Manchester United

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Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata says Ruben Amorim's side are set for a positive 2025-26 season, despite the difficult recent campaign.

The Spaniard spoke to MUTV, external after returning to the city to launch an art exhibition at the Manchester International Festival and backed United to turn their form around.

"Well, first of all, I hope that everyone can play good and everyone can bring the club to what I believe it deserves to be," Mata said. "It course, it has been a tough season and everyone was really excited about the [Europa League] final, which I watched from Australia, with the time difference.

"I was as sad as everyone with the final result.

"But I think and I really hope that next season is going to be better. I think the team is good. The coach has just barely arrived and I wish him the best. He is young, he has intensity and passion. And I hope he will do very, very well."

Mata remains friends with former United team-mate Bruno Fernandes and believes captain will be instrumental in shaping the club's future.

"Of course, I love Bruno," Mata said. "We speak a lot and I'm trying to always be there for him.

When you are winning and everything is going well, it is easy to be surrounding him. When things are not going well, is where I try to be there for him.

"I really hope that, next season, he scores 40 goals and he gets 40 assists, and is the MVP of the league.

"I think he's instrumental for the present and for the future of the club."

Marcus Alves
BBC Sport

By signing for Manchester United from Cerro Porteno, 17-year-old Diego Leon is following in the footsteps of Diego Gavilan, the first Paraguayan to play in the Premier League having joined Newcastle United in 2000.

"Things have happened very quickly for him," Gavilan, who coached Cerro's senior and youth teams, told BBC Sport.

"I followed him during his time in the youth ranks at Cerro, back when I worked there as the coach for the Under-19s, Under-20s, Under-23s and later the first team," Gavilan recalled.

"He's a kid from the countryside with tremendous potential and great physical power.

"He always stood out in every level he played at and perhaps more importantly he's someone who can also play in various roles."

Leon spent his formative years as a left winger, so his attacking prowess is perhaps no surprise.

"He plays as a left-back, but he really enjoys getting forward, overlapping from his position to join the attack," said Hernan Acuna, Cerro's head of scouting.

"He initially joined the club as a winger, but due to necessity he was used as a left-back.

"His attacking quality, being able to join offensive moves, does sometimes mean he neglects his defensive duties a little.

"However, he is very effective when joining the offensive actions, particularly with his finishing ability."

There seems little doubt about Leon's potential.

Lightning quick and fearless with the ball at his feet, he caused such an impact with Cerro's first team that Jimenez had to ask European sides to leave him alone, with Arsenal and Manchester City also approaching him.

And, while his first-team breakthrough may not be immediate, there are plenty who believe he can make a huge impact at Old Trafford.

"He's a left-back like no other in the world, the kind that's rare to find," said Cerro president Juan Jose Zapag.

Read the full piece

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New forward Matheus Cunha will wear the number 10 shirt at Old Trafford next season, having completed a £62.5m move from Wolves last month.

Marcus Rashford had worn United's 10 shirt since 2018 after inheriting it from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But with the 27-year-old's future uncertain - he is one of five players, along with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia, to have told the club he wants to leave - the number has been handed to Cunha.

It is understood United made Rashford aware of the decision in advance. He is valued at £40m but there have not yet been any bids.

Head coach Ruben Amorim said in February he "couldn't get Marcus to see the way you're supposed to play football and to train the way I see it".

Rashford said last month he would like to play alongside forward Lamine Yamal at Barcelona.

He has spent 20 years at United, scoring 138 goals in 426 senior games.

He made 17 appearances for Aston Villa during last season's loan spell, scoring four goals and providing six assists.

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Manchester United want £25m for Jadon Sancho, 25, with Juventus still interested in the England winger. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

Sancho is prepared to lower his wage demands to join the 36-time Serie A winners. (Eurosport Italia - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, United are stepping up their interest in Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins, 29, and have held tentative talks with the Midlands club who want a fee of about £60m. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole says he "loved" the dressing room at Old Trafford and that Sir Alex Ferguson's criticism used to gee him up.

Cole spent six years at United, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League in 1999.

"Seriously, I loved it [the dressing room]," he told the Sacked in the Morning podcast. "I'm an individual. I never mind if people are screaming and shouting at me. You get used to that. My dad was always telling me off, so I can't lie, I got used to that.

"So when I played with Sir Alex, I remember the boys said to me 'whatever you do, don't make a mistake like five minutes before the first half ends or five minutes before the end of the game because that's all he'll remember when you go in the dressing room'.

"I appreciated what they were saying because that's all he'd remember for about five minutes and he'd go absolutely crazy at you and then he's starting someone else. But he only ever did it to get the best out of each us you know. Nothing was ever personal.

"I think that's why he was so good."

Cole scored 121 goals in 275 appearances for United and still ranks fourth in the all-time top scorers in the Premier League.

"I never understood just how big Manchester United was," Cole added, referring to before he moved to Old Trafford from Newcastle United.

"I walked into a dressing room like that and two years before I'm playing for Bristol City in League Two watching Manchester United. Two years later I'm actually playing for Manchester United with these players.

"I think everyone would think that I was a seasoned pro in the Premier League. Well, I wasn't. I'd had one and a half seasons! Then you move to Manchester United and everyone looks at you as if to say, 'gotta hit the ground running'."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Bayern Munich are considering a surprise move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford after being impressed by his form on loan at Aston Villa last season. (Sun), external

Meanwhile, United have approached Inter Milan about signing Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi, 25. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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On this week's episode of BBC Radio Manchester's The Devils' Advocate podcast, the team discuss whether Manchester United should be trying to convince players to stay, or if it is time for a clean break.

With a new era potentially on the horizon, Gaz Drinkwater, Joe McGrath and Jay Motty unpack the implications of holding on to underperforming stars, explore who is worth fighting for, and whether sentimentality still has a place at Old Trafford.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Former Manchester United defender David May speaking on The Devils' Advocate podcast about summer transfer activity: "I really like the signings we have made so far. [Matheus] Cunha is a fantastic player. He is a Manchester United fan so he is already in love with the club. When Eric Cantona played for Man Utd, he changed the way we played. I'm not saying Cunha will do that, but he will bring that little edge, which Eric had as well. He can do things that other people can't and hopefully Cunha can follow in Eric's footsteps.

"[Bryan] Mbeumo would be a brilliant addition. Rasmus [Hojlund] struggled last year at times playing centre-forward on his own, it took its toll on him. He does need help and Mbeumo is a top player. The fact that he doesn't want to go to any other club is a bonus for Manchester United because you have players that want to play for this club. It is one of the biggest clubs in the world and to say you've played for it is something special."

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On Alejandro Garnacho: "I want all the good players to stay at Manchester United but it comes down to whether they themselves want to play here. If you want to go and play somewhere else, you know where the door is. The manager will make the decision on Garnacho, on Rashford, on Sancho. If you don't want to play for this club, you shouldn't be at the club. These fans will back you 100%, but as soon as you start drifting, well, I wish you well.

"Ruben Amorim will be judged by the way we play. We played really well against Villa and City last season. There were six or seven really good games where we thought, this is it. This club needs European football. It's tradition to play in Europe so we want that, and to get a trophy.

"The main thing for us is to start playing the way Manchester United play, and that's attacking. Goals have been a problem and if you take Bruno [Fernandes] out of the equation, who knows where we would have been. The addition of three or four players and the club will be in the right direction.

"It is a tough start to the season, but bring it on. The Premier League is not easy at all but we don't have to worry about Europe as well, we can concentrate on each game as it comes. It doesn't matter who it is, the main focus for Amorim now is to get as many points on the board as possible and get back into Europe."

Listen to May in full

Aston Villa and England forward Ollie Watkins, 29, is on Manchester United's list of potential striker recruits if Rasmus Hojlund leaves Old Trafford this summer. (Athletic - subscription required), external

United are watching 24-year-old Genk and Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare, who is also being targeted by Fulham and AC Milan. (Sun), external

West Ham would be open to offers of about £60m for 24-year-old Ghana forward Mohammed Kudus, who has attracted interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle. (Guardian), external

Finally, United are struggling to offload Tyrell Malacia, with PSV Eindhoven having rejected the chance to sign the defender after a spell on loan. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Marcus Rashford has officially returned to Manchester United following the conclusion of his short-term loan at Aston Villa.

The 27-year-old forward joined Villa in January after a challenging first half of the season at Old Trafford.

During his time at Villa Park, Rashford made 17 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing six assists.

United's players return to training next Monday before their first pre-season game against Leeds United in Sweden on Saturday, 19 July.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Our chief football writer Phil McNulty has been taking your questions.

James asked: What do you think of Manchester United's transfer strategy? Cunha, trying to sign Mbeumo and heavy links to Gyokeres. Seems like it's just trying to buy players who had a good season last year as opposed to scouting and confirmed long-term ability and/or potential.

McNulty replied: It seems to be a move towards signing players who have proved they can cut it in the Premier League, and I think that is a sound start on what has to be a massive rebuild.

I'm not sure this United team can be rebuilt quickly, considering how mediocre it is, but those two players – and we are still waiting on the Mbeumo deal to progress – will certainly give them more quality and threat right away.

I feel they need an upgrade on Andre Onana in goal and a quality central striker, but how much of that can be done this summer remains to be seen.

Arsenal have joined Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt's 23-year-old French striker Hugo Ekitike. (Sport Bild - in German, subscription required), external

Manchester United remain interested in Fiorentina's Moise Kean but the 25-year-old Italy striker's 52m euro (£44m) release clause expires on 15 July. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

Manchester United are ready to accept a cut-price deal for Tyrell Malacia after PSV Eindhoven opted not to turn the 25-year-old Netherlands full-back's loan into a permanent switch. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is in talks to take over as the club's Under-18 coach.

Previous U18s coach Adam Lawrence left United at the end of the season, part of a major summer upheaval at youth level that also includes academy chief Nick Cox taking a job at Everton as technical director.

United feel former Scotland international Fletcher, 41, will provide continuity as the search for Cox's successor continues.

Fletcher initially returned to Old Trafford in a non-playing role during Ed Woodward's time as chief executive.

He was appointed as technical director in 2021 but moved roles following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's arrival as minority shareholder, when Jason Wilcox took the job after leaving Southampton.

He was a first-team coach under Erik ten Hag and, in more recent times, has been a link between the first-team and academy and travelled to Malaysia and Hong Kong at the end of the season, when a number of young players were selected.

Fletcher has long-term management ambitions of his own and this would be a positive first step.

He has previously been reluctant to take on an academy role as his twin sons Tyler and Jack were both excelling as players.

However, they have now moved out of the Under-18 age group, which leaves Fletcher to take the job if he wants.

It is understood he will work closely with Travis Binnion, United's Under-21 lead coach.

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Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton says he is "extremely proud" after signing a new contract with the club.

The 39-year-old's one-year extension commits him to Old Trafford until the end of 2025-26, having joined in 2021.

Heaton, a United academy graduate, has played a supporting role in the squad since arriving from Aston Villa.

Making over 350 senior appearances across his club career, Heaton also has three England caps and was called into the Euro 2024 squad to support the group as a training goalkeeper.

"As a group, we are all really excited for the season ahead," Heaton told club media.

"I am ready to support the team in every capacity as we prepare to get back to challenging for the biggest honours."

Director of football Jason Wilcox added: "Tom's leadership and experience are really important.

"His mentality and excellent preparation to ensure that he is always ready to perform when called upon makes him the perfect complement to our goalkeeping group."

Napoli and Juventus are willing to pay Manchester United £25m for Jadon Sancho, 25, but cannot meet the £250,000 weekly wages of the England winger. (Metro), external

United are exploring an ambitious move for Paris St-Germain and France midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, 19. (Teamtalk), external

The Reds are also back in pole position to sign Sporting striker Victor Gyokeres with the 27-year-old Sweden international reportedly ready to reunite with his former manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

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Rumours of Chelsea and Manchester United considering a swap involving Christopher Nkunku and Alejandro Garnacho have circulated recently, but which club would get the better deal should it come to pass?

Nkunku, 27, tore knee ligaments barely a month after joining the Blues in summer 2023 and has yet to regain top form, starting just 11 Premier League games.

However, United may be mindful of what 'peak' Nkunku looked like and reflect on his outstanding record during his final two seasons at RB Leipzig. Between August 2021 and May 2023, he scored 36 times in 59 Bundesliga games, converting almost a quarter of his chances and outperforming his xG by 5.3.

While Nkunku has been kicking his heels in west London over the past two years, Garnacho has been a regular for United, starting 53 league matches in that time. Yet speculation over his future has intensified since being dropped from the starting line-up for May's Europa League final defeat by Tottenham.

More winger than forward, Garnacho does not possess the same goalscoring pedigree as Nkunku, albeit he has reached double figures in all competitions in each of the past two seasons. He tends to dribble and cross more, though his total number of assists is disappointing.

Nevertheless, despite fall-outs with both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, he is tenacious off the ball, and winning possession in the final third more than any of his United team-mates last term.

The Argentine is also nearly seven years younger than Nkunku and has an excellent record of being available, having not missed a single game through injury in 2024-25.

The below table shows Nkunku's record in the Bundesliga between 2021 and 2023 and Garnacho's in the Premier League alone over the past two seasons.

Who gets the best end of any deal probably depends upon what they are looking for. A winger ticks boxes for Chelsea while United are need a goalscoring striker. If both play at their best, they will be assets.

But that is a big if.

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On the latest episode of The Devils' Advocate podcast, BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater pondered Manchester United's improved bid for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and how he could fit in at Old Trafford.

"I thought £50m plus £10m based on add-ons would be the end amount but I think the fact that Spurs are sniffing around now, means it just becomes a bidding war," he said.

"It becomes whoever is going to bid more rather than however much I think he's worth, but £60m seems about fair for a bloke who has scored 20 goals last season.

"You watch the way he plays and he would fit well in United's system. Interestingly, I think Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha could work really well with Joshua Zirkzee as a number nine.

"I'm not saying I want Zirkzee to be United's number nine next season because I do think we need a proper one, but I think that could work really well.

If we don't end up getting a number nine, I'd be interested to see how that one formulates."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Manchester United may accept bids of around £45m to secure a quick sale of 20-year-old Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho. (Star), external

Meanwhile, United are struggling to sell Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malacia, 25, who helped PSV Eindhoven win the Eredivisie title while on loan last season. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Liverpool have joined United and Arsenal in the race to sign Sporting's 27-year-old Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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The latest episode of the Devils' Advocate podcast has landed.

BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath discuss the most iconic goals at Old Trafford and Alejandro Garnacho's social media post.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds