Manchester United look to be moving closer to sealing their next signing of the summer, as talks to sign two potential new defenders are said to be making “progress”, but it is thought only a deal for one is likely to be completed.
The Red Devils already completed their first signing of the INEOS era after securing the services of Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee over the weekend, another addition to Man United’s gradually shifting forward line, but are keen to bolster their defensive ranks given the slate of injury problems last season.
With the likes of Raphaël Varane, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez and more all injured at one point or another throughout the previous campaign, players such as Casemiro and Sofyan Amrabat had to be deployed in defence – a situation they need to avoid this year.
As a result, two of the deals reported to be moving forward are for central defenders, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, though it seems the chances of United signing both are less probable.
🔴📰 | #mufc have achieved progress on both Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro, although the expectation is that only one of them will be signed. [@David_Ornstein] pic.twitter.com/430J4MVB3y
According to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, “Progress has been achieved on each front recently, though the current expectation is they would recruit one or the other as opposed to both.”
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De Ligt has been an on and off target at Old Trafford for a number of years already, having emerged as a breakthrough star at Ajax and even being once tipped to become “the world’s best defender” by his former manager, Erik ten Hag, so a reunion would make a lot of sense.
However, the 24-year-old hasn’t quite maintained his best form since leaving the Netherlands, first joining Juventus and then Bayern Munich, where he’s struggled to play his very best football.
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LOSC Lille centre-back Yoro, on the other hand, looks to be a very promising teenage talent whose career is just getting underway and has already attracted interest from various clubs across Europe, though it looks to be less of a ‘back on track’ bit of match-making than his Dutch counterpart.
🚨 Leny Yoro’s future depends again on player’s decision.
Lille president, pushing for Yoro to join Man United after official bid accepted for €50m plus add-ons last week.
Yoro’s preference remains Real Madrid, it’s only up to the player.
As corroborated by fellow transfer source, Fabrizio Romano, despite a transfer fee between Lille and Man United having been agreed, the 18-year-old’s preference would be a move to Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, the acquisition of De Ligt would be ten Hag’s second signing of a former player and his second countryman following the £36.5 million deal for Zirkzee, who finished as the Italian side’s top attacking contributor last season, with 12 goals and seven assists in 37 games.
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The 23-year-old also picked up the award for Serie A’s Young Player of the Year in just his second season with the club.
United are clearly looking to build a new team around the younger rising stars such as Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Ramsu Højlund, so players like Zirkzee, Yoro and indeed De Ligt all fit the recuitment strategy.
Salford City FC have been bought out by a new consortium
Danny Jones
Another era beckons for Salford City as a buyout of the Greater Manchester football club by a new consortiumhas been announced.
Well, sort of.
Salford City FC were famously the subject of a joint takeover by Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and members of Manchester United’s Class of ’92 over a decade ago, and now 11 years on from that last milestone moment in their history, the local side has a new administration once again.
It is a fresh chapter for the club, but supporters will be glad to hear that there will also be some continuity and key throughline of consistency among some of those at the top.
Salford City announces that the Club has been acquired by a new ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville, and includes US-based businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies who will both serve as new Co-Chairs of the Club’s board.
Led by Man United legends Gary Neville and David Beckham, who have been involved with Salford since 2014, the new nine-member consortium consists of the Dream Sports Group – a leading sports technology company based in India – along with a number of other key figures.
One of those is Lord Mervyn Davies, a former Labour MP and Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business, who still serves as a trade envoy between the UK and Sri Lanka.
Another is Irish-American entrepreneur Declan Kelly, who is Chairman and CEO of The Consello Group, a global advisory and investing firm.
While the previous co-owners and fellow Class of ’92 United graduates are no longer shareholders at Moor Lane, it is said they will still play important roles at the club.
As the official statement reads, “The acquisition includes a commitment by the new shareholders to invest significantly in the Club, the team and its facilities”, meaning there will funds will likely be sweet aside not only for some healthy transfer business but more updates to the Peninsula Stadium.
Commenting on the announcement, Neville said: “I’m passionate about Salford City. This is a unique partnership with a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football.
“Football will come first, however, it’s critical that we drive the Club towards sustainability in the next 4-5 years. I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.”
Meanwhile, Beckham went on to add in the excitable Instagram post seen above: “Salford played such an important role in my life growing up… It’s where I trained with United alongside my best mates every day, it’s where I bought my first house and where me and Victoria lived.
“I’m so proud to be part of a new ownership group alongside my mate [Neville] as we begin the next chapter of Salford’s journey. Football is at the heart of this community and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Ammies.
Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run returns this summer with three new routes
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this summer, and this year, there’s three new routes to run.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo saw success with similar sold-out events in 2023 and 2024, and is now looking for 2,500 runners to sign up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences when it returns later this year – with all funds raised from the popular event going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
Participants will this year take on a brand-new route winding through more of the zoo than ever before, and enjoying glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Chester Zoo is inviting runners of all abilities to take part this year, as there’s a new 5km run added to the usual 10km route, and even a one-mile ‘Zoom’ fun run for kids aged four-15.
With only 2,500 places up for grabs, organisers say the event is expected to sell out quickly, just like it has the past two years, as runners race to support a very special cause.
All proceeds from this year’s Run For Nature in September will go directly towards protecting Nubian giraffes in East Africa – a species which has seen drastic population declines in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and conflict with humans.
Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run is returning this summer with three new routes / Credit: Chester Zoo
Runners will receive a wooden medal at the finish line and free entry to the zoo for the remainder of the day, so they can relax and celebrate their achievement among 30,000 amazing animals.
If that didn’t all sound brilliant enough as it is, top fundraisers from the day will also be in with a chance of winning some exciting prizes too, including annual zoo memberships, animal adoptions, and even special behind-the-scenes zoo experiences.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing back Run For Nature for a third incredible year,” explained Sarah Jones, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo.
“We’ve now doubled the distance runners spend inside the zoo, so they’ll pass by even more iconic animals, [making it] a really special experience you won’t get anywhere else.”
Run For Nature is back at Chester Zoo this Sunday 21 September, and you can find out more and sign up to take part here.
Danny Jones -
16th July 2024 
