BALLING AGAIN
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has kicked a football again for the first time since rupturing his cruciate ligaments just over a month back. This is very positive news for the Swede after many called time on his career. His recovery could have stretched out until the New Year but he is expected to make his return before the close of the year. He said: “The touch will never disappear. Lions don’t recover like humans.”
ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK?
Manchester United will reportedly seal the transfer of Victor Lindelof in the coming week. The long running saga will reportedly close with United getting the man they have targeted since January. United and Benfica reportedly agreed for a fee less than his release clause. The fee was reported to be around £30m by some Portuguese outlets. The move is believed to be independent of the result of United’s chase for Michael Keane with Mourinho keen on adding both the players.
A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?
Antoine Griezmann starred in a hilarious advert that involved him rejecting a call from a certain Jose. Some fans said it was Jose Gimenez’s call rather than Jose Mourinho’s.
On a serious move, Atletico Madrid had their transfer ban upheld till January 2018 meaning they cannot buy players this summer. This has the possibility of scuppering Griezmann’s move to United as Atletico would look to hold onto its players.
GARY’S ADVICE
Gary Neville urged Manchester United players Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial to look up to Michael Carrick if they want to become club greats down the line. Neville, a club legend himself, said: “Any young player at United now would look up to Michael and realize: that’s how you get to the end of a career looking how he looks, performing how he performs, as fit as he is. He’s brilliant. He provides that comfort blanket for people around him, and the likes of Luke Shaw or Marcus Rashford, if they want any idea of how to create a 12, 13, 14-year career at the highest level, just look at what Michael does every single day from the moment he comes into training to the moment he faces the cameras post-match. Even when results fall below the standards of Manchester United, you always see him come out and do the interviews afterwards and handle himself perfectly; he never hides away.”
DE GEA UPDATE
Reports of United rejecting a world record bid for David De Gea have been revealed to be unfounded. United have made no rejection as they are yet to receive a bid from Madrid. De Gea is intent on staying with United and is expected to sit down for contractual talks in a few weeks.