‘He pose great threat to opponents, He’s exactly what Manchester United need’ – Agbonlahor expresses confidence in Red Devils sriker
Former Aston Villa star Gabriel Agbonlahor has praised Manchester United’s next star Rasmus Hojlund.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils have agreed to secure the services of the Atalanta striker for €70m on a five-year deal. The Italian journalist claims that Erik ten Hag’s side have reached an agreement with the Serie A club and both clubs have prepared documents for a high-profile transfer.
Agbonlahor has praised the Danish striker who he says is a perfect fit for Manchester United. He said on talkSPORT:
“I really like him. I’ve been watching clips of her and when I watch clips I’m watching… First of all, she’s only 20 years old. I think of myself when I was 20 and how much I improved from 20 to 22, 24, 25 and 26”.
“You get better every year and you learn. And that’s what he does. You watch him and sometimes he makes the wrong pass. Maybe he takes too many taps at times.”
The former Aston Villa star added:
“Very young, 20, but he’s strong and fast for a tall guy. He’s very good at his game and he can finish, he can finish with both feet. That’s great! [He’s] mostly left footed, but I really like him and that’s exactly what Manchester United need because if you have him in now he can run behind.”
How Hojlund will perform as planned for Manchester United during the 2023/24 season remains to be seen.
‘It could take him a season’ – Agbonlahor admits Manchester United-linked goal could take some time to adjust to Premier League
Though Agbonlahor was full of praise for the Danish international. However, he admitted Hojlund may need time to adjust to the tenacity and pace of the English Premier League. He also claimed that the forward could work well with Manchester United talisman Marcus Rashford. Agbonlahor said on infoSPORT:
“Even if he’s not in and around the box all the time to make the channel runs, Rashford can come inside and get into the box. You know they are going to go from Weghorst, no offense to him, he wasn’t good enough for Manchester United, to this guy, who I think is the real deal. And he’s going to be working under a very good coach in Ten Hag.”
“It might take him a season to get used to the Premier League, the tempo of it, and working with his teammates. But he’s gonna be one like…. a player like Antony, a player like Rashford, Sancho. These players, Garnacho, are all going to get into the box early. Because he’s a threat, a real threat.”
Hojlund was in great form for Atalanta during the 2022/23 campaign. The Danish striker racked up 16 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances for the Italian outfit last season.
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Manchester United finds replacement for Maguire position as Man Utd captain
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been named Manchester United’s new captain, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
The 28-year-old will replace defender Harry Maguire, who was dismissed as captain by manager Erik ten Hag after the England international failed to secure a first-team spot. Fernandes, who has 64 goals and 54 assists in 185 games for the club in all competitions, captained in the absence of Maguire, who spent much of last season on the bench or injured.
ESPN reported on May 31 that United are ready to hear offers for Maguire this summer and are awaiting interest from West Ham, who have inquired about his availability during the January transfer window.
“The Portuguese midfielder has worn the armband for United on several occasions and Erik ten Hag has confirmed that he will now manage the team on a permanent basis,” United said in a statement.
“As captain, two-time Player of the Year Sir Matt Busby will continue to strive for the highest standards within the team as United strive for success in the 2023/24 season and beyond.”
Fernandes was criticized for his stubborn performance in the 7-0 loss to rivals Liverpool in March.
United’s pre-season is underway, with the Old Trafford side beating Ligue 1 club Lyon 1-0 on Wednesday. Next, United travel to the United States where they will face Arsenal, Wrexham, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in friendlies ahead of the new season.
United will be back in action in the next Champions League season after failing to qualify for the tournament in the 2021/22 season.
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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.