Blanc: Di Maria Close To PSG Switch

Laurent Blanc claims Paris Saint-Germain are close to completing the signing of Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria.

United ended their tour of the United States on a disappointing note in the early hours of Thursday morning when they lost 2-0 to PSG at Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago.

However, it was talk of Di Maria's future that dominated the post-match press conference, with Blanc suggesting that a deal to bring the 27-year-old to the French capital was nearing its conclusion.

"Manchester United and PSG are two big clubs and negotiations can be difficult, but we are close to the end," the PSG boss said.

Di Maria joined United from Real Madrid last summer for a British transfer record fee of £59.7m but following a promising start to life in England, the Argentina international's form faded and he was reduced to playing a bit-part role towards the end of the season.

Despite being named in United's party for the final stage of their US tour, Di Maria did not fly out to meet up with the squad as expected last Saturday and as a result was not included in the matchday squad for the match with PSG.

In fact, Di Maria's whereabouts remain a mystery to his manager Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman claimed he had no idea why Di Maria has not reported for duty in the US and his stance had not changed when asked about the player.

"I don't know where he is," he said.

"You can ask it every week, but I don't answer that question. Maybe you know? I don't know.

"At Manchester United, we will announce something when it is already done and not when it is not done because it is a process and I have said it many, many times. We have to wait and see."

Credit: Skysports.com

Schmeichel: United Can Cope With De Gea Exit

David de Gea is a fantastic goalkeeper but Manchester United will move on if he decides to join Real Madrid, according to Old Trafford legend Peter Schmeichel.

Spain international goalkeeper De Gea, born and raised in Madrid, has been heavily linked with a move to the Bernabeu all summer, but as yet nothing has materialised.

Speaking ahead of the new Premier League season, United great Schmeichel - who played in the same position as De Gea for eight years at Old Trafford - admits that after a difficult start, the 24-year-old has turned into an impressive young goalkeeper.

"David De Gea has done fantastically well since he came to the club," he told Carlsberg. "He was heavily criticised for not being good enough in the first six months of his time at Old Trafford.

"But within that very same season, you know, he put himself in the frame as a fantastic goalkeeper. And by the end of that season no one thought he wasn’t good enough and he’s developed fantastically.

"But this is Manchester United, they’ve had big big players, best players in the world coming into the club, they’ve done a job, they’ve moved on. But the club has moved on as well, that’s what Manchester United does."

Louis van Gaal has brought in Argentina stopper Sergio Romero to plug any potential hole De Gea leaves, while despite much speculation Victor Valdes also remains a Manchester United player.

After an impressive first season under Van Gaal, in which the club finished fourth, there are now high expectations among United fans, who expect to compete for the Premier League title this season.

Schmeichel believes it is unlikely Chelsea will be able to maintain their dominance, and expects a number of teams to tighten the gap on the league champions.

He continued: "I’m not sure if Chelsea can be as dominant as they were in the last season. I think clubs like Arsenal, Man City, Manchester United, Liverpool, maybe even Tottenham, they will be desperately trying to close the gap and players have been signed to do that, so I kind of have a feeling that is going to be a more interesting and more exciting Premier League season.

"I think Manchester City is probably the big interest for this coming season. For all the money they have in the world, they haven’t seemed to get enough back from that."

Credit: Skysports.com

United's Midfield Dilemma

The arrivals of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin leave Manchester United with an abundance of central midfield options – but who will Louis van Gaal select against Spurs in their Premier League opener?

With the help of WhoScored.com, we check the stats to assess the contenders for a starting spot…

As opposed to last season's deadline deals following Louis van Gaal's delayed arrival at Old Trafford, United have acted early under the Dutchman this summer. Four major signings have been made and one or two more could yet be on their way come the end of next month.

However one position in which United already appear well stocked is midfield. The arrivals of Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin have added real strength in numbers, but whittling down said numbers to a favoured line-up will be an intriguing task for Van Gaal.

The new midfield acquisitions join Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind and Marouane Fellaini, who vied for three starting spots last season.

Last weekend, Van Gaal gave the clearest indicator yet of the potential midfield set up for the Premier League curtain raiser against Tottenham. Ahead of their friendly match with Barcelona the manager stated, "those who play 60 minutes (in that game) are more likely to play against Tottenham", with Schweinsteiger missing out due to what the Dutchman confirmed as a "little injury".

With that in mind the German may be eased into Premier League action, particularly given his injury woes in recent years. While signing a player of Schweinsteiger's calibre may have seemed a no-brainer there is some element of risk in bringing in a 30-year old that has started just 37 league matches over the past two seasons. Nevertheless, with a Bundesliga rating of 7.42 from WhoScored.com when he was fit last season, Schweinsteiger's ability has remained consistent, even if his playing time has not.

It seems, then, that the starting midfield pairing on August 8 will be Schneiderlin and Carrick, with fellow new recruit Memphis Depay starting in a central role in support of Wayne Rooney, and Juan Mata and Ashley Young fielded on the flanks. Many, however, feel that Carrick's role is most likely to come under threat, and on paper that would seem to be the case.

The midfielder, now 34, picked up a modest WhoScored rating of 7.06 over 18 league appearances last season, and he too has grown increasingly injury prone with age. However, though Carrick has never truly stood out for his performances, at times criticised for a lack of ambition on the ball in the past, his calming influence on the side was abundantly clear last season. United lost just one of the 16 league games Carrick started compared to seven of the 22 he didn't. With that sort of impact on results you would have to argue that, if fit, Carrick should be given a chance to continue such a record.

Schneiderlin is a different type of player and while most would consider the Frenchman a defensive midfielder, he's of an alternative mould to Carrick. The former Saints man is a ball-winner and can perhaps provide the boundless energy levels that his more senior team-mates cannot. Ranking third in the league when it came to tackles and interceptions per game combined last season (6.2), if deployed alongside the veteran Englishman Schneiderlin will surely be tasked with pressing the higher of the two up the pitch.

The question remains as to whether all three can start in the same side, and in reality there's no reason why they couldn't. Schweinsteiger is arguably best deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, having a direct hand in nine league goals from just 20 appearances last season, while Carrick sits deep and Schneiderlin, as stated, can harry opponents further up the pitch. It's a triumvirate that could well be deployed in the games where Van Gaal feels a more defensive approach is needed, but more often than not that won't be the case.

The concern in fielding all three would be a lack of runners from deep into advanced areas, despite Schweinsteiger's ability in the final third. That, then, is where Ander Herrera may become the most suitable option.

The Spaniard fell in and out of favour with Van Gaal last season but enjoyed an impressive debut campaign when given the chance, scoring six goals and registering four assists despite starting just 19 times. His rating of 7.33 from WhoScored.com was enough to rank third for United but when excluding substitute appearances his score (rising to 7.61) was the best in the squad. He adds something a little different to the side without relinquishing his defensive responsibilities and should again prove to be a valuable asset.

With Blind perhaps set to be given a role in defence this season, be that at centre-back or left-back, and Fellaini more likely to be deployed in an advanced role, it may be more like three from four than six if the manager uses similar tactics to last season.

With Schweinsteiger and Carrick's injury problems in mind and the fact that United will return to the Champions League - as well as hoping to progress much further in the domestic cups - Van Gaal appears to have a strong balance to his midfield rather than an overabundance of talent.

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United's US tour: Who Impressed? What Did We Learn?

Three wins, seven goals, one defeat, two no-shows, 26 players and two transfer headaches.

That was the story of Manchester United's pre-season tour of the United States, which ended with a 2-0 defeat by Paris St-Germain in Chicago on Wednesday.

After watching all four tour games, BBC Sport assesses which players impressed, who has cause to worry and what shape United are in for the new Premier League season.

Who impressed?

Manager Louis van Gaal made little attempt to hide his plan for the new season. Nine players started every game. Goalkeeper David de Gea, presumably, would have done had he been fit for the first two matches and Morgan Schneiderlin still featured for 45 minutes as a substitute against PSG.

Midfielder Schneiderlin and fellow newcomer Matteo Darmian both did well. Reservations amongst some fans about 5ft 11in Daley Blind's ability to cope with the physical demands of being a central defender in England's top flight are evidently not shared by his manager.

Luke Shaw has dispelled the doubts over his fitness that surfaced on last year's pre-season tour and led to his omission from the England squad for the Under-21 European Championships.

Captain Wayne Rooney and new £31m forward Memphis Depay both scored and showed in flashes they can be effective together.

Of those who did not start regularly, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone played most often, even getting a run-out ahead of Sergio Romero at Soldier's Field on Wednesday.

Andreas Pereira was particularly impressive against PSG, Adnan Januzaj equally so four days earlier in that 3-1 defeat of Barcelona.

Who's playing catch-up?

To 'lose' one Argentine was unfortunate. For United to find themselves without two smacked of carelessness.

Neither Angel Di Maria nor Marcos Rojo took their flight to San Jose last weekend.

Van Gaal said on Wednesday he did not even know where forward Di Maria was, as PSG coach Laurent Blanc indicated talks over the winger's transfer to Paris were "close to the end".

Rojo's passport, though still in date, was not valid for entry into the United States.

Jonny Evans did make it, but might not have been missed even if he had not.

At 27, with 198 first-team appearances behind him, Evans now appears to be behind fellow Northern Irishman Paddy McNair in Van Gaal's defensive pecking order.

Old Trafford insiders say the centre-back still has a future at the club. They did not say what as.

Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Ashley Young almost certainly will be, but that trio may not wish to analyse Van Gaal's treatment of them too closely.

Smalling, who signed a new contract three months ago, looks like being the victim of Van Gaal's desire to pair right and left-footed central defenders together.

That the manager got Smalling's first name wrong when the pair were sat together at a press conference does not imply the 25-year-old is uppermost in his thoughts.

Mata and Young were criticised within the outline of Van Gaal's argument that he United need more speed and creativity.

As his manager bluntly pointed out, Mata "does not have high speed". Young's contract expires in 2016 and the club have shown little inclination to renew it.

Marouane Fellaini is paying the price for the red card at Hull on the final day of last season that rules him out of the opening three games of this campaign. The Belgian's involvement was restricted to 28 minutes against Barcelona.

Of the new arrivals, Bastian Schweinsteiger is the one who disappointed. The German World Cup winner looked short of fitness in the first two games, missed the third through injury and was substituted at half-time in Chicago when he faded following a bright start.

Ssshhh... Don't mention Di Maria or De Gea

If Manchester United had got their way, the names of Angel Di Maria and David De Gea would never have been mentioned on this trip.

Instead, the pair were a continual presence even if, in Di Maria's case, he was not even there.

United have given up trying to entice the Argentine back into the fold. Now the more pertinent question should be 'what is taking you so long?'

When the transfer for their £59.7m record signing to join PSG goes through, United are likely to invest £22m of the proceeds in Spain forward Pedro. But as the 27-year-old has never been a regular for Barcelona, there are plenty who question the merits of that imminent move.

Having set down the non-negotiable marker of demanding Sergio Ramos in exchange for De Gea, Van Gaal raised the spectre of an embarrassing climbdown when he said the situation for the player and his club was "unfavourable" on Wednesday.

Could that mean De Gea spending the final year of his contract on wages agreed when he arrived as a skinny 21-year-old, looking anything but the world-class performer he has matured into since?

If so, Argentina number one Sergio Romero is a handy insurance policy.

Van Gaal's tough reaction to Victor Valdes's refusal to play an under-21 game has effectively ended the Spain keeper's United career.

Anders Lindegaard did not figure last season and is in the final year of his contract, while Sam Johnstone, 22, is earmarked for a loan move to Preston if De Gea leaves.

Ajax's Jasper Cillesen remains the most likely replacement for De Gea and is still available to play in the Champions League group stage, despite being part of the Ajax side that drew 2-2 with Rapid Vienna in a third qualifying round tie on Wednesday.

How will United line up against Tottenham?

United face Tottenham in their first game of the Premier League season at Old Trafford on 8 August.

Four reporters who covered United's tour predict the starting XI:

4-4-1-1: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Mata, Carrick, Schneiderlin, Young; Depay; Rooney. (Stuart Mathieson, Manchester Evening News)

4-2-3-1: De Gea; Darmian, Jones, Blind, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Carrick; Mata, Depay, Young; Rooney. (David McDonnell, Daily Mirror)

4-3-3: De Gea; Darmian, Jones, Smalling, Shaw; Carrick, Schneiderlin, Herrera; Depay, Rooney, Young. (Mark Ogden, Daily Telegraph)

4-2-3-1: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Carrick; Mata, Depay, Pedro; Rooney (Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail)

Double training, down time, less travel

While double training sessions have been the order of the day, there has been some down time.

Midfielder Ander Herrera was accompanied by Juan Mata, David De Gea, Matteo Darmian and Antonio Valencia on a visit to the 'first Starbucks' in Seattle.

Jones and Smalling were among a party that visited San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, while NFL stars Jermain Kearse and Doug Baldwin showed off some of their skills at a United training session.

Van Gaal's increased influence was also evident in the tour schedule. Twelve months ago, the Dutchman was aghast at the amount of travelling his players were asked to do, not just from city to city, but from hotel to training ground.

This time United based themselves in Bellevue, in Washington state, rather than Seattle 10 miles away, due to its proximity to the training centre of the local NFL side Seahawks.

That was followed by eight days in San Jose, California, a couple of hours south of San Francisco.

Van Gaal had the match against San Jose Earthquakes moved to the 18,000 Avaya Stadium from Berkeley because he did not want to be faced with a round-trip of almost 100 miles. Organisers had to make refunds to fans who had already purchased tickets to watch the game at the 63,000-capacity California Memorial Stadium.

All United did on their final stop in Chicago was play a match against Paris St-Germain. Tuesday's training had been done prior to their arrival at 10pm. They were on their flight home 26 hours later.

Van Gaal's front-foot organising contrasts sharply with the light-touch commercial approach, largely because of a quirk in United's kit deals. Their 13-year association with Nike ends on 31 July, so their 2015-16 kit and associated apparel will not be revealed until Saturday.

By spending pre-season in the US for the third time in five years, United are solidifying their presence. Fans wearing their shirts were by far in the majority at all four games, including against Barcelona.

Pre-season Stateside? It's all the rage

If Manchester United are a sought-after presence, they have not been lonely on this side of the Atlantic for the past 17 days. Six other English clubs - Chelsea, Tottenham, Sunderland, Newcastle, West Brom and AFC Bournemouth - have also visited at some stage during that period.

The attraction is obvious: good weather, familiar language, relative anonymity and, most importantly, state-of-the-art training complexes.

Although Van Gaal complained about the state of the pitch at Century Link Field after United beat Club America on 17 July, he has found the remaining facilities to his liking.

And the fans have turned out in force: 46,857, 18,000 and 68,414 for their first three games.

The arrival in Major League Soccer of Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo over the last month alone can only raise the profile of football in the US, meaning even more clubs will be attracted to the country as a pre-season destination.

Credit: BBC Sport

Van Gaal: De Gea Situation 'Not Favourable'

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal admits David De Gea's transfer saga is causing a problem.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper wants to join Real Madrid but United have said they will not discuss a deal unless Real defender Sergio Ramos is included.

Real boss Rafael Benitez has said Ramos, 29, is staying at the Bernabeu.

"We have a situation that is not favourable for David De Gea, neither for us and neither for the club that, maybe, he wants to go," said Van Gaal.

Spain goalkeeper De Gea was replaced at half-time as United slipped to a 2-0 defeat by Paris St-Germain in Wednesday night's International Champions Cup game in Chicago.

Meanwhile, the Dutch boss admits he has "no idea" of the whereabouts of club-record signing Angel Di Maria.

Argentina midfielder Di Maria, a £59.7m buy from Real Madrid last summer, failed to return for pre-season training on Saturday as scheduled and it is understood talks are ongoing with PSG about a move to the French champions.

Asked if he knew where the 27-year-old was, Van Gaal said: "Maybe you know."

When the journalist said he did not, Van Gaal said: "I don't know either."

Speaking after the match, PSG coach Laurent Blanc said: "Manchester United and PSG are two big clubs and negotiations can be difficult, but we are close to the end."

Blanc added it was up to United to say whether his club has been given permission to speak to Di Maria.

Credit: BBC Sport

Van Gaal Confirms Preferred Formation

Louis van Gaal has confirmed he intends to use a 4-3-3 formation with Manchester United in the new Barclays Premier League season.

The Reds appeared to operate with a system resembling 4-2-3-1 on Tour 2015 presented by Aon as Memphis Depay performed in a no.10 role behind centre-forward Wayne Rooney with Ashley Young and Juan Mata on the flanks. However, it would seem from the manager's latest comments that he sees the position occupied in pre-season by his fellow Dutchman as being part of the midfield three.

"That the midfielder is [sometimes] in front of the striker is not bad because I think you do need variation in your attack," said van Gaal, in a press conference following the final tour match against PSG.

"I like that and I ask for that, especially from Memphis. It can also be Carrick or Schweinsteiger or Schneiderlin once in a while but mostly Memphis. It depends on our opponents."

When asked which formation he will deploy in the Barclays Premier League, van Gaal replied: "More or less 4-3-3. We played that already last season, in the second half of the season, and I have said that is the system I want to use. We played in our shape [on tour] and played how we have to play. That's also where I have been very satisfied.”

From a tactical perspective, the key is probably the attacking central midfield position where Memphis, Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira were stationed at various times in the United States. There could also be an opportunity for Juan Mata or Ander Herrera to prove their suitability to play alongside more defensive-minded colleagues such as Michael Carrick, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin.

Memphis, who is also a candidate for the wider roles in the front three, has been entrusted with the job in each of the four starting line-ups in the US and could be considered the favourite to start there against Tottenham.

Carrick: All About Spurs

Michael Carrick believes Manchester United are in good shape for the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign, thanks to the tests provided by the four games in the States.

Tour 2015, presented by Aon came to a close with a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago, ending the Reds’ run of three successive wins in pre-season.

Carrick feels United can take plenty from the encounter against the French champions going into the season’s opener against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford next weekend.

"It’s all about Tottenham – that's what we've been saying since we got here," the midfielder told MUTV. "That's when the business really starts.

"We've had some good games over here to get us ready. If the games are too easy, you don't get enough out of them. So the Barcelona game and this one have been good for us and we can take things into the Tottenham game.

"PSG are a very good team with some world-class players, so it was a good test for us to see how fit we are and where we're at.

"I thought we played some good stuff at times; in the first half we were disappointed to go 2-0 down. After that they shut the game down and made it difficult for us to create chances.

"There were a few tired legs at the end of the game, with the heat and humidity, but it was a good workout for us."

Youngster Sean Goss was given a first taste of senior action when he came on for the final 10 minutes at Soldier Field, replacing Carrick.

"I love to see the young lads getting a chance and the opportunity for Sean to come away on tour was probably a bonus for him in many ways," Carrick added.

"So to come away and train, and get that at the end, is great for him and will probably make him even more hungry."

5 Positives From United's Defeat To PSG

Losing is never enjoyable, for players or fans, but Louis van Gaal was right to take some positives from Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago. Here, we take our lead from the manager by highlighting five plus points from Soldier Field…

Promising partnership… Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay have shown signs of forming an effective alliance up front this summer and while neither scored on Wednesday night, their link-up play in the final third hinted at a more successful future together. The highlight was arguably a neat exchange in the 15th minute, when Rooney took the ball on the left and played a short pass back inside for his Dutch team-mate to run onto, before Memphis then hit a powerful shot that just flew over the bar. Yes, there is a long way to go with them, but there are certainly signs for optimism.

Flying full-backs… During his summer break, Luke Shaw took one of the club’s fitness coaches on holiday with him to Dubai and the results have been evident throughout his four appearances on Tour 2015, presented by Aon. Apart from his unfortunate own goal, the left-back was excellent against the French champions and his all-action, offensive style of play was mirrored on the opposite flank by new signing Matteo Darmian, who has quickly made an impression on United fans. The Italian was constantly up and down the wings, on both sides, and even displayed his crossing ability on several occasions. He looks a top buy.

Pereira's progress… One of the biggest positives from this tour has been the performance of United’s youngsters and Andreas Pereira has arguably been the pick of the bunch. The Brazilian shone against Club America, scored against San Jose Earthquakes and helped cement a victory over Barcelona. Pereira's latest cameo arrived in Chicago as a half-time substitute for Ashley Young and he did not disappoint, showing plenty of enthusiasm on the left wing and playing a sumptuous pass for Rooney that led to Memphis going close on 62 minutes. On a similar theme, it was great to see another youngster, Sean Goss, finally get some minutes on the pitch after observing the three previous matches.

No players injured – can you believe that? Last summer’s US tour was riddled with unfortunate injuries that led to United starting the season with a number of youngsters in the team. Although the rookies did an admirable job, in difficult circumstances too, van Gaal is delighted to have a larger squad to choose from for next weekend's Barclays Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur. “There is more competition now,” the boss explained in his post-match press conference, with one eye on Spurs. “There is more balance in the selection. I have a lot of confidence to start the competition.”

Sharpened minds... Okay, we are stretching it here, but there is an argument to be made that losing to PSG could actually benefit United in the long-run. After all, it has been well documented that van Gaal’s men won every single pre-season game last summer but lost against Swansea City in the curtain-raiser at Old Trafford. Now, having suffered a defeat, the players are presumably eager to bounce back and van Gaal hinted that could be the case. “Yeah, we lose, but maybe that is also good because last year we won everything [on tour] and then we lost the first match in the Premier League,” he explained. “Now the sequence is a little bit different.”

Van Gaal Reacts To United's Defeat To PSG

Although Louis van Gaal was frustrated by the individual errors that led to Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, the manager was pleased by his team's performance and hoped the result would eventually prove beneficial.

The Reds were vying to retain the International Champions Cup and would have done so with any kind of victory over the French champions. Unfortunately, an own goal from Luke Shaw and another strike from Man of the Match Zlatan Ibrahimovic put paid to all hopes of lifting silverware.

Van Gaal held a press conference following the game at Soldier Field in Chicago – the last fixture of Tour 2015, presented by Aon – and, as always, the boss answered all questions with a great degree of honesty, intrigue and emotion. He also remained positive about United’s performance.

“I am really satisfied about the performance,” the boss told reporters. “Yeah, we lose, but maybe that is also good because last year we won everything [on tour] and then we lost the first match in the Premier League. Now the sequence is a little bit different. But I am not superstitious.

“In the first half we created more chances than Paris Saint-Germain. They only created chances with errors, personal errors, and you cannot fight against personal errors when you are playing at the top level. They can score out of these kinds of errors, and they can finish the game. You have seen in the second half when they played the ball wide and back, rather than up front. A top team can do that.

“But I have to say I have seen a lot of very good things from my team. So in the pre-season it is more about the performance than the result. I was rather satisfied. It is better when you win, of course. Against Barcelona, we could have been 2-0 down and we scored the first goal. Between top clubs, it is who scores the first goal. Then you have a great possibility to win the game.”

United’s next match is the Barclays Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on 8 August and van Gaal must now decide his starting XI for that tricky game. One thing he is certain of is the formation – although he admitted centre-back Phil Jones could miss out.

“I have to start with the formation and when the formation is doing well, I let them play in that formation,” the manager explained. “I think I shall play [Luke] Shaw with [Matteo] Darmian, and with Daley Blind. The right central position I have to consider. I am very pleased with the performance of Matteo Darmian, and you can see he can play on the right and left.

“Also, a benefit of this year’s tour is that we don't have any injuries. Last year I was forced to use, for example, Tyler Blackett and Jesse Lingard in the first Premier League match. Now, I have a wider selection and I can use everybody who I think I have to use. There is more competition now and there is more balance in the selection. I have a lot of confidence to start the competition.”

Quizzed on Blind’s performance at centre-back, a position he has occupied all summer, van Gaal praised his fellow Dutchman but explained why his versatility could lead to him playing elsewhere.

“I was very pleased with his performances, not only this evening but also the former performances,” van Gaal assessed, looking back on the tour. “I think he can build up the game better from that position and he defended very well. I think I shall use him there, but also in midfield and also at left full-back position. I am pleased with his performances over here in USA."

Friendly: Man. United 0 PSG 2

Manchester United’s pre-season tour ended on a disappointing note in Chicago after a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, but Louis van Gaal will take plenty of positives from the trip as he gears up for the most important game of all, against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League.

The Reds came into the meeting with the French champions on the back of three impressive victories over Club America, San Jose Earthquakes and Barcelona during Tour 2015, presented by Aon, but indecision at the back was United’s undoing against Laurent Blanc’s side despite creating a number of openings at the other end; Luke Shaw’s own goal on 25 minutes and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 34th-minute strike proved to be the difference on the night.

Van Gaal made one change to the side that beat Barcelona four days earlier, bringing Bastian Schweinsteiger into midfield in place of Morgan Schneiderlin. The Reds had got off to the best possible start against the Spanish outfit with an early Wayne Rooney goal, but it was PSG who had the first sight of goal with David De Gea breathing a big sigh of relief after his clearance fell to Ibrahimovic inside the area on three minutes. Thankfully the Swedish captain blasted over.

Rooney had talked to MUTV a few days prior to the match about his developing understanding with Memphis Depay and the pair looked lively early on. In the 17th minute, Memphis was presented with a golden chance to put the Reds ahead when a lovely ball over the top from Schweinsteiger found Rooney. The skipper slipped a pass inside to Memphis on the edge of the box, but he could only blast wide.

PSG, and specifically Ibrahimovic, went close soon after when he headed a Lucas Moura corner just wide, while the Reds had the ball in the net on 22 minutes after a sublime pass from Daley Blind to Juan Mata. The Spaniard’s control and smart finish was brilliant, but the flag was up for offside.

Against the run of play, PSG took the lead on 25 minutes after confusion in the United backline. A ball over the top was chased down by Blaise Matuidi and as Phil Jones and Shaw chased back, De Gea ran from his goal and was left helpless when Shaw’s inadvertent touch rolled into the goal.

Rooney did his utmost to get the Reds going again, flashing a couple of efforts just over the bar in quick succession, before PSG doubled their advantage on 34 minutes. Ibrahimovic picked up possession in midfield and played a one-two with Maxwell before slotting home unmarked from close range.

Memphis had a free-kick well saved by Kevin Trapp as half-time approached, with PSG just about clearing their lines from the follow-up as Rooney looked to pounce.

Van Gaal made three changes at the break with Sam Johnstone, Schneiderlin and Andreas Pereira replacing De Gea, Schweinsteiger and Ashley Young. Pereira looked a livewire on the left wing and it was his chipped pass into Rooney, who laid a header on for Memphis, which almost led to a goal for United, but the Dutchman was unable to get enough contact on it to trouble Trapp.

Seconds later, Ibrahimovic attempted a chipped finish with Johnstone out of position after a nice lay-off from Edison Cavani, but Daley Blind was on hand to clear.

PSG held firm at the back thereafter with the Reds unable to stage a fightback. Van Gaal's men now return to Manchester to continue preparations for the start of the new campaign, with all the focus now on ensuring a winning start to the competitive season.

Morgan: Tour Has Helped Me Settle

Hours after completing his move from Southampton earlier this month, Morgan Schneiderlin flew to the USA with his new Manchester United team-mates for Tour 2015, presented by Aon. And that whirlwind start has helped him quickly settle into life with the Reds...

How has the tour been for you?
It has been good. It’s a good thing for me to come here and spend every hour of the day with the players. It’s nice to get to know them better. We are training very well and trying to adapt and understand as quickly as possible what the manager wants. We have had some good games and good results, but the most important thing is the fitness.

Do you feel very much part of the squad now?
Yes, absolutely and, as I said, there is no better way to adapt to a new club than spending every day with my team-mates. The tour has been good for me and everyone has made me feel welcome from the first minute. I speak good English, too, so that has made things easier.

Has anything surprised you about being on tour with United and the size of the club?
I can’t say it’s surprised me as I was always very aware of how big it is and what it asks of the players. The people around the world love Manchester United and the atmosphere around the club is crazy. I knew it would be like that before I came.

This must be a slightly different pre-season to what you’re used to…
Yes, at Southampton we went to quiet places like Austria. Some people recognised us but it’s the complete opposite to here!

Can it help your game to play with experienced midfielders like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick?
Of course it will help my game. I am not the finished product; I am just 25, which is the middle age for a professional footballer. Training week-in and week-out with these players helps you learn and improve your game. I’m ready for it.

There are lots of midfielders at United – how intense is the competition for places?
It’s very intense. There are a lot of games in the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cups and it’s good competition for us. We all work hard together but, of course, it’s the manager’s choice who will play – that’s normal. I want to play and the other players want to play, but the manager chooses the team and you always have to push to get into it. At a club like United you would expect nothing else.

Are you looking forward to facing some of your countrymen against PSG?
Yes, I know some of them from the national team. It’ll be very nice to see them. It will be a massive game and our last game before the season starts, so it’s very important to finish the tour in a good way. The most important thing is to be ready for 8 August.

Have you thought about playing your first game at Old Trafford yet?
It will be a dream come true but I have to earn my place. Every time I’ve played at the stadium it has been amazing and a great atmosphere, but I played on the opposite side. Now, walking out in the red shirt being a Manchester United player will be amazing.

Have you set yourself any goal target for the season?
No, not with goals – I am not a striker, so I am not obsessed with scoring goals. My aim is to improve my game, help the team, do my job on the pitch and if I can score goals then great. The main thing for me is to stay fit and give my best.

Is Januzaj A Modern Striker?

ManUtd.com's Adam Marshall gives his view on how Adnan Januzaj is emerging as a genuine option as a striker in Louis van Gaal's new-look United side...

Adnan Januzaj looks a different animal this season. His decision to undergo extra work in Dubai with a fitness coach and colleague Luke Shaw has enabled him to hit the ground running for Manchester United out in America.

From the first glance of him as a substitute in the win over Club America, the Belgium international had clearly changed body shape. He appeared stronger, more muscular and no longer the willowy winger who could sometimes be bullied by bruising defenders willing to cross the line with their marking.

As a supporter who has still not come to terms with seeing somebody other than Ryan Giggs in the no.11 shirt, it was as though this was another new man donning the jersey. Januzaj seems ready to thrive in the central role he craves, his enhanced physique enabling him to embrace the challenge with renewed confidence.

Of course, operating as an attacker is nothing new to the 20-year-old. Reserves coach Warren Joyce used him in the position, teaching the youngster how to handle the hard knocks that inevitably accompany leading the line. One of his best performances during David Moyes' reign came as a striker during a 3-1 defeat at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge when he was still only 18.

Forward Thinking

It is now clear Louis van Gaal believes Januzaj can provide an option down the middle after enthusing about his cameo performance against Barcelona at the weekend. "I have given him a chance in this position and you have to look if he can do that or not," explained van Gaal. "But he has a lot of quality and, against Barcelona, he showed it for the first time. He was very good and was a threat as a striker in his 30 minutes. He always gives an option for midfielders and defenders. He scored a wonderful goal and that is always important."

Januzaj has made no secret about his ambition to perform in a no.10 role, one of three positions he has occupied in the International Champions Cup matches, and an ability to play anywhere along the front line will be a real boon if the manager adopts a fluid attacking formation. The no.9 position brings its own demands but the player said on Saturday that he "really likes it because it gets me closer to the goal".

Speaking last season, Adnan explained how he is already accustomed to taking punishment from defenders because of his positive approach. "I do receive a lot of fouls but, okay, that's my game," he told ManUtd.com. "I take the kicks because I'm a dribbler and I like to go past people. So it's expected I will get a lot of free-kicks. I train hard all the time so I am used to getting the kicks."

The hard work behind the scenes is starting to pay off. The desire to enhance his game and add more strings to his bow has become increasingly evident. "You can always improve by working on things in training," he said. "Your skill is just one example. To be honest, some of it comes naturally but, after training, for five or 10 minutes, I have been doing some crossing or practicing some skills by myself."

Januzaj will need all the tricks in his locker to unhinge central defenders in the way he saw off Marc Bartra when scoring the clincher against Barcelona at Levi's Stadium. Even if he does add more brawn to his game, he will never be the Muscles from Brussels. Fleet of foot and equally as quick in his thinking, he could become a very modern centre-forward.

No.10 or new-age no.9?

His first senior goal may have been a header against Kitchee in a past tour game but he is not your archetypal no.9. The natural balance first noted by Sir Alex Ferguson can help him to strike straight through the heart of the opposition in a way mapped out for the man whose shirt he has adopted. As a 17-year-old of immense promise, Giggs was initially played off Mark Hughes in a role very different to the one where he would achieve legendary status.

Whatever happens, Januzaj will retain the urge to run at people and, in his own words, make things happen. His clever feints and dummies, something he has been doing since the age of five when messing around with his parents and even teasing people in the street, are capable of tying even the nimbler centre-halves in knots. Certainly, a central position should help him to discover an end product on a regular basis and build his goals and assists tally. His manager observed the shot parried out by Costel Pantilimon for Wayne Rooney's second goal last season was the first time Adnan had set up a goal during his tenure.

The display at the end of February against Sunderland, opponents for his extraordinary two-goal debut in 2013, was encouraging. Yet this was nothing in comparison to the way he dissected Barcelona's backline, admittedly one shorn of Gerard Pique six minutes after Januzaj's introduction, and staked an obvious claim for another appearance against Paris Saint-Germain in the Reds' final match of the tour.

Van Gaal, like the fans, was heartened by the forward's bold showing in Santa Clara. The challenge is clearly to replicate this sort of form on a regular basis and prove he is capable of filling any of the attacking slots in the manager's line-up. A 3-5-2 formation that did not ideally suit wingers for a spell last term was phased out and the system currently being deployed by the boss in the United States would seem tailor-made for direct attackers. Things could well be moving in Adnan's favour and it is now up to him to show he has the tools to come of age and consistently make his mark.

Credit: manutd.com

What Went Wrong For Di Maria?

He was British football's most expensive signing, a World Cup finalist and regarded as one of the best players in the world at the peak of his powers.

His capture was supposed to be a show of power from Manchester United that they could still compete with Europe's elite for the best players.

But as Angel Di Maria looks set to leave Old Trafford for French champions Paris St-Germain after a single year in the Premier League, BBC Sport looks at why the £59.7m Argentina international has failed on the stage which seemed ready-made for his talents.

How did the deal come about?

It all seemed so perfect.

In the summer of 2013 Manchester United had been looking for a marquee signing with which to usher in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Cristiano Ronaldo could not be lured back from Real Madrid. Gareth Bale was chased but his heart was set on joining Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.

Twelve months on, the need was more acute. Without the collective mental strength Ferguson so painstakingly forged, technical and physical deficiencies had been exposed during David Moyes' ill-fated tenure.

Glamour was not required purely to make United fans feel good. It was a necessity if they were to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool, who had taken their Champions League place.

Real, back in the 'Galactico' business of accumulating star names, had one man too many following the arrival of one of the 2014 World Cup's stand-out performers, Colombia's James Rodriguez.

Di Maria, man of the match in the Champions League final three months earlier, was deemed surplus to requirements and United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward swooped.

The Argentine signed a five-year contract on 26 August, 2014, for a British record fee of £59.7m.

Welcome to Manchester: Di Maria's early promise

Talk at the time suggested Di Maria would be paid in excess of £200,000 a week, with bonuses for winning the Premier League, Champions League and even the Ballon d'Or for the world's best player over the course of a five-year contract.

His early performances suggested such optimism was justified.

Di Maria scored a goal and claimed an assist in three of his first four games for United.

The stand-out effort was a magical chip at Leicester on 21 September to put the visitors two goals up in a game they were eventually to lose 5-3.

United fans were in thrall to their new number seven. Di Maria responded by saying moving to Old Trafford from Madrid represented a step up in his career.

Why things changed

Working out why good things turn bad is a precarious business. The facts are that after the victory over Everton on 5 October, Di Maria did not score another goal until 4 January, when United beat League One Yeovil in the FA Cup third round.

Did anything happen in between? Maybe not one seismic moment but a few events rolled up and made a big one seem all the more significant.

In October, Argentina lost a friendly match 2-0 against Brazil in Beijing. Di Maria played the full 90 minutes. The air quality was not great, the temperature was high. Three days later, Di Maria featured for the final 17 minutes of a friendly against the Hong Kong national side.

The round trip was approximately 12,000 miles. For a player who had not had much of a summer break because of his international commitments and had finished the World Cup with a thigh injury, the Far East trip must have been physically draining.

In addition, United manager Louis van Gaal's search for his best formation - and Di Maria's best position in it - meant there was little consistency to his role.

In the South American's first 16 United games, he played in six different positions, including central midfield and striker.

As consistency continued to prove elusive, Di Maria's contribution seemed to be affected. As well as not scoring, he created only three goals in four months between 6 October, 2014 and 10 February, 2015.

A pelvic injury kept him out for virtually all of December.

So a combination of likely fatigue, injury, lack of form and getting used to a new country and obvious language difficulties could all have been playing on his mind on 31 January, when thieves attempted to break into Di Maria's mansion in Cheshire.

Although the intruders did not gain entry, they did smash a glass door and the mental impact on Di Maria's wife, Jorgelina Cardoso, and their young daughter, was so great they are now living in a city-centre apartment, which, while luxurious, is hardly ideal for family life.

On the pitch, Di Maria's slide continued. Sent off in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Arsenal on 9 March , Di Maria was a substitute in six successive games following his return from suspension. He did start the final match of the campaign against Hull, only to limp off with a hamstring injury after 23 minutes.

Why United are willing to let him go

This combination of circumstances led to Di Maria becoming extremely unhappy and wanting a move. As recently as Sunday, Van Gaal said he hoped the Argentine would stay.

Yet the Dutchman has also stated at various times over the past year it is counterproductive trying to keep unhappy players.

The difference between this situation and goalkeeper David De Gea's possible move to Real Madrid, for instance, is that while the Spaniard is a relaxed presence around the United camp, Di Maria has not joined up with the squad in the United States on their pre-season tour while his future is thrashed out.

Paris St-Germain were keen on taking him last year and are now offering a get-out.

For United, the bitterness of losing a player of such talent is eased by a transfer system which means, financially, they may not take the massive hit it first appears.

Because of the strength of the pound and the change in exchange rates in the past 12 months, plus the way the initial transfer fee was structured, if PSG agree to pay the reported 65m euros (£46.05m), United's overall loss would be less than £10m.

The fans' view

United fans have been here before. Juan Sebastian Veron arrived with enormous fanfare - and a then British record £28.1m price tag - from Lazio in 2001 but lasted only two seasons before he left for Chelsea.

Sir Alex Ferguson also broke the club transfer record when he paid Tottenham £30.75m for Dimitar Berbatov in 2008. The Bulgarian did win the Golden Boot in 2010-11, but finished the campaign not able to get a place in United's Champions League final squad. Within six months he had left for Fulham.

Yet possibly more than those two, Di Maria's eventual exit will leave a sad sense of 'what might have been' purely because his talent has been so obvious in the past and his departure so swift.

"I don't understand it," said Ryan Chelva, a fan from Australia who saw United beat Barcelona 3-1 in Santa Clara, California, without Di Maria at the weekend.

"If you sign someone as good as him, you have to give him more than a single season.

"He played really well in his first couple of months. He proved he can play under Louis van Gaal. He proved he has the talent. Now it looks as though he is leaving. It is hugely disappointing."

Credit: BBC Sport

Rooney: It's An Exciting Time

Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United’s new signings can provide the "extra gear” needed to mount a challenge for major honours in 2015/16.

In an exclusive interview with MUTV, the Reds captain reflected on the squad’s work so far during Tour 2015, presented by Aon, and discussed an “exciting time” for the club.

"We’ve had new players come in, quality players, and we feel they can give us an extra gear to what we had last season," said Rooney.

"Obviously the lads who were here already understand how the manager wants us to work. For the first couple of months last season it was probably a bit difficult to take everything in and go out and perform, but we fully understand what the manager wants and now we’ve added a few players it’s exciting.

"I feel we have the right squad in terms of hoping to be successful in the new season and I think it’s an exciting time for the team."

Rooney has started the first three tour games alongside one of the new players, Memphis Depay, who scored his first goal against San Jose Earthquakes last week. The Dutch attacker has looked lively in his opening few appearances and the skipper hopes to continue developing a rapport with him.

"It's still early days [for us playing together] but obviously Memphis is a fantastic talent," said the captain. "We're still working on things in training to try to get better together and get a better understanding of each other’s games which is important."

Rooney followed Memphis in scoring his first goal of the tour when United beat the European champions Barcelona 3-1 in Santa Clara, to register the Reds' third and most notable pre-season win.

"It’s always a difficult game against Barcelona but to get the victory and with the way we played made it very satisfying,” he reflected. “A lot of the younger players came on for the last 30 minutes and did really well against a quality team. That will give them a lot of confidence.

“We know pre-season is hard work but it’s important we do as well as we can and be ready for the start of the season. In terms of preparation and games it couldn’t have gone any better.”

Blackett Backing United Youth

Tyler Blackett insists the current crop of Manchester United youngsters will be able to hold their own in the first team if called upon by manager Louis van Gaal this season.

Blackett made 12 appearances for United during the 2014/15 campaign and has featured heavily in the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, alongside fellow youth-team graduates Sam Johnstone, Paddy McNair, Jesse Lingard, Andres Pereira, James Wilson and Adnan Januzaj.

Van Gaal has been busy in the transfer market this summer, bolstering his squad with the additions of Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Sergio Romero as he attempts to mastermind a Premier League title challenge.

And despite the new wealth of international talent at the club, Blackett is confident he and the rest of his former academy teammates can make a positive impact on the first team this term.

“Playing for this club throughout the years, you know that homegrown players can step up to the first team, which is always good, and to do it together is amazing,” the 21-year-old told the club’s official website.

“We have all been together throughout the reserves, we are all comfortable with each other as players, we all know each other and how we all play, which is why we all click together.”

Naturally a centre-back, Blackett has so far been deployed at left-back by Van Gaal in the pre-season matches with Club America, San Jose Earthquakes and Barcelona.

Ahead of United’s final tour match with Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago on Thursday, Blackett says he hopes his experiences from last season – when he played as a centre-back and left-back – will stand him in good stead.

“I have definitely learned a lot from last season. I am hoping to push on again and hopefully the appearances I made will only help me this season," he added.

“I just want to improve on my defensive game and, if I am playing at left-back, I can improve on my attacking game as well.”

Credit: Skysports.com

Young Aims For Repeat Outcome

Ashley Young says he is focused on repeating his personal success story of the last 12 months - with a fruitful summer tour leading to a subsequent positive season with Manchester United.

The winger, who has also impressed in a wing-back role, was one of the team's star performers last term after catching the eye in America during Louis van Gaal's first few games in charge. Young’s displays ensured he became an integral figure in the manager's plans and the 30-year-old is determined to maintain that status after similar performances on Tour 2015, presented by Aon.

"When you come on tour you want to do as well as you can and last year I managed to do that and took it into the season,” he told MUTV. “I’m looking to add to what I did last season with the confidence I had, especially in the last few games, and take that into this season. If you have a good pre-season it can only set you off for a good season.

“The team spirit we have is fantastic but everyone is fighting to get into that starting line-up for that first game – you’ve seen that in how high the tempo is in training. There is real competition for places, everyone is pushing each other so you have to give 100 per cent, day in, day out in training and in the games. And when we find out the team for the first game I hope I’m in it!

“We had a good pre-season last year and we wanted to go into the season firing. It wasn’t to be, but this time round we want to start off positively and get winning straightaway,” he added. “We’ve got tough games but there are points to be won and the manager has said he wants to get off to a good start compared to last season and that’s what we want to do.”

Young believes the Reds will be better equipped to do just that following the arrival of four top new signings over the summer, who he says have all taken to life at United in their stride so far.

“The new players are big characters. Matteo [Darmian] is the quiet one out of them but they’ve all fitted in really well. I remember when I first joined - coming on tour and integrating into the squad was great and that’s exactly what they’ve all done and they’ve been welcomed with open arms.

“When you see new signings you’re delighted and you want to help them settle straightaway. It also gives competition for places which you expect at a club like United. Everyone is fighting to be in that starting XI and everyone wants to get back to winning titles and trophies and that’s our aim this season.”

Robson Heaps Praise On Schneiderlin

Bryan Robson has paid tribute to summer signing Morgan Schneiderlin and explained why the Frenchman has all of the abilities needed to become a top player for Manchester United.

Schneiderlin joined the Reds from Southampton on the morning of Monday 13 July and, incredibly, boarded the club’s flight to America in the afternoon for Tour 2015, presented by Aon.

Since then, Morgan has made three appearances during the International Champions Cup victories over Club America, San Jose Earthquakes and Barcelona, even scoring the winner in the first of those games at Seattle's CenturyLink Field.

Robson is of course an authority on central midfield players in English football after enjoying a legendary career for both England and United. During a Facebook Q&A with Reds supporters earlier this week, the club ambassador was asked which new signing has impressed him most so far.

“Bastian Schweinsteiger looks like a really top player,” Robbo explained in San Jose, California. “With his career and the way he is, he is absolutely quality. But the one who has really stood out for me in the first two games is Morgan Schneiderlin.

“He has really impressed me in the way he moves, the ways that he presses people all around the pitch and his range of passes is also really good. He always wants the ball, he is regularly dropping in between the two centre-backs, and I’ve been really impressed by him.”

As part of the interactive event on Facebook, Robson was also asked if he believes United can win the Barclays Premier League title this season and who might rival the Reds in that intriguing race.

“I think we have a chance but at this moment in time I have to say I still think Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal might be slightly ahead,” Bryan explained. “We might make more signings and strengthen that bit more, but I do think the manager has really upped the quality in the midfield.

“I think we could be really dominant in that midfield area. It gives us an outside chance and that’s all you need. If you get off to a good start and if confidence is up then you just never know.”

Who Is United's Strongest Player?

It's a question every fan would have an opinion on: Who is the strongest player in the Manchester United squad?

It’s also a debate that has prompted plenty of responses among Reds supporters since Memphis Depay was pictured training with his new club, displaying an undeniably impressive physique that has inspired many of his team-mates to describe him as “the tank” and “a beast”.

Antonio Valencia bulked up to cope with the demands of the Premier League while playing for Wigan Athletic and the Ecuadorian powerhouse is also known for his capabilities in the gym.

Of course, Wayne Rooney has a natural strength that has allowed him to out-muscle top-flight defenders since he was 16. Phil Jones also wields raw power in defence and you would hardly mess with the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin or Michael Carrick.

However, when we pitched this topic to Luke Shaw, no stranger to the gym himself, the left-back pointed in the direction of another of his hulking United team-mates.

“There is one who I would say – he is in the gym every morning and afternoon – and that’s Tyler Blackett,” said Shaw. “He’s the one that springs to mind. We don’t tend to do gym work together, it’s more an individual thing as we have our own programmes, but I’d say him from what I’ve seen.”

When we put this view to Blackett, the young defender was pleased to be nominated and remained confident he is the strongest Red. "I would say so, yeah," he said. "I do try to give my best in the gym and I am trying to get stronger each and every day. I do work hard and I try to push myself in every way possible.

"Being a central defender, you have to be strong and you come up against all different kinds of opponents. They are big, small, fast, so you have to be ready for a mix of everything.

"It has helped me step up from youth football. You have got to try to adapt physically to each game. Once you have grown up, you are playing against physical players and you have to be ready for them."

Although Tyler backed himself with the weights, he did concede he has rivals for the crown of strongest player. "There are a couple. Antonio Valencia has obviously got a very good physical shape. Memphis is now here and he is quite big, so we have quite a few strong lads in the squad."

Ashley Young has also joined the debate and the winger put forward two names. "I was going to say Memphis. He was getting changed the other day and his legs are massive – it was like seeing Roberto Carlos again! It could well be him, but Tyler is in the gym every day so it could also be him."

Pereira On Pride, Set Pieces & Pals

Andreas Pereira took part in a Q&A with fans on Facebook during Tour 2015, presented by Aon. Among the topics up for discussion were his best friend at United, his fastest teammate, Ashley Young’s DJ skills and the player he'd pick to take a decisive free-kick...

How does it feel to be a part of such a great club? Edgar Gonzalez
Honestly, I’m very proud to be a Manchester United player. I’m really happy I can play for such a big club. Every time I pull the shirt on it’s special for me. I realise every time I do it that I play for the biggest club in the world. Of course there is a bit of pressure as well because you know the fans out there want you to win and it’s up to you to make it happen. But that’s United and it’s normal.

Who's your best friend at United? Mohammed El Alami
I have to say I'm lucky – I have a lot of friends here at the club. Adnan is one and also Marouane. Memphis as well since he joined. Everybody gets on with each other – it’s a great squad to be part of.

What kind of music do you like to listen to in the dressing room? Julie Thomson
Thanks for the question, Julie. Ashley Young is the DJ so he is in charge. But in my headphones I like to listen to Brazilian music before a game. All kinds of Brazilian music.

Is Ashley Young a good DJ? Daniel Isaac
Ha – I have to be careful what I say! No, the truth is Ashley is good when he makes some effort. Sometimes he just puts the music on and lets it play. It’s hard to keep everyone happy, I suppose. But I guess the answer to your question is yes.

What’s your favourite moment in the United shirt so far? Ashley Chiniah Jr.
It happened in the last week! I would have to say it was when I scored the goal against San Jose Earthquakes. That was a great feeling and probably the best moment for me so far.

What are you trying to accomplish this season? Harun Dini
For me, I just want to keep doing well and I hope to impress the manager more and more. I want to get more games and be an important player for United.

How did you feel when you were told you’re going on the field to play against Barcelona? Ben Gould
It was great! You always look forward to playing against big teams like Barcelona and it was a good feeling to come on against them. I remember almost as soon as I got on the pitch I played the ball out wide and we scored straight away. I was impressed! I know it's only pre-season but the win was good for the team’s confidence.

Who is the fastest player in the squad? Prince Bolanle Ridwan
Everyone's talking about this right now! Chris Smalling thinks he's the fastest but I’m not sure about that. To be honest, I think Antonio Valencia might be the fastest. Maybe Chris over a short distance because he has long legs, but for me Antonio is definitely the fastest.

What's your next sport after football? Ahan Gabriel Terpine
I like to watch basketball a lot. And futsal… although I guess that’s quite a lot like football! It's very popular in Brazil.

What’s your first thought when you enter the pitch and the fans are cheering? Jakob Björkman
Hi Jakob! It's a very special moment when you walk onto the pitch. I just think of all the good things I’ve done and all the goals I’ve scored before. I also think about what the manager has asked me to do – any special instructions he’s given me. I just try to focus on that.

How do you feel after scoring your first goal in the first team? Sangay Tempa
Hi Sangay! I was very happy to score against San Jose Earthquakes. It was a very special moment for me. It was almost like a relief that I had finally scored my first goal. Hopefully there can be many more. It was even more special for me because I never score with my head!

What footballer did you look up to when you were a kid, and why? Matthew Rillie
Kaka. I always looked up to him. He was strong, fast, good technically and he always kept calm in every situation.

Imagine you're the manager of Manchester United... it’s stoppage time, your team is drawing the match and there’s a free-kick 25 yards out. Who will you assign to take the free-kick? Lari Bright
Great question, Lari! The answer has to be Andreas Pereira! That way I’d know for sure it’s a goal. Haha, I'm joking of course. If not me, I’d pick Wazza. He's fantastic at free kicks.

Carrick Welcomes New Manchester United Midfielders

Michael Carrick admits he will have to fight for his place in the Manchester United midfield following the arrival of Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Boss Louis van Gaal spent £40 million signing Schneiderlin from Southampton and Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich to bolster his central midfield options.

Their arrival means more competition for places, but Carrick says the signings are good for the team.

"You want the best players here, and it's good for the squad, for the team," Carrick said.

"Morgan is good player. He has done terrific. It's another step for him in his career and there's no better place to be.

"We all know what Basti brings. He is a terrific player and he'll have a big influence on us going forward."

Schweinsteiger has failed to impress so far on United's pre-season tour of the United States.

The German World Cup winner is yet to start a game, with Van Gaal preferring to use Carrick and Schneiderlin as holding midfielders in the 4-2-3-1 formation he has used in the three games so far.

Schweinsteiger looked relatively comfortable as a substitute in the first game against Club America in Seattle, but Van Gaal described the midfielder's performance against San Jose Earthquakes as "bad" and he missed the 3-1 win over Barcelona with a minor injury.

The 30-year-old is fit to feature in United's final game of the tour against Paris St Germain in Chicago in the early hours of Thursday, however.

Another win would give United a 100 per cent record from their American tour. Although he missed it through injury, Carrick is aware United won all their pre-season matches last season before accumulating just 13 points from their opening 10 Premier League matches.

"You can gauge what you can from these pre-season games, but Tottenham on the first day of the season is where you're judged the most, and we're well aware of that even after three good results," he said.

"The manager has been here a longer time and we're now used to his way of playing.

"We've improved as a team by understanding his way. I think we're stronger in numbers, in strength and depth and in quality this year."

Credit: Skysports.com

Pedro Can Help United

We look at what Barcelona winger Pedro could bring to Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United...

"You need creative players," said Louis van Gaal, pointing out the quality at Chelsea and Barcelona, before damning Ashley Young with praise in that familiar way that only the great Dutchman can. "We have to compare. Young has had a fantastic season, but he is not a Neymar and we have to compete with that kind of class."

Over in the Canary Islands, they know all too well how that particular story goes. Pedro is a star in his homeland of Tenerife, but in Barcelona’s Nou Camp he’s a mere supporting actor these days. The 27-year-old has admitted as much himself, acknowledging it’s been "a difficult time" in an interview in March.

This is a man who won it all – the World Cup, Champions Leagues and more – at club and international level, and all before celebrating his 25th birthday. A player who even became the first man to score in and win six competitions in a calendar year in 2009. And yet, he is still unable to compete with the trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

Hence being linked with a £22million move to Manchester United. A proposed exit, but one with no need for a tail tucked between the legs. "If he leaves, he’ll have eternal admiration," wrote Joan Vehils of Barcelona-based newspaper Sport. "The shame is that in front of him are the three best forwards in the world."

That view reflects the feeling that this is a player with plenty still to offer the right club. Messi, in particular, will miss him. Despite Pedro’s limited action last term, only Luis Suarez assisted as many of Messi’s 43 goals in La Liga. It’s a long-running bond that has seen Pedro directly involved in more goals with Messi than anyone else in the past five years.

But his time on the pitch continues to dwindle and his tally of 1529 minutes in 2014/15 was his lowest in La Liga since becoming a regular.

Many of those have come in less significant matches. Only against Atletico Madrid in May could he offer a reminder of his big-game credentials, playing as a central striker in Suarez’s absence and, predictably, providing the title-winning assist for Messi.

That performance was typical Pedro. Providing penetrative and pacy running in behind the defence, he creates space for other players with his intelligent movement and understanding of the game. "If Pedro was Brazilian, he'd be called Pedrinho and we wouldn't have enough money to afford him," ex-Barca coach Pep Guardiola once said.

If that line is famous, another of Guardiola’s summed it up in simpler terms. "He does a lot of things and he does them well." It’s a fact that his old boss recognised quickly, resisting calls from those on the staff to release the little winger in 2007, and instead making him part of his Barca B team that won promotion from the second tier.

Both men were soon promoted to first-team roles, with Guardiola later describing Pedro as "absolutely fundamental" to Barcelona’s success. He’s not alone in that view. Ariedo Braida, Barca’s sporting director, recently referred to Pedro as "incredibly important" while club icon Johan Cruyff identified him as a player with "a lot of value" to Barcelona due to his work rate.

It’s natural then that another man so entrenched in Barcelona’s Dutch school would also be a fan. Just as Guardiola needed pace on the flanks in his Barcelona B team all those years ago, Van Gaal is now searching for speed in his Manchester United side. He has midfielders aplenty but with Juan Mata among the best options on the flanks, issues remain.

Quickness of thought and quickness in the legs are required. "Young has had a fantastic season," Van Gaal reiterated this week. "Mata the same, with assists and goals but to win the Champions League we need speed also. That is why I think, maybe, we still have to buy a player with speed and creativity."

Some might wonder why Angel Di Maria cannot provide these qualities. But even aside from any off-the-field issues, the Argentine’s unpredictable creativity is at odds with Van Gaal’s more measured approach. That spark need not be off-the-cuff. Indeed, examine Van Gaal’s history with men such as Rivaldo and he’d prefer it not to be.

Van Gaal’s obsession is with "process" and, in this sense at least, Pedro is predictable. Off-the-ball runs that created space for others. Influencing without appearing to influence. Set patterns of movement that lead to openings. This is the Van Gaal way and it’s a way that Pedro understands.

And so, the United boss would be buying more than goals, assists, dribbles and passes. He’d be acquiring a tool to develop greater collective creativity. United still wouldn’t have a Messi or a Neymar. But they might just be getting someone who can make their existing players better.

Credit: Skysports.com

Romero Reunion

Louis van Gaal’s reunion with Victor Valdes did not work out but he’ll be hoping for better from his old AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper Sergio Romero, writes Adam Bate.

Given that Manchester United had just signed Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper on a three-year deal, the line of questioning for Louis van Gaal was understandable. Is Sergio Romero the replacement for David de Gea or merely a back-up goalkeeper?

“I think in a top club like Manchester United you always need competition,” said Van Gaal. “And that's why we are buying the players. I have of course spoken with Sergio and also with David and with me always the best shall be in the line-up so you have to fight.”

Perhaps the truth is that, for Romero, first-team football has become a bonus rather than a promise. The 28-year-old featured only three times for Monaco in Ligue 1 during 2013/14 and followed it up with just nine starts as deputy to Emiliano Viviano at Sampdoria last term.

International opportunities have come more readily with Romero having featured for Argentina at last year’s World Cup and the recent Copa America. However, as Argentine journalist Andres Garavaglia explains, even in his homeland there are doubters.

“He isn't thought of too highly among Argentinian fans,” Buenos Aires-based Garavaglia told Sky Sports. “In fact, we all thought that the goalkeepers who were most deserving of being transferred to Manchester United were Marcelo Barovero of River Plate and Sebastian Saja from Racing Club.

“Romero is always considered for the national team by each coach because they think that as he has played for several European teams he has the most experience. But in truth, he isn't the favourite of the fans. In fact, for Brazil 2014, most preferred Barovero.”

Under such circumstances, it is difficult to argue United are acquiring an in-form performer. “I don't think that he has made so much progress because he did not play so much in the clubs after AZ,” added Van Gaal. This AZ link seems to be key. Van Gaal knows Romero well.

It was the Dutchman, during his time in charge in Alkmaar, who gave the then 20-year-old Romero his big break in Europe. Dutch journalist Michiel Jongsma remembers a young goalkeeper who blossomed with the support of his experienced coach.

“In his time in the Eredivisie,” Jongsma told Sky Sports, “Romero presented himself as a very talented goalkeeper, a good footballer with a fantastic long kick, a tall man with great reflexes who was unbeatable on his day.

“Van Gaal gave him time to adjust to Dutch football and the two really share a great bond. Van Gaal's ability to speak Spanish really helped him through his first few months when he had a difficult time settling in Alkmaar.”

After that tough start to life in Europe, Romero got his first-team opportunity when first-choice keeper Boy Waterman was injured in February 2008. He soon impressed and played a significant part in AZ winning the title for the first time in 28 years the following season.

In fact, Romero broke a series of club records in that campaign. He kept 18 clean sheets in the team’s first 25 Eredivisie games and at one stage even went 950 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. It’s natural that Van Gaal should have fond memories.

“I think it’s a very good choice,” said Van Gaal. “I know what he can do. He’s a very dominating goalkeeper; he dominates the 60-metre area. His stature is also tall and he gives a lot of confidence to the players.”

These are qualities on which Van Gaal places considerable stock and – just like De Gea and Victor Valdes – Romero will be expected to build attacks from the back. “He is very good with his feet so he fits our profile,” added Van Gaal.

But it’s the praise of Romero’s “character” that is interesting in light of Van Gaal’s fall-out with Valdes when the ex-Barca man reportedly refused to play in an Under-21 game. He needs a goalkeeper he can trust and in Romero it would seem he has found one.

Curiously, Romero’s character once manifested itself in him breaking his hand when punching a wall following an error in a cup game against NAC. The famously fiery Van Gaal was uncharacteristically sanguine in response, focusing instead on Romero’s desire.

Perhaps it helped that he is a Van Gaal disciple. “I thank God for having the privilege to work with the crème de la crème of managers,” the Argentine once told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in reference to his AZ boss. This is an attitude Van Gaal will relish.

“He helped me,” said Romero after saving the penalties that ended Van Gaal’s World Cup dream with the Netherlands at the semi-final stage last year. “I went to a country where I didn't understand a word of the language, he helped me and I'm thankful for everything he did for me.”

Van Gaal even claimed to have taught Romero how to save penalties, making the defeat particularly galling. But his next trick will need to be equally impressive if Romero is to make a meaningful contribution at Old Trafford. He needs to get Romero back to his 2009 best.

“Apart from that season he really struggled to find consistency,” added Jongsma. “But if there is one man who can bring out the promise that was once there it is Van Gaal.” Not quite a De Gea replacement then. But the new Valdes might still be preferable for the United boss.

Credit: Skysports.com

Carrick: Youth Did Us Proud

Louis van Gaal may have just brought in four new summer signings, but Michael Carrick admits it’s great to see the spread of burgeoning youth players within the squad.

Seven of the 11 Reds who finished the International Champions Cup win over Barcelona at Levi’s Stadium have played for United's youth teams, including second-half scorers Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj.

Van Gaal has always been keen to focus on giving youth a chance at every club he has managed and United is no exception. Given the club’s rich history of developing young talent, Carrick believes the current squad has the perfect blend of youthful exuberance and experienced world stars.

“Developing young players is what this club is about and it’s what it should be about,” the vice-captain told ManUtd.com. “Of course we want the best players from around the world because we want to be the best team, but you want the balance of bringing players through too. We’ve got a great record of doing that over the years and we’re doing that again, which is great to see.”

Carrick played for 60 minutes in the 3-1 triumph over Barca, the Reds’ third game of Tour 2015, presented by Aon, and the England international was pleased by another successful workout.

“It was a decent performance," he explained. "They’ve obviously got some great players and they’re tough to play against so it’s always nice to win. It’s a good habit to get into.

“We’ve got a strong squad with competitions in all positions. I thought the lads who came on in the last half an hour did very well. It’s not easy to come on like that and get into the game but they did ever so well so we’re very satisfied.

“There are always things you can improve on during these pre-season games. Our fitness is coming on, it was a third half of football really for me and there is still a couple of weeks until the Tottenham game which is the most important game to be ready for.

"I think everyone is looking okay and getting up to speed, and we’re taking something from each of these pre-season games which is important.”

Romero's Story So Far

Sergio Romero has had to contend with ups and downs throughout his career but his undoubted highlight came at Louis van Gaal’s expense during the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

Van Gaal was the man who brought a largely unproven 20-year-old to Europe from Racing Club in Argentina and made him his first-choice goalkeeper at AZ Alkmaar. A key figure as the team surprisingly won the Eredivisie title in 2009, he followed it up with a run of 950 minutes without conceding a goal in the following campaign, only 107 minutes off the all-time Dutch record.

One game in the Champions League against Arsenal in 2009, when AZ earned an improbable 1-1 draw with a late equaliser, proved his fondness for the big stage. Robin van Persie was one of the Gunners left shaking his head that night as the keeper’s Man-of-the-Match performance upset Arsene Wenger’s side.

It is clear that van Gaal rates the South American highly, even forgiving him for a flash of temper in the tunnel following a cup exit to NAC Breda that saw him punch a door and break his hand. The injury could not have been more poorly timed as AZ embarked on the run-in to the title but his manager hid his own anger on the matter. “That is his Argentine temperament,” he reasoned. “It wasn’t smart of Sergio to vent his frustrations like this.”

Romero left the Netherlands after van Gaal departed for Bayern Munich, accepting a fresh challenge with Sampdoria in Italy’s Serie B. The Genoa-based side gained promotion back to the top flight with the Argentinian between the posts and he was a regular the following term before switching to Monaco on a season-long loan.

The move to the French Ligue 1 was a frustrating one as he lost out to Danijel Subasic for the no.1 slot. He later conceded: “It was an unusual year. Alex Sabella let me play for Argentina but I didn’t have the same luck with my club.” It has been something of a recurring theme for Romero, who is held in the highest esteem at international level.

An Olympic gold medallist from 2008, in addition to winning the Under-20 World Cup with his homeland, he kept goal for Diego Maradona’s team at the World Cup in all four games in South Africa. Four years later, Sabella displayed similar faith in the keeper, despite his lack of involvement at Monaco.

Deemed a potential weak link in a star-studded Argentina squad before a ball had been kicked, he proved any doubters wrong by performing superbly. One miraculous save in a nervous group win over Iran even prompted pop star Rihanna to tweet a message saying: ‘Romero is on point’!

The attention did not go to his head – he kept clean sheets in the knockout matches against Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. When a penalty shoot-out followed the semi-final stalemate in Sao Paulo, he would return to haunt van Gaal and destroy the Dutchman’s dreams of scooping the biggest prize of all.

Romero saved spot-kicks from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder, projecting himself into Argentinian folklore and earning ‘Hands of God’ headlines the morning after. Compared to previous hero Sergio Goycochea, he was perhaps almost seen as deserving of his mantle as the most-capped Argentine keeper ever, displacing 1978 World Cup-winner and legendary figure Ubaldo Fillol in top position.

Fillol was his idol. “When it comes to football, ‘El Pato’ is my father,” he stated. “Everything I’ve achieved is down to him. He’s the best Argentina has ever had. There shouldn’t be anyone who goes past him.”

Yet nobody was disputing Romero’s right to his own star billing on 9 July, 2004. Van Gaal protested: “I taught Romero how to stop penalties so that hurts. We were the club to bring him to Europe. He was a big talent and someone who has the qualities to do that.”

Romero sought the Netherlands coach amid the mixture of joy and despair at the Arena de Sao Paulo with the keeper remembering the part his former manager had played in helping him reach such a career high.

“I went to Louis to thank him because he helped me when I arrived in Holland,” he disclosed. “I went to a country where I didn’t understand a word of the language, he helped me and I’m thankful for everything he did for me. I know he said he ‘taught’ me to save penalties. The truth is that he teaches the players a lot, how to grow and pay more attention. From the first day in Holland, he said to me that the goalkeeper is one of the team, one of 11 players. He helped me to grow.”

Only a single shot from Germany’s Mario Gotze wrecked Romero and Argentina’s World Cup dream but his reputation had been hugely enhanced. Incredibly, this did not translate to his club football as he returned to Sampdoria after the loan at Monaco and, once again, was consigned to the bench.

Emiliano Viviano donned the gloves and the man who had achieved superstardom a couple of months earlier was left kicking his heels. “I can’t do this for much longer,” he conceded. “The same thing happened to me in France, arriving when the transfer window is nearly closed and having to wait for an opportunity.” Rumours were rife he had rejected a move to Old Trafford around that point, something he was quick to refute. “Many lies have been spread like that I refused a transfer to Manchester United,” he complained. “To me, something like that is crazy.”

He played 11 times in all, once in the Coppa Italia, and, predictably, did not renew his contract with the Serie A side, ensuring he became in the words of some media ‘one of the summer’s most attractive free agents’. The chance to link up with van Gaal again could not be passed up and he flew to the United States to seal his transfer to the Reds.

Nicknamed ‘Chiquito’ despite his 6ft 3in frame, not as an ironic joke but because his brothers are giants – particularly basketball-playing Diego - now is the perfect chance for Romero to stand tall once more and prepare to embrace the spotlight again.

Credit: Manutd.com

Wilson Loves United Chemistry

James Wilson hailed the relationship between Manchester United’s younger first-team players after goals from Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj helped secure Saturday's 3-1 victory over Barcelona on Tour 2015, presented by Aon.

Following Wayne Rooney’s first-half opener, his fellow forward Wilson, 19, fed another young academy graduate, Tyler Blackett, down the left flank which allowed the defender to burst behind Barҫa’s defence and pull the ball back for 22-year-old Lingard to side-foot in for a two-goal cushion.

With the lead halved in the 90th minute by Rafinha, United responded immediately as Januzaj bamboozled Marc Barta and left the collapsed defender in his wake before driving the ball low past Jordi Masip.

The manner in which a young front four of Wilson, Januzaj, Lingard and Andreas Pereira stretched and punished the Barcelona backline in the second half left the Biddulph-born striker beaming in the aftermath of yet another rewarding pre-season triumph.

“We’ve all played together a lot in the youth and Reserves team and there is good chemistry between us,” Wilson explained. “We noticed one of their weaknesses was behind the full-backs and the centre-halves as they don’t have a great deal of pace and I think we utilised that well and scored a few goals.

“He (Lingard) came in from the back post to score. That’s something the wide players are always taught, to come in when the other wide player is crossing it. He got himself in a great position and we know he has the quality to finish off chances.

“The manager just told me to work hard and be a team player and I tried to show him what I had and to do the best job I could out there. It feels great to come away with a result. It was a great experience, to play against such a good team like Barcelona at such a great stadium.”

One aspect of the result that particularly pleased Wilson was the ruthless manner in which the Reds swiftly struck back to re-establish a two-goal lead after conceding Rafinha's goal late into the meeting.

The striker added: “They say one of the most important times are the few minutes after you’ve scored. We managed to capitalise on Barcelona's concentration maybe dropping a little after their goal and it was a great feeling for us to get another so soon.

“We take everything we can from the games. We’ve played a good team and come away with the result. You take confidence from any game you win but to beat a team like Barcelona means we’ve done a good job.”

Romero: The First Interview

Immediately after signing a three-year deal to join Manchester United, Sergio Romero gave his first exclusive interview as a Red to the club’s official channel MUTV. Here's a transcript of what the Argentina goalkeeper had to say…

Sergio, welcome to Manchester United. How does it feel to be here at the club?
Thanks very much. I'm very happy. It's something I've been waiting for for a long time, to join a really big club like Manchester United. And I hope I can give something back to the club now that they've put their trust in me.

You must be really looking forward to playing and trying to win trophies with this club?
Absolutely. From the very first moment that I heard there was a possibility of joining this club, I have been thinking constantly about lots of things: playing for the club, training with the other players, getting to know my teammates and winning silverware for United.

You worked with the manager during your time in Holland with AZ Alkmaar, so what is he like in your opinion as a manager and as a person?
He is a great manager. He’s the kind of boss who puts you at ease and from the first moment that I was given the goalkeeper shirt by him in 2007, he told me that I would play an important part in his squad. It was a vital period for me because from the moment I signed for him, my career started to really take off. He is someone who has been very important in my life. He helped me a lot when I arrived in Holland as I didn’t speak Dutch and I didn’t speak English but he spoke Spanish. He is very honest and open as a person, he helps and reassures you and he cares about every player and every member of staff.

So, how can you improve this team?
Well, I’m here to help and to work hard whether it’s been for my club or my country. I’ve always worked hard with my teammates so that I’m 100 per cent ready for action when the manager calls on me.

What do you make of this United squad at the moment?
It’s a really strong squad. A team like United with these really great players will always compete strongly in every competition that we enter. The club showed last season that it is getting stronger and it will continue to do that. If we can put all of the manager’s instructions and thoughts into action we can achieve a lot.

What do you know about the club in terms of the club’s history and the players here?
Well, part of the history of the club is sitting next to the manager every day in the form of Ryan Giggs. He’s won everything there is to win at the club and he’s still here. He’s lived his whole life at this club. You have to think of all the titles that this club has won and all the players who have developed their game here at the club. They’ve all played an important role in the Manchester United story. Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world because of the history. That’s why it’s such a dream come true to be sitting here now, wearing this shirt.

Here at the club, there are plenty of players who can speak Spanish so that will help you settle in too…
Without a doubt. Yes, of course it’s always going to be much easier if there are players who speak Spanish here. I’m learning English so that my language will improve and I’ll be able to speak much more easily with everybody in the club.

Do you have a message for the United fans?
I just want to show them how happy I am to be here. I’ve travelled here without my wife and my children in the short term to come and make the most of this fantastic opportunity. I’ve explained to my family that this is a huge opportunity for us. We are very happy indeed and I’m going to work really hard for the club and for my family to make this work.

Credit: Manutd.com