Three Manchester United youngsters being considered to earn a first-team place on the pre-season tour

Man Utd may need to add to their roster next season and could give some youngsters a chance on the pre-season tour.
Zidane Iqbal is now a wholesome story of what can happen to young players when they impress in pre-season and look like they’ve made a breakthrough under the summer sun.
The then 19-year-old shone on tour of Thailand and Australia a year ago, performing well in a midfield role and looking ready for opportunities under Erik ten Hag. Fast forward a year and Manchester United have only transferred €1m since his move to FC Utrecht.

The moral of the story is that it’s easy to get attention in the slower pace of pre-season matches. Keeping it up to the intensity and quality of a Premier League season is a much bigger challenge. The Iraq international has been an unused substitute in 17 first-team appearances this season but has finished behind 17-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in the pecking order.

Iqbal was a good story and looked like a composed central midfielder in games last summer, but he has failed to translate that into a season of first team training and matches.

But that doesn’t mean that pre-season exposure is useless for young players. He always presents an opportunity for attention and as Ten Hag carries the ax to United’s side, that could be the case more than ever in the United States this summer. Ten Hag seems determined to continue the process of cleaning up the ranks. David de Gea could leave at the end of his contract and first-team players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Fred, Anthony Elanga and Anthony Martial could all be sold.

They are unlikely to all leave but United need to find the money to spend and Ten Hag want to continue the rebuilding. He could potentially start next season with a smaller squad, bolstered by young players who can take their place on the sidelines.
In defence, 20-year-old left-back Alvaro Fernandez will get a chance in pre-season and if any of the centre-backs leave there could actually be a vacancy for the left-back. Maguire is the player most likely to leave and if he leaves it could mean Luke Shaw will be used more often as a left centre-back.

If so, promoting Fernandez, who played 39 league games for Preston last season, could be an option. The former Real Madrid youngster was twice on the bench for United at the end of the 2021/22 season, but if he stays with the club next season he could gain notoriety.
The situation in midfield will be fascinating this summer. Ten Hag is pushing for the signing of Mason Mount but could sell Fred and McTominay. The former has a year left on his contract and has hinted he is open to a new challenge, while McTominay is a marketable asset to this team.

Donny van de Beek’s future must also be uncertain, but if numbers shrink, FA Youth Cup winner Mainoo, 18, may have a chance. The Stockport-born midfielder is highly regarded within the United Academy system.
But perhaps this summer’s biggest winner is Amad Dialo, who returns to United after a scorching loan spell at Sunderland last season that saw him score 13 goals, many of them spectacular, and set up four more.

There has always been a lot of hype around the winger after United secured a potential €37m deal three years ago to bring him from Atalanta, but he has so far fallen short of that potential. After his exploits at the Stadium of Light, he’s getting games this preseason.

If Ten Hag lets Elanga and Facundo Pellistri go, and maybe even Martial, there will be a gap in the selection for another striker. After such an encouraging season, Amad, who turns 21 next month, needs to keep playing, but if he can shine in pre-season, there could be enough games for him at United this season.

United will kick off their pre-season against Leeds in Oslo on 12 July, before facing Lyon in Edinburgh a week later. Games against Arsenal, Wrexham, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund follow in America before returning to Old Trafford to face Athletic Bilbao. Those seven races could be a big opportunity for at least three youngsters this summer.

Fans do you feel this is a good idea to consider? 

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Alternative player Man Utd intend to sign as Harry Kane move turns ‘unrealistic’ 

Manchester United are looking to bolster their attacking side with a top striker on their shortlist this summer – although top target Harry Kane may not be for them

Manchester United’s summer priority remains adding a great No.9 to solve their goalscoring problems.
The Red Devils have enjoyed a productive season, returning to the top four and winning silver, but their issues remain clear. Erik ten Hag has many areas to manage in his squad, but signing a striker capable of taking Marcus Rashford’s goal is crucial.
Harry Kane has been heavily linked with the Tottenham dismissal but other alternatives are also being sought. Ten Hag spent over £200m in his first year and may need similar funds if he is to close the gap with neighbors Manchester City. Here’s the latest transfer news from Old Trafford.

Kane unrealistic bid dropped

The club dropped their pursuit of Kane after refusing to meet Daniel Levy’s demands for the Tottenham striker.
Kane was high on the Red Devils’ summer transfer shortlist, with a well-known striker among Erik ten Hag’s priorities. The England captain was seen as a realistic candidate with just one year remaining on his contract in north London.

However, a move to Old Trafford now looks highly unlikely. According to The Guardian, the Red Devils have pulled out of the race to sign him.
The reason for the move is that the club hierarchy consider the fee Spurs would charge for signing Kane to be ‘unrealistic’. Tottenham chairman Levy is keen to stay with him and would be willing to risk him leaving on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer.
The club gives the green light to an alternative

Although the Red Devils are expected to be without Kane, they have been given the green light for Dusan Vlahovic, with Juventus retracting previous claims he is not for sale.

“There are not many alternatives to Kane for Man Utd,” Saha said. “Victor Osimhen is an obvious one at the moment, though, he’s scoring a lot of goals for Napoli. Very fit, very strong and agile. But it may take him more time to adapt.

The Serie A duo aren’t the only ones on Saha’s radar, but the pair have caught the eye this term. Osimhen is the leading scorer in Serie A, helping Napoli win their first league title since 1990, while 20-year-old talent Hojlund scored five goals in two Euro 2024 qualifiers for Denmark in March.

Another man linked with a move is Randal Kolo Muani. The Eintracht Frankfurt star scored for his country at the World Cup, but won’t come cheap with Bayern Munich also linked.

“I think Randal Muani would be a very good signing for Man Utd,” Saha added. “Not only as a number 9, he can play either side of a three. He’s a very clever player, very quick, sharp with his feet and very intelligent.

“He’s already established a good link with Kylian Mbappe for France. He’s aware of everything, he has the talent to go short or long, he’s very clever and he will be a real danger in the Premier League if he comes, especially with [Marcus] Rashford and [Jadon] Sancho.”

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Sheikh Jassim considering a vision of Manchester United transfer incentive for Kylian Mbappe

Dream Kylian Mbappe Manchester United transfer incentive from Sheikh Jassim.
If Shiekh Jassim’s takeover is successful, Mbappe may depart PSG this summer in a transfer that would be considered a blockbuster. Man United may be one of his possible destinations.

It may seem unlikely that Kylian Mbappe will join Manchester United, but you can bet your bottom Qatari Riyal that Sheikh Jassim, a potential owner of the Reds, would love to bring the Frenchman to Old Trafford.

The possibility that Mbappe won’t exercise the one-year option on his PSG contract, which would allow him to leave for free after 12 months, has cast doubt on the future of the young player. When the player posted on social media that he was content in Paris for the upcoming season, it complicated matters.

This path has been traveled before with Mbappe, and it resulted in a new €630 million contract and, reportedly, a voice in the decisions made by the French giants. Only a small number of people could afford to enter into any potential deals this summer, and Real Madrid of Spain would be the clear favorites.

They’ve previously pursued him, and they have the resources and reputation in Europe to entice the 24-year-old. Right now, it’s difficult to imagine United’s financial limitations allowing them to make a move for Mbappe, and that’s without considering whether the superstar would even be interested.

But if Sheikh Jassim prevails in his bid to take control of the Reds, the goalposts may move. He would bring considerable financial clout, and earlier this season, reports claimed he saw Mbappe as the ideal player to sign.

As the current PSG is owned by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani through Qatar Sports Investments, Mbappe would also be aware of what to anticipate. As the crown jewel of Paris, Mbappe has interacted with the owners. It helps to understand the way things are done while also highlighting possible parallels to Sheikh Jassim’s potential work style at United.

Mbappe, of course, also shone for France at the World Cup in Qatar, where they lost to Argentina in the championship game despite Mbappe scoring three goals and winning the golden boot. His star is shining brightly all over the world, and he would bring enormous commercial potential to wherever he goes next.

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Mac Allister quickly became the one Jurgen Klopp wanted, and Liverpool sealed the deal yesterday

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesTottenham’s Cristian Romero reacts to Alexis Mac Allister joining Liverpool

Alexis Mac Allister has had an unbelievable 12 months.

The Argentine started the season brilliantly with Brighton, scoring five times from midfield before the World Cup. Then, he flew to Qatar to join up with his international teammates, and he created history there.

Mac Allister started every game that Argentina won in Qatar, including the final. He had an amazing tournament and he continued his form in the Premier League as well.

A number of clubs became interested in Mac Allister, but Liverpool were quick to act and beat everyone else for his signature yesterday.

To celebrate his move, Mac Allister took to Instagram to post a message to Reds fans.

His international teammate Cristian Romero replied: “Let’s go, all the best Ale!”

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Mac Allister really is an exciting signing for Liverpool.

The Reds have missed a proper number eight ever since Gini Wijnaldum left the club in 2021. The Dutchman was integral in their Premier League and Champions League triumphs, and Liverpool’s midfield hasn’t been the same since he left.

Now, Mac Allister will give them the balance they need in the middle of the park and will chip in with goals as well. He is the ideal replacement for Wijnaldum, and we’re almost certain he will do well.

It will be interesting to see who else Klopp will bring in to join Mac Allister in the middle of the park.

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesRelated Topics

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The 10 biggest transfers in Europe in the 2023 summer transfer window

The 2023 summer transfer window is yet to officially open but that hasn’t stopped clubs from doing some big deals. Brighton have already made a record signing with money received from Liverpool.

Here are the biggest deals so far. Players are ranked by size of the initial fee, with add-ons stated.

All the summer’s Premier League deals are here.

1) Pedro Porro (Sporting Lisbon to Tottenham) – £39m

The Portugal right-back became Tottenham’s property having initially joined the club on loan on deadline day in January. He cost £5million for half a season, in which time he played for three different managers, and Spurs were obligated to pay another £39million this summer. Porro is primarily a wing-back so let’s see if he can play in a back four for Ange Postecoglou.

2) Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton to Liverpool) – £35million plus £20m add-ons

Brighton and Liverpool kept the fee under their hats but some Liverpool fans want you to believe they bagged the World Cup winner for the cost of a Tesco meal deal. We have to assume that if Mac Allister is a success, then the Reds will be liable for around £55million, which could still turn out to be a bargain, especially if he adapts to playing a deeper role.

3) Joao Pedro (Watford to Brighton) – £30m

Brighton didn’t wait for the end of the season to get Pedro signed, or for the Mac Allister money to clear in their account, before announcing a club-record deal three weeks before the end of the season. The Seagulls welcomed ‘a brilliant young talent’ and many Watford fans concur.

4) Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo to Napoli) – £25.8million

The Italy forward has already won a Scudetto with Napoli having spent last season on loan. The Serie A champions are obligated to cough up €30million to keep Raspadori having paid €5million to borrow the 23-year-old for a year.

5) Terem Moffi (Lorient to Nice) – £25.8million

West Ham and Bournemouth both wanted Moffi in January but the Nigerian forward opted instead for Nice, who must pay €30million having borrowed him since January. Lorient will also bank 15 % of whatever fee Nice might receive for the 24-year-old, who scored six goals in 16 appearances through the second half of the Ligue 1 season.

6) Hamed Traore (Sassuolo to Napoli) – £21million

Along with Raspadori, Sassuolo also loaned out Traore, this time for the second half of the season in anticipation of banking another fat cheque from Bournemouth. The midfielder only played seven games but, two games before the end of the season, the Cherries said: “Conditions within the original loan agreement have been reached, and the Ivorian is now contracted until June 2028.”

7) Benjamin Sesko (RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig) – £20m

Manchester United were interested – some reports suggest they still are – but Sesko agreed last August to stay under Red Bull’s wing, swapping Salzburg for Leipzig. The Germans will reportedly pay £20million for the 19-year-old, though they may welcome the opportunity to flip the forward swiftly if United or Newcastle make a decisive move.

8) Nicolas Seiwald (RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig) – £17.2m

The Austria midfielder becomes the 20th player to move between Salzburg and Leipzig since Red Bull took over the German club. Seiwald was reportedly a target for Arsenal and Roma but Leipzig agreed a deal for the 21-year-old in February, with a contract signed until 2028.

9) Chris Wood (Newcastle to Nottingham Forest) – £15m

Wood moved to the City Ground in January, with the incentive of a permanent move if certain, mysterious criteria were met. The Times reported that three starts would be enough to make Forest liable for £15million – he managed five before a season-ending thigh injury in March.

10) Ivan Ilic (Hellas Verona to Torino) – £13.5m

Similarly, ex-Man City midfielder Ilic joined Torino on a six-month loan deal from Hellas Verona with a conditional obligation to purchase. The Serbia international offered two goals and three assists in 14 appearances, presumably going over and above whatever minimum requirement was set.

Read next: Jude Bellingham next: Ranking every €100million transfer, with Jack Grealish in top three…

The Spaniard is out of contract with United at the end of the month, although reports have claimed that the 32-year-old has reached an agreement over a new deal.

De Gea won the Premier League’s Golden Glove award for 2022/23 after keeping 17 clean sheets in the top flight this season.

However, United’s No.1 has faced criticism due to several high-profile errors and it’s understood that Erik ten Hag is keen for the club to recruit a new goalkeeper with better distribution.

‘He kept 17 clean sheets in the league. Yes, of course, you’re going to concede but to win the Golden Glove for yet another season is remarkable,’ McCarthy told 947 Joburg.

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PSG set to sell Kylian Mbappé to Man Utd as Qatar takeover nears

Manchester United to sign Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain this summer should Sheikh Jassim’s takeover bid prove successful: PSG planning transfer

Paris Saint-Germain are set to sell Kylian Mbappé to Manchester United this summer if Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari-backed takeover bid for Old Trafford proves successful.
Mbappé will not sign a one-year contract extension into his contract with PSG, meaning his contract will expire in 12 months. Mirror Football understands the French club’s priority is to ensure he doesn’t leave without a transfer fee, meaning they are set to monetize the superstar this summer.

The French superstar has confirmed he intends to stay with the Ligue 1 champions beyond this summer, but it is clear PSG will push for his departure, aware the alternative is to lose a historic transfer fee altogether.
However, relations between the club and Real Madrid remain tense. That relationship deteriorated during the previous saga surrounding Mbappé’s future, when several transfer offers, especially public ones, for Real Madrid were rejected by the French club. The Blancos were hopeful of seeing Mbappé enter as a free agent in 2022, but he extended his contract in Paris.

Last weekend, Florentino Perez, president of Real Madrid, answered a question about a future move by Mbappé: “Yes. But not this year.” That announcement came just days before Mbappé outlined his future plans and could speed up a possible move to this summer, given Real Madrid’s needs and PSG’s intention to raise funds.

Real Madrid’s focus is now on the forwards after Karim Benzema confirmed his departure from the Spanish giants last week, while Eden Hazard, Asensio and Mariano Diaz – the latter of whom was the only recognized centre-forward in the first Real Madrid team – all leave as free agents this summer. However, it is Mbappé who holds the power. All signs are that he will leave Parc des Princes this summer and the French club’s QSI owner is preparing to sell the striker to United, according to El Pais, as they prefer to do business with Sheikh Jassim if his takeover offer were to be successful. . , then Madrid.

United are desperate for an elite striker this summer but have backed out of the move to their first-choice target Harry Kane, while the switch to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is priceless. While Mbappé would claim an England record fee, relations between the two clubs could allow for a sensational deal.

Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi is believed to have played a key role in Sheikh Jassim’s bid to buy United. While the PSG boss insists his role would not go beyond offering advice, the shared Qatari track record and exact funding source behind United’s offer is the subject of a further examination.

Also cont….. 

“There are not many alternatives to Kane for Man Utd,” Saha said. “Victor Osimhen is an obvious one at the moment, though, he’s scoring a lot of goals for Napoli. Very fit, very strong and agile. But it may take him more time to adapt.

“There is a young boy in Hojlund at Atalanta. But no one offers the guarantees like Kane does.”

The Serie A duo aren’t the only ones on Saha’s radar, but the pair have caught the eye this term. Osimhen is the leading scorer in Serie A, helping Napoli win their first league title since 1990, while 20-year-old talent Hojlund scored five goals in two Euro 2024 qualifiers for Denmark in March.

Another man linked with a move is Randal Kolo Muani. The Eintracht Frankfurt star scored for his country at the World Cup, but won’t come cheap with Bayern Munich also linked.

“I think Randal Muani would be a very good signing for Man Utd,” Saha added. “Not only as a number 9, he can play either side of a three. He’s a very clever player, very quick, sharp with his feet and very intelligent.

“He’s already established a good link with Kylian Mbappe for France. He’s aware of everything, he has the talent to go short or long, he’s very clever and he will be a real danger in the Premier League if he comes, especially with [Marcus] Rashford and [Jadon] Sancho.”

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‘What we all dream of’ – Manchester United fans send transfer message to Harry Kane after England goal

Manchester United fans were quick to note the interaction between Harry Kane, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford in his goal at Old Trafford on Monday.
Kane scored the first goal of the night on 29 minutes, deflecting Shaw’s cross from eight yards and putting the ball inside. United talisman Rashford played his part, putting the left-back in an excellent position with a deft ball.

Shaw admitted last week he would like to have Kane at United and Erik ten Hag’s interest in the 29-year-old was genuine. The Dutchman is desperate to score more goals for his side and has made the Tottenham striker his prime target. The message from north London is that Daniel Levy won’t be selling his star to a Premier League rival, but while United don’t believe Kane is for sale, their interest isn’t entirely extinguished.

And so it was a bit bittersweet for United fans to see the striker complete a game too well prepared by Shaw and Rashford, with many taking to social media to send a message to their primary target.

Tottenham’s insistence that Kane is not for sale makes such a link unlikely in United’s red numbers with Ten Hag’s side working on alternative targets. The name of Rasmus Hojlund often came up, but there is also interest in Victor Osimhen from Naples or Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt.

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Harry Kane transfer: New European giants boom in sight for Tottenham star after Man Utd, interest from Real Madrid

There has been a new twist in the transfer saga surrounding Tottenham striker Harry Kane, with one of Europe’s biggest sides involved after Manchester United and Real Madrid opted to go after other players.
Kane’s future at Tottenham is uncertain due to a number of factors. First, his contract with the club expires in June 2024. If he refuses to sign an extension, he will force Tottenham to sell him this summer or see him go on a free transfer in a year’s time.

Secondly, Tottenham actually look further away from winning a trophy, than getting closer to a few trophies. In the 2022-23 season, they were eliminated from the FA Cup in the fifth round and from the Carabao Cup in the third round.

Furthermore, they were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 and have only managed to finish eighth in the Premier League, meaning they will not play in any form of European competition next season.
Kane is determined to break Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record of 260 goals. However, the England captain is also eager to finally end his long wait for a trophy.

Earlier this year, Man Utd selected him as their next ideal striker. Madrid then came into play when Carlo Ancelotti targeted Kane as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who joined Saudi side Al Ittihad.

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“If it comes through that process, obviously transfers could open up again. But I do believe, at this moment in time, transfers should be halted until you look into the ownership structure at Chelsea and whether there are beneficial transfer dealings that are improper.”

The i reports the Premier League is ready to ‘scrutinise’ transfers to ensure fees are representative of a player’s value, but remain confident in its current regulations.