All change in training at Manchester United
Manchester United players arrived on Tuesday to meet their new boss Erik ten Hag at the Carrington Road training centre. Ten Hag arrived at 8am which was supposed to be two hours before anyone else but several players tried to impress with 9am arrivals. David de Gea, Victor Lindelof and yes even Anthony Martial all drove into the car park early. They were followed by Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho who is widely tipped to be United’s new star. 52-year-old Ten Hag addressed 15 first team players and Under-21 squad members before an afternoon training session and they were watched by his new assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren. Ten Hag kept the gates firmly closed and the security tight but one of my sources said that the energy and atmosphere was intense, almost electric and training sessions with long balls passed from defence and midfield to the frontmen finished around 4pm. The differences to previous regimes were obvious. Ten Hag plays practice games using eleven players. He stops play every few minutes to instruct players exactly how to position themselves and where they should be focused. Ten Hag has blamed much of United’s lack of success recently on player fitness and he is concentrating on that area by ordering double training sessions and he has organised all grass to be real and cut to a height of 15mm to allow for fast moving passes. His football is high intensity, speedy forward play. That requires maximum fitness and stamina. Dining together is essential under the new regime so players bond together whilst enjoying a meal. Ten Hag had been provided with files on each player so he could be completely familiar with their ability, playing style and character before even meeting them. Internationals Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and club captain Harry Maguire return next week and the squad then leave for Thailand and Australia on Friday 8 th July.
Tottenham add Gordon to Richarlison bid Everton boss Frank Lampard was worried and annoyed when he heard that Antonio Conte, busily rebuilding his Tottenham squad, has eyes on homegrown Evertonian Anthony Gordon. To make matters even worse Tottenham are also putting together another bid for Richarlison, a player essential to Lampard’s strategy plan for the new season. Basically, Tottenham wanted Richarlison but refused to meet a £50 million valuation however they are returning with another bid which will be higher but will include 21 year-old Gordon as part of the deal. Richarlison wants to leave to further his career, Lampard wants him to stay and Gordon has got caught up in the middle of the saga. Chairmen of the respective clubs, Tottenham’s Daniel Levy and Everton’s Bill Kenwright dined together on Monday night. Levy offered £50 million for Richarlison which includes Harry Winks and Steven Bergwijn but Kenwright said he wants only cash. Anthony Gordon moving to Spurs was clearly rejected during the meal but negotiations are still ongoing and Daniel Levy does not give up easily and he is eager to please Conte. *Everton have to sell someone because they have posted losses for the last four seasons and FA rules means they have to operate within their means so they need incoming cash.
Arsenal on course for Arteta’s all-change plan
Mikel Arteta is pleased with the summer so far. He is bringing in fresh talent and hasn’t stopped yet. Eddie Nketiah has agreed to stay and signed a new contract. The 23-year-old will, from now on, wear Emerick Aubameyang’s vacated No 14 shirt. Arteta has already secured the services of midfielder Fabio Viera and Gabriel Jesus is on his way to the Emirates. Jesus wants more playing time and he is swapping the competition with Erling Haaland at City to guaranteed first team starts taking up outgoing Gunner Alexandre Lacazette’s striking position.
West Ham going for Tielemans
West Ham manager David Moyes has joined the battle to sign Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans. Arsenal were interested originally but Mikel Arteta instead chose to sign Porto’s Fabio Veira. Moyes has now instructed his club transfer negotiators to contact Leicester given that Tielemans has only twelve months left on his contract. The Hammers are also in discussions to sign Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma and I am told these are going well. Leicester manager Brendan Rogers was not available for comment when I rang the club but I understand he does not want to lose Tielemans and it might not be as straight forward as David Moyes hopes.
Guardiola wants star duo to feed Haaland
Pep Guardiola wants to sign Kalvin Phillips. It is not an unfamiliar thought at the beginning of a new season but Manchester City look like the team to beat yet again. I am hearing that Guardiola wants to slightly rejig his playing formation and Kalvin Phillips and Rodri would be crucial in winning the ball and putting it into space for new scoring sensation Erling Haaland to run on to. Guardiola has watched Phillips and Declan Rice playing for England and he likes the way they link up to supply the strikers with scoring chances. He believes that Rodri and Phillips could do the same for City.
United have to pay for Old Trafford modernisation
The Glazer brothers have taken £1.2billion out of Manchester United. Now new investment is urgently needed to bring Old Trafford up to modern standards and it is in a state of poor repair. United are heading for yet another crisis as they are already £500 million in debt. The Sir Bobby Charlton stand alone would cost £300 million to refit. So the question is: Where will the money needed come from? The refurbishment will cost another £500 million so the club could be £1 billion in debt. The Glazers could mortgage the 101 year-old ground or they could sell the naming rights of the stadium to a high profile company. The latter would enrage fans all round the world. It must be remembered that when the Glazers took over the club in 2005, United had no debt at all. Fans are angry that the club have announced that the Glazers will also get a dividend payment of £11 million this year as co-executive chairmen!
Premier League welcomes famous name from the past
Nottingham Forest is one of football’s most famous clubs and under legendary manager Brian Clough they won the Champions League (then called the European Cup) in back to back years 1979 and 1980. Following their Championship play-off victory against Huddersfield Forest are beginning to reap the rewards of promotion and the spending money it brings. £170 million was the prize for promotion. This week they signed Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi for a club record £17 million. It is 23 years since the club last played at this elite level and fans have already booked their seats to travel up to Newcastle for their opening fixture. This week the players arrived for pre- season training under manager Steve Cooper and they will be joined by academy star Brennan Johnson who has signed a four-year contract despite approaches from several PL teams. Johnson was also selected to play for Wales and helped their World Cup qualification. Awonyi is only 24 and scored 20 goals in 43 games for Union Berlin last season. Dean Henderson, who failed to unseat David de Gea at Manchester United is signing on loan which gives Forest an option to buy him at the end of the season for £20 million if everything works out. The bookmakers do not have much faith that Forest can survive in the Premier division and they are 1000/1 to win the league and 4/5 to be relegated.