Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag named Bruno Fernandes as the club’s new captain, removing Harry Maguire from the role. The decision makes sense given that Maguire rarely plays for the Red Devils.
Manchester United are reportedly ready to sell Maguire, who has been linked with moves to Tottenham and West Ham this summer. The Red Devils are reportedly also interested in signing Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund.
1. Amad Diallo Injured
The Ivorian winger is eager to make his mark at Old Trafford after impressing in his first season with Sunderland last term. He was a half time substitute for the win over Arsenal but only lasted 13 minutes as he suffered a potentially serious injury. Diallo was pictured leaving the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on crutches as he was driven to the team bus, sparking fears that the 21-year-old could have picked up a gruelling ankle injury.
The club are yet to manchester united news the nature of Diallo’s injury, but the youngster has eased fans’ concerns by confirming that the twisted ankle he suffered is ‘nothing serious’ and he will be back in action soon. He posted a picture of himself on Instagram with the caption: ‘I feared the worst but alhamdullilah nothing serious back soon Inch’Allah’.
Diallo’s omission from the squad will be a major blow for the club as they continue their pre-season tour in the United States. He was expected to be a key player in Ten Hag’s plans this season after impressing during his first season with the Under-23s at Old Trafford. The United boss was impressed with the Ivorian’s loan spell at Sunderland, where he scored 13 goals in 37 Championship appearances.
It would have been a great opportunity for the youngster to stake his claim for a first-team spot at Old Trafford following his impressive loan spell in the Championship with Sunderland. However, the 21-year-old is now facing a race against time to recover from this serious injury and prove his fitness before he can make his mark at the club.
The Red Devils’ next friendly is against Wrexham on Wednesday, but Diallo is unlikely to feature as the medical team will be monitoring his progress closely. The club will hope that he can return to training before the start of the Premier League season, but they may be forced to reschedule some pre-season fixtures in order to accommodate his recovery. It is also a blow for fans who will be hoping to see the Ivorian in action this year.
2. Mason Greenwood Not Travelling For Tour
Manchester United are in the US for a two-week tour, with games against Arsenal in New Jersey, Wrexham in San Diego, Real Madrid in Houston and Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas. But, according to the Athletic, youngster Mason Greenwood will not be joining the squad for those fixtures after the club launched an investigation into the 21-year-old following his arrest on suspicion of rape and assault in January 2022. The charges were later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service earlier this year, but United will carry out their own internal probe into the matter and Greenwood will not train or play for them until that process is complete.
The 21-year-old has been training privately with the club’s blessing and was recently pictured undergoing a private training session in a bid to keep fit, but it is now understood that he will not be joining up with the tour of America. Despite this, The Athletic state that Greenwood’s future with the club is still up in the air and that he is likely to leave on loan next season to a top European side such as Atalanta, whose manager Rasmus Hojlund was recently linked with a move for the youngster.
United’s senior players are set to fly out to the US on Thursday ahead of games against Lyon, Arsenal and Wrexham but Greenwood will be absent from the team in a move that is likely to irk him. United’s tour will allow Ten Hag to get a closer look at the youth players in his squad and youngsters such as Dan Gore, Facundo Pellistri, Hannibal Mejbri and Kobbie Mainoo will be hoping to make a case for themselves against the senior group of players.
The likes of Harry Maguire, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata have all made the leap from the academy into the first team under Ten Hag, while striker Alejandro Garnacho also has a chance to establish himself as a regular in the senior squad if he can impress on this trip. The manager will be eager to ensure that the younger players are given as much exposure as possible during their time in the States, while also ensuring that senior players such as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Romelu Lukaku stay fully focused on the task at hand.
3. Harry Maguire’s Captaincy Removed
Harry Maguire has been stripped of the captaincy at manchester united by manager Erik ten Hag as he looks to shore things up at centre-back. The England defender had been named the captain under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but has fallen down the pecking order this summer with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez preferred to him. Maguire has hardly featured under ten Hag, with Bruno Fernandes taking over as skipper for the tour of the USA and a couple of preseason matches.
Maguire is open to leaving the club but is yet to decide on his next move, with West Ham keen on a loan deal for him. The Hammers are aware that wages could prove to be a stumbling block though as they look to bring in the defender for the rest of the season.
Man Utd have already lost the services of two first-team players this summer as Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw have both left Old Trafford for the second time in their careers. And now they are preparing to lose another senior defender in the shape of Jonny Evans who has been told that his contract will not be extended beyond the end of this season.
Evans spent almost all of his career at the club, making 198 appearances and winning three Premier League titles, but he has failed to impress new boss ten Hag. He is thought to be a good defensive player but the Dutchman is not impressed by his attitude and has decided that it is best to let him go.
The 30-year-old is understood to be open to leaving Man Utd but it will come down to whether he can find a suitor willing to pay his wages. He is being monitored by clubs in the Premier League and abroad but wages will be a major factor. United are expected to open their league campaign against Manchester City on August 11 and they will want to make sure that the defence is as strong as possible. They are currently ranked fifth in the Premier League table with just two points from their opening two games.
4. Alex Telles Seals Al Nassr Transfer
The Alex Telles move from Manchester United to Al Nassr has been sealed, according to reports. The 30-year-old defender has opted to leave Old Trafford after being cast out of the first-team by manager Erik ten Hag last season. The left-back was loaned to Sevilla last term, where he made 38 appearances and helped the club win the Europa League.
Telles joined the Red Devils in 2020 from Porto in a PS13 million deal but was never able to push Luke Shaw into the starting lineup. The Spaniard was always ahead of Telles in the pecking order and the club also brought in a backup left-back last year in Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord.
TELLES WANTS NEW ADVENTURE
Telles has now opted for a fresh start in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr after the transfer was confirmed on Sunday. The club is yet to reveal the length of the contract but the terms are believed to be around PS4 million a season plus add-ons.
He will be reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo at the club, as the pair played together for Portugal at the World Cup. He was not called up for this summer’s tournament in Russia, though, as Telles picked up a knee injury during the group stage with Sevilla. The defender is expected to return to the pitch when the Spanish league resumes on Thursday, with the team facing PSV in their opening Europa League clash.
The club is likely to use the funds raised from the sale of Telles and other players to bolster their squad. They are already set to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana from Juventus and manager Erik ten Hag has hinted at another arrival before the season starts. The signings will need to be backed up with sales to balance the books and allow ten Hag to assemble a strong squad for the 2023/24 campaign. He will be keen to bring in a top-class striker in time for the new season, too. He is a target for Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries, who is represented by the same agent as Telles.
Conclusion
As of the latest available information, Manchester United’s current status and news are beyond my knowledge cutoff of September 2021. For the most up-to-date news on Manchester United, I recommend checking reputable sports news sources, the official club website, or their social media channels.
FAQs:
- What is Manchester United’s current standing in the Premier League? As my information is limited to September 2021, I cannot provide the current standing. Please check the latest Premier League table or sports news sources for the up-to-date standings.
- Has Manchester United won any recent major trophies? I cannot provide information beyond September 2021. To find out about Manchester United’s recent trophy wins, refer to the latest sports news or the club’s official website for the most recent achievements.
