striker would then give Marsch the chance to form what could be a formidable attacking duo in his side that could fire them to the top half of the table.

The opportunity to play at a big club like Leeds and show what he’s capable of producing in the Premier League would undeniably be a tempting prospect for the player.

In other news: Big update emerges on mega-money summer deal, Leeds United supporters will be fuming

A crushing Leeds United development has emerged on their pursuit of James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Lillywhites will not be signing the English central midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as their Premier League rivals are refusing to do a deal with them.

He tweeted:

“No chance James Garner goes Everton or Leeds. Man United won’t sell him permanently either. Full story out later this week.”

The reporter then added:

“Man United aren’t going to sell to a direct rival like Everton or Leeds of all clubs and potentially see him flourish into a world-beater. Could turn out to be like another Wilfred Zaha situation.”

Supporters will be gutted

The supporters will be gutted by this claim from Talbot as it comes as a huge blow to Jesse Marsch heading into the next Premier League season.

Garner enjoyed a sublime campaign in the second tier on loan with Nottingham Forest and he would have been an exciting addition to Leeds’ squad.

In the Championship, the midfielder averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26 across 41 matches as he delivered excellent performances on a consistent basis. He also produced four goals and eight assists from the middle of the park as he showcased his ability to contribute in the final third.

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Defensively, he put himself about as he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions and won 3.9 duels per game for Steve Cooper’s side. This shows that he works hard off the ball to win possession back for his side and can be an asset at both ends of the pitch.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson lavished him with praise in the 2021/22 campaign, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments show that the eye test matches the statistics as a former professional was impressed by his displays and he had outstanding stats.

Therefore, Leeds fans will now be gutted that the club has ‘no chance’ of being able to sign Garner. The 21-year-old would have been an exciting signing for the club but Victor Orta will now need to identify alternative targets in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Orta can now seal “eye-catching” Leeds signing with £20m bid for “sensational” talent…

Tottenham Hotspur may have been boosted in their hunt to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni this summer, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move for Bastoni…

After manager Antonio Conte and club chief Fabio Paratici’s crucial transfer summit in Italy last week, it is reliably believed that the exciting international defender is a top target for the north London club (The Telegraph).

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Bastoni, who Conte knows well from his time in charge at the San Siro, could cost Spurs around £50m if they wish to bring him to the Premier League.

As per recent reports, the Lilywhites head coach is making a ‘personal commitment’ to sign the 23-year-old, with Gold now sharing a potentially promising update on their pursuit of the Italy international.

The Latest: Gold makes promising Bastoni claim…

According to the football.london reporter, sharing news on Bastoni’s stance, there are ‘suggestions’ that the 23-year-old is ‘keen on a reunion’ with Conte as he eyes a possible move to Spurs.

Gold also claimed that the north Londoners are ‘set to pursue’ the Italy defender, but the main hurdle will be prising him away from the San Siro, with the Nerazzurri setting a £51m asking price.

The Verdict: Boost for Spurs?

While negotiating with Inter will likely prove a significant obstacle, the news of Bastoni being open to a move will come as a boost for Spurs and Conte.

The ‘defensive genius’, as hailed by Italian football expert Conor Clancy, is one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe, and comparisons have already been made with Azzurri figurehead Giorgio Chiellini.

His salary of around £122,000 per week is also attainable from a financial perspective, so personal terms shouldn’t be an issue. Indeed, it seems the only thing standing in Conte’s way is his old club and their valuation of the player.

In other news: ‘Fully’ – Journalist says Tottenham could sign £100m ‘big name’ for Conte this summer, find out more here

Allan Saint-Maximin will reportedly now be allowed to leave Newcastle United in the summer for the right price.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild

It is anyone’s guess just how many players the St James’ Park faithful will be looking to bring through the doors this summer, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dean Henderson and Sven Botman all being linked with moves to the North East recently.

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The fact that they all play in different areas of the pitch also suggests that multiple first-team additions will be made, but the club may need to offload one or two players in order to help fund a big spending spree.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin transfer latest

Writing in his latest piece for i News, journalist Mark Douglas has revealed that Saint-Maximin will be ‘available’ for sale this summer, providing that the Tyneside outfit’s valuation is met.

Aston Villa are thought to be one of the teams interested in the Frenchman’s signature, and he should attract plenty of other admirers given his exploits in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Keep him

Saint-Maximin has shown his worth time and again for the Magpies, so they should not be looking to let him go so easily.

Hailed as a ‘top-class‘ player by former top-flight striker Kevin Phillips, the 25-year-old’s influence at Newcastle is unquestionable. He ranked as their second-best performer in the Premier League before their trip to Burnley on the final day, and top in terms of shots and dribbles per match, while also grabbing himself five goals and four assists (WhoScored).

The Frenchman would not be easy to replace, so the Magpies’ board should be looking at keeping him as part of the project.

In other news, find out what ‘brilliant news’ for Eddie Howe has now emerged here!