Ruud van Nistelrooy gives a candid verdict on the Manchester United-linked defender amids transfer season

Ruud van Nistelrooy has described Jarrad Branthwaite as ‘huge talent’ due to his Manchester United connections.
It’s been a busy summer for United who have already signed Mason Mount and Andre Onana and are set to sign a deal for Rasmus Hojlund this week. The club’s business might not stop with the Danish striker either, as Erik ten Hag admits he is still striving to bring quality to his team.

While a backup goalkeeper and defensive midfielder are higher priorities, a new defender could also be on the cards as Harry Maguire’s future remains uncertain. It seems likely that veteran centre-back Jonny Evans is the likeliest candidate for reinforcements at the heart of defence, but United have been linked with starlet Branthwaite.
The Everton contender was in the squad to win the England Under-21 Championship and although first-team opportunities were limited at Goodison Park, he impressed on loan at PSV Eindhoven last season. The outstanding defender has made 36 appearances, contributed four goals and two assists and made such an impression that the Dutch side are dying to sign him permanently. However, they could face competition from United, who have now acquired a stake in Branthwaite. The Daily Mail says Branthwaite’s name has been mooted by senior United figures as a move to centre-back is still under consideration.

Van Nistelrooy was the coach of Branthwaite in the Netherlands and has already praised his qualities.
“He is a great talent,” said the legendary striker. “The boy is young, but he has a future. He is good with the ball, he can play as a central defender both on the right and on the left as he is bipedal. He’s got length and speed, so he’s very complete.”

United are open to selling Maguire this summer after he fell down the pecking order to Erik ten Hag last season and was relieved of the captaincy by the manager earlier this summer. West Ham have expressed interest, but United’s £50m price tag could take him off the move.

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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.

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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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Bruno Fernandes named Manchester United captain

Bruno Fernandes has been named Manchester United’s new captain.
The Portuguese midfielder has worn the armband for United on several occasions and Erik ten Hag has confirmed he will now manage the team on a permanent basis.

Fernandes has scored 64 goals and provided 54 assists in just 185 games for the club since joining in 2020. As captain, two-time player of the year Sir Matt Busby will continue to aim for the highest standards within the squad as United strive for success in the 2023/24 season and beyond.

Fernandes captained United in 42 out of a possible 62 games in the 2022/23 season, including both domestic cup finals. The match came for Harry Maguire long before he appeared at Wembley in the League Cup final, just to be ready for the trophy presentation.
Fernandes, 27, also led United in Ten Hag’s first friendly as manager when he faced Liverpool in a friendly against Liverpool last July in Bangkok. Together and embarrassed, they won the Bangkok Century Cup and a bond quickly formed.

Fernandes was the inevitable choice. Last season he led United flawlessly apart from an anomaly at Anfield where he fell out with club staff over a replacement, despaired over a linesman and brought down the tools in a 7-0 victory.

Although Fernandes is now officially recognised as United’s captain, figures at the club have stressed a coterie of leaders remain in the squad. Raphael Varane captained United in their first two pre-season matches against Leeds and Lyon, Casemiro’s input is highly regarded while the homegrown contingent of Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and veteran Tom Heaton served in the leadership group Ten Hag often consulted last season. United expect them to continue to support Fernandes now his appointment has been confirmed

Saudi Offers Rejected

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fernandes isn’t about to join the exodus of names making the move and has repeatedly turned down talks from Saudi clubs.

Romano believes there has been more than one approach for the 28-year-old and that part of his decision to reject the move is down to him becoming Manchester United’s new captain.

Understand Bruno Fernandes rejected more than two approaches from Saudi one month ago.

It’s only Manchester United for Bruno who’s expected to become the next permanent captain.

England regular Harry Maguire was removed as captain of Manchester United captain by manager Erik ten Hag earlier this month.

The Englishman was made the skipper of the club by Ten Hag’s predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020. However, Maguire has been in and out of the team under Ten Hag, and is unlikely to feature regularly this season.

The England center-back said that he was “extremely disappointed” but will “continue to give my all” in the shirt of Manchester United.

Maguire started only eight games in the PL last season as the Dutch manager preferred the partnership of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane over him.

After discussions with the manager today he has informed me he is changing captain. He outlined his reasons to me and whilst I’m personally extremely disappointed, I will continue to give my all every time I wear the shirt.

“Everyone at Manchester United thanks Harry for his contribution as captain over the past three and a half years,” United said in a statement. “The manager will announce the new captain in due course, after he has informed the players.”

Maguire has made over 170 appearances for United since being signed from Leicester for 80 million pounds (now $105 million) in 2019.

Maguire hasn’t been a ‘hit’ amongst the Old Trafford faithful and his departure would not diminish the club’s hopes of aiming a silverware either. Former Leicester City-defender has been linked to West Ham United off late but with time on his side, Maguire’s final destination remains a mystery.”

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A new Kane deadline could pave the way for Man United

Manchester United’s priority during this year’s summer season has been to secure the services of a genuine centre-forward who can take charge next season. Erik ten Hag has his man in the form of Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, who will be formally announced as a United player in the coming hours.

Harry Kane talks against Old Trafford have dominated the end of the season and indeed recent seasons, with the Tottenham forward regularly linked with a move to United.
However, owing to the hefty asking price and mouth-watering salaries Kane is reportedly offering, United have turned their attention elsewhere and the England forward now looks set to miss out on a move to Manchester this summer.

Spurs’ preference to sell Kane to a foreign club appears to have opened the door for Bayern Munich, who recently flew to London for formal transfer talks.
However, the Germans are still short of Kane’s valuation for Spurs, with Daniel Levy demanding £100m for the player, who is just a year away on his current contract in north London. The package would make Kane Bayern the highest paid player and he would be open to transfer, but according to Sky Sports a deal must be agreed before the start of the Premier League season if the striker is to change.

“I think out of respect for Tottenham and also for new manager Ange Postecoglou, it would be unfair for him to leave after the start of the season. It’s almost a deadline to clarify Kane’s future before the first game of the season he stays,” said Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.
If Kane stays at Spurs there is a very real possibility that he could leave on a free transfer next summer which would open the door to all the top clubs on the continent.

United’s signing of Hojlund is certainly one for the future as well the present and it would be difficult for United to turn Kane down next season, should he want a move to Old Trafford.

Having a player of such quality and experience would only aid Hojlund’s development as well as ease the goal scoring burden that will be placed on the young man’s shoulders.

Bayern remain hopeful a deal will be done in the coming ten days but if it isn’t, expect United to be on red alert with the potential of getting the England captain next year a very real possibility.