Jose Mourinho will finally have his say today on Alexis Sanchez and could indicate how he is going to fit in to his team.
The Chilean finally signed for Manchester United earlier this week and the United boss will face the media this afternoon ahead of the trip to Yeovil in the FA Cup tomorrow.
Mourinho could indicate if he is likely to be handed his United debut at Huish Park.
And with just one week of the transfer window remaining also expect updates on any more expected business before the window slams shut.
Reports in Spain are suggesting Matteo Darmian could be on his way to Valencia and there are suggestions Real Madrid are ready to renegotiate for David De Gea with a two players plus cash deal for the Spaniard.
Stick with us as we bring you all the news and transfer rumours LIVE from Old Trafford and Carrington.
Key Events
United 'still keen on Ozil'
According to the Independent, United will not pursue Ozil in this window after signing Sanchez but Jose Mourinho remains keen.
The German is out of contract in the summer, of course.
United 'to pay Ghoulam release clause'
According to Italian outlet Rai Sport United are now ‘ready to pay’ Ghoulam’s 60 million Euro release clause.
A big Eric Bailly boost
He’s been filmed running too.
His return can’t be far away.
Mourinho on Sanchez
“You know, because he’s in England for quite a long time, I think everybody knows the player he is. I think everybody knows what he did at Arsenal, I try not to speak what he did before in Spain and Italy but in the Premier League he has shown the quality he has.
“We got one of the best attacking players in the world and he’s very important for us because we ant the best possible players.”
Press conference highlights
- Sanchez will travel to Yeovil
- Mourinho confirmed Sanchez will play ‘everywhere’
- He thinks Ronaldo will stay at Real Madrid
- A couple of players will be rested for tomorrow’s game
The winning team at training
Joe Riley’s the new face in the group.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeYAacwny9i/?hl=en
Tuanzebe on his loan move
He told Aston Villa’s website why Mourinho wanted him to join the Championship side:
He knows it’s a great club I think he has a great relationship with the manager here Steve Bruce. It’s not always about going to the biggest club when you’re going out on loan, it’s about getting the best move. Whether it’s right for you as a player if you can trust the players around you, develop yourself, get some minutes and going back to United a bigger, stronger player.
Axel Tuanzebe loan move confirmed
He’s the third player to leave on loan in this window following James Wilson and Demi Mitchell who have already left.
Tuanzebe loan deal appears to be confirmed
A good move for him.
Mourinho press conference incoming
Expect plenty of Alexis Sanchez and transfer questions.
Vidic thinks Sanchez can help United win the Champions League
Speaking to sport360 he said:
“I am excited, as well. I think he is a player who has played in top clubs before, he has experience, won the trophies and played Champions League.
“It is a good signing for Man United. He brings something different into the team.
“I think we are now in a situation where we are focusing on the Champions League, as [Manchester] City are many points above Man United. Obviously, we never give up on the [Premier League] title, but I think the Champions League is realistic this season.
“I believe we can do a good job.
“As a club, when you want a player like Alexis Sanchez you do not think about City wanting him, Barcelona or someone. You want the player, as you think they can make the difference.
“I think Sanchez is the same. He can change the things for Manchester United, improve the team and help us grow.
“I am glad he signed. Now, we are waiting for him to start and help the team.”
Tuanzebe 'set for medical today'
Looks like he’s heading to Aston Villa on loan.
Real 'in contact with Jorge Mendes over De Gea'
Real Madrid have been in contact with De Gea’s agent Jorge Mendes over a deal for the Spanish keeper according to Spanish radio station Cadena SER.
Real have reportedly been told they will need to pay a fee of around €100m to tempt United to sell.
Bale 'rejects £87million offer as he holds out for United transfer'
United have been linked with Gareth Bale on and off for years and there are plenty of reports suggesting he’s going to Old Trafford in the summer.
Reports from Spanish outlet Diario Gol claim Bale has rejected an £87million transfer offer from Bayern Munich because he holds out for a return to the Premier League.
And that follows from Don Balon claiming Bale’s preferred next club is United.
Thierry Henry gives Mesut Ozil challenge amid transfer speculation
Mesut Ozil has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent months but Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has sent a message to the playmaker over his Arsenal future.
He [Ozil] has to make it his team,” said Henry on Sky Sports
“Alexis Sanchez is gone. If he plays all the time like he did against Crystal Palace, he’s unplayable.”
De Gea swap deal
The David De Gea to Real Madrid transfer saga continues today with a new twist and it’s a bit of a strange one.
Yesterday there were reports Real would offer United two players (Navas and Kovacic) and cash for the Spaniard and today’s reports claim there’s another player in the mix.
None other than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Catalan newspaper Sport say the United are prepared to accept a transfer of a straight swap between Ronaldo and De Gea.
But, Ronaldo lovers shouldn’t get too excited Mourinho and Ronaldo don’t have a great relationship after they clashed during the latter stages of the Mourinho’s Real career.
Wenger spoke about Sanchez again last night
Here’s what he said:
“We lost a great player,” he told Sky Sports News. “But when a team doesn’t know what’s going on there is less clarity and less focus on what’s important - the performance. Now we know we have to deal with that and get on by everybody giving a little bit more.”
Can’t see Mourinho mentioning Mkhitaryan in his post match press conference against Yeovil.
Villa set to sign Tuanzebe
He’s in desperate need of game time and Mourinho said he would only be allowed to go out on loan this month dependent on how Bailly was recovering from his injury.
The MEN reported Villa are keen on him and now an agreement has been reached, according to the Daily Mail.
They claim Tuanzebe will be at Aston Villa before this weekend’s fixtures.
A good loan move for the 20-year-old if it goes through.
Still no Sanchez training pictures
Given United will probably be travelling to Yeovil tomorrow, today is the last chance for those of you who are desperate to see Sanchez in three stripe training gear. This is one of the ‘training’ images published of Sanchez:
Possible song for Seri
Very good shout this. What comes in between the ‘viva’s, though, is up for grabs.
This man is not a journalist
Some fans still think he is. It’s extraordinary how gullible people are on Twitter.
Best quote on that 1995 United side
Palace’s then-manager Alan Smith said:
“What distinctly hit me was that they played in all black that night. None of them had shaved and they looked a pretty ferocious team. I was thinking ‘this is going to be a long evening’.”
The team that night:
Schmeichel
Keane
May
Pallister
Irwin
Sharpe
Ince
McClair
Giggs
Cantona
Cole
It’d have been more brutal had Bruce and Hughes been on the pitch.
On this day in 1995...
Eric Cantona kicked racism out of football. Literally.
United have Thomas Lemar to thank for Sanchez
Let’s wind the clocks back to deadline day in the summer window. Arsenal were ready to sell Sanchez to City but needed a replacement and wanted Monaco’s Thomas Lemar. Monaco refused to let Lemar go, so Arsenal refused to let Sanchez go to City. The collapse of that deadline day prompted United to touch base with Sanchez’s agent Fernando Felicevich and the rest is history.
It’s as if someone was advising Lemar from United’s camp...
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfUfqIHnt0/?hl=en&taken-by=paulpogba
United's tweet went down well last night
This is a purely factual tweet but the replies include words such as ‘savage’, ‘shade’ and ‘trolling’.
United stance on Fred revealed
Fred played against David Moyes’s United in their Champions League group stage defeat at Old Trafford in December 2013, having joined Ukrainian side Donetsk earlier that year.
He has attained six Brazil caps but Fred served a worldwide doping ban after he tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide at the 2015 Copa America.
Four players to be rested vs Yeovil?
Goalkeepers: Romero, Pereira, O’Hara
Defenders: Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof, Rojo, Blind, Shaw, Young
Midfielders: Herrera, Fellaini, McTominay, Carrick, Pogba, Lingard
Forwards: Mata, Sanchez, Lukaku, Martial, Rashford
De Gea, Valencia, Jones and Matic will likely be rested. Bailly and Ibrahimovic are out injured and Tuanzebe seems set to go to Villa on loan.
What will Balague say?
Pep Guardiola is about to take his spending at City to over £400m. After all the hoopla over Sanchez moving to one of the biggest clubs in the world, what will Pep’s fan have to say about this following his ‘Pep or money’ nonsense earlier this month.
De Bruyne isn't bitter and blue
Speaking about Alexis Sanchez, he said:
“If it goes, it goes. If it doesn’t go, it doesn’t matter, we will still do what we need to do, with or without him - and he chose United.
“OK, there are a lot of good players. If they want to come, they want to come, and otherwise we will do it with our team.”
United's travel plans
Don’t be surprised if United fly to Yeovil on the morning of the game, what with it being an evening kick-off. They have travelled down the night before for matches nearer (Northampton away and the car park workout) but earlier this season they flew to Bristol and Swansea on the day of their League Cup ties.
