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    Man Utd ‘consider offering Victor Lindelof in swap deal for World Cup winner’ in summer transfer

    MANCHESTER United are considering swapping Victor Lindelof with Inter Milan’s Benjamin Pavard.United were previously interested in the defender when he was at Bayern Munich and their interest has now been re-sparked according to Inter Live.
    Manchester United are considering swapping Victor Lindelof with Benjamin PavardCredit: Getty
    Ten Hag was keen on Benjamin Pavard last summerCredit: Getty
    The Italian news outlet reported that United’s interest in Pavard, 27, remained ‘strong’.
    The Frenchman, who won the 2018 World Cup, joined Inter Milan for an alleged £27.5million last summer.
    Ten Hag was interested in Pavard but his pursuit stalled when Harry Maguire failed to reach an agreement with West Ham.
    But it appears Ten Hag is back on the defender’s heels and is looking to rope in Lindelof as a bargaining chip for the one that got away.
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    The Swede’s contract was extended for another year in January, but he has recently been starting on the bench after sitting out a large part of December with a groin injury.
    Lindelof hasn’t exactly shone in his last few performances and was recently rated a four out of ten by The Sun, who called him a ‘fish out of water.’
    Elsewhere, the Spanish press have linked United with fellow Inter Milan player Lautaro Martinez.
    Fichajes reported that the striker, who has scored 19 Serie A goals this season, has caught the eye of Ten Hag.
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    Lindelof has been injured this season
    Pavard has become a key figure at Inter
    The Red Devils’ recruitment doesn’t stop there as they look to get busy this summer.
    The club are rumoured to be targeting a new forward, despite last summer’s £89m signing Rasmus Hojlund hitting form in recent games.
    What is FFP? How Financial Fair Play is affecting Man Utd and Arsenal in January transfer window
    And Bayer Leverkusen wing back Jeremie Frimpong is also an option having been impressive for his team, who recently extended their unbeaten run to 31 matches.
    Frimpong, 23, is in high demand across Europe after his dazzling displays under Xabi Alonso.

    The Dutch international, who plays as an offensive wing-back, has scored eight goals and registered 10 assists across all competitions.
    Teammate Edmond Tapsoba is also being considered by the Old Trafford ranks as they seek to add to their defence.
    Currently they’ve got Diogo Dalot manning the back along with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but the latter’s season has been peppered with injury which is likely to prompt another defensive signing. More

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    Ex-Man Utd star reveals why club should NOT sign Frenkie de Jong with transfer damaging prospect’s career

    FORMER Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has warned the Red Devils against signing Frenkie de Jong this summer.De Jong, 26, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford ever since Erik ten Hag took over.
    Man Utd have been linked with a move for Frenkie de JongCredit: Getty
    Mikael Silvestre has warned the Red Devils against signing the midfielderCredit: Getty
    Silvestre is concerned that signing De Jong will hinder Kobbie Mainoo’s developmentCredit: Getty
    United tried in vain to sign him all summer in 2022, with the midfielder ultimately snubbing them even after a fee was agreed with Barcelona.
    However, he is now finally open to a transfer, and several clubs are reportedly prepared to battle it out for his signature.
    Man Utd are expected to re-enter the race to sign De Jong, but Silvestre has warned that signing him could hinder Kobbie Mainoo’s development.
    The ex-United star told Bettingexpert.com: “If a player like Frenkie de Jong is available, he should be considered. But again you look at Kobbie and we talked about Scott, and we have Casemiro here.
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    “Will De Jong be an upgrade? Of course. Ahead of Kobbie but if you want to continue developing Mainoo and give him the time, I don’t think De Jong should come in.”
    He added: “If you qualify for the Champions League, then signing De Jong makes sense. You have to consider him for sure.

    “He’s a top player but putting him in a midfield where the manager likes to play with two defensive midfielders, if you play with three, it could be a different proposition.
    “So the answer is yes, do consider him.”
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    How De Jong and Mainoo compare this season
    Chelsea are also understood to be interested in signing De Jong.
    They are allegedly prepared to table a bid worth up to £85m for the Dutchman.
    Bruno Fernandes made incredible Kobbie Mainoo prediction ‘two or three years ago’ before he burst on to scene at Man Utd
    Paris Saint-Germain have also expressed an interest in signing him.
    The Dutchman joined Barcelona in a £64m transfer from Ajax in 2019 and has since made 206 first team appearances. More

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    Pedro Neto set for Wolves transfer exit with Man Utd and Arsenal among host of Premier League suitors

    WOLVES will finance Gary O’Neil’s summer transfer moves by selling one of their A-list stars.And it seems certain Portuguese wing-king Pedro Neto will be the next cab off the Molineux rank, with Saturday’s opponents Tottenham one of the clubs keen to do business.
    Pedro Neto could be set to leave Wolves in the summer transfer windowCredit: Rex
    O’Neil needs a summer transfer kitty to fund a new striker, centre-half and a new winger to replace Neto, in order to meet strict Profit and Sustainability Rules.
    At the moment Wolves are just about breaking even on PSR, therefore they must sell off one of their assets and 23-year-old Neto is the likeliest to leave.
    The truth is, if it hadn’t been for injuries, Neto would already have been snapped up by one of the Premier League’s top-six clubs a long time ago.
    Arsenal are long-term admirers of the little Portuguese winger, while Liverpool were ready to test the waters with a bid in 2021.
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    However, Neto suffered a crippling broken knee cap against Fulham in April that season which ruled him out for almost a year, killing any potential deals.
    There was a further setback for the forward at the start of the 2022-23 season when he suffered another crippling injury at West Ham in October which kept him out until the following March.
    Happily for Wolves he has now returned to his best form and is injury free again.
    If Mohamed Salah decides to follow Jurgen Klopp out of Anfield this summer, Neto would be an obvious candidate to replace him.
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    Manchester United have also reportedly held talks about the ex-Braga star.
    Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglu is expected to compete with Arsenal to try and lure Neto to North London.
    Wolves star Pedro Neto shows his skills on the training pitch
    Italian giants Juventus lead the continental interest in him, while Bayern Munich are well aware of the English market too.
    Whoever does win the race to sign the Portuguese international will have to smash Wolves’ transfer record in order to do so.
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    Manchester City paid the Molineux club a record £53million in September to land Matheus Nunes.
    But the bidding will need to start at £60m and could even top £70m if Neto has a strong end to the season and sparks a bidding war between clubs.
    Wolves boss O’Neil will be a reluctant seller.
    He recently revealed how he intends to wring every minute he possibly can out of a fully-fit Neto this season.
    Neto just too important for Wolves
    “I remember talking to him during a break in play at Manchester United and he was starting to look a little bit tired with 15 minutes to go,” O’Neil recently revealed.
    “I said: ‘You can look as tired as you want – you’re not coming off. You’re too good to come off! Get a couple of deep breaths in because it’s not happening’.
    “He came off an awful lot towards the end of games and I felt someone as quick as he is – and explosive as he is – it’s worth keeping him on.
    “When the opposition begins to get tired, it will open up for him and he will get some big opportunities. That’s why he never comes off.
    “The fitness staff said to me a few times during games: ‘Pedro’s numbers are quite high’.
    “I replied: ‘Yeah, that’s fine, we’ll rest him tomorrow’. He’s important to what we do.”
    Wolves open for deal
    But Wolves are realistic and owners Fosun want the club to be self-sustainable.
    They intend to follow Leicester City’s blueprint of selling off a major player every season to finance further moves in the transfer market.
    Importantly, Wolves recognise Neto deserves a chance to play at the very top level for a regular Champions League club.
    They realise they landed a top quality star when they plucked him from Braga for £16m in 2019.
    Lazio, where he played on loan before moving to Molineux, never got the best out of their young starlet who only made five first-team appearances in two years in Rome.
    Earlier in his career Neto turned down a move to Barcelona in favour of playing regular first-team football at Braga, so he has been known to all the biggest clubs since he was a teenager.
    But at 23 he now represents a buyer’s dream.
    His stats of two goals and eight assists in 15 games for Wolves this season are impressive enough.
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    But they would surely soar with one of the giants of the Premier League.
    As O’Neil said: “He is ready to show the world just how good he is and exactly what he has in his locker.”
    Neto has stood out for Wolves this season in the Premier League
    Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are eyeing Wolves star NetoCredit: Rex More

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    Ralf Rangnick lined up by European giants in first club job since Man Utd spell

    RALF RANGNICK has been lined up to make a stunning return to club management at Barcelona. Following legend Xavi’s shocking announcement that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, all eyes have turned to potential replacements.
    Ralph Rangnick is a shock contender for the Barcelona jobCredit: Getty
    The likes of Jurgen Klopp, Mikel Arteta and even Lionel Messi have all been tipped.
    And now, straight out of left field, former Manchester United flop Rangnick has joined the list.
    The Austrian national team boss is 33/1 with the bookies for the job – leaving him outside the top 20 in the betting.
    Yet it has been reported that Barcelona President Joan Laporta ‘really likes’ him as an option to replace Xavi.
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    Rangnick is currently managing the Austrian national team but previously had a successful spell at RB Leipzig, where his genius recruitment strategy turned heads.
    He cleverly brought the likes of Emil Forsberg, Naby Keita and Timo Werner under the Red Bull roof.
    And he was credited with the meteoric rise of Leipzig from the lower leagues of German football to the Champions League from 2015 to 2021.
    It is fair to say things didn’t go so well at United, who finished the season in dreary sixth with 58 points, their lowest total to date.
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    Manchester United only managed 11 wins under Rangnick
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    But Laporta has a soft spot for German technicians and it won’t be the first time the club has gone down that route.
    Barca have had two German coaches in their history, Hans Weisweiler in the 75-76 season and legend Udo Lattek coached them between 1981 and 1983.
    Ten Hag reacts to Man Utd’s 2-1 win at Aston Villa
    Both had issues with star players – famously Weisweiler clashed with Johan Cruyff while Lattek had a run-in with Diego Maradona.
    Other candidates on Barca’s ‘shortlist’ include Arsenal’s Arteta, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique, Brigton boss Roberto De Zerbi and Xabi Alonso amongst others.
    But it’s Barca legend Raphael Marquez, currently manager of Barca’s B team, who has shot to the top of the betting. More

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    Man Utd have no need to demolish Old Trafford, my house had a leaky roof but that didn’t make it unfit for purpose

    IT TOOK four companies and several thousand pounds before the leak in the roof of my front bedroom finally got fixed.In the end I was pointed in the direction of Moggsy — who I only  recognised previously from drinking bitter in the Royal Oak — as the answer to all my problems.
    Man Utd must focus on helping Erik ten Hag strengthen his squadCredit: Reuters
    No way should revamping or replacing Old Trafford top United’s prioritiesCredit: Rex
    And he was and it hasn’t leaked since. But at no point during this time did I feel the house wasn’t fit for purpose or that it was time  to move to a new-build.
    You know, one of those that looks like the rest of the houses in the street and has a kitchen island.
    “Oh a kitchen island, we’ll be so happy here.”
    My house is more than 100 years old and it’s quirky —  it has a few doors that hang not in the way they were designed to and it can get very cold in the winter.
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    I completely misjudged the size of the new sofa, so it no longer looks as “open plan” as it did.
    But it’s my home, where my two children grew up and it holds a lot of memories.
    There was much the same feeling among Manchester United fans last week when it was revealed that minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe (below) planned to move them to a brand new stadium.
    A “Wembley of the North”.
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    If you asked most United fans 99 per cent would, given the chance, rather see that money spent on another striker and midfielder than another  stadium. They don’t want to leave Old Trafford.
    It is still a great,  atmospheric football ground full of passion and most importantly full of memories.
    Fuming fan screams at Rasmus Hojlund after Man Utd star ‘rattles’ Villa and is confronted by Douglas Luiz
    Where “Dad used to go”, “where Grandad used to stand”, “where mum went to her first game” — where people fell in love with  football,  fell in love with Manchester United and want to take their kids to do the same thing.
    There is understandably a fear that on the field the club is in  danger of becoming just like any other club in the Premier League.
    If it moves to a new stadium it very much could.
    A distant relative from Spain was visiting a year ago and guess what was top of his list?
    He wanted to see Old Trafford and, while there was no match on, he was bowled over to get his wish.
    My son’s friend Matzua from Mexico City is a Chivas fan — Javier Hernandez’s old club to which he has just returned — and came to stay with us.
    Guess what his dream was? You would have thought he just found out he had won the EuroMillions as we approached the back of the Stretford End to park up.
    Off my son took him to see the Munich Tunnel — and the various statues around the ground —  before seeing United win. He was floating.
    Frontman Rasmus Hojlund and midfielder Scott McTominay sunk Aston Villa on Sunday but the Red Devils need to strengthen both those positionsCredit: Getty
    It was much the same when I went to Benfica’s original Stadium of Light — not the new one that looks like the Emirates. Like when I went to Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon, not their  new ground that looks like Benfica’s Stadium of Light as well as the Emirates.
    Walking up from below ground out of the tunnel at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana in its original guise is something I’ll not forget.
    Now of course nostalgia should never rank higher than safety and, as we sadly know, some stadiums were death traps.
    Some needed seats bringing in, modernising or bulldozing altogether.
    But Old Trafford? There is much for Sir Jim to do but building a new stadium or training ground should not be top of the list.
    Believe me, there is nothing wrong with Carrington.
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    I sit in a great spot in the press box at Old Trafford and — while there will be exceptions — mates elsewhere around the ground say it is fine, it just needs a bit of TLC here and there.
    Yes, there is a leaking roof but I can put United in touch with Moggsy. More

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    Man Utd star Luke Shaw’s partner Anouska throws baby shower for third child with Molly-Mae Hague among guests

    LUKE SHAW and girlfriend Anouska Santos threw a lavish baby shower – with guest Molly-May Hague calling the event “adorable”.Anouska is expecting her third child with Manchester United left-back Shaw.
    Luke Shaw and Anouska Santos are pictured with son Reign and daughter StorieCredit: INSTAGRAM @anouskasantos
    A lengthy menu was on offer at the baby showerCredit: Instagram
    Guest Molly-Mae Hague called it a ‘special day’Credit: Instagram
    Molly-Mae Hague clearly enjoyed the occasionCredit: Getty
    This impressive table presentation took centre stageCredit: Instagram
    She gave her 72,000 Instagram followers a tantalising insight into the occasion.
    And Anouska’s friend Molly-Mae was equally enthusiastic about it all.
    The ex-Love Island star and fiancee of Tyson Fury’s half-brother Tommy shared shots from what she called the “special day”.
    Molly-Mae posted a clip of singer Jade Leigh Parr performing and added the words: “Gorgeous Gorgeous vibes… Hurry along little baby, you’ve no idea of the life you’re about to have.”
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    Anouska, 31, and 28-year-old Luke also posed for beaming pics with their two kids – son Reign, four and daughter Storie, who will be two in May.
    On the long menu, next to an exotic list of cocktails, were some flamboyant versions of familiar favourites.
    These included lemon butter and sea salt edamame, guacamole with home-made nachos, prawns, fondue and yellowfin tuna sashimi ribbons.
    And arguably even more plush – beef tataki, seared beef with truffle chilli dressing, paprika-dusted calamari and habanero matchstick chicken.
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    Anouska was delighted with the floral displayCredit: Instagram
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    The couple have been together for several years.
    But although Anouska has more than 72,000 followers on Instagram, she is regarded as more private than many WAGs.
    Football’s 10 richest wags including music stars and millionaire models
    She does, however, post holiday snaps as well as marking major family events, such as announcing the birth of Storie two years ago.
    And she is known too for owning accessories brand Treats Studios.
    The baby shower came after Shaw had a mixed time in United’s 2-1 Premier League win at Aston Villa on Sunday.
    The late smash-and-grab victory, earned by substitute Scott McTominay, lifted the Red Devils to fifth.
    But England ace Shaw went off at half-time, albeit manager Erik ten Hag calling it a “precaution”.
    The Dutchman added: “He had some complaints and we can’t take any risks with him because he’s had many injuries in the past.”
    Anouska has been called ‘gorgeous’ and the ‘cutest ever’ on social mediaCredit: Instagram / @anouskasantos
    She has more than 72k followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @anouskasantos
    The couple have been together for several yearsCredit: Instagram / @anouskasantos More

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    Man Utd on transfer red alert over Matthijs de Ligt with defender unhappy at Bayern Munich

    MANCHESTER UNITED have received a boost in their pursuit of Matthijs de Ligt as he is reportedly unhappy at Bayern Munich. His future at the German giants is in doubt, having falling down the pecking order under Thomas Tuchel.
    Matthijs de Ligt could want to quit Bayern Munich in the summerCredit: Getty
    De Ligt has made just 11 starts in all competitions this season as Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae are the preferred defensive pairing.
    It has led to reports claiming he is unhappy with his lack of playing time.
    There has also been suggestions that his relationship with Tuchel has become strained and he could therefore push to leave this summer.
    De Ligt was an unused substitute as Bayern lost to title rivals Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 on Saturday.
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    Eric Dier played ahead of him and after the defeat, the Dutchman appeared to make a dig at his boss as he replied “top fit” to claims he was injured.
    The centre-back has three-and-a-half years left on his deal at Bayern.
    He only joined the club 18 months ago from Juventus for around £68million.
    But Man Utd could reignite their interest should De Ligt want out.
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    He has long been admired by chiefs at Old Trafford and was linked with the club prior to his move to Bavaria.
    Erik ten Hag could fancy a reunion with the player he coached at Ajax amid uncertainty over Raphael Varane’s future.
    Thomas Tuchel fumes at Bundesliga rule after Bayern Munich’s defeat to Bayer Leverkusen
    The Frenchman’s contract expires at the end of next season. More

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    Man Utd flop Anthony Martial chased by former Champions League winners in two-horse transfer race

    ANTHONY MARTIAL is set to be offered the chance to return home to France when his Manchester United contract expires this summer.Former club Monaco and Marseille are among those showing interest in the 28-year-old forward, currently out injured.
    Anthony Martial is wanted by Monaco and MarseilleCredit: Getty
    United do not plan to take up a 12-month option to extend his deal.
    That means that Martial will be a free agent come the summer — while United will release some much-needed space on their wage bill.
    Martial had hoped to finish his eight-year stay on a high — but is now sidelined until April with a groin problem.
    Marseille, Fenerbahce and Saudi Arabian clubs all looked at a January move but his injury ruled a transfer out.
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    The France international joined United in a £44.5million deal.
    In the last four injury-hit seasons he has hit just 12 Prem goals in 93 appearances.
    That tally includes just one goal in 13 Premier League appearances during the current campaign.
    Across all competitions, Martial has notched just twice and provided a further two assists.
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    United have already been linked with a potential replacement for the Frenchman.
    Erik ten Hag is reportedly eyeing a reunion with Ajax forward Brian Brobbey.
    Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants Government to help pay for £2BILLION Wembley of the North Man Utd stadium
    Limitations brought about by FFP rules prevented a January move for the Dutch striker but the Red Devils could swoop in the summer.
    Brobbey was handed his Ajax debut by Ten Hag in 2020 and has scored 17 goals so far this term. More