JADON SANCHO remains Manchester United’s top summer transfer target, according to Gary Neville.
And reports suggest that the England star is pushing for a £78m move, which could be completed before Euro 2020.
Sancho has gone up in the pecking order of Man Utd targets following Edinson Cavani’s contract extension, which means a new striker is unlikely to be required for another year.
Meanwhile the Red Devils are said to be on the verge of signing Tom Heaton as backup goalkeeper.
Sergio Romero and Lee Grant are almost certain to leave the club this summer while the club may only be big enough for one of David de Gea and Dean Henderson.
Get all the latest Man Utd news and transfer updates here…
ALTERNATIVE LINE-UP
Here is another way the Red Devils could set-up at Old Trafford against fierce old rivals Liverpool.
Which do you prefer?
UNITED FRONT
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made ten changes for Manchester United’s defeat to Leicester City on Tuesday night.
Just 48 hours later they are set to face Liverpool in their re-scheduled fixture on Thursday evening.
Here is how we think they will line-up.
MOYES’ FAVOURITE
West Ham captain Mark Noble has revealed Jesse Lingard is David Moyes’ favourite player at the club.
And the Hammer skipper revealed new signing and ex-Manchester United man Jesse Lingard is currently the Scot’s No1 man.
Noble said: “Jessie Lingard at the minute, mate. They live in the same apartment block as well. The gaffer loves it as well.
“Jessie will be with all of us and the gaffer will go like, ‘Jess, thanks for bringing me that bottle of wine the other night!’. Jess will just swallow his adam’s apple, he won’t have a comeback.”
KAHN’T IMAGINE
Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn claims the Bundesliga champions can’t sign Borussia Dortmund ace Erling Haaland in the summer.
Kahn, who will take over from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as CEO later this year, believes the prospect of Bayern spending over €100million (£86m) for a player is “unimaginable”.
The club director told Bild: “Sorry, whoever spoke about that didn’t understand the situation.
“A package that costs – as we heard – over €100m is unimaginable for FC Bayern at the moment.”
This is a major transfer boost for Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona who’ve been keeping tabs on Haaland
ESL PENALTIES
As reported earlier, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are under UEFA investigation for their involvement in the European Super League fiasco.
The three elite clubs are facing a two-year ban from the Champions League unless they agree to give up on their ESL plans.
Last month, 12 clubs, including Manchester United, attempted to break away and form this closed competition but nine of them pulled back and signed a declaration with UEFA promising that if they ever try to break away they will be fined €100million (£86m).
However, Real, Barca and Juve are not giving up on their plans and thus an investigation has been launched that could lead to a two-year ban from UEFA’s elite competition and thus a £100m loss per year
GETTY IMAGES KROENKE STANCE
Arsenal staff have been informed that the Kroenke family are not intending to sell the club despite fan dissatisfaction.
That is according to The Athletic, who report the announcement was made during an all- staff call on Monday.
This poses as a major blow for Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, who is trying to buy the club with the help of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
Gunners supporters have staged two protests against majority shareholder Stan Kroenke’s ownership after the European Super League fiasco, which involved Manchester United, and are planning another one on their final Premier League match of the season against Brighton on May 23.
KLOPP ON UNITED
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp described Manchester United’s packed fixture as a “crime”.
United will have to play three matches in five days after their game with Liverpool was postponed due to fans protesting at Old Trafford and The Lowry Hotel.
That forced Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to weaken his team that lost 2-1 to Leicester on Tuesday
Klopp said: “It was the lineup that I expected because I knew he had to make changes.
“They play on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and I’ve said this many times, with all the things that happened, to play Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday is a crime. It’s not the fault of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the players, so if it was me, would I have done the same? Yes”
FERN GRASP
Atletico Madrid have stepped up contract renewal talks with star midfielder Marcos Llorente.
Manchester United have made contact with Llorente and are planning an €80million (£69m) bid.
The Spain international has also attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain as well.
According to AS, this has prompted Atletico to make haste in their efforts of tying up the 26-year-old to a new deal
SANCHO PUSH
Borussia Dortmund ace Jadon Sancho is pushing his agent to secure a transfer in the summer.
That is according to Manchester Evening News, who claim that Sancho felt let down that his representative Emeka Obasi failed to materialise a move to United following protracted negotiations.
This comes after reports suggesting that United want to land the winger before the summer’s delayed Euro 2020 competition.
Dortmund are reportedly open on letting the England international go for a cut-price after making a “gentlemen’s agreement” with him that will allow him to leave if certain conditions are met
JAD DO IT
Reports from Bild suggested that Manchester United want to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho before this summer’s delayed Euro 2020 competition.
Sky Germany have backed that claim saying that United wish to wrap up the transfer of Sancho as soon as possible.
The Euros start in June 11 and the winger is expected to be part of England manager Gareth Southgate’s side.
The 21-year-old has reportedly made a “gentlemen’s agreement” with Dortmund that would allow him to leave the club if certain terms were met
GETTY IMAGES UEFA ACTION
UEFA have opened a disciplinary investigation into Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over their involvement in the European Super League fiasco.
Last month, 12 elite clubs joined forces in their bid to form a closed competition which sparked global outrage from fans, players, coaches and pundits.
Last week, the other nine ‘founding members’, including Manchester United, signed a ‘Club Commitment Declaration’ with UEFA that saw them agree to a €100million (£86m) fine if they entered into a similar breakaway project in the future.
UEFA released the following statement: “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona and Juventus FC in connection with the so-called ‘Super League’ project.
“Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course”
PEP TALK
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand praised Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after his Premier League title win.
Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “You’ve got to give credit where it’s due.
“Pep and his men have bounced back. He went back to the drawing board, fixed things up and they came out flying. Deserved champions.
“I love him, he’s a maverick. This season, what he’s done especially, tactically the way he’s changed his team.
“He’s thickened up his midfield, got more bodies in, played with a false number nine, getting more bodies in the midfield to control the pace of the game, not making it a basketball game, up and down. It was more about controlling possession, strangling teams”
YES, BUTT
Manchester United hero Nicky Butt understands the reason behind the fans’ protests against the Glazer family but has urged the supporters to keep it peaceful.
United fans staged a demonstration at Old Trafford as well as The Lowry Hotel and some of them even broke into the team’s ground almost two weeks ago.
Butt told Manchester Evening News: “I think everyone has a freedom to say what they want and have their thoughts heard, but you can sometimes overstep the mark and it did that the other night.
“Obviously nobody wants to see police officers being injured, that spoils it because there’s a lot of good fans out there who want to protest the right way”
HAALAND WARNING
Borussia Dortmund are confident that star striker Erling Haaland is going to stay at the club.
Haaland has attracted immense interest from Europe’s biggest hitters, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
But Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke believes the Norway international is going to stay and advised the doubters to remember how they thwarted United’s intense interest for Jadon Sancho last summer.
Watzke told SportBild: “Your assumption is fundamentally wrong: Because there are no conditions from us.
“I have the clear expectation Erling Haaland will still play for us next season. And I don’t worry about anything else.
“I suspect they also know about the contractual situation and our attitude. I’m really completely relaxed here. With Jadon Sancho, nobody believed us until deadline day last summer that he would stay – and he is still here today”
SOU-PER MAN
Arsenal legend Ian Wright claims Brighton star Yves Bissouma should snub a move to Liverpool and opt for Manchester United.
Wright said on the Wrighty’s House podcast: “You look at Bissouma and Bissouma is looking at Liverpool, and we know that Liverpool have had their problems this season.
“If you’ve got to choose between Liverpool and Man United in the current climate, I’m probably going to go with Man United.
“What’s going on at Liverpool is there are a lot of players getting into that 30 age bracket – [Virgil] Van Dijk, [Jordan] Henderson, the three guys up-front.
“You think to yourself, yeah Liverpool magnificent what they have done the last couple of years.
“But you look at Man United and what Man United are on the cusp of doing and it’s a much more attractive proposition right now.
“And I’m not being disrespectful for Liverpool. But where’s the funding?”
GETTY IMAGES
GREEN PASTURES
Premier League hall of famer Alan Shearer is confident Manchester United ace Mason Greenwood is going to experience tremendous success in his career.
Shearer also described Greenwood as “the most natural finisher England have”, and that includes Tottenham superstar Harry Kane.
The Newcastle legend told The Athletic: “Mason Greenwood is going to score a stack of goals over the next 10 to 15 years.
“That’s my confident prediction. I also believe he’s the most natural finisher England have and that includes Harry, who has worked prodigiously to make himself one of the best players in the world.
“Greenwood has a left foot, a right foot and a short backlift, allowing him to get his shot away quickly. If we need to score a goal, I’d be very happy to chuck him on”
KANE RULE HIM OUT
Manchester United are still keeping tabs on Tottenham star Harry Kane.
That is according to Football Insider, who claim that United are still after an elite striker even though Edinson Cavani signed a one-year extension with the club.
Kane is among their top targets even though his £100million evaluation is fraught with complications.
The Red Devils have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland
HEATON UPDATE
Manchester United appear set to sign Tom Heaton from Aston Villa.
Heaton is a United academy graduate who never managed to break into the first team due to Edwin van der Sar’s presence at the time.
It’s important to clarify that the 35-year-old’s imminent arrival at Old Trafford doesn’t mean either David de Gea or Dean Henderson, who’ve been battling over the No1 spot, are on their way out.
In fact, the agreement states that the ex-Burnley star will be a third-choice goalkeeper
SANCHO LATEST
Manchester United will try and sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho before this summer’s delayed Euro 2020.
United have been keeping tabs on Sancho for over a year and tried to land him last year but their £91million offer was turned down by Dortmund.
But now the Red Devils have the chance to buy him for £78m after the Bundesliga giants made a “gentlemen’s agreement” with the winger.
Dortmund’s hierarchy agreed to let the England international go at the end of the season if certain terms are met
GETTY IMAGES GOOD MORNING UTD FANS,
Manchester City are champions of England once again after the Red Devils lost at home to Leicester.
Pep Guardiola’s dominant side have now lifted their third title in four years after blowing away the rest of the field.
City should have spent Saturday evening celebrating their title triumph but were forced to put the champagne on ice after losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea.
But it was just a matter of when before their champion status was confirmed with three matches to spare when Caglar Soyuncu headed home Leicester’s 66th-minute winner at Old Trafford.
And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has sent a message of congratulations to their neighbours.
He said: “If we want to take up the challenge with them we need to strengthen our squad. Congratulations to them. They have had a fantastic season.
“I am very pleased with my boys that have made it to the last 10 days with a Manchester City side ahead of us that are lauded as the best in Europe.
“We want to take the next step [to bridge the gap to City] and it might be that we need a couple more to strengthen the squad.”
Meanwhile on the transfer front, SunSport has revealed that Roma have joined the race for Brighton star Ben White – the defender loads of major clubs across Europe are scrambling to sign.
The Italian sleeping giants have turned their attention to White on the instruction of new boss Jose Mourinho.
When Mourinho agreed to take charge in the Eternal City he made it clear the side needed strengthening, and the 23-year-old Seagulls ace is one of the names he gave them.
But the chances of Roma being able to seal a deal for White are remote, because there is so much interest in him Brighton know they can place a huge valuation on him – in excess of £45million.
Liverpool were watching him closely after that year at Elland Road, making inquiries to the Seagulls as the club were rejecting bids up to £25m from Leeds.
But it is not just Jurgen Klopp who admires from afar, Arsenal and Manchester United have also been tracking his performances in the Premier League.
And finally, United are ready to press ahead with a £15million bid for winger Kamaldeen Sulemana – and hope he will be qualified to play for them by the start of next season.
United sent top scout Tommy Moller Nielsen to watch Sulemana score in FC Nordsjaelland’s 2-2 draw against Copenhagen on Monday night after tracking the 19-year-old all season.
And SunSport understands they are set to make a move for the Ghana international soon.
United know they may need to act fast in order to beat Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon and Monaco in the race for his signature.
VAN BLASTEN
Marco Van Basten has warned Donny van de Beek being a ‘big boy’ at Ajax is not the same as cutting the mustard at Manchester United.
He told ZiggoSport: “It just shows what a great life [players] have when they play at Ajax.
“They all think very quickly that they are a big boy here and can make it in other countries.
“But in the Netherlands, there is a nice competition.
“In a team like Ajax you are really helped, especially in the No10 position.
“Then you often see that they go abroad and it is a different story.”
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 LEICESTER 2
If it is any consolation to Manchester United fans this has put a severe dent in Liverpool’s hope of qualifying for the Champions League.
Maybe that was the plan all along for the protesters.
Get the game against Klopp’s men postponed leading to fixture congestion that forced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to field a severely weakened side allowing Leicester to get a vital three points towards securing a place in the top four.
Read Neil Custis’ match report HERE.
WINGING IT
Manchester United will reportedly push through a £78million transfer for Jadon Sancho BEFORE Euro 2020.
And Borussia Dortmund will not stand in the winger’s way after blocking his proposed Old Trafford switch last summer.
Bild claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is eager to make a big statement in the transfer window.
GUARD OF HONOUR
Manchester City are champions of England once again after neighbours Man United lost at home to Leicester.
Pep Guardiola’s dominant side have now lifted their third title in four years after blowing away the rest of the field.
City should have spent Saturday evening celebrating their title triumph but were forced to put the champagne on ice after losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea.
But it was just a matter of when before their champion status was confirmed with three matches to spare when Caglar Soyuncu headed home Leicester’s 66th-minute winner at Old Trafford.
TH£ RICH LI$T
Five of the Premier League’s Big Six have been named in Forbes’ top 50 most valuable sports teams on the planet just weeks after their failed European Super League money-grabbing plot.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham were among 12 European giants to sign up for the controversial breakaway competition last month.
Incredibly, FIVE of the greedy Premier League’s Big Six are among Forbes’ top 50 most valuable sports teams on the planet – worth a combined £13BILLION.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
