Who should get the Man Utd number 7 shirt?

Who should get the Man Utd number 7 shirt?

Manchester United’s number seven shirt has been empty since Cristiano Ronaldo left the club in November 2022. Here are some contenders who could face the famous song, including Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho.

Since a fateful week in November in which Cristiano Ronaldo lost all composure, went to Piers Morgan to talk about the state of Manchester United and had his contract terminated by mutual consent, the Red Devils have been left without a number seven.

Oddly, that seemed to be a turning point in their season. Erik ten Hag’s men pulled themselves together, Marcus Rashford went supernova, they won the Carabao Cup and secured a third-place Premier League finish.

There are plenty of reasons for Man Utd fans to be positive heading into the 2023/24 season (even if they don’t secure all of their transfer targets and the sale of the club is dragging on).

Ten Hag has some bright stars at his disposal who will be vying to inherit the famous number seven shirt. Here are the leading contenders to take on such great responsibility.

Antony

Man Utd’s ruthless pursuit of Antony ultimately cost them £82million and was a transfer easily pointed out and blamed for destroying the modern market.
He may be a tricky winger but he has never been particularly productive in his time at Ajax. When you’re paying that much money for an attacking player, you had better hope he’s a talented scorer.
To do Antony justice, his streak of eight goals for the Red Devils is quite impressive, but in all other areas of his game he’s still far from up to par.

The positive for Man Utd is that he is only 23 and this was his first year in England. He’s unlikely to be worse off next season, but he’s not ready to don the number seven shirt any time soon.

Jadon Sancho

On paper, Jadon Sancho’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign wasn’t all that bad: he recorded six goals and three assists in 26 games (including 21 in the starting XI).

But the fact that we even have to say it’s a £72million winger shows just how much his share value has fallen since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
It’s a shame for Sancho as the only real reason he didn’t take the number seven on arrival was that it was already assigned to Edinson Cavani. Man Utd made a special allowance to strip the Uruguayan of it and hand Ronaldo his old number back.

Alejandro Garnacho

Despite only being a regular first-team fixture for a year, new Argentina international Alejandro Garnacho is the frontrunner to take the number seven.
The Manchester Evening News report that Man Utd are considering handing the famous shirt to the 18-year-old.
Hey, he’s already inherited the ‘Viva Ronaldo’ chant, Garnacho may as well take the Portuguese’s shirt as well, right?

No one has been suitable

Man Utd should not rush this decision.
Everything to do with the club is under close scrutiny. Every problem is a crisis. Every decision is magnified and analyzed like a Monday Night Football sloppy mistake. There are warning signs against the current candidates in the current squad: Antony and Sancho are not good enough, while Garnacho needs to prove himself a little more and could miss out on the added pressure.
If Man Utd are going to spend big money on a forward who they are confident will be successful then maybe they can get the number seven. But for now there is no point in just distributing it.
The Manchester United supporters you think fit perfectly with the playing performance worthy of the number 7 shirt?

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Manchester United could face a bigger challenge to sign Mason Mount now

Manchester United were hoping to secure an early deal this summer to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.
But with a huge gap in appreciation, the talks hit a roadblock. BBC Sport has reported how Manchester United’s £40m offer has been rejected by Chelsea. A new offer was submitted and rejected today, reports The Athletic.

A report via The Mirror nearly a month ago said Chelsea needed to sell Mount to solve a “significant problem” between their need to raise money and balance the books with their extravagant spending. After last week’s developments, Chelsea are suddenly not so money hungry.

Cashing in from Chelsea puts pressure on Manchester United

Chelsea have eased their urgent cash needs after a series of sales to the Saudi Pro League.
Ngolo Kante has sealed a move, while Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech are all set to join Saudi Arabia, reports the Guardian.

It’s unclear what exact fee Chelsea will receive for all of them, but rest assured they’ll strike some bargains with Koulibaly listed at £25.5m.
Another sale is also imminent and will see Arsenal’s Kai Havertz wanted. Athletic report that the Gunners are ready to pay £65million. Another complication comes from City, who will pay up to £30m to sign Mateo Kovacic, reports Goal.

These sales strengthen Chelsea’s position in the negotiations as they will not have to settle for a low offer despite Mount’s contract expiring in 2024.
Ben Jacobs told the Stretford Paddock YouTube channel: “Keep an eye on what kind of numbers Chelsea bring in for some players linked to Saudi Arabia, and possibly Kai Kavertz too.
“The more money Chelsea make, the longer they’ll be waiting for a number on Mason Mount.”

He added that United’s best chance with the deal is if Mason Mount pushes directly for a transfer on his side and makes it clear that he is unwilling to stay.

This deal seemed a little easier a month ago when it looked like United were going to be really proactive and strike early. Chelsea’s desire to get involved and demand a high fee led to a stalemate and, in fact, their hand has gone from strength to strength since then.
We expect this deal to go through, but it’s never easy with Manchester United.

 

 

 

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Manchester Utd sweep Chelsea away as Ten Hag ‘accepts’ excellent Inter star for a signing of £65 million 

Manchester United have won the bid to sign Andre Onana in a €60m deal, Newcastle are in talks to sign one of Serie A’s hottest midfielders, while Wednesday’s Euro Paper Talk says Dortmund are not he plans to use his windfall Jude Bellingham to launch a giant attack on Chelsea.

‘TEN HAG TO HUG ONANA AGAIN’ AS MAN UTD SWOOP FOR INTER KEEPER

Manchester United are reportedly close to accepting the signing of Andre Onana following major developments in Italy.
The former Ajax goalkeeper played for the Dutch giants under Erik ten Hag before being sold to Inter Milan. And after an excellent season in Italy, the Cameroon goalkeeper has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

That form has sparked speculation of a big money move to Chelsea, with Mauricio Pochettino keen to get a new No. 1. However, the full Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport insist United have won the signing race.

Claiming a deal that brings Onana to Old Trafford would cost €60m (£51.6m). This would make the 27-year-old the third most expensive goalkeeper of all time after Kepa Arrizabalaga and Alisson Becker.

Now Ten Hag intends to bring Onana to Manchester United, with an ‘agreement done’ before the move becomes official.
He will replace David De Gea as United’s No.1, with the Spaniard now set to leave the club after 12 seasons. When talking about the upcoming deal, Corriere dello Sport imaginatively writes: “Onana will kiss Erik ten Hag again” (21/06/2023, page 6).

From Inter’s point of view, they won’t oppose Onana’s transfer.
And the Nerrazzuri are reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli as a replacement. The defeated Champions League finalists will pay €25m for Vicario, with Tuscan president Fabrizio Corsi confirming the double deal is imminent.

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Manchester United “proposes player swap for Rasmus Hojlund” and other transfer rumors

Manchester United are reportedly including a one-year loan in a bid to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund.
MEN Sport understands that the Danish forward is highly regarded by Erik ten Hag and that he is an option the Reds are exploring in the transfer window. The 20-year-old has had several video calls with the United boss ahead of a possible move this summer.

He played for Sunderland in the Championship last season and Ten Hag is believed to have approved the decision to let Amad return on loan to help complete the signing of Hojlund. However, the Manchester Evening News understand United are willing to bring him into their squad this pre-season before deciding his fate.

Elsewhere, Football Insider believe United have entered into contract negotiations with Victor Lindelof. The Swede was relegated in the pecking order at Old Trafford for most of the season as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez secured their starting positions in the XI.
But while Martinez has been injured, Ten Hag has been impressed with Lindelof’s performance, according to the report that led to those negotiations. The 28-year-old’s current contract expires in 2024 at Old Trafford.

The young Atalanta star has scored 16 goals this season and has been compared to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland for his power, pace and finishing. Hojlund has also declared his love for United but has refused to rule out another big move just because he supports the club.

With Ten Hag hoping to seal a deal, Give Me Sport are reporting the Reds’ Amad could be used in a player swap offer. United signed the winger from the Serie A club in 2021, but he is yet to break into the first team.

He played for Sunderland in the Championship last season and Ten Hag is believed to have approved the decision to let Amad return on loan to help complete the signing of Hojlund.

However, the Manchester Evening News understand United are willing to bring him into their squad this pre-season before deciding his fate. Elsewhere, Football Insider has learned United have entered contract talks with Victor Lindelof. The Swede was jostled at Old Trafford for much of the season as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez secured their places in the starting eleven.

But during Martinez’s injured absence, Ten Hag was impressed by Lindelof’s performance, according to the report leading up to these talks. The 28-year-old defender’s current contract expires in 2024 at Old Trafford.

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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.

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Andre Onana comments show why he is perfect for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

Erik ten Hag could target former Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana in the summer transfer window at Man Utd.

The 27-year-old impressed in the recent Champions League final, earning plaudits for his dominating display even though he ended up on the losing side.

Onana has been recognised as one of the leading goalkeepers in football for the last few seasons, and his performance in the biggest game in club football was another reminder of just how good he is.

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Chelsea have just given Manchester United transfer boost in Mason Mount negotiations

There are obviously exceptions to that general rule, just like last summer when a fee of £15million was agreed with Juventus to sign Adrien Rabiot, whose salary demands were deemed too large, but it’s usually the case. A difference in opinion in the valuation of a player is the most common stumbling block in deals and there was talk at the start of the window of Chelsea wanting in excess of £70m for Mount, which would be overpaying.

Mount is 24 years old, an England international and his ceiling is yet to be reached, but his contract expires in the summer of 2024 and that context has been factored into the fee football director John Murtough is willing to pay for him. The player is keen to make the move to Manchester and United have tabled a second offer worth up to £50m for Mount this week, a deal which would see them pay an initial £45m fee, with a further £5m in add-ons.

Although that is an improvement on the first offer, Chelsea are holding out for around £15m more as part of the up-front transfer fee. The London club have made that £60m counter offer but United hope a compromise can be agreed.

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Home kit mistakenly exposed ; Aitch leaks 2023/24 Man Utd home kit on stage at Glastonbury

Aitch wore what appears to be Man Utd’s new adidas home shirt on stage at Glastonbury; but the kit isn’t officially unveiled until Tuesday 27 June.

Manchester rapper Aitch appears to have unveiled Manchester United’s new 2023/24 home shirt three days before its official launch by wearing the jersey on stage at Glastonbury.

Aitch, who hails from Moston to the north east of the city centre and is a United fan, was performing on the festival’s Pyramid Stage on Saturday evening.
He initially had the red shirt tucked into the waistband of his trousers, at which point it wasn’t clear what it was. But 23 years old, then removed the article and put it, revealing the emblematic united badge.

The shirt corresponds to previous online leaks from the new Adias Home shirt and seems to confirm how Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw will soon. But the real unveiling is not yet a few days before Tuesday, June 27.

The new shirt mainly presents a black filling, United which has mainly used white accents during each of the last two seasons. TeamViewer remains in place as a shirt sponsor, despite the fact that the club agreed to buy the agreement three years earlier in December – when it was confirmed that the German software company would remain on Shirts until a replacement sponsor is found.

Meanwhile, the adidas branding matches other new releases that have seen the sportwear giant’s name dropped in favour of the cleaner look of its iconic three stripes logo standing alone.