MAN UTD are stepping up their pursuit of Erling Haaland, with reports from Spain suggesting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is regularly calling his fellow Norwegian.
Meanwhile the Red Devils have reportedly made a £68.5m bid for Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente.
Stay up to date with our blog, below, for all the latest from Old Trafford…
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SKILL SCHOOL
David De Gea showed off his fancy footwork on international duty with Spain.
Not bad for a keeper!
ROY’S THE BHOY
Here’s how Celtic could look under Roy Keane.
SOL WARMING
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been nominated for the Prem manager of the month for March.
SPEEDSTER
Manchester United ace Brandon Williams blamed his dad for speeding at 85mph in a £50,000 Mercedes as he was slapped with a £1,000 fine.
But the left-back, 20, managed to avoid any points on his licence after being defended by celebrity lawyer Nick “Mr Loophole” Freeman.
Williams, who rakes in around £40,000-a-week, was instead given a £1,000 fine and ordered to pay £720 costs at Mold Magistrates’ Court.
The lawyer, who has represented other celebs including David Beckham, successfully argued there were special reasons not to impose penalty points on his licence.
JPs heard how cops sent Williams a form to his home in Manchester as was the registered driver of the Mercedes GLE 300.
But his dad Paul filled out the form and admitted being the driver of the car when it was clocked doing 85mph in a 70mph zone.
LLOR & ORDER
Manchester United are ready to entice Marcos Llorente to Old Trafford by doubling his wage packet, according to reports.
Spanish outlet AS write how the Red Devils have already launched a £68.5million bid for the Atletico Madrid midfielder.
Marcos Llorente could double his money at Old TraffordCredit: AFP Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is eager to bolster his attacking midfield options with his side relying heavily on the creativity of Bruno Fernandes.
The Norwegian has also appeared to lose faith in summer signing Donny van de Beek with the £35m man making just two league starts.
Llorente, 26, is eyed as the ideal man bolster United’s midfield options having scored 10 and assisted nine this season.
The Spaniard is thought to be happy at the Wanda Metropolitano and was not considering a transfer having emerged as a key player under Diego Simeone.
But reports in Spain add how United are ready to double his wage packet to £180,000-a-week to entice him to England.
LIN-GENIUS
Do you see the likeness between this shot of Manchester United’s on-loan ace Jesse Lingard and these classic Messi and Maradona photos?
SHAW THING
Manchester United and England left-back Luke Shaw has been nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month.
The former Saints man has been in phenomenal touch this season, earning a Three Lions recall.
HAAL OF A FEE
Borussia Dortmund will reportedly demand £154MILLION for their star striker Erling Haaland this summer.
A whole host of Europe’s biggest clubs are interested in the free-scoring sensation, with Manchester United heading that queue
Manchester United will need to break the bank to land Erling HaalandCredit: AFP Since joining Dortmund from RB Leipzig in January 2020, the 20-year-old has scored 49 goals in as many games.
In all competitions this season Haaland has netted 33 times in 31 games. He has scored ten goals in just six Champions League matches.
According to ESPN, Dortmund are asking for £154m for the Norway international.
In the summer of 2022 a clause kicks in that sees Haaland available for just £65m – but Dortmund hope the huge interest around him will lead to clubs stumping up more than double that.
As well as United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all believed to be interested in signing the powerful frontman.
OVER THE BLUE MOON
Chelsea have been named the Premier League team of the decade.
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics have been crunching the numbers as the 2011-2020 decade came to an end.
Barcelona came out in top as their best club of the decade.
But in England, it was Chelsea that reigned supreme.
The Blues won two Premier League titles, in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
They also achieved their crowning glory in 2012, when they won the Champions League on a dramatic, historic night in Munich.
Chelsea won the FA Cup that same season, as well as in 2018, while they picked up a solitary League Cup in 2015.
AND BARCA
Barcelona have joined Manchester United in the transfer race for Andre Silva.
The Eintracht Frankfurt striker, 25, is in red-hot form this season and attracting plenty of interest.
Andre Silva has Barca chasing himCredit: Reuters And according to Bild via Marca, Barcelona are plotting a summer swoop.
Silva came through at Porto before joining AC Milan, but was shipped out on loan at Sevilla and then Eintracht.
Then he made the switch to the Bundesliga side permanent in 2020.
The 38-cap Portugal international is enjoying a fine season this term with 22 goals and seven assists in 26 appearances. He also picked up the player of the month for January.
Reports earlier in March suggested United and Atletico Madrid are very keen on the 6ft 1in frontman – especially with Edinson Cavani’s Old Trafford future in doubt – with the two clubs leading Arsenal in the race for his signature.
HOOPS KEANE
Celtic have held talks with Manchester United legend Roy Keane over the vacant manager’s job at Parkhead, according to a report.
SunSport exclusively told you earlier this month how Keane wanted to become Celtic’s new manager.
Roy Keane has been out of management for a decadeCredit: Getty The Republic of Ireland icon hasn’t been in charge of a club since his departure from Ipswich in 2011.
However, he has spent time as assistant to Hoops legend Martin O’Neill during his time in charge of Ireland and Nottingham Forest.
And the brutal Sky Sports footie pundit is seeking a return to the duggout, with the 49-year-old keen on replacing Neil Lennon.
In a latest development, the Daily Mail claim the former Celts midfielder has held discussions with the club’s hierarchy over the hotseat role.
It is reported the Manchester United legend is among a number of candidates under consideration by Dermot Desmond & Co.
JESS A MINUTE
Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard was buzzing to be back in an England shirt after two years out of Gareth Southgate’s squad.
The West Ham loanee started the 5-0 win against San Marino.
AWAY DAYS
Prem clubs will urge the Government to allow up to 1,000 away fans among the crowds for the last two sets of matches this season.
Top-flight club bosses have agreed to switch the planned penultimate set of matches into the final midweek of the campaign, after the May 17 date set by PM Boris Johnson for crowds to return.
The fixture swap means each Premier League club will have one home game in front of supporters, with the number capped at the lower figure of 10,000 fans or a quarter of the ground’s full capacity.
But it was envisaged that only home supporters – in virtually all cases season ticket holders who have been locked out, apart from a handful of lucky supporters, since last March – would be allowed through the turnstiles.
And at yesterday’s meeting of the 20 ‘shareholder’ clubs, it was agreed to ask the Government for a change of policy that would allow visiting fans to attend.
The final set of fixtures includes a potential relegation decider between Fulham and Newcastle, with the capacity set at 4,000 supporters while Craven Cottage is still a partial construction site.
Other matches in the penultimate set of games include a possible top-four clincher between Chelsea and Leicester.
CL HELL
Manchester United legend Gary Neville and former FA chief David Bernstein have warned the ‘obscene’ gap between Europe’s rich and poor clubs will only be widened by Uefa’s planned Champions League revamp.
And they also fear the Carabao Cup and FA Cup will be sacrificed on the altar of the financial demands of Europe’s wealthiest elite.
Neville and Bernstein are leading members of the Our Beautiful Game Group which is calling for the establishment of an independent regulator to run English football.
And in its latest submission, the group revealed its deep concerns over the impact of Uefa’s proposals to expand the Champions League from 125 matches per season to 225.
That concept for the post-2024 shape of the European game is expected to be confirmed by the end of next month and the Group said: “Uefa’s planned reforms are likely to accentuate and embed the deep financial inequality already existing.
“The gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ will grow with broadcasting rights skewed even more towards the very top clubs.”
ROY’S TROUBLES
Roy Carroll revealed he ‘would have died from drink’ after becoming an alcoholic.
But now the former Manchester United goalkeeper is determined to help others tackle their struggles.
Roy Carroll opened up on his battle with the bottleCredit: Pacemaker Carroll, 43, spent four years at Old Trafford between 2001 and 2005 – he also had spells with Wigan, West Ham and Olympiacos.
The 45-cap Northern Irish international returned to football to play for Irish outfit Dungannon Swifts this January – after being hit hard by lockdown restrictions.
In an honest interview with the Daily Mail, the stopper – who joined FC Mindwell last year alongside Keith Gillespie, a club set up for men with mental health issues – said: “I just want to give something back because I went through a really bad time with depression and alcohol. I want people to understand it’s okay to talk.
“I’ve been off the drink now for ten years in June. It’s a habit, you get into a routine.
“It can happen to anybody with depression and drinking quite heavily in the house: nothing else to look forward to, just having a couple of beers.
“It gets worse the longer lockdown is. You have a few drinks and more drinks the next night. That’s you, you’re addicted.”
PAUL’D HIS SOCKS UP
Paul Pogba has bagged some stunners for Manchester United this season.
MAG-NIFICENT
Harry Maguire will help tackle obesity and mental health issues in schoolkids as they finally return to grassroots football.
The Manchester United captain is joined by his counterpart from the women’s team, Katie Zelem, to lead the campaign.
Harry Maguire is leading the way with the next generationCredit: Getty Outdoor football comes back for youngsters again on Monday as part of the next step of the unlocking of coronavirus restrictions.
And Manchester United are keen to play their part in supporting children, many of whom have seen their health deteriorate due to the lockdowns.
As reported by The Times, Maguire and Zelem are headlining a campaign to encourage parents and coaches to ‘be kind’ and ‘encouraging’ to kids – with a focus on participating, rebuilding confidence and fitness rather than winning.
GOOD MORNING RED DEVILS FANS
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly set to be rewarded with a new £10million-a-year contract. The Manchester United boss is contracted at Old Trafford until 2022 but club chiefs are poised to hand him a new deal.
The 48-year-old is set for a significant £2.5m rise on his current contract.
Jesse Lingard set up a goal for England on his international return against San Marino. Lingard, who is on loan at West Ham, provided an assist for Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a lively display during England’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier win.
Marcus Rashford did not feature with the striker still not fully fit after his foot injury.
United midfielder Scott McTominay played the whole game for Scotland as they twice equalised to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Austria.
Roy Keane is the odds-on favourite to become the next Celtic manager. The outspoken pundit finished his playing career at Celtic Park.
In transfer news, West Ham coach Stuart Pearce dismissed reports of midfielder Tomas Soucek joining Manchester United. The Czech Republic star scored a hat-trick in the midweek win over Estonia.
Giovanni Galli, the man who set up Amad Diallo’s trial with Atalanta, believes the new United winger can be challenging for the Ballon d’Or within five years.
United legend Rio Ferdinand has bizarrely told Newcastle fans to stump up £300m to buy out owner Mike Ashley if they hate him so much.
Nicky Butt reportedly left the club after ‘friction’ with the newly-appointed director of football John Murtough.
SunSport exclusively revealed Derby boss Wayne Rooney is interested in adding Butt to his coaching staff.
MCTOMINAY HELPS SCOTS EARN POINT
Scott McTominay played the whole game as Scotland battled to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Austria.
The Manchester United midfielder lined up in Steve Clarke’s side as they needed two equalisers to deny Austria.
Scott McTominay celebrates John McGinn’s late equaliserCredit: PA Sasa Kalajdzic twice gave Austria the lead but Scotland would not be denied.
Grant Hanley’s header made it 1-1 and with just five minutes left a stunning overhead kick from John McGinn earned a point.
LINGARD ASSIST
It has been a lively display from Jesse Lingard and the Manchester United attacker has just set up England’s fourth goal.
Lingard’s pass set up a simple tap-in for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to make it 4-0 against San Marino.
Jesse Lingard set up England’s fourth goalCredit: Getty Lingard’s display has certainly justified Gareth Southgate’s decision to bring him back into the England squad.
LINGARD CHANCE
Jesse Lingard has just missed a big chance to get on the scoresheet for England.
The Manchester United attacker was rewarded with a start for England after his strong form on loan at West Ham.
Jesse Lingard spurned a big chance in the first halfCredit: Reuters But Lingard spurned the chance to score after missing his half volley from Ben Chilwell’s cross.
England are currently 3-0 up with goals from James Ward-Prowse, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Raheem Sterling.
NO CZECH OUT
West Ham coach Stuart Pearce has dismissed talk of Manchester United target Tomas Soucek going anywhere.
Soucek has been a revelation for the Hammers and enhanced his value with a hat-trick in the Czech Republic’s win in Estonia.
Tomas Soucek has been linked with Manchester UnitedCredit: Reuters The midfielder has caught United’s eye but Pearce insists his future remains with West Ham.
Pearce told talkSPORT: “No, he’s happy here and he’s not going anywhere, that’s for sure.
“He’s been brilliant here, I’ve got to say. Dave (Moyes) brought him into the club in January of last season and since then he’s just been brilliant.
“He’s got a wonderful attitude to work, on his days off he comes in to work, he’s just really an absolute pleasure to work with.
RASHFORD MISSING
No real surprise but Marcus Rashford is not fit to play for England in their World Cup qualifier with San Marino.
The Manchester United striker is not involved due to his foot injury but may be available for their two matches next week.
Marcus Rashford is not in England’s squad tonightCredit: Getty But Jesse Lingard, who is on loan at West Ham, has been rewarded with his impressive form with a start.
The attacker will be hoping to make a big impact on his international return.
United players Dean Henderson, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are on the bench for Gareth Southgate’s side.
BALLON D’IALLO
Manchester United whizkid Amad Diallo has been tipped to challenge for the Ballon d’Or within five years – by the man who set him on the road to stardom.
Former AC Milan and Italy keeper Giovanni Galli believes the winger, 18, just needs to add strength to his unique skills.
Amad Diallo has been touted for a huge futureCredit: Getty Galli, who arranged the attacker’s trial with Atalanta, told Goal: “Amad is unique but he must make himself stronger.
“At the same time, he must make sure he does not lose his speed, which is a quality that distinguishes him from others.
“In short, I think he has all the qualities to be a candidate for the Ballon d’Or in the next five years.”
RASHFORD DOUBT
We’re a couple of hours away from England starting their World Cup qualification campaign at home to minnows San Marino.
Will Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford be involved?
Marcus Rashford could miss tonight’s gameCredit: PA The 23-year-old has not been training with the England squad due to a foot injury.
England boss Gareth Southgate said: “Marcus has been very keen to be with us. He obviously wasn’t with us so much in the autumn.”
But with two more games over the next week including a crucial clash with Poland it is unlikely England will take any risks over Rashford’s fitness.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
