Man United round-up: daily Old Trafford digest....Ten Hag, Cristiano Ronaldo, Premier League...
Alarm bells are ringing already for ‘Red Devils’ fans across the world after Man United slump to a 4-0 defeat at Brentford on back of an opening day loss to Brighton.
Ten Hag after Brentford battering
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag admitted “feeling sorry for the fans” who witnessed the 4-0 drubbing at Brentford on Saturday, which leaves the Old Trafford side rock bottom of the Premiership after losing in the first two games.
“It’s surprising to start a game like that, because we conceded four goals in 35 minutes, and that can’t happen. So, the team has to take responsibility. I feel sorry for the fans, I’m very sorry, because they gave up everything to cheer us on and we let them down,” Ten Hag said, speaking to the club’s official channels.
“I feel very sorry for them. This is not the way I want to play, and this is not the way I want to perform. The fans made a great effort to come to London,” added the Dutch manager, who has failed to get the team back on track in their league opener.
Former players tear into United after Brentford defeat
United came in for heavy criticism from former players after they crashed to Brentford on Saturday with BBC pundit Chris Sutton said United had “hit rock bottom” while his former strike partner Alan Shearer put down the debacle to years of mismanagement at Old Trafford.
“It is an absolute mess. Years of failure... there is a lack of leadership and the recruitment has been terrible,” Shearer said on BBC’s Match of the Day.
“It will take time and an unbelievable amount of money to get things right, and a lot of patience from the Manchester United fans. They are miles away from where there want to be.”
Former United defender Gary Neville, who has been critical of the owners, the Glazer family, said we were witnessing the “annihilation of the club”.
“I thought United would do better but they have been mauled, bullied, messed about with like you wouldn’t believe, and there’s nowhere to hide,” he said on Sky Sports.
“I have been watching United for 42 years and I can’t think of a moment when I have thought things have been as bad as that in the first half.”
Ziyech and De Tomas on United radar
United manager Erik ten Hag has identified Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech as a target, according to the Manchester Evening News.
However, United’s hierarchy are not convinced and have offered resistance to the Dutchman’s plans to sign the Moroccan, whom he worked with previously at Ajax. United have been priced out of their move for Ajax’s Antony, and Ten Hag views Ziyech as a good alternative.
The Old Trafford side are also linked with Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas who is anxious for a move away from the Barcelona based side. The striker found the net 17 times last season and has revived his career with Espanyol following a disappointing spell with Benfica.
Green is the colour
United launched their new third kit last week for the 2022-23 season with the new green effort from Adidas getting a universal thumbs down from fans and the kit community. The potential of the new kit will not have been helped given that it made its debut in Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Brentford with many supporters deeming that the new shirt is a goalkeepers top. “Adidas should be ashamed” and “one of the ugliest kits ever” were just two of the comments that echoed the feeling of many United fans following the unveiling of the shirt.
CR7 rejected by Milan giants
Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire to leave Manchester United this summer is no secret and Serie A emerged as a possible destination in recent days. According to Il Corriere dello Sport, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was offered to Inter and AC Milan by his agent, Jorge Mendes, but both clubs decided to pass on the opportunity due to the financial implications of the Portugal captain’s salary demands.
Il Corriere reported that Ronaldo’s salary would have been set at €45 million before tax, but that the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward would not provide Inter and Milan with the option of availing themselves of the advantages of the Growth Decree, which was introduced in 2019 to help Serie A sides sign big-name players from overseas by covering up to 50% of their salary through tax breaks - a scheme that is now under review. As such, the two Milan clubs elected not to pursue the possibility of adding Ronaldo to their ranks.