The Hard Tackle brings you all the news surrounding Manchester United for the 19th of January.
Diego Simeone leaves the door open for Manchester United target Antoine Griezmann to quit in the summer
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Greizmann is one of the hottest prospects in Europe at the moment and Manchester United’s interest in him is probably one of the worst kept secrets. The Red Devils have been linked with the player for a long while and the deal may come to fruition at the end of the current season.
Diego Simeone, manager of Atletico Madrid, has stated that he will not tie down the 25-year-old at the club. Griezmann seems to have his heart set on a switch to England.
The presence of a certain Paul Pogba at Old Trafford can only help but sweeten his side’s chances of signing the coveted attacker. Griezmann spoke about wanting to work with Pogba at the club level, and that might just happen in the 2017/18 season. Only time will tell.
United are linked with £70 million-rated AS Monaco star Bernado Silva
While Griezmann continues to grab the headlines for the Manchester outfit, recent reports have hinted toward them being interested in AS Monaco’s creative midfield sensation Bernado Silva.
However, they are likely to receive competition from Champions League holders Real Madrid. Given the uncertainty over the future of James Rodriguez, Silva is being eyed as a like for like replacement by manager Zinedine Zidane.
Since moving to France from former club Benfica, Bernado Silva has been catching the attention of the top European sides due to his consistent performances for Monaco. Being an attacking midfielder, the 22-year-old has managed to find the back of the net on 31 occasions in 119 matches, assisting another 20.
Jose Mourinho is planning a massive squad overhaul in the coming transfer windows and has already let two big names in Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay go in January.
Silva, along with Greizmann, could be roped in to add more world-class quality to the ranks at Old Trafford. The fans will certainly welcome the duo with open arms as they hope to see their side regain English supremacy.
Luke Shaw going nowhere claims player’s agent Jonathan Barnett
Defender Luke Shaw’s agent has rubbished rumours linking his client with a Manchester United exit. The English left-back has had fitness concerns this season and was also not in the best of terms with Mourinho, but it seems he is intent in staying put and regaining his spot back in the team.
Shaw’s agent Jonathan Barnett said, “He is happy at the club. Manchester United are very happy with him and he’s very happy at Manchester United.”
This news will have come as a sigh of relief for the Old Trafford faithful who see Shaw as a long-term left-back option. Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind have played in the absence of the Englishman, but have failed to make the position their own, and Mourinho may still prefer to field Shaw should he be available.
Two additional clauses added in Memphis Depay’s deal with Lyon
Out of favour winger Memphis Depay is on the verge of joining Lyon on a permanent basis after a torrid time in England’s top flight. Depay moved to Old Trafford last summer and was handed the iconic number 7, but he has failed to live up to the hype, and Mourinho decided that it was time to offload the player.
The Red Devils have inserted two interesting clauses in the sale of the player. While the club are set to receive an initial £16.1 million, the total earning could go up to £21 million with certain add-ons.
United have also inserted a buy-back clause in the player’s contract which could see them sign him in the future should they feel he has reached their expectations. A sell-on clause has also been added, meaning the Manchester outfit will be due a certain percentage of the fee Lyon receive while selling the player to a third club.
Manchester United finish ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Deloitte Money League
After an eleven year absence at the top, the Red Devils have finally returned to the summit of the Deloitte Money League – finishing ahead of La Liga rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. The English side made a record revenue of £515.3 million – significantly higher than the two Spanish sides (£463.8 million).
Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said, “Manchester United have had to wait 11 years to regain their position as the world’s leading revenue-generating club and it has taken phenomenal commercial revenue growth to help them achieve this.”
53 percent of United’s revenue came through commercial sources – justifying their status has one of the world’s most marketed football clubs. Broadcasting rights accounted to 27 percent of the revenue, while matchday sales made up the remaining 20 percent.
The other Premier League sides in the top twenty were Manchester City (5th), Arsenal (7th), Chelsea (8th), Liverpool (9th), Tottenham Hotspur (12th), West Ham United (18th) and Leicester City (20th).
