5 Things On Man. United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored on his first appearance for Manchester United as Jose Mourinho's men claimed a 5-2 win over Galatasaray in Gothenburg.

The Swede netted with a bicycle kick after just a few minutes at the Ullevi Stadium on Saturday, and there were two goals for Wayne Rooney before Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata extended United's lead.

Here are five talking points from United's latest pre-season run-out…

Ibrahimovic's flying start

All eyes were on Manchester United's new number nine as he made his first appearance for the club in the familiar surroundings of his homeland. His early touches were met with loud cheers around the stadium, and the game was only four minutes old when he acrobatically volleyed Antonio Valencia's cross beyond Fernando Muslera.

United will hope it's a sign of what's to come this season. There were some eye-catching flicks and smart touches from the 34-year-old before he was replaced by Marcus Rashford at half-time, and while it was his foul that led to Galatasaray's first goal, United can take encouragement from his first outing in their colours.

Rooney gets goals in new role

Mourinho has already made it clear he won't use Rooney as a central midfielder, so it was no surprise to see the 30-year-old make his first start under the new manager at number 10. It was a mixed performance. His touch let him down and passes went astray in a difficult first half, and his frustration got the better of him when he was booked in the 51st minute.

After that, however, Rooney's evening improved markedly. His first goal was smartly taken from Valencia's cross, and he was instrumental in the build-up to his penalty, releasing Rashford with a lofted pass into the left channel from inside his own half. He'll hope to make the position his own in the months ahead.

Defensive concerns?

Defensively speaking, United remain a work-in-progress. An injury to Chris Smalling has robbed Mourinho of his most established centre-back, and a partnership of Eric Bailly and Daley Blind looked vulnerable in the first half against Galatasaray.

United were dominating until Galatasaray's equaliser, but Sinan Gumus was completely unmarked when he headed home Wesley Sneijder's free kick from the middle of the United penalty box in the 22nd minute. The Red Devils were carved open again shortly before half-time as they allowed Bruma to drive into the dangerzone and finish beyond De Gea.

Mourinho has insisted the signing of Paul Pogba will be his final move in the summer transfer market, but he might also need to add extra support at the back.

Is Valencia first choice?

Matteo Darmian was United's first-choice right-back for much of last season but Antonio Valencia might have the edge on him now. The Ecuadorian was in fine form in Gothenburg, marauding forward to great effect and setting up three of United's goals with accurate crosses from advanced positions.

Valencia produced the delivery for Ibrahimovic's opener, and he crossed for Rooney and Fellaini to strike in the second half. Darmian was introduced from the bench with around 20 minutes remaining, but the Italian lined up at left-back as Ashley Young took Valencia's place. Darmian is yet to start a pre-season game after his World Cup exertions. With Valencia impressing, he is already playing catch-up.

Work-out boosts Mourinho's men

United lost valuable pre-season game-time when their International Champions Cup clash against Manchester City was cancelled in Beijing on Monday. Eight days had passed since their 4-1 defeat by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai, so this was a much-needed run-out as they step up their preparations for the new campaign.

Mourinho made good use of the opportunity by using 11 substitutes over the course of the 90 minutes. United now return to Manchester for Wayne Rooney's testimonial against Everton on Wednesday, before Sunday's Community Shield showdown against Leicester City at Wembley. After a chaotic tour of China, United look in much better shape.

Credit: Skysports.com

Ibrahimovic: 'Something Big' Happening At Man. United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes "something big" is happening at Manchester United.

The Sweden striker has spoken of his anticipation at the imminent arrival of Paul Pogba, who is understood to be finalising a move to Old Trafford for a fee in excess of £100m.

Ibrahimovic scored with a skillful scissors kick as United thrashed Galatasaray 5-2 on his home soil in Gothenburg on Saturday.

And he told Swedish television station Kanal 5 afterwards: "We have something big going on.

"It looks very interesting. Let's see if Pogba will also (come), then it will be even more interesting."

Ibrahimovic looked more than at home with his new team-mates, having sensationally joined Jose Mourinho's revolution on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.

He has been enjoying training at Carrington, photographed putting in the hard yards and laughing with team-mates, as they prepare to attempt restoring United to the top of English football.

Ibrahimovic - now 35 - is expected to feature in Wayne Rooney's testimonial against Everton on Wednesday.

Credit: Skysports.com

6 Talking Points From Sweden

Manchester United registered a 5-2 win over Galatasaray in Gothenburg on Saturday and ManUtd.com’s Mark Froggatt was at Ullevi Stadium to spot these six talking points...

IT WAS ZLATAN’S TIME
Zlatan Ibrahimovic promised he would give the Swedish fans what they wanted in this match and our new number nine was true to his word. The 34-year-old scored his first goal for the club after only three minutes and 14 seconds, breaking free inside the penalty area to execute an acrobatic overhead kick that sent the ball bouncing into the back of the net. He was substituted at half-time, much to the disappointment of the crowd, but his work was already done. It was definitely Zlatan's time.

VALENCIA THE ASSIST KING
Although much of the attention was on Zlatan, Antonio Valencia quietly left Sweden knowing that he had impressed. The Ecuadorian powerhouse notched three assists from his position at right-back, firstly by supplying the pass from which Ibrahimovic scored, before finding Wayne Rooney for the captain’s second goal in Gothenburg. Marouane Fellaini later headed home from a lofted Valencia cross.

SNEIJDER’S REUNION
Galatasaray playmaker Wesley Sneijder was at Inter Milan when Jose Mourinho was manager and Ibra was the Italian club’s star striker. The Dutchman came up against both former colleagues on Saturday and reminded them of his quality with an excellent assist, when his free-kick set up Sinan Gumus’ first-half header. He also stung the palms of David De Gea with a rasping long-range drive.

MINUTES IN THE LEGS
The biggest positive to take from Scandinavia was an impressive 5-2 win, particularly when you consider United were 2-1 down at half-time, but spare a thought for the subtler details. No fewer than six first-team players made their first appearances under the new manager, clocking up minutes and gaining invaluable match sharpness for when the real action begins at Wembley Stadium next Sunday. In case you’re wondering, the half-a-dozen Mourinho debutants were David De Gea, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini, Anthony Martial and two-goal man of the match Rooney.

REDS ARE ALL WHITE
The match against Galatasaray included one other debut for the club – and that was for the brand new adidas white kit, which was worn for the very first time following its release on Friday morning. It’s a crisp, clean design that provides a welcomed addition to the red home and blue away strips for 2016/17.

ONE MATCH TO GO
Tour 2016, presented by Aon, is now officially over following this entertaining and ultimately convincing victory over Turkey’s most famous club. United’s attention now turns to Wayne Rooney’s testimonial at Old Trafford on Wednesday and that charity fundraiser against Everton is the final outing before the FA Community Shield match against Premier League champions Leicester City. That’s effectively when the new campaign begins and we can’t wait for the action to unfold. Bring it on!

Credit: Manutd.com

Rashford Full Of Optimism

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford was full of optimism following his team’s 5-2 win over Galatasaray in a friendly match at Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg.

The Reds’ no. 19 made an impressive impact on the game after coming on as half-time substitute, in particular in the way he earned the penalty that Wayne Rooney converted for United’s third goal. That was just one of the probing and pacey runs he produced to make life difficult for the Turkish side’s defence.

Marcus told MUTV: “It’s really important to get that first win together as a group, it’s great for us in the build-up to the season. The manager wasn’t concerned [with United being 2-1 down at half-time] and just told us to push and close the space, something we did really well in the second half.

“There’s a lot of optimism, as that is only our second pre-season game as a full squad – it was the first game for some players,” he added. “It is very exciting for both fans and players.”

Rashford also highlighted the contribution of new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who capped his unofficial debut with a splendid goal in only the fourth minute. It offered a tantalising glimpse of what Zlatan’s time at United may have in store for us, while his fellow striker says the Swede's presence is also being felt off the pitch.

“We can definitely all learn from him while he is here, so we all need to take that chance,” Rashford said. “It’s a massive help to be with him every day and it’s great to see what he is like on and off the pitch. There is a lot to learn from him and hopefully I can bring some of his game into mine.”

The 18-year-old finished his accomplished post-match interview with another typically grounded statement. “I’m preparing for the new season now," he said. "There’s no need to rush into anything – I’m taking my time, taking it steady.”

Ibrahimovic Makes Instant Impact

It took a mere three minutes and 14 seconds for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to introduce himself to the Manchester United supporters. #ZlatanTime indeed!

Many came to Gothenburg to worship the Swedish icon and he'd promised MUTV he would not disappoint. It was a moment those in the ground will feel privileged to have witnessed, even though this was a friendly game against Galatasaray.

As Antonio Valencia crossed from the right, there was time to process several thoughts as the incident unfolded. That's an acrobatic attempt by Ibrahimovic... he's hit it into the ground... but it's a good effort... it's in! Like the beaten goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, we were in shock because it was such an immediate impact.

There was plenty else to admire from the new no.9 during United's eventual 5-2 victory and his mere presence is already impressive. The Swede stands out on the pitch and makes himself available, while also moving gracefully and with real poise. There was a raking pass to Henrikh Mkhitaryan that unfortunately found the Armenian offside and a forward pass to Ander Herrera in the centre-circle that was extremely effective.

As the rival fans jousted over the new signing, the United end responded to the Turkish taunts by bellowing 'Zlatan' and he nearly latched onto a sloppy pass by Muslera as he hunted a second goal. In a pre-planned move, he was replaced at the break as one of five changes made by Jose Mourinho.

Ibrahimovic had already made his mark - in style - and we eagerly await seeing him again on Wednesday in Wayne Rooney's Testimonial against Everton. Old Trafford, prepare to welcome a new hero.

Mourinho's Verdict On Swedish Workout

Jose Mourinho assessed Manchester United's 5-2 victory over Galatasaray more in the context of a workout than a win - but admitted he was "very happy" with the evening's events.

Here's what the manager had to say in his post-match interview with MUTV, the official channel which showed the match live direct from Gothenburg...

Preparing for the season is still the priority

"The most important thing was to play, to give minutes to the players. To the ones that played less, they played 30 minutes. To the ones that played the most, they had 60, 65 minutes. They need to play. We lost a week in China and some of the boys who played today, they trained for two days. We made that decision to give them 30 or 45 minutes of the game, feeling that it would be better for them than even a double training session. So that's the most important thing.

"There is not a long time to work, not a long time to change, to implement a couple of new ideas, of new principles of play. Everything at this time is step by step and the reality is that you don't have this time. We have a game against Leicester next weekend and we have the Premier League in a couple of weeks. We need time, we don't have time. The only solution is to train hard and to train against opposition like today is the most important thing we can do.

"So I am happy with the intensity of the game, I am happy with the mistakes we made and I am really happy with the mistakes we made because we work on the mistakes. I am really happy with the good things we did too. I am happy with the spirit, I am happy with the atmosphere but we have to work. So tomorrow is one day off but on Monday we will have a double training session and Wednesday, we are at Old Trafford for Rooney and for our fans. I will do the same as today, I will train 22 players. I don't care for the result too much, I want to give minutes to everyone and that's good, step by step."

Did Ibrahimovic and Rashford show what they can do?

"Of course. I think everyone gave everything to improve. And even with the guys who came on at 4-2, I told them to forget the result, don't play like we are winning 4-2. 'You need this 30 minutes to play high tempo, high intensity, forget the 4-2.' That's what they all tried to do. Of course Marcus did well. Of course Ibra did show glimpses of the things he can bring us. But when I see guys like Fellaini, Martial, Schneiderlin, they trained two days and they can be here. I told them, 'Don't try to go with the intensity of the game, go with an intensity that makes you comfortable.'

"I prefer this way, I prefer that they are on the pitch so I am happy. I am happy with the opposition, they played already six or seven matches so they were in a higher tempo than us. I am happy with it all. And I am happy that out of such a big group we have just Timothy [Fosu-Mensah] and Chris Smalling with little injuries and apart from them, no injuries and everything looks like it's going well."

Did the players who came on demonstrate they want to be in your plans?

"Well if they were not in my plans I would not give them one single minute. I wouldn't keep them in my squad. The squad is very competitive, the squad is very important for the season. The other day I was telling them we have 38 matches in the Premier League, we have the possibility of 15 matches in the Europa League plus the domestic cups. We are going to play 60 matches and you cannot do that with 11 players.

"To be in the squad you have to understand that the squad is more important than the individual, the club is more important than all of us and to be in the squad you have to be ready for this: to play, not to play, play a lot, play less, play 90 minutes, play one minute, not be selected. Everything is part of squad life. And when you want to be in a big club like we are, the club is much more important than us."

Pre-season Friendly: Galatasaray 2 Man. United 5

Manchester United enjoyed the final game of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, in sunny Sweden as a superb second-half showing accounted for Galatasaray at the Ullevi Stadium.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit a wonderful early opener, only for Galatasaray to lead at the interval through Sinan Gumus and Bruma. Wayne Rooney scored twice, one from the spot, to turn the game on its head with Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata also finding the net. Antonio Valencia claimed three assists from the right-back slot while Marcus Rashford again illustrated his outstanding promise.

The early stages were all about Ibrahimovic, afforded a hero's welcome on returning to his homeland. He certainly justified all the attention by launching into an acrobatic bicycle kick to send Valencia's accurate centre bouncing past Fernando Muslera and into the corner of the net.

As the match played out to a soundtrack of an incessant drumbeat, United kept the rhythm going and Muslera was fortunate when his kick hit Ander Herrera but rebounded to safety. Despite rarely threatening up until that point, the Turkish side levelled when Wesley Sneijder swept over a free-kick conceded by Ibrahimovic and Sinan Gumus got his blond head to the ball to place it past David De Gea.

Suddenly, Galatasaray assumed control with De Gea forced to save from Sneijder and Yasin Oztekin. The keeper had no chance, however, when Bruma played a one-two with Gumus and curled in a beauty with five minutes remaining of the first half.

Half-time stats:
Possession: United 37% Galatasaray 65%.
Shots in total: United 3 Galatasaray 7.
Shots on target: United 1 Galatasaray 4.
Corners: United 4 Galatasaray 2.

After Jose Mourinho made five changes at the break, United, playing in the new white kit that is available to buy for the first time on Monday, began to dazzle. Skipper Rooney produced a sweet finish from Valencia's precise cross to the edge of the six-yard box after Rashford fed the Ecuadorian.

A couple of minutes later, Rashford showcased his frightening pace to race onto Rooney's through ball and beat Serdar Aziz. Although it looked like the defender would foul the teenager, instead it was Muslera who impeded his progress and Rooney stepped up to slam in the penalty, low under the keeper.

The Reds were now rampant and a neat move culminated in Valencia hanging up a cross for Fellaini to direct a looping header into the far corner of the net. De Gea had to keep out a clever Oztekin effort that lacked power but United were hungry for more goals and a fifth duly arrived on 74 minutes, shortly after five further substitutions by Mourinho.

Mata's swift turn allowed him to find Michael Carrick and, from a wide position, the midfielder picked out the Spaniard inside the box, enabling Mata to stretch to poke home number five with his left foot. There was no addition to the scoreline but the fans were more than pleased with seven goals and fabulous entertainment in Gothenburg.

Full-time stats:
Possession: United 46% Galatasaray 54%.
Shots in total: United 9 Galatasaray 8.
Shots on target: United 6 Galatasaray 5.
Corners: United 6 Galatasaray 3.

United: De Gea (Romero 67); Valencia (Memphis 67), Bailly (Rojo 67), Blind (Jones 67), Shaw (Darmian 67); Schneiderlin (Carrick 46), Herrera (Fellaini 46); Mkhitaryan (Lingard 46), Rooney (Mata 67), Martial (Young 46); Ibrahimovic (Rashford 46). Sub not used: Johnstone.

Galatasaray: Muslera, Linnes, Chedjou, Hakan (Aziz 46), Carole, Selcuk (Altintop 46), Dzemaili, Yasin (Ismail 85), Sneijder (Emrah 76), Bruma, Sinan (Sabri 85). Subs not used: Cenk, Eray, Salih, Gokay, Birhan, Donk.

Jose 'Desperately Wanted' Embolo

Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel claims that Jose Mourinho was desperate to sign Switzerland international Breel Embolo for Manchester United.

The 19-year-old was snapped up by Bundesliga side Schalke on a five-year deal in June following Switzerland's elimination from Euro 2016.

However, Heidel revealed in an interview with the official Bundesliga website that Embolo had been a target of the Red Devils' boss.

"There are a number of reasons why we signed Embolo," he said.

"First and foremost, there are sporting reasons. It's nothing new that he is a great player. There is a reason why Mourinho desperately wanted to sign him for Manchester United.

"But we also see him as a player the Schalke fans can identify with, a bit like Benedikt Howedes, Leroy Sane and someone like Ralf Fahrmann.

"Embolo had a similar role at Basel, where 80 per cent of the shirts they sold had his name on it. He is very open, is always smiling and makes it easy for people to like him."

The Schalke chief said the decision to snap Embolo up so soon after the European Championship was due to the amount of interest in the teenager from top-flight clubs such as United.

"When we realised there was a possibility that we could miss out on signing him due to other clubs' interest, we had to move fast," Heidel added.

"President Clemens Tonnies happily made his plane available. We flew out to Montpellier at 1300 CET and returned five hours later. We had wrapped up the deal in that short period."

Credit: Skysports.com

Eriksson: Ibrahimovic Could Be 'New Eric Cantona'

Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic can make the same impact at Manchester United as Eric Cantona.

Ibrahimovic swapped French champions Paris Saint-Germain for Old Trafford this summer after months of speculation, and is already attracting much media attention.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho says the former Ajax, Inter Milan and Barcelona superstar is already making his presence felt on the training ground.

And former England boss Eriksson says his fellow countryman could win over the United fans in the same manner Cantona did after joining from Leeds in 1992 - United won the title in Cantona's first season, their first triumph since 1967.

"You can't say for sure, of course, but Zlatan is the same type of charismatic figure as Cantona so it's entirely possible he could have the same effect on United as Cantona had all those years ago," Eriksson, quoted by the Mirror, said.

"I am certain United will hope that is the case and if you buy a player like Zlatan you are getting someone who is capable of inspiring the players around him by the way he performs.

"Cantona did that and helped many of the young players at United at that time.

"Zlatan has had an impact wherever he plays because of his ability and his character so a big club like United is an ideal stage for him."

Credit: Skysports.com

Pogba Signs Manchester United Number Six Shirt As Move Edges Closer

Paul Pogba has been photographed signing a Manchester United number six shirt with his name on the back.

The snap was taken by United fan Jonathan Perkins in Los Angeles, where Pogba has been finishing up his post-Euro 2016 holiday.

Sky sources understand the 23-year-old France international midfielder is close to joining United in a world-record transfer deal in excess of £100m.

Pogba's agent Mino Raiola told Italian paper La Stampa earlier this week that "the deal could be closed within the next week". He is understood to have been in Italy over the last few days finalising the deal.

The transfer has been stalling because of a stand-off between the clubs over who will pay the Raiola's fee. He is demanding some 20m euros for brokering the deal.

Manchester United are currently in Sweden where they will take on Galatasaray in Gothenburg on Saturday.

Credit: Skysports.com

Mkhitaryan Didn't Interest Klopp

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed he was never interested in adding Henrikh Mkhitaryan to his squad when it became clear the Armenia international wanted to leave Borussia Dortmund.

The attacking midfielder was linked to several top clubs earlier on in the summer before being signed by Manchester United for a fee of £26.3m in July.

Klopp had worked with Mkhitaryan during his time as manager of Dortmund but said he did not think the 27-year-old would be a good fit at Anfield.

"I had that player," Klopp told the Liverpool Echo. "If you have had players, you know more about them. You want to learn about other players. That's how it is.

"I knew quite early that he was going this way (to United). There was absolutely no reason for me to jump in there. That isn't how we work."

Liverpool have made seven new signings in preparation for the 2016/2017 season, including Georginio Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, Marko Grujic, Alex Manninger, Lorius Karius, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan.

The German manager said when he was looking for new players, his approach was to seek out players unknown to him, rather than familiar faces.

"We didn't look for players we had already worked with. If you do that, you know their good, their bad and you wonder whether you will do it again," Klopp added. "It's not boring but you know everything about each other so how can you develop? Where is the next step? Where is the next push for development?

"We could have gone for a lot of players. But, first of all, you have to think: what do I need?"

Credit: Skysports.com

United's Swedish Connections

As Manchester United prepare to play in Gothenburg on Saturday for the final match of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, we've compiled a number of the club's connections with Sweden...

First Swedish Red
While Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the fourth Swedish player to join United, the distinction of being the first is held by Jesper Blomqvist. Part of United’s Treble-winning squad, the winger arrived from Italian side Parma in the summer of 1998 and went on to start in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. He was followed to the club by Bojan Djordjic, who was on United's books between 1999 and 2005.

Loan star Larsson
In January 2007, the Reds signed Henrik Larsson on loan, during the close season in his homeland, and the forward played his part by scoring three goals in 13 games across all competitions. Despite not featuring in enough league fixtures to automatically qualify for a title winner's medal, Larsson was granted special dispensation and collected a fantastic memento of his short but sweet time at Old Trafford.

First games in Gothenburg
United played in Sweden in 1955 as part of an end-of-season tour to Scandinavia, with the final game of the tour pitting Matt Busby's side against Gothenburg Alliance. The Reds claimed a 4-2 victory with Johnny Berry (two), Billy Whelan and Jeff Whitefoot scoring the goals. United returned to the same Ullevi stadium in the same circumstances almost exactly one year later, in May 1956, and achieved a similar outcome, this time winning 4-0 with Whelan (two) and Berry joined on the scoresheet by Dennis Viollet.

Last time on Swedish turf
The club’s most recent trip to Sweden was back in 2013, at the end of a tour that also encompassed matches in Thailand, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. David Moyes and his men travelled to Stockholm and played out a 1-1 draw with AIK Fotboll.

Something to play for
As well as friendlies, United have also faced Swedish opposition in competitive action, albeit just four times - the latest of these being in the 1994/95 Champions League group stage. In the first game at Old Trafford, Gothenburg took the lead after 26 minutes but were eventually beaten 4-2. The reverse fixture again had the Swedish side striking first and, this time, with future Reds star Jesper Blomqvist finding the net, they held their nerve to beat Alex Ferguson's side 3-1. Some 30 years earlier, United had drawn 1-1 away to Djurgardens IF before thrashing them 6-1 at Old Trafford in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round.

Sheringham in Sweden
Long before his move to Old Trafford, United legend Teddy Sheringham played for the aforementioned Djurgardens while on loan from Millwall. His time in the Swedish Second Division may well have helped him to become a first choice when he returned to The Den, as he scored 13 goals in 21 matches for his temporary employers and helped them to top the table and gain promotion.

Murphy makes the quarter-finals
Ullevi, where Saturday’s match will take place, was built as a venue for the 1958 World Cup finals. It hosted a number of matches, including the quarter-final when Wales - coached by United's assistant manager Jimmy Murphy and featuring Reds player Colin Webster - were defeated 1-0 by eventual winners Brazil. The decisive goal was scored by Pele, who was then just 17 years old.

Great nights for the Great Dane
The connection with United legends continued when Sweden hosted Euro '92 and Reds goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel helped Denmark to win the tournament. The Great Dane was in fine form as his side beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-final and then famously upset Germany in the final, both at Ullevi.

Credit: Manutd.com

Ibrahimovic Already Exerting His Influence

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already exerting his influence over his new Manchester United colleagues, according to Jose Mourinho.

The manager spoke exclusively to MUTV before flying out with his squad to Gothenburg on Saturday morning with his squad and was asked about his new signings - Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - ahead of the game against Galatasaray.

"With Zlatan you may see someone with a big ego, big self-esteem, but it is in a positive way," said Mourinho. "When he is with the group, he is humble and friendly to everyone – integration is good.

"Zlatan is a fantastic player and, immediately in training, we could feel what I call ‘functional empathy’ - people looking to him, him looking to connect with other players. He is an amazing link player, an amazing player. He could be anything on the pitch, not just a goalscorer.

"Zlatan and Henrikh are fluent in English and in many other languages. They are good guys and experienced guys.

"Eric doesn’t speak English too well. But he speaks French and Spanish which makes it an easy position in this squad with all his team-mates who speak those languages. He is coming up, step by step."

Zlatan Makes Pledge To United Fans

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised Manchester United fans there will be plenty to enjoy about his first appearance for the Reds - against Galatasaray in Gothenburg on Saturday.

The final match of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, is exclusively live on MUTV and, in an interview which will be aired before kick-off, the striker was in a relaxed and upbeat mood after getting to know his new colleagues.

The Swedish striker will be back in his homeland for the Ullevi Stadium clash, which kicks off at 18:30 BST, and he feels any supporters attending the match are in for a treat, with tickets still available at www.ticketmaster.se.

When asked to describe his first days at the Aon Training Complex, he replied: "Positive vibes. They seem to be good guys, quality players, they train very hard and, during the training, are very focused. The coach - he is direct, he is concrete, he says what he wants and the players are adapting. So there are only positive things."

As he prepares for his first outing in the no.9 shirt for the Reds, Ibrahimovic had a message for the supporters in his native Sweden.

"Everybody has been waiting for that moment," he told MUTV. "There has been a lot of talk and to make my debut in my country will feel great. I think the fans are waiting for me to come back and they are waiting to enjoy not only me, but the team as well. Hopefully, we can give them a good game and, at the same time, we are in the preparation. We need to keep focused, to build up the physical part and the conditioning part but we will give them what they want."

Ibrahimovic also touched upon his personal philosophy that has served him so well as he approaches his 35th birthday in October.

"I believe in working hard," he stressed. "Not only in games but even in training. The way you train is the way you play in the games - that’s my philosophy. Working hard, training hard and feeling good. Then you need to get the rhythm by playing games."

Credit: Manutd.com

Jose Previews Swedish Trip

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is pleased with his squad's output this week as he prepares for Saturday's final game of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, against Galatasaray in Gothenburg.

"The players have been fantastic in their attitude," he told MUTV. "We have done a number of double training sessions, but I am not worried about them being tired on Saturday as the reality is we have to work and are looking at the game tomorrow as one more training session because the players need minutes - we will need to recover from that too."

The boss has revealed Chris Smalling and Tim Fosu-Mensah have been left out of the squad due to minor injury concerns.

Smalling is still suffering from a problem that affected him last season while Fosu-Mensah is being monitored carefully as he hopes to continue his progress in the wake of his breakthrough campaign.

The boss also confirmed Smalling will miss the Premier League opener at Bournemouth rather than the Community Shield against Leicester City, contrary to earlier reports. The defender is suspended after picking up a red card in the FA Cup final triumph over Crystal Palace in May.

"Fosu-Mensah is not so much injured," Mourinho told MUTV. "But he has this little thing that we want to be careful with given that he is young. He is separate from the group until he is 100 per cent back.

"Chris Smalling has had a recurrence of an old injury from the previous season. We shall see what happens, but already he is suspended for the first game against Bournemouth."

UNITED SQUAD FOR GALATASARAY FRIENDLY
De Gea, Johnstone, Romero, Valencia, Darmian, Jones, Rojo, Bailly, Blind, Shaw, Herrera, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan, Young, Schneiderlin, Carrick, Mata, Lingard, Memphis, Ibrahimovic, Rooney, Martial, Rashford.

United's Third Kit Unveiled

adidas has today launched the new Manchester United third kit for the 2016/17 season, taking inspiration from the club’s early years as Newton Heath LYR Football Club.

The new kit pays homage to the club’s illustrious history in which it rose from humble beginnings as a local railway workers’ team to become the biggest and best known football club in the world. The transformation from their humble beginnings to the globally renowned “Red Devils” is represented through each of the new 2016/17 kits.

The white kit with black accents takes inspiration from the City of Manchester’s Coat of Arms which features a worker bee, a symbol of the city’s history as a leading-light at the forefront of the UK’s industrial heritage. adidas has incorporated this symbolism into the new design as a Badge of Honour to demonstrate that, through hard work, a ‘never say die’ attitude and the highest of standards, Manchester United has evolved to become pioneers of the international football game. In continuously striving for greatness and success, Manchester United has become the world‘s best supported football club.

The kit will be worn for the first time on Saturday 30 July against Galatasaray in the final match of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, and for United’s first league match against Bournemouth on Sunday 14 August.

Fans can now pre-order the new 2016/17 third kit via United Direct (store.manutd.com) ahead of its worldwide release on 1 August. Alongside the replica jersey, there is also an authentic shirt available, as worn by the players, a long-sleeved version, and shirts specifically for children and women.

Please visit adidas.com/football or go to facebook.com/adidasfootball or follow @adidasUK and @ManUtd on Twitter.

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Rooney: Jose's Been Fantastic

Wayne Rooney says Jose Mourinho has been "fantastic" at getting his message across as Manchester United prepare for the new season.

The England striker admits their plans have been disrupted by a cancelled friendly against Manchester City in China and the advent of international tours in general, but insists training has been "really good".

Rooney, for whom a testimonial against Everton will be held in his honour next week, also believes new signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly have improved the squad, with Paul Pogba expected to follow shortly.

Rooney, who returned to training on Thursday after his post-Euro 2016 break, told Sky Sports News HQ: "Jose's been fantastic.

"Training's been really good and preparation has been going well; you can see why he's been successful with the way he works and how he gets his message across.

"We just want to get to the games now. We've got one in Sweden (against Galatasaray) that I'm forward to. As always, as a footballer, it's exciting to play under a new manager and you're always getting those butterflies to get the new season started.

"The squad looks good too. The signings we've brought in are really good and they'll help us to try and win the Premier League. They've got quality and experience, which is needed, so it's an exciting time to be a United fan.

"When you have a tournament in the summer, the preparation is a bit disrupted for the managers, in a way. Some players come back early, some a few weeks later.

"The testimonial is an extra game for the manager to pick which players he wants and a few might benefit from the game, and I'm sure it's the same for Everton. I'm really looking forward to it."

Rooney's testimonial will not only honour his 12 years of service and 519 appearances but also raise funds for four charities through the Wayne Rooney Foundation.

Speaking from Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool, where he has been visiting children, he said: "Winning trophies are the biggest highlights as a player. My 12 years at United has gone quick and I've enjoyed it.

"There's been highs and lows. Hopefully there'll be a few more highs to come soon in the near future, and I'm grateful to United for giving me the chance to play for them for so many years, and be successful with them; it's what we all want and want to do again soon."

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Rooney: Confidence Is Rising

Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney reckons new manager Jose Mourinho has brought a sense of belief back to the club.

The 53-year-old has arrived at Old Trafford with 17 major trophies on his CV including eight league titles in four countries and two Champions League triumphs with different clubs.

Although Mourinho's predecessor Louis van Gaal won the FA Cup in his final match in charge of United, the team lacked the swagger which brought so much success in the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Rooney is relishing the prospect of challenging for major honours under Mourinho, and is already enjoying the hard work in preparation for the new campaign.

"It's always great to get a new manager but when you get someone in the stature of Jose Mourinho he's great to work under and he's brought a winning mentality back to the club," Rooney said on Manchester radio station Key 103.

"Manchester United as a football club, we have to win and we have to deliver for him.

"There's pressure on the players but we're ready and I think this season we'll give a real challenge on all fronts.

"He's come in, he's been great with the players. The training has been hard but enjoyable. We're ready, we're working hard. We know it's a big season for us.

"He's made, in my opinion, some great signings who have gelled in really well with the squad so it's exciting times."

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old, who needs just five goals to break United's all-time scoring record held by Sir Bobby Charlton, is already looking at life beyond his playing days.

"I've started taking my coaching badges now so that will probably take about four or five years to complete," Rooney said.

"Of course I've got a lot of experience playing football. So I think it would be criminal if I didn't try and pass that knowledge on so hopefully when I finish playing I can get some role as a manager or coach and try and use the experience I've built up over the years."

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United Could Let Schweinsteiger Go

Bastian Schweinsteiger is one of several players Manchester United are open to selling this summer, according to Sky sources.

The German midfielder could be allowed to leave Old Trafford as new manager Jose Mourinho reshapes his first team squad.

He was left out of the United squad for Saturday's friendly with Galatasaray in Gothenburg.

Sky sources also understand 23-year-old forward Will Keane could leave the club.

Mourinho will continue to assess his squad before deciding on further departures.

Schweinsteiger announced his retirement from international football on Friday, having made 120 appearances for his national side, and was a key part of Germany's World Cup triumph in 2014.

Louis van Gaal bought him to Manchester United from Bayern Munich for £6.5m in July 2015. He has made 31 appearances for the club, scoring once.

Schweinsteiger is one of the most decorated players in Bayern history, having won eight league titles and seven German cups during his 13-year career there, as well as the Champions League.

Last season's FA Cup was his sole trophy with Manchester United.

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More Pitch Problems For United

Manchester United could be asked to play on another sub-standard pitch in their latest pre-season match in Sweden, on Saturday.

United are due to take on Galatasaray in Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium - just days after a Bruce Springsteen concert.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to make his United debut in the game which was announced just days before he signed for the club in June.

Their final match of United's tour of China - against Manchester City - was called off on Monday following concerns over the pitch at the 'Birds Nest' Stadium in Beijing.

United boss Jose Mourinho was scathing about the playing surface which had a fungal problem and had been further damaged by heavy rain declaring: "My only objective is to take the players home safe and without injury. These are no conditions to play a good game of football."

And he is unlikely to be impressed with the state of the pitch in Gothenburg with both goalmouths and centre circle showing visible signs of wear following Wednesday's Springsteen show.

There is no indication the game is under threat and workers are continuing to construct temporary stands at either end of the stadium ahead of the match.

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How Pogba's Manchester United Stay Helped Him Develop

In conversation with former Manchester United youth coach Paul McGuinness, Adam Bate examines how the learning culture at the club helped Paul Pogba develop into a star.

It might have been Paul McGuinness's first summer since his 28-year stay at Manchester United came to an end, but he had no appetite for a break from football. Instead, the former United youth coach travelled to France to see some of the club's 13 graduates in action.

He took particular pleasure in James Chester's performances for Wales at Euro 2016. But the first game that McGuinness saw was the hosts' opener against Romania in the Stade de France. His former charge Paul Pogba was expected to be the star of the show for France.

He had his moments. There was a fine volley and a spectacular angled through-ball. But Didier Deschamps dropped Pogba for the next game amid talk he attempted too much. For McGuinness, it's the memories of the 16-year-old who arrived from Le Havre that endure.

"He's still developing," McGuinness tells Sky Sports, his protective instincts as attuned as ever. "Everyone thinks he has to be the finished article but he's only 23. There are things to work on but the potential is massive. He's fantastic physically and has incredible skills.

"The likes of Zinedine Zidane didn't become a real force until later on. You have to find your whole game. He's already there at the top but there's also the prospect of what he could become if he carries on working hard. He really could become a special player."

The journey to becoming that special player began in earnest at Old Trafford. After joining the club in 2009, Pogba became one of the stars of a strong youth team that included Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison. Under McGuinness, they won the 2011 FA Youth Cup.

One of the players in that squad, John Cofie, insists McGuinness deserves much of the credit for aiding Pogba's development but - ever the team man - he gives such words short shrift. "I don't know about that," says McGuinness. Too many others played their part as well.

There was Jim Ryan, the veteran United man who was the club's director of youth football at the time. "Jim was closely involved with Paul in bringing him over and scouting him," adds McGuinness, now 50. "He had a close eye on his development."

There was Warren Joyce, United's reserve-team coach who focused on making Pogba a better player once at Carrington. "Warren really challenged him and pushed him too so he could become someone who could defend and attack."

The truth is that player development at United at that time was not about any individual but the culture that had been created. It stemmed from Sir Alex Ferguson giving coaches the freedom and security to provide an environment in which players could express themselves.

McGuinness, whose father Wilf succeeded Sir Matt Busby as United manager, is steeped in that tradition. "The part we played was that we encouraged the skills you see now," he explains. They are the skills of the playground but there's more to it than that.

"People think it was street football but that wasn't the case," he explains. "We focused on all aspects of the game. But we did believe that developing skills in a playful environment was good for them. We had several sessions a week in which they were encouraged to play.

"They'd go in a cage in large numbers and we'd mix the age groups. Paul was a bit of a Pied Piper in there, looking after the young kids and patting them on the head. They all looked up to him and tried to copy him. It was a real melting pot and there were so many clever skills.

"There was another session we'd have on a hard floor of the gym. It was a relaxing session when they were tired. It would start off slow but then Ravel would do something, then Pogba would do something and then the next one would do something.

"It turned into a competition. Sometimes it would just go into overdrive with these super-fast skills because they all wanted to show that they were the best. Some of the stuff was amazing. It was real high-level skills on display.

"You'd see Paul flicking the ball over someone's head and then dragging the ball back with the sole of his foot. The fact that as coaches we were relaxed and weren't judging everything that was going on was just perfect for encouraging these skills.

"We didn't teach Paul those skills. He had them before he came and was already high class in those things. But that environment encouraged him. If you want players to show disguise and feints you can't really coach that. They have to just try it."

As McGuinness points out, when one tries it then others will follow. "They'll see something that Ravel does and then they'll try to copy it," he continues. "One of the young ones will copy Pogba. That training encourages the development of those skills.

"Younger lads learn by osmosis. It takes time. For the first few weeks they are on the sides and after a while they get in the middle. That's because if they're ambitious, which is what you want, they want to be there in the middle with Ravel or Pogba combining with them.

"Then there'll be younger ones than them who want to learn off them. It's a cycle because they become the big man that everyone's copying because they're showing what they've learnt from the older boys."

McGuinness's garden leave following his United exit comes to an end in August, at which point he plans to get back to work. In the meantime, he's been giving talks to the Football Association and fellow coaches explaining this virtuous cycle that can be developed.

"I'm trying to impress on people the need to create that culture," he says. "Everyone is saying that this is what the under-17s to under-21s are missing, that they're not playing with the senior pros. But it's the same with a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old."

And what better example than Paul Pogba, the player who has since become a star for Juventus and France. "Certainly that culture helped him," says McGuinness. Perhaps Pogba will soon get the chance to return the favour and inspire another wave of young talent at Carrington.

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Pogba's Agent Finalising Midfielder's Move To Manchester United

Paul Pogba's agent is holding further talks with Juventus to finalise the player's move to Manchester United, according to Sky sources in Italy.

The transfer has been stalling because of a stand-off between the clubs over who will pay the fees of Pogba's representative Mino Raiola.

Raiola is demanding 20m euros for brokering the deal and he is now meeting the Italian champions for further talks.

Pogba left Old Trafford for Serie A four years ago but is understood to have reached agreement over his personal terms.

As well as around 13m euros net per season by way of salary, the 24-year-old will also receive another 7m euros a year in image rights.

Raiola had travelled to meet Pogba during his holiday in Miami following France's 1-0 defeat in the final of Euro 2016 to hold discussions with the midfielder.

The agent - who also represents new United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic - is now in Italy and met with Juve officials on Thursday.

He is believed to have been finalising the last details of a move expected to break the world record transfer fee should it go through.

United have already made three summer signings, with Eric Bailly and Henrik Mkhitaryan joining Ibrahimovic in manager Jose Mourinho's squad.

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Sky Sources: Manchester United Open To Will Keane Offers During Transfer Window

Manchester United are willing to listen to offers for Will Keane during the transfer window, according to Sky sources.

The 23-year old made two appearances for United's first team last season and also had a loan spell at Preston.

Sky sources understand Keane is valued at around £1m, and five clubs have enquired about the striker.

Keane scored the first goal of Jose Mourinho's reign as United manager during the 2-0 pre-season friendly win at Wigan Athletic.

The former England Under-21 international was taken on United's week-long tour of China, which saw only one game against Borussia Dortmund played after their fixture against rivals Manchester City was called off, but was one of only two substitutes who did not come off the bench against last season's Bundesliga runners-up.

Before his spell at Preston, Keane has had loan stints at Wigan, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday in the last three seasons. He now finds himself low down on Mourinho's list of strikers at Old Trafford.

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Is Paul Pogba Worth The Money?

Manchester United would not be getting the finished article in Paul Pogba but that should be a cause for excitement rather than concern. From his early days at Old Trafford through to his years in Italy, the Pogba story is one of continual improvement, writes Adam Bate.

Jose Mourinho has already had a taste of the noise that can surround Manchester United. So many club legends, so many opinions. As Mourinho put it, these icons have the opportunity to "create a more difficult situation" given the influence that they wield.

Perhaps it was Paul Scholes who Mourinho had in mind given that the United great had recently spoken out over the proposed fee to be paid to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford. "I just don't think he is worth £86m," said Scholes, in typically forthright fashion.

"For that sort of money, you want someone who is going to score 50 goals a season like Ronaldo or Messi. Pogba is nowhere near there yet." Understandably, the headlines followed. But perhaps the key word in that sentence was the last one. Nowhere near there yet.

For while Pogba's talent has never been in doubt, not since well before he arrived United from Le Havre as a 16-year-old in 2009, his tale is one of hard work too. Hours spent in the gym and on the training ground, and the continuous improvement that those efforts have brought.

Speaking recently to Pogba's old youth coach at United, Paul McGuinness, it's clear that not everyone is so concerned about the player not yet being the finished article. "You can't be that at 23," McGuinness told Sky Sports. "So you're paying for the potential."

For McGuinness, that "potential is massive" for Pogba to become a "special player". In fact, the excitement over Pogba's possible arrival should partly be because he isn't at the top of his game yet. Especially given that the Frenchman has a history of surpassing even high expectations.

Former United player Gary Neville is among many who have pointed out that Pogba wasn't considered quite as good as Ravel Morrison among the group that McGuinness took to FA Youth Cup success in 2011. But while Morrison has made little impact at Lazio, Pogba has emerged as a star at Juventus.

Again, the theme has been one of progress. "Pogba is a great player," Juve icon Alessandro Del Piero told Sky Sports last year. "He has a rare talent and is unique. He has great mobility and technique, combined with an impressive physicality. And he is improving."

Pogba arrived in Italy as someone who, according to McGuinness, "would float out of games and whose positional play wouldn't quite be there" but there were positive signs as well. He scored five times, picked up a Serie A winners' medal but was learning along the way.

"That first year in Turin wasn't all easy for Pogba," recalls Valentina Fass, a reporter for Sky in Italy. "He had to learn to combine talent with discipline. Antonio Conte famously didn't line him up for a match (against Pescara) because he had been late to two training sessions.

"But the strong relationship he built with some of the French speakers in the team helped him. There were guys like Patrice Evra and, more recently, Mario Lemina. From the second season onwards he became part of the first team and started to grow and improve year on year."

He has been used as a regista operating in front of the defence, was given the No 10 shirt in 2015, and was even asked to play from the left side at times - a victim of his own versatility. But it also brought a completeness. Pogba has developed throughout all of these experiences.

Consider the numbers behind his progress and it's truly remarkable. In Serie A last season, Pogba ranked among the top 20 players in the country for goals and for shots; for assists, chances created and through-balls; for dribbles and for tackles.

Despite already being an established star, this was his best season so far on all seven of those metrics. In fact, Pogba had more assists last season than in his entire league career prior to that combined. For the fourth year in a row, the frequency of his chance creation increased.

There were also signs of Pogba embracing his positional responsibilities. While still getting around the pitch to put in tackles, he was dribbled past less regularly than in the three previous campaigns - once every 125 minutes. The maturity is coming.

So is he now the midfielder who has everything? Is he, as former Juventus defender Lilian Thuram suggested in September, the trascinatore - literally, the feeder - serving his team up and down the pitch in attack and defence? With help, he's getting there.

"Even at 23 you don't have everything," said McGuinness. "What you need is an old head alongside you pointing you in the right direction." At United he had the best teachers around, with his Premier League debut coming alongside that man Scholes.

It was a similar story in Turin. "He landed at Juventus as a 19-year-old to learn from Andrea Pirlo," added Fass. "He has had some of the best midfielders in the world teaching him with Pirlo, Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio."

However, perhaps the key man to learn from now is not on the field but off it. Mourinho might have passionately defended his youth development record but it's taking players to the next level that's his real strength. It's that skill of transforming potential into consistency.

John Terry was 23 when he first played under Mourinho and became a club icon. Pogba could soon have the chance to do the same back at the club where it all began. At £86m, not every United legend is backing him. But maybe he'll become one of those legends himself - if he continues that happy habit of improving.

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Inside Pogba's Early Years

Paul Pogba didn't start a single senior game before leaving Manchester United in 2012, but he made a lasting impression in their youth teams. As United chase a world record deal to bring the midfielder back to Old Trafford, Sky Sports speak to his old academy team-mates and coaches…

It was a Premier League meeting with bottom-of-the-table Blackburn that proved the final straw for a teenage Paul Pogba at Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson's options were depleted by injuries and suspensions when Steve Kean's side came to Old Trafford on New Year's Eve in 2011, and Pogba saw it as a perfect opportunity for his first start.

The teenager was a rising star who was growing frustrated with a lack of first-team chances after winning the FA Youth Cup with United's U18s seven months previously. He felt he was ready to make the step up, but he watched on as an unused substitute against Blackburn as Ferguson opted for a makeshift central midfield partnership of Rafael Da Silva and Park Ji-sung.

United lost the game 3-2, and the sight of a right-back playing in his favoured position convinced Pogba that his future lay elsewhere. "It was a very, very difficult moment for me because I was in love with Manchester and I was a Mancunian," said Pogba. "I'd lost the relationship that I had with the coach. I was really disappointed."

The Frenchman made his move to Juventus on a free transfer that summer. A disappointed Ferguson accused him of showing a lack of respect, but four consecutive Serie A titles and over 200 senior appearances later, United are willing to go to record-breaking lengths to bring him back.

Pogba will return to very different surroundings from those he walked out on in 2012, but his acrimonious exit did not colour perceptions for those who knew him best. Pogba was a popular figure who integrated seamlessly in United's academy after his arrival from Le Havre in 2009, and his comments on being "in love with Manchester" ring true to his former FA Youth Cup-winning team-mates.

"He was always happy," striker John Cofie, who left the club the year after Pogba, tells Sky Sports. "His English wasn't the best at first but he was just a chatty, confident guy, and obviously he was confident in his football too. He believed in his ability and he believed in himself, so it was quite easy for him to fit in with the group.

"I was quite close to him," adds Cofie. "I used to go to his place quite a lot and he used to come to mine. In that dressing room we were all good friends." Pogba and Cofie's age group included Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard, and their FA Youth Cup success in 2011 was overseen by Paul McGuinness, an academy coach who spent 28 years at United.

"I know Paul has fond memories of that time," McGuinness tells Sky Sports. "Not long ago Adnan Januzaj had him on the phone doing FaceTime and he was chatting to us. He still keeps in touch with the guys from that time. There were a lot of talented players in that group who were pushing him to become a better player every day."

Pogba's ability was obvious from the start. Defender Sean McGinty, now building his career at Torquay United, recalls the excitement that greeted his arrival. "I actually played against him for Republic of Ireland U17s against France in the summer before he signed for us," he tells Sky Sports.

"You could tell he was a bit special. He was a big lad, not as big as he is now, he's really put some muscle on, but you could tell in that game that there was something about him. He was fantastic. When Man United announced they'd signed him I thought, wow, this could be a special year for the academy."

Pogba's precocious talent made waves in United's youth set-up, and Cofie chuckles at the memory of his natural skill. "Going to training and playing with him day-in, day-out was something else," he says. "What he could do with the ball was just madness. He could do extraordinary things, but he worked hard, too."

Pogba was painted as a petulant kid with ideas above his station when he left United, but speaking to those who worked most closely with him, a picture emerges of an attitude to match the talent. "He's got a very good character about him," says McGinty. "He had a good laugh with us, but when he stepped over that white line he was 100 per cent.

"You could just see the class about him. That's probably one of the main reasons he's gone on to do what he's done. He was in the gym, he was last out of training, and he was always doing his free kicks and practicing penalties. You see him on the telly when he's curling one in the top corner. You could see that three or four years ago when he was just on the training pitch."

For McGuinness, too, he was a pleasure. "Paul had a really nice attitude and everybody liked him, but when it came to training he was deadly serious," he says. "If somebody took the ball off him, he came alive to take it back off them. He wanted to show he was the boss so everyone knew he was the top man. He was a dedicated player."

Pogba shared the limelight with Morrison in United's academy. McGuinness recalls the pair trying to outdo each other's "super-fast" skills in training, and it was a similar story on the pitch. "At the time it was between him and Ravel Morrison," says McGinty. "Ravel would go out and score two, then Pogba would go and score two in the next game."

United's academy coaches viewed Morrison as the more "natural" talent, but there was a crucial difference between the pair. "With Pogba, you could just see the class about him," says McGinty. "That's probably one of the main reasons he's gone on to do what he's done and Ravel's not done quite what was expected of him.

"Obviously they're different players and they've gone on to do different things, but Pogba's whole attitude was spot on. Maybe Ravel went down the road of having a bit of a bad boy thing about him, but Pogba did everything right. There were never any problems with his off-field antics or anything like that."

Four years on from those early years in United's academy, and Pogba stands on the brink of becoming the world's first £100m player. The FA Youth Cup-winning team have drifted in different directions since 2011, but Pogba's rise was entirely predictable to those who knew him.

"What he has done and what he's doing now is no surprise whatsoever," says Cofie. "What happened, happened, but everyone knows the talent he's got. If he does return, they will benefit massively." It's still an if, but United might not have to wait much longer to find out.

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Zidane Quiet On Paul Pogba's Potential Move

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane has refused to be drawn on a potential move for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

The 23-year-old is understood to be in advanced talks with Manchester United about a return to Old Trafford, four years after he left to play in Serie A.

However, the move is apparently stalling over a stand-off regarding who pays his agent's fee, potentially opening the door for Real.

Asked about a move for Pogba on his side's pre-season trip to the United States, Zidane said: "I do not know, so far we are here (Columbus) working.

"Until August 31 anything can happen. He is not yet a Madrid player. We cannot talk about what will happen.

"The question is direct and I always say things. But now is not the time to talk about it. Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great player and when you're with Madrid you always want the best. Now you have to respect some things, he is a Juve player, today I cannot say anything."

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Mkhitaryan Driven By Memory Of Late Father

Henrikh Mkhitaryan says the memory of his late father drives him to be the best player he can be.

The 27-year-old arrived at Manchester United earlier this summer in a £26.3m deal from Borussia Dortmund having been voted Bundesliga Player of the Season.

Mkhitaryan's father, Hamlet, was also a footballer, but died of a brain tumour at just 33 and the midfielder is determined to do his family proud.

"He was my drive, so he was my motivation because when I was young he was playing football professionally and I was always dreaming to go with him to the training ground," he said.

"It was my dream to continue his work and also be a football player. I hope he is proud looking at me from the sky. I try to do everything to make him proud.

"It is very difficult when you grow up without a father, because in the family you don't have a real man who can give you direction and discipline. My mother was my mother and my father."

Mkhitaryan added 15 assists and 11 goals in Germany last season and says his move to the Premier League is a dream come true.

"It's one of the teams I was supporting when I was a child," he added. "I was always proud of the way they were playing, so it's a dream to play for them."

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Mane Confirms Man. United Interest

Sadio Mane has revealed there was interest in him from Manchester United prior to his transfer to Liverpool.

The winger moved to Anfield from Southampton for a fee which could rise to £36m as he became one of six summer additions to Jurgen Klopp's squad.

Mane had previously been the subject of interest from Old Trafford, and although no official bid was made, he felt Liverpool was the right move for him.

"Yes, it was true (Manchester United were interested)," he said.

"There was interest from a lot of clubs, not just Manchester United, but as soon as I knew Liverpool were interested I just felt it was the right club with the right coach. It was right for me to come here.

"Liverpool are a massive club with a big history that has won many trophies over the years and as soon as I was told of the possibility to come here and I knew the manager wanted me I said yes.

"It was the right move. I recognise the size of the club and to progress to another level as a player this was the club and the moment for me. It was a step I needed to make."

Mane insists he is not concerned about the pressure of his fee, which at an initial £32m makes him the Liverpool's third most expensive signing behind Andy Carroll (£35m) and Christian Benteke (£32.5m), and could potentially see him become their record purchase.

"It's football isn't it? That's the game these days," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"The thing for me is not to focus on the fee. I just have to focus on what I can do in the games and in training."

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Larsson: Zlatan Can Bring United Back To The Top

Henrik Larsson believes his former Sweden strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic can take Manchester United back to "where it belongs" - at the top.

Larsson enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at Old Trafford in 2007 and feels age will not be an issue for Ibrahimovic who, at 34, is slightly younger than his fellow centre-forward was nine years ago.

United's summer signing could make his eagerly-awaited debut in Saturday's friendly against Galatasaray in Gothenburg, live on MUTV, and expectations are high for the world-class attacker.

"Zlatan is gigantic in Sweden," Larsson told ManUtd.com in an exclusive interview. "He is the number one. Everyone knows of him and everyone knows about him. There are going to be a lot of people interested to see him as well.

"I think everybody has seen him play but, for a man that big to have the technique he has and the skills he has, it’s a pleasure to watch. So I have to hope everything goes well now when he comes to Manchester United. Hopefully, he can bring United back to where it belongs."

Asked whether Zlatan's age could count against him in the physically-demanding Premier League, Larsson replied: "No, I don’t think so. He’s a fit guy. He takes care of his body so that won’t be a problem.

"I hope everything goes well because United deserves it and he deserves every good thing that is happening to him. He’s Sweden’s biggest footballer ever and to see him join United, yes, it was a pleasure."

The current Helsingborgs manager was asked if he agrees with Jose Mourinho's assertion that playing in England will be Ibrahimovic's biggest challenge.

"Yes, it is a huge challenge," replied Larsson. "It’s one of the best leagues, if not the best league in the world, and it has a lot of players with quality. So you need to perform week in and week out.

"There are also the English cups to play in and you want to be able to do something in Europe as well so there are going to be a lot of games. But, as I said, he’s fit and he likes to train. You have got a great physical department at United as well so I’m sure everybody is going to make it happen in the best possible way for the club.

"What I remember of him, although it was a long time ago when we played, was that he used to train hard and train well. I expect he’s still doing that, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to play football at that level at that age."

Ibrahimovic admits he revered his older team-mate Larsson as a "god" when breaking into the international arena alongside him. Naturally, the former Celtic and Barcelona star played down his personal contribution in helping the raw youngster adapt to the big stage.

"We took care of all the new players when they came to the national team," he insisted. "That is what the other players did for me when I first came and is what we tried to do all the time. It’s common sense - when you want to achieve good things together, you need to be together. I made sure with the others that he felt welcome when he came in and I think that is the way it should be, especially when you’re playing in a team sport."

United's new signing is clearly a global icon with a huge following as his popularity transcends his native Sweden and even the clubs he plays for. For Larsson, this is a result of all the hard work his former colleague has put into his career as he looks to make a real impact in England.

"I think when a footballer has reached a certain level it’s not having somebody handing it to you but a question of work ethic from the player," added Larsson.

"He’s been working hard and that is why he has got all the success and all the adulation from fans all over the world. I think [following individual players] is the way society is going with all the different kinds of access to the players. You have the internet and social media of course, and everyone can watch football every day. It’s a lot easier to follow somebody's career now than it used to be."

Larsson Looking Forward To United's Visit

Former Manchester United striker Henrik Larsson is keen to see more of Jose Mourinho's new-look side, starting with Saturday's match in Gothenburg against Galatasaray.

The Reds face the Turkish giants in Sweden on the concluding leg of Tour 2016, presented by Aon, and Larsson will keep abreast of the action despite his commitments as manager of Helsingborgs.

"United are big here, as they've always been," he told ManUtd.com. "It’s in Gothenburg and I was at the game when United played Barcelona there a few years back. There were a lot of spectators then and I expect it’s going to be the same again this time around.

"I still try to watch United as much as I can, whenever it doesn’t clash with one of my own games here. I definitely try to watch as much as I can."

Marcus Rashford is likely to be involved in Sweden after his substitute appearance against Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai and Larsson, who played 13 games on loan for United in 2006/07, is keen to see how the young forward develops following his fairytale breakthrough season.

"I’ve seen a little bit of Marcus Rashford and he looks exciting," enthused the former Red. "It is just a question of bringing him from talented prospect to a fully-fledged star."

Larsson's son Jordan is a few months older than Rashford and the 19-year-old Helsingborgs prospect is another forward who appears to have a bright future.

"I think he's doing okay," explained Larsson Snr. "He's been scoring some goals for us and is developing in the right direction so that's good.

"I enjoy what I’m working with at Helsingborgs. It’s challenging, it’s fun and it’s frustrating sometimes because you want to win as much as possible. We haven’t been able to win that much at the moment but we’re looking to bounce back and make all of the Helsingborgs supporters proud."

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United Stars Show Dedication

Manchester United's players returned from China and immediately reported for work at the Aon Training Complex on Tuesday morning.

Despite the 11-hour flight from Beijing and the disappointment of the cancellation of the Manchester City game, Jose Mourinho's squad trained between 6:30 and 8:30 BST rather than heading straight home.

The session will help partially compensate for losing the 90 minutes against City and Mourinho told ManUtd.com: "They are a great group of boys and the intensity of the session shows they are very professional in their outlook."

Such a dedicated approach bodes well for the upcoming campaign as United begin life in the Premier League under the new manager on 14 August at Bournemouth.

The next leg of Tour 2016 presented by Aon is the trip to Gothenburg to face Galatasaray on Saturday, with the action live on MUTV. Further matches follow against Everton, in Wayne Rooney's Testimonial, on 3 August and Leicester City, in the Community Shield, on 7 August.

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Pogba's Move To Manchester United Stalling Over Agent's Fee

Paul Pogba's move from Juventus to Manchester United is stalling over a stand-off regarding who pays his agent's fee, according to Sky in Italy.

The France midfielder is understood to be in advanced talks with United about a return to Old Trafford, four years after he left to play in Serie A.

While agreement on his personal terms has been reached, neither club seem willing to pay the 20m euros fee Pogba's agent Mino Raiola wants for brokering the deal.

It is the sole sticking point which is preventing Jose Mourinho from completing the last of the four key signings he wishes to make ahead of his debut campaign in Manchester.

Reporter Valentina Fass told Sky Sports News HQ's Transfer Centre: "Paul Pogba is really in advanced talks with Manchester United.

"They seem to have found an agreement with the player. He should be getting 13m euros net per season plus 7m euros a year for image rights.

"The main problem is the amount that the two clubs have to exchange because of the agent's fee.

"The agent himself was in Miami with the player. Pogba is still on holiday at the moment and should meet up with the Juventus team at the beginning of August.

"Raiola went to Miami to discuss further the issues because it is understood the fee for him should be really high, something around 20m euros just for the agent.

"What has to be decided is who pays the fee because Juventus doesn't want to pay the fee.

"Manchester United, at the moment, doesn't want to pay that amount of money when it's already spending 110m euros for the player."

Mourinho has acted decisively in the market this summer, signing Eric Bailly from Villarreal, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The proposed Pogba deal is dragging out longer than anticipated and the United manager has insisted he has other options he could pursue if required.

Among those linked with a switch to the former Premier League champions as an alternative is Blaise Matuidi of Paris St-Germain.

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United Arrive Home From Pre-season Tour Of China

Manchester United have arrived home following their pre-season tour of China.

The tour ended in disappointing fashion when Manchester United's friendly against Manchester City in Beijing was cancelled because of the state of the pitch.

Around 50,000 fans were left disappointed by the cancellation of the Manchester derby on Monday, but it will have come as a relief to Jose Mourinho, who feared playing on the hazardous pitch could have led to injuries.

United's players are now scheduled to have Tuesday and Wednesday off before returning to training on Thursday to prepare for Saturday's friendly with Galatasaray in Gothenburg.

New signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic is scheduled to join up with his new team-mates this week after being granted an extended holiday following Euro 2016.

The club have not yet announced whether he will feature in the match in his native Sweden this weekend but the expectation is it may come too soon for the 34-year-old.

Following the trip to Sweden, United will complete their pre-season schedule with a clash against Everton at Old Trafford on August 3 in Wayne Rooney's testimonial.

The Red Devils then head to Wembley on August 7 to take on Leicester City in the FA Community Shield, before beginning their Premier League campaign with a trip to Bournemouth a week later.

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Legends Excited By Zlatan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to train with his new Manchester United team-mates for the first time following their return from China, and ahead of Saturday evening's friendly against Galatasaray in his native Sweden.

The 34-year-old striker joined the Reds on a free transfer on 1 July and was granted an extended holiday by manager Jose Mourinho, following a long season with former club Paris Saint-Germain that was extended by his participation at this summer’s European Championship in France.

After sitting out United’s pre-season trip to China, Ibrahimovic is scheduled to train with the group on Thursday. It is presumed the Reds' new no.9 will then travel with the squad to Gothenburg for this weekend’s match at Ullevi Stadium.

Bryan Robson is excited about Zlatan’s arrival and he hopes the Swede can make a similar impact to Robin van Persie, who joined United during the latter stages of his career in 2012 and famously scored 30 goals in his debut season to help Sir Alex Ferguson’s team win the Premier League title.

“Zlatan is 34 and it would have been nice to get him at 28 or 29, something like that, but the way he played for PSG last year showed he has a lot to offer still and he looks really fit,” Robson told MUTV.

“I think back to Sir Alex’s last year when everybody talked about Robin van Persie’s age and his injuries when he joined, but he won us the title with his goals that season. Hopefully Zlatan can do the same.

“He will take the pressure off Wayne Rooney as well. Every time we’ve had a bad result the excuse is that Wayne didn’t play particularly well. The pressure has always been on him to perform and Zlatan will take that away from Wayne a wee bit, so Wayne can relax and enjoy his game.

"Zlatan gave a great interview when the reporter told him that he’d previously described himself as 10 out of 10 and asked how he would rate himself now… Zlatan said 11 out of 10!"

Ji-sung Park worked alongside Robson on the club's trip to China, and the former Korea Republic captain agrees that Ibrahimovic’s confident personality will benefit the dressing room.

“Yeah I think the club needs a big character like him,” Park told us. “He has a lot of experience and then he can show his character in the dressing room and on the pitch. He can influence the players and particularly the young players. They can learn a lot from him and then show it on the pitch.”

What's Gone Wrong During Manchester United's Tour Of China

Manchester United's tour of China took another turn for the worse as their International Champions Cup clash with Manchester City was called off due to concerns over the state of the pitch in Beijing.

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola's sides were due to play at the Bird's Nest Stadium at 12.30pm, but the pitch was deemed unplayable after rain overnight.

It was the latest stroke of bad luck for United. From their heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund to the abandoned Manchester derby, we look at what's gone wrong...

Dortmund defeat

United's tour started with a 4-1 thrashing by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai on Friday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ousmane Dembele and Gonzalo Castro were on target for the Bundesliga outfit, with United's consolation goal coming from their new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The scoreline was far from ideal for their first major friendly under Mourinho, but the new manager put it down to differences in preparation. Dortmund had already played four summer friendlies, while United's only match action had come with a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic.

"I know that in pre-season the team that is in the advanced stage of preparation looks far better than the other team," he said. "If we did not know, I think after 10 minutes we know that one team started training 10 days ago and played one match and the other team started one month ago and already played four matches."

Emergency landing

United chartered two flights from Shanghai to Beijing for the second leg of their tour on Saturday, but their plans were disrupted when one of the planes was forced to make an emergency landing due to adverse weather conditions around Beijing.

The events were described in a video posted by Memphis Depay on Facebook. "We're lost somewhere," he said. "We had to make a quick landing. We tried to fly to Beijing but the weather is a little bit bad so we had to land somewhere else. Now we're waiting until the weather gets a little bit easier so we can land."

While the first group landed on schedule to have their evening meal in the hotel, Mourinho later revealed the second group did not arrive until 1am on Sunday.

Venue change

United were scheduled to train at the Bird's Nest Stadium on their first day in Beijing, but in order to protect the playing surface they were hastily moved to the Olympic Sports Centre some four miles away.

This caused further complications, with Mourinho forced to hold his pre-match press briefing on the side of the stadium pitch due to stifling heat inside the overcrowded conference room where journalists were waiting to hear from the United manager.

Mourinho then voiced his concerns over the Bird's Nest pitch. "I think Beijing is unlucky because the pitch is very bad," he said. "My only objective is to take the players home safe and without injury. These are no conditions to play a good game of football."

He also admitted he couldn't wait to return to Manchester and begin training with his full squad.

Game called off

After more torrential rain, the decision was taken to call off the game on Monday morning, with United confirming the news on their website. "Due to recent weather events, tournament organisers and participating clubs have made the decision to cancel the International Champions Cup fixture to be played in Beijing tonight, 25 July," it read.

United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward added: "It's extremely disappointing not to be able to play the game in this amazing stadium but the recent torrential rain would have caused problems anywhere in the world and has left the pitch unplayable.

"We know our fans in China will, like the players and staff, be saddened by the cancellation of the match but I am sure they appreciate that the player safety has to be the top priority. I am sure we will return to the Bird's Nest in the future to give them the chance to see the team in action."

United will fly back to Manchester on Sunday evening having only played one game in China. Their next fixture is a friendly against Galatasaray in the Swedish city of Gothenburg on Saturday, with Wayne Rooney's testimonial against Everton on August 3 their only other game before the Community Shield against Leicester on August 7 and the Premier League kick-off against Bournemouth on Sunday, August 14.

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Secrets Of Reds' New Home Kit

Details in Manchester United's new adidas home shirt are a nod to both the club's geography and history, the kit’s designer has revealed.

Inigo Turner, who works in adidas's licensed football department, has explained some of the inspirations for the two-tone red 2016/17 shirt which was released worldwide on Saturday and launched officially by Jose Mourinho and his players at a special event in Shanghai, China.

"We looked back into the history of Manchester United shirts," said Turner, "and decided it was a good time to refer to the half-and-half design which was first worn by Newton Heath for the club's first-ever jersey.

"The honeycomb graphic is inspired by the coat of arms of Manchester. Within the coat of arms, there's the worker bee. The worker bee symbolises how Manchester United sees itself as a football club and the attributes that the players need to have when they go out on the field of play."

Rooney Hopes To Form Zlatan Partnership

Wayne Rooney is set to train with Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the first time on Thursday and the Manchester United captain is looking forward to working with the iconic Swedish striker.

Ibrahimovic joined the Reds on 1 July but did not fly to China for Tour 2016, presented by Aon, because he was afforded an extended holiday to recharge his batteries after playing at Euro 2016.

Zlatan, who will be 35 in October, is set to meet his new team-mates on Thursday and could potentially make his unofficial debut against Galatasaray in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Saturday.

“I am looking forward to it,” Rooney explained during a Facebook Live broadcast to promote his upcoming testimonial at Old Trafford. “I think he has been one of the best strikers in world football over the last 10 years and he has always won trophies everywhere he has been.

“He is a huge character so I am looking forward to getting back, training with him and hopefully forming a good partnership and being successful together.”

In the live Q&A that was hosted by Ashley Young, Rooney was also asked for his opinion on working with new manager Mourinho and the club captain spoke optimistically about the future.

“Yeah, it has been great,” Wayne said. “The training has been tough and you can see why he has won trophies at the clubs he has been at. I have enjoyed it, it has been difficult in the heat out here in China, but it has been really good and I am just looking forward to getting involved in the games.”

Rooney Reveals Desire To Manage

England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has revealed he would like to become a manager when he retires from football.

The 30-year-old made the admission during a Facebook live Q&A with his fans, with the questions being asked by team-mate Ashley Young.

Speaking from a hotel room in Beijing,

Rooney said he is already preparing for a job in football after he finishes playing.

"I would like to be manager when I finish playing," Rooney said.

"Football is what I've done my whole life. I'm currently in the process of taking my coaching badges so hopefully when I finish playing I'll have that complete."

Rooney is England's greatest-ever goalscorer and has been capped 115 times for the national team.

He even joked that Young could become a member of his coaching team, provided his team-mate completed the proper training.

Turning to Young, Rooney said: "If you get going with your badges you can come in and be one of my coaches."

"I might try that. Hear that? He just offered me a job," Young replied.

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Statement On Cancelled Match

Relevent Sports, LeSports, Beijing Football Association, Manchester City and Manchester United today announced the cancellation of the International Champions Cup China 2016 fixture between Manchester City and Manchester United, scheduled to be played at the National Stadium, Beijing, at 19:35 Beijing time today, July 25, 2016.

The cancellation was made in the interest of player safety and comes following extreme weather events in Beijing over a multiple day period, that have left the playing surface in a condition deemed to be unfit for play. The conditions experienced in Beijing on July 19 and July 20 were reported as being some of the most extreme weather conditions the capital of China has experienced in recent history. Regular rain occurred also on July 21 and July 22.

The decision was made collectively by tournament organisers, participating clubs, the China Football Association, the Beijing Football Association and the management of the National Stadium.

Due to international travel schedules and planned sporting commitments, the match cancellation is definitive and the match will not be re-scheduled.

The International Champions Cup and its participating clubs thanked and apologised to fans in China and around the world who were planning to attend the match or watch the match broadcast.

To acknowledge the support of fans, players of Manchester City and Manchester United will record and distribute a thank you video for fans in China before departing Beijing.

Tournament spokesperson Patrick Murphy said: "As the leading pre-season tournament globally, International Champions Cup is committed to delivering safe and professional match conditions for the world’s best footballers, that in turn delivers great entertainment for fans. The extreme weather leading up to the match in Beijing has damaged the National Stadium playing surface to an extent that leaves it in an unplayable condition.

"We have collectively made this cancellation decision in the interest of player safety and concerns over the players' subsequent ability to put on a display for the fans that meets the quality standard of the International Champions Cup.

"We thank all parties who contributed to the planned staging of this match, in particular the tens of thousands of fans who committed to purchasing tickets. An appropriate refund policy will be put in place by our local partners for those fans."

Chief executive officer of LeSports, Mr Lei Zhenjian said: "We feel very disappointed with the outcome, and have tried our absolute best to save the event following recent extreme rain in Beijing. We appreciate the fans’ devotion and our partners support. We will now focus on delivering a fantastic game in Shenzhen."

Ferran Soriano, chief executive of Manchester City, said: “We are very disappointed not to be able to play for our supporters here in Beijing. The players have been working hard in training to prepare for an exciting derby. We know how much everyone was looking forward to the game, but we understand that this bad weather is beyond anyone’s control, and that the rain has made it totally unsafe to play on this pitch. It has been a pleasure and an honour to experience such a warm welcome from the people and supporters here in Beijing, and we remain committed to playing here in the future."

Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said: "It's extremely disappointing not to be able to play the game in this amazing stadium but the recent torrential rain would have caused problems anywhere in the world and has left the pitch unplayable. We know our fans in China will, like the players and staff, be saddened by the cancellation of the match but I am sure they appreciate that the player safety has to be the top priority. I am sure we will return to the Bird's Nest in the future to give them the chance to see the team in action."

Fans who have purchased tickets to the cancelled match can seek a refund directly from their original point of purchase (no higher than face value at the time the ticket was originally purchased). Further details will be released in due course on the local Chinese tournament website, www.internationalchampionscup.cn.

The International Champions Cup China fixture between Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, scheduled to take place at 20:00 Beijing time on Thursday, July 28, at Longgang Stadium Shenzhen, will continue as planned. There are currently no concerns regarding the impact of adverse weather for the match in Shenzhen.

As a result of the Beijing match cancellation, there will not be sufficient matches played in the 2016 International Champions Cup China to achieve a tournament winner.

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