Man Utd news LIVE: Red Devils handed boost in De Jong pursuit as Ten Hag's side prepare to face Cadiz TODAY – latest | The Sun
MANCHESTER UNITED are preparing to face Cadiz CF in a friendly TODAY as they look to build match sharpness.
The Premier League took a break last month for the World Cup, and United are preparing for the restart of the league after the World Cup.
They face the La Liga side as Erik ten Hag will hope to build match fitness in his 29-man squad.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that the Red Devils have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong.
The Dutch maestro was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford but opted to stay at the Camp Nou but Barcelona once again want to reduce his wage and hope to convince him to part ways with a 'sizeable' amount.
This could open the door for United to move for De Jong once again if he becomes unsettled by this request.
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Get all the latest news and gossip coming out of Old Trafford…
- Kostas Lianos
Neville on Bellingham
Manchester United legend Gary Neville reckons England's stars from Liverpool and Manchester City are laying the ground work to try to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.
Neville told Sky: "The whole thing unnerves me!
"When I was in the camp sort of 15 years ago, I used to sort of get close to [Wayne] Rooney, close to Rio Ferdinand. All those players you thought you could just grab.
"Now you see Phil Foden next to Jude Bellingham, you see Trent Alexander-Arnold going for a walk with him, you see Jordan Henderson cuddling up to him at the end of the game.
"And you think 'you sneaky little sods', I know what you're trying to do you lot'"
- Kostas Lianos
Ronaldo speaks out
Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence after being benched for Portugal’s World Cup Last 16 win against Switzerland.
Manager Fernando Santos dropped Ronaldo to the bench for the crunch clash after previously slamming him for sulking when he was subbed off in the 2-1 loss to South Korea.
Taking to Instagram, the Manchester United legend revelled in the team’s “incredible” win and shared a photo of him celebrating with the team.
Ronaldo posted: “Incredible day for Portugal, with a historic result in the biggest competition in world football.
“Luxury exhibition of a team full of talent and youth. Our Selection is to be congratulated. The dream is alive! Until the end! Strength, Portugal!”
- Kostas Lianos
Saud but true
Cristiano Ronaldo has been urged to snub a switch to Saudi Arabia and join the MLS instead because his proposed £173million-a-year Middle East move risks leaving him “out of sight and out of mind.”
That is according to former USA star Alexi Lalas, who feels a move to the Middle East is not a sensible option for Manchester United legend Ronaldo.
Lalas told Fox: “It sounds like he’s going to make a boatload of money and go to Saudi Arabia and play. It kind of is out of sight and out of mind. I can’t remember the last time we heard about the Saudi Arabian league.
“For a guy that is so concerned about his brand, and certainly has more money than he can do with, it’s a strange type of thing for him to do. For 200 million dollars you’ll figure it out, but if the alternative is making less money and I get to go and play and live in Miami or Los Angeles…
“MLS can’t compete with that type of money, but what MLS can give him is a much bigger entrée into the American market – he’s already huge in America.
“For a guy that’s cultivated this brand over the years, that might have been more appealing. In the moment he might not have made the money, he might have also established his brand.
“I’m not saying we’re not going to hear from Cristiano Ronaldo or his brand can’t grow, but it’s sure as hell I would think not going to grow as much being in Saudi Arabia relative to the United States.
“We’ve seen it with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Beckham, Thierry Henry or Wayne Rooney. The moments they have from a MLS perspective do go viral, it’s not completely out of sight, out of mind”
Credit: Getty
- Kostas Lianos
Leeds' Fergie time
Leeds have an unlikely inspiration as they look to go one better than this year's Super League’s Grand Final loss – Sir Alex Ferguson, writes SunSport's Gary Carter.
Manager Rohan Smith revealed he has enjoyed a bit of Fergie Time as he seeks to get better.
Smith said: “I’ve listened to one of Sir Alex's books and read one. One of the things that has stuck with me is a comment he made, ‘If it’s important enough to speak about, you’ll remember it.’
“I’ve never been one for taking down notes during games or writing down things in speech format. What comes from my heart and my head at the time is what must be most important.
“I remember reading that in one of Sir Alex’s books. I already felt like that but it re-enforced my beliefs. And when you hear of some of the greatest coaches in history doing things a certain way and you believe in a similar theme, it gives you confidence.
“I’ve checked out other sports and spoken to other coaches. If someone told me there was a good coach somewhere, I’d try and find out if they had a book and check it out. I’d either pick up some things from them or it would reaffirm some of my own thoughts”
- Kostas Lianos
Joao about that?
Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix is likely to leave the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in the near future, the club's owner Gil Marin has admitted.
Felix has sparkled for Portugal during the 2022 World Cup, but has had less joy for his club this season.
Reports earlier this month suggested that the striker's relationship with boss Diego Simeone has broken down – with Manchester United among his most likely suitors.
Marin told TVE: "The relationship between the coach and him is not good, nor is his motivation.
"The most reasonable thing is to think about his departure, although I would love him to stay. But it is not his will"
- Kostas Lianos
Liverpool favourites for Bellingham
Borussia Dortmund superstar and Manchester United target Jude Bellingham could be on his way to Liverpool next summer after they emerged as the frontrunners to sign him.
According to Christian Falk, the Reds have surged ahead in the race to sign Bellingham with talks at a more advanced stage with them than with Real Madrid.
Falk also revealed that the midfielder's family are more convinced by the prospect of a move to Liverpool than they are to Madrid.
The 19-year-old himself appears to have struck up a rapport with the Reds' captain Jordan Henderson while on England duty at the 2022 World Cup
- Kostas Lianos
Kie lime buy
Manchester United have been given a boost in their ongoing pursuit of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.
That’s because cash-strapped Barca are trying to slash De Jong's wages again.
The Blaugrana want to make more signings this winter following their early Champions League exit, with a right-back posing as a priority for manager Xavi.
And Sport claims they want the midfielder to once again give up some wages – but this time permanently.
Club chiefs hope to convince the Netherlands international into parting ways with a sizeable chunk of change.
De Jong has of course been previously linked with a move to Manchester United
Credit: Rex - Kostas Lianos
United target new keeper
Atletico Madrid star Jan Oblak is among the goalkeepers Manchester United are interested in.
While United have been heavily linked to Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer and Porto's Diogo Costa, Fichajes report that Oblak is now “the most desired.”
The Slovenia international has been at Atletico since 2014 and has long been considered among Europe’s best keepers.
But Sommer's impressive performances with Switzerland at the World Cup have caught United's eye
- Kostas Lianos
Man Utd vs Cadiz
Manchester United have trained ahead of their return to the pitch in a friendly match against Cadiz in Spain today
The Spaniards sit in the relegation zone on 11 points with only two wins so far this season.
It will be United's first game since beating Fulham in the Premier League before the break for the World Cup.
The break has allowed players not representing their countries in the 2022 World Cup a chance to regain their fitness and recover from any injuries that they had.
This will be a boost to manager Erik ten Hag as stars such as Anthony Martial are closer to full fitness
- Jack Figg
Morning, United fans
The Red Devils have been linked with two keepers as they train in Spain ahead of tomorrow's friendly with Cadiz.
United are revving up preparations for resuming Premier League action over Christmas.
And Anthony Martial looked sharp as the France striker proves his fitness after missing the World Cup through injury.
Meanwhile, it's suggested United are keen to bring in an experienced stopper to challenge David de Gea.
Germany's Sport Bild even claim Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer is close to completing a January move.
The Switzerland star, 33, is in the final year of his deal, though, so a summer free transfer remains another option.
But other reports name Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak as United' “most desired” signing between the sticks.
Intriguingly, Italian media say Chelsea could move for Old Trafford winger Jadon Sancho.
In turn, the Blues could lose Christian Pulisic, with United and Liverpool still mentioned as possible destinations.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been urged to snub Saudi Arabia for the MLS after his United contract was terminated last month.
USA legend Alexi Lalas believes the Portugal striker, 37, would be left “out of sight and out of mind” if he accepted a £173million-a-year move to Al Nassr.
Finally, Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho, 18, could see his wages increase by TEN TIMES with a new Manchester United contract.
- Ian Tuckey
Ron his own
Cristiano Ronaldo left his team-mates celebrating on the pitch as he walked down the tunnel at the end of Portugal's win over Switzerland.
Portugal won 6-1 in the last-16 clash to set up a tie with Morocco.
Ronaldo was dropped by manager Fernando Santos after throwing a strop following his substitution against South Korea.
Santos was not happy with his captain's behaviour and left him on the bench, instead handing a first ever international start to Goncalo Ramos.
The switch paid off as Ramos scored a hat-trick as Ronaldo watched on from the dugout.
The superstar was brought on with 17 minutes left with his side already 5-1 up.
- Ian Tuckey
Who is 'United target ' Ramos?
Goncalo Ramos became the World Cup’s latest star with a stunning hat-trick in Tuesday’s 6-1 win over Switzerland.
The striker, 21, made headlines before the game when he replaced Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal’s striker for the one-sided last-16 tie.
And Ramos showed the future is bright for his country by scoring an incredible treble to set up a quarter-final battle against Morocco.
Already linked with Manchester United, he's been withhome country club Benfica since 2013. And he has truly exploded this season, scoring 14 times in just 21 appearances.
That saw Ramos land a shock call-up to Portugal’s World Cup squad, having previously been uncapped. He made his debut on November 17 in a 4-0 friendly win over Nigeria, helping himself to a goal and an assist.
Ramos then came off the bench in the first two group games against African giants Ghana and South American heavyweight Uruguay.
But he earned his first World Cup start on Tuesday against Switzerland – at the expense of national hero Ronaldo.
Ramos showed no signs of fear though, opening the scoring after 17 minutes before hitting two more in the second half.
- Ian Tuckey
‘Sneaky sods’ in for Jude!
Gary Neville reckons England’s stars from Liverpool and Manchester City are laying ground work to try and sign midfield sensation Jude Bellingham.
He joked that “sneaky little sods” Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden are all cosying up to the Borussia Dortmund ace while on World Cup duty.
Liverpool captain Henderson and Bellingham are good pals – despite the 13-year age gap between the pair.
Elsewhere Reds fans were sent into meltdown when Alexander-Arnold shared a snap of the pair together after they went for a stroll together in Qatar.
While Manchester United legend Neville also claimed City ace Foden was getting close to Bellingham. And the pundit doesn’t believe it to be a coincidence.
Neville told Sky: “The whole thing unnerves me!
“When I was in the camp sort of 15 years ago, I used to sort of get close to [Wayne] Rooney, close to Rio Ferdinand. All those players you thought you could just grab.
“Now you see Phil Foden next to Jude Bellingham, you see Trent Alexander-Arnold going for a walk with him, you see Jordan Henderson cuddling up to him at the end of the game.
“And you think ‘you sneaky little sods’, I know what you’re trying to do, you lot’.”
- Ian Tuckey
Chelsea linked to Sancho
Chelsea could move for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho – especially if Christian Pulisic departs.
That the claim from Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb tonight amid frustrating seasons so far for both the former Borussia Dortmund wingers.
Sancho has yet to consistently show his Dortmund form for United and missed out on England's World Cup squad.
Now Old Trafford chief has been linked with PSV's Holland wideman Cody Gakpo.
Meanwhile, Pulisic's Chelsea fortunes have also been erratic.
United and Liverpool are both reportedly interested in the USA star, who impressed at the World Cup.
- Ian Tuckey
Red Devils linked to 2 keepers
Jan Oblak and Yann Sommer could be on Manchester United's radar.
One report claims Atletico Madrid's Oblak tops Erik ten Hag's wishlist for a new stopper.
But it's also claimed the Red Devils are closing in on Borussia Monchengladbach star Sommer.
- Ian Tuckey
Georgina smiles on as Ron waits on bench
Georgina Rodriguez was seen smiling in the stands during Portugal's World Cup romp against Switzerland – despite her partner Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped.
She was seen in the Lusali Stadium wearing a black dress and jacket while holding a luxury handbag.
Georgina had a shock when she arrived at the stadium as Ronaldo was named on the substitutes bench after he was replaced in the team by Goncalo Ramos for the last-16 World Cup clash with Switzerland.
It comes after Ronaldo's falling out with manager Fernando Santos.
The boss subbed him off against South Korea and the 37-year-old appeared to sulk muttering under his breath.
Santos revealed that he was unhappy with the 194-cap star saying: "Yes, I didn’t like it, not at all. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it."
Ronaldo has netted just once at the World Cup so far, converting a controversially won penalty in the 3-2 victory over Ghana.
He believed he had scored another but Fifa awarded the goal against Uruguay to Bruno Fernandes as they deemed that Ronaldo had not touched it.
The former Manchester United man continues to make the headlines since his explosive interview with Piers Morgan that led to him departing Old Trafford. Ronaldo is currently without a club but has been heavily linked with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
- Ian Tuckey
Nev urges Ronaldo to buck up
Gary Neville has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo's petulant behaviour after he was dropped by Portugal tonight.
The superstar threw a strop after being substituted against South Korea in Portugal's final group game – but he celebrated as his side's goals as they went 3-0 this evening.
Manager Fernando Santos was unhappy with Ronaldo's attitude and Neville believes the 37-year-old is in danger of tarnishing his short-term legacy.
Neville pointed out the fact Ronaldo has now been dropped by three different managers due to his behaviour and warned his former team-mate to stop being petulant.
The pundit said on ITV: "Well when it happened at United the suggestion was that Ten Hag was trying to make a move on him, establish his authority.
"This is a manager who has got an unbelievable relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo for eight years and there are a lot of fans of Ronaldo who are not willing to tell him the truth.
"I think he does need to listen to the truth that it is becoming a little bit of a scruffy end.
"His long-term legacy is set, he is one of the great all-time players.
"But in the short-term he has got to do a lot better because is the Juventus manager wrong? Is the Manchester United manager wrong? And now is the Portugal manager wrong? There are three of them that have done the same thing with him."
- Ian Tuckey
Prem clubs eye Ghana ace
Mohammed Kudus is being repeatedly linked with a move away from Ajax.
The Ghanaian winger demonstrated his skillset during the World Cup and has given a reputation a huge boost.
The Sun revealed earlier this week that the 22-year-old is open to a Premier League move.
But he has also been strongly linked with a potential transfer to Barcelona.
Kudus hit two goals in Ghana’s three World Cup games and four goals in six Champions League games for Ajax.
- Ian Tuckey
Game of two laughs as Nev's proved right
Gary Neville had the last laugh as Spain crashed out of the World Cup.
The 2010 champions were unable to break down Morocco in 120 minutes and then missed all their shootout penalties.
And the performance ensured Neville was belatedly vindicated for his pre-tournament predictions.
The Manchester United legend boldly declared Spain's team "have no goals in them" before their Qatar 2022 opener against Costa Rica.
He was left a little red-faced, though, as Luis Enrique's men smashed seven goals past their helpless opponents.
Afterwards, Neville doubled down on his claim and said: "We can't just measure Spain at all off that.
"I think we will be proved right!"
- Ian Tuckey
Ronaldo shares Portugal joy
Dropped Cristiano Ronaldo looked as overjoyed as the rest of Portugal's bench as his replacement Goncalo Ramos led them to a 2-0 lead.
Switzerland are in all sorts of problem – with their defending and the Portuguese attack.
And Manchester United outcast Ronaldo, 37, was off his seat roaring with delight.
Follow the action with our LIVE BLOG
- Ian Tuckey
Paqueta hits back at Keane’s dance dig
Lucas Paqueta has defended Brazil’s dancing after Roy Keane blasted “it was like watching Strictly” when they celebrated.
Brazil’s stars marked every goal in the 4-1 win over South Korea on Monday with a dance.
West Ham star Paqueta, 25, scored the fourth goal as the tournament favourites turned on the style.
Manager Tite even got involved in the dancing after Richarlison ran over to the dugout after netting Brazil’s third.
But unimpressed Manchester United legend Keane fumed on ITV’s coverage of the game: “I’ve never seen so much dancing. It’s like watching Strictly. I can’t believe what I’m watching.
“I don’t like this. I think it’s disrespecting the opposition. It’s four [goals] and they’re doing it every time.”
Paqueta then defiantly hit back after the match.
The playmaker told Globo: “The dance is a representation of our joy after scoring a goal. We don’t do it to disrespect anyone, we don’t do it in front of our opponents.”
He added: “We all get together to celebrate. If they don’t like it, there’s not much to say.”
- Ian Tuckey
Real Lead in Endrick Race
Real Madrid have stolen a lead in the fight for wonderkid Endrick, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The 16-year-old is already being tipped to be one of the stars of the next generation and Real Madrid are believed to be in official negotiations with his club Palmeiras.
The striker has been linked to huge clubs including Manchester United, and even replicated Cristiano Ronaldo last month after scoring.
- Ian Tuckey
Red Devils rev up for Cadiz friendly
United have trained ahead of their return to the pitch in a friendly match against Cadiz.
The Red Devils take on the La Liga side in a friendly on Wednesday evening.
The Spaniards sit in the relegation zone on 11 points with two wins so far this season.
It will be United's first game since they beat Fulham in the Premier League before the break for the World Cup.
Erik ten Hag's side won the game thanks to a last-gasp winner from starlet Alejandro Garnacho.
The three points earned from Craven Cottage left the club fifth going into the break, three points behind Tottenham in the Champions League spot.
The break has allowed players not representing their countries in Qatar a chance to re-gain their fitness and recover from any injuries that they had.
This will be a boost to the Dutch manager as stars such as Anthony Martial are closer to full fitness.
- Ian Tuckey
Ron urged to choose MLS over Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo has been urged to snub Saudi Arabia for the MLS.
That’s because his proposed £173million-a-year Middle East move risks leaving him “out of sight and out of mind.”
Ronaldo, 37, is mulling his options after leaving Manchester United last month.
The Portugal star, who has been dropped for tonight’s World Cup last-16 clash against Switzerland, has received a £173m-a-year offer from Saudi side Al-Nassr.
But USA legend Alexi Lalas told Fox: “It sounds like he’s going to make a boatload of money and go to Saudi Arabia and play. I can’t remember the last time we heard about the Saudi Arabian league.
“For a guy that is so concerned about his brand, and certainly has more money than he can do with, it’s a strange type of thing for him to do.
“For 200 million dollars you’ll figure it out, but if the alternative is making less money and I get to go and play and live in Miami or Los Angeles…
"MLS can’t compete with that type of money but can give him a much bigger entrée into the American market – he’s already huge in America."
- Ian Tuckey
'Sneaky sods' in for Jude!
Gary Neville reckons England's stars from Liverpool and Manchester City are laying ground work to try and sign midfield sensation Jude Bellingham.
He joked that "sneaky little sods" Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden are all cosying up to the Borussia Dortmund ace while on World Cup duty.
Liverpool captain Henderson and Bellingham are good pals – despite the 13-year age gap between the pair.
Elsewhere Reds fans were sent into meltdown when Alexander-Arnold shared a snap of the pair together after they went for a stroll together in Qatar.
While Manchester United legend Neville also claimed City ace Foden was getting close to Bellingham. And the pundit doesn't believe it to be a coincidence.
Neville told Sky: "The whole thing unnerves me!
"When I was in the camp sort of 15 years ago, I used to sort of get close to [Wayne] Rooney, close to Rio Ferdinand. All those players you thought you could just grab.
"Now you see Phil Foden next to Jude Bellingham, you see Trent Alexander-Arnold going for a walk with him, you see Jordan Henderson cuddling up to him at the end of the game.
"And you think 'you sneaky little sods', I know what you're trying to do, you lot'."
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