Manchester United have announced four pre-season friendlies in the build-up to the new campaign which will see them stay on English soil as they take on Premier League and Championship opposition. Due to the ongoing travel restrictions due to the pandemic, the Red Devils are not risking travelling abroad for their pre-season preparations and will play two matches at Old Trafford and make two trips to Championship grounds. They begin with a visit to Derby County on 18 July, a side managed by their former star Wayne Rooney , before taking on QPR in London on 24 July. Then come home games against newly-promoted Brentford on 28 July and Everton on 7 August, less than a week before the Premier League season gets underway. Manchester United ’s Chief Operating Officer, Collette Roche, said: ‘This year’s pre-season schedule has been planned with the current travel restrictions in mind, whilst providing Ole and the players with the best possible preparations for the …
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How David de Gea has reacted to losing his Manchester United spot
David de Gea has not sulked since losing his Manchester United spot to Dean Henderson and he remains determined to win his place back. De Gea didn’t play a minute of Premier League football in March nor April before finally being given an opportunity against Leicester and Fulham in the final weeks of the season. The Spanish goalkeeper has also lost his starting spot for Spain for this summer’s Euro 2020, playing backup to Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon. According to ESPN, Manchester United chiefs remain convinced that De Gea is the best goalkeeper at the club and can still represent them for the next decade. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains torn over whether to persist with Henderson or stick with the more experienced De Gea, with neither willing to accept being the backup goalkeeper at Old Trafford next season. It’s led to speculation over whether De Gea will still be at the club next season, but insiders have been impressed by his attitude to losing his No. 1 spot. …
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Jose Mourinho accuses Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes of going missing for Portugal
Jose Mourinho has slammed Bruno Fernandes’ performances in Portugal’s first two matches of the European Championships and says the side have not been playing with 11 players so far in the tournament. The playmaker entered the tournament after a sensational campaign for Manchester United , in which he scored 30 goals and provided 18 assists in all competitions. However, Fernandes has failed to replicate his club form for his country, with Portugal struggling to victory against Hungary in their first game before a humbling 4-2 defeat to Germany in their second. It leaves Portugal’s chances of qualification looking short ahead of their final game, which is against favourites France. Mourinho believes his country have the ability to beat any side in the competition but he says Fernandes must quickly recapture his best form as he ‘wasn’t there’ in the first two games. ‘Portugal at its highest level can beat anyone,’ Mourinho told talkSPORT . ‘But we need to play …
Champions League final: Chelsea crowned winners as they deny Manchester City first major European title
Chelsea have won the Champions League after battling it out in front of thousands of English fans in Porto, Portugal. Chelsea's 1-0 victory signals a bitter blow for Manchester City, with the club having never won European club football's top prize. The west London club had led at half-time after a 42nd-minute goal from Kai Havertz, and was able to hang on despite City peppering their goal with shots in the dying minutes of the game. Seven minutes of injury time were played, giving City fans a nail-biting final few moments - with Mahrez nearly equalising for the Manchester team. Speaking after the game, Havertz said: "It's an incredible feeling. We deserve this." Advertisement The all-English final was due to be played in Istanbul, Turkey, but after Turkey was placed on the travel red list, UEFA moved the game to Portugal's Estadio do Dragao. More on Covid-19 COVID-19: TUI joins airlines Ryanair, Virgin and BA in suing government over …
Nicola Sturgeon’s travel ban tramples my constituents’ civil liberties, says Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham has accused Nicola Sturgeon of trampling on his constituents’ civil liberties as he raised the prospect of mounting a legal challenge to force her to compensate people hit by her travel ban . In a rapidly escalating row between the two devolved leaders, the Mayor of Greater Manchester accused the Scottish First Minister of “insulting” people in the North West of England after she suggested he had only started a row over restrictions as part of a plan to become UK Labour leader. A ban on non-essential travel between Scotland and Manchester and Salford came into force on Monday, while restrictions remain in force for Bolton, meaning around one million people in Mr Burham's area cannot legally cross the border. John Swinney, Ms Sturgeon’s deputy, dismissed Mr Burnham’s demand that the SNP Government pay compensation to businesses hit by the policy, or to residents who had been forced to cancel holidays in Scotland. However, Mr Burnham, the former Labour Health …
Man Utd ‘about to launch’ Pau Torres offer after long-term interest in Spain star
Manchester United have long been linked with a deal for centre-half Paul Torres – and now the Red Devils look set to make their move. Torres, 24, has been on the radar of Europe’s leading clubs for some time after impressing for Villarreal in La Liga and the Europa League. The Manchester Evening News claims that Torres was one of five players on Ole Gunner Solskjaer’s defensive shortlist in the New Year. His standout performance against United in Villarreal’s Europa League final win last month only served to further highlight his credentials. And now reports in the Italian media suggest the Red Devils are preparing a substantial bid to bring the Spanish star Old Trafford this summer. Sport Witness (via Gazzetta dello Sport) published on Sunday that United are ‘about to launch an offer of around €50million’. They also claimed that the Premier League side have ‘long been on his trail.’ However, Gazzetta believes it is not a one-horse race …
Man Utd’s most important transfer under threat as PSG ‘make Raphael Varane enquiry’
Manchester United 's pursuit of Raphael Varane is in serious jeopardy after Paris Saint-Germain reportedly enquired about a move for the Real Madrid man. Despite the imminent departure of Sergio Ramos, Varane is set to leave the Bernabeu this summer, with his contract expiring in 2022. The arrival of David Alaba has cushioned the blow of Ramos' departure, with Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez also established members of the Real squad, though losing Varane would leave them a little short. Varane - who is currently aiming for glory at Euro 2020 - is a priority target for United, who are looking to add more quality to their defence. However, their approach has come under threat, with PSG also keen on the four-time Champions League winner. Spanish outlet Marca claim that the Ligue 1 giants have followed in United's footsteps by enquiring about the possibility of signing Varane. According to Manchester Evening News , United have tabled an opening …
Borussia Dortmund set another Jadon Sancho ‘transfer deadline’ amid Man Utd interest
Borussia Dortmund have reportedly set a deadline for Manchester United to sign Jadon Sancho . The Red Devils have been heavily linked with the England international for the second summer in a row and saw an opening bid of £67million for the 21-year-old star rejected earlier this month . Sancho is understood to be top of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shopping list this summer, and the player is thought to be keen on a return to the England . However, Dortmund and United remain apart on the forward’s valuation and the Bundesliga club have reportedly now set a deadline for a deal to be done. That is according to Sky Sports transfer guru Dharmesh Seth, who said: "The noises coming out of Germany suggest that Dortmund will not budge on what we believe to be around £82million. “Most of that they want front-loaded and the rest in these achievable add-ons. “If you remember last summer, Dortmund set a deadline for a deal to be done and they wanted …
Raphael Varane ‘prefers Prem move’ with agents targeting Man Utd meeting
Manchester United target Raphael Varane has set his sights on a move to the Premier League this summer after turning down a contract extension at Real Madrid . Varane, 28, only has a year remaining on his current Real deal, meaning he will be able to begin negotiating a free move abroad at the turn of the year. Los Blancos are therefore keen to offload him while they still can in the upcoming summer transfer window, especially given he has rejected a two-year extension, which included the option for more, at the Bernabeu. According to The Mirror , Varane's agents are hoping to meet with United chiefs this week to discuss a potential switch to Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to have identified the France centre-back as one of his top targets, with the Red Devils boss on the hunt for a new defensive partner for captain Harry Maguire. Paris St-Germain are also interested in prising Varane away from Madrid, but the player wants to head …
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Sir Alex Ferguson’s infamous hairdryer made former Man Utd star Ben Foster feel “horrible”
Sir Alex Ferguson 's hairdryer treatment at Manchester United is the stuff of legend - and Ben Foster admits it was "horrible" to be on the receiving end of it. Ferguson cemented a legacy as one of the greatest managers in football history at United, winning 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions Leagues in just under 27 years. While he was undoubtedly a genius of a coach, the Scot also enjoyed control of the dressing room by striking fear into his player's hearts. His famous hairdryer treatment, which saw players scolded in brutal fashion when not pulling their weight, clearly worked wonders in his lengthy stint as Red Devils boss. And former United goalkeeper Foster, who spent five years under the legendary gaffer at Old Trafford, has recalled being on the wrong end of a Fergie hairdryer. "What a guy though Alex Ferguson, oh my gosh," he said on Tubes & Ange Golf Life's Foooore Hole Challenge . "Whether it …