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Moyes stopped me doing tricks, reveals former Man Utd midfielder
By Chris Davie
Nov 14, 2015 14:25:00
The Scot was sacked after just 10 months in charge after succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford
Wilfried Zaha claims that David Moyes urged him to stop doing tricks after he joined Manchester United.
Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing at United but following Moyes’ arrival in the summer of 2013, the 23-year-old made just three first-team appearances before eventually returning to Crystal Palace on a permanent deal in February 2015.
"Under David Moyes I had to adjust my game," Zaha told Soccer AM.
"Certain managers want a trustworthy player, someone that will always keep the ball.
"But he was the only one who told me to stop some of the tricks and keep the ball in certain areas. So I tried to adjust my game then."
Scholes: Manchester United need goals, not Van Gaal's philosophy
By Peter Hanson
Nov 15, 2015 10:24:12
The ex-Red Devil is refusing to back down from his withering assessment of the Dutchman's methods, but did credit the manager for the discovery of Jesse Lingard
Manchester United great Paul Scholes has continued his war of words with Louis van Gaal by stating the current crop need to stop focusing on the Dutchman's philosophy, and start playing attacking football.
Scholes, who won the Premier League title 11 times during his time at Old Trafford, has hit out over the last month at what he perceives to be a negative approach under United boss Van Gaal.
That drew a terse response from the Dutchman, who criticised Scholes' comments and insisted his side do take risks, but the former England international is sticking to his original assessment.
"It hasn't been great for 13 months, but I better not say too much because Louis might be listening," Scholes said at a charity event at Hotel Football.
"There's been talk of a philosophy, a process. For me, Manchester United don't need a philosophy.
"The fans want to see attacking football and goals - that's the Manchester United way."
The Red Devils currently sit fourth in the table, two points behind joint-Premier League leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.
However, Scholes did praise Van Gaal for bringing Jesse Lingard into the first team.
The 22-year-old has made seven appearances in all competitions for United this term and Scholes has been impressed by the midfielder.
"It's been good to see Lingard in the team. It's good to see a young lad come through the ranks and do well," he added.
"I thought he was United's best player against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League recently."
Figo: I have no doubts Mourinho can turn Chelsea around
By Alex Fisher
Nov 14, 2015 22:44:08
Despite the Blues' terrible start in the Premier League, the Portuguese believes his compatriot is the right man to get them back to winning ways
Luis Figo has "no doubts" Jose Mourinho can turn Chelsea's fortunes around despite increasing pressure on the manager following his team's dismal start to the season.
The English champions currently sit 16th in the Premier League with only 11 points after a poor run of form that has seen them lose seven of their 12 league matches this season, including their last three prior to the international break.
The defending champions are already 15 points behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal, and Mourinho's future at Stamford Bridge has come under increased speculation.
However, Figo – who worked with Mourinho at Barcelona and Inter during his playing career – believes his compatriot will get Chelsea back on course.
"I think the life of a coach is just like that," he told reporters. "The results are not guaranteed, but you don't question their quality because of a less positive phase.
"I have no doubts Jose will get [Chelsea] out of this situation as he did so many times before, although this one can be the worst [situation].
"The main thing is to believe in him, in his work, and then it will be easier to win again."
The Blues will hope to climb the table against fellow strugglers Norwich City when Premier League action resumes next weekend.
Premier League duo safe after being in Paris during attacks
14 November 2015 15:39
Premier League duo Martin Kelly and Rickie Lambert are safe and well after being in Paris during the attacks on the French capital on Friday.
Officials in France report that 128 people were killed and another 99 are in a critical condition after a night of terror across the city.
Crystal Palace defender Martin Kelly posted a picture on Instagram of La Perle restaurant where he and his girlfriend were dining during a short break in Paris.
The club subsequently posted on Twitter: "We have been in contact with Martin Kelly and can confirm he is safe and well."
Meanwhile, West Brom striker Lambert, who has played 11 times for England, was also in Paris with his wife Amy.
"The club have spoken to Rickie Lambert. He and his wife are safe. Rickie wanted to thank all fans for their tweets of concern and support," West Brom wrote on Twitter.
West Brom also re-tweeted a post from Amy Lambert, which read: "On our way back home from Paris, our deepest sympathy to those effected, such a sad day."
Lucas Leiva believes the arrival of Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager has injected fresh impetus into his Anfield career.
Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers last month and has engineered something of a turnaround in fortunes in the opening weeks of his tenure.
Liverpool drew their first three games under Klopp before beating AFC Bournemouth, Premier League champions Chelsea and Rubin Kazan, only to then lose 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace last Sunday.
Brazil midfielder Lucas believes Klopp's appointment has been a positive step for his personal development, telling Globo Esporte: "I believe that the arrival of Klopp has given me a new energy, a new gas.
"He shows he has enough confidence in me. I have learned a lot from him.
"He's very demanding, but has clear ideas about football. I've gotten a long well with him in the first month.
"He is a direct guy, as I imagined, knowing the German culture, but he is open too. I feel close [to him], knowing he is the boss."
The Old Trafford boss joked that his backroom staff do all the work while he just delegates and earns lots of money
Louis van Gaal says he has so many assistants at Manchester United it leaves him with hardly anything to do.
The Dutchman led United back into the Champions League last season and has guided them to fourth in the Premier League this term – two points adrift of leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.
Van Gaal believes the role of the coach has changed since he made his managerial bow at Ajax in 1991, joking that he does not have to do much work for his hefty pay cheque.
"I'm from a time where [the coach] did everything," he told The Telegraph.
"Now I'm the manager and I have a sports science department, I have a scouting department, I have a medical department, I have assistant managers, I have assistant coaches.
"I don't do anything - nothing! I delegate. I delegate, and I earn a lot of money."
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The 64-year-old declared his football philosophy is more about educating players, rather than enhancing their physical capabilities.
"When you see my press conferences, I'm discussing my philosophy a lot," Van Gaal added.
"Sometimes, the media is not very proud of it. But, sometimes, they are crazy for it because I explain a lot.
"It takes always a little bit of time to transfer the message. I'm training in the brain - a lot of things in the brain - because football is not a sport of legs, it is a sport of brain, and tactics.
"All the players have to sustain that process and that's not easy. Praise is better than to be negative, it is true. But, sometimes, I'm sorry, you have to be negative also."
The midfielder could return to action against Aston Villa on Saturday having made only five Premier League appearances this season due to a foot injury suffered in August
Everton manager Roberto Martinez hopes to have Tom Cleverley available for the Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Saturday after a foot injury.
Cleverley, who spent the previous campaign on loan at Villa, has been hampered by injuries since joining the Toffees from Manchester United and has only featured on five occasions in the league.
His last outing came against Tottenham in late August, but Martinez has confirmed he could be back in action when club football resumes following the international break.
"Tom is fully fit now," he told the club's official website.
"He had a little bit of a cold over the weekend that stopped him from training but he is back now and it is about making sure he gets in enough work in order to be considered 100 per cent.
"He is not far away from being available for the squad [to face Villa]."
The match is likely to come too soon for Leighton Baines despite the full-back's goal on his return in a friendly against Preston North End earlier this month.
Martinez added: "The break has been exactly what Leighton needed. He has been able to have contact with the football and develop that match fitness that he needs.
"We need to be cautious because it was a re-injury, and he has been sidelined for a long period of time. We will give him as much time as we can but we are in a positive period.
"A lot of good work has been put in, he had the behind-closed-doors game and every day in training is another step towards getting him back to full fitness and being available.
"I think it is too early to tell when that moment will be when he can be reintroduced back into the team but certainly every day is a step towards that."
Chairman Jeff Mostyn insists the arrival of American investors at AFC Bournemouth will not dramatically alter the club's plans for the January transfer window.
Chicago-based firm Peak6 Investments acquired a 25 per cent stake in the club from Russian owner Maxim Demin at the start of November.
However, the deal does not automatically mean manager Eddie Howe will suddenly be given major funds to strengthen his squad at the start of 2016.
"They are shareholders and have a lot of expertise but we already had a plan for the January market," Mostyn told BBC Sport.
"Any additional funds we can bring in shares the burden but the total we are looking at will remain the same."
After four Premier League defeats on the spin, Bournemouth find themselves in 18th place in the table.
Their first season in the top flight has been badly hampered by injuries, with new recruits Max Gradel and Tyrone Mings, plus leading scorer Callum Wilson, all long-term absentees.
Howe may want to add some fresh faces to his playing staff in January, but Mostyn is adamant the club will not be held to ransom over fees.
"We know it's not the best window to be doing business in, those quality players tend to stay and the others have inflated values," he added.
"So the one thing I can assure everybody is that we will not be trading in the market above the value of what we believe a player is worth.
"But the philosophy of the manager remains, it's how we got here and you can't change that overnight."
Ibrahimovic: It is too late for Premier League move
18 November 2015 11:58
Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has all but ruled out a move to the Premier League at the end of the season.
The 34-year-old's contract with PSG is coming to an end and he has yet to make a decision about his long-term future.
Ibrahimovic has been linked with a return to Milan as well as a move to MLS, but a transfer to England now appears unlikely.
"I think it is too late to come to England," the striker told Sportsmail. "I am very happy at PSG. I have six months to go on my contract and we will see what happens afterwards.
"I am enjoying it, I enjoy every day on the field. While I am playing at the top level I just want to enjoy it and do my thing. I do not know where I will finish my career, let's wait and see."
Ibrahimovic netted twice in Sweden's 2-2 draw with Denmark on Tuesday to send his county through to Euro 2016 and he has admitted he will probably retire from international duty after the tournament in France.
"I am looking forward to the Euros," he added. "It is probably going to be my last tournament with the national team and I am very excited because before these two play-off games there was all this kind of talk that we were not able to beat Denmark.
"Now we are very happy and I am satisfied. It will be magic for everyone."
The owners of Crystal Palace are hoping to seal a deal with US investors to help improve the financial future of the Premier League outfit.
Co-chairman Steve Parish has revealed the club are in negotiations with David Blitzer and Josh Harris - co-owners of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers - to take an equal 18 per cent overall share of the south London club.
The three other Palace co-owners - Martin Long, Jeremy Hoskings and Stephen Browett - will all see their club shares reduce to 15.33 per cent.
Parish, who believes the investment will make Palace "as strong as it has been for 100 years", will remain in control of the day-to-day running of the club and said improvements to Selhurst Park will be a priority.
"I think this club can be massive and it's a great opportunity," he told the BBC.
"I want to move fast and to do that you need big funds. I'm prepared to do my bit, the three boys who are involved with me are prepared to do their bit.
"But we need to bring some new people in to accelerate it and make sure we've got everything we need. If I was a Palace fan, and I am, I'd be fantastically excited about the future."
Parish, speaking at an event in New York, added: "If this deal doesn't happen the team will be fine.
"But I really want to see the club fulfil the potential it should have fulfilled. We've had our share of bad luck: it's time we put the record straight."
The co-owner, who saved the Eagles from bankruptcy in 2010, is eager for the club to tap into the US market.
"The world began here in football three years ago, so to everybody here we're just a Premier League club - we've managed to erase the rest of our history," Parish joked.
"There is a real buzz about soccer, football, in the US and we need to capitalise on it. So we'll be back and forth here as much as we can trying to grab our fair share of support."
Steven Gerrard could be in line to face Liverpool for the first time next year after chief executive Ian Ayre admitted the club are considering a pre-season tour of the United States in 2016.
Liverpool travelled across the Atlantic in 2014 in preparation for their Premier League campaign and are widely expected to announce a return, which could include a reunion with former captain Gerrard, who left for LA Galaxy at the start of the season.
Ayre has revealed he will discuss the idea with Gerrard prior to the final decision.
"Absolutely, that's something we have on our radar of ideas," he told the BBC.
"Steven is back in Liverpool at the moment and I'm sure we'll get a chance to catch up and see what he thinks about that as an idea.
"It's brilliant we have Steven in the US market, he's been such a great servant to Liverpool and for him to be here - hopefully telling people how great the club is, if they don’t already know.
"That can only be good for us."
Liverpool spent time in Boston, New York, Chicago, Charlotte and Miami on their last tour to the US but Ayre admits the former England skipper's history will be taken into consideration.
"We'll come to the US next summer for certain," he added. "We don't have any information of where. We're trying to look at maybe the west coast, and a little bit of the east coast.
"Typically we've done the east coast in the past so maybe the west coast, but still negotiating with various people and who and where we'll play, but we're always excited.
"We've done it before and always get a great reception, so we look forward to it."
Manchester United need 'overall change', warns Moyes
By Stefan Coerts
Nov 20, 2015 16:21:30
The former Old Trafford boss has indicated that the Red Devils need restructuring over a number of seasons to get them back to title-winning ways
Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes wholesale changes are still needed at Old Trafford to put them back among Europe's elite.
Moyes oversaw a disappointing near nine-month reign at United after replacing the legendary Alex Ferguson, and was sacked over a failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Louis van Gaal guided Manchester United to fourth place last term as they returned to Europe's top table, but Moyes believes the job to resurrect United's standing has only just begun.
"Whoever is manager was going to find it difficult. And I think they are going to find it difficult for quite a period to come as well," Moyes told The Sun.
"I don’t think it’s a short-term job to get Manchester United back. I think there needed to be an overall change.
"It's a tough job and I think it's going to continue to be a tough job for a wee while yet."
United currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with 24 points from 12 games, trailing leaders Manchester City and Arsenal by two points.
Andros Townsend has been reinstated to Tottenham's first-team squad by head coach Mauricio Pochettino ahead of Sunday's home clash with West Ham.
The 24-year-old winger has not been considered for selection since falling out with the club's fitness coach in the aftermath of Spurs' 3-1 win over Aston Villa on November 2.
Townsend was pictured apparently arguing and shrugging off Nathan Gardiner when warming down following the match, in which he was an unused substitute.
Having not been considered for the last two matches against Anderlecht and Arsenal, Pochettino has agreed to bring him back into the fold after accepting his apology.
"Andros started training with the group again on Tuesday," said the Spurs boss.
"It was a problem for which he has apologised. He is still young and needs to improve. For me, forget the past, if he deserves to be in the squad, then it is not a problem.
"We need to forget that and we need to give him the possibility to be part of the team."
Manchester City do not have a replacement for Vincent Kompany after the Premier League high-flyers were routed by Liverpool in the captain's absence, according to Frank Lampard.
Belgium centre-back Kompany missed Saturday's shock 4-1 loss at home to Liverpool due to a calf injury.
Martin Demichelis deputised in the absence of Kompany alongside Eliaquim Mangala, and the pair failed to cope as Liverpool raced out to a 3-0 lead after just 32 minutes.
Lampard, who spent the 2014-15 season on loan at City, feels Manuel Pellegrini and Co. are over reliant on Kompany.
"City were nowhere near their best, that was apparent from the first 10 minutes when they were off the pace slightly," Lampard said on Sky Sports.
"They have got two centre-halves in there who are not used to playing together, they are missing their captain, and that became apparent very quickly.
"We have all had bad games and when those first couple of passes go astray and then they are running at defenders and they are all over the shop, it is very hard to get that back, particularly when Liverpool keep the pressure on.
"They have to wipe it from their memory, because there is nothing good about it. And the good fact is they are still in the title race, as you can see from the table.
"I do not think that it changes, though, a few fundamental problems they still have - when Vincent Kompany does not play, you can see that they struggle at the back."
Lampard, now plying his trade with New York City in the MLS, also highlighted City's over reliance on Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Yaya Toure.
"David Silva is not fit and he is massive for them, there is an over-reliance on Aguero - he is one of the best strikers in the world, but when he is not there, you do wonder where they will pick up the points," the 37-year-old added.
"Yaya Toure is a massive player for the club, but when he is not at his best, I think it is a problem for them. Do you play him as a two, or more advanced?"
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is hopeful Philippe Coutinho's injury is nothing too serious.
The Brazil international picked up a knock in his side's 4-1 Premier League win over Manchester City at the Etihad and was forced to leave the pitch after 68 minutes.
Coutinho - who scored Liverpool's second goal and made the third for his compatriot Roberto Firmino - has yet to undergo further examination on his injury, but Klopp is optimistic he will not be out of action too long.
"I hope Coutinho is well enough. He showed not a real [injury], it was a little bit of cramp, he felt something," Klopp told reporters.
"I hope that's all. He will be very important for us, everybody can see he's in really good shape in this moment.
Rivals must slip up for United to win league - Scholes
22 November 2015 02:14
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes only slip-ups from Premier League rivals will see Louis van Gaal's side win the title this season.
United went top of the league, albeit briefly, with a 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday, while Manchester City and Arsenal both suffered defeats.
However, Scholes feels United's chance of winning the league will depend on how the consistency of their challengers.
"Are they good enough to go on and win the league? I'm not 100 per cent convinced, I think Manchester City and Arsenal would have to struggle with injuries and form," he said on BT Sport.
"That says everything about them and is typical of the way Manchester United have played this season."
Scholes, 41, also criticised the lack of invention and creativity in the centre of the park and believes it has contributed to the side's lack of goals this season.
"Too many passes before getting into the final third, which is why the forwards like Wayne Rooney have struggled. They don't get the service," he said.
"The two central midfielders play 10 yards behind the centre-halves and play easy passes.
"[Bastian] Schweinsteiger constantly ends up in the left-back position.
"I don't mind that, getting a bit of space if you're going to play it forward or hit a long pass, but he takes too many touches and he's constantly coming back inside."
Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips believes the Premier League strugglers should be happy with a point as they prepare to face Crystal Palace on Monday.
Sunderland are second-bottom in the Premier League, with just one win to their name, but could move up a place with victory over Palace - another one of Phillips' former teams.
But Phillips knows it is going to be a tough encounter and one they should be happy to share the spoils.
"Having played down at Selhurst Park for a season I know first-hand it's a tough place to go, and with the form they're in – the pace, power, strength and directness that they've got – it's going to be a really tough night for Sunderland," Phillips wrote for the Newcastle Chronicle.
"They're going to have to stay solid and soak up a lot of pressure, and maybe catch Palace on the counter-attack.
"They-re a counter-attacking team, they've got pace and width, they've got Yohan Cabaye who's the orchestrator in the middle of the park, they're quite solid and it's a tight place so I'd take a point all day long.
"100 per cent, I'd take a point."
The 42-year-old - who is now assistant coach at Championship outfit Derby County - also stated the matches leading up to the January transfer window are extremely important for the club's survival push.
"Sam will have sat down and looked at the fixtures, and maybe given himself a little target – if we can get to January on this and realistically still be in touching distance with teams in and around us then perhaps we can dip into the transfer market and strengthen the squad," he said.
"So a point away at Palace and then Stoke at home, which is obviously a very winnable game because they haven’t had the best of starts to the season, if we can get a point on Monday and three the following week then all of a sudden things are starting to pick up before the tough fixtures.
"So the next six or seven games before the window opens are so important for Sunderland."
Cristiano Ronaldo more likely to join Paris Saint-Germain than Manchester United, if Real Madrid sell
Louis van Gaal faces competition from Ligue 1 for Portuguese star, who may yet opt to stay in Spanish capital
Come and get me: PSG are favourites to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid Photo: REUTERS
By Jason Burt, Chief Football Correspondent
3:06PM GMT 23 Nov 2015
The European city with the largest Portuguese population outside of Portugal is Paris.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to part company with Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of this campaign leaving a vacancy for a superstar and the money freed up to pay superstar wages.
And PSG will undoubtedly want a big-name replacement for Ibrahimovic to be the club’s new figurehead. A replacement who would immediately also become the star of France’s Ligue 1.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the PSG president, was in Madrid last Thursday and met with the super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Al-Khelaifi, of course, meets leading agents all the time and on the agenda that day was an understandable desire to re-assure one of Mendes’ biggest clients, PSG’s Angel Di Maria, following the Paris terror attacks. But it may have not been the only thing on the agenda.
So already it is clear that Manchester United could have at least one formidable and highly-attractive rival if the club reignites its interest in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo – Mendes’ biggest client of all, of course - back to Old Trafford.
Ibrahimovic is expected to leave PSG at the end of the season
And that is if a number of very significant ‘ifs’ can first be crossed: if Real Madrid are willing to sell; if president Fiorentino Perez, under severe pressure through poor results, and with an impromptu news conference called for Monday evening when the future of unpopular coach Rafael Benitez will be discussed, is prepared to gamble and let him go.
And then if Ronaldo is willing to leave and if a realistic fee can be agreed – and, finally, if his financial demands can be met.
But Ronaldo will be 31 in February. By the end of this season he will still have two more years left on his contract at Real. So suddenly it feels like it is now or never – or at least next summer - if he is ever going to leave Real and join another leading European club.
If Ronaldo waits much longer (another if), and despite his outstanding physical condition, it will be too late. No big club is going to pay big-money for Ronaldo when he is 33. No matter his ability; his profile; his cache.
Given the state of flux and air of unhappiness at Real, given Louis Van Gaal’s comments over the weekend, given PSG’s interest, and given Ronaldo’s own ambition and desire to remain number one then a move is possible despite Mendes’ previous insistence that his fellow Portuguese will remain in Spain until he retires.
The comments by Van Gaal that United are “looking at all players, not just Ronaldo. But these players are mostly ungettable” were consistent with the club’s position for the past two or three years. Nothing appears to have changed. But there was the added tease from the manager – “with Ronaldo, let’s wait and hope” – which maybe suggested there is already extra encouragement, from somewhere, this time round. But United are understandably wary.
Ronaldo (right) and Gareth Bale both struggled against Barcelona
The message on Monday from senior sources was simple: United do not want to get drawn on this one. Why should they? Second in the Premier League and with a key Champions League tie on Wednesday it would be an unnecessary distraction. And a transfer certainly will not happen in the January window.
Furthermore United got their fingers burnt in 2013 when, with David Moyes’s appointment as manager, he was told that a deal to bring back Ronaldo to Old Trafford was pretty much done. What a present for the new man.
Instead it transpired that Ronaldo appeared to use United’s interest to leverage an improved new five-year contract at Real. A bit like Sergio Ramos then did last summer.
Except United genuinely believed that Ronaldo would come. With Ramos they were always cooler about the situation knowing they would either acquire a top-class defender or he would wring more money out of the Spanish club.
The emotional attachment with Ronaldo, his status at the club and with the fans – and his phenomenal ability - make it not only a more complicated situation but one where United want to tread carefully.
Van Gaal’s words were, therefore, very well-pitched. “Let’s wait and hope,” he said. And the inference could not be clearer.
Louis van Gaal will play the waiting game with Ronaldo
It confirmed again United’s continued interest – nothing more - but also revealed that, this time, Ronaldo needs to help make the running.
And that has been United’s stance for the past two years. They need him to come to them, it seems. Or, at least, to offer a sign that he will help engineer his departure from Real if that is what he wants.
There will be little concern at United about the finances if a deal can be brokered this season. Paying upwards of £60million – and no price tag has yet been discussed - for a player in his 30s would appear incredibly wasteful. But senior sources at United have already suggested that such is his shape that he can be expected to play at the top-level until he is 35, 36. And such is his marketability and commercial value – he remains the most valuable player brand in football – that the figures would stack up. After all this is Ronaldo.
Whether Van Gaal sees him as a fit for his team is another matter. Gone – temporarily at least – are the days when United figures complained about there being few “swash-buckling” performances under Moyes and a betrayal of the club’s attacking DNA. Under Van Gaal it has been reduced to a desire to win. Would Ronaldo fit for him? It does not seem likely unless there was a change in Van Gaal’s approach.
Then there is also the question as to whether, given his age, given what he achieved at the club previously, given, importantly, that his father-figure Sir Alex Ferguson is no longer United’s manager, Ronaldo would want to expose himself with a return to the Premier League?
PSG would appear a more likely move for Ronaldo - a different league; a club with huge resources and a desire and ability to win the Champions League. And also a club that would be prepared to build things around a star such as Ronaldo, something he craves as he wants to win the Ballon D’Or, as the world’s best player, for a third time.
Neither should anyone doubt PSG’s ambition. They know what a difference Ronaldo would make to their image and worldwide profile. He would make a bigger difference to them than United.
There will be other offers – other European clubs, the Middle East, maybe even the MLS in the United States. But United’s interest – just as they are interested in Ronaldo’s team-mate Gareth Bale - remains. The question is what will Real do? It is saga that will run.
Wenger: Now might not be the right time to rest Alexis
By Stefan Coerts
Nov 26, 2015 19:05:29
The Chile international has sustained a minor hamstring injury but is expected to feature in the clash with the Canaries this weekend, though Theo Walcott remains out
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed Alexis Sanchez has picked up a minor hamstring problem ahead of the Premier League encounter with Norwich on Sunday, but is hopeful the Chile international can still play.
Alexis put in a sublime performance in the 3-0 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, scoring twice and setting up Mesut Ozil's goal, and Wenger says he is unlikely to rest the Chile international, despite him featuring in every Premier League game thus far this season.
"Alexis had a little hamstring alarm. I will assess that later," Wenger said at a news conference.
"But it might not be the right time to rest him."
Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could make his comeback after a spell on the sidelines due to injury, though Theo Walcott is unlikely to return, despite continuing his rehabilitation.
"Maybe Oxlade-Chamberlain could be back in the squad [for Sunday]," Wenger added.
"Walcott will not be ready for Sunday. He goes through a few [more] steps.
"He will have some tests Thursday. He started running again with no reaction and we hope he will be successful.
Leighton Baines is on the brink of making a return, although Roberto Martinez is still to decide whether or not it will come this weekend.
Everton defender Leighton Baines has been declared fit and is in contention to face Bournemouth on Saturday, but Roberto Martinez remains reluctant to take any risks with him.
The left-back is yet to play in the Premier League this season after suffering a serious ankle injury in the days before the opening match of the campaign, but has trained for the last two weeks as well as scoring in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Preston North End.
And Martinez acknowledges that the defender is ready to play, but he would rather be cautious with him.
"Physically, from a medical point of view, Leighton is ready," said Martinez. "It is just making sure now we give him the right introduction to get him that match fitness.
"More than anything it is to get the confidence back of being able to go into a 50-50 challenge without feeling fearful.
"When you get an injury in the manner he got his, just blocking a simple ball in an action that he was in a good position for, we need to be careful not to stretch him and give him his confidence back.
"We want to prepare his body to be really strong. So we will take it day by day - it is great to see him back in training, the quality he brings is impressive.
"It is no good to get him rushed back and then lose him for the rest of the campaign. It is important we give him the right adaption period and that when he is back we can use his freshness, quality and experience for the rest of the campaign.
"We assess all of it and make a decision on whether he should be in the squad for Bournemouth or not."
