Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui has undergone an operation following a recent cardiac arrhythmia diagnosis.
The Morrocan-born full-back who arrived at Old Trafford this summer was officially withdrawn from international duty on Monday and is now confirmed to be sidelined following surgery.
Despite early overblown and unverified reports claiming that Mazraoui would be out for several months, it is now believed that the procedure was ‘minor’ and will only be out for a few weeks.
It’s said the 26-year-old had been experiencing heart palpitations and that corrective steps were taken to prevent similar problems in the future.
🚨🔴 Man United's Noussair #Mazraoui has successfully undergone a minor precautionary corrective procedure after experiencing heart palpitations ✔️
It is expected that the #MUFC full-back will fully recover and be available again within a few weeks.
Fans were understandably concerned following the early rumblings, especially given his recent issues with fitness before arriving at the club and his teammate Christian Eriksen‘s own history of cardiac problems, though it is thought Mazraoui’s procedure was merely precautionary.
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Back in January 2023, Mazraoui was unable to play competitively for some time after developing inflammation of heart tissue after suffering from a bout of Covid-19.
He was unable to begin light training a month later and return to the pitch properly in March. Cut to now and he’s started every game so far in the Premier League, making 10 appearances all told.
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With the Man United still depleted in defence – and without fellow fullbacks Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, in particular – while they’ll be glad to hear Mazraoui is ok, his impending absence following the operation isn’t exactly ideal timing.
The Red Devils struggled with injury and fitness problems for much of the previous campaign and look to be following a similar pattern this season. Players are also being recalled to Carrington during the international break as they often did when pressure was building under Sir Alex Ferguson.
ℹ️ @AmadDiallo_19 has withdrawn from Ivory Coast's upcoming internationals.#MUFC
On the upside for United fans, centre-back Leny Yoro, who was ruled out for three months following surgery of his own following a footy injury picked up during a pre-season game, looks to be on course regarding his recovery.
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The 19-year-old Frenchman shared a video of his rehabilitation on social media and though there is still no clear indication of when exactly he will be able to play his first real minutes of the club, manager Erik ten Hag recently said: “He is in the right spot, and he will return as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, with no wins in the last five games across all competitions, the Dutchman is still very much under the cosh and could do without any more players missing from his squad.
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Sport
Details released of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners while Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Details of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester have been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed on the situation a little first, Manchester City was found guilty back in September all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and on top of that, was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors.
These were part of a disguised funding scheme – with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Within the past week or so, it has since come to light that now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham had dealings with Manchester City during his tenure as Greater Manchester Mayor, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now issued a public statement, giving details on the matter and what these ‘dealings’ entailed.
A spokesperson for GMCA confirmed that Burnham had a ‘formal meeting’ with Man City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, back in October 2021.
The statement reads in full: “In October 2021, Andy Burnham, in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit arranged by the Department for International Trade.
“In his capacity as Mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City FC at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the Chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as Mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of Mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City FC staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
Featured Image – Lauren Hurley / Number 10 Downing Street (Press Image via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
10th October 2024 
