Manchester United are reportedly open to offers on practically their entire first-team squad as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS Group look to rebuild the squad from the ground up, with just three current players said to be ‘off-limits’ in the upcoming transfer window.
The eye-opening report by The Telegraph‘s James Ducker has revealed that the latest assessment by Ratcliffe and his new executive board, including new technical director Jason Wilcox, is that they would be “prepared to listen to offers for the majority of their first-team squad this summer”
While Ducker stresses that the club are not actively looking to offload senior stars like Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez for example, it is now thought they “are keeping a very open mind about sales and will judge any offers on their own merits.”
However, is said that some players that are simply not for sale – well, at least three.
EXCL #MUFC prepared to listen to offers for majority of 1st team squad bar rising stars like Mainoo/Garnacho/Hojlund. Ready to adopt ultra flexible approach to window. Won’t actively look to sell likes of Rashford but will give real considerable to offers https://t.co/uDi4ybUgy5
United are willing to sell first-team players if the right money comes in but three of the next generation are strictly off-limits.
As per the bombshell report when it comes to the business Man United are planning this summer, only homegrown talent Kobbie Mainoo, rising star Alejandro Garnacho and recently acquired young striker Rasmus Højlund have been deemed off-limits by the new co-owners.
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With 30 goal contributions between the two attacking players across all competitions and still so early on in their careers, it’s not hard to see why, not to mention Mainoo looks to be one of the most promising midfielders in the country at the moment, securing an England call-up in his debut season to boot.
A big factor in the apparent approach is the club having now officially dropped out of the Champions League following their disappointing home draw against Burnley, which will see a significant dip in revenue, meaning that potential salary cuts of around 25% off the total wage bill could be floated.
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However, players like Rashford, Casemiro and Raphaël Varane who have big contracts could prove to be an obstacle, meaning their future at Old Trafford may be less assured than previously. With over half a billion spent over the last three summer transfer windows, it is thought a ‘buy-to-sell’ policy is likely.
As reported earlier this month, Wilcox’s arrival at the club included not only an assessment of the current squad and which areas need to be improved – with United said to be targeting another striker, right-sided centre-back and a midfielder come June – but of the manager himself too.
Also broken by Ducker, the new director is said to be looking at Erik ten Hag’s “strengths and weaknesses” as the season draws to a close over the next few weeks, with the Dutchman’s future at the club also still up in the air following a difficult season.
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ten Hag‘s training sessions, in particular, are said to be of interest, especially given the Red Devils’ lack of a clear tactical style or any discernible patterns of play since he joined back in April 2022.
Whether faith will be placed in him as it has with the likes of Mainoo, Garnacho and Højlund remains to be seen but it looks set to be a big summer transfer window for United, even if not entirely in terms of spending. Which would about you, Reds: which players would you definitely want to keep?
Details of huge Manchester City parade through city centre announced
Daisy Jackson
The victorious Manchester City will be taking to the streets in the city centre once again to celebrate their historic four-in-a-row achievement.
Details of this year’s parade have just been announced, travelling from the National Football Museum and along Deansgate.
An open-top bus will carry the team and their winners’ silverware through town on Sunday, marking their unprecedented fourth Premier League victory in a row.
If previous years are anything to go by, thousands of fans will flood to the city centre to celebrate with Manchester City when they hit the streets on 26 May.
This also happens to be the same day as the Great Manchester Run, so Manchester is expected to be extremely busy.
After tens of thousands of runners cross the finish line on Deansgate, the space will be readied for the Manchester City Parade, which will take place from 7.30pm until around 9pm.
There’ll be a number of road closures in place on Sunday for both the race and the parade.
The Manchester City parade will take to the streets on Sunday. Credit: The Manc Group
The Blues are the first ever male team since the inception of the Football League in 1888 to win four successive championships.
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Congratulations to Manchester City. Being crowned premier league champions once again and for an astonishing fourth year in a row is an incredible achievement by the club and its players, showing once again that Manchester’s world class sporting credentials really are second to none.
“We know how much this means to fans of the club young and old – not just in Manchester but around the globe – and the homecoming parade on Sunday promises to be an unmissable night to remember for fans and players alike as they celebrate this historic title win together.”
A list of road closures over the weekend in connection with the Great Manchester Run is already available online at manchester.gov.uk/roadclosures and will be added to ahead of the weekend with any further road closures deemed necessary in order to facilitate the Manchester City parade.
Pep Guardiola admits he will miss Jürgen Klopp ‘a lot’ as Liverpool boss leaves club after nine years
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confessed he will miss fellow coach and long-time rival Jürgen Klopp as he officially left Liverpool after nearly a decade this weekend.
The German football manager, who ended the Scousers’ 30-year wait for a first-division title and won them two more European cups, departed the club after nine years on Sunday following the final day of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Having been given an emotional send-off by the Anfield faithful and delivering a heartfelt speech to the city he’s come to call “home”, Guardiola was obviously asked his thoughts on his final chapter in his post-match press conference.
While the focus was obviously on winning a record fourth league title in a row, a visibly emotional Pep did go on to admit, “I will miss him a lot”.
🗣️ "I will miss him a lot. Jurgen has been a really important part of my life."
Pep Guardiola CLOSE TO TEARS talking Jurgen Klopp, & not because his farewell overshadowed Man City winning the league. 😉
Clearly moved by the question and by taking in the years they’ve shared on the touchline, the 53-year-old said of his former Premier League and Bundesliga rival: “Jurgen has been a really important part of my life. He’s [taken] me to another level as a manager. I think we respect each other incredibly”.
He went on to add, “I have the feeling he’ll be back and I just want to say thank you so much for his words… he knows personally that behind me there a lot of things that this club provides me… he’s helped me with him and he’s been a huge competitor in my life”.
Even speaking prior to the game, Pep was already full of admiration for his opposite number, telling Sky Sports last week that not only will he miss Klopp but going so far as to claim that “football needs him, as well as naming his teams amongst those who he often struggled to unlock.
Safe to say the home crowd gave him a momentous send-off in his final appearance as the Liverpool manager, though he made certain he’ll be back to visit the city and Anfield again in the future.
Liverpool looked like he might be able to keep his side in the title fight right until the last but it ultimately went on to become a two-horse race, with the Blues beating him and Arsenal to the post once again.
Whether you’re behind ‘enemy lines’ here in Manchester or you’re just curious to hear what he said, you can watch Klopp’s farewell speech in full down below.
Regardless of the rivalries, you have to admit, it’s been great to watch the two coaches duke it out for the best part of a decade.
We’re sure Pep isn’t the only one in Manchester that’ll miss Klopp. Whoever you support, he’s been a massive character in English football.
Danny Jones -
30th April 2024 
