According to reports we've made a formal approach for David Alaba, the cb at Bayern whose contract expires in the summer.
He sounds a real prospect. I like the emphasis on young players. Of course some will fall by the wayside and not fulfill the early promise. But these days you have to take a chance as fully established top ones cost 100m+ if they are any good. we could do with more good wingers.
Hopefully, now that Poch looks set to take over at PSG, it will let the elephant out of the room and leave Ole to get on with things.
Diallo signs 4 1/2 year deal - https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12181669/amad-diallo-man-utd-sign-winger-from-atalanta
J-Lings to West Ham on loan. Shame his off-field antics took priority for him over his football. Thought he'd "arrived" now he's left.
Greenwood has signed a new deal until 2025 with an option for another year. Hopefully he won't just sit back now - as has happened to some, thinking he's made it. He has shown flashes of what he can do but he has to show some consistency too if he is to cement a place in the side.
He's had a bit of an anti-climax second season after the way he burst on to the scene last year. I think where his game needs to develop is in his link up play and decision making. He's got pace, he's quick footed, one of the few players in our squad who can actually take on players and go past them BUT that will only get him so far and limit him as a footballer. He needs to be able to spot a pass and when he's in that final third, he needs to look up and know where his team-mates are. A lot of defenders have sussed him out this season because he's only ever going to dribble into the box and shoot. And all it's doing is adding more and more pressure on him.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have apparently 900m and 1200m Euros debt. Both would be declared bankrupt if they were not supported by their local governments and people.
I can't speak for RM because I don't get their news, but Barca are in serious financial trouble. Their revenues come from many streams - Barca 'B' and, surprisingly, basketball, which is a major sport in the city and so their matchday (various sports day) revenues have plummeted as have merchandising sales on all three fronts. The club also owns a fair chunk of real estate around the stadium proper and they receive a percentage of food and drink revenues from outside the stadium as well as inside. All good when there are more fans flocking to the stadium than can fit in, but with Catalonia under stringent movement restrictions, they are losing money hand over fist. They won't be making any major signings in the foreseeable future, talk of any major stars going there is pure tosh, in fact, the opposite is true, they are looking to shed players to raise money. The upcoming club presidential elections are smoke and mirrors, each of the candidates is talking out of their arse when they talk od Naymar returning or Mbappe coming in - it can't and won't happen and it won't just be Messi that leaves in the summer, big names are due for a clear out to clear wages off the club's bill.
It’s not only United that has greatly ****ed up in the transfer market. Barcelona has bought that ex-RS coutinho and Dembele just to name 2 at ridiculous prices. Their values are now a fraction of what they paid. No one wants them. Messi who was valued at hundreds of millions at one point is free. All football clubs are losing money and it remains to be seen which ones have managed to survive the crisis best.
Mourinho’s management at Spurs reminds us of that dreadful episode United endured. Throwing players under the bus and blaming them solely for bad performances and results, singling out scapegoats demeaning them and freezing them out and playing a brand of football that is completely unattractive and negative and yet yielding no wins. Good riddance to bad rubbish. The most lauded managers at the beginning of the season included Lampard Arteta Mourinho and Klopp. The first has been sacked, the second has his team stuck in 10th place, the third has a run of 5 defeats in 6 playing **** football and the fourth has overseen a slide from topping the league at Xmas to 6th after a run of four successive defeats. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
So there's talk of Henderson wanting out this summer if he isn't given assurances he'll be United's number 1 for next season. The two clubs interested in buying him are rumoured to be Spurs and Dortmund (both apparently very keen). So here's the question. Do you think we should keep Henderson or would it be worth negotiating the signing of Kane or Sancho or (long shot) Haaland?