Manchester United - News

Man Utd transfer news: Key Harry Maguire issue sees West Ham move for alternative signing in stunning development..by James Holland.

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The transfer of Harry Maguire from Manchester United to West Ham United is still not finalised due to a big problem, and this has resulted in David Moyes’ side eyeing up Bundesliga star Odilon Kossounou instead, as per a report.

Maguire has looked set to leave Man Utd ever since manager Erik ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy and appointed Bruno Fernandes in the leadership role. The England international has been linked with several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham and Aston Villa, but a switch to West Ham has appeared most likely in recent weeks.

On Wednesday, Man Utd took a big step towards offloading Maguire by agreeing a deal with West Ham for him. The Irons will pay Man Utd £30m for the centre-back, should the deal reach completion.

There have even been suggestions West Ham could make Maguire their new captain, in what would be an intriguing twist.

It was previously thought that West Ham had agreed to pay Maguire £100,000 a week, while he will receive a £6m fee from Man Utd when departing Old Trafford. But according to an update from The Sun, the defender is not as close to signing for West Ham as fans will have been hoping.

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West Ham’s push to sign Maguire is ‘stalling’ as they are failing to agree on personal terms with him. It seems Maguire wants to earn more than £100k a week in East London, and potentially closer to the £190k he takes home every seven days at Man Utd.

As a result of this problem, West Ham technical director Tim Steidten has rushed to find an alternative signing to Maguire. And the report claims he has landed on Bayer Leverkusen’s Kossounou.

One of the main reasons for this particular pursuit is that Steidten worked at Leverkusen between 2019 and 2023. He therefore knows a lot about the club and is aware of Kossounou’s talent.

Should Maguire end up rejecting West Ham, due to his wage demands, then the Irons will make a firm bid for Kossounou instead. Steidten is ready to pay Leverkusen £30m for the Ivorian, the same fee that has been agreed for Maguire’s transfer.

And Steidten’s good relationship with Leverkusen officials should help the move to go through more smoothly than that of Maguire’s.

Ten Hag will be frustrated if Maguire’s switch to West Ham fails to reach completion. While he has publicly labelled the 30-year-old an important player for Man Utd, it is clear that he is searching for a replacement in his squad.

Man Utd are interested in Bayern star Benjamin Pavard and Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice. They have also identified Tottenham target Edmond Tapsoba as a backup option, should they miss out on Pavard and Todibo.

However, if Man Utd sign one of Pavard or Todibo and fail to axe Maguire, then their wage bill will be overstretched.

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Penalty or no penalty - Get involved..

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Stuart: I'm 100% on board with zero tolerance for aggression towards officials but how will the PGMOL react to pressure from everyone when Onana wasn't punished for assault, Antony for pulling the shirt off Kilman after he's gone past him and for Mason Mount clearly going studs up into the Wolves player's ankle. But yellows for anyone who delays a throw in? Consistency?

John, Sheffield: In general, I think that referees are given too much criticism. It's a tough job and they're rarely making objective decisions. But to watch that challenge on video and not award a penalty is staggeringly incompetent. From the same VAR referee as the Brighton v Spurs debacle last season too.

Maxiemilliano: Good morning. I just couldn’t sleep well thinking over and over again why the penalty against Onana wasn’t given. Ridiculous decision in my opinion.

Louis from Lowestoft: I don't understand why opposing managers refuse to acknowledge bad decisions. They just look ignorant, but it would only improve the game if everyone agreed on the blatantly obvious.

Carl, Derby: It wasn't a clear and obvious error......it was the most blatant penalty you will see and yet the referees still managed to miss it and yet the slightest touch to an ankle is a penalty for Brentford...?

Tim in Mundesley: If an outfield player had come in that late, nowhere near the ball, and clattered an opponent it would be a pen. Goalkeepers are a protected species.

Paul, An Arsenal fan: Controversial, but I don’t think it was a penalty. If Onana had clattered into Dawson, who actually won the header, then I’d understand, but he didn’t. Two players missed the ball and collided, Onana had no influence on Dawson’s header.

Dave, Stockport: Wolves’ penalty being denied was simply the age old tradition of balancing up the decisions. United had a blatant penalty turned down with that handball earlier in the game.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel discussing VAR denying Wolves a late penalty on BBC Radio 5 Live: "We're this many years into VAR, it still confuses me.
"It still confuses me that we can get these situations. VAR is there to correct the wrongs and when something like that happens and it's not corrected, I don't understand why we have it.
"It takes up a lot of time. The fans are left in the dark, there's no communication - nothing. It takes the breath out of a game.
"When we have a situation like yesterday, which is clearly the wrong decision, and VAR doesn't intervene - I just don't understand why we have that."

Mason Greenwood: TV presenter Rachel Riley says she'll stop supporting Man Utd if forward stays..

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The Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return group held up banners outside Old Trafford last week

Television presenter Rachel Riley says she will stop supporting Manchester United if forward Mason Greenwood stays at the club.

United say no decision has been made about his future, which is still the "subject of intensive internal deliberation".

Forward Greenwood, 21, had denied the criminal charges against him, including attempted rape and assault.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped all the charges on 2 February.

"I won't be able to support United if Greenwood remains at the club," she said on Thursday.

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Writing on social media, Countdown co-presenter Riley added: "We've all seen and heard enough. Pretending this is OK would be a huge part of the problem.

"It would be devastating for my club to contribute to a culture that brushes this under the carpet. I really hope they do the right thing."

An announcement from United on Greenwood was expected before Monday's Premier League opener against Wolves but was delayed.

In a statement on Wednesday, United said the "fact-finding phase" of their investigation was now complete.

They added a decision about Greenwood's future - which "ultimately rests" with chief executive officer Richard Arnold - was in the final stages.

It is thought United's direction of travel was for Greenwood to return in some form, but the fierceness of debate around his future, among other things, has made them pause.

United said they had gathered "extensive evidence and context not in the public domain" and spoke to "numerous people with direct involvement or knowledge of the case".

Fans protested outside Old Trafford against Greenwood's potential return before the Wolves game and a group of female United supporters said they want the club to "demonstrate a zero tolerance approach" towards violence against women.

Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return put out a lengthy statement to say Greenwood's reintegration "tells us, as women, that we don't matter".

BBC Sport contacted Greenwood's lawyers for a response to the planned protest, but they declined to comment.

Greenwood has been unavailable for selection since his arrest in January 2022 and has not been involved at the club's Carrington training ground.

His United contract runs until June 2025.

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Yes, it is an interesting one because of the Stigma that will surround it and the good old saying "No Smoke Without Fire"....(Mud sticks)

You can go down the rehabilitation route, but in the long run getting rid would probably be the best action all round.

A very good promising 21 year-old English footballer suspended by United over sexual issues alleged against him.

In a July 2023 Instagram post, Greenwood indicated that he had become a father by having a child with his girlfriend.

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Manchester United are considering a move for Paris St-Germain's Italy midfielder Marco Verratti, 30, but face competition from Saudi side Al-Ahli and Bayern Munich.

Manchester United are exploring a deal for Benfica's 29-year-old Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Manchester United and Liverpool want sign Bayern Munich's 21-year-old Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

Mason Greenwood: Gary Neville critical of Manchester United's handling of investigation..

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Mason Greenwood's last appearance for Manchester United was against West Ham in January 2022

Gary Neville says Manchester United's handling of the Mason Greenwood investigation has been "pretty horrible" and lacked strong leadership.

Greenwood, 21, will leave the club by mutual agreement after a six-month internal investigation.

It came after charges against the player, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February.

"It was clear from day one that he wouldn't play for Manchester United again," said former defender Neville.

Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Neville, 48, who made 602 appearances for United, added: "The process in getting there has been pretty horrible. When you have significant situations, and difficult situations like this, it requires strong authoritative leadership. And that comes from the very top. Manchester United don't have that."

Fellow pundit and former England midfielder Karen Carney said the matter was "handled poorly" and it was a "really uneasy situation for me".

England international Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 following allegations surrounding material which was published online.

In a statement, Greenwood accepted he had "made mistakes" and took his "share of responsibility", but added: "I did not do the things I was accused of."

United have said "based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged", adding: "All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United."

An announcement of the investigation's results was expected before United's opening Premier League game of the season against Wolves on 14 August, but the decision was delayed amid fierce debate about Greenwood's potential reintegration at Old Trafford.

The club said they wanted to consult with their women's team, some of whom were part of England's World Cup squad playing in Australia, before announcing a decision about Greenwood's future.

In an open letter to United supporters on Monday chief executive Richard Arnold said the club had "limited powers of investigation" and "were reliant on third-party co-operation" as they "sought to collate as much evidence as possible to establish facts and context".

He added: "Reintegration was one of the outcomes we considered and planned for. For context, over the course of the past six months several outcomes have been contemplated and planned for, and my view has evolved as our process progressed."

Carney, 36, who chaired a major review into the women's game, added: "I think Manchester United as an institution, as football club and what is stands for, has handled this really really poorly.

"I think from statements, that have been confusing and conflicting to everybody. From leaks. From involving stakeholders unnecessarily. I.e. female players, our Lionesses."

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'It should have been dealt with independently'
Greenwood's potential return prompted a group of female United supporters to protest outside Old Trafford before the Wolves game on 14 August, and said they wanted the club to "demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach" towards violence against women.

Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return put out a lengthy statement to say the striker's reintegration would tell them "as women, that we don't matter".

Greenwood's contract at Old Trafford runs until 2025, and he could now be sold or loaned to another club for the remainder of his deal. He remains on full pay but will not return to training with United.

Neville also claimed United should not have been in the situation where the were presiding over a matter where they did not possess the requisite experience, and called for the introduction of an independent panel for the future.

"On an issue like domestic abuse, on violence against women, there needs to be independence," he said.

"It shouldn't be that Manchester United are the judge and jury on such a significant issue. Not just for themselves, but also for the game. People talk about the reputation of Manchester United but it's the Premier League here as well.

"My view is that on issues of this importance, and severity, they should be dealt with independently by a panel.

"It's been clear that Manchester United have not had the skill and ability to deal with this situation properly. It's been well above their grade of experience and ability."

Sports lawyer Chris Farnell told BBC News: "Manchester United are damned if they did, and damned if they don't.

"If they had done a quick analysis they would be told it should be more in depth. Because it's been in depth it's 'taken too long'.

"I think the important thing is you have to look into the conclusions Manchester United have to come to and reasons behind it."

So he's apparently off to Italy or Turkey, the dustbins of European football.
Even the Saudis won't touch him.

Mason Mount: Injured Manchester United midfielder set to miss next two games..

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Mason Mount has been capped 36 times by England and scored five goals

Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount is set to miss the club's next two Premier league matches with injury.

The Red Devils said Mount is expected to be out until after the international break because of a "small complaint" sustained in last weekend's 2-0 defeat by Tottenham.

Mount joined United from Chelsea in June in a deal worth an initial £55m.

Erik ten Hag's side will host Nottingham Forest on Saturday before travelling to Arsenal on 3rd September.

England international Mount, 24, is also a doubt for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on 9th September.

Mount was given a starting place for United's opening two Premier League games by Ten Hag but has struggled to make an impact.

He was substituted after 68 minutes of United's 1-0 win over Wolves on the opening day and replaced by Christian Eriksen.

The midfielder was also withdrawn for Facundo Pellistri with five minutes remaining of United's match at the Tottenham Stadium last Saturday.

Amrabat to United - Mark Ogden, Senior writer for ESPN on the Football Daily podcast

Ten Hag’s wanted Amrabat for a while, I think he’s realises that he’s really light in midfield. They haven’t quite solved that problem of getting the ball and holding it in midfield.

Mason Mount isn’t a guy that will be box-to-box or commanding in midfield.

Amrabat enables United to keep possession, win possession, find a pass. He ticks a lot of boxes in midfield. I think he’s what they need.

Fiorentina's Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is training alone, boosting Manchester United's hopes of signing the 27-year-old.

United need to move players out, especially midfielders, to bring more midfielders in. So that’s the challenge they’ve got right now.

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