United back in training
UNITED are well placed to have successful end to the season when it restarts, but there are still issues to address for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the players return to training for the first time at Carrington...
■ DECISION TIME ON IGHALO ODION Ighalo was one of 23 United players accounted for at Carrington as they arrived for final checks on Tuesday, yet is contracted to the club for just a few more days.
The 30-year-old is on loan to United until a week on Sunday and the club are comfortable with the prospect of the Nigerian returning to parent club Shanghai Shenhua.
Marcus Rashford is nearing full fitness and United only moved for Ighalo in the January transfer window after the England striker sustained a long-term back injury.
The Reds do maintain they are open to extending Ighalo’s loan spell and the striker has said he wants to see out the season in Manchester.
Ighalo’s agent, Atta Aneke, has not responded to enquiries about his client’s future but resurfaced for an appearance on Norwegian television at the weekend - and did not speak about Ighalo.
■ IS GOMES STAYING OR GOING?
ANGEL Gomes has entered the last six weeks of his United deal and speculation is rife he could join Chelsea for a compensation fee.
The 19-year-old has reservations about his pathway to the Reds firstteam and, if the club agree an extension to his contract that runs until the end of the campaign, it is unlikely he will get any playing time in a fully-fit squad.
United are understood to have submitted improved terms to Gomes but his representatives remain ‘underwhelmed’ by the overall package.
The Reds have until
June 23 to agree end-ofseason extensions with players, but with Gomes’ playing prospects remote he could technically depart with the season still ongoing.
■ CLARIFY POGBA’S SITUATION
RIO Ferdinand touched upon it last month that his only ‘problem’ with Paul Pogba is he lets Mino Raiola do the talking for him. Actions speak louder than words and the voluble agent failed the player last year after a move to Real Madrid never materialised.
The transfer market is certain to feel the side-effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and it is highly doubtful Madrid or Juventus will fork out a nine-figure fee for a player who last started a game on September 30 and has had both ankles in a cast this season. Raiola has launched the pram, as well as the toys, so he has nothing left to throw.
He has gone noticeably quiet and it is probable Pogba will be with United for another season. Supporters are still entitled to be informed of the midfielder’s situation at a time the club is contacting season ticket holders about refunds and telling them to stay away from stadiums on matchdays.
■ SETTLE ON A FIRST XI SOLSKJAER has had ample time to scrawl various XIs on his tactical notepad and said this month the United squad is ‘fully fit.’ The Reds boss has not had a certain starting
It is probable Pogba will be with Unitef for another season Samuel Luckhurst
XI since his caretaker period and there are maybe eight ‘untouchables’ at the very most in the current squad.
Fans have their own view on United’s strongest side and many doubtless differ with Solskjaer’s own outlook.
Some would omit Victor Lindelof and Daniel James from their best XI, but the Reds boss has been unwaveringly loyal to Lindelof while the young winger has started all but four Premier League matches.
United have five quality midfielders to choose from now Pogba is back and only three places - at the very most - for them in the line-up.
Solskjaer will have different XIs for different standards of opposition but five of the Reds’ last nine league games are against the bottom seven, which merits a gung-ho approach that accommodates Pogba and Bruno Fernandes.
■ ACADEMY ROOKIES RETAINED OR RELEASED?
A NUMBER of academy players some on loan - are out of contract on June 30 and United have a duty of care to them, particularly the lower earners facing financial uncertainty ahead of their probable departure.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Demetri Mitchell, both 23, are expected to be released. George Tanner, Aidan Barlow, and Ethan Hamilton have all been out on loan and the best-case scenario is they are kept on until the season is finished.