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      How Man City signing Erling Haaland, born to a footballer dad and heptathlon champion mum, became hot property

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      THE saga of where Erling Haaland will be playing his football is over.The Norwegian hotshot, 21, who was chased by Europe’s biggest clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, is joining Manchester City, the club have confirmed.
      Erling Haaland has reportedly agreed a deal with Man City worth £375,000 a weekCredit: Getty
      Haaland, centre, grew up in a sporting family with dad a footballer and mum a heptathleteCredit: Instagram@gabriellehaaland
      Pep Guardiola’s side have triggered his £51million release clause, and reportedly agreed a deal worth a staggering £375,000-per-week for the towering centre-forward.
      Haaland was born in Leeds to a sport-mad family.
      His father, Alf-Inge famously played for Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Manchester City, while his mum was a heptathlon champion in her homeland.
      Erling was raised in the town of Bryne from the age of three, where he discovered his own sporting prowess.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}CITY SLICKER .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Haaland transfer – Man City betting specials: Striker backed for Golden Boot
      This is the making of Erling Haaland.
      Family ties
      The Haaland we recognise today is the powerhouse Borussia Dortmund goal-getter with an incredible scoring record.
      But before his 6ft4in frame was towering over defenders in the Bundesliga, he was just a football obsessed kid playing for fun with kids in the park.
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      His family, that includes elder siblings Astor and Gabrielle, moved to Bryne as dad Alf-Inge’s football career began to peter out.
      A hard-tackling midfielder, Haaland Sr spent 10 years on our shores – playing for Nottingham Forest, Leeds and finally Manchester City.
      He also earned 34 caps for his country, but he is best remembered for clashing with Roy Keane on the pitch.
      Keane famously committed a horror tackle on his adversary during a Manchester derby in 2001, which he admitted was done purposefully, after he felt Haaland had injured him on purpose in a previous encounter.
      Not much is known about mother, Gry Marita Braut’s achievements in the sports world.
      But in Norway she was recognised as a national champion heptathlete in the 1990s.
      Amusingly, Graeme Souness – who didn’t know that fact at the time – alluded to him taking after his mum, when it came to his football ability.
      “He’s always on the half turn, he’s not squared up looking at his own goal. He’s really pacey. He’s got that sixth sense that all the top strikers have,” Souness told Virgin Media, when purring about the talent.
      “He’s in the right place at the right time. He looks like he’s quicker than anyone, he’s bigger than anyone. He’s got a great chance of being a top man, hasn’t he?
      “His mother must have been a good player because his dad was a plodder.”
      Erling Haaland was the youngest of his siblings growing up
      Haaland, to the left of brother Astor, wore Man City kits because his dad played for them
      Dad Alf-Inge Haaland played on our shores for 10 years
      Sporting genes
      With athletes as parents, Erling had a very good chance of being sporty.
      Although he enjoyed playing football, he competed in a variety of sports up to the age of five.
      And incredibly, he still holds a world record for the longest standing jump ever recorded by a five-year-old, according to International Age Records.
      On January 22, 2006, he produced an astonishing leap of 1.63m and became the highest-jumping five-year-old in the world.
      Alf-Inge revealed he made sure his son would “test” himself in a whole host of sports before choosing football.
      Confirming the record, he told Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet: “It was before [Erling] started playing football.
      “We used to take him to athletics so he could test himself. Erling played handball, athletics and cross-country skiing till he turned 14. Norway’s handball manager wanted him to play handball.”
      He added: “I thought it was nice to play tennis and handball next door.
      “Versatility is important. You get to develop completely different sides of the body, and that can be positive no matter what you do.”
      A natural athlete, Haaland excelled at a variety of sports growing upCredit: Instagram
      Father Alf-Inge stressed to his son the importance of playing different sportsCredit: Instagram

      However, that same year Erling chose football and signed up with Bryne FK, where his father’s dreams started.
      Slowly, the natural sportsman would climb through the ranks, playing a year ahead of his age.
      “He always scored a lot,” Alf Ingve Berntsen, his coach at the time, told AFP.
      “When he was 12, he started playing with the 13-year-olds and kept scoring. When he was selected for the regional team, he scored again.
      “Then, when he was 15, he was called up to the (youth) national team and… he scored.
      “We saw quite quickly that he could become a very big name. But we didn’t think it would happen so quickly, that he would be a top scorer in the Champions League at the age of 19-20.”
      First team debut
      Growing up, Erling was light.
      However, a sudden growth spurt at 14 gave an indication he would become the hulk he is today.
      “He was very skinny but we knew his genetics were very good,” Berntsen told Sky Sports.
      “We had to be patient and give him time to grow. Imagine what this guy will do when he has muscles.”
      Bernsten added: “That is the good thing about growing late.
      FK Bryne were the first club to give Haaland a deal
      A slight teenager, Haaland filled out when he got older
      “He had a longer period to develop those technical skills. It is why you should not always look at what a player is doing on the pitch but what they are trying to do.
      “Sometimes, you see a player trying to do something good but their body is growing and does not respond.”
      Already a phenomenon, and streets ahead of everyone around him, Haaland was physically ready for his first-team debut.
      So, it came no surprise that three months before he turned 16 he made his debut for Bryne in Norway’s top division.
      He would play a further 16 times in his debut campaign. And although he failed to find the net, he left an impression on a Norwegian goalscoring legend.
      Molde-d into a prolific striker
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fell in love with Haaland the moment he saw him play.
      In 2017, the Man Utd legend, who was coaching Molde in Norway, added the wonderkid to his squad.
      “It was just natural that a great talent like Erling would move to Molde,” former Norway hitman Jan Age Fjortoft said.
      “As many Norwegian talents had done before him. I think it was very inspiring for all talents to work closely with Ole Gunnar, because of what he had achieved as a player, but also because that success was based on hard work and great attitude.
      “It was also no disadvantage that Ole Gunnar was one of the best finishers around and strikers like Erling could learn from his experience every day.”
      In his first 20 games, he scored an unspectacular four goals.
      His mentor, Solskjaer worked with him. Then, Haaland went viral.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer mentored Haaland at MoldeCredit: Instagram @erling.haaland
      Romelu Lukaku-like striker Haaland was too good for Molde to keepCredit: Getty
      A stunning display against Brann in 2018 announced him to the world – where he scored four goals in the first 21 minutes, in front of Manchester United scout Norwegian scout Tommy Moller Nielsen.
      It was a moment that had Solskjaer purring he was similar one of the most feared strikers in world football.
      “He reminds me of the type of striker Lukaku is,” Solskjaer remarked. “There is a lot of interest in him.”
      Getting his wings
      Solskjaer understood he couldn’t keep Haaland at Molde.
      The club had rejected an offer from a Champions League-winning – reportedly Juventus.
      However, Red Bull Salzburg would pay £7million – beating Leeds United to the punch with the deal.
      He thrived under now-Leeds boss Jesse Marsch in Austria, especially on the biggest stage in the Champions League where he would make history.
      Haaland scored three goals on his debut against Genk, then followed that with a double against Liverpool at Anfield and two more against Napoli. The world knew who he was now.
      Further demonstration of his ruthless nature in front of goal was evident in a stunning 12-0 humiliation of Honduras in the U20 World Cup.
      He scored a world record nine goals in that demolition. It was no wonder by now that he was nicknamed ‘The Terminator’.
      Haaland receives congratulations from Jesse Marsch while playing for Red Bull SalzburgCredit: Reuters
      At the U20 World Cup, Haaland scored a world record nine timesCredit: Getty – Contributor
      After moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2019, Haaland’s goal record is second to noneCredit: AFP
      Dortmund to the unknown
      Haaland would only play 27 games for Salzburg in all competitions, netting an incredible 29 goals – including eight in the Champions League.
      German giants Borussia Dortmund just had to have him upfront, after seeing such luminaries as Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lead their line.
      They paid a meagre £18million for his services in 2019. Immediately, it appeared money well spent when he made a Roy of the Rovers style debut.
      Coming off the bench in the second half against FC Augsburg, he scored a hat-trick in just 23 minutes.
      And the goals have just flown in over the past three seasons.
      Across all competitions, he has scored 85 goals in just 88 games.
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      For his country, he’s equally as potent – with 15 in 17 matches.
      Next season, it would be a wise bet to put your money on Haaland being the Premier League top scorer. More

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      Man Utd wonderkid Alejandro Garnacho is obsessed with Ronaldo, plays with Messi and is set for FA Youth Cup final

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      IN two years, Alejandro Garnacho has gone from promising youth star at Manchester United to getting picked by Argentina.The rapid left winger, 17, was handed a surprise call-up to Lionel Scaloni’s 44-man squad ahead of World Cup qualifying games against Venezuela and Ecuador back in March.
      Alejandro Garnacho has been selected by Argentina and is now training alongside Lionel MessiCredit: Instagram
      Garnacho was a surprise inclusion in Lionel Scaloni’s 44-man squadCredit: AP

      It means, even though he hasn’t appeared in the first team, he has trained alongside legend Lionel Messi.
      The wonderkid has starred for United’s U18s this campaign, excelling in the FA Youth Cup with four goals.
      One of those strikes saw the talent run from his own half down the left flank to score against Everton with an astonishing solo goal.
      And now, after featuring as a late substitute for United in the Premier League at the end of April, he is preparing to be the talisman in Man Utd’s FA Youth Cup final against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
      The fleet-footed forward was the third La Liga starlet to join the club in 2020, signing from Atletico Madrid after the arrivals of Marc Jurado from Barcelona and Alvaro Fernandez from Real Madrid.
      Garnacho was called the ‘jewel’ of Atletico’s academy, and is working hard to emulate his idol growing up.
      He is obsessed by Cristiano Ronaldo, and even wore the same shirt number – No7 as his idol, although he’s had to accept No11 with the Red Devils.
      Still, that didn’t stop him celebrating that goal against Everton with CR7’s famous ‘SIUUU!’ roar.

      The Red Devils were said to have fought off Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund to secure Garnacho’s signature.
      Described as a ‘goalscoring machine’, the Madrid-born teenager was highly rated by Atletico, who were devastated he left.
      He joined the club in 2015, impressing all with his killer instinct in front of goal.
      In 2016, whilst playing for Atletico’s Infantil B, he was Spain’s top scorer – destroying opposition defences with his natural knack for finding the back of the net.
      Manchester United ace Garnacho is excelling in the club’s academyCredit: Getty
      Garnacho, who had been with Atletico since 2015, was said to be the ‘jewel’ of the club’s academyCredit: La Liga promises
      Talented Garnacho is said to be a goalscoring machineCredit: La Liga promises
      Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund were also reportedly interested in GarnachoCredit: Instagram / @garnacho7
      QUICK AND NIMBLE
      Blessed with a flawless technique, Garnacho boasts attributes including close ball control that make it difficult for defenders to rob the ball off him.
      In the penalty area he’s intuitive and clinical, preferring to shift the ball onto his right foot before calmly slotting the ball home.
      A real predator in front of goal, Garnacho is also adept at finding space in the penalty box, and is an instinctive poacher.
      Moving to Old Trafford was said to be an easy decision for him, because it has allowed him to follow in the footsteps of his Portuguese hero.
      READY FOR STARDOM
      From a young age Garnacho’s potential has seen him primed for the top.
      At 15, he already found himself enjoying run-outs for Atletico’s U19 team.
      Garnacho wants to emulate his idol Cristiano RonaldoCredit: La Liga promises
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      This campaign he has thrived with United’s academy, playing for both the U18 and U23 sides.
      In all competitions, Garnacho has managed 13 goals in 33 matches – as well as eight assists.
      And now, after receiving call-ups to the Argentina national team, he has landed himself a spot on Man Utd’s first team bench in recent weeks, coming on for the final moments of their 1-1 draw with Chelsea. More

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      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton is the best F1 driver ever and before Schumacher and Senna because he is a ‘clean’ racer, Walker said

      by

      THE LATE Murray Walker said Lewis Hamilton is a better driver than Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna – because he’s a “clean” racer.The legendary commentator, who passed away in March aged 97, watched hundreds of F1 drivers across eight decades.
      Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton was lauded by legendary commentator Murray WalkerCredit: PA:Press Association
      Hamilton faces a near-ipossible task to win a record eighth world title this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      But Walker revealed last year that the seven-time world champion is the cream of the crop because he has never used dirty tactics to win races.
      Both Schumacher and Senna had contentious moments during their careers, but Walker claimed Hamilton is as “clean as a whistle”.
      Speaking about the Brit, who finished sixth at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, he said: “Well, people say to me, ‘Who is the greatest?’, and I always say, ‘Look, I think it’s impossible to say, because the drivers and the circuits and the cars were different’.
      “Juan Manel Fangio took a lot of beating, Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart — there again I could go on — but which is the best I really don’t know.
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      “I used to say Fangio. I think I’m going to have to say very shortly Lewis Hamilton, because if you look at it in terms of statistics, he’s already got more poles than Schumacher.
      “He’s got at least three years in him if he doesn’t hurt himself or leave Mercedes for some reason or they decide to stop, in which case he’s got at least another three championships ahead of him, so statistically he will become the greatest.
      “But he’s also in my opinion — and this is very contentious indeed — better than either Schumacher or Senna because both of them, Schumacher and Senna, adopted at various times in their career highly debatable driving tactics.
      “Like Schumacher stopping deliberately at Monaco to prevent Fernando Alonso getting pole position, like Schumacher colliding with Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez in 1997, like Senna with Alain Prost in 1990 in Japan, and Lewis Hamilton has never been anything like that.
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results for season as 2022 gets underway
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Michael Schumacher won a total of 91 Grand Prix races as well as seven world championshipsCredit: EPA
      “He’s always driven as clean as a whistle. He’s an extremely nice, gigantically talented driver, and I don’t think we’ve ever seen anybody like him before.”
      Formula One celebrated its 70th anniversary at Silverstone last season.
      But while Hamilton has dominated for much of the last decade, Walker says the sport’s best era was in the 1970s and 1980s but believes it is still just as exciting.
      Speaking to In the Fast Lane, the official podcast of the Australian Grand Prix, Walker added: “A lot of it is looking backwards through rose-coloured glasses.
      “It’s still mighty exciting when you take into account what a contest it is with man and machine.
      “But I have to admit that for me the 70s and 80s were the most exciting time — but then I was very much more involved with it at the time because I was literally a part of it and having to communicate to the public worldwide what was going on.
      “It was very exciting times, when people like Jackie Stewart were driving, and we got the most incredible races at Silverstone, with Nigel Mansell beating Nelson Piquet, for instance, and various others.
      “You have to bear in mind that I’m an old codger. I was actually at the first grand prix they held at Silverstone in 1948 — and that was before Formula One even began.
      “In those days of course the engine was in front of the driver, the driver wasn’t wearing any safety clothing.
      “They used to wear a skullcap and no crash helmet. The medical facilities were absolutely minimal, the cars were mobile deathtraps.
      “They are infinitely more sophisticated now than they were, and it’s no less exciting from my point of view.” More

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      in Soccer

      Best ever Man Utd foreign XI features Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba and Kanchelskis, but no Tevez or Fernandes

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED have boasted some of the finest foreign players to ever grace the Premier League.The likes of Eric Cantona, Jaap Stam and Cristiano Ronaldo have all cemented their legacy at Old Trafford.
      Only one player from the current Manchester United side has made the XI
      Now Ronaldo is BACK, and alongside his countryman Bruno Fernandes, they are undoubtedly the star men for the current crop of Red Devils.
      But just who are the club’s greatest non-British players?
      United End editor Tom McDermott has already given his say on the club’s best British XI in the Premier League, and now he’s chosen a star-studded line up made up of foreigners:
      Peter Schmeichel
      Could it have been anyone else? David De Gea and Edwin van der Sar are the obvious contenders, but Schmeichel is the outstanding choice.
      The £505,000 signing from Brondby was the finest keeper on the planet for several years, and probably left sooner than he should after Champions League glory in 1999.
      Patrice Evra
      Evra has five Premier League titles, three League Cups, five Community Shields and a Champions League medal in his locker from his time at the club.
      But, you’d never have thought that would be possible after his disastrous debut away to Manchester City in 2006.
      The Frenchman started the match, but was substituted at half-time after a horrendous opening 45. It did though prove to be a minor blip in an outstanding United career.
      Jaap Stam
      Ferguson’s best foreign defensive signing. The defender was sold to Lazio in 2001, which Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted was an error.
      Stam had everything required to be a great central defender and was pretty much unbeatable on his day.
      The image of Inter Milan’s Ivan Zamorano backing into him during the 1998/99 treble season still brings a smile to my face.
      Jaap Stam is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs to play in the Premier LeagueCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      .css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most Read In Football.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
      Nemanja Vidic
      Had Stam’s strength and ability to read the game, but perhaps not the pace.
      That said, he went on to forge a formidable partnership with Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the defence, and during that period established himself as one of the best central defenders in the word.
      Antonio Valencia
      Signed from Wigan as a winger, but ended his United career as a right full-back. The move probably prolonged his time at the club and he adapted his game accordingly.
      Just to be clear, Valencia was no ‘Gary Neville’ but his strength and speed meant that he was quickly able to get himself out of tricky defensive situations.
      Andrei Kanchelskis
      One former United player who played with Kanchelskis said that the winger just appeared to get faster and faster when in possession of the ball.
      He’ll always be remembered for his hat-trick against Manchester City in 1994, but disruptive representatives meant that his stay at Old Trafford ended sharply and he was sold to the blue half of Liverpool.
      Paul Pogba
      I toyed with Ander Herrera, Juan Veron and even Anderson, but Pogba starts because of his role in helping United claim their first ever Europa League title in 2017.
      On his day, he’s world class, but the frustration is that we don’t see it often enough.
      It looks increasingly likely he will leave the club this summer.
      French midfielder Paul Pogba appears to be on his way out at Old TraffordCredit: PA:Press Association
      Cristiano Ronaldo
      Arguably United’s greatest foreign signing of the Premier League era. Ronaldo terrorised defences and secured his first Ballon d’Or while at the club in 2008.
      Ronaldo has had an impressive return to Old Trafford – scoring 24 goals in 37 appearances this season.
      He is a real icon of the game and United supporters will never forget the contribution he made for them, particularly in the final few seasons before heading to Real Madrid in 2009.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has been a star again at Old Trafford
      Eric Cantona
      The pied piper was the final piece of the jigsaw that helped Ferguson’s United secure their very first Premier League title.
      It was a surprise to secure his signature from Leeds United, but of equal surprise after such a turbulent career, was his ability to embrace the Old Trafford stage in such a way.
      Cantona was absolutely vital to Ferguson’s first period of domestic success. Who knows what might have happened if he hadn’t signed.
      Ruud van Nistelrooy
      Van Nistelrooy was the ultimate centre forward. You only need to look at his goalscoring record to see that.
      Paul Scholes recently mentioned that Van Nistelrooy would be annoyed after a game if he found out that Arsenal’s Thierry Henry had scored more goals than him that afternoon.
      That says all you need to know, because he was a goal machine who always wanted one more than what he got.
      Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy spent three seasons together at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – Contributor
       Robin van Persie
      Van Persie just edged ahead of Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov because of his outstanding 2012/13 season where his goals shot United to a twentieth league title.
      United was the right move at the right time for Van Persie who helped provide departing manager Ferguson with his final trophy at the club.
      Van Persie talked about the ‘little boy inside of him’ screaming for a move to Old Trafford. The little boy managed to fulfil his dream, and in some style.
      *Follow Tom McDermott – United End editor on Twitter here…
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford

      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blames ‘two mistakes by the referee’ for Man Utd slumping to defeat against Sheffield United More

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      Man Utd and England star Jesse Lingard bulked up by eating McDonalds and lifting weights with powerlifter granddad

      by

      JESSE LINGARD could never have imagined it as he sat in his room at Leicester’s Marriott Hotel eating his chips.It was 2012 and he was on loan at the Foxes but not getting a game in the Championship. Neither was Harry Kane, also on loan, or Jamie Vardy.
      Man Utd star Jesse Lingard revealed he would eat McDonald’s as a kid to try and bulk upCredit: The Players’ Tribune
      Lingard shows off his impressive abs while on holidayCredit: Instagram/Jesse Lingard
      Who could have envisaged that years later they would become heroes for both club and country?
      ON DIFFERENT PATHS
      Lingard told the Players’ Tribune in 2019: “We all got different paths in this game. There’s so many things you don’t see.
      “You know what’s so crazy to me? I was sat in that Marriott back in 2012, eating my room service chips, and I was barely getting a run-out for Leicester.
      “And in that same dressing room you had Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane, and they were going through the same struggles.
      Lingard with his granddad – who was a powerlifter for Team GBCredit: The Players’ Tribune

      “We were all just trying to get a game in the Championship.
      “Six years later, we’re all walking out for the World Cup semi-final, representing England. How do you explain that?”
      NEEDED A LIFT
      It’s been an incredible journey for Lingard, 29, whose grandad devoted himself to making the Warrington-born youngster into a footballer.
      The Manchester United ace said: “Him and my nan helped raise me. I actually used to sleep on a mattress on the floor of their room.”
      It was his grandad, a former Great Britain powerlifter, who put together a makeshift gym in a garden shed for Lingard to bulk up.
      His grandson thought regular trips to McDonald’s would have the same effect.
      The midfielder, who tore it up on loan at West Ham last season, said: “The problem was that I was so, so small. I couldn’t put on weight. I was banging down the Maccies, and I was still so skinny. My grandad would always say, ‘When you coming out to the garden with me? You need to put some muscle on’.
      SIZE MATTERED
      Lingard recognised just how far behind other players he was physically when he was 15 years old and playing in a tournament against Roma.
      Lingard knew he also had to hit the weights to bulk upCredit: Instagram @jesselingard
      Jesse Lingard scoring at the 2018 World Cup for England against PanamaCredit: Getty – Contributor
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fans and journalists in anti-Conte rant
      He said: “I always knew my size was going to be a challenge.
      “Even as I got older, I was still swimming in my kit. There’s this photo of me from the Nike Cup, and my brother always laughs about it.
      “We’re playing AS Roma — I’m 15, looking like I’m ten. And these Italian lads are 15, looking like they’re 25.
      “I remember walking out and seeing these boys had proper stubble, and I was thinking, ‘Sheesh’. You gotta find this photo. I look like a mascot who just run out onto the pitch for laughs.”
      Jessie Lingard does crazy toilet roll ‘Stay at Home Challenge’ More

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      Chelsea’s £4.25bn takeover more than DOUBLES record for most expensive in sport history and dwarfs Man Utd fee by £3bn

      by

      CHELSEA’S proposed £4.25billion takeover is set to more than DOUBLE the record for the most expensive in sporting history – and it dwarfs the fee paid for rivals Manchester United.Todd Boehly’s consortium have signed a deal to purchase the club after Roman Abramovich decided to sell up.
      Todd Boehly is leading a consortium that looks set to buy Chelsea for a record £4bnCredit: Getty

      Chelsea confirmed £2.5bn will be deposited into a frozen UK bank account with the intention to donate it all to charitable causes.
      The remaining £1.75bn is for investment into the club including developments of Stamford Bridge and the women’s team.
      Boehly was pictured outside the ground on Friday night with fellow members of his group including ex-chancellor George Osborne.
      However, the mega-deal is not over the line just yet and needs to go through due processes with the Government and the Premier League but is expected to be completed by May 31.
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      We take a look at the ten most-expensive takeovers in world sport, based on today’s US Dollars to British Sterling exchange rate…

      US couple Jimmy and Dee Haslam bought the Ohio-based NFL team in 2012 for £754m.
      It’s claimed they have already helped double the value of the franchise in their decade spell at the club.
      Despite that, the business couple have been unable to deliver a first NFL championship since 1964.
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      9. Toronto Maple Leafs – Ice Hockey – £760m
      Rogers Communications and BCE Inc – Canada’s largest telecoms companies – bought a 75 per cent share of the NHL franchise in 2012.
      The two companies had worked together at the 2010 Winter Olympics – held in Vancouver, Canada – and teamed up again to buy the ice hockey giants.
      The Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cups – the second-most in NHL history – but haven’t clinched the title since 1967.
      =7. Seattle Mariners – Baseball – £920m
      US businessman John Stanton led a 17-strong consortium to take majority control in 2016 – having first bought into the team in 1992.
      The group have added over £150m to the value of the team already after partnering with streaming service DirecTV.
      However, the team have never clinched the MLB title – only ever qualifying for the playoffs four times in their 45-year history.
      =7. Miami Marlins – Baseball – £920m
      MLB legend Derek Jeter grabbed the headlines after throwing his hat into the ring to buy the Florida-based franchise.
      But the New York Yankees icon had some powerful backers, with billionaire Bruce S. Sherman helping finance the deal worth just shy of £1bn.
      Jeter is claimed to have fronted roughly £16m for the deal, with Sherman’s input into the hundreds of millions.
      But the Marlins are still waiting to break their near 20-year title drought, having last won a championship in 2003.

      Terry Pegula and wife Kim purchased the NFL side in 2014 – and kept the team in Buffalo, despite rumours of a relocation.
      Terry made his money in natural gas and real estate before expanding his empire into sports and entertainment.
      And the couple splashed over £1bn on the American Football side – helping break their 17-year playoff drought in 2017 and helping them make the post-season all but one season since then.
      The Glazer family, pictured with club legend Sir Bobby Charlton, spent £1.15bn on Man Utd in 2005Credit: Getty

      The oldest entry on the list, the Glazer family’s investment in United in 2005 make it the only non-US sports team to crack the top ten most-expensive takeovers in sport.
      At the time of the deal, the Glazers spent £790m on the club – which converted into today’s money equates to £1.15bn.
      United had been privately run for nearly a century before the family’s takeover, with fans famously unhappy with their current owners for lumbering the team with a mountain of debt.
      The Glazers enjoyed early success with five Premier League titles during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.
      But their relationship with supporters has soured further amid the club’s worst run since they were last relegated 48 years ago.
      United haven’t won a trophy in five years and have failed to launch a title bid since Fergie’s farewell season in 2012-13.
      =3. LA Dodgers – Baseball – £1.53bn
      Guggenheim Baseball Management paid a staggering $2bn to buy the Los Angeles side in 2012 – with NBA legend Magic Johnson part of the consortium.
      Incoming Chelsea owner Boehly was also involved and has a 20 per cent ownership.
      Since the takeover a decade ago, the Dodgers have reached the World Series three times – winning once, in 2020.
      =3. LA Clippers – Basketball – £1.53bn
      Another Los Angeles sporting giant high on the list, Microsoft co-founder Steve Ballmer bought the NBA side in 2014.
      It was the most-expensive takeover in basketball history at the time, famously replacing Donald Sterling who was forced to sell having been caught making racist remarks about the team.
      Ballmer is regularly found passionately cheering the Clippers on court-side – and has helped the team rise out of their LA rivals, the Lakers’, shadow.
      The Clippers have still never won the NBA title, but did reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time ever in 2021, only to fall short against losing NBA finalists, the Phoenix Suns.
      2. Houston Rockets – Basketball – £1.68bn
      Another NBA side on the list, American businessman Tilman Fertitta tried to buy the Texas-based franchise in 1993 only to miss out – and finally fulfil his dream in 2017.
      Still a record buy for an NBA team, Fertitta spent £1.68bn on the Rockets.
      The team have twice reached the Western Conference Semi-Finals since the takeover and one made it to the Conference Finals.
      But last season, the Rockets were the worst team in the entire NBA with just 17 wins from their 72 matches.

      The most-expensive takeover ever – for now – is the purchase of the Carolina Panthers in 2018.
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      Hedge fund billionaire David Tepper splashed £1.76bn on the team – but is yet to deliver a Super Bowl crown.
      In fact, the Panthers haven’t even made the playoffs since the takeover… More