Local Core Still Vital

Academy coach Paul McGuinness has Manchester United blood running through his veins and is acutely aware of the responsibility to help produce players with the right attributes on and off the field.

Following a campaign in which a small squad managed a fourth-placed finish in the Barclays Under-18 Premier League, preparations are already under way for 2015/16 in terms of reshaping the group. To be added into the mix is a batch of first-year scholars - many of whom have already played for the side as schoolboys - and the older players will move up to join Warren Joyce's Under-21s.

There has long been a policy of regularly combining age groups to help ensure the pre-season process does not jar, and there is the prospect of an Under-19 squad needing to be formed for the UEFA Youth League providing Louis van Gaal's men qualify for the Champions League group stages.

"Mixing age groups, where some players train with the Reserves and the first team, is something we do well," McGuinness told ManUtd.com. "It’s always a feature of what we do. You learn by being at the top of your age group as the oldest player and then you move up to the bottom of the next group and learn from more experienced players. It happens almost by osmosis because you’re training alongside them and you can see what they do. Picking up on their good habits is a vital part of it.

"We have some games that are a mix of age groups. A 12-year-old might play against an 18-year-old and when that 18-year-old later plays in the first team, the younger boy will feel it's like his older brother making the breakthrough into the senior side. The older boy is someone he can relate to."

Planning a team can be difficult for McGuinness as youngsters still eligible for Under-18 level, possibly including skipper Axel Tuanzebe, could be earmarked for a slot in the Under-21s. Similarly, schoolboys are likely to be utilised again where appropriate - young striker Angel Gomes is among those who have already had a taste of playing in the Under-18s, in the final game of last season at Middlesbrough.

"It depends on what size squad the Reserves have and whether they'll need some of our second-year scholars to move up," explained McGuinness. "That could happen and might leave us a bit short in the Under-18s but we’ll have to do what’s best for the individual players. If it’s the best thing for the Reserves and the best thing for the players, then we might do that and have a really young Under-18s team. We’ll just have to see how it works out. We could do with more numbers and need one or two new players."

With homegrown players becoming increasingly valuable, there is a focus on ensuring individuals continue to work their way through the system, having been with the club since an early age. Van Gaal regularly demonstrates his belief in young talent and the objective of injecting fresh blood into the first-team group.

"We had it with the 'Class of 92' and the Busby Babes," said McGuinness. "The young players who go into the first team feel they have grown up at the club so they go the extra mile. That is a core pillar of the Manchester United philosophy - homegrown players will give you more loyalty, more drive and what they always provide is that extra feeling. It was Sir Matt Busby's idea to have a family spirit and you do get more from these boys.

"Fans want to see a local lad do well and I think they are more forgiving of them. No matter what some people say, Manchester United have a massive core of fans from Manchester and they know it's great to see a local lad make his mark.

"That’s the whole point of what we’re doing," he asserted. "We may not have won the Under-18 league, but when you talk about what we do it’s not so much a case of getting success over the season, it’s more about how much value you can add to a player. If you think of the schoolboys, the value added has been huge. We just missed out on the league title at the last hurdle when the team ran out of legs but we added huge value to the players over the season.

"You see the same type of value added in Paddy McNair. He couldn’t get into the Under-18 team half the time because he wasn’t fully grown into his body. Then he went up to the Under-21s and made huge physical strides. You can see the value added over that period and, in a short amount of time, he was in the first team. Wow! Paddy is a fantastic example and the same goes for Tyler Blackett, Adnan Januzaj, James Wilson and Andreas Pereira. Obviously, those boys now need to get a regular first-team place but they're an inspiration for the other young players and it gives us great pleasure to see them doing well."

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Rojo Backs Di Maria To Shine At United

Marcos Rojo has tipped Angel Maria to overcome a difficult first season with Manchester United because he feels his fellow Argentinian is the most talented individual at the club.

Both players are currently engaged in Copa America combat with Argentina facing a semi-final clash with Paraguay on Tuesday night. Tournament hosts Chile await the victors in the final following their 2-1 victory over Peru.

United's record buy Di Maria contributed some memorable moments during his maiden campaign in England and is likely to be high in confidence if he continues to shine in South America.

In an interview published on the official Copa America website, Rojo declared: "For me, the player with the most talent at Manchester United is Angel.

"There are great players at the club but Angel, for me, is one of the best in the team and in the world. It has been a difficult year for him. He had some problems adapting but that’s normal. Any player coming to a new country and a new league has to adapt to the differences and that’s what happens. But I’m sure he will do really well in the months ahead."

Manchester United's Move For Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin On Hold

Manchester United have not returned to Southampton with a second bid for Morgan Schneiderlin, 10 days after their initial approach, according to Sky sources.

Betting was suspended on Monday afternoon on the France international moving to Old Trafford with several reports suggesting a deal was very close to being agreed.

Manchester United are keen to bolster their midfield options with both Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Sky sources revealed last week that Manchester United were interested in Schneiderlin but the latest developments on Tuesday suggest that the French international's future remains unclear with Sky sources revealing there had been no further bids or contact between the two clubs about the player since the first bid was made on June 20.

United's first bid of under £25m was rejected because "it did not meet Southampton's valuation".

Schneiderlin joined the Saints from Strasbourg in 2008 and has been an integral player in guiding the team from League One to the Premier League.

Newspaper reports have also linked Bayern Munich midfielder Schweinsteiger with a Louis van Gaal reunion but yesterday the Germany international hinted at staying with the Bundesliga champions.

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Players Are The Priority

Manchester United Reserves coach Warren Joyce may not be the sort of person to pursue the limelight but his record at the club stands up to any level of scrutiny.

The fact the Barclays Under-21 Premier League title was clinched with a game to spare last term provided further evidence of his ability to obtain positive results on a regular basis even though he and manager Louis van Gaal are keen to stress player development is the priority and not the final scoreline on any given matchday for the second-string side.

Joyce is always keen to relay his belief that, if players do their jobs properly, with and without the ball, then success will inevitably follow. He is extremely proud of the number of footballers who have come through the system at the Aon Training Complex and are making a living out of the game - and rightly so.

Some 46 players appeared in Joyce's team in 2014/15 and yet league success was still achieved. It was the second time United have won the trophy in its three-year history. What is more, in 2013/14, the Reds also reached the final of the nationwide competition, only to be edged out 2-1 in the final by Chelsea. So the youngsters are certainly acquiring a winning habit as the Manchester Senior Cup was also retained last term, courtesy of a 4-1 away thumping of Manchester City.

"From my seven years here, we’ve won the league three or four times and won the national play-off championship as well," commented Joyce. "I think the only couple of times we haven’t won it, we’ve been runners-up. The boys over the last few years have done tremendously well.

"If you look at the past five or six years, an awful lot of players have gone on to leave the club and do well for themselves by having a good career and we’ve got some into the first team here as well.

"Obviously, to get in the first team here you need to be getting past world-class players who also want to stay at the top of the tree and want to win things. It’s why they got here in the first place. They are not going to give up their role in the team and it’s not easy to get past them for young boys. They have got to be almost perfect – if we lose two or three games, we could be out of the title race or out of the Champions League.

"So that’s the level of attention to detail we need – we need the players to know their jobs. Over the years, we’ve been accustomed to winning things. Those are the demands placed on the club.

"We want to play a certain way as well but obviously you don’t always have the luxury at Reserves level of playing people in the right positions. We’ve had people spend a lot of time out of position and they’ve adapted and done that really well. Over the course of the season, I think every player improved."

Joyce will work with a fresh group of players in 2015/16, although the exact roll call will not be fully resolved until after the pre-season exertions. The hope is that some of the title-winning Under-21 players can push for promotion to van Gaal's first-team squad - the manager has already indicated he will give some young players a chance to impress on the pre-season tour of the United States. Meanwhile, Paul McGuinness anticipates a chosen few from his Under-18 party may be ripe for elevation into the Under-21s.

Whoever ends up in Warren's squad will find themselves working with "a fantastic coach," according to club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Treble-winning striker took charge of United Reserves with Joyce after calling time on his playing career and says his former colleague does not want to court publicity or take too much credit for his achievements.

"He will probably hate me talking about him," Solskjaer told ManUtd.com. "So I won't praise him too much because he doesn't like it. But he is a fantastic coach. Nicky Butt and all the budding coaches at Manchester United can learn from Warren because he comes to the job from a different perspective.

"Even though I played for United, it was only when I started to work with Warren that I realised how much of an eye-opener it would be for me. I really learned a lot about how to coach and we still have our discussions on football. If I need an opinion on a player, he is the best person to give it. But he hates the spotlight!"

Whether he's assisting first-team players who are looking to rediscover match rhythm, integrating younger charges or selecting an ever-changing line-up, Joyce will knuckle down again ahead of the new season and aim to ensure those working under his tutelage iron out any rough edges and develop their games. Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira are just two players who have clearly benefited from the coach's demand for more work off the ball and it has helped them become much more rounded individuals, combining their natural flair with much greater awareness of their defensive responsibilities.

"There were a lot of pluses and a lot of successes," said Joyce of last year's title-winning campaign, in which Pereira was named United's Reserve Player of the Year. "Players improved – the lads who went out on loan did well. They had a taste and are on course and progressing well. After a summer to work on their bodies, they will come back with a new challenge for the new season. We’ll start from scratch. That’s the way football is."

Working tirelessly to develop individuals, engendering a team spirit and striving to achieve more success, Joyce will be looking to ensure he can continue to produce the sort of footballers Manchester United can be proud of. The hard graft will commence again at the Aon Training Complex when the players return from their close-season break in the coming days and Joyce's plans for 2015/16 will be carefully put into place.

Carra: Ramos One Of The Best

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes Manchester United would be signing “one of the top defenders in Europe” if they complete a deal for Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos.

United have made a bid of £28.6m for the 29-year-old centre-back, according to Sky Sports sources, who say he has told Madrid he wants to leave the club and join Louis van Gaal's team.

Ramos has two years left on his contract at Madrid, and reports in the British and Spanish media have strongly linked the defender with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks.

Former Liverpool defender Carragher has backed United’s pursuit of Ramos and hit back at accusations that the World Cup-winning Spain international is overrated.

“In Ramos Man Utd will be signing one of the top defenders in Europe and a leader if they can pull the deal off,” Carragher wrote on KICCA.

“There is still a feeling that he's overrated in England which I disagree with. His trophy haul and playing for Real Madrid for so long shows his quality as the pressure to perform for club and country for so long is huge.

“At 29 he should be at his best and physically I think he'll be fine in the Premier League, but he will have to be careful with the referees who I'm sure will be aware of his disciplinary record if he arrives!”

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United Bid For Real's Ramos

Manchester United have made a bid of £28.6m for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to Sky sources.

Sky sources also understand that Ramos has told Madrid he wants to leave the club and join Louis van Gaal's side.

Widespread reports in the British and Spanish media have linked the defender, who has two years left on his contract at the Bernabeu, with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks.

And Sky Sports Spanish football expert Graham Hunter thinks the deal could go through because the player has made it so clear to Madrid that he wants a move away.

"Ramos has told Madrid directly that he is absolutely and completely committed to leaving the club this summer, that he specifically wants them to begin negotiations with Manchester United and that he doesn't want them to negotiate with anybody except Manchester United," Hunter told Sky Sports News HQ.

"People have been questioning Sergio Ramos' intentions, whether Manchester United [are] being used as was the case a couple of summers ago when Cesc Fabregas looked like he might be available to David Moyes.

"But it is a very firm display of intention from Manchester United. In Ramos they want someone who will form part of a firm spine of the team, who knows how to win, who has experience of winning, adding character and talent to what we saw was a regeneration under Louis van Gaal last season.

"Ramos is the focal point of that development and that's why they have made the bid. Real Madrid can be under no illusions that Ramos wants to go to Manchester United and he expects them to comply.

"He feels slighted by the renegotiation of other players' contracts around him when he's coming to that age when this new contract will be the high point of what remains of his career.

"He will also be unhappy with the way the club did not dismiss the story that he had been offered to Barcelona. There is a lack of communication between the single most important man at Madrid in president Florentino Perez and Ramos - a captain, fan fourvouite and leader.

"Ramos is a bold and brave footballer and that is echoed in his character. He believes the bid matches his current value.

"He looks at the project to rebuild Manchester United, to make it great again, and he wants to be part of it."

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Jones Signs New United Contract

Phil Jones has signed a new contract at Manchester United which keeps him at the club until at least June 2019 with an option to extend for a further year.

Jones, 23, made his debut for United in 2011. He has since made 128 appearances and won a Premier League title with the club in 2013.

Louis van Gaal said:


"We are delighted that Phil has signed a new contract. He is a talented footballer with great versatility and can play in a number of positions.

"Phil is a relatively young defender who is developing all the time. He missed some of last season due to injury; however, I was impressed by his professionalism and attitude during those periods."

Phil Jones said:

"I am delighted to have signed a new deal. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far and am looking forward to continuing my development as a player.

"This a great club to be part of and I cannot wait to start the new campaign. I would like to thank the manager, coaching staff and fans for their continued support."

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Schweinsteiger Hints At Bayern Stay

Man United target Bastian Schweinsteiger says he wants to win a fourth straight German league title with Bayern Munich.

Sky sources revealed last week the World Cup winner was on Louis van Gaal's list of summer targets, but the 30-year-old is keen to make history with the Bundesliga champions.

No club has ever won four Bundesliga titles in a row, and Schweinsteiger told says it is a big motivation for him.

He told broadcasters Sport1: "We've won the Bundesliga for three consecutive times, no team ever has managed to win it four times. That's a motivation


"I feel good and I'm ready to play the next three years at the top level. That's my goal."

Schweinsteiger also insists the hunger has not left his game after winning the Champions League, Bundesliga and World Cup in the past three seasons.

"I would love to win the Champions League once again," he said. "Winning big trophies like the Champions League or the World Cup is usually making people think 'The player are not hungry any more'. Still that's not what I feel."

United have been linked with a number of midfielders and Skybet have suspended betting on Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin moving to Old Trafford as van Gaal narrows down his summer search.

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Seamus Coleman: Would Man. United Be A Good Fit For Him?

With Seamus Coleman being linked with a move to Manchester United, Adam Bate examines whether Everton right-back is the man for Louis van Gaal...

Antonio Valencia was widely credited with enjoying a good season at right-back for Manchester United. However, it was perhaps at Goodison Park in April that United boss Louis van Gaal was persuaded to look elsewhere. Valencia was partially culpable for each of the three goals as Everton ran out 3-0 winners.

Van Gaal didn't have far to look for a potentially better alternative. The contrast between Valencia’s efforts and those of the Everton right-back Seamus Coleman was stark and recent reports suggest that the Irishman’s long-mooted move to Old Trafford could be concluded this summer.

Coleman was linked with United during David Moyes’ brief reign and contributed to its premature conclusion with a man-of-the-match performance in the Scot’s final game in charge. Of course, it’s not just his performances against United that have sparked this interest. Coleman has been consistently impressive.

“We are talking about, I think, the best right-back in the league,” said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football in October. “He makes a massive difference to Everton. He’s the best player in that position.” Coleman’s position is not an easy one to master either. It's the ultimate risk-versus-reward role.

“He plays in a demanding position which needs you to be so good in many areas,” said Everton manager Roberto Martinez last year. That’s something Valencia has discovered under Van Gaal, admitting it’s proven a “hard position to learn” since making the transition from the right wing.

“When I go forward to overlap, I've always got to be conscious about getting back and it’s a lot more dangerous,” Valencia told MUTV. “If you do leave room for people, they can hurt you.”

The Ecuadorian did at least embrace the challenge. Indeed, his responsible approach to the role meant that what might have been seen as an attacking move was actually a reflection of Van Gaal’s preference for control of the ball and position over the more gung-ho style of fan-favourite Rafael.

Van Gaal praised the Brazilian’s “fantastic attitude” but appeared less fond of his gambling forays forward. That makes the interest in Coleman intriguing, given that those driving runs have been a feature of his performances in an Everton shirt. Perhaps the crucial point here is simply that Coleman has proven more effective.

While part of a back-four, he has also taken on the responsibility of contributing in the final third. Coleman has scored 12 goals for his club over the past two seasons – three times as many as Rafael and Valencia have managed between them in that time. It requires energy and skill. Coleman has shown he possesses plenty of both.

He’s willing to make the sorts of bursting runs that saw him get on the end of a cross from his fellow full-back Leighton Baines to score against Aston Villa last season. That was just one of 2153 high-intensity sprints in the Premier League in 2014/15 - more than any of his Everton team-mates, more than anyone at Old Trafford and among the top five in the country.

So will his performances transfer effectively to Van Gaal’s United? At 26, he’s at a good age to make the transition and taste Champions League action for the first time. Importantly, it seems that Coleman has the mentality to rise to the challenge too. Martinez has highlighted his “football arrogance” as a key asset.

“He's a world-class footballer, which he showed from the way he performed last season,” said the Spaniard earlier this year. “I still feel that now he's got a bigger role to play in his career. He's become important in a team that we want to grow in order to achieve big things as well.”

But this praise came with a warning. He added: “Sometimes that's better than going to a club in Europe where you're not guaranteed to play... This is the best place for him to develop his potential.”

The lure of a hefty pay rise and Champions League football would test that theory and if Coleman really does have the arrogance to which Martinez refers, he should not be too troubled by the fears over his place. In fact, he might fancy his chances of being a significant upgrade on Valencia. And he might well be right.

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Van Gaal: U S Fans 'Unbelievable'

Louis van Gaal praised the Manchester United fans throughout his first year in charge at the club and the manager admits he was astonished by his first taste of their adulation - during last year's pre-season tour of the United States.

Hundreds of thousands of supporters followed the Reds' progress during Tour 2014, presented by Aon, as van Gaal led the side to International Champions Cup success with victories over AS Roma, Internazionale, Real Madrid and Liverpool preceded by a comprehensive friendly win against LA Galaxy.

The match against Real Madrid in Michigan was particularly memorable given it was attended by over 109,000 people - a record crowd for a soccer match in the US - with many of them wearing United colours, much to van Gaal's astonishment.

"The support was unbelievable," the Dutchman declared in part three of our exclusive interview with ManUtd.com and MUTV. "That was also during the first days of my time as manager here and the enthusiasm of our fans and the size of the crowds there was incredible.

"We played five games and there were 300,000 fans there in two weeks - and that’s for friendly games! Of course there were white shirts of Real Madrid [at the match in Michigan] but most of the fans were in red shirts. It was amazing. It’s unbelievable how popular Manchester United is."

Fans attending this year's tour matches will no doubt be hoping to see a repeat of the 2014 results and performances and van Gaal insists all the players will get their chance to impress, including some of the club's budding youngsters.

"You always get chances, especially in pre-season, and if you grab that chance then maybe you the possibility to join our first-team squad next season," added the manager.

"I shall take a lot of youngsters with us to the USA and they have the chance to show themselves and then we shall wait and observe how they can develop."

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Giggs: Man. United Are Looking To Add Star Quality

Ryan Giggs says Manchester United are keen to add heavyweight names to the spine of their team in a bid to regain their place at the top of English football this season.

Welshman Giggs, assistant to Louis van Gaal, agrees with the manager’s assertion that United are close to competing for the top honours again after two lean campaigns following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.

United’s record appearance holder told the Sunday Times that it was vital they strengthened in the middle of the park and added star names to the squad, if possible.

Newspaper reports have linked the Red Devils with moves for World Cup winners Sergio Ramos and Bastian Schweinsteiger, while Sky sources understand that United are in talks with Southampton over a move for Morgan Schneiderlin.

But Giggs insisted that if United were to compete for major honours again they would need to be more consistent than last season.

He said: “If there are players available who are winners, who are proven, then, yeah, let’s go and get them.

“And with any good team the spine is important. Midfield, striker, centre-backs, goalkeeper. I’m sure we’ll be looking to strengthen the spine all the way through.

“We obviously need to strengthen because we were fourth. We weren’t first, second or third. And the teams above us will strengthen, too. There’s the added challenge of the Champions League, and we need players that are going to improve us.

“But we’re not too far away. We had a great record last season in the big games and the problem was the consistency. We dropped points we shouldn’t have and got off to a bad start. We drew a lot of games away from home against teams we should have been beating.

“You tot up the games you think you should have won and think, ‘Yeah, we should have been much closer’ – but you have to go out and do it, and in the Premier League that’s not easy.”

Giggs served as caretaker boss at Old Trafford after David Moyes left the club in April 2014.

Retiring after a highly decorated career in which he won 24 major trophies as a United player, the 41-year-old has since taken over as van Gaal’s assistant.

As a result, the days of turning up for training as a player and focussing purely on the session ahead of him are gone.

“With coaching you’re in at eight o’clock and you leave at five, and after that you’re at home still thinking about it.

“You turn on the TV and instead of just relaxing in front of a game, you’re watching it for different things, looking for things coaches may have worked on, or different details. Basically you don’t switch off.

“On holiday I was still on the phone to the manager and Albert (Stuivenberg, van Gaal’s other assistant) about players coming in and plans for the new season.

“After a defeat, as a player you basically just analyse yourself. How did I do? But as a coach you’re thinking about the whole thing: ‘Should we have made that substitution? Did we pick the right team? Did we train them too hard?’ But this is what I want. Just as much as when I was a player, I’m excited about a new season starting.”

And he has enjoyed working under former Barcelona and Ajax coach van Gaal, adding to everything he had learned previously under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“It was nothing new in terms of the detail, the hunger, the professionalism, the experience. I’d seen the same with Sir Alex.

“But there were little innovations that you’re seeing for the first time as a coach, where you thought ‘that’s brilliant.’ And just the overall experience. Especially in the big games.

“You saw someone who wasn’t afraid – or who didn’t show it – and showed what he can do tactically, and in his overall leadership. Everyone at the club – the staff, the players –know who the leader is. And that’s Louis.”

Giggs also said fans at Old Trafford will take to the club’s newest addition Memphis Depay, labelling him as a ‘United type’.

Bought from PSV Eindhoven for £25m, United fans will be hoping that Depay will prove to be an exciting player in the mould of Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo – a match-winning winger.

Giggs said: “(Depay) is the type Old Trafford will warm to. He’s an exciting player, but there’s also substance behind it. He was top scorer in the Dutch league and got plenty of assists as well. He’s a ‘United’ type. Our fans demand exciting players, players who can get them off their seats and score spectacular goals.

“One thing we probably have lacked since Cristiano - and Becks (David Beckham) before him – is free-kicks. And it looks like Depay has a great track record from free-kicks as well. Over a season, if you can score more from free-kicks and corners it adds up and makes a real difference in winning games. So, no pressure…but hopefully he’ll score 10 free-kicks every year.

“Old Trafford is the right stage for a player like him,” said Giggs. “Because if you try things that don’t come off the fans will stay behind you. You’re at a club where they want you to do things off the cuff, to entertain them.”

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Manchester United Target Everton's Seamus Coleman

Manchester United are interested in signing defender Seamus Coleman from Everton, according to Sky sources.

United are yet to make a bid for the Republic of Ireland star, but Louis van Gaal is keen on signing a player who has been one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League in recent years.

Antonio Valencia spent much of last season as van Gaal's regular right-back and right wing-back with Rafael suffering more injury problems and both Phil Jones and Chris Smalling more comfortable in central defence.

Van Gaal wants to bolster his back-four options but at the same time, he wants his full-backs to offer quality going forwards too - Dani Alves had been linked with a move to Old Trafford before signing a new Barcelona contract and Liverpool-bound Nathaniel Clyne was also on United's list of potential targets according to newspaper reports.

Coleman fits the profile as he could play as an orthodox right-back and would be equally comfortable as a wing-back given van Gaal's penchant for three at the back.

The 26-year-old joined Everton for just £60,000 in 2009 and has gone on to make 185 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals while also winning 28 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Meanwhile United are continuing their pursuit of Southampton central midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, and Sky sources understand talks are ongoing over what would be a transfer in the region of £25m.

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Preparing The Old Trafford Pitch For Action

Manchester United grounds manager Tony Sinclair picked up several awards last season, including Grounds Team of the Year. He and his colleagues have since been hard at work on the pitch at Old Trafford this summer, getting it ready for the start of another busy campaign in early August...

Can you tell us a bit about your role at Old Trafford?
I'm grounds manager, meaning I'm responsible for every site we have, including Old Trafford, the Aon Training Complex, Littleton Road and the Cliff. We have guys who are designated to look after each location, but I’m responsible for overseeing everything that goes on at each site. We would say as groundsmen that the pitch is the most vital tool for the team - it’s what they play on. If the training ground or stadium pitches aren’t right, it will have a big effect on the players and how they perform. Sir Alex Ferguson also used to describe the pitch as a vital tool, and he was right!

In April, your team were joint winners, with Arsenal, of the Premier League Grounds Team of the Season award for 2014/15. Was it nice to have your hard work recognised?
It was fantastic. We also did really well at the Institute of Groundsmanship awards last December when we won Team of the Year and I won Groundsman of the Year. That’s testament to all the hard work that the lads put in. I'm lucky to have a good team behind me and the technology we use nowadays helps us work to our maximum level.

The new season isn’t too far away now, so is work on the Old Trafford pitch going to plan?
Well, we played Arsenal here on 17 May and then the last time the pitch was used was for the Legends Are Back game on 14 June. We're now around six weeks away from playing Spurs at Old Trafford and the pitch is currently bare with seed on – that’s a frightening thing to say, especially because the weather is so temperamental around these parts! But I’m sure the pitch will be fine by the time the first game comes around. It’s a natural process and we’ll do everything we can on a daily basis to help it along.

Do you have regular dialogue with the manager about his requirements for the pitch?
Manchester United as a club have always backed the ideas that we put forward. Anything we’ve needed, they’ve been right behind it 100 per cent because they recognise the importance of it. The managers over the years have been absolutely amazing. What we’ve got out there is a plant and, if you push that plant too far, it will die. That's why dialogue with the manager is absolutely crucial - Sir Alex was fantastic and the same can be said of David Moyes and of Louis van Gaal.

How much has the craft of groundsmanship changed during your career?
There has been an incredible surge in technology over the last 10 years. For example, there are the lights we use to stimulate growth by providing artificial sunlight. They were developed by a man in Holland who used them in his greenhouse to grow roses and was able to maintain their growth at the same rate through the winter. Those lights have been essential for us as during the winter months we have a microclimate in the stadium due to the surroundings.

Finally, United fans dream about walking down the tunnel and onto the hallowed turf, but you get to do it every day! How does that feel, especially for a fan like yourself?
I’ve been here 24 years and I’ll look forward coming in tomorrow more than today, and more than yesterday. I can honestly sit here and say that I have never felt any other way. It’s such a challenging yet rewarding job and we’re so fortunate that everyone sees the results of our work. Old Trafford is the most visible pitch in the world. It’s a fantastic thing that everyone sees what we do.

Credit: Manutd.com

Manchester United Target Morgan Schneiderlin Ready For Step Up

With Sky sources saying Manchester United are “very interested” in signing Morgan Schneiderlin, Nick Wright looks at what the Southampton midfielder could offer Louis van Gaal’s side.

Four years after helping Southampton win promotion from League One, Morgan Schneiderlin is on the verge of his next step up.

“I think he could play at any of the top clubs in the league,” said Gary Neville, after watching the Frenchman play a key role as Saints defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in January. “I'm talking about Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, United, Liverpool, Tottenham. He's that good. Over a two-to-three-year period now he's shown himself to be the real thing.”

That move seems set to come to fruition, with United seemingly ahead of Arsenal in the race for his signature and the 25-year-old confirming negotiations over his future should reach a conclusion “in the coming days”.

Schneiderlin has spoken candidly of his desire to play Champions League football in recent months, and his angry reaction to being denied a move away from Southampton last summer was evidence of his lofty ambitions.

Schneiderlin had watched an exodus of Mauricio Pochettino, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Calum Chambers from St Mary’s Stadium, but the south-coast club refused to let another prized asset depart and it wasn’t long before Schneiderlin would understand why.

After an inspired recruitment drive, Ronald Koeman began building his new-look side around Schneiderlin, and rather than moving backwards, the Saints defied all expectations to secure a seventh-place finish. With Schneiderlin patrolling in front of the back four alongside Victor Wanyama, they also boasted a defensive record second only to champions Chelsea.

The likes of Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic were rightly praised for their roles in Southampton’s brilliant start to the season, but it was no coincidence that their top four charge was derailed by a run of defeats for which Schneiderlin was injured in December.

And after a stellar campaign – undoubtedly his best yet since joining Southampton from Strasbourg in 2008 – it is entirely unsurprising that some of the Premier League’s big guns are hovering over St Mary’s again.

The France international is likely to command a transfer fee in excess of £25million, and his performances last season suggest he more than justifies the hefty price-tag.

With Michael Carrick now 33, Louis van Gaal is in need of a long-term successor in the holding role – and it makes perfect sense that he has identified Schneiderlin as his prime target.

After all, Schneiderlin is similarly efficient in possession. The Southampton man enjoys having the ball at his feet and his pass completion rate of 89.3 per cent in 2014/15 was only a fraction below Carrick’s 89.6 per cent.

Interestingly, though, Schneiderlin played key passes twice as regularly as Carrick (0.8 per game v 0.4), suggesting he is also comfortable when venturing further forward.

And as well as scoring four Premier League goals for Southampton last season, Schneiderlin created 20 chances for his team-mates, more than both Carrick (eight) and Daley Blind (17), Van Gaal’s other option in the holding role.

Schneiderlin is a rare breed of midfielder who couples finesse with the destroyer qualities needed in that deep-lying role. Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic was the only midfielder to make more than his 79 tackles last season, and Schneiderlin also averaged 2.6 interceptions per game compared to Carrick’s 1.7.

We can also gauge Schneiderlin’s suitability to United by comparing him to the rest of the top four’s first choice holding midfielders, and the stats indicate he is more than a match for Matic, Manchester City’s Fernandinho and Arsenal’s emergent star Francis Coquelin.

Of that quartet, Schneiderlin leads the way for both tackles-per-game and pass accuracy – arguably the two most important metrics for a defensive midfielder. And with four goals in 26 appearances, he also boasts a far superior strike rate to his rivals.

According to Sky sources, United are also considering a move for Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger. Schneiderlin does not boast the same level of experience as the German World Cup winner, but he is proven in the Premier League and is five years younger than the Bayern man.

It has been a rapid rise for Schneiderlin, but he seems ready to take another step up.

Credit: Skysports.com

Yorke: United Need 3 Signings

Dwight Yorke believes Victor Valdes is the man to become Manchester United’s number one goalkeeper if David De Gea leaves Old Trafford - but urges Louis van Gaal to splash the cash this summer.

De Gea has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid after an impressive season with United.

And Yorke believes fellow-Spaniard Valdes, who joined United on a free transfer in January, has the experience to fill the void.

The former United striker told Sky Sports News HQ: “Victor Valdes probably thinks he would have a good opportunity.

“He’s got a wealth of experience and has won everything in the game. He will probably be a suitable candidate and fill that gap.”

He added: “The likes of Petr Cech could have been a candidate to replace De Gea.

“But the fact that De Gea still remains at Manchester United shows a deal has not been done.”

Yorke, who was at United from 1999 to 2002, believes Van Gaal needs sign a defender, a holding midfielder and a striker if they are to mount a serious title challenge next season.

He added: “We have struggled defensively all season.

“Going forward we had Angel De Maria, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Falcao - but they haven’t been able to deliver the devastating blow we know they are capable of doing.

“That may be a point where he may need to make some changes with another forward player.

“And when Michael Carrick is not playing we see how thin Manchester United look - Van Gaal needs to look at a holding midfielder."

Credit: Skysports.com

Gerry Armstrong: Ramos Will Stay At Real

Sky Sports Spanish football expert Gerry Armstrong’s "gut feeling" is that Sergio Ramos will stay at Real Madrid this summer.

Initial contact has been made between Manchester United and the Spanish club over a potential transfer for the 29-year-old centre-back.

Several reports in the British media have the amount being discussed as £35m and Spanish newspaper AS have reported that United are willing to offer Ramos 12m euros a year to move to Old Trafford.

Armstrong did confirm there has been a fresh round of negotiations between the player and Madrid president Florentino Perez, but feels no transfer will take place.


“There has been a little bit of improvement in the relationship between Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid,” he told Sky Sports News HQ.

“They’ve been at loggerheads but in the past 48 hours there has been a conversation between the president Florentino Perez and Sergio Ramos.

“I think he’d like to stay at Real Madrid. There is apparently an offer on the table from Manchester United which hasn’t been accepted but I think the player is just looking to get a better deal.

“He’s got two years left on his contract and my gut feeling is that he’s going to stay at Real Madrid.”

Credit: Skysports.com

Is Ramos Enough?

Sergio Ramos is world class but would he be the final piece in Man Utd’s defensive jigsaw? Adam Bate asks the question...

Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas did it at Chelsea last season. There are others convinced that Petr Cech could fulfil a similar role at Arsenal this summer. It’s that one signing in precisely the position it’s needed that immediately inspires confidence that a club’s fortunes will be drastically improved.

The situation at Manchester United is somewhat more muddled. First and foremost, the club is some way short of acquiring the services of Sergio Ramos and there remains the nagging suspicion that the dalliance will conclude in the defender signing a new contract at Real Madrid.

But the reservations extend beyond the fear of being played for fools. “These reports saying £40million plus David de Gea for Sergio Ramos,” wrote Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville on Twitter. “Please no! Nothing [against] Ramos but it can’t be right.”


Notwithstanding the esteem in which De Gea is regarded at Old Trafford, it’s still quite the reaction to being linked with one of the world’s best defenders. As fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher pointed out this week, there are few better.

“He is rash at times, he has moments of madness and does get overly emotional in games, that’s always been a problem for him,” Carragher told talkSPORT. “But if he is not rated as one of the world’s best players, who is?” It’s a fair point. Ramos has won it all.

Jose Mourinho had his issues with the defender at the Bernabeu, but even he had words of praise too. “When Sergio is at his best, he gives me all that a defender has to give – security in defence, quality bringing the ball out, strengths and set pieces, leadership.”

But Neville’s concern also reflects the feeling that United would be paying good money only to lose a world-class goalkeeper and still find themselves some way short of solving their defensive issues. After all, it’s a big ask for the Spaniard to solve those problems without help.

Although only three clubs conceded fewer Premier League goals than United in 2014/15, that headline statistic felt generous. Louis van Gaal’s men kept fewer clean sheets than Sunderland let alone their title rivals and some of the underlying data hinted at the insecurities that were evident.

Van Gaal’s United made more unpunished errors leading to shots than any other Premier League team. Only Burnley were punished from a lower percentage of their mistakes. Luck? No. David de Gea. Without their goalkeeper, that defence would need to get a lot better and Van Gaal knows it.

Ramos would help. Not only does he win more aerial duels and come up with blocks more frequently than any United defender, importantly, he also knows how to function in a defence that is not afforded much protection.

That’s significant. John Terry was surely the best defender in the Premier League last season. But the former England captain is at his best when defending deep in a low block with covering midfielders aplenty. Van Gaal has a different vision.

Ramos is an exceptional one-on-one defender and would allow United to play on the front foot as Van Gaal prefers, pushing up to the halfway line with confidence. It is difficult, for example, to envisage Jamie Vardy being allowed to run amok as he did at the King Power Stadium last autumn.

Ramos, who turns 30 in March, has a range of passing that would surely interest United’s forwards too. But while being asked to adapt to the Premier League, would he really be the man to settle down a United defence featuring the likes of Luke Shaw, Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia among others?

Ramos is a leader but, to provide context, it was Pepe, so often characterised as rash, who Marca credited as “restoring a sense of calm” in Real’s defence – a “big brother” to Raphael Varane. When Carlo Ancelotti needed a midfielder, he pushed Ramos up and kept Pepe at the heart of his defence.

Perhaps that offers just a hint of why this mooted signing will not be seen as a panacea for United’s issues. There are few better, as Carragher points out. But it’s not difficult to see why Neville would regard any potential swap deal for De Gea as a move that creates as many problems as it solves.

There are those signings that transform a team and convince supporters that the club is nearly there in its transfer tinkering. Fabregas was one. Cech might yet be another. But Van Gaal will need a few more like Ramos before there’s any conviction that United have solved their problems of 2014/15.

Credit: Skysports.com

Bayern Target Di Maria

Bayern Munich have identified Angel Di Maria as their No 1 transfer target, according to Sky Deutschland - although Sky sources in England insist Manchester United have no intention of selling.

Di Maria’s future has been the subject of speculation after a difficult first season at Old Trafford following his club record £59.7m move from Real Madrid.

The midfielder made an encouraging start at United, scoring three goals in his first five appearances, but his only other goal came in an FA Cup tie against Yeovil and he lost his place in the side in the second half of the campaign.

The midfielder is currently on Argentina duty at the Copa America in Chile, where he is being closely watched by Bayern scouts as they weigh up a move for the 27-year-old.

Pep Guardiola’s Bayern are eager to bring in a winger this summer with Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery now 31 and 32 respectively, but Sky Sports News HQ reporter James Cooper insists any approaches for Di Maria will be rejected by United.

“The constant message from United this summer has been that he is going nowhere, he is going to stay at Manchester United and be a big part of Louis van Gaal’s plans for next season,” said Cooper.

“Our friends at Sky Deutschland have been talking about Bayern Munich being interested in Di Maria and even scouting him over at the Copa America. I don’t think they are the only club doing that, but United won’t budge on this and Di Maria won’t be going anywhere this summer.”

If Bayern cannot convince United to sell Di Maria, Sky Deutschland say Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann would be their second choice.

The France international predominantly featured centrally for Atletico last season, scoring 25 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions, but he is also comfortable on the left flank.

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Rooney: New Signings Can Help Us Challenge For Title

Wayne Rooney believes recruiting the right players this summer can see Manchester United challenge for the Premier League title next season.

United have already signed Dutch winger Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven on a four-year deal.

They are also interested in bringing Sergio Ramos to England from Real Madrid and Sky sources understand there has been initial contact between the sides on a possible transfer.

United are believed to be keen on Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger too after he made only 15 starts for the Bundesliga champions last term.

Louis van Gaal’s side finished fourth and claimed the final Champions League place in 2014/15 but only after a stuttering start.

Just three wins in their opening 10 games had his team sitting 10th in early November and Rooney thinks a better start in the next few months could make a difference.

He said on his official website: "I honestly believe we will go far next year and won't be far off challenging for the league.

"If you look at the first 10 to 11 games, we only had around 13 points and if you look at where we finished, I think it shows we could have been up there with a better start.

"We've dominated and outplayed most teams but haven't taken our chances to win those games. It could have been a different story if we had.

"The most important thing is as a squad, including the manager and myself, we believe we are close to challenging for the title.

“With a couple of signings in the summer we will have a good chance of doing that. It would be good to win as many cups as possible.

“A club like Manchester United should be winning trophies and hopefully next season we can put that right."

United won 20 league games last season to improve slightly on 2013/14, when they finished a lowly seventh and failed to qualify for Europe.

Although they were still 17 points behind champions Chelsea, Rooney was pleased with the progress they made in Van Gaal’s first year at the helm.

He added: "You have to realise that at the start of the season we had a new manager, new coaches and a lot of new players.

“It was always going to be a tough ask for us to win the Premier League. It was a bit disappointing not to win any silverware, especially the FA Cup after the defeat to Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

“We had a great chance of going on to win that. It would have been a disaster if we didn't get that Champions League spot but the main thing is that the club is now back where it belongs."

Credit: Skysports.com

United & Real In Ramos Talks

Sky sources understand there has been initial contact between Manchester United and Real Madrid over a potential Sergio Ramos transfer.

Widespread reports in the UK media have claimed that United have made an offer in the region £35m for Ramos, but it is still not clear whether the discussions have actually reached that stage yet.

"There are tentative discussions between Manchester United and Real Madrid," Sky Sports News HQ reporter James Cooper said.

He added: "I think they have looked at some of the remarks made by Sergio Ramos in recent days and thought, 'there might be a chance of doing that [deal]'.

"But I think there is also a realisation that they are part of a larger game and that Ramos would dearly love to sign a bigger, bumper contract at Real Madrid."

Spanish sports newspaper AS claims Ramos wants to leave and met with his club’s general director Jose Angel Sanchez at their training ground on Wednesday.

The former Sevilla player, signed by Real in 2005 for 27m euros, is contracted at the Bernabeu for another two seasons and has not been offered an extension as yet.

AS says United want to offer him 12m euros per season and Ramos is upset Real have stayed silent on Barcelona presidential candidate Jordi Majo’s claim he had been offered a chance to sign him.

United's interest in Ramos has been connected with the potential move of David De Gea in the other direction with the keeper one of Real's top transfer targets of the summer.

Real are hopeful they can lure De Gea back to Spain and another potential clue to his future emerged on Thursday when the house he rents in Cheshire was put up for sale.

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United Have Firm Interest In Morgan Schneiderlin

Manchester United are very interested in signing Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin this summer, according to Sky sources.

The 25-year-old is currently involved in negotiations with Saints over his future and the club is expected to allow him to leave for a fee no less than £25million.

The France international, who was the subject of intense transfer speculation last summer, is one of the most coveted central midfielders this summer.

It is believed Tottenham have had a long-term interest but Schneiderlin has previously stated he will only move from Southampton to play Champions League football, and Arsenal are another club that English newspapers have reported as interested.

Schneiderlin is purported to have told French radio earlier this week: "The negotiations are ongoing and should be completed in the coming days. Hopefully before the resumption of [Southampton's pre-season] training next week."

He signed from Strasborg for £1.2million in 2008 when Saints were a Championship club and was instrumental in their rise up the divisions from League One to the Premier League.

He has made over 250 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals, and thrived in the Premier League.

Schneiderlin made his senior international debut for France last year and picked up nine caps since. He has represented his country at every level from U16 to U21.

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The Greatest Football Story Ever Told - Part 7

As part of the build-up to Tour 2015, presented by Aon, we’ll be reflecting on some of the most important and unforgettable times in Manchester United's history - something we believe to be the greatest football story ever told. We'll also be hearing from some of the key personalities who have helped create that story. In chapter seven of our series, we turn our attention to Sir Alex Ferguson's arrival at the club and, in the video player above, we show former player Denis Irwin talking about the great Scot's managerial ethos....

In November 1986, just as Matt Busby had arrived at Old Trafford tasked with rousing a sleeping giant four decades earlier, a young Scottish manager unpacked his bags in Manchester, rolled up his sleeves and set about re-routing the course of history.


In the intervening 18 years between United’s 1968 European Cup triumph and the appointment of Alex Ferguson, five different managers – plus Busby’s brief second stint – had taken the reins at Old Trafford. In almost two decades, the sum total of the Reds’ efforts was a haul of three FA Cups won in 1977, 1983 and 1985. The emergence of local rivals Liverpool as the country’s dominant force merely highlighted each passing year with which United failed to challenge for the most coveted domestic prize on offer: the league title.

When Ron Atkinson was relieved of his duties as manager, the club’s board unanimously agreed to turn to the man whose work with Aberdeen had broken Scottish football’s seemingly unbreakable duopoly of Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers. Furthermore, Ferguson had masterminded an astonishing victory over Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup final. He was an unmistakeable winner, plain and simple. “When we actually met him,” recalled then-chairman Martin Edwards, “and realised what a firebrand he was and saw the way he conducted himself, that really just confirmed how impressive he was.”

Ferguson had already insisted on a clause in his contract with Aberdeen which would release him if he was offered the job at Old Trafford, and he admitted negotiations were far from difficult. “To a great extent I was a captive candidate, and happy to be so,” he later conceded. But, upon arriving at Old Trafford, the Scot found a club amid an identity crisis; divorced from the prestige and romance which first enticed him to the job.

United’s scouting and youth systems were in disrepair, while the senior set-up was hampered by poor fitness and a social drinking culture. But while he acknowledged there was a long road ahead, Ferguson outlined his stance in his very first column for United Review, the matchday programme: “Taking over a club of Manchester United’s magnitude is an awesome task,” he wrote. “I am not really interested in what has happened here in the past. I don’t mean any disrespect to the great achievements of Manchester United over the years. It’s simply that there is now only one way to go, and that is forward.”

With Alex Ferguson at the helm, United’s course was set on the right path. Few could have envisaged, however, that it would take the club beyond the moon and the stars.

Credit: manutd.com

Schweinsteiger Advised To Stay At Bayern

Bayern Munich great Franz Beckenbauer has told Bastian Schweinsteiger he should stay with the club rather than move to Manchester United.

Sky Sports understands Germany midfielder Schweinsteiger is on United’s list of summer transfer targets along with Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos.

The 30-year-old midfielder made just 15 starts for the Bundesliga champions last season and is believed to be interesting Old Trafford manager Louis van Gaal.

Beckenbauer helped Bayern to a hat-trick of European Cup victories between 1974 and 1976 before spending the final part of his playing career in America with New York Cosmos.

He feels that’s a path Schweinsteiger should follow as well rather than making a switch to the Premier League

Beckenbauer said: "I would advise him not to go to England. He can stay here as well. This challenge, at his age, it’s not what he needs.

“I would play one or two more years in Munich, at this high level. And then, if he still wants to and if he still feels like playing football is the thing, he can make a step back and maybe go to the USA.

“In New York, Cosmos is searching for players, also Red Bull. So I think if he, as a world champion, goes to New York or another club in the Major League Soccer, that would greatly improve the standing of football there."

Several newspapers have reported Angel di Maria could be used as a makeweight in any potential deal to take Schweinsteiger to Old Trafford.

Winger Franck Ribery has endured injury problems but Beckenbauer does not believe the Argentinian would be the right type of player to come in.

He added: "I think that nobody can replace Ribéry and his way of playing football. Di Maria is more of an offensive midfielder in the centre.

“I do not think he's a real winger. I don't know the plans of Pep Guardiola or Matthias Sammer who are responsible for that. But I am convinced that Bayern will have a strong team next season."

Credit: Skysports.com

Sergio Ramos-David de Gea Deal Reports Concern Gary Neville

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has questioned a potential swap deal between Real Madrid and Manchester United involving Sergio Ramos and David de Gea.

Writing on Twitter, Neville responded to media reports that his former club could be lining up a cash-plus-De Gea bid for the Real Madrid defender.

He said: “These reports saying 40m plus DDG for Ramos?? Please no! Nothing [against] Ramos but it can’t be right.”

Guillem Balague told Sky Sports News HQ on Monday that Real were hopeful of landing United goalkeeper De Gea but did not want to sell Ramos - a player, the Spanish football expert claims, has a buy-out clause of 200m euros.

Ramos has played for Real Madrid since 2005, winning three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one Champions League title.

Although Neville seemed disappointed with the reported size of any deal involving the World Cup-winning defender, fellow Monday Night Football expert Jamie Carragher believes Ramos would be an excellent addition to Louis van Gaal’s back-line.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I get a bit wound up by the criticism Ramos gets. This is a fella who has won everything, he plays for one of the best clubs in the world and one of the best international sides we’ve ever seen.

“He is rash at times, he has moments of madness and does get overly emotional in games, that’s always been a problem for him, but let’s not forget that it’s a problem for Wayne Rooney as well.

“I’m not bothered about whether United sign him or not, or whether he’d be a good signing or not, but if he is not rated as one of the world’s best players, who is?

“I think it’s disrespectful – he’s won nearly 130 caps for Spain! He’s not playing for Mickey Mouse teams!”

Credit: Skysports.com

Jones Picks His Stand-out Tour Moments

In the build-up to Tour 2015, presented by Aon, we've been putting some of United's first-team players on the spot with a set of quickfire questions. Here's what Phil Jones, pictured here on last summer's US trip with Wayne Rooney, had to say about pre-season life with the Reds...

Which United tour is your favourite so far?
The first one I went on [in 2011].

Your stand-out tour game?
Real Madrid [in 2014].

Best city visited?
Chicago.

Favourite tour experience?
It would have to be visiting the White House - you don’t get better than that.

Hardest thing about pre-season training?
It's not just the training, the days are busy. We have training in the morning and afternoon and, on some days, some commercial work. It's all part of the experience.

What are your TV / movie and music choices for the tour?
I’ve just started watching Scandal so I'll say that. My ideal album would be probably a mash-up of some old school R’n’B or hip-hop.

Who's your ideal room-mate?
Chris Smalling.

Best thing about visiting America?
Meeting the fans out there. They have so much passion for the game and for United.

Favourite American sport and why?
Basketball. I remember a couple of years ago I flew over there with my dad and we went to watch Miami Heat versus San Antonio Spurs which was a great experience.

Favourite American sports team and why?
It’s got to be Miami Heat. It’s just all the players they have there. They don’t have LeBron James anymore but they still have Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers is another one of the big players.

Januzaj Expects Tough Tour Matches

Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj is hoping to test his skills against the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain during next month's Tour 2015, presented by Aon.

The Reds will again travel to the United States to take part in the International Champions Cup, a tournament the team won on last year’s trip, and Januzaj is already looking forward to the four matches.

The young Belgian, who made 21 appearances in all competitions during 2014/15, would welcome the chance to play against La Liga champions Barcelona and French title-holders PSG, as well as Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes and United's opening tour opponents from Mexico, Club America.

“I think the game against Barcelona will be a good challenge, because they’re a massive team. Everyone knows who Barcelona are, and everyone knows Manchester United too, so it will be a great game," Januzaj told ManUtd.com.

“They’ve got great players, the football that they play is unbelievable, so we’re looking forward to playing that particular game. It will be a good experience.

"It will be a very good test against PSG too," Adnan added. "They’re also a big club, they have a lot of good players - I look forward to playing against teams like them because they’re massive sides. Not many defenders like to play against Zlatan Ibrahimovic either."

Januzaj has been impressed by the growth of football in the States in recent years and thinks San Jose Earthquakes will also prove to be tough opposition when United meet them at the California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley on 21 July.

“It’s good to see ‘soccer’, as they say over there, on the rise," he acknowledged. "It’s getting very good - a lot of big stars are going to play in America, so it won’t be an easy game.

"When we played in Australia, in Sydney, it was a tough one then too. We also played in Thailand and Japan against local teams, and those were two tough games. It’s always hard to play against teams like that."

Nani Holds Talks With Fenerbahce

Manchester United winger Nani has held positive talks with Turkish club Fenerbahce, according to Sky sources.

Fenerbahce have not yet agreed a deal with United and they are one of several clubs interested in the Portuguese winger.

United bought the 28-year-old from Sporting Lisbon for 25.5million euros in 2007, and he has three years left to run on his current deal.

In 2005, Nani started his career with Sporting Lisbon, making his debut against Udinese in the Champions League. He rose to prominence the following season scoring against Spartak Moscow in the same competition in a 1-1 draw.

He joined his Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo at the club, but was unable to make the same impact. He fell out of favour with David Moyes during his tenure at Old Trafford and was frozen out of Louis van Gaal's plans when the Dutchman succeeded Moyes last summer.

Nani enjoyed a second spell with Sporting last term, impressing with 12 goals in 35 league appearances while on loan. He also scored in a penalty shootout against Sporting Braga in the Portuguese Cup final to help his secure silverware.

The winger won four Premier League titles during his stay in England alongside the Champions League and Club World Cup. In the 2010/2011 season he was included in the PFA team of the year.

Credit: Skysports.com

Jamie Carragher: Sergio Ramos Criticism Undeserved

Sky Sports expert Jamie Carragher believes Manchester United fans would be wrong to object to the possible arrival of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos at Old Trafford.

Ramos is on United's radar, according to Sky sources, and weekend newspaper reports claimed United are demanding Real Madrid's long-serving centre-back as part of any deal for goalkeeper David De Gea.

But the reaction among United supporters to the Ramos interest has been mixed, with the 29-year-old Spain international's poor disciplinary record a key concern.

Former Liverpool centre-back Carragher insists Ramos would be a great acquisition for United boss Louis van Gaal, though, and is bemused at the opposition to a player who has won three La Liga titles, a Champions League trophy, one World Cup and two European Championship medals.

“I get a bit wound up by the criticism Ramos gets,” Carragher told talkSPORT.

“This is a fella who has won everything, he plays for one of the best clubs in the world and one of the best international sides we’ve ever seen.

“He is rash at times, he has moments of madness and does get overly emotional in games, that’s always been a problem for him, but let’s not forget that it’s a problem for Wayne Rooney as well.

"I’m not bothered about whether United sign him or not, or whether he’d be a good signing or not, but if he is not rated as one of the world’s best players, who is?

“If his trophy record doesn’t give him a bit of credit, what chance have I, or any of the centre-backs in the Premier League?

“I think it’s disrespectful – he’s won nearly 130 caps for Spain! He’s not playing for Mickey Mouse teams.

“I’ve heard callers say he hasn’t reacted well under pressure and he makes mistakes – what defender doesn’t make mistakes?

“If a team like Real Madrid could find a better defender, they would, but they don’t. Ramos plays every week, they win everything and people still chip away at him and criticise him.

“Top-class centre-backs are a dying breed now, there’s very few now compared to years ago. If United don’t get Ramos, or don’t want to sign him, who else would they get?”

Sky Sports’ Spanish Football Expert & Columnist Guillem Balague is not sure Ramos will be on his way to Old Trafford, however, due to a €200m (£143m) buy-out clause in his contract at Real.

Credit: Skysports.com

How Early Rejection Inspired Young

On the fourth anniversary of Ashley Young joining Manchester United, ManUtd.com's Mark Froggatt pays tribute to the flourishing 29-year-old and highlights an early turning point in the player's career...

Ashley Young joined Manchester United on this day in 2011 and, in the four years since, the midfielder has displayed the fighting spirit that has underpinned his professional career.

Just last summer, at the end of the 2013/14 season, rumours of a potential exit were rife following the Reds’ seventh-place finish in the Barclays Premier League and a frustrating season for Young, who registered just 17 starts under David Moyes and was not exempt from media criticism.

However, new manager Louis van Gaal gave every player an opportunity to impress during the club’s pre-season tour of America and the Dutchman was impressed by Young’s willingness to adapt to his philosophy. This led to Ashley becoming a genuinely integral player at Old Trafford in 2014/15 - he made 24 starts, scoring two goals and notching five top-flight assists. Having fulfilled a number of different positions in a variety of formations, he fits the mould of van Gaal’s “multifunctional players” and is reportedly set to sign a new contract - and deservedly so in this writer's opinion.

This isn't the first time Young has successfully fought for his place at a football club. In the summer of 2001, Ashley was rejected by Watford’s youth academy and told he could look for another team. This was a particularly seismic blow for the 16-year-old, who had recently frustrated a careers advisor by insisting his only wish in life was to become a professional footballer. Although he did not know it at the time, this early bombshell that threatened to extinguish his dream would eventually provide the foundation on which his entire career would be built.

After crying from the initial shock of being turned away, Young took stock at his family home in Stevenage and thought hard about the options that were ahead of him. In his mind these were threefold: find another club, take up an offer of playing part-time football at Vicarage Road or get a ‘proper’ job. As the England international now explains, his heart took him in only one direction.

“When you’re on the YTS (Youth Training Scheme) and that day comes when you’re going to be told if you’ll be kept or let go it’s horrible, particularly at such a young age,” said Ashley. “It’s one of those decisions that can make or break you. I’d been at Watford since I was 10 years old and I remember going into the meeting not knowing what was going to be said. When they told me I wasn’t going to be offered a full scholarship, my heart sank and it felt like the world had ended.

“But they turned round and said I could still come in part-time, train twice a week with the full-time boys and play at the weekend. It was up to me to go away and decide whether I wanted to continue at Watford or go to another club. I went back home that day and I don’t think I moved from the chair all day, it was tough. Mum and Dad were trying to get my spirits up but I was really upset. It took me a few days to think about it and I decided I wanted to stay – it had been the only the club I’d known. There were other clubs who wanted to take me but I felt like I wanted to stay at Watford and prove to them that I was better than they thought. Prove that I would make it into the first team.”

Young’s initial rejection was based on various fragments of his game that required improvement and, to help him develop, he was sent to train with the Hornets’ Under-18s, an age-group that was two years above his natural level. This was a daunting test but the decision paid dividends and he was starting matches within a year. Another promotion to the Under-21s followed and, with the wind in his sails, Watford finally offered him a professional contract that was gratefully accepted.

Of course, Young later signed for Aston Villa and flourished in the Premier League over four seasons at Villa Park, before the England international scribbled his signature across a contract on this day in 2011, vindicating his previous decision to prove himself at Watford.

Highlights of his debut season at Old Trafford included a superb double in United’s 8-2 annihilation of Arsenal, as well as another brace during a 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, though any personal glories were regrettably overshadowed by the agonising manner in which rivals Manchester City claimed the title on goal difference with just seconds of the season left to play. But under Sir Alex Ferguson’s instruction to harness the pain of that defeat - a technique Young had mastered long ago - the Reds bounced back and claimed the 2012/13 crown at a canter, allowing the legendary boss to bow out at the top. Incidentally, it was around this time that Ashley bumped into his aforementioned careers advisor.

“I saw her and asked if she remembered our meeting,” he recalled. “She couldn’t. We laughed and I said, ‘I bet you don’t!’ I’d always had that goal to make it though, that desire and drive. I’m always asked what I'd have done if I wasn’t a footballer and I can’t answer it because that’s all I knew I wanted to do.”

Such admirable strength and determination has allowed Young to become a senior figure at United and one whose place in van Gaal’s squad seems guaranteed ahead of the much-anticipated 2015/16 season. So on the fourth anniversary of his arrival, here’s to another four years from our maturing no.18.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be considered as representative of Manchester United Football Club.

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The Greatest Football Story Ever Told - Part 6

As part of the build-up to Tour 2015, presented by Aon, we’ll be reflecting on some of the most important and unforgettable times in the Reds’ history - something we believe to be the greatest football story ever told. We'll also be hearing from some of the key personalities who have helped create that story. In chapter six of our series, former goalkeeper Alex Stepney recalls a famous night for the club in May 1968 when the Reds reached the peak of European football...

The outlook for Manchester United had never seemed bleaker than in the aftermath of the Munich air disaster, but the night is always darkest just before the dawn and, having previously battled back from near-bankruptcy and the wartime bombing of Old Trafford, this was a club already imbued with indefatigable spirit.


That mindset was embodied by the staff members who worked around the clock to keep the club running and, incredibly, able to return to playing action just 13 days after the tragedy. An assortment of crash survivors, youngsters and emergency signings took to the field for an FA Cup fifth round meeting with Sheffield Wednesday, and rode a wave of raw feeling to post a scarcely believable 3-0 victory on the most emotional night in Old Trafford’s history.

Heroically helmed by assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, the makeshift side captivated a nation. ‘Murphy’s Marvels’, as they were dubbed, astonishingly advanced to the final of the FA Cup. Although the Reds ultimately lost out to Bolton Wanderers at Wembley, the sight of a sufficiently-convalesced Matt Busby in the United dugout provided an even greater victory.

The Scot retook charge from Murphy and set about rebuilding his club. He publicly reckoned that it would take five years to have his side competing for honours again, a prophecy which helped the club through half a decade of struggles until the 1962/63 season. The squad refit had included the capture of Scottish centre forward Denis Law, whose stunning debut campaign played a major part in United’s 1963 FA Cup final victory over Leicester City. True to Busby’s word, the Reds were back.

The manager’s knack for nurturing young talent shone through once again the following season, as a shy teenager by the name of George Best made his first team bow. Joining Law and Bobby Charlton, Best would go on to form a third of the United Trinity, a trio of players who would each win the Ballon d’Or, European football’s leading individual award, in the space of five years.

During that time, Busby’s thrilling side regained the First Division title in 1964/65 and won it again in 1966/67, the latter triumph providing the platform for one of the most important chapters in the Reds’ history: the 1968 European Cup triumph. The mighty Real Madrid had finally been vanquished in the semi-finals, and Portuguese giants Benfica, complete with star turn Eusebio, awaited in the final at Wembley.

Charlton’s opening goal was cancelled out by Jaime Graca late on, but the Reds ran riot in extra-time, scoring thrice through Best, Brian Kidd and Charlton again to secure the silverware which had so enraptured Busby and his club. ”For an infinitesimal blank in time I did not realise what had happened,” the Scot recalled. “Then the blast in what seemed millions of decibels hit me.”

"We all knew how much it meant to Matt. It was his special moment," recalls goalkeeper on the night, Alex Stepney. "Not just to Matt, but to Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes who had survived the crash ten years earlier and we all ran to them at the final whistle.

"Winning the cup changed the whole scope of the club. We knew then that we could go on to achieve even more and that's what United did."

A decade on from the tragedy of Munich, the catharsis had come. United had resumed their journey to the peak of European football.

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The Greatest Football Story Ever Told - Part 5

As part of the build-up to Tour 2015, we’ll be reflecting on some of the most important times in the Reds’ history - something we believe to be the greatest football story ever told. We'll also be hearing from some of the key personalities who have helped create that story. In chapter five of our series we look back on the darkest day in the club's history...

On 6 February, 1958, Manchester United was sent to its knees, shattered by the most shocking of tragedies. After overcoming Red Star Belgrade to reach the European Cup semi-finals for the second successive season, the plane carrying Matt Busby’s squad stopped on its way back home to refuel in Munich. After two failed attempts to leave the slush-strewn runway, the third attempt ended in disaster.


Goalkeeper Harry Gregg recalled the scenes as the British European Airways charter attempted to leave the runway. "As I watched out of the window, the wheels began to lift off the ground,” said the Northern Irishman. “Then bang! There was a sudden crash and debris began bombarding me on all sides. One second it was light, the next dark. There was no screaming, no sounds, only the terrible shearing of metal. Something cracked my skull like a hard-boiled egg. I was hit again at the front. The salty taste of blood was in my mouth. I was afraid to put my hands to my head. An eerie stillness replaced the chaos, punctuated only by the interminable sound of hissing. All around was darkness, as if it was frozen in time."

The plane had failed to take off in time to avoid careering through a fence and colliding with a building at the end of the runway. While Gregg and defender Bill Foulkes were able-bodied enough to haul fellow survivors from the smoking wreckage, few were so fortunate. Of the 44 passengers, 21 were killed instantly, including seven players and three members of club staff.

Geoff Bent (25), Roger Byrne (28), Eddie Colman (21), Mark Jones (24), David Pegg (22), Tommy Taylor (26) and Liam Whelan (22) all died, along with club secretary Walter Crickmer, trainer Tom Curry and coach Bert Whalley. Eight journalists died - Alf Clarke, Tom Jackson, Don Davies, George Fellows, Archie Ledbrook, Eric Thompson, Henry Rose, and former Manchester City goalkeeper Frank Swift. Travel agent Bela Miklos and crew member Tom Cable also died, as did Matt Busby's friend, Willie Satinoff.

The manager, along with Duncan Edwards (21) and Johnny Berry (31) were rated at best a 50-50 shot for surviving their injuries. Plane co-captain Ken Rayment perished and despite a valiant effort which astonished the medical staff tending him, so too did Edwards, two weeks on from the crash. Busby, who was twice read the last rites, battled on against horrific injuries and his own will. “My life had been spared,” he recalled, “though it still hung on only by a thread. I wanted to die.”

His glorious, adorable young team had died that day in Munich. But Busby would go on, and so too would Manchester United.

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The Greatest Football Story Ever Told - Part 4

As part of the build-up to Tour 2015, presented by Aon, we’ll be reflecting on some of the most important and unforgettable times in the Reds’ history - something we believe to be the greatest football story ever told. We'll also be hearing from some of the key personalities who have helped create that story. In chapter four of our series, we chart of the rise of the famous Busby Babes...

Matt Busby was always ahead of the game. While he managed to turn a talented squad into FA Cup winners in 1948 and First Division champions for the first time in just over four decades in 1951/52, he had already identified that his squad needed to be overhauled and, given the club’s scarcity of transfer funds, he would have to be creative in his assemblage of it.
Busby had assembled a network of talent scouts all over the British Isles, geared towards ensuring the best young talent around would be bound for Old Trafford, so that it may be nurtured under his tutelage. “I had envisaged my very own nursery or crèche,” said the Scot. “It was revolutionary even to think about getting boys straight from school. Get them early enough, I thought, and they would be trained according to some sort of pattern.”

And so, youth was given its chance. If they were good enough, Busby deemed them old enough and began scattering teenage talents into his team. United didn’t spend a single penny in the transfer market for over four years. Results inevitably suffered as his team of champions was dismantled, but the manager was unmoved. “I stuck it out. The future was more important than the present.” As his influential assistant manager, Jimmy Murphy, put it: “Waiting in the wings, ready to leap into league football were the most brilliant batch of youngsters ever to be on one club’s books at the same time: The incomparable Busby Babes.”

The Babes sobriquet was first used after Jackie Blanchflower and Roger Byrne made their first team debut in a goalless draw at fierce rivals Liverpool. Before the movement had a name, Mark Jones and Bill Foulkes had already appeared in the senior side, and over the next few years several future greats made their bow. Duncan Edwards, Dennis Viollet, Bobby Charlton, Eddie Colman and Liam Whelan all showed themselves to be naturals, born for the Old Trafford stage.

Soon, the swashbuckling youngsters were a well-oiled machine, purveyors of the finest football in the land. Both the 1955/56 and 1956/57 First Division titles were won at a canter, and they were the bookends to English football’s first involvement in the newly-formed European Cup, which would go on to become the Champions League. United’s involvement as English champions ended at the semi-final stage with a commendably gallant defeat to the mighty Real Madrid, but the excitement surrounding Busby’s youngsters was snowballing.

Yet, of all the great teams to have represented Manchester United, the Busby Babes stand alone; not only as a team of bright eyed brilliance and youthful moxie but also, because of the fate that would later befall them, of an unspeakably tragic loss.

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The Greatest Football Story Ever Told - Part 3

As part of the build-up to Tour 2015, presented by Aon, we’ll be reflecting on some of the most important and unforgettable times in the Reds’ history - something we believe to be the greatest football story ever told. We'll also be hearing from some of the key personalities who have helped create that story. In chapter three of our series, our special video featuring Denis Law pays tribute to the father of Manchester United, Sir Matt Busby...


Of all the eminent individuals associated with Manchester United’s compelling history, from unstinting benefactor James W Gibson up to Sir Alex Ferguson and his assembly of star players, none can lay claim to be as important as Sir Matt Busby.


Already a highly-rated, experienced player from his time with Manchester City and Liverpool, the Scot spent six years serving in the army during the Second World War. Shortly before Christmas 1944, Busby was contacted by United’s head scout, Louis Rocca, to be offered the job of managing the Reds upon the end of the war.

Even at the comparatively tender age of 35, Matt was unfazed by the task facing him when he arrived in Manchester, even though he recognised that United were emerging from wartime with a patched-up playing squad, a bomb-damaged stadium and almost no money in the coffers. He didn’t even have an office at the stadium when he first arrived; he was forced instead to conduct operations from a makeshift workspace over a mile from Old Trafford.

Yet, on those shaky foundations, Busby built a club which would go on to rule England and Europe. Aided and abetted by visionary assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, he set about revolutionising English football, reasoning that if his cash-strapped club couldn’t afford to buy talent, they would make their own.

Bereft of his father at the age of six, Busby was imbued with a natural paternal instinct, and ensured that every player and staff member working under his management would be looked after properly. Denis Law, who arrived at Old Trafford as a 21-year-old and went on to become one of the club’s all-time greats, cites the manager’s patriarchal influence as a major reason behind his success.

“He knew that there were players coming from Scotland, or wherever, and they were young, they missed their families – he made sure that you felt at home and you weren’t homesick all the time,” said the former United and Scotland striker. “He was like a father figure, really, and that was to everybody.”

Time has crystallised that status. As the man who twice rebuilt a shattered club, after the Second World War and the Munich air disaster, repeatedly led it to glory and established it as a globally-renowned institution, Sir Matt Busby is fittingly regarded as the father of Manchester United.

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Van Gaal Values Training Time

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says pre-season is a vital period because it gives him and his coaching staff prolonged time on the training field with the players.

Van Gaal has a large team of fitness and sports science specialists working alongside him at United in order to monitor every aspect of each player's fitness level. Those stats will be of prime importance as the Reds aim to be in the best possible shape to kick off the new season, with Tour 2015, presented by Aon, forming a major part of the overall fitness plan.

The boss will lead his side back to the United States in July to take part in the International Champions Cup with matches against Club America, San Jose Earthquakes, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He says the tour will also provide him with ample opportunities to work on a number of key aspects in training.

"The most important thing is always the training hours on the pitch because that is the time when the players have to cooperate in team tactics. That is what we call team performance and that has to be very good," he told ManUtd.com and MUTV in an exclusive interview.

"We have a big number of staff, I have never worked with such a big number of staff. For example, we have a fatigue specialist, a warm-up specialist, a strength specialist and I also have an assistant, Jos van Dijk, who creates the programmes for every player with the sports science department."

Van Gaal, who started work at the club shortly before last summer's tour, has had a big input into the planning of this year's trip to the US, including the selection of two training bases in Seattle and San Francisco Bay. He also requested that the team will be fixture-free between flying home after the final match in Chicago at the end of July and starting the new Barclays Premier League season on 8/9 August.

"I asked the board for us not to play the week before our first Premier League match," the manager revealed. "Last year we played against Valencia a few days before we had to play Swansea City and that was too much. Therefore they have permitted that we don’t play one week before the first game as that [first] match is very important. We want to win it this time and I hope we can start very well."

Lingard Determined To Prove Himself At Manchester United

Jesse Lingard is determined to prove his worth for Manchester United after injury robbed him of the chance to impress Louis van Gaal.

Having been farmed out on loan and developed physically, it looked like the 22-year-old would finally get a chance to shine at Old Trafford last season.

Van Gaal handed Lingard his debut in United's opening game of the campaign against Swansea, only for his afternoon to be cut short by an Ashley Williams tackle.

When the winger returned to the field six months later it was on loan at Derby in the Championship, making him all the more determined to add to his sole United appearance.

Lingard is certainly aiding his cause in the Czech Republic, where on Sunday he stylishly netted England's late winner against Sweden in the European Championship.

"I'm looking to stay at Man United and get some games under my belt there," Lingard said.

"I'll see what the boss says when I get back. I've always wanted to play for Man United and that's still my ambition.

"I was unlucky to get injured at the start of last season and I'll never know where I would be know if I hadn't got that injury.

"Scoring goals like this can only help. It gets your profile up and other teams see you as well as Man United. It can only be good for me.

"I kept in contact with Louis Van Gaal last season and spoke to the Under-21 manager a lot. He was guiding me and giving me confidence."

Lingard is likely to have another chance to impress on Wednesday when the Young Lions take on Italy in their final Group B match.

The winger was replaced in the starting line-up against Sweden despite impressing in the defeat to Portugal, but could again find himself starting from the outset after his game-changing display and Alex Pritchard's injury.

"You're always disappointed not to start for your country, but that's the gaffer's decision," Lingard said.

"I knew I had to make an impact as soon as I came on the pitch and luckily I did. Getting the win is massive for us, and says a lot about our team spirit.

"It's up to the gaffer who starts. He knows what he's doing and we respect his opinion, but obviously I'm hoping to start."

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Ramos Clause €200m

Guillem Balague insists the only chance Manchester United have of signing Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is to meet the player's €200m buy-out clause, making a transfer unlikely.

According to Sky sources, United are interested in signing the Spain international as part of any deal that would see David de Gea make the switch to the Santiago Bernabeu.

While Balague admits it would be an audacious move from United, he believes Real would resist anything other than an offer that meets Ramos' astronomical release clause in his contract, and the 29-year-old is simply after an improved deal at the club.

“Number one his buy-out clause is 200m euros,” Balague told Sky Sports News HQ.

“More importantly, Real Madrid do not want to negotiate, do not want to sell the player.

“You can also mention that Sergio Ramos also wants a new contract. His current one finishes in 2017, he feels he deserves better treatment than he is getting, financially anyway, and I think this is just part of negotiations.

“Of course Manchester United would like to have him. He has allowed these stories to come out as he wants everyone to know he is not fully happy at Real Madrid.

“But with a €200m buyout clause, and that Real Madrid do not want to sell, it suggest to me it will stay put.”

It is no secret that the 10-time European champions are set to sign De Gea, whose United contract expires at the end of next season, with a deal expected to go through this transfer window.

Balague revealed that the player himself wants the saga to come to an end, one way or another, before the new season starts, despite United's reluctance to sell.

“It would be a cheeky offer from Manchester United to demand that kind of swap [Ramos], but again, you know for a fact that Real Madrid want David de Gea, De Gea wants a solution to be found to his situation to be found this summer, and not let his contract run out next summer.

“Real Madrid are hopeful they can get De Gea, even though Manchester United don’t seem to be negotiating at the moment.

“That will be the saga of the summer, and Sergio Ramos interest will die out in the next few days.”

Credit: Skysports.com

Pereira Reflects On A Year Of Personal Progress

Scoring for Brazil in the final and collecting a runners-up medal at the Under-20s World Cup capped what was a vitally important 2014/15 season for young Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira.

Shortly before he travelled to New Zealand for the tournament, we spoke to the club's Reserve Player of the Year for this exclusive interview that first appeared in Inside United magazine...

How do you feel the season went for you and for the Under-21 team?
I think the season went really well for me. I’m really pleased with how everything was. We did well as a team too and that’s the most important thing.

You had your first taste of senior action in the Capital One Cup at MK Dons. Although it ended in defeat, did you feel you performed well on your debut?
Well, it was a great feeling to come on and make my debut with the senior team but the result was not that good. We have learned from the defeat and can hopefully go on.

Of course, you have been a regular with the Under-21s – has it helped that first-team players have often been involved in the matches?
A lot of the players have helped me develop a lot and it’s good to train with the first team and then play with the Under-21s because I can put to good use in the Under-21s what I have learned.

Which of the first teamers has helped you the most?
Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera perhaps but all the players help me out a lot. Especially all the midfielders because I play there.

Your game appeared to develop considerably during the season. What do you put that down to?
I think it’s because I keep working hard and keep believing in myself. The people at United, the staff, trust in me and give me feedback and help me. It’s a consequence of hard work.

Warren Joyce is very keen to emphasise the need to work hard off the ball and this is one area where you have matured. Has that helped make you more of an all-round player?
Yes, of course. Warren has always helped me a lot. I have to thank him for that. He helped me become the player I am today.

Your ability on the ball is impressive and you have become a regular in our weekly Trickbox feature on ManUtd.com. Do you work hard on your skills or do some of them come naturally?
I like to do skills and hopefully I can keep doing them.

Your father was a professional player – how much of a help has he been to your career?
A lot because he has the experience. He has been through the football life. He can help me with everything and, when I’m home, we speak about football so it’s very good.

You’ve seen other colleagues get their chance as well – are you friends with Adnan Januzaj and do you both discuss your progress?
Yeah, I’m good friends with Adnan. He tells me what to do sometimes and has helped me a lot.

We saw a post on social media from you along the lines of ‘You’re frustrated but nobody cares. Work harder!’ We felt this was a wonderful attitude for any young player to have. Can you talk us through that please?
Of course. When you’re frustrated and think things are not going well, you just have to put your head down and work harder because eventually everything will come right.

Your Premier League debut came against Tottenham. Was playing at Old Trafford in front of a full house everything you dreamed it would be?
Yes, it was like a dream come true. I was very happy with the moment against Tottenham when I could come on and we won the game as well – that was important.

You were kept busy during your appearance – Opta’s data showed you had a faster average speed than anybody else on the pitch! Did it feel quite hectic?
To be fair, when I came on the pitch it looked like I was dreaming. I felt like I was playing a video game then, afterwards, I got used to it. I wanted to help the team. I didn’t think about getting tired as I was just running as hard as I can.

How comfortable were you in a wide midfield role? You’ve suggested you feel you can become a winger?
I can play on the wing or in midfield. It’s just a case of wherever the manager asks me to play, I’ll play.

Where do you see your long-term position?
I think I could be a good attacking midfielder.

Are there any areas of your game you would like to improve on?
Yeah, I would like to improve a lot of things. I have to improve, for example, my passing. I want to improve on everything I do.

How much practice do you do on your set-pieces and are they an important part of your game?
They are and I practice them every day.

What did it mean to sign a new contract with the club? Were you always fully focused on the football anyway rather than your future?
I was focused on the football anyway and everything that comes with it but when I signed I was very pleased to finalise the contract. I hope I can continue my form like this and do well here in the coming years.

How proud are you to be representing Brazil in the Under-20 World Cup after previously playing for Belgium at youth level?
I’m very proud.

Do you have any Brazilian idols from the past?
I always liked Kaka.

What are your long-term aims? Do you believe you can break into the team for 2015/16 now you’ve been in and around the squad for some time?
Yes it’s about breaking into the first-team squad. After that, I have to work hard to get into the first team and, following that, we will see.

Finally, what does it mean to you to be a Manchester United player?
It means a lot. I’m very proud to be a Manchester United player. I always dreamed about it. Now I am happy I can live my dream.