HARRY KANE’S move to Man Utd appears dead in the water after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho’s bust up, SunSport can reveal.
But there’s better news on his England team-mate Declan Rice, who is reportedly very keen on joining the Red Devils.
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Stay up to date with our blog, below, for all the latest from Old Trafford…
TAKING THE CRIS
Paris Saint-Germain are preparing an audacious player-swap move in a bid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports.
AS claims PSG will offer both Moise Kean and Mauro Icardi to Juventus in a part-exchange deal for the recently-linked Man Utd target and Old Trafford legend.
Ronaldo was thought to be angling for a move to Real Madrid but that appears increasingly unlikely with the Spanish side eager to land Kylian Mbappe.
Both Mbappe and Neymar could leave Paris this summer with just a year left on their contracts.
And getting their salary off the wage book will mean PSG have the cash to offer Ronaldo a lucrative deal.
PSG are ready to offer Moise Kean and Mauro Icardi for Cristiano Ronaldo OLE BE DAMNED
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he was blasted by Sir Alex Ferguson for a cynical red card against Newcastle during his Manchester United playing days.
He said: “I think every manager has certain values.
“When I got sent off against Newcastle, I thought I did the right thing for the team and Sir Alex lambasted me after the game saying ‘we don’t win that way at Man United’.
“I’ve lived by that ever since. We want to win in the right manner, it doesn’t matter who we play against.
“We want to win playing by the book. I’m not saying someone else doesn’t, I’m just saying I think every manager wants to win in a fair way.”
Sir Alex Ferguson blasted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for his red card against Newcastle in 1998 IMPROVED MENTALITY
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says last season’s Europa League semi-final defeat to Sevilla triggered a change in mentality among his Manchester United team.
Speaking ahead of his side’s quarter-final second-leg against Granada, the Norwegian said: “It’s not up to me to say if their mentality has changed my job.
“Our job has been to get the best out of the players. How you do that is different in every coaching and management style.
“I can feel change in the belief and confidence. When we started this project we knew we had a few months or a year maybe to learn and they’ve learnt on the job many of them.
“But now you can see the focus. We want to win a trophy.
“The disappointment of last year’s semi-final defeats have done something to the mentality of the group definitely.”
AXE TO GRIND
Manchester United are set to ring the changes for the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Granada with a TRIO of starters suspended.
Captain Harry Maguire, left-back Luke Shaw and influential midfielder Scott McTominay are all out of Thursday’s game at Old Trafford after picking up yellow cards in the 2-0 win in last week’s first leg.
And Axel Tuanzebe could be the beneficiary with the 23-year-old in line for a rare start. Youngster Will Fish, 18, has also been promoted to the senior squad for the game with Eric Bailly still unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19.
Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Tuanzebe can slot into the back four seamlessly despite having seen just 554 minutes of action in all competitions this season.
The Norwegian said: “Axel has always been a very positive boy and hardworking. Victor and Harry have played, they’ve formed a very good partnership.
“Eric’s come in and played really well when he’s played so his [Axel’s] chances have been limited, but he’s been training well and he’s ready for this opportunity.”
O-LOL GUNNAR SOLSKJAER
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims he wants his team to ‘win the right way’ despite the Red Devils’ historic reputation of intimidating officials and getting favourable decisions.
The Norwegian said ‘the game is gone’ after the farcical decision to disallow Edinson Cavani’s goal after Scott McTominay’s ‘foul’ on Heung-min Son against Tottenham on Sunday.
And asked to elaborate ahead of United’s Europa League quarter-final second-leg against Granada, Solskjaer recalled something Sir Alex Ferguson told him when he was a player.
He said: “I think every manager has certain values and when I got sent off against Newcastle a few years ago, many moons ago, I thought I ‘d done the right thing for the team.
“But Sir Alex lambasted me after the game and said ‘We don’t win that way at Man Utd’ and I’ve lived by that ever since.
“We want to win in the right manner it doesn’t matter who we play against we want to win playing by the book. I’m not saying someone else doesn’t, I’m just saying I think every manager wants to win in a fair way.”
WHAT A LOAD OF SHIRT
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has blamed Manchester United’s red shirts on their poor home form.
United have won just eight of their 15 home games in the Premier League this season and the players reckon the colour clash between their team-mates kits and the Old Trafford seats are causing a problem.
Asked about his team’s poor home form, the Norwegian said: “Some of the players have mentioned that split second decision, red shirts on red seats… we have tried to change that.”
MISSING LIN
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Jesse Lingard to return to Manchester United.
The playmaker has hit sparkling form for West Ham since his January loan switch and is said to want to make the move permanent in the summer.
With his Old Trafford deal expiring next summer, he will be worth around £25million at the end of this campaign.
But Solskjaer does not want to sell and said: “Jesse has been brilliant since he left.
“We could have kept him because he had a part to play. Never once caused me a problem.
“Deserved a chance to play more football. Of course we want him back. I hope he goes to the Euros.”
ALL HANDS OFF DEC
West Ham have issued another hands off warning to potential Declan Rice suitors.
Speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United increased after he reportedly spoke to Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw about life at Old Trafford on England duty.
Chelsea’s interest has cooled with Thomas Tuchel said to be uninterested in the midfielder.
But with the East Londoners fourth and in with a shout of a historic first ever Champions League qualification, the club will not entertain any offers for the 22-year-old this summer, according to Football London.
SHAW SELECTS
Luke Shaw picked his dream 5-a-side team from team-mates… but there was no room for Robin van Persie.
The Manchester United defender, 25, is enjoying a stellar season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and forced his way back into the England set-up ahead of the Euros.
Shaw explained his choices to the United club website – and had difficulty deciding on his No1. He said: “It’s hard this. For my keeper… this is tough because I’ve played with some very good keepers.
“I’ve played with Deano [Henderson] a little bit but not too much so I can’t put him in, but he’s a brilliant keeper. I think Joe Hart deserves a mention because he was an unbelievable keeper.
“When I was away with England and played with him I was really impressed with the way he was and the keeper he was, I thought he was absolutely top-notch.
“I’m going to stick with David in goal.”
KEEP YOUR ED DOWN
Edinson Cavani should snub a Boca Juniors transfer and stay at the top level in Europe, according to his Uruguay manager.
The Manchester United striker, 34, continues to be linked with a return to South America at the end of the season when his initial Old Trafford contract expires.
His dad Luis confirmed the veteran forward is ‘unhappy’ in the north-west as Argentine giants Boca closed in on a deal.
But the Uruguay national team boss reckons Cavani is better off plying his trade among Europe’s elite.
As reported by Depo in Argentina, Oscar Tabarez wants his 118-cap striker to stay with United for another season and test himself against the best defences ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Remarkably, those views come in stark contrast to Tabarez’s assistant Mario Rebello who believes Cavani should quit Old Trafford and play where he is ‘comfortable’.
ASH COMEBACK – EXCLUSIVE
Ashley Young is mulling over his future as he prepares to add a Serie A winner’s medal to his collection with Inter Milan.
The ex-Manchester United captain, who turns 36 in July, has helped Antonio Conte’s team move 11 points clear at the top in Italy. Young already has a string of offers at home and abroad, including a one-year extension with Inter.
But the right-back would love to end his career at the place he started it — Watford. And it looks as though they will be in the Premier League next season, so that is a possibility.
Equally, he will also have the lure of Champions League football if he stays at Inter. Incredibly, the club have not won the league for 11 years and their Chinese owners are looking to sell so they will not be making any big signings.
Young, named with Kieran Trippier in the Fifa team of the 2018 World Cup, is set to rewrite the history books. The last Englishman to win the Serie A title was striker Gerry Hitchens.
He did so with Inter in the 1962-63 season although he only played five games at the start of that season before joining Torino.
ARE ROO SURE?
Sir Alex Ferguson snubbed Wayne Rooney in his list of world-class greats.
The retired Manchester United boss only named FOUR stars as being worthy of the highest status in his 2015 book.
Rooney, who Fergie fell out with over a long-standing contract row, was put behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the pecking order.
Roy Keane — another star to have a major bust-up with the fiery Scotsman during his time at Old Trafford — was also overlooked. Fergie, 79, wrote: “In my book there are only two world-class players playing today: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I don’t mean to demean or criticise any of the great or very good footballers who played for me during my 26-year career at United, but there were only four who were world class: Cantona, Giggs, Ronaldo and Scholes And of the four, Cristiano was like an ornament on the top of a Christmas tree.”
According to Ferguson, England captains Rooney and David Beckham, Keane, Carlos Tevez, Rio Ferdinand and Peter Schmeichel were all “great players”.
NEVER FER-GET
Bruno Fernandes has revealed why he pushed Fred over after the Brazilian scored against Tottenham,
Portuguese Fernandes said: “So [it was] because Fred normally never scores.
“So, when he scores, we have to do something different.
“It will be the next goal in one year because I think the last one he scored for us was against Club Brugge, one year ago almost or maybe more.
“We have to make something to remember that goal.”
IN IT FOR THE LONG HAAL
Bayern Munich reckon they’ll land Manchester United target Erling Haaland for less than half the price next summer if he stays at Dortmund another year, reports say.
The 20-year-old striker is being tracked by all of Europe’s top clubs from Manchester City and Manchester United to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Haaland could be on the move this summer in a deal worth a mega £150million. But Daily Mail report that Bayern think they can sign him for £65m next year.
That would meet the release clause in his Dortmund contract and make him a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, 33.
And Haaland would then become the latest Dortmund player to move onto rivals Bayern like Lewandowski, Mario Gotze and Mats Hummels.
His agent Mino Raiola this week claimed that Dortmund might refuse to sell Haaland in the summer.
BYE BAILLY
Fed-up Eric Bailly has been offered transfer lifelines from Spain and Italy, according to reports.
As revealed by SunSport, the Manchester United defender is growing increasingly frustrated due to a lack of minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.
The Ivorian, 27, plans set to snub a 12-month contract extension. But according to ESPN, clubs from LaLiga and Serie A are considering offering him the chance to resurrect his career on the continent.
Bailly’s current deal expires in 2022 so the chance to offload the 37-cap international this summer for a fee rather than for nothing next year could be appealing for United. Tranfermarkt currently value him at £13.5m.
Bailly arrived at Old Trafford from Spain having been picked up by the Espanyol academy then joining Villarreal a year before Jose Mourinho made him his first signing as boss.
The club spent £30million on the defender five years ago.
MARKS OUT OF TEN
Man Utd shared Mark Hughe’s top ten goals during his time with the club and the results made supporters drool.
The highlight reel got more than 4,000 likes as Red Devils fans reminisced about the days when Sparky was banging them in for the club.
BOR OFF
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke says nobody will be able to raid his club on the cheap this summer.
He told BBC Sport: “When Covid-19 struck, we had no debt. Not one euro.
“Because of that, it is a comfortable situation. We do not have to sell a player. That is important.
“The rich clubs in the world, they must know when they want a player from Borussia Dortmund there are two possibilities.
“The first is that I tell them they have no chance. Other times, I will tell them ‘this is the price’.
“Then they must know this is the price. It is not another price. We are very clear. We are very honest.”
Dortmund have so far suggested that Jadon Sancho will be available if an acceptable offer comes in but Erling Haaland is not for sale this summer.
GOOD MORNING UTD FANS
SunSport’s Paul Jiggins has revealed that Jose Mourinho’s row with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has killed off any lingering chances of Harry Kane moving to United this summer.
The bitter row has put paid to Kane moving to Old Trafford this summer – after it increased the tensions between the two clubs.
United have never liked dealing with tough negotiator Levy, and vice-versa.
And while they still rate Kane as a striker, they would not be happy to pay Tottenham, of all clubs, top dollar for his services.This means if Kane is to leave this summer he is likely going to have to move abroad.
Elsewhere, United are reportedly ready to take advantage of Real Madrid’s squad rebuild and bid for Raphael Varane.
A new centre-back is thought to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority for the coming transfer window.
According to the Mail, World Cup winner Varane is the first player United will attempt to sign.
Real may be ready to agree a fee of around £60million to call time on his decade at the club, before his contract expires in 2022.
The Frenchman, 27, is said to be ready for a fresh challenge with boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain also a potential option.
And finally, Odion Ighalo believes Jesse Lingard is thriving because the pressure of playing for Manchester United has been lifted.
He told Sky Sports: “He works so hard in training and when he was given the opportunity to play for Manchester United, he did so well.
“But when you play for a team like Manchester United, there’s a pressure to win every game.
“Manchester United is all about winning, winning, winning, and sometimes that pressure kicks in.
“West Ham is not as big as Manchester United and he’s there on loan so he’s more free to express himself.
“There’s not as much pressure or weight on him to do well and he is doing what we know he can do and we are seeing the best of him.”
ASH COMEBACK
Exclusive by Charlie Wyett: Ashley Young is mulling over his future as he prepares to add a Serie A winner’s medal to his collection with Inter Milan.
The ex-Manchester United captain, who turns 36 in July, has helped Antonio Conte’s team move 11 points clear at the top in Italy.
Young already has a string of offers at home and abroad, including a one-year extension with Inter.
But the right-back would love to end his career at the place he started it — Watford.
And it looks as though they will be in the Premier League next season, so that is a possibility.
GET AWAY
Exclusive by Martin Lipton: UEFA are set to partially scrap the away goals rule from next season.
Under the new regulations poised to be agreed on Friday, away goals will only count extra up to the end of 90 minutes in the second leg.
Any then scored in extra-time would have no advantage.
The proposal, understood to be backed by Europe’s top clubs, will be on the table at the meeting of Uefa’s competitions committee, which includes Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and Manchester City chief exec Ferran Soriano.
A plan to scrap the away goals rules altogether has been rejected.
Uefa are ready to green light the change next term after a season of Covid-hit competitions increased scrutiny of the rule, which was introduced for the 1965-66 campaign.
FOOTBALL’S COMING HOME
Gareth Southgate has challenged England to win the European Championships this summer.
He told Sky Sports News: “Of course as a group, we want to win. What is the point of us going if we are not going there to try and win.
“We have got a group of players not just now but for the next few years as well that is going to mean England are competitive for years to come.
“When we were setting the blueprint for what St George’s Park would be about and the progress of the national teams, that was the discussion we had.
“We want to win, if you win you want to win again. It is a never-ending cycle. We haven’t won yet; we’ve had a lot of praise. We have got to take those next steps.”
HA LA LAND
Manchester United may have to occupy all of the top four spots on this list to attract Erling Haaland this summer.
MORE FROM SHAW
The Manchester United defender named Chelsea legend Ashley Cole as his main influence growing up.
He said: “I think, looking back at when I was growing up and my sort of era, and watching him a lot and basing my game a lot on him and what I wanted to be like as a player, then I would have to say Ashley Cole.
“I’ve always been a massive fan of him and thought, when I was growing up, he was one of the best left-backs at that time.
“For me, as an all-round full-back he was one of the best I’ve ever seen with attacking and defending, so I’d say Ashley Cole.”
LUK AT THAT
Luke Shaw has laughed off comparisons with Roberto Carlos.
He told United’s website: “I’ll be honest I’ve seen some things on it on social media and sometimes in my group chats my mates send me some stuff and I just laugh about it.
“I can’t be compared to him, he was unbelievable. I’m aware of it and it’s nice to be even mentioned alongside his name but I just laugh about it.”
UNITED WE STAND
Will Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keep faith with Dean Henderson or turn back to top earner David de Gea?
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
