OUTCASTS IN DEMAND RAUL: WHAT A DIFFERENCE AYEARMAKES
Rangnick ready to go all out to keep unsettled Cavani and Van de Beek at United as he tells them they are central to his rebuilding plan
RALF RANGNICK will do everything in his power to keep unsettled Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek at Manchester United this month.
The United boss has held talks with both players in a bid to assure them they have a future at Old Trafford.
Cavani made a first start alongside Cristiano Ronaldo under Rangnick in the 3-1 win over Burnley on Thursday.
And the German indicated that the veteran Uruguay international is likely to start against Wolves at Old Trafford tonight.
“We have had quite a few conversations in the last couple of weeks. He’s probably the player with whom I have spoken most,” said Rangnick.
“I told him from the very first day that, for me, he is a highly important player. He knows that I will definitely not let him go. He is probably the only one who can play as a striker with back to goal.
“His professionalism and his work ethic are just amazing and I told him that I desperately want him to stay until the end of the season.
“He knows that. He also knows how highly I rate him and how highly I respect him. That was the reason I played him with Cristiano against Burnley the other night.
“For me it’s clear that Edi has to stay here with Manchester United.”
Van de Beek has found his opportunities even more limited under Rangnick, making just one start in a Champions League dead rubber.
The midfielder has laid his cards on the table, insisting he needs more game-time if he is to force his way into the Dutch World Cup squad. “Donny is a team player through and through and there will be games where he will get his chance to play,” said Rangnick.
“I had a longer conversation with him last week about that but it’s difficult for him right now. He also wants to play for the Dutch national team in the World Cup and in order to do that he needs to get game-time here.
“But I still believe that we should keep him, that he should stay here until the end of this season and try to get as much game-time as he possibly can.”
Cavani, who joined United on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, has been linked with Barcelona and Juventus in the January transfer window.
Van de Beek, who signed for United in a £40million deal from Ajax 16 months ago, has started in 19 out of a possible 86 United games and was an unused sub for the 31st time in the win over Burnley.
Rangnick has admitted United’s squad is “a little too big” but is reluctant to let players go with Covid still disruptive and the club in three competitions.
The German could make an exception for Anthony Martial, who has made clear his intention to leave this month if the right club comes for him. “He made it very clear that he wants to leave and, in a way, I can understand his wish to leave and to try to play more regularly somewhere else,” added Rangnick. “But it’s a question not only of what he wants to do but also of which clubs are interested in him and if they meet our demands.”
Sevilla have emerged as front-runners for the striker and offered a straight loan deal where they would have paid half of Martial’s high wages. United are understood to want interested parties to pay his full salary as well as a loan fee.
DAVE ARMITAGE
BY
WOLVES’ striker Raul Jimenez doesn’t need telling what a difference a year can make.
The fact that the Mexico international steps out at Old Trafford tonight is a miracle itself after a horrific injury 14 months ago.
Jimenez had been linked with a move to Manchester United before his whole life was put on hold after a clash of heads with Arsenal’s David Luiz in November 2020.
The 30-year-old had to have emergency brain surgery on a fractured skull which was life-threatening.
Jimenez was discharged from hospital in time to spend that Christmas with his family and eventually got back out on the pitch at the start of this season.
And though he has only scored three times since then, Wolves boss Bruno Lage has a simple message for the striker.
Lage said: “I just want Raul to do what he’s been doing for the last six months,
“I only have good things to say about him. We are lucky he is here and I’m very happy.
“When you look at Raul and how he does both the offensive and defensive sides of the game, you can see he is a player who has
everything. He’s also a top man. It’s been a long journey for him, but he is an inspiration to us all.
“Life is like that. It can knock you down but it’s up to the individual to get up and he’s an inspiration from that point of view. In fact, he’s an inspiration to every single little kid who wants to be a professional footballer.”
United would do well to pay attention to one man who has been a surprise addition to the Wolves goalscoring ranks.
Defender Romain Saiss has scored three times this season and Lage admits the Moroccan star will be a big miss when he goes away on Africa Cup of Nations duty immediately after the United game.
The Wolves boss added: “Saiss has had a big impact. I know one thing, we are going to miss a very important player for us.
“He’s been doing very well. He’s a leader who has chipped in with goals so everyone can see how important he is.
“It’s a blow, of course it is, but it’s something that we knew was going to happen at the start of the season so there’s no use complaining about it.
“These things can hurt us more because we play with three centre-backs.
“I do pray before every game that they are going to be OK because we only have three of them right now.”