All eyes on Nelson
JOEL AIMING TO SAVE JOSE SOME CASH OF A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF BIG SAM
United’s Daley, who faces his former club in the Europa League Final in Stockholm, said: “Everybody knows I support Ajax – I am from Amsterdam and I played there from being seven.
“Everyone will understand that Ajax is in my heart but on Wednesday night I am NOT Ajax.
“I am at United, I am a Red and I want to win the final more than anything in the world.
“There is only one thing that counts and that is winning the final but of course it will be a special evening for me personally.”
And it does not end there. Blind’s dad Danny is an Ajax legend and a former Holland manager. But Blind Jr, 27, said: “We are both from Ajax but on Wednesday we are not. We are Reds. He hopes for the best for his family and his son.”
The United defender is steeped in JOEL PEREIRA will be given the stage today to show Manchester United do not need to panic about their goalkeeping situation.
Pereira, 20, makes his Premier League debut in United’s final league game of the season against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
And the Portuguese prodigy does so when there are growing doubts about the future of United’s first-choice keeper David De Gea.
Real Madrid remain confident they can prise De Gea away from United for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper of £65million.
But United have a ready-made replacement in Argentina’s No.1 Sergio Romero, who will play in Wednesday’s Europa League Final against Ajax in Stockholm.
And Pereira (below) has the chance to prove he can provide quality back-up for Romero if De Gea leaves.
Ideally, United boss Jose Mourinho would like three top keepers.
But he has made it clear he has high hopes for Pereira and has tipped him to become Portugal’s first choice.
United have been assessing goalkeepers in case De Gea is not a stayer. Their top choice, Dutch football and spent six years at Ajax as a first-team player.
There have been suggestions that he could return to Ajax one day, possibly to end his career in Amsterdam.
He won four consecutive titles there and was signed for United by his former Dutch national team boss Louis van Gaal for £13.8million three years ago.
But Blind made it clear he wants to stay at United, where he has a year remaining on his contract, with the option f or a f urther 12 months.
He said: “These are my two clubs and when Ajax win I am pleased for them.
“But United is such a big club with amazing fans and I feel their support. So I’m a supporter, too.
“Ajax are a good team – you don’t get to a European f i nal as revealed in the Daily Star Sunday, is Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, 24.
But Romero and Pereira could yet persuade Mourinho he does not have to shell out £40m on a goalkeeper. And United also have another promising keeper in Kieran O’Hara, 21, while Sam Johnstone, 24, has been on loan at Aston Villa. The United boss will field his youngest United side today as he rests players ahead of this week’s Euro final. Defender Axel Tuanzebe, 19, will again be involved and such is his rapid progress there is already talk at United of an improved contract – even though he signed his latest deal only four months ago. PAUL HETHERINGTON has won the EFL Cup as well. United is a massive football club to manage with huge pressure.
“And their fans will want to see Jose challenging for the league title and the Champions League.
“He did it in Portugal and at Chelsea and Real Madrid. He wins things – he’s good at it.”
Allardyce, 62, will sit down with chairman Steve Parish next week and spell out his Palace blueprint PAUL HETHERINGTON for the next season – and find out how much money will be available to achieve it.
“As a manager of six Premier League clubs I’ve never got what I wanted,” he said. “I’ve got some of what I’ve wanted but not all.
“We will sit down and between us make sure we cover the priorities with what we have available. I would imagine any money will be a lot less than I got otherwise. There are two clubs for me – but only one on Wednesday. “If we win this final you will be remembered for the rest of your life because it is special to play in a European final.” Victory for United will mean the club have won every major trophy in their history – and qualified for the Champions League. But Blind said: “That is in a lot of people’s minds but for us the most important thing is to win the final. “If we win on Wednesday it will be two trophies this season and not many clubs can say that.” Blind also dismissed t he suggestion he might not be a Jose Mourinho-type player. He said: “I’ve never stopped believing in myself. I’ve played in 37 games this season. Who wouldn’t want to stay at United?” Blind clearly wants to – and he aims to do so as a player who helped create history for the new No.1 club in his life. in January because it was a big spend to get us out of trouble.
“I don’t know what the pot might be but it will be affected by what we spent in January.”
One thing Allardyce will continue to spend money on is a psychiatrist to help his players.
“I’ve always had a sports psychologist and will continue to do so,” he said. “Confidentiality with the players is paramount – I’m not privy to any of their conversations.
“The change in my life after sitting watching the Euros, planning for Sunderland, then the England job and 67 days later I haven’t got it any more – all of a sudden I’m at Crystal Palace, life has turned full circle and I’m happy and content.” MANCHESTER rivals United and City are fighting it out for Benfica right-back Nelson Semedo.
The £35million-rated Portugal defender is seen as an alternative target to Tottenham’s Kyle Walker.
His influential agent Jorge Mendes is understood to have held talks with both City and United.
Semedo, 23 (right) has also attracted attention from Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich.
But the strongest interest is coming from Manchester where both clubs are in Monaco already rate him at a world-record £135m. But their chief executive, Vadim Vasilyev, said: “To keep Mbappe is our priority.” PAUL HETHERINGTON the market for full-backs. Semedo has added appeal as he is also comfortable playing at left-back, which is being taken into consideration by City boss Pep Guardiola and United manager Jose Mourinho. If Walker moves to either City or United, Semedo could join the other Manchester club. Spurs’ right-back, 26, is also being eyed by Chelsea and Bayern.