Sport

Manchester United become favourites to sign Cristiano Ronaldo as City drop out

Manchester United are officially in the race, City officially drop out

The Manc The Manc - 27th August 2021

Bookies across the UK think Cristiano Ronaldo is going to Manchester United.

Skybet currently has Ronaldo odds on at 1/12 with Manchester City in second place with odds of 6/1. City’s odds have changed dramatically after a well respected source confirmed that the team has dropped out of the race.

Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano has been on Twitter to reveal all of this in the last few minutes.

While Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has been in direct contact with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, no official bid was ever lodged for the player nor were personal terms agreed between both parties.

Speaking on United’s involvement, Romano wrote on social media: “Manchester United have been in direct contact with Jorge Mendes since yesterday night for Cristiano Ronaldo comeback.

“Now board talking about figures of the deal, potential salary & also fee for Juventus.”

All of this happened at the same time Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær had his say on the matter, stating: “Cristiano is a legend of this club, the greatest player of all time if you ask me.

“I was fortunate enough to play with him. I coached him when I got my job. Let’s see what happens.

“We’ve always had a good communication. Bruno has been talking to him as well and he knows what we feel about him.

“If he was ever going to move away from Juventus, he knows WE ARE HERE”.

Skybet odd on Cristiano Ronaldo joining another club before September 3

It was revealed at around 1.30pm today that Ronaldo had boarded his private jet in Turin alongside his agent, ready to leave the country. Now it seems the entire sporting world is fixated on the direction of that flight.

With nothing yet confirmed, one thing is for sure, Cristiano Ronaldo has left Juventus and is looking for a new club.

Will that club be in Manchester? Only time will tell – but things are moving very quickly, and the red half of the city are waiting with baited breath.

Sport

Chloe Kelly leaves Manchester City for Arsenal on a permanent deal

Danny Jones Danny Jones Chloe Kelly has left Man City and is joining Arsenal permanently

England forward Chloe Kelly has officially left Manchester City after five years and is joining her girlhood club Arsenal following her contract expiry.

As one of the biggest stars in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) and hero of the current Lionesses squad, most Man City supporters would have been hoping to keep hold of Chloe Kelly for as long as possible, but now the talented attacker has returned to Arsenal on a permanent deal.

The 27-year-old London-born star spent the end of last season on loan there, where she came through the academy as a youngster, but has now made the move back down south full-time after a successful 2024/25 campaign, which saw the Gunners win their first Women’s Champions League in 18 years.

Securing the switch on a free transfer, pending the completion of standard regulatory processes, she is reported to have signed a three-year deal and will keep the number 18 shirt.

Although the fee is yet to be confirmed, it looks to be a deal that suits both parties.

Speaking on the move, Kelly – who previously shone on Merseyside as part of Everton’s women’s team, too – said she is “excited to win more trophies”, insisting, “This is the place I want to be.”

In her full statement shared via club media, she added: “Putting pen to paper on a permanent contract at Arsenal is a standout moment for me. Learning from an incredible manager and continuing to build relationships with an excellent team is a journey I’m looking forward to continuing…

“I’ve always said that Arsenal supporters are the best, and to have them on my side, singing my name, means so much to me.”

Meanwhile, City Women expressed their gratitude for her time in sky blue, writing, “Everyone at City would like to thank Chloe for her efforts during her time at the Joie Stadium and would like to wish her the best for the future.”

Kelly leaves the Etihad Campus having scored on 34 occasions across a total of 113 appearances for City, including 14 assists in her last full year with the club, as well as an impressive 16 goals in her debut season as MCWFC women the FA Cup.

Her time with Gareth Taylor’s team was largely curtailed by an unfortunate ACL injury which brought a premature end to her maiden term, but she was still voted fans’ Player of the Season at the end of 20/21, as well as picking up the Women’s Player of the Year at the North West Football Awards in November.

She was also named in the PFA’s Team of the Year and, most famously, scored the winning goal as Sarina Weigman’s Lionesses beat Germany in that thrilling 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros final – the nation’s first major honour since 1966.

Many will be sad to see her go, but the club have at least signed an exciting new replacement to bolster the forward line, with highly-rated teenager, Iman Beney, arriving in Manchester from BSC YB Frauen on a four-year deal at just 18.

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Featured Images — James Boyes/joshjdss (via Flickr)

Sport

Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe has left Stockport County to join a Championship club

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tanto leaves Stockport County for Charlton

Star Stockport County striker, Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe, has officially left the Greater Manchester club for a move up the English pyramid.

Affectionately referred to as Tanto by players, coaches and supporters alike, the County forward has been one of the League One side’s most regular goal threats in the last couple of years, but now the London-born footballer is heading back down south.

The 25-year-old, who joined the Hatters back in January of 2023, finished his debut season at Edgeley Park as their top scorer in the third tier with 20 goals to his name, the most of any player in an EFL season since club legend Luke Beckett in 2002/03.

More than two decades on – and besides former marksman Paddy Madden’s offensive contributions – he’s become one of the biggest and firmest fan favourites for obvious reasons. However, Tanto has now left Stockport for pastures new, joining recently promoted Championship club, Charlton Athletic FC.

Joining the second division returnees from the south-east side of the capital on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee, Olaofe leaves Stockport County having scored 37 times and registered a handful in 121 appearances.

Signing a three-year contract with the Addicks following his 24/25 campaign, which saw him register a total of 16 goal contributions, he described the switch as “a great feeling”.

Writing a message simply titled, ‘Stockport County – Thank you for everything’, on his own social media, Tanto said: “I want to thank everyone at Stockport, from the management, coaches/backroom and my teammates for the great memories, experiences, and friendships we’ve shared over the years!

“A massive shout out to the ‘heart of County’ – the supporters – for the love and support. This experience has helped to mature me and has helped in shaping me in making me the player I am today, so once again, thank you all! Up the Hatters! It’s been an amazing journey.

Meanwhile, the majority of the County faithful are understandably gutted, with one fan posting, “My kids will be absolutely gutted” (along with a picture of them together), and another adding: “First of many heartbreaks for my boys! They were thrilled to meet you, and thank you for being so good with them.”

Others have brushed past their gratitude more quickly and are simply ‘baffled’ by the decision to let him go, with one person commenting, “Why on earth have we sold him? Shocking”; most have simply put something along the lines of, ‘Cheers, now I’m crying.’

Speaking via a lengthy club statement, County CEO Simon Wilson bid a fond farewell to Olaofe: “It is with both a heavy but also proud heart that we say goodbye to Tanto, a player who has added so much to our club in the two-and-a-half years he has been here.

“I remember in his first interview, Liam asked ‘how would you describe yourself?’, to which Tanto replied ‘I like to be a nuisance for defenders’! He has been that for sure, but so much more, too.

“We will remember the special goals, like the header to equalise in the League Two Play-Off semi-final against Salford, the hat-trick vs Wrexham in the title-winning campaign, and the mazy run against Bolton last season. But more importantly, we will remember so much more of his personality and positivity, which brought so much to our environment.

“But we’ve been open in saying that the future of the Club is smart player trading, and so on presentation of this offer – which represents over 10x the original fee paid and gives a player who has given everything to the club, the opportunity to play at a higher level – we felt it was something we had to do.

To those questioning the thinking behind the move, he reiterated that the Championship hopefuls will now challenge themselves to recruit just as smartly once again. It looks like the overarching plan is to do shrewd, mindful business wherever possible.

‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract
Tying down ‘Chally’ was arguably the important deal of this summer.

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Featured Images — Stockport County (via website/YouTube screenshot)/Charlton Athletic (via X)

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