The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Manchester United

  • Manchester United draw Celta Vigo in Europa League semi-final

    Manchester United draw Celta Vigo in Europa League semi-final

    Manchester United face Celta Vigo and Ajax have drawn against Lyon in the Europa League semi-finals.

    Jose Mourinho’s men battled past Anderlecht in extra-time thanks to a winner from young striker Marcus Rashford on Thursday, winning 3-2 on aggregate.

    Their semi-final opponents, Spanish side Celta, eliminated Genk 4-3 on aggregate after drawing 1-1 in the second leg in Belgium this week.

    The first-leg of their encounter on will be play March 4, before welcoming them back to Old Trafford the following week.

    Meanwhile, Ajax, who beat Schalke in the last round with a 4-3 aggregate win after extra-time, will host Lyon in the first leg of the tie.

     

  • Giggs searching for the right club

    Giggs searching for the right club

     

    Ryan Giggs is ready to take his first proper foray into management once he finds the right club and chairman to work for.

    Giggs has been out of work since leaving Manchester United following the appointment of Jose Mourinho, having spent two years working as Louis van Gaal’s assistant and also briefly taken charge as caretaker manager after David Moyes’ exit.

    The former Wales international was strongly linked with the Swansea City vacancy before they opted for Paul Clement and he believes his first club has to be a good fit.

    “The only one I can really say is Swansea,” Giggs told the Daily Mail when asked about the teams he has been in contact with.

    “I feel like I’ve done my apprenticeship with two years of brilliant education under Louis. If the right club and the right chairman comes along, I’ll be ready.

    “I’d rather go into a decent League One or Championship team, who’ve got the right ideas and the right aspirations, than a Premier League team who haven’t.”

    Giggs suggested his reputation as a player – winning 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two Champions Leagues in 24 years at United – may count against him.

    “It frustrates me when you hear people say, ‘You can’t just expect to walk into any job’,” Giggs said. “Well, I think it works against us actually.

    “It can stop you getting jobs. It can hinder, not help. They see the player rather than the coach.

    “That’s understandable, because I was playing for so long and only coached for two years. But I’ve been preparing for it for 10 years, because I started my badges at 30. It really doesn’t matter to me where.

    “It’s a minefield out there, though. You see Warren Joyce, who I worked with for so long. Four months in a job [at Wigan Athletic] – and he’s a very good coach. Very easily your reputation can be ruined in that first job.”

  • Man U set to make £173m move for Neymar

    Man U set to make £173m move for Neymar

    Manchester United are reportedly ready to smash their own world-record transfer fee in order to bring Barcelona winger Neymar to Old Trafford this summer.

    The Red Devils have been linked with the Brazil international for some time now and were given a boost in their pursuit last week when Neymar himself admitted that he wants to play in the Premier League.

    The 25-year-old is understood to be happy at the Camp Nou at the moment, but Barcelona are worried that he could have his head turned by a world-record offer from United.

    Spanish publication Sport claims that United are willing to trigger Neymar’s €200m (£173m) release clause in addition to offering the forward wages of £416,000 a week.

    However, the report goes on to state that Neymar would not consider any move if it means missing out on Champions League football, which could scupper the deal with United currently sitting fifth in the Premier League table.

    Jose Mourinho’s side could still qualify for the Champions League via the top four or winning the Europa League, but negotiations will have to be put on hold until their position is clear.

    United also broke the transfer record last summer when spending £89m to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford.

  • Neymar eyes Manchester United move

    Neymar eyes Manchester United move

    Barcelona sensation Neymar has talked up a possible move to Manchester United, insisting that every player would like to work with Jose Mourinho.

    The Brazil international has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with newspaper reports in February suggesting that United were ready to launch a £200 million bid.

    And Neymar has now opened the door to a possible move to United, insisting that Mourinho’s side are one of the teams that he admires and that “any player” would like to work with the Portuguese.

    He told The Sun: “The Premier League is a championship that amazes me.

    “I like the playing style and the teams. And who knows, someday, I would like to play at it, yes.

    “I admire Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool – these are the teams that are always there fighting.

    “And then you have high-level coaches like Mourinho and Guardiola. These are coaches with whom any player would like to work.

    “In the Premier League you never know who is going to win or who will be champions, it is always a surprise.

    “Leicester are very good. They had a great season last year, they were Premier League champions and therefore we need to respect them if we draw them in the Champions League.”

    Neymar has enjoyed a productive 2016-17 campaign with Barca so far, scoring 14 goals in all competitions.

    The Catalan club are trailing Real Madrid in the Liga title race by two points, with Zinedine Zidane’s side also having a game in hand over their fierce rivals.

    Barca are also in the hunt for Champions League glory, with Neymar having set a record for assists in that particular competition, and will face Juventus in the quarter-finals following a miraculous comeback win over PSG.

  • Man U confirm Schweinsteiger´s MLS switch

    Man U confirm Schweinsteiger´s MLS switch

     

     

     

    Manchester United have confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger will join Major League Soccer team Chicago Fire, subject to a medical and a visa.

    Chicago announced the transfer with statements from the 2014 World Cup winner and their coach Velijko Panuovic in the Chicago Tribune, which reported a one-year deal had been agreed.

    In a statement on their official website on Tuesday, United said the move would go ahead and that their MLS counterparts were “keen to finalise a swift transfer” for the out-of-favour midfielder.

    “I am sad to leave so many friends at Manchester United but I am grateful to the club for allowing me the chance to take up the challenge at Chicago Fire,” Schweinsteiger said on United’s official website.

    “I have enjoyed working with the manager, the players and staff here and wish them all the best in the future. But I have to reserve special thanks to the united fans – whose support has been a very special part of my time in Manchester.

    “I was delighted to be part of the squad that won the FA Cup for them last season and will always remember their energy and their passion. Now is the right time for me to start a new chapter in Chicago and I am looking forward to it.”

    Schweinsteiger joined United in July 2015 from Bayern Munich but was forced to train alone or with United’s under-23 side when Jose Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal as manager and made it clear he was not part of his plans.

    The 32-year-old battled back into contention and has made four appearances this term, scoring in the FA Cup victory over Reading, but his first-team opportunities were set to remain limited.

  • Pogba takes 3 months to pay £100 bill debt

    Pogba takes 3 months to pay £100 bill debt

     

     

     

    Is it possible for Manchester United forward Paul Pogba who takes home £290,000 a year to lack the money to pay a removal man?

    May be you will find it strange, but the 24-year-old player has taken more than three months to cough up £100 to pay a removal van.

    Removal man Kondi Moyo has revealed he wasn’t been paid after he and a friend helped the footballer move into his multi-million pound mansion last year.

    The footballer is already known to drive a hard bargain after knocking £600,000 off the asking price of his Cheshire home.

    He paid £2.9m for the swanky five-bedroom home that was up for sale at £3.49million.

    Pogba saved himself a fortnight’s wages with the cut-price deal – but apparently couldn’t find a £100 to pay Mr Moyo.

    The removal man told The Sun: ‘He might be the most expensive footballer on the planet but he played me like a fool.

    ‘It was an honest morning’s work and completed on the understanding we would be paid at the end of the job.’

    The 44 year old has run Manchester-based removals firm Grey Panther for ten years.

    He was asked to move boxes from storage to the star’s home in Altrincham, Cheshire.

    His management said they had paid by bank transfer on several occasions and vowed to do so again. But on Friday Moyo said it still had not appeared.

  • Man Utd striker Rashford to join England senior squad

    Man Utd striker Rashford to join England senior squad

    Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford will be named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad on Thursday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 19-year-old was initially expected to feature for the England Under-21 side in friendlies against Germany and Denmark next weekend.

    But with England forwards Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney both ruled out through injury, Rashford will be called up.

    England face Germany away in a friendly before a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley on 26 March.

    Rashford made a goal-scoring debut for England in a 2-1 win over Australia in May last year and has collected six senior caps.

    He was a late inclusion for Manchester United in their 1-0 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea on Monday, having been omitted from the initial squad due to illness.

    England captain Rooney was ruled out of Manchester United’s trip to the capital with a leg injury sustained in a training ground collision.

    Also, Tottenham striker Harry Kane went off with an ankle injury against Millwall on Sunday.

    Spurs said the injury is similar to the one Kane picked up against Sunderland on 18 Sept. 2016.

     

  • Ibrahimovic hit with three-match ban

    Ibrahimovic hit with three-match ban

     

     

    Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been slapped with a three-match ban by the Football Association following his controversial elbow on Tyrone Mings.

    Ibrahimovic accepted the violent conduct charge while Mings and Bournemouth have said they will appeal against the decision.

    The former Sweden international lashed out on Mings during a coming together in the Cherries’ penalty area after the Bournemouth defender appeared to stamp on Ibrahimovic’s head.

    Mings claimed after the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford that it was accidental but the FA hinted he would be hit with a severe suspension.

    Ibrahimovic, who was reluctant to discuss the incident on Saturday, will now miss his side’s upcoming FA Cup tie with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

    He will also sit out his side’s Premier League matches with both Southampton and West Brom.

    The FA released the following statement: ‘Zlatan Ibrahimovic will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of violent conduct and accepted the standard penalty.

    ‘It follows an incident in or around the 44th minute of the game between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth on Saturday (4 March 2017).

    ‘The misconduct was not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video.’

    Jose Mourinho will however be able to call on Ibrahimovic’s services for United’s two-legged affair with Russian outfit Rostov.

    Ibrahimovic is expected to start the Europa League last 16 first leg tie with Marcus Rashford likely to fill in for the suspended striker in domestic competitions.

    Mings said after being quizzed on the incident: ‘It was a good battle, you know exactly what you are going to get playing against him. There will be things highlighted more than others, but I enjoyed it.’

    Ibrahimovic, on the other hand, said Mings ‘jumped into’ his elbow. 

    ‘In my situation, I jump up, I jump high,’ the Swede said. ‘At the same time I protect myself and unlucky he jumps into me. Many times this occasion happens.’

    Referee Kevin Friend missed the incidents which allowed the FA to punish both players. Andrew Surman ended up seeing red for pushing over Ibrahimovic and picking up his second yellow card of the game. 

  • Why Manchester’s Ibrahimovic is called ‘the Big Man’

    Why Manchester’s Ibrahimovic is called ‘the Big Man’

    Manchester United striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is called ‘the Big Man’ by his team-mates, because of his huge manhood.

    According to The UK Sun, the other members of the squad became aware of his large package, because he strolls around the dressing room naked.

    Old Trafford staff initially believed the nickname was because of his 6ft 4in frame, until the story went round.

    “Zlatan’s obviously a big bloke and now it appears it’s in more ways than one,” a source told The Sun.

    “The players call him Big Man as a bit of a joke about his package.

    “When the others put towels on after a shower, he walks about naked. He doesn’t lack confidence and it’s easy to see why.”

    Ibrahimovic was lucky to avoid a red card  as United were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth, but is facing a retrospective three-match ban for elbowing Cherries defender Tyrone Mings in the first half.

  • Evra wishes Ji-Sung happy birthday in style

    Evra wishes Ji-Sung happy birthday in style

     

    Patrice Evra, has been up to his social media antics once again, this time is wishing former Manchester United team-mate Park Ji-Sung a happy birthday in his own unique fashion.

    The Marseille left-back took to Instagram on Saturday to wish the South Korean a happy 36th birthday.

    However, it’s Evra, so it’s not as simple or as plain as that. The French defender,  amusingly super-imposed their faces onto Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan on the cover of Rush Hour 3.

    This is the second time now that Evra has posted the Rush Hour mock-up on Instagram, so perhaps Evra is actually interested in starring in the classic film series.

    In his social media birthday message, French defender Evra wrote ‘I lOVE YOU FOREVRA’

    Evra and Park, who retired from football in 2014, enjoyed six successful years together and formed a strong friendship at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.

    Evra signed for Ligue 1 outfit Marseille from Juventus in January this year and the French side currently sit 6th in the table with 12 games left.

    Meanwhile Park, who returned to United back in 2014 as a club ambassador, is studying Management, Law and Humanities of Sport MA at University.