Man Utd news LIVE updates: Mourinho slams rumours, Ozil boost, Messi wants trio at Barca
MANCHESTER UNITED news is breaking all of the time with the transfer window underway and Express Sport is on hand to bring you the latest updates from Old Trafford.
Man Utd news LIVE updates: All of the latest from Old Trafford
Thursday January 4
Man Utd should sign Ozil and Sanchez
19:40: Manchester United would be vastly improved signing Arsenal stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
That is according to former Chelsea and Scotland midfielder Craig Burley, who now works as a pundit for ESPN.
A fan tweeted in to ESPN FC asking whether the duo would be good signings for United.
The Red Devils fan asked: “Should Manchester United try and get Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil for free at the end of the season?
“It’s so clear they need a winger and an attacking midfielder.”
Burley was a fan of the idea and says it would be some coup if United boss Jose Mourinho could complete those two deals.
“I wouldn’t be against that,” he said.
“Yeah, if he could pull that off, absolutely, 100 per cent.
“Would that improve them? Yes.”
Mahrez's creativity needed - Hislop
16.00: Manchester United should sign Riyad Mahrez to bring in some much-needed creativity, says ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop.
However, Hislop refused to say whether it would be a wiser move for the Leicester man than a switch to Arsenal.
“I’m going to say it’s going to be a good destination,” he said of United.
“(But) tou’re not going to get me to say whether it’s a better destination (than Arsenal).
“I think this makes perfect sense again. I like Mahrez, I think Manchester United would need his creativity.
“I also think that they would need and could do with this dynamism coming out of midfield.”
GETTY
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has reportedly grown detached from his squad at Old Trafford
Jorginho will help Pogba - Hislop
14.45: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho will get the best out of Paul Pogba if he signs Napoli midfielder Jorginho, according to pundit Shaka Hislop.
Hislop can see Jorginho fitting in alongside Nemanja Matic in the United midfield, which would allow Pogba to play further forward.
“I think it will (be a good fit),” he told ESPN FC.
“I say this because you see Manchester United, you see how good Paul Pogba was in a more advanced role.
“Maybe Jorginho is the man if Jose Mourinho is intent in playing with two midfielders in front of his back four.
“If that allows Paul Pogba to play further up, that’s great for Pogba, great for Manchester United and certainly a hit for Jorginho as well.”
Shaw changes plans
14.10: Manchester United have changed their transfer plans for January.
Jose Mourinho had identified left back as an area to strengthen and had doubts over Luke Shaw’s future.
But the Manchester Evening News now claim that Mourinho has had a change of heart and has been impressed with Shaw over the last month.
The former Southampton defender has struggled with injury during his time at Old Trafford but has started to impress again.
Shaw, 22, has made four Premier League appearances since the middle of December with Antonio Valencia injured and Ashley Young suspended.
He also played in the League Cup defeat to Bristol meaning he has completed 90 minutes four times in two weeks.
And he’s beginning to show his form of old and is beginning to change Mourinho’s opinion of him.
United were linked with moves for Danny Rose, Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Sandro and Kieran Tierney.
But they will now look at other areas as a greater priority than left-back
Conte and Klopp swipe
13:50: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho aimed a not-so-subtle dig at rivals Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp during today’s press conference.
The Chelsea and Liverpool managers are both known for their outbursts on the touchline.
And Mourinho took aim at them this afternoon when asked if he’s lost his hunger.
"Because I don’t behave as a clown on the touchline it means I lost my passion?" he quipped.
"I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself, you don’t have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion.
"That passion you see it every day. The way a person is dedicated to his work, not what you do in front of the cameras."
Mourinho slams exit speculation
13:35: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has dismissed the Daily Mail’s claim that he could quit Old Trafford this summer.
"Look, it depends on what you want to know and speak about, if you want to speak about some news I say garbage, I don’t find a better word than to define the talk," he said today.
"If you want to ask me directly, which I suppose you won’t, if I see myself next season in Manchester United I say I see myself and as I told when I arrived, I’m going to leave when the club wants me to leave because I have no intention to leave at all, my intention is to stay, to work and improve and return the club where to the club belongs.
"And I don’t see any reason not to stay. I still have a contract, I am in the middle of my contract, not the last couple of months, and my desire is to stay until the owners and the board is happy with my work."
12:20: Inter Milan want Henrikh Mkhitaryan but Manchester United are unwilling to loan the Armenian to the Serie A giants.
That’s according to the Daily Star as speculation mounts over where the playmaker’s future lies.
Inter are desperate to get Mkhitaryan on-board as they seek to strengthen their title push.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations mean Inter can only sign players on loan at present.
But Mourinho has told United to only let him go if they can bring in cash to finance incomings.
Bale boost
11:10: Gareth Bale reportedly has two reasons in mind as to why he would swap Real Madrid for Manchester United.
The Welsh winger has been heavily linked with an Old Trafford switch ever since he made his name at Tottenham.
And Diario Gol claim Bale sees United as the perfect club at which to strut his stuff.
The Spanish outlet say the wideman is also impressed by how much Jose Mourinho wants to sign him.
Rumour quashed
10:10: Aston Villa chief Tony Xia claims Sam Johnstone is not heading back to Manchester United.
Speculation has mounted that the Red Devils could recall the on-loan stopper this month.
However, Xi is convinced the United academy graduate will be staying at Villa Park.
"Just like all stories to fill with newspaper space,” he said on Twitter.
"He will be with us, hopefully we go up then he will be permanently.
"I think Villa is his fortunate place."
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Napoli's Faouzi Ghoulam shows off his impressive skills
G Nev on Lingard
09:25: Gary Neville says Jesse Lingard deserves to start ahead of Henrik Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial for Manchester United.
"On the subject of key players, Jesse Lingard's improvement has shown he has everything you want from a Manchester United player," he told Sky Sports.
"Not in terms of skills necessarily but in terms of passion, commitment and loving the badge.
"Those are the most important characteristics for United players. Those players will always deliver more.
"United is a big place to play and you have to have the desire and resilience.
"I’ve heard people challenge him, saying he's not good enough, saying get Henrikh Mkhitaryan in, get Anthony Martial in. No, let's get Lingard in because he has all of the characteristics you want."
Pereira return?
08:30: Manchester United could reportedly recall Andres Pereira from his loan spell at Valencia.
The midfielder joined the La Liga giants at the end of the summer transfer window in a season-long deal.
And Jose Mourinho has apparently kept tabs on him and stayed in contact during his five-month long stint in Spain.
Super Deporte now claim Pereira's time at the Mestalla could be cut short though.
Mourinho is said to be concerned by Ander Herrera's form and Pereira could return to offer another option in midfield.
Pogba savaged
07:25: Manchester United academy graduate Eamon Dunphy has laid into current Old Trafford star Paul Pogba.
"No matter what system Paul Pogba plays in, he is not a top player," he told RTE 2fm's Game On.
"United would be better off without him. He's okay, if you paid £20m, you'd think you'd be getting a good deal.
"He's on the fringes of games, he hits these long 40-yard balls that are like lasers but they look better than they are.
"He doesn't really have a football brain. When I look at games, I know where Pogba should be. Most of the guys writing about Pogba don't have the knowledge to know what he should be doing.
"He's pretty ordinary, he's never going to get you more than eight or nine goals a season."
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Gareth Bale is impressed by Jose Mourinho's desire to sign him for Manchester United
Deal close claim
06:25: Manchester United are supposedly close to wrapping up a deal for Napoli left-back Faouzi Ghoulam.
The Algeria international has impressed during his stint in Serie A, leading to links with the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in the past.
And Spanish newspaper Sport claim United are now looking to get him on-board as competition for Luke Shaw.
Ghoulam potentially faces a battle with Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian, who are all capable of playing on the left too.
Man Utd fear Mourinho exit
05:35: Manchester United are reportedly growing increasingly concerned that Jose Mourinho could leave them in the summer.
The Portuguese made a reasonably bright start to life at Old Trafford, securing two trophies in his first season with the Red Devils.
But they're a whopping 15 points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City and have won once in their last five games.
TheDaily Mailclaim United chiefs are now fearful Mourinho could call it a day in Manchester and head to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the current campaign.
Messi targets trio
04:45: Lionel Messi has three Manchester United stars in his sights as he advises Barcelona on who to sign this summer.
That's according to Diario Gol, who say the Argentine ace wants his club to make use of the free transfer market.
Barcelona are currently 14 points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid in La Liga and want to strengthen their title chase.
They've been tipped to spend big this month, with Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool their top target.
Messi apparently wants Barca to secure bosman deals for Juan Mata, Daley Blind and Ander Herrera when their United contracts expire too though.