Manchester United

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has said the Red Devils must start challenging for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League again, but acknowledged the club is currently short of its silverware ambitions. 

According to Peter Lynch of Goal, Woodward told a quarterly fans' forum United will continue to invest in new players after the January arrivals of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP and Shanghai Greenland Shenhua loanee Odion Ighalo:

"Our recruitment process focuses on analysis and selection of players over the course of a season, with a view to the following summer transfer window.

"As part of the rebuild we see this coming summer as an important opportunity.

"There has been no shortage of investment in players over the past few years, with over £200 million ($260 million) spent since Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] became manager. Our aim is to ensure that we continue to achieve consistency in quality of recruitment.

"The signing of Bruno Fernandes and return of key players from injury will be a boost to Ole and the squad as we head into the second half of the season."

Woodward's mention of next summer suggests United will be active in the market after an inconsistent season under Solskjaer. The Norwegian took over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018, but purchased his first wave of new recruits only six months ago. The summer signings of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James have been a success, but the Red Devils clearly need more new players to improve their inexperienced squad.

At times, United have been exceptional this term, securing two wins over both Chelsea and Manchester City, and defeating both Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur. However, Premier League losses to Watford, Bournemouth, Burnley, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace underline how much work there's to do at Old Trafford.

Woodward added it's the ownership's focus to take United back to the top of English and European football after a dramatic slide since last winning the Premier League in 2012-13. Mourinho took United to second in 2017-18, but the Red Devils have finished outside of the top-four in three out of four years:

"As a club and a board, we do recognise that we are not yet where we want to be. It is the overwhelming priority of everyone at the club to get us back to regularly challenging for Premier League and Champions League titles.

"Although progress may not always be smooth, everyone across the club is focused and committed on playing their part in helping achieve those aims.

[...]

"The recruitment department is working to a clear plan and philosophy, along with Ole and his coaching staff. Our focus is on bringing in a combination of experience and the best young players with potential to develop further, fusing graduates from our academy with high-quality acquisitions."

Woodward's comments will please supporters, but the level of recruitment has been short of the expected standard at United. The big-name arrivals of players like Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez were supposed to bring the good times back to Old Trafford, but instead, Liverpool and City have pulled away from their northwest rivals.

Fernandes' capture provides Solskjaer with an immediate solution to his team's lack of creativity, but a substantial injury list continues to be a millstone around the manager's neck. The availability of former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino could give Woodward a managerial option if United fail to make the top-four, and Solskjaer must quickly find a way to improve results before it's too late.

Scott McTominay is hoping to be back in full training with Manchester United by the end of the week as he makes his return from a knee injury.

McTominay has been absent since suffering the problem on Boxing Day in the Red Devils' 4-1 win over Newcastle United.

He told United's official website his recovery "has been going well" and said:

"You need to have all of the right people around you, which I do, and that has been massively beneficial towards my recovery and obviously I want to be taking some part in the sessions towards the end of the week.

"We will just see where we go from there. So we are just going to do whatever we can to make sure I am back on the pitch as soon as possible."

He added: "I am feeling good. I am feeling fit. I have always had that drive and ambition to keep on top of my fitness and look after my body, because it is the most important thing at the end of the day."

The Scotland international serves as an enforcer for United, bringing energy into midfield and providing protection for their back line.

Despite only turning 23 in December, he has already shown himself to be a leader at Old Trafford, where he has been improving under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. United have won just two and lost three of the six Premier League matches he has missed with this injury.

Bleacher Report's Rob Blanchette thought his absence was felt in the Red Devils' 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on New Year's Day:

What's really disappointing is both goals were very avoidable. Arsenal didn't play the beautiful attacking football that the reaction to their win suggests. It was just a very poor gameplan from #MUFC. The loss of McTominay is key in games like this. The midfield was exposed.

— Rob Blanchette (@_Rob_B) January 1, 2020

Likewise, Rich Fay of the Manchester Evening News identified him as one of the key missing players from United's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool later in January:

A pretty spirited defeat from United considering they were in it for so long without Rashford, Pogba and McTominay. Gap will never close if they don't spend money, but the way in which injured players are being managed might be an even bigger issue at the club right now #mufc

— Rich Fay (@RichFay) January 19, 2020

Former United player Phil Neville is an admirer of McTominay's:

"This is a young kid that's giving his absolute all. He's #MUFC through and through."

Is Scott McTominay just a 'modern-day @RobbieSavage8'? 🤔

Phil Neville says ex-players should target their criticism elsewhere 👀 pic.twitter.com/2iGPraAYYG

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) January 10, 2020

United travel to Chelsea on Feb. 17, though that may come too soon for him if he's not going to be back in full training until the latter part of this week.

After that, they face Club Brugge over two legs in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 either side of a Premier League home game against Watford on February 23.

When McTominay does return, his presence will give January arrival Bruno Fernandes more licence to get forward; Solskjaer deployed the Portugal international in a deeper role in the latter half of his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Fernandes can be a major source of both goals and assists—prior to his move he contributed 15 and 14 for Sporting CP this season, respectively—so getting him higher up the pitch into his more natural position should make him more effective.

Daniel James has praised new Manchester United team-mate Bruno Fernandes, with the Red Devils currently training in Spain during the Premier League's winter break.

James told the club's official website the Portugal international has quickly settled within the squad and highlighted the former Sporting CP captain for a promising debut. The Welsh forward said he hopes to develop important chemistry with the new signing on the pitch:

"Yeah he is settling in great. I know quite a few of the boys speak his language and he speaks great English as well. So I think as soon as he came in he put his stamp on the game and he showed what he is about in that last game, on his debut. He was great, with the balls he played in behind and, for me, if we can get that bond, especially playing it in behind, I think that will be great."

Fernandes' qualities were evident during his Premier League bow against Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 1. The midfielder played as a No. 10 in the first half before reverting to a deep-lying creator in the second half, with the contest ending goalless.

The Portuguese was also seen handing out advice and direction to James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who were both patrolling the right wing.

Fernandes was seen telling both players to push forward so he could find them with a defence-splitting pass.

James added he is desperate for trophy success in his first season playing for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after signing last summer:

"Yeah it would mean everything. That is why I am at this club, to win trophies. We have got a great chance in both of them. Obviously we have got the Premier League game on Monday [against Chelsea] and then we have got that Europa League game [against Club Brugge] on Thursday, so we will go into both of those with our heads held high."

United's priority remains qualification for the UEFA Champions League, and a top-four finish will be the yardstick of success.

The Red Devils have fallen to eighth, with their main competitors all posting improving results. However, fourth-placed Chelsea are only six points clear of United, and Solskjaer's men can close the gap when they visit Stamford Bridge in their next match on February 17.

Bournemouth forward Josh King has said he thought a move back to Manchester United was on the cards before the end of the January transfer window and that he doesn't know why a deal wasn't completed.

Speaking to Norwegian outlet TV 2 (h/t Metro), the Cherries player confirmed a switch back to his boyhood club was in the pipeline. However, nothing concrete materialised:

"How close it was I have no complete answer to. I have to watch what I say.

"I had some faith that it was going to happen. And it was a bit sensitive for me considering that I moved to England as a 16-year-old to achieve my dream and wanted to reach that goal at Manchester United.

"It did not [happen] and then I made a choice and left. When you hear that you are connected to United and a bid comes in, then the feelings you had as a 16-year-old come back to you.

"But why it did not happen, I do not know."

The Red Devils entered the transfer market in response to Marcus Rashord's recent injury, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer requiring a back-up striker to cover for the England international.

United signed Odion Ighalo on loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Greenland Shenhua in the final hours of the transfer window on deadline day, fulfilling their immediate need for a goalscorer.

According to Matt Atherton of the Daily Express, Bournemouth reportedly turned down a £25 million bid from United, leaving King disappointed by the failure. Cherries coach Eddie Howe called the United offer a "huge compliment and a huge moment [for King]," but said the Norway international is focused on his club's Premier League survival.

King added it would have been "a dream come true" to wear United's shirt again but thanked Howe for his guidance during the proposed transfer, per TV 2.

"The coach [Howe] was absolutely fantastic with me during those days and was very helpful with me," King said. "I have respect for how he behaved with me during the little episode."

The 28-year-old spent five years at United, working his way through the youth set-up until signing his first professional deal in 2009. Unsuccessful loan spells at Preston North End, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hull City followed before United sold the forward to Blackburn Rovers.

Two years at Ewood Park earned the player a move to Bournemouth in 2015, and King has been a consistent starter for Howe.

However, his goalscoring has seen diminishing returns, and the striker has netted only three goals in 17 Premier League appearances this term.

King would have been an adequate addition for Solskjaer's system at United, but Ighalo is a better fit for the club's needs. The former Watford striker will provide options at No. 9, and with Anthony Martial often struggling through the centre, United require a finisher in and around the six-yard box.

Mason Greenwood has said he feels he is following in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford at Manchester United.

Greenwood is enjoying a breakout season in the Red Devils' senior side.

He has scored four times in 20 Premier League appearances—averaging a goal every 124 minutes—and  also has four goals in five outings in the UEFA Europa League.

Still only 18, Greenwood is treading a remarkably similar path to Rashford, who broke into the first team from the youth ranks as a teenager under Louis van Gaal in 2015-16.

Greenwood said he can take inspiration from how his team-mate has progressed in the last five seasons, per SoccerBible.com:

"He's been in the academy and come through the ranks and I feel like I’m following in his footsteps. He's a few years older than me but I can definitely take a lot of inspiration from what he has achieved so far. I've known him for a long time so I've seen how well he has done and how he has progressed as a player, so there's lots to learn from being around him."

Rashford, 22, has stepped up impressively in 2019-20 to become United's biggest goal threat after the summer departure of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan.

Having previously never scored more than 10 goals in a Premier League campaign, the England international reached 14 in 22 appearances in the English top flight this term before being sidelined with a back injury:

Marcus Rashford is the top U23 scorer in Europe’s top five leagues this season:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Marcus Rashford (14)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tammy Abraham (13)
🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé (11)
🇳🇬 Victor Osimhen (10)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jadon Sancho (9)
🇦🇷 Lautaro Martinez (9)

Really impressive return. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/jhyKQzmT23

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 11, 2020

In his absence, United have failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games.

They did, though, thrash Tranmere Rovers 6-0 in the FA Cup late last month, when Greenwood scored from the penalty spot.

United are currently on a two-week winter break, which comes to an end on February 17 when United visit Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.

It is arguably a must-win game for the Red Devils if they are to remain in the race for the top four.

A loss would see United drop nine points back from the UEFA Champions League spots with 12 games remaining in the campaign.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has backed his Portugal team-mate Bruno Fernandes to be a big success in the Premier League.

Fernandes had long been linked with a switch to the Red Devils before he completed his transfer from Sporting CP in the January transfer window. The playmaker made his debut for the club in the 0-0 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Feb. 1.

Silva has played alongside Fernandes frequently with their national team, and speaking to Sky Sports, the City star said he thinks his compatriot will thrive in English football:

"I think he is going to adapt [to the Premier League], he has already played in Italy when he was younger, so it's not his first experience abroad. I'm happy for him, I'm happy that he's playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world and I think he's going to do great at United.

"The best thing about Bruno is his mentality and the way he gives himself to the team 100 per cent and he just goes in every game. It doesn't matter who he's playing against and his mentality and character is the best thing about him.

"...Changing is always complicated, you have to adapt to the way your new team plays, your team-mates, the way the manager wants to play, sometimes new systems so maybe it will take him a few months but I think it's good that he's here and he'll be a great asset for United—but hopefully not against City."

Fernandes will be hoping to bring a thrust and incision to the United midfield that's been lacking for long spells of the 2019-20 season, with Paul Pogba missing the majority of the campaign because of injury.

Although the Portuguese was unable to unlock the Wolves defence in his first Premier League experience, there were plenty of positives in his display:

5️⃣ shots
3️⃣ shots on target
8️⃣8️⃣ passes

Bruno Fernandes had more shots, shots on target and made more passes than any other Man Utd player on his #PL debut 🇵🇹#MUNWOL pic.twitter.com/0ocml6naFJ

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 2, 2020

As Squawka Football highlighted, during his time in Lisbon, Fernandes was frequently firing shots at goal:

Bruno Fernandes was directly involved in a shot once every 14.3 minutes in the Primeira Liga for Sporting CP:

→ 83 appearances
→ 271 shots attempted
→ 239 chances created

64 goals and 46 assists across all competitions in total. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/JrY4UQDARw

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 30, 2020

Silva needed a season to fully adjust to life in the Premier League, before cementing his place in the City team in 2018-19. The former Monaco man was crucial to Pep Guardiola's team winning a historic domestic treble, thriving in both central midfield and on the right flank.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if Fernandes also took some time to adjust. While he shone in the Portuguese top flight, in England he will need to adapt his game to a higher tempo and a more physical brand of football.

After a decent start to his United career, supporters will be excited to see their new man in action again. They take on Chelsea on February 17, seeking to reduce the gap to the Blues in the race for a top-four berth.

Manchester United midfielder Fred has said the club have a "lot of problems" and has criticised his team's "vanity" and lack of togetherness.

The Brazil international told Brazilian YouTube channel De Sola (h/t the Mirror's Jack Collins) that the Red Devils need to make changes both on and off the pitch if they are to improve after another enduring disappointing season.

"We are lacking a lot right now, first of all we need to figure out things on the pitch, we are lacking creativity, especially in midfield. We also need to improve as a group, our group lacks the 'sticking together mentality,' we have lots of problems.

"There are a lot of discussions, every group has this sort of problem, but ours has this. Vanity is also an issue and we need to stop this and just run on the pitch. We need to stick a goal inside our minds, focus on it and go forward.

"We need to be on the same page and today some players have different objectives, there are players that just want to solve problems alone and this is wrong."

Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League table on 35 points after 25 games, a distant 38 behind league leaders Liverpool. 

The club face a battle to finish in the top four and secure UEFA Champions League football for next season and have seen their campaign disrupted by injuries to key players such as Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford.

Manchester United's injury problems have helped Fred become a regular fixture in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team. The Brazilian has made 31 appearances in all competitions in 2019-20, and his performances have gone some way to restoring his reputation after he struggled to make an impact in his first season at the club.

Fred signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in summer 2018 for a reported fee of £52 million plus bonuses, but he made just 13 Premier League starts in his debut campaign for the Red Devils.

Manchester United brought in midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP and striker Odion Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua in the January transfer window and will be hoping the duo can help the club finish the campaign strongly.

Solskjaer's side are six points adrift of fourth place in the race for Champions League places and remain in contention in the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League.  

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Scott McTominay will join the squad for warm-weather training, but new signing Odion Ighalo won't make the trip amid border concerns.

McTominay, 23, has been absent since he suffered a knee injury in the 4-1 Boxing Day win over Newcastle United, but he will travel to Marbella, Spain, after progressing faster than expected in his rehabilitation.

Solskjaer told MUTV: "Scotty has done better in his recovery than we thought, so we will take him with us. Hopefully he can join in the training sessions and Axel [Tuanzebe] as well, he'll join in, so that's two positives and it's a good chance for them to use this time with the players."

The Scotland international was establishing his place as a critical member of Solskjaer's lineup prior to his injury, and the Red Devils will be desperate to see him return in midfield.

Ighalo joined the Red Devils in January on loan from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for the remainder of the season, but there are fears his potential exposure to the coronavirus crisis could see him struggle to get back into England if he were to leave.

The 30-year-old won't travel to Spain as a precautionary measure in case border regulations are tightened on those who have travelled to China in the past 14 days.

Solskjaer added:

"Odion will stay in Manchester, because he arrived from China in the last 14 days. Because of the situation in China, we're not sure if he'd be allowed back into England if he leaves the country again, so he's staying here working with a personal coach, individual programme and his family then can settle in England as well. That's a plus.

"Of course he might have liked to have come with the players and got to know them, but the risk [of potential border restrictions tightening], we don't want to take that."

The manager brought in Ighalo as a temporary replacement for Marcus Rashford, who suffered a double stress back fracture in January and will also miss the warm-weather training camp.

The former Watford frontman has been open in the past regarding his support for United, and Ighalo told the club what it means to be given his chance at the Theatre of Dreams:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_utnwfwaMc

He scored 10 times in 19 appearances for Shanghai during the 2019 season and is hoping to revive the same marksmanship that saw him bag 15 times in 37 Premier League outings for the Hornets in 2015-16.

It's possible Ighalo could make his debut when United travel to Chelsea on February 17, more than two weeks after it was announced he would be moving to Old Trafford.

Fellow winter signing Bruno Fernandes made his United debut in a 0-0 home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the club hoping their new faces can spur them on to a successful end to the campaign.

News of McTominay's progress will be just as welcome for fans, who will hope he can also prove his fitness before United resume action at Stamford Bridge in Week 26 of the Premier League season.

Sporting CP winger Yannick Bolasie has compared new Manchester United signing and former team-mate Bruno Fernandes to Manchester City talisman Kevin De Bruyne.

Expectations are high after United signed the Portugal international for a reported £47 million late in the January transfer window, per BBC Sport.

Bolasie—on loan at Sporting from Everton—told James Nursey of the Mirror Fernandes, 25, "has the lot" and compared the player with De Bruyne, who has pulled the strings at the Etihad Stadium since August 2015:

"When he was at Sporting he controlled all the matches. Everything Sporting did went through him. He can play with both feet and is not afraid to shoot with his left but his right foot is his main foot. He can see a pass and has good long-range passing, free-kicks and penalties.

"He is at his best getting on the half turn and making passes in between the lines. He likes giving passes and likes scoring, that is his game. He knows what he can do and is good at and can link up with the forward players really well.

"He has his own style because he has been in Italy before but has similarities to De Bruyne, [David] Silva and [Christian] Eriksen."

De Bruyne, 28, has become arguably the most critical member of Pep Guardiola's lineup at City and played a key role in the club winning back-to-back Premier League titles in 2018 and 2019.

The Belgium star has been named City Player of the Season in two of his four campaigns with the club, going a long way to justifying the £55 million fee that took him to Manchester from Wolfsburg.

Bolasie only spent half a season playing alongside Fernandes in Lisbon, where the latter scored 63 goals and recorded 52 assists in 137 total appearances for Sporting.

The new arrival made his debut for the Red Devils in a 0-0 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, and Squawka highlighted a dynamic first appearance in attack for his new club.

Bolasie has made 119 appearances in the Premier League and has experience against each of De Bruyne, Silva and Eriksen, but he added the pace in England will test Fernandes:

“It will be interesting to see how United end up using him. But he always wanted to play in the Premier League for sure and it is going to be a good test for him.

“It's much slower in Portugal and nowhere near the Premier League tempo.

“In some of the games in Portugal he could probably coast through whereas in the Premier League no matter who you are playing, the opponents won't let you walk over them.”

That transition from the Primeira Liga is the main source of concern among the player's doubters, with Fernandes having failed to impress to the same extent in previous stints with Udinese and Sampdoria.

Fernandes has also received the backing of his new team-mates. Diogo Dalot said he expects the Portuguese to be "a very good player for us and he's going to help us build this team," per Simon Peach of the Press Association.

United will hope his development continues at Old Trafford and that his signing ushers in a new era of success to the same extent that De Bruyne has helped boost City in recent years.  

Manchester United believe members of The Sun newspaper knew about the attack on the house of Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward in January before it happened.

United also say those behind the story "ED DEVILS Man Utd fans throw flares at Ed Woodward’s house in shocking scenes as anti-board protests continue to escalate" were even present when flares were thrown into Woodward's Cheshire residence.

As a result, the Premier League club lodged a formal complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). United announced the complaint on the club's official website on Friday:

"The Club believes that The Sun newspaper had received advance notice of the intended attack, which included criminal damage and intent to intimidate, and that the journalist was present as it happened. The quality of the images accompanying the story indicate that a photographer was also present.

Not only did the journalist fail to discharge the basic duty of a responsible member of society to report an impending crime and avert potential danger and criminal damage, his presence both encouraged and rewarded the perpetrators. We believe that this was a clear breach of both the IPSO Editors' code and journalistic ethics."

The story was published as an exclusive on January 29. The write-up was accompanied by video footage of the attack carried out by a group whose faces were disguised by hoods and balaclavas.

A video had been uploaded to social media with the message: "Ed Woodward's gonna die." Woodward was not at home during the time of the attack, nor were his wife and children.

Chants of "he's gonna die, Ed Woodward is gonna die" were also heard when United lost 2-0 at home to Burnley on January 22, per John Brewin of the Guardian.

Ironically, Brewin detailed how United have turned to a former Sun journalist, Neil Ashton, to help run United's communications. Repairing Woodward's images with supporters is a central focus for Ashton.

The 48-year-old has long been the subject of frustration for many supporters of the Red Devils. His spending in the transfer market has been questioned, with high-profile signings such as Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Fred failing to make the grade.

Even a more cost-cutting approach hasn't improved Woodward's standing in the eyes of many. United snapped up dynamic, box-to-box midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP for an initial £47 million during the January transfer window.

Yet the decision to acquire former Watford striker Odion Ighalo on a six-month loan left many perplexed.

On my way to Old Trafford later. Looking forward to being briefed by Ed Woodward's people on how hard he worked to sign a Watford has-been.

— Jim White (@jimw1) February 1, 2020

Bids for Joshua King of Bournemouth's asking price failed, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic. Meanwhile, United also passed on Edinson Cavani and Salomon Rondon, per MailOnline's Adam Shergold.

The attack on Woodward's home preceded the Premier League's introduction of league-wide bans for any supporters found guilty of anti-social behaviour, per Paul MacInnes of the Guardian.