Here are the Manchester United evening headlines for Wednesday September 9.
United’s pre-season preparation disrupted by international break
Manchester United’s first team are yet to coalesce as a full squad this autumn, following their summer breaks and the international calendar taking precedence.
Many of United’s star men have been on international duty with their countries over the past week, meaning many are yet to start pre-season training at the club’s Carrington base.
New man Donny van de Beek was away with the Netherlands when his transfer was announced and is expected to meet the rest of the team this week.
As a result of United’s extended 2019/20 UEFA Europa League campaign, they have been granted an additional week to prepare before they kick off their 2020/21 Premier League schedule.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men are expected to face Aston Villa at the weekend before their official start to the league season, in order to ease the transition of new faces and those who have been required to quarantine following their summer breaks.
Teenage striker becomes third Spanish addition of the summer
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s summer business has seen him sign Donny van de Beek from AFC Ajax and painstakingly trail Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.
However, at under-18 and under-23 level, Manchester United have been ruthlessly efficient with their signings, particularly those from Spanish clubs.
Alejandro Garnacho – signed from Atletico Madrid – is the latest Spaniard to join up with United’s junior sides, once he has completed his compulsory 14-day quarantine upon arriving in the UK.
Earlier this summer, United confirmed they had poached Marc Jurado from Barcelona and Alvaro Fernandez from Real Madrid. Garnacho’s signing makes it three promising youth players garnered from last season’s La Liga top three.
Ex-United striker discusses United’s front three situation
Former Bulgarian international forward Dimitar Berbatov has weighed in on the Jadon Sancho debate, stating that if Manchester United are to sign the England winger, they will boast one of the finest attacks in the league.
He believes manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær will need to choose wisely, describing a Sancho addition to the current front three as a “luxury problem.”
The ex-Fulham man did argue that it was not impossible for United to field three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood, though.
Berbatov cited the likes of Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Teddy Sheringham – three typical strikers – who were very successful in United’s treble-winning 1998/99 campaign.
"If they don't [sign Sancho], they have three players - Rashford, Martial, Greenwood, they have Ighalo as well, who is a great back-up for the moment, too. So I think up there they're pretty much covered,” Berbatov quipped.
