“These deals are notoriously complicated, and this is the biggest one of them all. I’m just of the belief that it’s a very heavy negotiation, and it’s ultimately all about the money, obviously, but also about the timing.”

Smith added: “I think the takeover is going to complete in some shape or form. It’s just a question of when.”

Sheikh Jassim reportedly remains adamant that he will walk away from the negotiation table if the Glazers refuse to budge on their £6bn-plus demand to relinquish control of United.

But his Qatari bid has the required funds available, making it difficult to remove the possibility of an improved offer until he does bow out of the process.

Also….

Man Utd news LIVE: Takeover problem emerges, De Gea return hint, Rooney appointed, Sancho latest

The Manchester United takeover process continues to rumble on and the Glazers’ failure to do a deal with either Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has caused a major problem at Old Trafford

Rooney appointed at Birmingham11:04
De Gea spotted in Manchester08:30
Ten Hag and Sancho relationship ‘breaks down’06:32

Manchester United’s domestic commitments take a break over the next week or so, with a number of the Red Devils squad fly off to all corners of the globe for the October internationals.

Erik ten Hag might be glad of the opportunity to take a break after an indifferent start to the season, before regrouping after the break. Rasmus Hojlund is among those looking to kickstart his season as he waits for a first league goal, with Denmark facing two winnable games.

With the Premier League on pause, United’s takeover saga is set to return to the fore; with INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe expected to submit a fresh offer which would see him become a minority shareholder with a view to completing a full acquisition in the future. It is said that he could potentially meet the Glazers’ asking price at Old Trafford.

The delay continues to cause havoc at the Red Devils’ historic ground, with major problems beginning to arise at the stadium.

Away from the stadium and the takeover, Jadon Sancho looks set to leave the club as his relationship with Ten Hag continues to break down. David de Gea has also got fans talking with an interesting post on social media.

Stay tuned for the latest news from Old Trafford throughout this Thursday:

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12:061 min agoTom Blow
Is Maguire “ridiculously good”?
Harry Maguire raised eyebrows on Wednesday by claiming his recent win percentage for club and country is “ridiculously high”.

Maguire, 30, has struggled for minutes at Manchester United since Erik ten Hag was appointed in May 2022 and was stripped of the captaincy during the summer.

Yet England boss Gareth Southgate has stuck by the battling defender ahead of Euro 2024.

Maguire is determined to win back his place at Old Trafford and tried to silence his critics by referencing his win record.

He said: “If you look back on my last 15-20 starts for club and country, I would be happy to sit here and say I’m really happy with my performances.

“My record under this manager (Ten Hag) speaks for itself.

“I haven’t started as many games as I would like but my win percentage when I’ve played is ridiculously high.”

But is it? Mirror Football has taken a look at the stats and they reveal that Maguire is… spot on.

Rooney on new role
Wayne Rooney has insisted his desire “to win” at Birmingham City was behind the decision to include the likes of John O’Shea and Ashley Cole in his coaching staff.

Given the Blues sit sixth in the Championship table, sacking John Eustace in order to bring in Rooney after two underwhelming years in charge at DC United has been widely perceived as a gamble.

But the Manchester United icon has been bullish about his prospects since taking the role, quickly assembling his support staff.

Varane faces the music
Tim Sherwood believes Raphael Varane “has not done anything” since joining Manchester United from Real Madrid in July 2021.

United are enduring a tough season under Erik ten Hag.

They have already lost six games – including home defeats to Brighton, Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.

A late Scott McTominay brace spared their blushes in a 2-1 win against Brentford last Saturday.

Signing Varane was viewed as a huge coup for United, but the 30-year-old defender has struggled to play consistently since the transfer.

He’s been restricted just just 51 Premier League appearances and missed the recent win against the Bees.

Premier League winner Sherwood believes Varane has to do more if United are to be successful.

Ex-Man Utd kid flying
Under gently weeping skies, Robbie Savage shed a tear and his mum, Val, admitted she cried, too.

On a special night out for three generations of the clan, Savage’s son Charlie made a dream Wales debut with an assist and 97 per cent pass completion in the 4-0 rout of Gibraltar.

Charlie started his career with Manchester United, just like Robbie did.

Lingard impresses in Saudi
Jesse Lingard has played in a friendly for Al-Ettifaq – needing just four minutes to score as he eyes a contract with the Saudi club.

The former Manchester United star is currently in the Middle East on a training contract but is looking for a more permanent stay at Steven Gerrard’s side – doing his chances no harm by scoring against Al-Khaldiya.

Lingard left Nottingham Forest in the summer and is now on the lookout for his next outfit, which looks to be away from the Premier League.

Lingard could join up with compatriots Jordan Henderson and Demarai Gray, who’ve both opted for lucrative moves to the Saudi Pro League.

Manchester United are set to trigger contract extensions for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof, but will hold off on Anthony Martial.

The defensive pair continue to be regular parts of the first-team picture, even if they are not guaranteed starters.

Wan-Bissaka has enjoyed a renaissance having previously been set for the exit door under Erik ten Hag.

Lindelof, meanwhile, continues to get game time and is often called upon at centre-half when Lisandro Martinez or Raphael Varane are unavailable with his versatility also useful.

Martial, though, faces an uncertain future with the club unsure what to do regarding his next move.

The Frenchman is into the final year of his deal with a 12-month option available.

He’s slipped down the pecking order and, after almost a decade, continues to struggle for consistency.

Greenwood’s route back
Jamaica have opened the door to Mason Greenwood resurrecting his international career – three years after the forward was capped by England.

Greenwood appeared for the Three Lions senior side in September 2020’s clash at Iceland in the Nations League.

Greenwood and Phil Foden were subsequently withdrawn from Gareth Southgate ’s squad after breaking Covid quarantine guidelines in Iceland by leaving the part of the hotel that the squad was occupying.

United announced in August that Greenwood would be leaving the club following an internal investigation.

Mason Greenwood joined Getafe on a loan deal this summer(Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
06:51Mirror Football
Maguire on Ten Hag-Southgate difference
Harry Maguire had to think long and hard when asked if there were any similarities between Gareth Southgate and Erik ten Hag.

“Erm, I wouldn’t say there was too much similar,” declared the Manchester United defender. He is not wrong there. For starters, where Maguire is concerned, there is one glaring, fundamental difference between the two managers.

One rates Maguire highly, the other does not. Simple as that.

And while the 30-year-old centre-half has always steered clear of publicly questioning his club boss, it is clear his fall from grace at Old Trafford has mystified and troubled him. Indeed, Maguire points to United’s recent record with him in the team as evidence of why he should not be overlooked so often.

Hojlund leaves United fans speechless
Manchester United fans were left in awe of new signing Rasmus Hojlund after he produced a brilliant piece of skill while training with Denmark.

Hojlund made a £72million move to United over the summer from Serie A side Atalanta. And after missing the start of the season with a back injury, he has netted three goals in eight appearances across all competitions so far.

We’ll have all the latest takeover and transfer talk, as well as updates from the international break.

Stay with us for all the big updates as they come in.

That’s all we’ve got time for today, folks. But check back in tomorrow when we’ll keep you up to date with all the latest Manchester United news and updates.

ICYMI: Arnold ‘confronted’ over Antony and Sancho sagas
Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold held a crisis staff meeting last month and was grilled over the club’s handling of a number of issues including the futures of Antony and Mason Greenwood.

According to The Athletic, the meeting was held on September 18. It has been claimed that, after being quizzed on an “unconscious bias within the club”, Arnold responded in no uncertain terms that prejudicial or inappropriate behaviour towards female staff members would not be tolerated.

Ferdinand names best Man Utd finisher
Rio Ferdinand has named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the best finisher he played with during his time at Manchester United.

Ferdinand, 44, hung up his boots back in 2015 but spent 12 years at Old Trafford after joining the Red Devils from bitter rivals Leeds for £30million. The defender won six Premier League titles and the Champions League before moving on in 2014 and played alongside a whole host of blockbuster names at United.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Wayne Rooney were all part of the United teams that dominated domestically during Ferdinand’s career. But it was Van Nistelrooy who got nod when Ferdinand was put on the spot with a question about United’s deadliest goalscorers.

Hojlund defends Rashford
Rasmus Hojlund has put his full backing behind Marcus Rashford, despite his Manchester United team-mate’s dreadful start to the season.

Rashford has scored just one goal so far this campaign, having bagged 30 last season. His wretched form comes amid a wider downturn for Erik ten Hag’s side, who have struggled to perform in the Dutchman’s second year in charge at Old Trafford.

The England star’s poor performances have led some to demand that Ten Hag drop him in favour of the likes of Alejandro Garnacho or Facundo Pellistri. That is not supported by Hojlund though, who has leapt to his team-mate’s defence.

De Gea shares Reguilon snap
David de Gea has sent Manchester United fans into an online frenzy after sharing a snap of him enjoying a meal with on-loan defender Sergio Reguilon.

De Gea, 32, spent over a decade at Old Trafford before leaving the club in the summer at the end of his contract. However, the Spaniard’s replacement, Andre Onana, has made a string of high-profile errors since joining the Red Devils in a £47.2million deal.

Onana’s form has led to some United fans pining for De Gea to make a return, with the veteran goalkeeper currently still without a club. Those calls have intensified this week after De Gea returned to Manchester in order to sort some issues with his old house.

Maguire on West Ham interest
Harry Maguire has revealed exactly why he did not move to West Ham this summer.

Speaking in an England press conference, he said: “Regular game time is really important to me, it has been throughout my career. The actual opportunity to go to West Ham wasn’t agreed really between both clubs and myself. So it wasn’t just my chance to say ‘Yes and I’m going’.

“It wasn’t agreed between both clubs so the actual opportunity wasn’t there because we didn’t get far enough down the line with it. But West Ham is a massive club. But like I said my full focus is still on Manchester United, I want to fight for my place but of course regular game time is really important to me.”

United ‘not happy’ with Ten Hag
Manchester United players are NOT happy with Erik ten Hag, it has been claimed.

United won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League under Ten Hag last season but are struggling this time around. They’ve lost six games in all competitions – including both of their Champions League fixtures – and sit 10th in the Premier League.

Ten Hag is under pressure to fix things at Old Trafford, but fans are concerned he’s lost the support of the dressing room. Former United striker Alan Brazil has revealed players “are not having the manager” over the way he’s treated some of their colleagues.

United beat Barnsley 3-0
Manchester United got another win under their belts on Wednesday as Erik ten Hag looks to build on Saturday’s surreal win over Brentford – albeit in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

This time around, there was little in the way of injury-time fireworks or even television cameras. Instead, the Red Devils played a behind-closed-doors friendly against League One side Barnsley – and prevailed 3-0.

But in truth, the result at Carrington would have been of little significance. Of far greater importance to Ten Hag was allowing returning, or previously out-of-favour, players to get some much-needed minutes ahead of his side’s next Premier League game against Sheffield United on October 21.

Saha tears into Mount
Ex- Manchester United star Louis Saha has torn into Mason Mount for his poor start to life at Old Trafford.

The England midfielder signed for the Red Devils in the summer for £60m from Premier League rivals Chelsea. Mount has endured a tough start for his new club.

Injury has limited the 24-year-old’s contributions, whilst Mount has only one assist to his name in six appearances in all competitions. That solitary set-up came during United’s 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Saha has not been left particularly convinced by his signing as of yet.

United fans pine for De Gea return
David de Gea’s return to Manchester could not have been timed better, as Andre Onana continues to struggle as his successor.

De Gea teased his 15.6million followers on Instagram by posting a story from the United women’s team’s Champions League qualifier against Paris St Germain at Leigh Sports Village. The former Spain No.1 showed his support to the team on Instagram, writing ‘Let’s go!!!’ over a video clip of the team warming up for the match.

Ex-United goalkeeper De Gea, who spent 12 years as the club’s No.1, returned to the UK to resolve a few issues with the house he and his family owned in the plush Cheshire suburb of Hale. De Gea’s homecoming made some United fans pine for his return to their team, with some even suggesting the club re-sign him, given Onana’s failure to show he is an upgrade on his predecessor

Maguire’s new Man Utd role
Manchester United’s pursuit of Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio is directly linked to the future of Harry Maguire at Old Trafford.

The England defender prefers playing in the left-sided central defensive role for club and country, despite being right-footed. This is the position in which Lisandro Martinez is usually deployed for United, with Raphael Varane or Victor Lindelof usually partnering him on the right.

The United manager ruled out Maguire playing in the position again less than six months ago, but the 30-year-old started the side’s recent EFL Cup victory over Crystal Palace in that role – partnering Raphael Varane in the heart of Ten Hag’s side’s defence.

ICYMI: Birmingham appoint Rooney
Wayne Rooney has made his return to English football by being announced as Birmingham City’s new manager.

Rooney joins the Blues on a three-and-a-half-year deal and replaces John Eustace, who was sacked on Monday despite leading the team to sixth in the Championship. The move comes after Rooney was relieved of his duties by MLS side DC United, where he had worked since July 2022.

Wayne Rooney(Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)
15:48Fraser Watson
United post message to Rooney and O’Shea

Arnold ‘confronted’ over Greenwood and Antony sagas
Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold held a crisis staff meeting last month and was grilled over the club’s handling of a number of issues including the futures of Antony and Mason Greenwood.

According to The Athletic, the meeting was held on September 18. It has been claimed that, after being quizzed on an “unconscious bias within the club”, Arnold responded in no uncertain terms that prejudicial or inappropriate behaviour towards female staff members would not be tolerated.

Man Utd beat Barnsley
Manchester United got another win under their belts on Wednesday as Erik ten Hag looks to build on Saturday’s surreal win over Brentford – albeit in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

This time around, there was little in the way of injury-time fireworks or even television cameras. Instead, the Red Devils played a behind-closed-doors friendly against League One side Barnsley – and prevailed 3-0.

McTominay’s heroes
Scott McTominay is a huge fan of Roy Keane but also admires Patrick Vieira – the former Manchester United captain’s great foe.

All eyes will be on McTominay on Thursday evening, as Scotland take on Spain in a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier.

Steve Clarke’s side will book their spot at the tournament in Germany if they avoid defeat to the Nations League champions in Seville.

McTominay has played a crucial role in Scotland’s qualification campaign, having scored six goals.

Only Romelu Lukaku has scored more (eight for Belgium).

Scotland fans are hoping McTominay will do the business again versus Spain, with the midfielder also bagging a late brace in United’s 2-1 win against Brentford last Saturday.

He will look to take inspiration from his three big idols – Keane, Viera and Zinedine Zidane.

Onana latest
Roy Keane and Gary Neville fear Andre Onana may not recover from the calamitous start he has made to his Manchester United career.

Goalkeeper Onana, a £47million summer signing from Inter Milan, has made a series of high-profile blunders since joining United as David de Gea’s replacement.

Onana let a tame shot past him in United’s 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich, then made another costly gaffe in a 3-2 loss to Galatasaray, which led to Casemrio being sent off.

Mount ‘regretting’ transfer
Mason Mount will have regrets over quitting Chelsea to join Manchester United this summer – claims former Blues defender Glen Johnson.

Mount, 24, signed a five-year deal with the Red Devils this summer as he completed his £60million move from Stamford Bridge. It was a high-profile move for the attacking midfielder, but he is yet to find his best form in a United shirt.

Johnson’s scepticism comes amid reports that United players are unhappy with boss Erik ten Hag over his management – although there is no suggestion that involves Mount.

Rooney speaks out after Birmingham appointment
Wayne Rooney has hailed the project on offer at Birmingham while underlining his intent to establish a winning culture at the Midlands club.

Speaking after his announcement, he said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club. We are fully aligned on what is expected.”

Man Utd beat Barnsley in friendly
Manchester United reportedly overcame League One side Barnsley in a friendly over the international break.

The Red Devils secured a 3-0 victory against the Tykes, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Donny van de Beek was among the scorers at Carrington on Tuesday, while Brazilian wideman Antony was also on the scoresheet.

Man Utd ‘not happy’ with Ten Hag
Manchester United players are NOT happy with Erik ten Hag, it has been claimed.

United won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League under Ten Hag last season but are struggling this time around. They’ve lost six games in all competitions – including both of their Champions League fixtures – and sit 10th in the Premier League.

Ten Hag is under pressure to fix things at Old Trafford, but fans are concerned he’s lost the support of the dressing room. Former United striker Alan Brazil has revealed players “are not having the manager” over the way he’s treated some of their colleagues.

Mourinho proved right about De Gea
Jose Mourinho likes nothing more than to let the world know he was right about something – and now the former Manchester United manager’s assessment of David de Gea might just be haunting Erik ten Hag.

Speaking in 2020, the Portuguese said: “Is he good? Yes, he’s very good. David is much better on the line than coming out. I think in goal, his agility and technical level is second to none.”

Rooney appointed at Birmingham
Wayne Rooney has made his return to English football by being announced as Birmingham City’s new manager.

Rooney joins the Blues on a three-and-a-half-year deal and replaces John Eustace, who was sacked on Monday despite leading the team to sixth in the Championship. The move comes after Rooney was relieved of his duties by MLS side DC United, where he had worked since July 2022.

De Gea shows Man Utd allegiance
David de Gea has shown his allegiances still lie with Manchester United – four months after his glittering 12-year career at Old Trafford came to an unceremonious end.

The Spaniard was United’s No.1 since his arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2011, winning a plethora of individual awards at the club alongside seven trophies – which included the club’s most recent Premier League title in 2013.

Neville’s controversial Man Utd “irreplaceables”
Gary Neville has performed a dramatic u-turn over his Man United “irreplaceables”.

Speaking in 2020, he said: “They are the two players who I think are irreplaceable. Fernandes is irreplaceable, they are a way off without him. He’s a vital piece of the jigsaw. Maguire, I think, you’d know if he was missing.

“My gut feeling is that they would miss him enormously. I know some people say he’s not the best defender in the league, that he’s not done brilliantly since he came for £80million, but he’s a big presence in the heart of the defence”

Mount slammed for Man Utd start
Ex-Manchester United star Louis Saha has torn into Mason Mount for his poor start to life at Old Trafford.

Speaking to King Casino Bonus, the Frenchman said: “Manchester United are relying on one or two players to create, and I haven’t seen enough of Mount yet.

“His creativity is nowhere to be seen. I didn’t see any positive runs from him against Brentford. His timing is off, too, and he can’t make chances by playing like this.”

Onana ‘could be dropped’
Mark Schwarzer has suggested that Erik ten Hag might have to axe Andre Onana – just like Pep Guardiola dropped Claudio Bravo at Manchester City.

Writing in a column for Optus Sport, he said: “It’s not a situation unique to him, and it reminds me a lot of when Claudio Bravo arrived at Manchester City.”

The former Chelsea goalkeeper added: “Bravo was used to playing the way Pep wanted to play. They knew each other very, very well and while he was a decent shot stopper, he was more known for his ability with his feet and playing out from the back.”

De Gea spotted in Manchester
David de Gea was back supporting Manchester United on Tuesday as he was spotted watching their women’s side.

The Spanish goalkeeper, still without a club since being released by United in July, was in attendance for Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League second round. New signing Melvine Malard equalised in the first-leg clash after PSG took an early second-half lead.

Maguire lifts lid on West Ham move
Harry Maguire has revealed exactly why he did not move to West Ham this summer.

Speaking in an England press conference, he said: “Regular game time is really important to me, it has been throughout my career. The actual opportunity to go to West Ham wasn’t agreed really between both clubs and myself. So it wasn’t just my chance to say ‘Yes and I’m going’.

“It wasn’t agreed between both clubs so the actual opportunity wasn’t there because we didn’t get far enough down the line with it. But West Ham is a massive club. But like I said my full focus is still on Manchester United, I want to fight for my place but of course regular game time is really important to me.”

Old Trafford round-up
With the dust now settling from their late win against Brentford, players and fans Manchester United will still hold concerns over the direction the club is currently heading in.

The turnaround prevented a fifth Premier League defeat in eight games, but the overall display was another uninspired one from Erik ten Hag’s side. And with Andre Onana continuing to struggle, and the Jadon Sago rumbling on in the background, the squad appears anything but settled.

Matters off the field are not helping either. A full 323 days after the Glazers confirmed they wanted to sell the club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim remain in limbo over their bids. And fan discontent against the US owners is growing.

Here’s the latest news from Old Trafford in the last 24 hours….

Maguire hails Beckham gesture
Harry Maguire has revealed how David Beckham reached out to help him get through his recent struggles.

The Man United defender’s tough time prompted Beckham to call with words of encouragement and advice. Maguire said: “I actually spoke with David about three weeks ago after the Scotland game – he got in touch with me so it was really nice of him and I really appreciated that.

Ten Hag and Sancho relationship ‘breaks down’
Jadon Sancho is ready to leave Manchester United, with his relationship with boss Erik ten Hag having fallen apart.

iNews have reported that the duo have ‘barely spoken’ since the Arsenal game. It is said there is now ‘no relationship’ between Sancho and Ten Hag.

Stay tuned throughout the day for all of the latest updates from Old Trafford.

Man Utd cult hero set to reunite with Rooney
Wayne Rooney is expected to be joined by former Manchester United teammate John O’Shea when he takes over the reigns at Birmingham City.

The ex-England captain is the overwhelming favourite to take over from John Eustace at St. Andrew’s after announcing his departure from D.C. United. The surprise parting of ways with Eustace came after the Blues had made a strong start to the Championship season.

The Old Trafford fan favourite will be eager to quickly win over any sceptics over his appointment if he is named, with his predecessor having left the club in sixth place. To hit the ground running in the Second City, he will be turning to two familiar faces – including John O’Shea, according to the BBC.

Wayne Rooney is set to turn to two familiar names as he prepares to bring in his own coaching staff at Birmingham City (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
22:34Megan Feringa
Man Utd Women draw against PSG
Melvine Malard’s second-half goal earned Manchester United a dramatic draw over Paris Saint Germain in their Women’s Champions League debut to set up an exciting second leg in France.

A slow start from the hosts was very nearly punished by a fiercely vibrant PSG attack, with Millie Turner forced into a goal-line clearance in the opening minute. But the visitor’s poor execution coupled with Mary Earps in United’s goal kept the score line level heading into the interval.

Barring a rare chance for Lucia Garcia, gifted to the hosts from a defensive PSG error, United struggled to assert any attacking threat in the opening 45. Geyse’s introduction in the second half ignited a more front-foot approach from United. But a momentary lapse in United’s defence saw Tabitha Chawinga make the most of a ball over the top and get the better of Earps as she fizzed in a low shot to send PSG into the ascendency shortly after the restart.

United responded well, forcing PSG into a goal-line clearance of their own just before the hour mark. And the hosts found their equaliser courtesy of Melvine Malard who headed home Millie Turner’s header which was flashed back across goal from Katie Zelem’s corner. United continued to hunt for a winner but despite a number of chances falling to the hosts, United will travel to France for the second leg of their qualifier with all to play for.

Melvine Mallard of Manchester United Women celebrates scoring the equaliser with Geyse (Charlotte Tattersall – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
21:45Fraser Watson
Rooney’s managerial career so far
On the face of it, Birmingham City bringing in one of the greatest footballers Britain has ever produced is a no-brainer for a club that has been forced to battle against the tide in recent seasons.

And yet, appointing Wayne Rooney arguably represents an unnecessary risk for a club that appears to have made huge strides forward this season. On Monday, it was confirmed that John Eustace had been sacked, despite defying financial issues to guide the club to safety last season.

Birmingham also currently lie sixth in the table this time around amid a positive start which saw them unbeaten in their first five games. The upturn followed NFL legend Tom Brady buying a minority stake in the club, but Rooney’s managerial record so far suggests he’ll arrive in the midlands still with much to prove as a manager.

Mirror Football has taken an in-depth look at his career in the dugout so far…

(AP)
21:01Megan Feringa
De Gea spotted in Manchester
David de Gea has returned to Manchester at the perfect time for those Manchester United supporters imploring the club to re-sign the free agent after his replacement’s woeful start to life at Old Trafford.

The Spain international, who remains a free agent following the end of his 12 seasons with United, was in attendance for Manchester United Women’s Champions League debut at Leigh Sports Village. Marc Skinner’s side face French heavyweights and two-time European runners-up Paris Saint Germain in a heady European baptism.

(Manchester United via Getty Images)
20:32Felix Keith
Onana hammered
Andre Onana was guilty of letting in a shot that a schoolboy would have saved against Brentford, according to Garth Crooks.

The Manchester United goalkeeper could not save Mathias Jensen’s tame effort at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Cameroon international let the shot squirm under his grasp as Brentford went 1-0 up. It was the latest in a growing line of mistakes from the £47.2million summer signing.

Former Tottenham striker Crooks has torn into Onana by comparing him unfavourably to ex-United keepers. He wrote in his BBC Sport column : “It’s hard enough trying to win matches when your goalkeeper is in good form, but when he’s making errors almost on a weekly basis it makes life very difficult for all concerned.

“Especially when you’ve had Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and David de Gea keeping goal for you during the past 20 years, it becomes very conspicuous when you have a goalkeeper who is not in their class. In fact, Andre Onana is not even on their planet.”