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Manchester United’s owners are planning to back the club massively in the coming years to raise their value to a staggering £3billion, well, according to reports over the weekend. Edward Glazer recently sent out a prospectus to potential interested parties in the USA after putting three million of his own shares up for sale, with promises of global stars heading to Old Trafford to boost the team’s profile and worth across the globe.

The addition of Angel di Maria, despite a lack of Champions League football, over the summer is an indication of the ambition at the club, and taking advantage of a potential top four finish, which looks likely after the drubbing of Liverpool, is something the hierarchy at Old Trafford are keen to do. But which players will become a part of the ‘Gaalactico’ era?

Here are FIVE we think could be targets…

Gareth Bale

The world’s most expensive player after his £86m move from Spurs to Real Madrid last summer, Bale is certainly not a star out of United’s reach. Reports have already suggested that Los Blancos are, on the quiet, keen to offload their man for a profit, with manager Carlo Ancelotti no longer convinced by the Welsh wing wizard.

Even this season, in which his contribution is being questioned, the 25-year-old has already notched nine goal in 17 appearances, and his stats from 2013/14 are even more impressive – 21 goals and 16 assists. A fee of around £90m – £100m has already been spoken of, which could make Bale the ultimate statement of intent for United.

Thomas Muller

Possibly one of the most underrated players in European football, Muller has been a shining star for some time. The German attacker is by no means a flashy forward, but he gets the job done, as his statistics from the past few seasons truly reveal.

A product of Bayern’s youth set-up, luring the 25-year-old away from the Allianz Arena may be tricky, but the promise of being a key player for United in a, potentially, exciting period may be enough to sway him. The video below shows his best five Bundesliga goals… there are some crackers!

//www.youtube.com/embed/xzJerP4Llv8

Mats Hummels

While the term ‘Galactico’ throws up images of attacking talents such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, a good, solid centre-back can also warrant the tag. In a period of time in which top-class defenders are in limited supply, Hummels looks to be the pick of the bunch, with the German tough and uncompromising in his style of play, while adept enough on the ball to launch attacks and charge forward from the back – hence the Franz Beckenbauer comparisons.

Dortmund are not enjoying a great deal of success in the Bundesliga right now, which has opened the door for the World Cup winner to leave for the right price. And that price may be a ‘Galactico’ figure of £40m+.

Mario Gotze

Another German to consider in Gotze. The slender playmaker has long been considered to be one of Europe’s best passers, and at the age of 22 he’s well and truly on his way to picking up all of the major honours available to him. A controversial move from Dortmund to Bayern in 2013 has yielded success for the starlet, but rumours of a switch away from the Allianz Arena have circulated in recent times.

//www.youtube.com/embed/J0l0CtDMXpY

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As one of the very best ‘No. 10’s’ around, United would benefit massively from adding Gotze to their ranks, with a partnership with Angel di Maria enough to set pulses racing.

Paul Pogba

Now this one would be a shock, but money speaks. Pogba left Manchester United in 2012 to join Juventus, and quickly spoke out about his frustration with life at Old Trafford, suggesting that he would never return to the club. Ironically, the France international appears to be the type of player United now need above all others, which has led to rumours that the Red Devils are among the host of clubs looking at the 21-year-old.

//www.youtube.com/embed/xLkjRYQjfgE

Compared to Patrick Vieira, Pogba has been lauded for his physicality and technique, which have already led to talk that he’s destined to be one of the best central midfielders of his era. Juve tied their man down to a new contract a few months ago, but the Old Lady have already confessed that they cannot compete with the financial power of English clubs… read into that what you will.

Arsenal fans – anyone remember Julio Baptista? The Brazilian striker was only at the Emirates for a single season, and made an overall limited impact on Arsenal’s 2006-7 campaign. A burly forward most familiar with the Spanish style of football after three years in La Liga, he struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League and made little impact on the competition, with over half of his 24 appearances coming as a substitute.

Arsenal had nearly landed Baptista the year before. After two seasons at Sevilla which produced a remarkable 47 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions, by 2005 Baptista was touted as one of the most talented forwards on the market as Real Madrid and Arsenal led the chase to sign him. In addition, the then-24-year-old was an emerging part of the Brazilian national squad, for whom he often featured in more of an attacking midfield position and acted more as a link-up playmaker than a goal threat.

In that one-year stay, however, Baptista did break a club record, registering four goals in a single game againstLiverpoolin the League Cup quarter-finals. It was the performance that summed up why Arsene Wenger had been so interested in Baptista’s services before. A free-kick, a placed 20-yard strike and two tap-ins showed his versatility and for once Baptista’s trickery and guile were complimented by some genuine pace. He could have had a fifth goal but Jerzy Dudek saved his second-half penalty.

Wenger, a staunch defender of the striker throughout his difficult season inEngland, hailed Baptista’s performance after the game, calling him “a mentally very strong player… his quality is fantastic”.

The goals kept coming in the next round of the League Cup as Baptista scored two more against arch-rivals Tottenham in the semi-finals. He couldn’t help Arsenal overcomeChelseain the final, but the two games – the virtuoso performance againstLiverpoolin particular – had left Gunners fans with some insight into what might have been from Julio Baptista.

It’s obvious that his best performances came in the League Cup for Arsenal and his goals are equivalent to those of Theo Walcott in this year’s Capital One Cup – although Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Walcott takes his form into league games, something which Baptista failed to do.

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Unfortunately, ‘The Beast’ hasn’t produced the same magic since, either. With the loan expiring in the summer of 2007, Baptista returned to Real Madrid but couldn’t produce the La Liga form of his time at Sevilla, and is currently without a club after stints with Roma andMalaga, where on both occasions he faded away after showing early promise. His involvement with the national side has fizzled out, too, and the 31-year-old has not been capped since 2010.

English fans, then, can count themselves lucky that they got a little taste of Baptista’s brilliance with that memorable display against Liverpool at Anfield.

The ritual of the ‘loan transfer’ has established itself as an essential stepping-stone in the development of our next generation of stars. The moment a manager feels confident enough, young starlets are allowed to flee the nest in search of regular first-team football. During their time away, it is hoped that these promising adolescents will develop a new found maturity as they get to grips with the rigors of professional football. However, on occasion these moves can be victim to their own success as players return to their parent club eager to continue their role in the starting eleven.

A key factor to Swansea’s remarkable maiden season in the Premier League has been their capture of Steven Caulker on loan from Tottenham. The 20-year-old has forged an impressive partnership alongside Ashley Williams and his presence in the side has seen the Swans claim 9 clean sheets in his 22 appearances.

However, as Caulker continues to accumulate a number of accomplished performances, attention has already shifted to his long-term future with the defender acting quickly to state his reluctance to return to the reserves.

“I think for me, it’s key that next year that I want to be playing,” Caulker said. “I had my taste [of Premier League football] this year and I have really enjoyed it.

“Wherever I am next year, the main thing for me is to continue my development and that’s by playing.” (East London Advertiser)

His stance presents Harry Redknapp with a dilemma; does he attempt to make room for Caulker in amongst his vast, yet injury prone centre-back collection? Or does he utilise Caulker’s recent surge in popularity to start a bidding war with possible suitors?

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The most likely scenario is that the defender will return to North London and participate in their pre-season schedule, where his potential impact on the Spurs squad will be assessed. It’s difficult to see Caulker unsettling the likes of Dawson, Kaboul and Gallas in the heart of the defence but considering he has been hailed as the successor to talisman Ledley King, they‘ll be reluctant to let him go. Another Premier League club will perhaps borrow him again for the season, but it’s important not to let continuous loan moves become a pattern as is evident in the ranks of their North London rivals.

Carlos Vela was hailed as the next bright light that could dispel the dark cloud hovering over the Emirates. His pace, flair and fondness for those delightful little chips over the keeper had fans salivating over the Mexican’s potential. However, Wenger has gifted very little playing time to the 23-year-old since he became eligible for the Gunners and Vela has made no secret of his desire to make his current loan spell at Real Sociedad a permanent one.

“I don’t want to return to Arsenal. I have asked my agent to negotiate with Arsenal to stay here.” (The Sun)

Has Wenger paid the price for repeatedly sending his promising youngsters away? It appears – as with Nicklas Bendtner – that just when it looked like they could reap the rewards of successful loan stints, they discover they’ve alienated them both from the club.

Elsewhere on European shores, Manchester City’s John Guidetti has been ravaging his way through the Eredivisie whilst on loan at Feyenoord. His 20 league goals in 23 games has seen the striker hailed in the national press, whilst attracting the admiring glances of some of the world’s biggest clubs. It has also served to inflate his ego to obscene levels with the young Swede declaring his intention to leave Eastlands unless he is given a chance of first-team action next season. The prospect of such a demand being met looks somewhat slim with City already bulging at the seams with attacking talent and this is without the inclusion of any potential summer transfer targets.

The loan market therefore has its pitfalls nestled in-between the obvious benefits, and whilst the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck have forced their way into contention after successful spells away from their parent clubs, not all players will possess the same level of quality to back up their newfound self-esteem. With this in mind you’d better get the aspirin ready with managers likely to face more and more of these selection headaches in the upcoming months.

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Come find me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I believe that despite the brilliance of both Bayern and Chelsea, we’re still going witness a final between the two Spanish giants. 

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Liverpool have made contact with AS Monaco regarding the possible transfer of Aurelien Tchouameni, according to a report from 90min. 

The lowdown: Hot property

The 22-year-old midfielder has enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom in France having graduated from the FC Girondins Bordeaux academy before making the switch to Monaco in 2020.

Tchouameni has already made 128 senior outings in France and has recently become a regular for Didier Deschamps’ national side following a debut against Bosnia during World Cup qualification.

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Now, seemingly almost the finished article having honed his skills in Ligue 1, the powerful French youngster could be ready for the step in his promising career, with Paul Joyce of The Times confirming interest from Anfield last week.

The latest: Reds make contact

As per 90min, Liverpool and UEFA Champions League final opponents Real Madrid have both ‘spoken with Monaco’ regarding the eight-cap ace.

The report also claims that Chelsea are ‘keen to agree a deal’ but that move would be hard to foresee given their off-field issues at present.

That leaves the path clear for the European giants who will face off in Paris to battle it out for the midfielder who has been dubbed as an ‘octopus’ for his ability to dictate a game from a holding midfield role.

The verdict: Win this race

Not only will Jurgen Klopp be vying to beat Real to European glory, but also the capture of the £36million valued starlet who is regarded as one of the hottest talents on the continent.

So far this season, Tchouameni has scored three times and provided two assists in 46 appearances across all competitions, earning an impressive 7.27 Sofascore rating whilst making 2.8 interceptions, 2.5 tackles and winning a staggering 7.6 duels on average per game in the French top flight.

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Those statistics are born out by the Frenchman’s very strong aerial and tackling ability (WhoScored), as well as a stylistic likeness to Real Madrid ace Casemiro and Anfield’s own Thiago, when using FBref’s player comparison tool.

With calibre and performances such as this despite his tender years, new Reds transfer chief Julian Ward would be instantly heralded should he deliver the Frenchman into Klopp’s squad following the remarkable signing of Luis Diaz in January.

In other news: Liverpool interested in Bundesliga sensation, find out more here.

West Ham United fans appear eager to sign Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere this summer, after he was linked with a move to the London Stadium earlier this week.

The Daily Star reported that the England international was a target for new Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini, with his contract at the Gunners set to expire at the end of this month.

Wilshere has managed put the majority of his fitness issues behind him, despite missing out on the World Cup, making 38 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal last season.

He’s the kind of player that could make a big impact in the new era at West Ham, especially given the responsibility of being the team’s main man.

Supporters are keen to see a deal done for the player, with a massive 90% of respondents to a poll we published earlier this week believing that the club should try to sign him.

Can the club now get a deal done for him?

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You can see the full results of our poll below…

Manchester City hit top gear to sweep aside sorry Sunderland 5-0 and move into third spot in the English Premier League.City were two up inside the first of 15 minutes when Adam Johnson scored on his first start in two-and-a-half months after an ankle injury and then Carlos Tevez fired in from the spot for his first goal in 10 games.

City went on to dominate the game and finally cut loose midway through the second half with three goals in 10 minutes from David Silva, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure.

The victory sees Roberto Mancini’s side leapfrog Chelsea and move six points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in the race for a Champions League spot, although they have played a game more.

But Sunderland’s appalling form continues – with six defeats in their last seven games and without a goal for more than seven hours they are now only six points clear of the drop zone.

With a shortage of players at the back, City drafted in Dedryk Boyata for his first start since picking up a fourth-minute red card against Arsenal, while Sunderland brought back Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole to shore up their defence.

But it took just nine minutes for City to breach the backline, Johnson combining with Toure before sending Simon Mignolet the wrong way from 10 yards.

The second followed six minutes later from the spot when Tevez latched onto Silva’s through-ball and was hauled down by Phil Bardsley. There were no complaints from the defender and Tevez finished albeit via a touch onto the post from Mignolet.

And City came close to extending their lead as they dominated possession, first Bardsley made a desperate block to keep out Tevez’s goalbound strike while Mignolet denied speculative efforts from Aleksandar Kolarov and Mario Balotelli.

Sunderland lacked little threat and Asomoah Gyan, who got the better of Joleon Lescott in Ghana’s draw with England five days before, was not posing the same threat with one long-range effort off target the only thing to excite the Sunderland fans.

The second half began in much the same fashion with Mignolet making fines saves from Johnson after a super sweeping move and then Balotelli after skipping past three Sunderland defenders.

The third goal finally came in the 64th minute with the Blues again cutting through the Sunderland defence and when Balotelli’s shot was blocked, Silva poked in the rebound from close range.

Everything was going City’s way and that was underlined moments later when Vieira came off the bench and within seconds slid home Kolarov’s driven cross with his first touch.

The rout was complete when the fifth was handed on a plate when Lee Cattermole, under pressure from Kolarov, played an horrendous square pass straight to Toure on the edge of the box and the Ivorian neatly finished past Mignolet.

If anyone ever believed that waltermitty footballers were restricted to playing in the Premiership or the World Cup then they may think again. For Cardiff City (who are currently under a transfer embargo) striker Michael Chopra has threatened to quit the debt ridden club if they don’t start signing players. In doing so he has asked many questions of the Cardiff board, but the real investigation must look into finding out exactly whose cupboard Chopra has been locked away in over the past two years.

Is he completely unaware that the whole world has been in a recession? Does he not know that people with PHD’s are applying for cleaners jobs in Burger King?

However, before we fully look at the level of stupidity that Chopra’s threats can claim we must first examine the reasons behind Cardiff City’s current predicament.

In October 2006 Peter Ridsdale took over as City chairman from Sam Hamman. At this time the club was in a perilous financial state with debts reported to be upwards of £30 million. However, when the new owners took over the club they wiped out the debt in turn promising to bring Premiership football to the Cardiff fans.  In true Peter Ridsdale style the former Leeds chairman refused to bring stability to a club that desperately needed it, instead electing to sign aging players on high wages whilst also pursuing the development of a new stadium and using the club’s season ticket sales to avoid winding up orders. Before you knew it Cardiff were in the mire and reaching the Premiership for the 2010/2011 season became critical. But in a game that will forever be remembered for Blackpool reaching the promised land Cardiff lost in the playoff final and their future looked grim.

Ridsdale proceeded to trawl the globe for investment in an effort to persuade anyone and everyone that English football was a prosperous industry to be in, and he somehow managed to get a Malaysian businessman by the name of Datuk Chan Tien Ghee to pay £6m in return for 30% equity of the club. Cardiff appeared to be safe but it emerged that they still faced winding up orders and owed other clubs money for players they bought a year previously. This in turn meant that they faced a transfer embargo restricting them from signing anyone for a fee.

Cue uproar from Chopra who told a local Welsh newspaper: “I’m well hacked off. If this club doesn’t bring in new players, I’m off. I’ve had enough. Nothing is moving, with just a couple of weeks until the new season.”

Then, in a further outburst that gave the term “irony” a whole new level of meaning, Chopra demanded that his employers get real. “I can see that we will struggle this season if people at board level don’t get real and sort this matter (the financial struggles) out sooner rather than later.”

Pah! Get real? How about he gets real? Does he not understand what a transfer embargo infers? Is Chopra unaware that his employers owe the general public £1.3 million largely down the fact that him and his colleagues have such unrealistic wage demands? Is this distinctly average footballer oblivious to the fact that around one in twelve people in the UK are currently unemployed and many of them simply aren’t bothered about paying over odds to watch over rated footballers such as himself? Clearly not.

“It’s a ridiculous situation to be in.” Chopra continued. What is? Getting paid large amounts of money for essentially failing at your job as you did last year? My heart, along with everyone struggling to make ends meet at the moment, bleeds for him.

Despite acts of selfishness such as Chopra’s, football will always be a game for the masses that the vast majority of people can identify with and there is no doubt that it will eventually prevail from the darkness of debt it currently finds itself in. However, as the new season starts one feels that in order to make this happen then the game is in need of one of two things. Either the whole of football and Michael Chopra is brought down to Earth with a bump or we are all given a fairytale story that we can tell our grandchildren about.

Last week I watched a re-run of the movie The Damned United wonderfully portraying the story of how Brian Clough and Peter Taylor managed to take Derby County, a team representing a town that at the time had a skyrocketing unemployment rate, to the very top of English football and in turn giving everyone a sense of hope.

Clough and Taylor’s philosophy was simplistic genius. Find players with potential and then mould them all into a side that that plays attractive, winning football whilst installing a balance of confidence and discipline into every member of the squad. How great would it be to see something like this happen again?

In many ways, the methods used by Clough and Taylor in this situation are exactly what Michael Chopra needs. A dose of reality in knowing that all the while he pulls on the Cardiff City shirt he is representing the hopes and dreams of thousands of people who may not have had things their own way the past few years. And if he doesn’t carry out his duty he would be duly told about it in no uncertain terms.

But one wonders just how someone like Michael Chopra would react under this kind of management. Well, judging by his complete ignorance of the general circumstances that currently surround us inside and outside of football, he would probably be well hacked off.

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Written By Kieran Lovelock

With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

Liverpool have fallen from their throne at the top of the Premier League. While Arne Slot’s side have enjoyed something of a revival in recent weeks after such a shocking decline over the autumn months, they are a far cry of their 2024/25 selves.

Three successive wins have been claimed, and Liverpool are undefeated in six matches across all competitions. Still, this is a team far removed from the fluent and ferocious form of last season, and they will not catch pace-setters Arsenal in the race to the finish this season.

There are many variables at play, but after a record-breaking summer of spending in the transfer window, you’d be hard-pressed to make a compelling claim that Liverpool have hit the jackpot on a whole.

Why FSG have failed to strike gold with recruitment

Liverpool have struck gold time and time again on the transfer front, with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk the staples, but a long list of acquisitions securing a glittering era of trophy-winning success.

The fact that Slot guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first year without welcoming more than Federico Chiesa to the ranks underscores both his tactical genius and Jurgen Klopp’s brilliance, assembling a team capable of hitting the biggest heights.

However, FSG’s big-money push this year has yet to prove a fruitful one, with players struggling to integrate.

With Klopp at the helm, Liverpool and FSG were widely lauded for their incredible eye for a deal. However, they did occasionally blunder, with Naby Keita a case in point.

Now, sporting director Richard Hughes may worry that he’s accidentally landed a new version of the Guinean midfielder, whose career in English football was ruined by a glassy fitness record.

Liverpool's new Naby Keita

When Liverpool forked out £125m to bring Alexander Isak over from Newcastle United before the transfer deadline in September, they did so with the knowledge that they were making him the most expensive player in British history.

Less than four months into his career on Merseyside, Isak, 26, has had a tough time, only bagging twice in the Premier League, the latter of which came against Tottenham last time out, but at the expense of his fitness, breaking his leg when challenged by Micky van de Ven and now sidelined for the foreseeable future.

The most frustrating part is that Isak has shown at the highest level – in the Premier League – that he is one of the best in the business. Liverpool know this well, having been damaged by him numerous times.

But, for all the £280k-per-week talent’s brilliance, FSG and Richard Hughes and Slot knew that he is a player who had endured setbacks on the injury front across his three years on Tyneside, and this disastrous development suggests that he is in danger of becoming the new Keita, immensely talented but impeded by flimsy fitness levels.

Subscribe for deeper Liverpool transfer and injury analysis Want fuller context on Liverpool’s recruitment, Isak’s fitness and FSG’s transfer decisions? Subscribe to our newsletter for focused, in-depth coverage and expert analysis that explains what these developments mean for the club’s season and strategy.

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Keita, who excelled in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, slumped as soon as he touched grass in England’s top flight, unable to muster a convincing run of form for pretty much the entire five-year span of action under Klopp’s wing.

Naby Keita’s Premier League Career By Season

Season

Apps

Minutes

22/23

8

292′

21/22

23

1,175′

20/21

10

521′

19/20

18

813′

18/19

25

1,395′

Data via Transfermarkt

There is hope and expectation that Isak’s woes won’t be so severe, but it’s worrying all the same, with the anxious wait for the results of the 6 foot 3 striker’s MRI scan anticipated to make for grim reading for those of a Red persuasion.

Last year, producer and content creator Lewis Bowden claimed Isak was “the best player in the world”. It was a bold and contentious claim, and one which cannot ring true on current form.

But Isak’s £125m transfer fee and his past exploits in the Premier League confirm that Liverpool have a superstar on their hands, but despite his immense quality, there’s little question that such an injury- and fitness-ravaged debut campaign will have heightened fears that the new Keita has alighted at Anfield this year.

Related An Isak solution: Liverpool agree personal terms to sign big-money PL star

Liverpool are looking to sign a forward in the January transfer window

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair

After a huge 4-1 win in the Summer Series last night, Manchester United are finally showing glimpses of the quality of a side that could achieve something under Ruben Amorim.

Rasmus Hojlund, Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and Ethan Williams all managed to get on the scoresheet, highlighting the talent the side possesses within the final third.

However, despite the four-goal haul, Benjamin Sesko still remains a key target for the Red Devils this summer, with talks being held for the RB Leipzig striker.

The 22-year-old registered 21 goals across all competitions last season, potentially being one of the key targets the hierarchy are pursuing at the top end of the pitch.

However, other targets are also being considered across other areas of the pitch, as the boss looks to make his side as competitive as possible ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

The midfield department has been subject to interest in recent days, unsurprisingly so, given the lack of options currently at the manager’s disposal.

Morten Hjulmand, Eberechi Eze and Douglas Luiz all appear to be on their radar, but the latter could be going elsewhere after Nottingham Forest entered talks to sign him.

However, the goalkeeping department is also subject to investment this summer, with Manchester City shot-stopper Stefan Ortega, according to FootballTransfers.

Their report claims that the Red Devils have already made an approach for the German’s signature, after the 32-year-old was made free to leave the Etihad this summer.

It also states that the player himself is open to discussing a move to Old Trafford despite the rivalry, but no final decision has been made about his next destination.

Why United’s latest signing would be bad news for Onana

Andre Onana has been United’s number one option between the sticks in recent times, costing a staggering £47.2m from Inter Milan back in the summer of 2023.

The Cameroonian was seen as the perfect replacement for David de Gea, but his time in Manchester has been a disaster, subsequently being subject to anger from the fanbase.

He’s been massively prone to mistakes during his stint at Old Trafford, notching a tally of eight errors leading to goals – ultimately costing the side in numerous key areas.

Altay Bayindir was utilised as an alternative at multiple points of the recent campaign, which has highlighted the need for added reinforcements in such an area.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for Ortega would cost this summer, he could provide Amorim with an excellent option to help him improve the situation currently playing out in Manchester.

When comparing his stats to those of Onana in England’s top-flight last season, the German managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, further showcasing why he’d be a great fit for their number one position.

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Ortega, who’s been labelled “incredible” by teammate Rodri, managed to register more saves per 90, along with a higher save percentage – handing Amorim a more confident and reliable option between the sticks.

How Ortega & Onana compare in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Ortega

Onana

Games played

13

34

Save percentage

69%

68%

Saves made

2.7

2.5

Clean sheet percentage

27%

26%

Pass accuracy

81%

72%

% of long passes

32%

66%

Crosses stopped

7%

5%

Errors leading to goals

0

6

Stats via FBref

He also completed more of the passes he attempted, with fewer being long balls, having the ability to play out from the back should the side need that option.

The City star’s dominance is further reflected in his tally of fewer errors leading to goals, having the tools to massively improve such a situation ahead of next season.

The next few weeks will be interesting for the player if he is to move, with the Red Devils fanbase undoubtedly sceptical about the move given his status at their rivals.

However, it’s evident that the player himself would be an excellent addition this summer, ending any lingering doubts about the quality currently at the manager’s disposal at the back.

Related Bad news for Mbeumo & Cunha: Man Utd hold talks to sign £68m star

Manchester United could land a player who could thrive in Ruben Amorim’s system.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb

Glasgow Rangers avoided embarrassment by coming back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in a dramatic Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee on Saturday.

The Light Blues needed two long shots from Tom Lawrence and James Tavernier to get back level, before Cyriel Dessers secured all three points late on.

It was Lawrence’s first goal for Rangers since October of last year against FCSB in the Europa League, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will still be at Ibrox next term, as his contract is due to expire this summer.

The Rangers players who are out of contract this summer

The English forward is one of three senior first-team players who are out of contract at the end of this season, alongside Ianis Hagi and veteran defender Leon Balogun.

As per Transfermarkt, Lawrence and Hagi are both valued at around £1.7m and would, therefore, not depart as hugely valuable assets if they were to move on for nothing. Balogun, meanwhile, turns 37 this summer and is valued at just £115k.

Rangers have some big decisions to make because their Romanian attacking midfielder has contributed with three goals and seven assists in 21 Premiership matches, whilst Lawrence has scored four goals and provided two assists in 15 league outings.

Despite both players being out of contract, there is a Gers dud who is worth even less than them, and the 49ers investment group, part of the takeover that has been agreed in principle, must ruthlessly ditch him this summer – Ross McCausland.

Why Rangers must finally sell Ross McCausland

The Northern Ireland international came up through the academy at Ibrox and emerged as a first-team regular early on in Philippe Clement’s reign in the 2023/24 campaign.

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McCausland, who turns 22 this summer, has failed to kick on after making his breakthrough at senior level, though, and has been an unused substitute in 15 of his last 23 appearances in the matchday squad in all competitions.

Ross McCausland (24/25)

Premiership

Europa League

Appearances

12

6

Starts

3

0

Goals

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Key passes per game

0.7

0.0

Assists

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Northern Irish winger has not impressed Clement or Barry Ferguson enough to earn regular game time, and he has made little impact on the pitch with the opportunities that have come his way.

The lightweight, who has lost 91% of his aerial duels in the Premiership this season, is 22 this year and has only fallen further down the pecking order, rather than progressing, since his first-team emergence, which does not suggest that he is on the right path to being a star for Rangers.

That might come as a surprise, particularly to Ferguson who had been impressed with him before even arriving back at Ibrox. Speaking in an interview in 2023, he noted that McCausland “has a great opportunity to become a big player for Rangers.” Sadly, that has not come true and is unlikely to.

At the time of writing (31/03/2025), McCausland is valued at £1.3m by Transfermarkt and this means that he is worth even less than Hagi and Lawrence, despite having a contract through to the summer of 2027.

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This illustrates his struggles on the pitch this season because he is deemed to be worth even less than players who are set to be free agents later this year.

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Posts ByDan Emery

It is now down to the 49ers to finally and ruthlessly ditch the young dud, because he is not showing signs of progress at Ibrox, when the summer transfer window opens for business, with a view to replacing him with an upgrade by dipping into the market.