Man Utd transfer news

MANCHESTER UNITED fans joked Youri Tielemans is on his way to Old Trafford this summer after Erik ten Hag’s sneaky gesture. The Leicester star, 25, was brought on by Brendan Rodgers as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 defeat to United.
Youri Tielemans came on in the second half for Leicester at Old TraffordCredit: AFP
But as Tielemans prepared to replace Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Ten Hag made a beeline, casually walking over to the Belgian on the touchline.
And the United manager gave the midfield technician a cheeky tap on the back before he jogged on.
Tielemans is out of contract at the King Power at the end of the season and has refused to sign any of the extensions offered by the Foxes.
He continues to be linked with a free transfer move to United – or possibly to the Emirates with Arsenal.
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Now eagle-eyed Red Devils fans on Twitter are convinced he is joining them in the North-West after Ten Hag’s magic touch.
One wrote: “Erik ten Hag patting Tielemans on the back as he enters the field. Ten Hag cooking for the summer already.”
Another said: “Did anyone see Erik ten Hag pat Youri Tielemans when he got subbed on? Might be only me but I’d love to see him in a Manchester Utd shirt.”
And a third added: “Ten Hag’s tap on Tielemans back as he came on didn’t go unnoticed…”
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Erik ten Hag had a cheeky tap for the Leicester manCredit: Sky Sports

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Tielemans joined Leicester for a club-record £40million in 2019 and etched his name into the history books with his stunning winning goal in the 2021 FA Cup final.
The 58-cap Belgium international, though, was unable to do anything to prevent a Leicester defeat today – in what some plucky fans dubbed his Old Trafford “audition”.

He took to the field with his side 2-0 down through a Marcus Rashford double – and just two minutes later Jadon Sancho completed the scoring.
However, plenty of fans and pundits were stunned that Marcel Sabitzer avoided a red card for a studs-up tackle into Wout Faes’ knee. More

MANCHESTER UNITED moved a step closer to sealing third place – and keeping themselves in with a sniff of the title – with a routine win over Leicester.The Red Devils ran out 3-0 winners at Old Trafford thanks to a brace from Marcus Rashford and a second-half strike from Jadon Sancho.
Manchester United ran out 3-0 winners over Leicester thanks to a Marcus Rashford braceCredit: REX
Jadon Sancho also got on the scoresheetCredit: AP
Wout Weghorst, despite his best efforts, struggled in front of goalCredit: EPA
Victory over the Foxes has seen United stretch their lead over fourth-placed Newcastle to eight points, although the Magpies do have a game in hand on them.
Folllowing an impressive win for United, SunSport’s Martin Blackburns rates the performances turned in by Erik ten Hag’s troops.
David de Gea
Made a brilliant early save with his legs to deny Barnes early on and also clawed out a header from Iheanacho. Those saves proved vital as United got a grip on the game. 7
Diogo Dalot
Stretched to get on the end of Fernandes’ cross but somehow diverted it just wide – showing why he has still never scored a Premier League goal. Did his bit defensively, though. 6
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Lisandro Martinez
A thumping header from a Shaw free-kick hit the top of the bar early in the second half – and eventually got to grips with Iheanacho and Barnes after a testing opening. 7
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Victor Lindelof
Stepped in so Varane could have a breather. Diverted Iheanacho’s effort wide of post early on and a couple of vital clearances to keep United in control. 7
Luke Shaw
Curled a free-kick over the bar and put one on the head of Martinez, which the Argentine put against the bar. Could even have had a goal himself as United took control after the break. 7
Marcel Sabizter
Won the ball off Faes to set the wheels in motion for the opener. Has filled in well for Casemiro while the Brazilian has been suspended but may make way at Wembley on Sunday. 6
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Fred
Made a great clearance under his own bar from a Tete cross and played Rashford in for his second with a superb pass before making way for McTominay just before the hour. 6
Marcus Rashford
Pushed further up front and showed why with a clinical first half finish. Repeated the trick after the break to make it 24 for the season. Even had a hand in the build-up to number three. What a season he is having. 9
Bruno Fernandes
Played a super ball to Rashford for the opener and a lovely cross which Dalot bundled wide. Also created the third for Sancho. Some real moments of class from the Portuguese international who helped lift his team from a lacklustre start. 8
Alejandro Garnacho
Just a fourth Prem start for the exciting teen, but this wasn’t his day. He skied an effort over the bar but did not reappear after the break with Sancho taking his place. 5
Wout Weghorst
Playing as a No10 but was moved further up after the interval, although he could not find the goal he needs. Tried a spectacular overhead kick soon after the break but his radar was off and he fluffed a couple of late chances. 5
SUBS
Sancho (for Garnacho 46 mins)
Looked really sharp as a half-time sub and proved it by converting Fernandes’ cross for the third. 7
McTominay (for Fred 59 mins)
Came on at 2-0 with the game more or less won and kept United on the front foot. 5
Elanga (for Rashford 68)
Replaced the man of the moment but did not get a sight of goal. 5
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Wan-Bissaka (for Shaw 68 mins
Put one on a plate for Weghorst but he couldn’t finish it off. 5
Mainoo (for Sabitzer 80 mins)
Made a brilliant tackle to deny Maddison a shot. 6 More

PATRICE EVRA and David Moyes once had a row over a bacon sandwich while at Manchester United. The Scottish manager endured a miserable year at Old Trafford as he attempted to replace Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Moyes and Evra appear to have a very interesting dynamicCredit: AFP
He would lose his job before the end of the season as he became the first of several bosses to fail to revive the Red Devils.
His time at the club would include a bizarre fallout with Evra which almost symbolised the dysfunction at the club.
Ahead of a Champions League away game, club staff were handing out bacon butties at the airport.
But the Manchester Evening News reported that Moyes was infuriated when Evra took one of the sandwiches.
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The row did not end there though with the left-back having the last laugh.
While on the flight, the impish defender is rumoured to have somehow made an announcement where he told passengers over the tannoy system that the menu had changed and bacon sandwiches would be served.
Whatever beef the pair had, they appeared to kiss and make up years later when Evra joined Moyes at West Ham as the pair attempted to save the Hammers’ bacon and stave off relegation.
Although their relationship may have entered awkward territory again after the 41-year-old’s eyebrow-raising comments on Sky Sports a few years ago.
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West Ham continue under Moyes’ management despite unease among fans over the club’s performances this season.
Sensational wins by Bournemouth, Everton and Southampton yesterday means the Hammers have slipped back into the bottom three. More

NON-LEAGUE journeyman Mat Mitchel-King combined battling in England’s lower-divisions with modelling for a Manchester United legend. The defender acted as a body-double for one star alongside playing on muddy pitches on the weekends for the likes of Histon and Hemel Hempstead.
Mitchel-King, now 39, played for several clubs across his careerCredit: PA:Empics Sport
Mitchel-King played as high as League 2 during his career but failed to replicate the success of the man he stood in for during photo shoots.
The glamorous body-double job also saw Mitchel-King appear in Nike adverts alongside football icons such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The role allowed him to meet his heroes, but at one stage he had to give up the life of stardom to play football.
Mitchel-King, now 39, performed the role of body double for none other than six-times Premier League winner Rio Ferdinand.
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The non-league star was required to stand in for the former England captain during his long commercial commitments when the star could not spend several hours on set.
As a body-double, he filled in when long shots were required or directors needed someone of Ferdinand’s height and build present for framing.
Mitchel-King said he enjoyed the contrast it provided to life in non-league.
He previously told the BBC: “Modelling has allowed me to travel all over the world and meet some of my heroes at the same time.
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“But I love my football too. I captained Histon to the third round of the FA Cup in 2008-09 when we beat Swindon and Leeds before losing to Swansea.”
He added: “People get confused and think you have to look exactly the same. You don’t.
“I did all the stuff from a distance and they filmed Rio for the close up stuff. If there is a six-day shoot lasting 12 hours a day, there’s no way a player can be there that long.
“I’ve met Rio. When I played for Crewe I lived in Cheshire and would see him out and about. He’d always acknowledge me.
“You have to be professional on set. You don’t ask them for autographs or selfies. It’s a strict no-no.”
Mitchel-King had to quit his modelling work for four years when he began playing in the EFL for Crewe and AFC Wimbledon between 2009 and 2013.
But he returned to the job when he was back in non-league with Dartford in 2013.
In contrast to Mitchel-King’s career, Ferdinand played most of his career at the top level.
After emerging at West Ham, he went on to win ten major trophies for United including the 2008 Champions League.
Ferdinand formed a solid partnership with Nemanja Matic during the second-half of his Man United careerCredit: AFP
Unlike Ferdinand, Mitchel-King spent much of his career in non-leagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

HE is the no-nonsense new hero of Old Trafford whose take-no-prisoners style saw him dubbed “The Butcher”.But when Lisandro Martinez was starring for local clubs in Gualeguay, Argentina, it was as a silky playmaker rather than a hard-as-nails centre-back.
Lisandro Martinez is dubbed ‘The Butcher’Credit: Getty
Martinez started off as a silky playmakerCredit: AFP
As a youngster with Urquiza and Atletico Libertad, he wore the same coveted No 10 shirt as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Yet it was in central defence where he began to make a big impression, ultimately leading to Erik ten Hag — the man who would later bring him to Manchester United — signing him for Ajax.
And that is where Martinez’s tough tackling saw his team-mates give him the nickname which followed him to England after his £48.3million summer transfer to Old Trafford.
It is not a moniker he particularly relishes — but he can fully understand how it originated.
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Plenty of Prem strikers reckon it is well earned, especially Mo Salah, the Liverpool star he infamously clattered in his third game — to the delight of United fans.
Martinez admitted: “I don’t even remember who gave me the nickname at Ajax or why. It must be because of the aggressive way I play my game.
“The truth is that I do go to each challenge like it is going to be my last one, so in one way it does suit me.
“Having said that, I’ve greatly improved the way I read the game and make decisions.
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“I have also grown in the way I pass the ball and want to continue improving absolutely everything.
“There is no limit for me. But if I want to go higher, I have to work for it — and that will always be the reality.”
That is the way it has always been for Martinez, 25, whose own hero was another ex-United cult figure from Argentina in Gabriel Heinze.
Martinez was rejected by Boca Juniors after failing to impress in a trial game at 13 because of a severe bout of flu.
A year later he was signed by Newell’s Old Boys Academy but admits he found it hard as a youngster leaving the family home.
He said: “I lived in a boarding house when I joined Newell’s and learned during my time there that you have to fix things yourself when they are broken.
“I was very close to my parents, who did everything for me, but suddenly I had to take responsibility.
“But I also found that making friends was the most beautiful thing.
“We learned to defend each other and that is incredible. It means as a boy you have the maturity of a 20-year-old.”
He only played one game for Newell’s before joining  Primera Division side Defensa y Justicia.
He moved to Ajax, after Ten Hag had tracked him for two years, in 2019, but admitted he found it so hard to adapt to life in Amsterdam.
He said: “I really suffered with the intensity of how they played. That was  incredible. I suffered a lot at first, so much that I wanted to cry.”
At just 5ft 9in tall, Martinez has spent his career disproving those who reckon he is too small to be a top-level centre-back.
He was a member of Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad, making five appearances in Qatar, and has been the defensive leader in United’s resurgence.
Yet he has never forgotten his humble roots and is still in touch with childhood team-mates.
Martinez added: “I come from a family in which we didn’t have everything.
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“Nothing ever fell from the skies.
“But my family always supported me a lot and instilled many values which make me who I am today.” More

MANCHESTER UNITED could reward Marcus Rashford with the club’s most esteemed shirt number next season.Rashford is in the form of his life having registered a total of 22 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances this season.
Marcus Rashford may be set for Manchester United’s most iconic shirt numberCredit: Rex
And the star forward has made a strong claim for the legendary No7 jersey, which is currently available.
The England international has been wearing the No10 shirt ever since 2018.
That is also a very respected number as it was previously donned by the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Denis Law and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.
But No7 is always reserved for the absolute best, with the likes of George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo previously donning it.
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And the 25-year-old has made a strong case to extend that successful tradition.
The jersey has been up for grabs ever since Ronaldo’s dramatic departure from Old Trafford in November.
CR7’s exit took place after a turbulent start to the season for United.
But manager Erik ten Hag managed to revive Rashford, who turned the tide for the Red Devils.
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Ten Hag challenged the versatile attacker to smash his season’s best goal tally of 22 strikes in the 2019-2020 season by the end of the current campaign.
Now the Dutch tactician wants his most valuable player to net 35 goals by the summer.
And the United academy graduate is only 13 more crackers away from meeting that target.
If Rashford succeeds then he deserves some major recognition.
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United have been linked with a number of big names ahead of the summer transfer window and fans are dreaming big amid takeover bids from ultra rich suitors.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Tottenham’s Harry Kane appear to be among the Red Devils’ top targets.
But Rashford has become a focal point at Old Trafford and will almost definitely continue to be so for a long time. More