UNITED STUNNED BY ‘OVERDOSE’ DRAMA
Staff member rushed to hospital
MANCHESTER UNITED’S preseason tour was rocked by a medical emergency yesterday when a member of the club’s backroom team had to be taken to hospital in Perth.
United would not reveal the identity of the man in his 50s or the cause of the problem that was described by local Australian news outlets as a suspected overdose.
United’s club doctor decided that the member of staff needed to be treated in hospital after falling ill overnight, and he was filmed arriving by ambulance at Royal Perth Infirmary at around 3pm.
His face was hidden by a blanket and security staff held up screens to protect his identity as he was taken into the emergency room on a stretcher.
He was last night said to be in a stable condition and United issued a statement saying: ‘A member of our backroom staff was taken ill overnight and has been sent to hospital by our club doctor for further treatment. We request that medical confidentiality is respected.’
The incident overshadowed the build-up to today’s opening tour game against Perth Glory at the Optus Stadium.
United will play a weakened Perth squad that is likely to include their manager Tony Popovic’s two teenage sons Gabriel, 15, and Kristian, 17, as well as another 15-year-old in Joshua Rawlins.
The youngsters could face international stars including Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku, who are set to play despite uncertainty over their futures at Old Trafford.
It is understood that United will raise their valuation of Pogba to closer to £180million if he and his agent Mino Raiola continue to agitate for a move to Real Madrid or Juventus. The club are more willing to let Lukaku leave for Inter Milan, although no formal offer was made during talks between the clubs in London on Thursday.
Meanwhile, United’s Mipo Odubeko, who scored 35 goals for the academy side last season, has turned down a new deal.
The 16-year-old’s contract expired last month and he rejected an extension — believing his development is better served away from United. Feyenoord, Bayern Munich, Newcastle and Burnley are interested.