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DONE DEAL: World-class defender joins Man United on a five-years deal

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Manchester United are closing in on signing Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui after agreeing a fee of between £15m and £20m for the right-back, with a potential stumbling block the need to sell Aaron Wan-Bissaka to finance the transfer.

While the Moroccan had been set to join West Ham, that deal fell through and the east London club is now intent on recruiting Wan-Bissaka though a price suitable to United still needs to be negotiated. West Ham had previously agreed a £12.6m plus £2.3m price with the German club for Mazraoui.

Erik ten Hag coached the 26-year-old at Ajax from 2018 up until his departure for Old Trafford four years later and he believes Mazraoui can aid Antony’s form. Mazraoui supported the Brazilian on the Dutch club’s right flank during their title-winning seasons of 2020-21 and 2021-2022 and they impressed as a pairing.

For Mazraoui’s transfer to occur, Wan-Bissaka, who has a year left on his contract, would have to depart first. The defender, signed from Crystal Palace for £45m in June 2019, would draw a fee of around £15m.

United also have concerns at left-back. Ten Hag’s first-choice, Luke Shaw, who is not on the US tour due to his European Championship participation, has a track record of being serially injured. Tyrell Malacia, his deputy, missed all of last season with a knee injury and was left out of the tour squad to continue his rehabilitation at the club’s Carrington training complex. This may cause United to move in the market for a left-back though, as with the Mazraoui deal, funds would have to be generated first by sales.

On Sunday Ten Hag was waiting to discover the severity of the injuries suffered by Rasmus Højlund and Leny Yoro in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

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“Call it a Day”: Manchester United Midfielder Slammed Over ‘Disastrous’ Liverpool Performance

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Old Trafford witnessed a revealing scene during the pre-game festivities as Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the Manchester United faithful. The Uruguayan’s debut couldn’t have come at a more poignant time.

As the 23-year-old midfielder took his introductory bows, his predecessor, Casemiro, was gearing up for what would become a fateful encounter against Liverpool—a match that would underline the vast gulf the Brazilian now needs to bridge.

The defensive midfield role at Manchester United has been a subject of intense scrutiny and Casemiro, once a stalwart at Real Madrid, found himself overwhelmed in a game that laid bare many of United’s deeper systemic issues.

The match ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Casemiro’s disastrous performance a glaring weak spot. As Jamie Carragher insightfully remarked earlier, it might be time for Casemiro to step away from the top echelons of football, suggesting, “Football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level and move.”

Despite the immediate criticisms, it’s crucial to remember Casemiro’s significant contributions to football, underscored by his wife’s poignant social media post showcasing his extensive trophy haul.

Such a decorated career deserves recognition, even as discussions about his current form persist. As Gary Neville empathetically noted, even the best can falter under pressure, reflecting on his own career’s twilight years.

For Manchester United, the challenge is not just about replacing a player but about realigning their entire midfield setup to compete effectively against top-tier teams like Liverpool.

Casemiro’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless pace and physicality of the Premier League, where even the most experienced players can find themselves outpaced and outplayed

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“Biggest mistake of his life”: Real Madrid star told he has made the biggest mistake of his life for joining the Los Blacos

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Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid as a free agent this past summer transfer window. While this is a significant step in his career, one person believes it’s the wrong decision.

Moreover, he notes that it’s an easy route to securing his football glory as winning the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Champions League at PSG would have had a different meaning than winning these honors at Real Madrid.

As a result, Cyril Hanouna stated in his interview with Europe 1 that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a mistake leaving his hometown club.

“For me, Kylian Mbappé made the mistake of his life,” Hanouna stated (h/t Le10Sport). “I didn’t elaborate last time, but I’ll do it now. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is normal. Of course, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, everyone does it. All the players who are at Real Madrid, at some point, will win the Champions League.

“Being Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid is rather easy. Benzema won it at Real Madrid. Mbappé should have stayed at PSG, won the Champions League with PSG, and won the Ballon d’Or with PSG. The club was giving him everything; it would have been his club. He would have been the main man at PSG.”

PSG are a young but exciting team, and perhaps they might not have the expectations of winning the Champions League this season. However, Real Madrid has the pressure of winning the competition this campaign with the Frenchman; if they don’t, then many will consider Year 1 of Mbappé a failure.

It will be interesting to see how this tournament plays out this season as Real Madrid know who they’ll be facing in the league phase. Mbappé won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, but winning the Champions League and playing a key role could help his chances in 2025.

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“A really good signing”: Alan Shearer gives his verdict on Arsenal’s unexpected signing as he backs the player become a valuable star in the team

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The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in football, but it rings true for Raheem Sterling when considering he could make his Arsenal debut away to Tottenham Hotspur.

For a different player, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might decide against deploying his new signing on such an occasion, but Sterling certainly has the mental resolve to handle it.

Sterling has endured some tough times in the past for England, criticised for his performances, and he’s been subject to similar at Chelsea too.

But in north London, the 29-year-old now has a new home, and the majority of Arsenal fans are excited to see if Arteta can recapture Sterling’s best, in a similar vein to Kai Havertz.

The two are at very different stages of their career, but like just Havertz, Sterling may find his confidence once again, a player who is still in his prime years.

Alan Shearer explains why Raheem Sterling could be really ‘valuable’ to Arsenal

Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Alan Shearer was very happy that Sterling had managed to get away from a ‘horrible’ situation at Stamford Bridge, which could have become even more messy.

And the pundit then went on to explain what Sterling can offer Arsenal, a move that suits both parties.

Shearer said: “Yeah I think it’s a really good move for him. I think it was important that he got out and played.

“It would have been horrible for him to sit there and rot in the stiffs, not even maybe, not even see first team football, never mind train or whatever with them.

“So I think it was really important for him to get out with his experience and know-how, he could be valuable to Arsenal.”

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