Rio in talks over top job at United

RIO FERDINAND has met Manchester United executive vice-chairman ed Woodward to discuss becoming the club’s sporting director. United’s owners, the Glazer family, have been keen to get the former england defender on board since his retirement four years ago, but personal circumstances made that unworkable. However, the timing could now be right. United are restructuring and want someone to oversee transfer strategy and talks while being in tune with the manager. Woodward has identified Ferdinand, given his United links and business experience. The 40-year-old played more than 300 games for United, winning six titles and the Champions league.

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER turned on Anthony Martial over his attitude following Manchester United’s draw with Chelsea on Sunday. The United manager vented his anger at Martial in front of the players in the dressing room after leaving the Frenchman on the bench at Old Trafford. Fans criticised the 23-year-old forward on social media yesterday after he was filmed watching his team-mates in the warm-up, holding his hands behind his back and standing with one foot on a ball while they went through a series of drills. Martial has been complaining of a bad back but it is understood Solskjaer was unhappy with the player’s blatant lack of effort. He decided to send on Alexis Sanchez rather than Martial (below) as a replacement for Marcus Rashford in the 65th minute. There have been concerns over Martial’s attitude since he signed a five-year contract at the end of January. Having been a regular starter since Solskjaer took over in December, the former Monaco man is now firmly out of favour. Jose Mourinho’s frustration with Martial was such that he wanted to sell him last summer and Solskjaer has become exasperated by the player’s approach. The dressing-room incident took some of the focus away from goalkeeper David de Gea whose latest error gifted Chelsea an equaliser. Solskjaer is expected to stand by De Gea for the remaining two games and team-mates have been rallying round the Spaniard. Romelu Lukaku said: ‘I don’t think we should discredit him and suddenly say he is a bad goalkeeper — he has saved us many times this season. We are here to support him. Mentally he is really, really strong or else he wouldn’t have been the best player at the club for seven or eight years. Now it is up to us to trust his abilities.’ De Gea has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain this summer as he enters the final year of his contract. Lukaku stopped short of committing when asked if he will still be at Old Trafford next season. ‘Me? I don’t know,’ said Lukaku. ‘I am not here to entertain rumours.’