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Wrexham talisman Paul Mullin scored on his return from injury against Salford City but was spotted grimacing in pain at the end of the game.

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• Mullin returns from injury against Salford
• Scores on first start of the season
• Looked in pain at the end of the win

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mullin made his first start of the season on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy against Salford City and went on to score the opening goal in a 2-1 win for the Red Dragons. The forward has returned to action after missing the start of the season following back surgery in the summer. However, Mullin did appear to be in some pain as he made his way out of the dugout at the end of the game, sparking fears he may be set for another lay-off.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham will be hoping that Mullin did come through the game unscathed, particularly as Phil Parkinson's League One leaders face a crunch game against big-spending Birmingham City next. Parkinson explained after the game that Mullin's early substitution had been planned, as it was his first minutes of the season, and also said his striker felt in good shape.

• WHAT WREXHAM HAVE SAID

  Parkinson added to Wrexham's media channel: "So pleased, first of all it was a typical Paul goal, a great finish. I think more importantly for Paul, he felt in good shape and he worked hard, and he needed to do that tonight to get the benefit of the match practice. Of course the goal is a bonus but we know he scores. It was important though to see, can we take him a step closer to starting a league game."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM

  Mullin has played a key role in Wrexham's rise through the divisions to League One and will hope to continue in the 2024-25 campaign after making his comeback. Wrexham will be hoping that he can shrug off any discomfort felt after his first start of the season and be available for their 'Hollywood derby' at St Andrew's on Monday.

Celtic are one step away from winning the Scottish Premiership title as they prepare to travel away to face Kilmarnock in the top-flight on Wednesday night.

The Hoops need just one point from the game to officially confirm themselves as the champions of the division for the third year running, after winning the league in both of Ange Postecoglou's seasons in charge.

A huge 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm clash on Saturday has put them in prime position to celebrate this week, whether that comes against Kilmarnock on Wednesday or at home to St Mirren at the weekend.

The Scottish giants will then need to turn their attention to the SFA Cup final against their local rivals at Hampden Park towards the end of this month, as they look to complete a domestic double under Brendan Rodgers.

They will then be able to fully focus on the upcoming summer transfer window and how they could improve the playing squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

One player who could be replaced, in terms of his position as a regular starter, is left-back Greg Taylor, and the Hoops have been linked with a move for a Premier League full-back already this year.

Celtic's interest in Wolves whiz

TEAMtalk reported in March that the Bhoys were very keen on a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Hugo Bueno in the January transfer window.

They claimed that the club were 'extremely' interested in a swoop for the Spanish dynamo and went as far as making an offer to the Premier League club.

Celtic attempted to land the 21-year-old star on loan until the end of the season but Gary O'Neil's side rejected their approach, and opted to keep hold of him for the remainder of the campaign.

Rodgers wanted 'fresh legs' in the full-back positions and had identified Bueno as a key target in January to bolster his side ahead of the season half of the term.

They could not convince Wolves to part ways with the young gem midway through the campaign but TEAMtalk's report in March claimed that the Scottish side are set to return for the left-back in the summer.

The outlet stated that a move to Parkhead is still possible for him in the upcoming transfer window and that Rodgers is now set to battle it out with clubs from Spain and France to land his signature.

Bueno wants to play regular first-team football and the report claimed that a move to Paradise this summer could be his chance to go out and play week-in-week-out.

The left-footed ace could come in to replace Greg Taylor, who struggled in the Old Firm clash on Saturday, in the left-back spot in the starting XI next season.

Greg Taylor's form this season

Celtic ran out 2-1 winners against Rangers at the weekend and the full-back struggled at times with Dujon Sterling and James Tavernier pushing on down his side.

The Scotland international was awarded a match rating of 4/10 by Football Insider reporter Sean Fisher, who described his performance as 'uncomfortable' from a defensive perspective.

He lost 100% (3/3) of his ground duels on the day, as Rangers' players found it too easy to get the better of him on the deck, but did win eight of his 12 aerial battles.

Taylor, who failed in his only attempted dribble, also lost possession 19 times in total down the left flank, as he struggled to remain efficient in his use of the ball.

The Scottish dynamo has, however, offered an attacking threat on the left in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, whilst his defensive work has left a bit to be desired.

As you can see in the table above, he has chipped in with seven direct goal contributions but has lost the majority of his aerial duels and only just won over half of his battles in total.

Rodgers wanting to sign another left-back, both in January and now in the summer, suggests that he is looking at players who could possibly come in as an upgrade on him, which is why the manager could ditch him by signing Bueno at the end of the season.

Why Celtic should sign Hugo Bueno

The Hoops should swoop to sign the 21-year-old star on a permanent deal if possible as, at his age, he has many years left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that the talented gem would arrive as a long-term addition to the squad.

Bueno, whose development has been hailed as "incredible" by Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs, has only started seven of his 21 appearances in the Premier League this season but has showcased signs of quality in the top-flight over the last year.

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish youngster has provided far more to his team from a defensive perspective than Taylor has for Celtic, with significantly more tackles, blocks, and clearances per 90 combined.

He has also created 0.07 more xAG per 90 in big competitions – against high-quality opponents – and this speaks to his ability to make things happen in high-pressure matches.

Bueno, who won 88% of his duels in the EFL Cup this season, has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Taylor if he can translate that form over to the Premiership, whilst possibly improving upon it with the dominance Celtic have in matches.

The 21-year-old star could come in as a fantastic prospect with room to grow and develop over the years to come, whilst also having the ability to instantly replace the Scotland international, which is why Rodgers could brutally ditch his current left-back by signing the Wolves ace.

The right-back is wanted at Santiago Bernabeu, but it's telling that he still dreams of captaining his hometown club

Trent Alexander-Arnold is understandably growing weary of all of the incessant and intense speculation surrounding his future. "Look," the Liverpool right-back told reporters on Saturday, "I have been at the club for 20 years now. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public. This one won't be either."

Unfortunately, that's wishful thinking on Alexander-Arnold's part. He may be admirably reluctant to make a big deal out of the fact that his current deal expires at the end of the season – or talk openly about the precise nature of the negotiations (if indeed there are any right now!) – but Alexander-Arnold's situation is a topic of constant discussion in and around Anfield right now.

And how could it not be? He is Liverpool's local lad made not just good – but great. Indeed, shortly before speaking to the press after the 3-0 win over Bournemouth, Alexander-Arnold registered his 100th goal involvement for the Reds. Of greater significance, though, is the fact that in precisely 100 days he’ll be free to speak with Real Madrid about joining Jude Bellingham at Santiago Bernabeu next summer.

What chance, then, do Liverpool have of holding onto their beloved homegrown hero, given the longer this drags on, the more likely it seems that Alexander-Arnold will leave Anfield?…

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  'I want to win trophies'

  While Alexander-Arnold has never expressed any desire to actually leave Liverpool, he did admit on Saturday that the prospect of success will be the determining factor in his decision over his future. "The most important thing is always trophies," he said. "I want to win trophies, I am a player who is highly motivated by trophies and winning things and being elite… That is what drives me."

  It's, thus, easy to understand why he would be interested in joining Madrid, who have won more European Cups than any other club. They are footballing royalty, a team that nearly every elite player dreams of joining – as Liverpool know only too well. Academy graduates Steve McManaman and Michael Owen both found the lure of Madrid impossible to resist.

  McManaman had his issues with Liverpool ahead of his exit on a Bosman in 1999 – he felt underappreciated, underpaid and was annoyed by the presumption that he would eventually extend his expiring contract just because he was a Scouser – but he was also seduced by the allure of "that white kit, Di Stefano, Puskas and all of that history".

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  'Regret this forever if I say no'

  Owen was just as excited by the prospect of moving to Madrid, but "didn't sleep for a week before" leaving Liverpool, so torn was he over turning his back on the club that had launched him towards superstardom.

  "Even on the drive to the airport, I was crying my eyes out, I don't mind telling you," the Ballon d'Or winner told GOAL. "Because you think you're going to be a Liverpool player for life. But then you think, 'Oh my God, it's Real Madrid – I'll regret this forever if I say no.' It was a chance to experience a different league, a different country, a different language, a different culture.

  "It was about being able to play in that famous white kit, to play in the Bernabeu, to play with (Zinedine) Zidane, (Luis) Figo, (David) Beckham, Roberto Carlos. But even then, two seconds later I was thinking, 'No, I want to be at Liverpool for the rest of my life.' So, it was just one of those really tough, life-changing calls."

  Alexander-Arnold is now facing just as momentous a decision.

• 'Not sure he likes Trent'

  Much has obviously been made of the recent change of coach at Anfield, with Arne Slot having replaced Jurgen Klopp at the helm during the summer – and that's understandable to a degree. The charismatic Klopp didn't just give Alexander-Arnold his debut, he made him a key player in one of the finest Liverpool teams of all time.

  Despite the versatile defender's obvious world-class qualities, there were no guarantees that Alexander-Arnold would be just as integral a member of Slot's side, and eyebrows were raised when he was taken off in the closing stages of each of Liverpool's first three games of the new Premier League season, particularly as the 25-year-old looked so upset by his withdrawal against Brentford.

  Graeme Souness interpreted the early exits as a sign that Alexander-Arnold may have already made his mind up to join Madrid and that Slot was, thus, prepping Conor Bradley to take over at right-back next season, while Paul Scholes even went so far as to say of the Dutch coach, "I'm not sure if he likes Trent."

  Nothing could be further from the truth, though. Rather than hurting Liverpool's hopes of holding onto Alexander-Arnold, Slot's arrival may have actually boosted them.

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  Slot's 'refreshing' approach

  Alexander-Arnold is his own harshest critic, which is really saying something given we're talking about the most scrutinised defender in world football over the past five years. His crossing and passing are always acknowledged, but every perceived positional error is pored over in the press, whereas English right-back rivals Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker so often get off lightly.

  Even when he performs his defensive duties diligently – as he did against Rafael Leao in last week's Champions League win at AC Milan – he is rarely lauded for that side of his game. It doesn't seem to bother him too much, though, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, in fairness, as this is an ambitious young man who more interested in improvement than praise.

  Consequently, he even went so far as to request that Slot be brutally honest with him at all times.

  "We kind of talked about targets and aims and I said to him that I would like to be the defender that no-one wants to come up against in Europe," Alexander-Arnold revealed on Saturday. "If any time an attacker gets by me and gets past me, he will call it out in meetings and individual meetings and say 'This cannot happen.'

  "So, we go through every game together and he highlights where he wants me to improve. Even in the Milan game, we had about 20 clips going through what I could have done better and the good parts as well. It is really refreshing to have a manager who will help, guide and teach me how to be better as a player. I am someone who wants to learn, someone who wants to be the best and someone who strives to be the best ever."

Jurgen Klopp's long tenure at Anfield came to an end on Sunday when Liverpool came out on top with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.

First half goals from Jarrell Quansah and Alexis Mac Allister were enough to secure all three points for the Reds on Merseyside, as they finished third in the division.

The attention will, possibly after a period of looking back on Klopp's success and legacy on Merseyside, to incoming boss Arne Slot and what he will do with the club moving forward.

With the summer transfer window now fast approaching, the Dutch head coach may already have thoughts on how he would like to shape the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Darwin Nunez axed, £180m trio sign: Arne Slot's dream XI at Liverpool

Things could be looking rather different at Anfield come August.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 9, 2024

One player who he must get rid of, either from the club or as a regular starter, is midfielder Wataru Endo, after he let Jurgen Klopp down one last time with a poor display in the middle of the park.

Wataru Endo's poor performance against Wolves

The Japan international lined up in midfield alongside Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott but left a lot to be desired with his work out of possession throughout the contest, ultimately handed a distinctly average 6/10 rating by Liverpool World.

Whilst Liverpool ultimately won the match against the ten-men of Wolves, who had Nelson Semedo sent off at 0-0 after 28 minutes, Endo was still found wanting on the physical side of the game.

As you can see in the table above, the defensive midfielder lost a whopping 11 of his 18 duels against Gary O'Neil's side, which shows that opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Endo, who also created just 0.04 xA for his teammates, was dribbled past a staggering six times. For context, no player was dribbled past more than 2.2 times per game in the division this season, which speaks to how poor the midfielder was on Sunday.

Why Arne Slot must move on from Wataru Endo

Slot must now make the former Stuttgart star a rotation or back-up player, or find a way to cash in on him this summer, as he should not be a regular starter for the Reds next term.

Signed from the Bundesliga last year, the 31-year-old enforcer has struggled with the physicality of the Premier League at times this season for the Reds.

Endo ended the top-flight campaign with a duel success rate of 44% and a ground duel success rate of just 42%, which shows that opponents got the better of him more often than not.

The experienced battler, who did not register a single assist in the division, was almost dribbled past as many times per game (1.4) as he completed tackles per game (1.7), which illustrates how flaky he was in the middle of the park for Liverpool.

Manchester City's Rodri won 59% of his duels and Arsenal's Declan Rice won 52% of his battles, whilst both players were dribbled past less than once per match on average, and this shows the level of physicality that is required from a player at the base of a title-contending midfield.

Doubters to believers: A tribute to Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp

Anfield will say goodbye to its esteemed manager after nine years of every emotion imaginable.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 19, 2024

Therefore, Slot should look to get rid of Endo from the starting XI next season and potentially look to recruit a stronger defensive midfielder to anchor the side.

Campbell, the 18-year-old American phenom, has been called up to the Borussia Dortmund senior team for match vs Union Berlin

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• USYNT sensation Campbell called up to BVB senior team
• Bundesliga side in injury crisis
• Big opportunity for young American

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Borussia Dortmund manager Nuri Sahin has called up 18-year-old American forward Cole Campbell for the Black and Yellow's Bundesliga match against Union Berlin Saturday. With both Karim Adeyemi and Julian Duranville sidelined, along with Gio Reyna, he was called upon to fill the attacking shoes on the bench.

  Campbell has been with Dortmund since the summer of 2022, signing from Icelandic side Fimleikafeeag Hafnarfjardar.

  Campbell is a recent commit, only joining the U.S. program in spring 2024. On his debut for the U.S., though, he scored twice as the U19 squad defeated England 3-2 in March.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A highly rated dual-national, Campbell's commitment to the U.S. arrived after a conversation with former U.S. international Aron Johannsson early this year, where the ex-USMNT striker informed him that he should opt to represent the USA. GOAL explored Campbell and Johannsson's story.

  On Saturday, the 18-year-old could become the latest American to represent the historic Bundesliga side, following in the footsteps of both Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna. If he makes his debut, he'll be the third American teenager to represent them at age 18.

• DID YOU KNOW?

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CAMPBELL AND BVB?

  The Black and Yellow clash with with Union Berlin at 9:30 am ET Saturday, with the match being streamed in the U.S. on ESPN+. Campbell will look to make his senior debut in the match.

An "exceptional" Manchester United academy graduate is "set to leave" the club during the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano, joining plenty of others out of the exit door in the process.

Varane and Martial leaving Man Utd

This summer threatens to be one of real change at Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe looking to make serious inroads in the transfer market. There is also the future of Erik ten Hag that has to be decided, as those high up at the club choose whether to retain the manager's services or not.

Two players who have no future at United are Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial, both of whom will depart when their respective contracts expire this month.

Varane arrived at Old Trafford amid much fanfare back in 2021, having enjoyed so much Champions League success with Real Madrid – he won Europe's most prestigious competition four times – as well as securing 2018 World Cup glory with France. In truth, the 31-year-old's time with the Red Devils has been disappointing, however, with injuries often getting in the way.

Meanwhile, Martial has been one of the most injury-affected players at United over the past decade or so, arriving from Monaco back in 2015, but so often finding himself on the sidelines. Granted, the Frenchman has still scored 90 goals in 317 appearances for the club, making him a positive signing overall, but his influence has waned as the years have passed.

Now, it looks as though another player is also on his way out of the club, joining Varane and Martial in heading off to pastures new.

Man Utd also set to lose "exceptional" youngster

Taking to X, Romano said that Omari Forson will leave Manchester United when his contract runs out this summer, bringing an end to his time at the club:

"Omari Forson, set to leave Manchester United as free agent in June. After his debut in February with Man Utd first team, Omari’s set for new chapter. There are several clubs already keen on signing Forson, as 19 year old striker is attracting interest."

It is a shame to see Forson move on, considering the 19-year-old has been such a highly thought of figure at United for some time, even being likened to Kobbie Mainoo in terms of talent. Meanwhile, academy director Nick Cox has heaped praise on the youngster:

"On the pitch he was part of our successful FA Youth Cup-winning squad in 2022. Interestingly, Omari didn’t feature heavily in the cup run but showed exceptional resilience, and that’s a reminder that the journey isn’t always smooth and straightforward."

This does feel like the right decision, however, with Forson's minutes likely to remain limited moving forward, especially with United expected to make further attacking signings in the summer transfer window.

The young Englishman is better off finding another permanent squad where he can be a regular, and the fact that there is already interest in him bodes well for his future.

Napoli are reportedly sizing up a move for Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell as the Serie A side look to add another Premier League star.

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• Napoli interested in Ben Chilwell
• Left-back looking to leave Chelsea
• Could sign on loan in January

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chilwell has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca and was told to leave in the summer. He has since returned to the squad but may struggle for regular minutes this season, meaning a January move could be on the cards.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Sun has reported that Napoli are interested in signing Chilwell this season as Antonio Conte is believed to be impressed with the England international. As per the report, the Serie A side could make a loan move for Chilwell this January and then make a permanent transfer in the summer of 2025.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Italian giants have actively bought from the Premier League since Conte joined the club this summer. Napoli signed Scott McTominay from Manchester United and Billy Gilmour from Brighton in the summer, and both have been on top form this season.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CHILWELL?

  The England international will likely be in the squad for Chelsea's next clash against Liverpool on Sunday, October 20. However, it remains to be seen if he will be granted any game time.

Unai Emery may have already identified the next piece of his Aston Villa jigsaw, with the former Arsenal boss tipped to make a mega move for a Premier League star early in the transfer window.

Villa gearing up for Champions League football

After a historic season, Aston Villa will be playing Champions League football for the first time under its current name, and are already moving to ensure that their squad is strong enough to do so.

They have been strongly linked with a move for free agent Mario Hermoso, while the likes of Wilfried Ndidi, Michael Olise and most recently defender Archie Brown are all also thought to be on their radar.

Villa could sign Palmer & Saka hybrid who's 'one of the best in the world'

Aston Villa could sign a player who’s like Saka and Palmer.

By
Joe Nuttall

May 30, 2024

They have already made their most important signing of the window, tying Unai Emery down to a new long term deal that keeps him at the club until 2029 amid widespread interest in the Spaniard.

But attentions now turn back to the pitch, and there is one man Villa are hoping to snag on the cheap.

Villa keen on Chelsea midfielder

That comes in the shape of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. As per the Independent, Villa are eyeing a move for the 24-year-old, who is widely expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer amid interest from across the Premier League.

It is claimed that there is "hope a deal can be done" as "Chelsea need to make major sales before 30 June", though the Villans are also somewhat hamstrung by financial restrictions.

They can offer Champions League football though, and Emery is said to be a massive fan since he "believes can suit their new approach" and help bolster his midfield ahead of the new season.

Though not necessarily the most stylish and easy on the eye player, Gallagher's value is recognised by those he plays with. This season, Moises Caicedo has been stationed in midfield with the Englishman, and has spoken highly of the Cobham youth product.

"Conor is like a machine, you know? I like to play alongside Conor and Enzo. With Conor, he has different characteristics. Enzo is more an offensive player and Conor is more defensive and he helps me a lot when we need to recover the ball. It’s amazing to play with both of them", the ex-Brighton man told the Chelsea website.

But whether or not they are playing together next season remains unclear, with Gallagher having long been touted as a potential sale this summer due to his status as home grown, which makes navigating financial fair play easier for the Blues.

With one year left on his £50,000 a week deal in west London, Gallagher has made no secret of his desire to play for Chelsea, but may not have a choice and though Chelsea may have to compromise somewhat on their £50m asking price, he could be moved on.

Throughout the process of rebuilding Manchester United, plenty of enormous decisions will be made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Unfortunately, he comes into the role of the back of one of the Red Devils worst campaigns in recent years, finishing eighth in the Premier League.

Because of the underperformance of individuals, changes will be made in abundance, with incomings and outgoings guaranteed.

That said, there will be some individuals who keep their spot in the future of the club, with Erik ten Hag being one of them.

Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United

According to transfer expert David Ornstein of The Athletic, Ten Hag will remain as Man Utd manager.

The Dutchman experienced an incredible amount of criticism over the campaign for his team's poor results and performances, with his chances of staying as boss being 50/50.

However, after looking at replacements such as Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi, and Mauricio Pochettino, Ten Hag was preferred.

The former Ajax boss will now enter negotiations to extend his contract by a further year, as the new owners put their trust in him.

It’s said by journalist Rob Dawson that the FA Cup victory over Manchester City and the EFL Cup win against Newcastle United in his first season strengthened his case, as well as his trust in the youth and the injury crisis he had to deal with.

What this could mean for Jadon Sancho

Plenty of the United squad will be pleased to see Ten Hag stay as the boss, particularly the young duo of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, but one player that will be far from thrilled is Jadon Sancho.

At the beginning of last season, the former Borussia Dortmund ace got into an incident with the manager after he didn’t include him in the matchday squad against Arsenal.

The boss didn’t exactly hold back when asked why the £300k-per-week star wasn’t included, claiming that his absence was due to his poor attitude in training. Then, the attacker hit back at the boss via a social media post, which ultimately saw him banished from the first team and sent on loan to BVB.

Therefore, according to The Mirror, the English winger recently wanted to prove himself to the United faithful and have a future at Old Trafford, but only if Ten Hag wasn’t in charge.

But even when on the field, he hasn’t exactly impressed enough for United to indicate that he must return, with football creator Liam Canning saying that he plays with “no desire.”

Over his 82 appearances with the Red Devil on his chest, Sancho only netted 12 goals and provided six assists, which is hardly a great return for a £73m signing.

Therefore, it’s no surprise to see a recent report from the BBC stating that Sancho will be sold regardless this summer, with United looking for just £40m.

Overall, Ten Hag staying all but puts an end to Sancho’s Man Utd career, unless a miraculous change of events occurs. His signature will go down as a disappointing disaster.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

1

By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

Ronaldinho "brought over 20 people" to negotiate with Manchester United prior to his switch to Barcelona in 2003.

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• Man Utd were interested in Ronaldinho in 2003
• Deal fell through due to complex negotiations
• Instead joined Barcelona from PSG

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In 2003, Ronaldinho was in the ascendancy, having just won the World Cup with Brazil a year earlier and two years out from claiming the Ballon d'Or. With David Beckham's high-profile move to Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson was in search of a marquee signing to replace their English talisman.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Brazilian’s flair, creativity, and sheer skill seemed to be the perfect match for United’s attacking ambitions. However, despite being in pole position to land him, the transfer failed to materialise, with Ronaldinho opting for a move to Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain instead.

• WHAT EX-MAN UTD CEO SAID

  Former Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon, who held the role from 2000 to 2003, recently shed light on why the deal fell through. Speaking on the podcast, Kenyon explained that the negotiations with Ronaldinho became far more complex than the club had anticipated.

  "We did chase him hard. We did look at him hard," he said. "This was the same as any other transfer. Alex [Ferguson] would be involved in it. Critical decisions, why he'd want him, where he wants him, where he would play etc. So, Alex was involved all the way through.

  "Normally, in these cases, you're dealing with the player and his agent. Here, we're dealing with the player, several agents and about 20 other people in the room. He's a great player, but suddenly we're into a whole different thing. Injecting that sort of culture around training, not normally on time, which is different. The Brazilian health culture is different. Fantastic player, but there are all sorts of other things that started to get introduced into all this, and he was clearly coming with a load of people. You know what United was like at that time. It was an institution, no one got treated differently than the rest."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  While missing out on Ronaldinho was a significant blow, United would later turn their attention to another young prospect – Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger was signed shortly after Ronaldinho decided to join Barcelona, and his impact on the club remains historic. Reflecting on the situation, Kenyon said, “It didn’t work out badly, did it?"