Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad are reportedly in “preliminary negotiations” with Manchester United over the potential signing of Raphaël Varane.
Varane has only been at Man United since 2021 and despite being in and out of the side with numerous injury problems during that time, the 30-year-old defender has been one of two first-choice centre-backs under Erik ten Hag and previous manager’s when fit.
However, as per multiple reports abroad, it is said that not only have Al-Ittihad expressed their interest in singing Varane but, according to one Saudi source, “preliminary negotiations” have already started.
🚨🇸🇦 Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad are reportedly showing interest in Manchester United centre back Raphael Varane! 🔴 [@RudyGaletti]
🔥 Imagine a team that had Varane, his former Real Madrid teammate Benzema & N’Golo Kante all included 😍 pic.twitter.com/C3JzQoA8kG
According to Saudi journalist Nawaf Oga, not only have early talks between the two clubs already taken place but it is said that Varane supposedly gave “positive indications”.
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Were the transfer to be greenlit, it would mark yet another big coup for the Saudi Pro League which has been tapping up top European talents for the past few months, with Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte being one of the latest set to make a move to the Middle East.
On the other hand, multiple sources have also discredited these rumours, with The United Stand informing fans that they understand the links “have no truth to them” and that the player is “happy at Manchester United”.
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The claims also come counter to recent reports that Varane wants to continue playing at the highest level possible in Europe for as long as he can, having told GQ back in March that he can only see himself retiring at Real Madrid, Man United or RC Lens, where he started his professional career.
🔴📰 | Raphaël Varane wants to continue playing European football for at least one more season, and is under contract with #mufc until 2025. [Sports Zone via @GFFN] pic.twitter.com/ahqAcZV92w
Nevertheless, now being the wrong side of 30, regularly prone to injuries/fitness problems and plenty of other players even younger than him have seized the highly lucrative opportunity, it would be all that surprising to see him be swayed.
Having recently taken aim at the FA by insisting that “there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being” — not to mention United being in four competitions this year — he might also be considering his own longevity.
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It also goes without saying that the Saudis would be over the moon to have another World Cup winner within their ranks and he would be joining his fellow compatriots Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté were he to join Al-Ittihad.
Neither the player nor ten Hag are yet to come out and address the rumours.
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)
Sport
Multiple arrests made for ‘tragedy chanting’ and police officer assault as Man City defeated Liverpool
Emily Sergeant
Multiple people were arrested over the weekend as Manchester City defeated Liverpool in a Premier League clash.
Merseyside Police have confirmed that a total of 10 people were arrested during the policing operation at Liverpool’s home ground of Anfield as they hosted Manchester City on Sunday 11 October.
One man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police constable, five were on suspicion of tragedy chanting, one on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, two for affray, and one on suspicion of throwing items onto the pitch.
Police are now appealing to the public, and are particularly looking to speak to witnesses of the assault of the officer.
At around 6:35pm, as fans left the stadium, a police officer sustained a ‘serious facial injury’ during the arrest of a man on Anfield Road, and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment but is now recovering at home.
Investigating officers are now conducting enquiries, speaking to witnesses, and analysing CCTV and camera phone footage.
Chief Inspector Leanne Hobin said it’s ‘extremely disappointing’ that an officer has sustained a serious injury while carrying out their duty.
“I hope the arrests send a clear message and act as a deterrent to others,” Chief Inspector Hobin continued. “Anyone who engages in this abhorrent behaviour risks ending up in custody and getting a criminal record.
“Despite the actions of a few, the overwhelming majority of the 60,000 fans in attendance behaved well and I want to thank them for their co-operation.”
Manchester City ended up defeated Liverpool 3-0 during the Premier League clash at Anfield.
Danny Jones -
21st August 2023 
