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United “determined to sign” ideal Bruno Fernandes replacement, prepared to submit €100m offer – report

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    Manchester United are prepared to pay a massive fee to sign Barcelona talent Fermin Lopez, as per Fichajes.

    Lopez enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, establishing himself as a key part of Xavi’s Barca squad. He made 42 appearances under the club legend and got on the scoresheet 11 times across all competitions.

    The 21-year-old had an even better summer, as he was part of Spain’s Euros as well as Olympics Gold medal winning squad. The young Spaniard has started this season strongly too, having already been directly involved in three goals in all competitions under Hansi Flick.

    United appear to be keen on signing the midfielder, who has earned plenty of plaudits for his ability to find space in the final third and score from near the edge of the box.

    According to Fichajes, United are “determined to sign” Lopez, who they see as “the ideal replacement” for their skipper Bruno Fernandes “in the medium term.”

    Ruben Amorim’s arrival is likely to start another wave of big spending at Old Trafford, as INEOS are expected back their new head coach by giving him suitable players to reshape the United squad as per his ideas.

    The Spanish outlet claim that the Premier League giants are “planning a strong investment” in the next summer transfer window.

    Lopez appears to be top of their transfer wish-list as it is claimed United are “willing to do everything” they can to secure his services.

    They are allegedly prepared to offer a fee of around €100m to test Barca’s resolve. 

    The La Masia product is tied to Barca until 2029 and his contract includes a release clause worth €500m.

    Still, it is claimed that United are “confident” that their offer will be enough to negotiate with the La Liga leaders as well as attract the player to England.

    As promising as Lopez is, it is tough to see INEOS offer such a massive fee for one player, amid FFP concerns, let alone for the attacking midfielder who might not even be ready to start over Fernandes for at least a couple of seasons. As such, it is best to take the report with a pinch of salt.

    Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

    “Unassuming” United superstar hailed as a hero both in mid-air and on stage in whirlwind 24 hours

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      Bruno Fernandes currently cannot get out of the spotlight even if he wanted to, after dashing to the aid of a passenger taken ill during an EasyJet flight on his way to picking up an award at a Portuguese gala.

      The Manchester United captain, who marked his 250th appearance for the club with a goal, an assist and a masterclass against Leicester City at the weekend, was honoured at the 2024 Quinas de Ouro gala in Lisbon.

      While Fernandes received another gong for his bulging trophy cabinet, his mid-air actions have hit the headlines harder.

      As per Business Cloud, the 30-year-old raised a cry of “Excuse me! We need help!” from the back of the plane after finding a passenger unwell on his way to the bathroom.

      He reportedly helped the gentleman into a spare seat and stayed with him for a short time while cabin crew rushed to help, before quietly returning to his own seat.

      A fellow passenger described the United hero as “unassuming” and added that “he wasn’t looking for any attention on himself”.

      Fast forward several hours and all eyes were on the former Sporting Lisbon man, who returned to the city to collect an award alongside Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, as the pair made their Portugal U19s debuts together in 2012.

      “It’s my first memory for the national team,” Fernandes said, via the Manchester United website. “It was a special milestone for me and it was great to share that moment with Bernardo.

      “Being in the national team means being among the best, whatever the sport or age group. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to represent your country.”

      The Quinas de Ouro gala gathered players and coaches from men’s and women’s football, as well as beach football and futsal, and its purpose this year was to reward those who have shown “the excellence of being Portuguese”.

      Fernandes wasn’t alone in being recognised for this, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Ruben Dias also collecting prizes.

      And to top off a significant day for him, new United manager Ruben Amorim was also honoured on his first day at work for his new employer.

      Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.

      Amorim ‘asks’ Man Utd to make ‘dream’ signing with ‘expensive flop’ to leave ‘earlier than expected’

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        Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee could reportedly leave the Premier League giants ‘earlier than expected’ following the arrival of Ruben Amorim.

        The Red Devils were busy in the summer following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s takeover as his new recruitment team brought in Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte for around £185m.

        Zirkzee – who joined for around £36m – was Man Utd’s first summer signing and his season got off to a dream start as he scored the winning goal in his side’s 1-0 opening day win against Fulham.

        However, the Netherlands international’s performances have been a major disappointment in recent months. He is without a goal in ten Premier League appearances and has been heavily criticised for his poor form.

        The 23-year-old has slipped behind Rasmus Hojlund in the pecking order and has failed to make an impact off the bench in recent matches.

        In Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game as interim boss, the Red Devils beat Leicester City 3-0 on Sunday. Before this match, United struggled in front of goal and they have still only scored 12 goals in their eleven Premier League matches this season.

        READ: Amorim demands Man Utd sign ‘new De Gea’ from Arsenal to replace ‘resounding failure’

        A report in Italy claims Zirkzee is considered an ‘expensive flop’ and he will be ‘put on the market in January’.

        It is claimed that Zirkzee ‘could leave earlier than expected’ as new head coach Amorim has ‘asked for intervention on the market during the winter transfer window’.

        Amorim has been appointed to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked at the end of last month.

        39-year-old Amorim did a great job at Sporting Lisbon, who have won the Primeira Liga title twice since 2020 and won their first eleven league matches this season.

        Amorim has officially joined Man Utd and his first game in charge will be against Ipswich Town on November 24.

        Ahead of his arrival, Man Utd have been linked with several Sporting Lisbon stars and it’s been claimed that they could look to sign Viktor Gyokeres, who is the 2024 top scorer in Europe.

        MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
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        👉 Van Nistelrooy learns from Ten Hag mistakes to lean on Man Utd trio in superb Leicester win
        👉 ‘Incredible’ Man Utd star ‘loved’ by Amorim with INEOS tipped to ‘sell Ten Hag signings in January’

        The report claims Gyokeres is Amorim’s ‘dream’ signing for Man Utd, while Zirkzee could return to Serie A.

        ‘The situation of the player who grew up in Bayern Munich could be monitored by Italian clubs, who had already been keeping an eye on Zirkzee in the summer.’

        Amorim has ruled out signing Sporting Lisbon stars in January, but he seems open to the idea of raiding his former club next summer.

        He said: “I won’t be signing [Sporting players] in January, that’s what I said.

        “I don’t know about the summer. The main thing is to hold on until the summer [laughs]. After that, we’ll see, Sporting’s players are very good players. I don’t know. We’ll see.”

        United to launch record-breaking operation to land red-hot Bundesliga striker with 61 goals in last two seasons – report

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          After a dismal start under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United regained their form under interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy and are currently only four points off the Premier League top four.

          The former United striker not only steadied the ship, but also got quite a few underperforming stars back on track, which will be a huge help to new head coach Ruben Amorim.

          One of the first tasks for the Portuguese to solve will be trying to get his strikers firing with both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggling big time.

          The Dane only has two goals this term while the summer signing from Bologna only has one and the Red Devils need their front men to start firing if they are to turn the current campaign into a success.

          Goals needed

          There have already been murmurs that Amorim will eventually ask INEOS to go after his Sporting protege Viktor Gyokeres next summer but whether the Swede will agree to leave Lisbon for Old Trafford remains to be seen.

          As relayed by F365, the new co-owners are not putting all their eggs in the same basket and are also eyeing former Tottenham Hotspur top-scorer Harry Kane.

          It is well known that the 20-time English league champions wanted to sign the England international last summer but for Daniel Levy to play spoilsport and Kane eventually swapped the Premier League for the Bundesliga.

          After years of not winning any silverware, he decided to join Bayern Munich and despite a stunning individual campaign, the 31-year-old remained trophyless and is now yearning for a change again.

          And United are not the only club in the race with Paris Saint-Germain also looking at the Englishman. PSG, since Kylian Mbappe’s departure, are searching for a goalscorer and the Bayern No 9 certainly fits the bill.

          Both clubs are reportedly prepared to submit a record bid of €130 million to land the Premier League legend who is just 47 goals shy of breaking Alan Shearer’s record and thus, a move to Old Trafford could be just the switch he needs.

          “It is about Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, who are looking for an offensive reference of absolute guarantees, and they would already have about 130 million euros ready to get Harry Kane to leave Germany.

          Record bid for Kane

          “Manchester United also intend to recruit the Bayern star, after Rubén Amorim has ordered the purchase of a footballer who can lead the project.

          “Erik Ten Hag was convinced that Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund were very interesting footballers, and that they could become world-class stars, but both have failed in the attempt.”

          Since his move to the Bavarian giants, Kane’s record speaks for himself, with 44 goals last term while this campaign, he has already netted 17 times.

          Whether the Red Devils actually have that kind of money remains doubtful but a move for Kane certainly makes a lot of sense. Amorim’s system demands a top-class striker and INEOS need to get one in as soon as possible.

          Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

          Man Utd: Gyokeres snubbed with Amorim urged to sign ‘£120m’ alternative ‘tomorrow’ amid record ‘offer’

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            Ex-Manchester United striker Louis Saha has explained why his former club should avoid Viktor Gyokeres and sign an alternative for £120m.

            Ruben Amorim has left Sporting Lisbon to take over at Man Utd and officially joined the Premier League giants at the start of this week.

            39-year-old Amorim was linked with Liverpool and West Ham in the summer after helping Sporting Lisbon win the Primeira Liga twice since 2020.

            Amorim has helped Sporting Lisbon win their opening eleven Primeira Liga games this season and salvaged five former Premier League flops. 

            Under Amorim, former Coventry City striker Gyokeres has emerged as one of the best strikers in the world and is this year’s top scorer in Europe. 

            Despite this, Saha has explained why his former club should avoid signing Gyokeres next year.

            “It might be surprising, but I don’t think Man Utd should go after Viktor Gyokeres,” Saha said.

            READ: Amorim demands Man Utd sign ‘new De Gea’ from Arsenal to replace ‘resounding failure’

            “I think he is a good player in an incredible run of form, even in the Champions League, but he won’t get the same luxuries as he does at Sporting.

            “Sporting are not under the same pressure as Manchester United, it’s a completely different animal. Right now United have Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and at times the pressure has looked to be a lot for them to handle too.”

            Instead, Saha has called for Man Utd to “spend £120m on Harry Kane” amid reports suggesting they have already made a record ‘offer’ to sign the England international, who could replace two ‘resounding failures’.

            Saha added: “It’s hard to find players who can do what Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland can do, United need to find players that can really hurt the opposition and are proven in doing so and that’s a big task.

            “United have spent a lot of money and I don’t think Gyokeres is the answer, if you can spend £120 million on Harry Kane then they should do it tomorrow, there are very few guarantees in football but that’s what a club like United needs.”

            MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
            👉 Man Utd star told ‘football is not the game for you’ amid criticism: ‘It’s a self-indulgent load of old fanny’
            👉 Man Utd: Amorim ‘asks’ for ‘dream’ signing with ‘expensive flop’ tipped for ‘earlier than expected’ exit
            👉 Man Utd: Solskjaer admits Ronaldo was ‘wrong choice’; reveals he ignored ex-coach’s transfer warning

            Earlier this year, former Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag admitted they “wanted to sign” Kane before they acquired Rasmus Hojlund during the 2023 summer transfer window.

            “You have to accept that you get talent in instead of players who have already proved it in the past,” he explained. “We have had some choices made with talents like Rasmus Hojlund,” Ten Hag said.

            “I can see a striker (Harry Kane) who already proved it, who we want to sign and we couldn’t get him. And then we went to Rasmus because he’s a talent.

            “With Harry Kane you know you get 30 goals. I think Rasmus will get there but he needs time.

            “It’s not fair to assess him the same as Harry Kane. I would never compare two players because they are very different. But with Rasmus Hojlund, we get the highest potential in the striker position last summer.”

            United planning stunning January swap deal for Brazilian wonderkid with Ten Hag recruit set to head the other way – report

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              Erik ten Hag’s tenure came to an end after the defeat to West Ham a couple of weeks ago with INEOS brining in Ruben Amorim from Sporting Lisbon as head coach.

              After a fairly successful first season, the former Dutch manager lost his way and his era was characterised by multiple dressing room rifts while question marks were also raised about his talent identification.

              Most of his signings have failed to have the desired impact with Antony being the worst of the lot and the Brazilian is likely to follow his manager out of the door.

              He managed just 27 minutes of action in the Premier League this term under his former boss with interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy not utilising him at all. He has largely underwhelmed since his £86 million move two summers ago.

              Antony needs to go

              The Portuguese tactician is open to giving him a clean slate but the winger wants more minutes and is set for showdown talks with the club.

              It is unlikely to end well and TBR Football have now revealed that the Red Devils are planning to send the 24-year-old back to his home country in exchange for a standout young Brazilian talent as early as January.

              Flamengo’s 18-year-old playmaker Lorran is someone the 20-time English league champions have been keeping their eyes on for sometime now but lots of other European heavyweights are also looking at the Rio de Janeiro-born star.

              And with Flamengo interested in the former Ajax star, a swap deal could be the best way for United to beat their competition and land the Brazil U17 international in the winter.

              “TBR Football understands Man United might explore using Antony as part of a January bid for young Flamengo star Lorran. United have long-standing interest in 18-year-old Lorran, who is high on the radar of a host of Premier League clubs who are contemplating a move in January.

              “Lorran was strongly linked with a move to England before when United were showing interest, and Dan Ashworth and his team may now have a trick up their sleeves.

              “United have already told Antony he can leave the club in January amid his struggles. And given that Flamengo are one of the sides to show an interest in the winger, he could be involved in talks to sign Lorran at some point.

              Lorran chase

              “However, United are not alone in their admiration for Lorran. West Ham and Brighton also want Lorran in January. Of course, there is also interest from Europe with the likes of RB Leipzig, Marseille and Atalanta.”

              The report also added that Lorran wants to move to England and that the “explosive” talent is ready to handle the physicality of the English top-flight.

              He reportedly has a release clause of €50 million however Flamengo are open to a cut-price exit in January and a swap deal with Antony makes a lot of sense.

              Lorran can play as an attacking midfielder as well as out wide, and versatility will be a key trait to survive in Amorim’s system.

              Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

              Amorim wants to build his team around “forgotten” United star with only 2 league starts this term – report

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                Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount is expected to hugely benefit from Ruben Amorim’s appointment.

                Mount moved to United from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 amid huge expectations. The Champions League-winning playmaker departed his boyhood club as both parties failed to find a consensus on his contract extension.

                Accordingly, his signing, which cost the Mancunians north of £50 million, was seen as a real coup. United certainly had plenty of belief in his skill sets as they handed him their iconic number seven shirt.

                However, akin to most of his signings, Erik ten Hag struggled to get the best out of Mount. Further, his consistent injury issues only made things harder for both the player and the manager.

                During his final days at Old Trafford, Ten Hag couldn’t rely on the Englishman, as he was sidelined due to fitness concerns. He has only managed six appearances across all competitions and just two starts in the Premier League this term.

                However, Amorim is set to “bring back” the “forgotten” star, who is set to play an important role under the Portuguese tactician, claims The Sun.

                It is believed that the former Sporting CP head coach is “planning on putting” the 25-year-old “at the centre of his plans.”

                The report further reads: “Amorim is believed to admire his versatility and thinks he can fit in well with the new system he plans to introduce at Manchester United.”

                Mount’s best spell at Stamford Bridge came under Thomas Tuchel, who fielded a back-three formation, which saw the Chelsea academy product play as one of the two inverted wingers.

                The system is considered “almost identical” to Amorim’s, who also prefers the same formation and, likewise, wants his frontline to remain narrow.

                The timing is in Mount’s favour as the dynamic midfielder has returned to first-team training at United but isn’t part of England’s squad. As such, he would get an opportunity to closely work with his new coach earlier than most of his teammates during the international break.

                Having said that, with just two spots behind the striker up for grabs, Mount is going to face plenty of competition. Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Marcus Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho could all provide different solutions to Amorim.

                It will certainly be interesting to see Amorim’s first starting lineup as United manager against Ipswich Town on November 24.

                Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

                Ferdinand questions Amorim’s first big Man Utd move as RvN is praised for not becoming ‘errand boy’

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                  Rio Ferdinand has suggested that Ruben Amorim could risk upsetting some of the Man Utd players after his decision to let Ruud van Nistelrooy leave Old Trafford.

                  Van Nistelrooy returned to Man Utd in the summer to work as assistant to Erik ten Hag as the Red Devils rejigged his backroom staff.

                  The move didn’t work and Ten Hag was sacked nine matches into the Premier League season with Man Utd currently 13th in the Premier League table.

                  Van Nistelrooy took over as interim boss in an encouraging four-match spell which saw him beat Leicester City twice, win against PAOK in the Europa League and draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford.

                  But Amorim’s first move as Man Utd boss was to break the news to Van Nistelrooy that he would no longer be part of the Old Trafford setup with the Premier League club confirming the news on Monday.

                  And Ferdinand thinks the Man Utd players “had grown to really like” Van Nistelrooy during his short spell in sole charge of the team.

                  Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “His audition couldn’t have gone any better.

                  “I think, knowing him, there was a steely determination underneath that said, ‘I’m going to put myself in the best position, either to stay at the club in some capacity or someone else is going to say we need you as a manager’.

                  MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
                  👉 Man Utd ‘offer’ record-breaking deal for ex-Spurs star as Amorim eyes exit of ‘two resounding failures’
                  👉 Man Utd: Amorim ‘asks’ for ‘dream’ signing with ‘expensive flop’ tipped for ‘earlier than expected’ exit
                  👉 Man Utd star told ‘football is not the game for you’ amid criticism: ‘It’s a self-indulgent load of old fanny’

                  “He looked the part and he produced. The players needed that. We’re in a time where there was a lot of turbulence, the manager’s relationships with some players seemed fractured and irreversible and the fans seemed to have made their minds up that that was it.

                  “And the new manager comes in – and you always get that bounce – but this seemed a bit different from a bounce. The players had grown to really like him, they appreciated how he informed them of different bits and pieces – tactically, individually, as a team – and there was a genuine ‘we want to do well for this guy’.”

                  Dutch football pundit Rene van der Gijp was pleased to see Van Nistelrooy leave Man Utd as the Dutchman would have risked becoming Amorim’s “errand boy”.

                  “He shouldn’t become the errand boy of some Portuguese. You can’t interfere with that. You can’t get a grip on that. Now he’s going away a hero. Now he could come back as head coach.”

                  While Dutch commentator Johan Derksen added: “It was done a bit hastily. Ruud has an aura there, it’s unbelievable.”

                  “Why get rid of him?”: Former United star questions Amorim’s first big call at Old Trafford

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                    Ruben Amorim officially started his job as Manchester United’s new head coach this week and was immediately tasked with some big decisions regarding his coaching staff.

                    None more so than what to do with club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy who had taken charge of the team as the interim manager after Erik ten Hag’s sacking.

                    The former striker had overseen three wins and a draw in his four game in charge whilst United waited for Amorim to finish his stint at Sporting Lisbon.

                    However, Amorim has decided to stick with his staff that have served him so well throughout his fledgling career and move Van Nistelrooy on to seek pastures new.

                    As reported by Give Me Sport, former United defender Rio Ferdinand has had his say on the decision and admits he is unsure whether the new head coach has made the right call.

                    Given Van Nistelrooy’s connection to the to club and relationship with the current playing staff, Ferdinand feels there was still a place for the Dutchman at Old Trafford.

                    “We’ve been sitting here waiting for a manager to connect with the players. We have one right now. Why are you going to get rid of him?” said Rio.

                    Ferdinand added that he believes the players have huge respect for Van Nistelrooy and their want to do well for him would have carried through, had he been kept on by Amorim.

                    “The players had grown to really like him, they appreciated how he informed them of different bits and pieces – tactically, individually, as a team – and there was a genuine ‘we want to do well for this guy’,” he said.

                    Ferdinand continued by saying knowing Van Nistelrooy personally, his “steely determination” would have only helped the new head coach but did acknowledge he may have been a “distraction” given his managerial aspirations.

                    No doubt Van Nistelrooy has steadied the ship and handed over the reigns with United in a much better position than they were in at the time of Ten Hag’s sacking.

                    Despite still lingering in the bottom half of the table, United are only four points off the top four positions and a good run over the Christmas period could dramatically change the mood around Old Trafford.

                    Amorim’s first game in charge looks a winnable one on paper with United travelling to newly-promoted Ipswich Town on Sunday, November 24.

                    Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images

                    Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for two years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology, Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.

                    United on red alert after Premier League rivals name price for their top-scorer this season – report

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                      Manchester United will have a clear run at signing Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku if they match the fee the Blues paid to sign him from RB Leipzig.

                      Reports linking the Frenchman with a move to Old Trafford are gathering pace, and now it is claimed by The Telegraph that as long as United pay £52m to ensure Chelsea break even, they can have their man.

                      The newspaper claimed that Chelsea would listen to offers for their top scorer, whose contract still has four years left to run, “if they can recoup their transfer fee in full.”

                      United are credited with an existing interest in the former Leipzig man from Erik ten Hag’s days in charge, and the Telegraph added, “It remains to be seen whether it will be revived under their new head coach Ruben Amorim.”

                      But given Chelsea’s abundance of attacking talent and the player’s reported desire to leave in search of more game time, it certainly sounds like Nkunku is there for the taking, albeit for probably a higher price than United would want to pay.

                      After an injury-ravaged first season in England, the Frenchman has fallen foul of Chelsea’s intriguing squad setup, featuring most heavily in cup competitions in what many view as Enzo Maresca’s B-team.

                      He has impressed this season, netting 10 goals in 17 matches, but these performances haven’t translated into many Premier League opportunities.

                      The forward has made just one start in the league so far, having to make do with second-half substitute appearances since the opening day, including just a two-minute cameo against Arsenal at the weekend.

                      Chelsea’s squad is notoriously bloated and nowhere more so than in attack, where Nkunku is up against Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, João Félix, United loanee Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto.

                      The Telegraph quote Maresca as perplexingly calling Nkunku “probably our best player in pre-season”, with the Italian continuing to explain that he is now deploying the forward in a different role.

                      It is thought that Amorim will have some money to spend in January, and it seems that a deal for Nkunku is achievable.

                      But that said, United’s new boss has a huge task on his hands if he wants to shape the squad to best fit his preferred 3-4-3 formation, and is surely more likely to pursue effective wing-backs rather than another forward.

                      Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images

                      Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.

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