In response to a shaky start to the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, Manchester United have sacked a clutch of five academy coaches, presumably in an attempt to launch an overhaul of the club’s recruitment and player development.
It may be a little late for such a move, but I guess if United’s academy had been working well, the club may not have shelled out over £230 million on Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Antony, all of whom look unlikely to have a future at Old Trafford.
The move may see the club progress in good time; but manager Erik Ten Hag must have an eye on the present as well as the future.
He has the small matter of a Champions League clash with FC Bayern on Wednesday, then a tricky away game to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley on Saturday. The Bavarians are the more illustrious opponents, but when Manchester United head to Turf Moor at the weekend, they will be aiming to avoid a third successive league defeat as a minimum.
The latest Premier League 2023 betting odds here at SBOTOP put the Red Devils in a battle for seventh place with Chelsea, and that is not good reading for either club.
The United boss has his fair share of injury problems, particularly in defence, where Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are both in the treatment room. But Ten Hag remains optimistic that things will get better and that his two biggest summer recruits will have a serious impact.
He believes that striker Rasmus Hojlund will forge a lethal strike partnership with Marcus Rashford, who was rejuvenated under the Dutch boss last season.
Hojlund made his first start in the Red Devils’ home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion last week and had a goal ruled out by VAR, and it looks like Ten Hag will use the pair ahead of a diamond formation in midfield.
The signing of Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana made some hefty Premier League 2023 news headlines after he moved from the Champions League finalists to Old Trafford.
Onana is a brilliant keeper with superb footwork, and those qualities have landed him on the 30-man list of 2023 Ballon d’Or candidates.
He’s a big character, not afraid to speak out, and he has insisted this week he was not brought to Old Trafford just because he is a talented ball player. He has replaced David de Gea, who won the Golden Glove last season, but the Spaniard couldn’t hold down a place at centre back, whereas it would be interesting to see Onana in a lower league outfield.
The problem is that Onana has been beaten ten times in five games, and while he hasn’t committed any howlers, he had a VAR gift on his debut when he wiped out Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic and escaped a red card, and even a penalty.
Onana is a fine keeper, but he needs to show he can save goals as well as De Gea could.
Spurs have Kane buyback clause
Manchester United are about to meet an old foe when they face FC Bayern, in the shape of former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
The England skipper has started well with Die Bayern following his £100 million switch from the Premier League to Bundesliga, already scoring four goals in four games.
Spurs are a notoriously difficult club to deal with, and chairman Daniel Levy has announced that he inserted a buy-back clause when Kane moved to Bavaria.
The goal machine is 30 years old and has a four-year contract with Bayern, and it does look likely he will settle well in Germany. Levy told fans about the buy-back clause at a club forum on Tuesday, adding that they had to sell their prized asset rather than let him run down his contract.
Manchester United were one of the English clubs pursuing Kane but the striker is adamant he went to the right place, saying: “Obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background, but Bayern were a team I was really interested and excited by. I just decided to come here and am really happy I have.”
Brentford ready to sell Toney
From one top striker to another.
While Kane is enjoying himself in Bavaria, Brentford forward Ivan Toney is having a less enjoyable time as he sits out his eight-month ban for betting irregularities.
And on Monday, the Bees boss Thomas Frank said he may sell the hot striker in January if the club’s valuation is met. Brentford are doing just fine without Toney, and Frank is brilliant at bringing through new players.
Toney scored 20 goals last season, and that puts him in the category of a very expensive commodity. Frank cited fees paid for midfielders such as Declan Rice, Enzo Fernandez, and Moisis Caicedo who all commanded over £100 million, also saying that to score 20 goals in a mid-table team is some achievement.
So the big spenders may have to dig deep to buy Toney.
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