This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
It would probably be an understatement to say that Real Madrid’s weekend fixture was a success.
In reality, it was much more than that – it was a dominant performance that finally saw Zinedine Zidane’s troops show what they are truly capable of as they dismantled Eibar away from home.
The final result is actually quite telling of that story. After all, 4-0 victories are not really seen that often, even when we’re talking about a side as big as Real Madrid.
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But this was fully deserved as Los Blancos were the better side throughout the 90 minutes and they never gave their opposition an inch to take.
And one big reason behind their commandeering victory was actually Eden Hazard.
The Belgian played what was most likely his best game in the royal white kit of the Galacticos to date. Ever since he arrived from Chelsea last summer, expectations were high and rightly so, considering we’re talking about a player who scored 110 goals in 352 games he played for the Blues.
But even though he wasn’t on the scoresheet against Eibar, he was definitely one of the best players on the pitch.
After all, he warranted an 8.64 rating according to WhoScored and got his marks without actually scoring or assisting. This just goes to show how influential he was for the Galacticos.
The Belgian forward tallied an incredible seven dribbles on the night and deployed one key pass in the process.
Apart from that, he also maintained 86.5% passing accuracy, managed one shot and recorded 64 touches in the process, which shows how involved he was in all the proceedings on the pitch.
We should also mention that he deployed three crosses on the night and that all four of his long balls found their targets.
Without a doubt, it’s not really a surprise that his brilliant performance coincided with Real Madrid’s and resulted in one of their best displays in the ongoing 2019/20 campaign as a whole.
If this was any indication at all Zidane’s troops could fully emerge from their cocoon once Hazard does the same, and on his most recent display he might be well on his way to doing exactly that.
Let’s see if he can maintain this good form moving forward.
Tottenham Hotspur fans have warned the club off signing Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic.
Calciomercato have reported that Spurs are interested in securing the signature of the forward, along with Manchester United and West Ham United, as the January transfer window looms.
Spurs, of course, don’t have much back-up to out-and-out centre-forward Harry Kane, with only the 17-year-old Troy Parrott another classic forward in the mould of the England captain.
Nevertheless, supporters are not interested in the prospect of beating their Premier League rivals to the punch for the little-used 33-year-old.
Mandzukic scored 10 goals last season but has yet to make a single appearance under manager Maurizio Sarri in 2019/20.
Of course, there is an irony to this, with Spurs having attempted to sign the Croatia international’s club team-mate, Paulo Dybala, in the summer, only for the deal to fall through on transfer deadline day.
Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!
Crystal Palace’s recruitment team are among the Premier League scouts plotting a transfer swoop on a £25 million midfielder, according to a recent report. Palace’s long wait for a Premier League win ended on Sunday as they claimed a surprise 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park. Pressure was mounting on manager Oliver Glasner, but he will hope that can ease as they claim their first league win of the season.
£17m Crystal Palace gem unlikely to play again in 2024 after injury update
It’s a blow for Oliver Glasner.
ByHenry Jackson Oct 27, 2024 Crystal Palace news and updates
The run of poor results has left Glasner fighting for his job despite the positive impact he made last season, so much so that new managers were being linked with the role.
Gareth Southgate was someone who emerged as an option for the Eagles last week, but the chances of Palace securing the former England manager are very slim, as he wants to take a break from football. Former West Ham manager David Moyes was also mentioned as an option, with the Scot interested in the possible vacancy. But Glasner has picked up his first league win this season, and he will be hoping it gives him time to turn around the poor form.
Away from manager news, Palace already have their eye on a potential January or next summer signing despite the club’s poor form in the league. The South Londoners are monitoring Trabzonspor midfielder Batista Mendy, as the Turkish side are open to selling the player for £16.5 million, but not in January, as they would want to keep him until the end of the current campaign.
The transfer news doesn’t stop there for Palace fans, as the club also have their eye on another midfielder, who will cost more than Mendy.
Crystal Palace's recruitment team plotting £25m signing
According to Voetbal24, relayed by Tribal Football, Crystal Palace are one of several Premier League clubs scouting midfielder Raphael Onyedika. The 23-year-old midfielder currently plays for Belgian side Club Brugge and has done so since 2022, when he joined from Midtjylland.
Onyedika has become an important player for Brugge, helping them compete at the top in Belgium as well as in Europe, where he has grabbed one assist in three Champions League games this season, and the form he’s shown has earned him nine caps for Nigeria so far.
Now, according to this report, Palace are among the English clubs keeping an eye on him during this campaign. Brugge are said to be open to selling the midfielder when the January transfer window comes around, with their starting price being 30 million euros, which is roughly £25 million.
Apps
103
Goals
4
Assists
4
Onyedika has had some disciplinary issues on the pitch this season for Brugge, but among the scouts who have watched him, there is no doubt about his talent and potential. The 23-year-old emerged on the radar of Galatasaray during the summer, but their efforts to sign the midfielder were rejected, leaving the door open for a move to the Premier League.
Erik ten Hag has long been criticised for playing favourites at Manchester United, having spent millions on his “own players” – as pundit Rafael van der Vaart has stated – who have all largely arrived amid some form of Dutch or Eredivisie connection.
That said, however, when the going has got tough, the Dutchman – to his credit – has not been afraid to turn back to those who are tried and tested in the Premier League, getting back to basics in the desire to grind out results.
Last season, in particular, the former Ajax boss was regularly bailed out by a certain Scott McTominay, with the Scotland international scoring ten times in all competitions, despite having looked set to depart in the summer of 2023.
The 27-year-old has now sought out pastures new in Naples, although the current campaign has again seen Ten Hag oust his new arrivals in favour of more experienced heads, with Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez having been ditched against Aston Villa last time out, in place of a centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.
With the visit of Brentford now on the cards later today, the 54-year-old may need to be ruthless again with regard to his selection decisions, with getting a positive result simply a necessity amid the speculation surrounding him.
Man Utd's centre-back pairing vs Brentford
At one stage Maguire looked a dead-cert to depart Old Trafford amid interest from West Ham United last summer, with the England international having tumbled down the pecking order in 2022/23 to the point at which he was finally stripped of the captaincy by Ten Hag.
Harry Maguire vs Porto
As for Evans, the Northern Irishman was initially only signed on a short-term deal back in July 2023, having departed Leicester City at the end of the previous campaign, following the Foxes’ relegation and the expiry of his contract.
To think then that the two men would be lining up together in what was perhaps a crucial game for Ten Hag’s future against Villa is quite remarkable, with both having proven their worth over the past year or so.
Unfortunately, Maguire will be absent against the Bees due to injury, although the 36-year-old Evans – who has arguably been his manager’s ‘best signing’ – will likely be in the starting lineup once again, following his Man of the Match performance last time out.
The inclusion of that pair ahead of Martinez and De Ligt was a bold but ultimately successful call as United picked up a clean sheet at Villa Park, with the former Ajax duo having been punished for an error-strewn display in Porto, in which the visitors shipped three.
Ten Hag may then be inclined to make another brave decision further up the pitch later today, with the aim of trying to get his limp attacking unit firing.
The player Ten Hag should drop vs Brentford
The main man for so long at the Theatre of Dreams, Bruno Fernandes has not enjoyed the start to the season that he – nor the club – would have envisaged, particularly after signing a new deal over the summer.
The man who created the second-most ‘big chances’ (21) in the Premier League last season, the Portuguese playmaker has been surprisingly blunt in 2024/25 so far, chalking up just one assist and creating only two ‘big chances’. Equally, the 30-year-old was averaging 3.3 key passes per game last season – now that metric stands at just 0.9 per top-flight outing.
That slump has come despite the United “genius” – as hailed by his manager – lining up in such an advanced role off the main centre-forward, with things simply not clicking into gear like they previously have done during his time in Manchester.
Bruno Fernandes
Perhaps the midfielder’s struggles are merely a marker of the wider problems at the club and in the team, yet the former Sporting CP man’s woes do stretch to last season, having now failed to score in the top-flight since the win over Sheffield United back in April.
There was almost a sigh of relief when the £300k-per-week star was sent off against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, with it looking as if he would finally be afforded a much-needed three-game break. The Premier League then, rightly it must be said, overturned that decision.
Another red card followed against Porto, perhaps outlining the frustration that is building within Fernandes regarding his own game. Something needs to give.
The lack of genuine competition to Fernandes has long been an issue, and with Mason Mount enduring continued injury woes, the options remain rather slim.
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That said, Ten Hag’s desire to persist with his 4-2-2-2 or 4-2-4 formation could lend itself to trialling Joshua Zirkzee alongside Rasmus Hojlund instead, with Fernandes – who started both games for his country over the international break – able to make an impact off the bench.
Date
Result
Goalscorers
19 Jan 2022
Brentford 1-3 Man Utd
Toney; Elanga, Greenwood, Rashford
02 May 2022
Man Utd 3-0 Brentford
Fernandes, Ronaldo, Varane
13 Aug 2022
Brentford 4-0 Man Utd
Dasilva, Jensen, Mee, Mbeumo
05 April 2023
Man Utd 1-0 Brentford
Rashford
07 Oct 2023
Man Utd 2-1 Brentford
McTominay (x2); Jensen
30 Mar 2024
Brentford 1-1 Man Utd
Ajer; Mount
In truth, at some stage United need to consider what a starting XI could look like without their captain in it, and with both his and the team’s form having slumped, now is a better time than ever.
Ten Hag saw the benefits of ruthlessly ‘rotating’ Martinez and De Ligt against Unai Emery’s side – now may be an opportunity to do the same with his skipper.
Man Utd could forget Fernandes by signing £120m future Ballon d'Or winner
Bruno Fernandes has been out of form this season and could be replaced by a mega-money signing.
As Matt O’Riley packed his bags for Brighton at the climax of the window, those of a Celtic persuasion may well have been fearing the worst for the season ahead, with the Old Firm giants having lost such an influential figure in the heart of the midfield.
The former MK Dons playmaker had been simply masterful in 2023/24 after registering 19 goals and 18 assists in just 49 games in all competitions, taking his total tally for the club to 62 goals and assists in 124 outings.
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.
A £25m talent such as that is hard to replace, not least for a fraction of the cost, but to the Hoops’ credit, they do look to have recruited effectively in order to fill that creative void.
To steal a phrase from Moneyball, Brendan Rodgers and co appear to have replaced the Denmark international ‘in the aggregate’, rather than with one sole purchase, bringing in three permanent additions in those attacking midfield berths in the form of Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo and Arne Engels.
Despite a shaky showing away at Ross County last time out – in which the Belgian was hooked on the hour mark as the visitors trailed – it has been a particularly solid start to life in Glasgow for that man, Engels.
Arne Engels' start at Celtic
As stated, the former Augsburg starlet – who signed on a club-record £11m deal in the wake of O’Riley’s exit – was far from at his best last time out, having notably squandered possession on 15 occasions in what was a rather anonymous showing.
That said, from just seven appearances for the club thus far, the 21-year-old boasts a promising return of two goals and three assists in all competitions – a fine way to begin repaying that sizeable transfer fee.
That haul of five goal involvements places Engels alongside the likes of Alistair Johnston and Callum McGregor among the Celtic ranks, with the club captain notably also starring in the midfield, with four goals and one assist thus far.
Only Kyogo Furuhashu (six goal involvements), Daizen Maeda (eight goal involvements) and Nicolas Kuhn (14 goal involvements) have contributed to more goals to the side so far, indicating just how effective both Engels and McGregor have been in the centre of the park.
Their record is, however, being matched or bettered by a former Parkhead star who is currently shining away from the club, having been allowed to leave under Ange Postecoglou on a free.
Olivier Ntcham's season so far
Described as “highly gifted” and a player who “has everything” by Rodgers upon his arrival at Celtic Park from Manchester City back in 2017, Olivier Ntcham went on to enjoy a successful four-year stint at the club, winning nine domestic trophies in all in that time.
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After chalking up 37 goals and assists in 124 games for the club across all fronts, the Cameroon international eventually opted to move in the summer of 2021, having previously spent a half-season on loan at Ligue 1 side, Marseille.
Despite Postecoglou’s suggestion that Ntcham wanted to stay put in Glasgow, the midfielder eventually departed following the expiry of his contract, moving on to Swansea City in England’s second tier.
Olivier Ntcham
That stint yielded 18 goal involvements in 82 games, although it is at current side Samsunspor where the 28-year-old has truly found his feet, after arriving in Turkey back in 2023.
Since then, the French-born maestro has registered ten goals and one assist in just 35 games, having particularly impressed in the early knockings of this season.
Much like McGregor, Ntcham has scored four times – and contributed one assist – in eight Super Lig outings, ensuring he has surpassed Engels’ return in front of goal.
As club legend Chris Sutton stated, the one-time Genoa man’s career was “on the drift” during his final days at Celtic, with it pleasing to see that he has now found his feet elsewhere.
8 games (8 starts)
4 goals
1 assist
1 ‘big chance’ created
0.9 key passes*
85% pass accuracy*
0.3 interceptions*
1.3 tackles*
6.1 balls recovered*
1.5 successful dribbles*
52% total duels won*
11.8x possession lost*
A player who could produce moments of magic in his pomp – including that winner against Lazio – Ntcham certainly had enjoyed a level of success in a Celtic shirt, albeit while enduring something of a turbulent end to his time in Scottish football.
Alas, he is now thriving in pastures new, while Celtic, meanwhile, look set to maintain their domestic dominance backed by a new crop of exciting midfield assets.
Got Soro instead: Celtic once wanted to sign a £27m star in the making
The Hoops were interested in a deal to sign the midfielder from the Premier League.
Arsenal have already enjoyed a proactive start to the transfer market, and despite faltering announcements for Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice to supplement their acquisition of Kai Havertz, reports are assuring that no issues have arisen with those deals.
Mikel Arteta will still get his men, and the Gunners will continue their pre-season preparation in the hopes they can go one step further in the Premier League next season.
However, it is unlikely that this will note the end of their summer spending, given just how big the gulf turned out to be between themselves and Manchester City.
The five points that separated them in the league do not even begin to outline the disparity, as Pep Guardiola's side would add an FA Cup and Champions League to become just the second English team to complete this infamous treble.
With a bolstered backline and a meliorated midfield, out wide is arguably the place that has been pushed to the back burner.
That's not to suggest that they have completely neglected the pursuit though, with links to both Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus remaining throughout the window.
The latter in particular came only at the start of this month, and prefaces Paris Saint-Germain's movement into the driving seat to re-sign the former. Therefore, Arteta might have his hand forced to opt for the Ghana international, who still remains a fine alternative to the 20-year-old maestro.
What is the current market value of Mohammed Kudus?
Having both shone in the Eredivisie from the flank, it seems that last campaign marked a true step up for both of these budding young stars.
Featuring for two of the heavyweights within that division, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax were blessed to have such creativity and goalscoring prowess from the left and right wing respectively.
In fact, the differences between the two are hardly lofty enough to outline a significant gulf, suggesting that Simons' edging move back to Paris could make Arteta's transfer selection even easier.
After all, the 22-year-old recorded 18 goals and seven assists last term across all competitions, not to mention his two goals and 7.70 average rating during his country's group stage exit of the World Cup.
xavi-simons-psv-arsenal
This excellence on the biggest stage in football was extended to the Champions League too, where he earned praise from journalist Karl Matchett for one strike against Rangers back in September:
"He is sensational. What a magical player. Channels, one-touch passing, strength in dribble, really smart positions dropping deep, aggressive winning it back and an absolute arrow of a shot."
To compare this with Simons, who has started to work his way into the Netherlands senior squad, there remains a slight lack of experience that has prevented him from lighting up a similar level.
Despite that, his 34 goal contributions across all competitions last term in his homeland suggest he is deservedly close to being handed such an opportunity.
With the Parisian giants exercising their buy-back clause and thus moving way ahead in the race for the youngster, Kudus stands alone as the outstanding alternative that remains.
Although his reported £40m price tag might come across as steep, given it far outweighs his €12.8m (£11m) FootballTransfers market valuation, it would still mark a coup for a player who at such a young age already boasts immense quality and experience on the top stage.
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia is 'prepared to leave' the Sky Bet Championship side this summer amid interest in his services from the Premier League, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Which clubs are interested in signing Romeo Lavia?
According to The Telegraph, Liverpool are open to letting midfielder Thiago Alcantara leave the club this window as he has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, which could potentially pave the way for the Reds to firm up their pursuit of Lavia.
The report states that any departure for Thiago this summer would increase the probability of Liverpool making a 'formal approach' to try and land Lavia; however, his £50 million price tag is said to be 'too prohibitive' to make a move at present and player sales would be needed to accumulate funds for the Reds before they could put an offer on the table.
90min have claimed that Manchester United are also keen on Lavia as Erik Ten Hag aims to add another midfielder to his squad following his successful capture of Mason Mount from Chelsea.
FootballTransfers detail that Arsenal and Chelsea are attracted towards Lavia this off-season, with the outlet indicating that the Belgium international would prefer to join the Gunners over other clubs chasing his signature.
Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City back in 2022 and the Premier League champions have a £40 million buyback clause inserted into his current terms at St Mary's that will become active in 2024, as per Football Insider.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano believes that Lavia will leave Southampton this summer and return to the Premier League to seek a new opportunity to further his career.
Romano stated: “I think it’s going to be crucial to see who’s going to agree [a deal] with Southampton because the player is prepared to leave, he’s prepared to say yes, so it’s about the clubs now and Southampton.”
How good is Romeo Lavia and why is he attracting interest from elite clubs?
Lavia is a talented young midfielder that elite sides feel they can develop into a star of the future and he has already shown encouraging signs in his short time competing in senior football.
Last term, the 19-year-old gained plenty of minutes for Southampton, featuring 34 times in all competitions and notching one goal alongside a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.
As per Sofascore, Lavia recorded an average match rating of 6.80/10 for his display in the Premier League last campaign despite Southampton's relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, showing a commendable level of maturity for his age in the engine room.
The Belgian youngster was also able to demonstrate his capacity to drive forward from the middle of the park and help his team in offensive passages of play, successfully racking up 41 shot-creating actions over the course of the season, according to FBRef.
Given that Southampton will be turning out in the English second tier in 2023/24, it is unlikely that Lavia would be willing to stick around and potentially stall his development, especially when some of the clubs keen to sign him have the opportunity to fight for major honours both domestically and on the continent.
It looks now that the question is where Lavia will end up this summer and it will be intriguing to see where he sees best fit to take his next step.
Newcastle United are reportedly keen to prise Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this summer, as Eddie Howe seeks to continue his midfield overhaul at St James' Park.
What's the latest on Phillips to Newcastle?
With the Magpies having already wrapped up a deal for AC Milan playmaker, Sandro Tonali, the Telegraph are now reporting that the club could turn their attention towards the England international over the coming weeks, with the 27-year-old having endured a difficult debut season at the Etihad.
While the report suggests that the former Leeds United man – who made the move to Manchester on a £45m deal last summer – is hoping to stay and fight for his place under Pep Guardiola, a possible swift exit from the treble-winning outfit is potentially still on the cards.
Although the piece does not state how much a deal for the Yorkshireman would cost, the Mirror reported earlier in the window that Premier League rivals Liverpool were eyeing a £35m move for the 5 foot 10 ace.
Would Phillips be a good signing for Newcastle?
There is no denying that it proved to be a frustrating first season for Phillips with the Cityzens, with the 27-cap maestro having been restricted to a bit-part role in the club's glittering success, after racking up just 21 appearances in 2022/23, making only two league starts in that time.
While previously described as a "machine" by The Athletic's Jordan Campbell during his prior stint at Elland Road – where he made 234 appearances across all fronts and helped guide the club to promotion – the £150k-per-week man's recent woes should well be of concern to Howe and co.
Newcastle may wish to avoid making the same mistake as that of their bitter rivals, Sunderland, with talkSPORT pundit Ray Parlour suggesting that the situation of Phillips at City is "very similar" to that of Jack Rodwell – who also endured infamously dour stint at the Stadium of Light.
Much like his compatriot, Rodwell had shown early promise after rising up through the ranks at Everton, with then-Toffees boss David Moyes stating that the midfielder had a "good future ahead of him", prior to making the move to Man City on a £15m deal in 2012.
As it proved, the Southport-born dud arguably "wasted two years of his career" at the Etihad – according to journalist Leigh Curtis – as he made just 25 first-team appearances, before joining the Black Cats in 2014.
That move proved even more disastrous as Rodwell endured a run of 39 top-flight games without a win – a league record – having also been lambasted by former boss Chris Coleman due to his apparent willingness to see out of his contract, rather than move on elsewhere.
Described as the 'worst signing in Sunderland's history' by the Chronicle's James Hunter back in 2018, the current Sydney FC man endured a torrid time of it in the northeast, with those at St James' Park perhaps wary of seeing history repeat itself.
The Tynesiders could well follow in the footsteps of their long-time foes with the addition of Phillips, with the Leeds native – who Guardiola described as "overweight" last season – seemingly not the solution for Howe this summer.
Arsenal are among the contenders for Fenerbahce's teenage sensation Arda Guler, with the north London club considering a swoop this summer.
What's the latest on Arda Guler to Arsenal?
According to Football Insider, Mikel Arteta's Gunners have 'leapfrogged' Premier League rivals Newcastle United in the race to sign Guler, who has emerged as a first-rate prospect this term.
The attacker has captured the excitement of all who have observed his trade, and as such Arsenal are joined in their interest by Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
The 18-year-old possesses a contractual clause that could see him leave the Yellow Canaries for just €17.5m (£15m), but this has prompted his Süper Lig outfit to offer a new deal to tie him down for a further year, potentially cashing in for a more lucrative fee.
Should Arsenal sign Arda Guler?
The north London giants have earned their distinction for boasting one of European football's most prominent youth academies around, with Bukayo Saka, Serge Gnabry, Cesc Fabregas and Ashley Cole just some of the salient names to have risen from Hale End.
And while Guler is now 18-years-old, he would have the opportunity to nurture his way to prominence with the Gunners, absorbing the fruits of his senior peers' labour and gradually blossoming into a world-class talent, having been described as a "magician with a wand of a left foot" by one European scout.
As per Sofascore, the four-cap Turkey star – with one goal – has averaged a match rating of 7.48 in the league this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists from just 11 starts in the Süper Lig, completing 85% of his passes and averaging two key passes per game.
Given his natural prowess with the ball at his feet, his role as a left-footed winger on the right flank and his clear aptitude for clinching both goals and assists, the "fantastic" Guler – as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano – could rise to the fore as the Premier League's next Riyad Mahrez under Arteta's stewardship.
Fenerbahce midfielder Arda Guler.
The Arsenal boss will know the Algerian's skill set well from his time as Pep Guardiola's understudy at Manchester City, and given Saka's rise to prominence as the Gunners' starring attacker on the right side, it's evident Arteta knows how to utilise attacking options in this regard.
Mahrez signed for Leicester from French side Le Havre in 2014, historically winning the Premier League and earning the division's Player of the Year award, before completing a £60m transfer to the Citizens in 2018, where he has gleaned five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League, heralded as "exceptional" by his boss for his diverse attacking nature.
Over the duration of his career, the 32-year-old, who like Guler drifts inside from the right flank, has averaged 2.1 shots and 1.6 key passes per match, as per WhoScored, also completing 82% of his passes and averaging 1.8 dribbles per outing.
To put those numbers into context, the fleet-footed Guler has averaged 1.6 dribbles per match over the maiden period of his career, certainly exhibiting his class and breezy gait on the pitch, while the aforementioned Saka has posted 1.4 dribbles a game.
The Turk is undoubtedly a "serious talent" – as he has been called by reporter Duncan Castles – and by arriving at the Emirates Stadium he could grow into one of English football's most prodigious phenoms, potentially even replicating Mahrez in the process.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s proposed takeover of Manchester United is still up in the air, with the Glazers stalling due to family drama, according to reports.
What’s the latest Man United takeover news?
Jassim has made five separate bids to take 100% control at Old Trafford from the Glazers, with the most recent offer coming earlier this month. It has been relatively quiet in recent weeks in regards to a takeover, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe another who is keen and waiting to see if his bid has been successful.
Reports on Wednesday did claim that Jassim was growing increasingly confident he has won the bidding war, but a new report has thrown doubt into a deal, with the Glazers at odds.
According to Global Finance, Man United was about to get sold to Jassim, however, drama among the Glazers is stalling the sale. An M&A source close to talks at Old Trafford described the process as being a “shambles”, also saying:
“It’s getting the kids to agree. Not all five (Avram Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Bryan Glazer, Joel Glazer and Edward Glazer) want to do the deal.”
Manchester United co owners JoelGlazerandAvramGlazer
Is a takeover impacting Man United’s transfer plans?
As we know, the ongoing takeover saga has coincided with a slow start to the transfer window, with no major incomings or outgoings at Old Trafford and frustrations growing amongst supporters.
There were previous concerns at Old Trafford that the takeover process could derail Erik ten Hag’s summer plans, but Sky Sports have said the money is available to the Red Devils regardless of the outcome, which is at least some good news.
That is a boost for Ten Hag and United, and it looks as if the club are working on potential deals. Moises Caicedo appears to be the latest midfielder on the wishlist, with an approach expected to be made to Brighton over the coming days. As we know, a £55m bid for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is also still on the table.
However, should Jassim eventually get a takeover finalised, he could look to make an immediate statement signing to win over supporters. Recent reports claimed the Qatar group were planning a sensational move to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who will soon be entering the final 12 months of his PSG deal.
A lot needs to happen before supporters can think of Mbappe playing at Old Trafford under the ownership of Jassim, though, with the first being the Glazers coming to a final agreement over whether to sell or stay.