Of all the barbs thrown at Manchester United, Louis Van Gaal has
responded to a few. One of them was a bullet from Paul Scholes at the
time, that United were some way off from being capable of winning the
league. Van Gaal asked Scholes to believe.
Now, Scholes has fired again, reported as saying the UK media that Wayne Rooney, Falcao and Robin Van Persie cannot be fit into a system that allows all three to play at the same time. This comes at the end of a busy week for United watchers, given that Arturo Vidal seems to have kept his January move to Old Trafford alive with a Tweet and a picture assuring every one that his knee was fine.
“My knee is perfect. Please stop inventing,” tweeted the Juventus and Chile midfielder who is being seen as the last missing piece in Louis Van Gaal’s new United team.
Then there is Cristiano Ronaldo, who was so sugary sweet in his comments about his beloved Manchester United, that he has basically opened a door for a comeback (so what if Di Maria has the No 7 shirt).
In fact, there is trouble brewing at Real Madrid. President Florentino Perez sought to play down an apparent spat with Ronaldo on Friday as he announced the La Liga club's income had surged above 600 million euros ($778 million) in 2013-14.
The Portugal captain made headlines last Monday when he said the club's transfer dealings in the latest window would probably have been different if he had been in charge.
Real have got off to a faltering start having sold several of the club’s ‘core’ players in the window – Di Maria, Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso…
Real stuttered in their second La Liga outing at the weekend when they let slip a 2-0 lead and crashed to a 4-2 reverse at Real Sociedad.
Ronaldo wants trophies and if the new-look Madrid team does not suit his style, he may well be the next to bolt. Where to? By his own admission, a return to Manchester United is not out.
So, where would you fit Ronaldo in a team that has Rooney, Falcao and RVP? Is a Rooney for Ronaldo Real-Utd swap brewing for January.
Readers say no Top 4 for Man Utd
A poll by Emirates 24|7 has revealed that readers still fear for Man Utd’s chances of a top four finish.
When asked which of these EPL teams will finish outside the Top 4 this season: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Spurs, United drew the most votes with 45 per cent.
Readers believe Liverpool (9%) and Arsenal (10%) are the most assured of a top four finish. In fact at the time of running the poll, participants gave both Everton (14%) and Tottenham Hotspur (22%) a better chance of a top finish than United.
Kevin Strootman
We are still in September, but the glow of the Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria signings in the just shut transfer window will keep United fans going until January.
That is when the midfielders are set to arrive. Arturo Vidal, Nigel de Jong and the man who is believed to have kept those two from happening this transfer window - Roma’s Kevin Strootman.
All the virals and vines are about how United can essentially field a team of nine strikers, Phil Jones and David De Gea.
So the concerns about Louis van Gaal’s defence and midfield remain – th coming of Daley Blind notwithstanding.
Van Gaal seems eager to look at Dutch players.
This is what happened in terms of Holland’s brightest and best from the World Cup:
Daily Blind to Manchester United - 17.5 million euro
Leroy Fer to Queens Park Rangers - 10 million euro
Bruno Martins Indi to FC Porto - 7.7 million euro
Michel Vorm to Tottenham Hotspur – 6.3 million euro
Stefan de Vrij to Lazio – 8.5 million euro
Daryl Janmaat to Newcastle United - 6 million euro
Jonathan de Guzman to Napoli - 7.5 million euro
This really only leaves De Jong and Strootman open for Van Gaal, and come January, Ed Woodward can continue to splash the cash. It seems unlikely Juventus and United are going to agree a fee on Vidal though his is one name that simply refuses to go away.
What's that, Rooney?
It is not the kind of comment you would associate with Manchester United’s captain. Speaking in a press conference ahead of England's friendly match against Norway, Rooney said: “I don't know how it will affect my role, you have to ask the manager.”
What was he talking about? The signing of Radamel Falcao.
That comment will put several clubs on alert again, not least Chelsea and Jose Mourinho. Maybe, Rooney was just being frank. Maybe, this January will tell us exactly what he meant.
Falcao, Blind
Manchester United made a sensational double swoop on transfer deadline day to sign Colombia striker Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco and Holland international Daley Blind from Ajax.
Blind's arrival, in a £14 million ($23 million, 17 million euros) transfer, had been expected, but the signing of prolific 28-year-old frontman Falcao was a major coup for the ailing English giants.
"I am delighted to be joining Manchester United on loan this season," Falcao told the United website. "Manchester United is the biggest club in the world and is clearly determined to get back to the top."
United are reported to have agreed to pay Monaco a fee of around 10 million euros ($13.1 million) to secure Falcao's services for the season, with an option to make the deal permanent for 55 million euros.
Falcao, who missed the World Cup with a serious knee injury, was whisked into United's Carrington training ground to undergo a medical examination on Monday evening, with the club confirming the deal in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
United paid a British-record £59.7 million to sign Angel di Maria from Real Madrid last week and their spending spree continued with the capture of Blind.
The 24-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield, starred as the Netherlands reached the World Cup semi-finals under new United manager Louis van Gaal.
"It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United," said Blind, who is the son of former Netherlands and Ajax star Danny Blind.
"Louis van Gaal is a tremendously talented coach. I have worked with him at Ajax and also for the Netherlands national team and I cannot wait to work with him at the biggest club in the world."
Record expenditure
The deals for Falcao and Blind took United's close-season spending to around £150 million as the 20-time English champions look to rebuild following a disappointing seventh-place finish last season.
With Falcao in line to form a star-studded attack alongside Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez were both allowed to leave Old Trafford.
England forward Welbeck, who came through the youth ranks at United, joined Arsenal on a long-term contract for a reported fee of around £16 million.
Mexico striker Hernandez, nicknamed 'Chicharito' ('Little Pea'), was loaned to Real Madrid after scoring 59 goals in 154 appearances for United.
Meanwhile, youngsters Nick Powell and Tom Lawrence joined Leicester City -- Powell on loan, Lawrence on a permanent deal -- and defender Michael Keane was loaned to Burnley.
United's dealings dominated the headlines on a day when English clubs took their close-season spending soaring past £800 million -- a Premier League record.
United's cross-town rivals Manchester City parted company with Micah Richards and Alvaro Negredo.
Youth-team graduate Richards joined Fiorentina on a season-long loan with an option to buy, ending a 13-year association with the club.
Spain striker Alvaro Negredo moved to Valencia in a similar deal, only a year after arriving from Sevilla in a £20 million transfer.
Now, Scholes has fired again, reported as saying the UK media that Wayne Rooney, Falcao and Robin Van Persie cannot be fit into a system that allows all three to play at the same time. This comes at the end of a busy week for United watchers, given that Arturo Vidal seems to have kept his January move to Old Trafford alive with a Tweet and a picture assuring every one that his knee was fine.
“My knee is perfect. Please stop inventing,” tweeted the Juventus and Chile midfielder who is being seen as the last missing piece in Louis Van Gaal’s new United team.
Then there is Cristiano Ronaldo, who was so sugary sweet in his comments about his beloved Manchester United, that he has basically opened a door for a comeback (so what if Di Maria has the No 7 shirt).
In fact, there is trouble brewing at Real Madrid. President Florentino Perez sought to play down an apparent spat with Ronaldo on Friday as he announced the La Liga club's income had surged above 600 million euros ($778 million) in 2013-14.
The Portugal captain made headlines last Monday when he said the club's transfer dealings in the latest window would probably have been different if he had been in charge.
Real have got off to a faltering start having sold several of the club’s ‘core’ players in the window – Di Maria, Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso…
Real stuttered in their second La Liga outing at the weekend when they let slip a 2-0 lead and crashed to a 4-2 reverse at Real Sociedad.
Ronaldo wants trophies and if the new-look Madrid team does not suit his style, he may well be the next to bolt. Where to? By his own admission, a return to Manchester United is not out.
So, where would you fit Ronaldo in a team that has Rooney, Falcao and RVP? Is a Rooney for Ronaldo Real-Utd swap brewing for January.
Readers say no Top 4 for Man Utd
A poll by Emirates 24|7 has revealed that readers still fear for Man Utd’s chances of a top four finish.
When asked which of these EPL teams will finish outside the Top 4 this season: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Spurs, United drew the most votes with 45 per cent.
Readers believe Liverpool (9%) and Arsenal (10%) are the most assured of a top four finish. In fact at the time of running the poll, participants gave both Everton (14%) and Tottenham Hotspur (22%) a better chance of a top finish than United.
Kevin Strootman
We are still in September, but the glow of the Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria signings in the just shut transfer window will keep United fans going until January.
That is when the midfielders are set to arrive. Arturo Vidal, Nigel de Jong and the man who is believed to have kept those two from happening this transfer window - Roma’s Kevin Strootman.
All the virals and vines are about how United can essentially field a team of nine strikers, Phil Jones and David De Gea.
So the concerns about Louis van Gaal’s defence and midfield remain – th coming of Daley Blind notwithstanding.
Van Gaal seems eager to look at Dutch players.
This is what happened in terms of Holland’s brightest and best from the World Cup:
Daily Blind to Manchester United - 17.5 million euro
Leroy Fer to Queens Park Rangers - 10 million euro
Bruno Martins Indi to FC Porto - 7.7 million euro
Michel Vorm to Tottenham Hotspur – 6.3 million euro
Stefan de Vrij to Lazio – 8.5 million euro
Daryl Janmaat to Newcastle United - 6 million euro
Jonathan de Guzman to Napoli - 7.5 million euro
This really only leaves De Jong and Strootman open for Van Gaal, and come January, Ed Woodward can continue to splash the cash. It seems unlikely Juventus and United are going to agree a fee on Vidal though his is one name that simply refuses to go away.
What's that, Rooney?
It is not the kind of comment you would associate with Manchester United’s captain. Speaking in a press conference ahead of England's friendly match against Norway, Rooney said: “I don't know how it will affect my role, you have to ask the manager.”
What was he talking about? The signing of Radamel Falcao.
That comment will put several clubs on alert again, not least Chelsea and Jose Mourinho. Maybe, Rooney was just being frank. Maybe, this January will tell us exactly what he meant.
Falcao, Blind
Manchester United made a sensational double swoop on transfer deadline day to sign Colombia striker Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco and Holland international Daley Blind from Ajax.
Blind's arrival, in a £14 million ($23 million, 17 million euros) transfer, had been expected, but the signing of prolific 28-year-old frontman Falcao was a major coup for the ailing English giants.
"I am delighted to be joining Manchester United on loan this season," Falcao told the United website. "Manchester United is the biggest club in the world and is clearly determined to get back to the top."
United are reported to have agreed to pay Monaco a fee of around 10 million euros ($13.1 million) to secure Falcao's services for the season, with an option to make the deal permanent for 55 million euros.
Falcao, who missed the World Cup with a serious knee injury, was whisked into United's Carrington training ground to undergo a medical examination on Monday evening, with the club confirming the deal in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
United paid a British-record £59.7 million to sign Angel di Maria from Real Madrid last week and their spending spree continued with the capture of Blind.
The 24-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield, starred as the Netherlands reached the World Cup semi-finals under new United manager Louis van Gaal.
"It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United," said Blind, who is the son of former Netherlands and Ajax star Danny Blind.
"Louis van Gaal is a tremendously talented coach. I have worked with him at Ajax and also for the Netherlands national team and I cannot wait to work with him at the biggest club in the world."
Record expenditure
The deals for Falcao and Blind took United's close-season spending to around £150 million as the 20-time English champions look to rebuild following a disappointing seventh-place finish last season.
With Falcao in line to form a star-studded attack alongside Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez were both allowed to leave Old Trafford.
England forward Welbeck, who came through the youth ranks at United, joined Arsenal on a long-term contract for a reported fee of around £16 million.
Mexico striker Hernandez, nicknamed 'Chicharito' ('Little Pea'), was loaned to Real Madrid after scoring 59 goals in 154 appearances for United.
Meanwhile, youngsters Nick Powell and Tom Lawrence joined Leicester City -- Powell on loan, Lawrence on a permanent deal -- and defender Michael Keane was loaned to Burnley.
United's dealings dominated the headlines on a day when English clubs took their close-season spending soaring past £800 million -- a Premier League record.
United's cross-town rivals Manchester City parted company with Micah Richards and Alvaro Negredo.
Youth-team graduate Richards joined Fiorentina on a season-long loan with an option to buy, ending a 13-year association with the club.
Spain striker Alvaro Negredo moved to Valencia in a similar deal, only a year after arriving from Sevilla in a £20 million transfer.
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