MUFC Daily News

Manchester United voted against an early transfer window closure next year because of the 'disadvantage' Premier League clubs could suffer, according to Jose Mourinho.   Manchester United, Manchester City, Swansea, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Watford were the only Premier League clubs to vote against the proposal to close the 2018 summer transfer window on the Thursday before the top-flight domestic season starts, while another abstained. Fourteen clubs voted in favour of the window closing on August 9. Mourinho had previously admitted he would be in favour of an early closure but stressed United must refuse to deal with any prospective buyers after the Premier League window shuts, since European clubs will be free to sign Premier League players until the end of August. "My thoughts are by the coach's point of view, Jose Mourinho as the head coach of Manchester United," he said. "Obviously, I am in favour of that because if I f

The England star admitted that prior to Lukaku’s arrival at United this summer, they had never crossed paths, which makes their on-field relationship even more remarkable. “It’s just clicked, we’ve got that understanding,” Rashford told MUTV . “We’d never met before his arrival, and we didn’t know what each other were like, but when we got on the pitch together we just knew where each other was. “Hopefully we can keep growing the relationship more and more. Obviously it’s only in the early stages, and the better we get at playing together, the better the results will be for the team.” Some fans have even drawn comparisons between Rashford and Lukaku and United’s prolific strike pairing from the Treble era, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. However, the 19-year-old striker was keen not to get ahead of himself, despite being flattered by the comparison.   “It would be great if we could be like them,” Rashford said. “But the most important thing is for

There is some concern with a lack of preparation time for the weekend and Andreas Pereira is no longer available after his loan move to Valencia. Luke Shaw and Ashley Young have had run-outs for the Under-23s, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo remain on the sidelines. "We have to wait and see," the manager told MUTV , when asked for an update on the team news situation. "There is still one more training session. Not every player has reported yet, so today is the first time we are all together. "I hope that these 15 days without us being together and working together, doesn't affect us too much," Mourinho added at his press conference. "I know it will affect [us]. I know that one thing is a week working with the players and working tactically and going through every principle of play to be ready for the weekend match; another thing is to have the players away and arriving step by step.  "I don't even see them

Lukaku, 24, has scored four goals in his first three Manchester United starts but is set to face competition from 35-year-old Ibrahimovic when the Swede returns from injury later in the season. United's decision to re-sign Ibrahimovic has bolstered Mourinho's attack but could also provide him with a dilemma as to who starts up front during the run-in, when United will hope to be challenging for the Premier League. Mourinho had already fielded over half-a-dozen questions on Ibrahimovic's return before he was asked about whether Lukaku and Ibrahimovic could form a successful axis. "No," Mourinho replied, refusing to take any more questions on Ibrahimovic. "In this moment they can speak on the phone that is all they can do, not even face-to-face because he [Ibrahimovic]’s not here." Earlier, Mourinho said: "If we progress in the Champions League and if we progress in one of the two cups, I don’t even say both, if we do

Jose Mourinho does not expect Manchester United to clinch their fourth priority target before the transfer window closes. MUFC Daily News understand that Mourinho had settled on signing a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, a winger and a striker ahead of the new season but United have failed to recruit a wide player so far. Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic have arrived but the club had bids rejected by Internazionale for Ivan Perisic and Danny Rose's flirtation could not persuade United to bid for the Tottenham left-back, despite their interest. Mourinho said "Everyone knows I would like a fourth player and I can’t hide that because I had it in my mind," Mourinho reiterated during his press conference on Friday. "But I am happy if I am not going to have [a fourth player] and I don’t think I am going to have. "And I was the first to tell my board not to feel any kind of pressure from me in that respect, but probably n

  United's decision to re-sign Ibrahimovic until the end of the current campaign has bolstered an already enviable attack which has walloped West Ham and Swansea 4-0 this month, while £75million signing Lukaku has hit four goals in three games. The prolific Lukaku has started with Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata in attack but Anthony Martial has struck twice as a substitute and Paul Pogba already has more goals than he had in mid-October last year. Mourinho rarely plays two up front and Ibrahimovic's return could provide him with a dilemma as to whether the 35-year-old, who has made just six substitute appearances in league and Champions League matches throughout his career, plays second fiddle to Lukaku. "I see Zlatan as important for the team," Mourinho said. " I just say that my squad is better for sure, he is one more option, he is one more striker, he is one more experienced player, he is one more player tha

The 22-year-old left-back had not played in any sort of match since damaging ligaments against Swansea City at Old Trafford in April, but he gladly made his return to action at Leigh Sports Village as Ricky Sbragia’s youngsters secured a 1-1 draw, coincidentally against the Swans' youth side. Shaw played for 59 minutes on Monday and so too did Ashley Young, who had also been sidelined through injury since picking up a serious hamstring problem in last season’s UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg tie at Celta Vigo in Spain, rendering Monday an important night for the duo. “I’m feeling really good and I only push on from here,” a smiling Shaw told MUTV after the final whistle. “I’m looking for the first-team spot now, I’m going to keep pushing, and when the manager needs me I’m going to be ready. Whenever that is, I’m really looking forward to it. I’d rather it was sooner rather than later, but I’m feeling good and whenever I’m called upon, I’m ready.

Manchester United can win the title this season because they have the experience and balance in their squad to go all the way, according to club legend Ryan Giggs. Following two consecutive 4-0 wins, against both West Ham and Swansea, Jose Mourinho's side have made their best start to a league season since 1907. New signings Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku have hit the ground running and already caught the eye at this early stage of the season. And Giggs feels that with Mourinho in charge, and a squad filled with power and creativity, his former side can finally end their title drought. "I think it was documented when the fixtures came out, while there’s no easy games in the Premier League, it was a pretty good start for Manchester United and the team have delivered with two 4-0 wins," he wrote for Sky Sports. "When Jose Mourinho’s sides get going they are very difficult to stop. He’s done in the past and, while it’s important dea

Anthony Martial believes his Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba is “probably the best midfield player in the world”, who could become a Ballon d’Or winner within five years. Martial made that claim while speaking to MUTV last month for an upcoming documentary about Pogba, who has since made an excellent start to the season by scoring two goals and setting up four others in the consecutive 4-0 Premier League wins over West Ham United and Swansea City. The stage is certainly set for Pogba to enjoy a successful second season under Jose Mourinho's management, following a 2016/17 campaign that yielded 53 appearances, nine goals and three trophies.  Martial feels his friend has all of the physical and mental attributes that are needed to become the world’s best player, as he told us: “Paul is very mentally strong and he is very sure of himself. “He is a big guy, he is very technical on the ball and he has lots of endurance,” Martial continued. “I

Three Premier League goals in two matches for £75m striker Lukaku and a man of the match opening day award for the Serbian midfielder who has cemented his role as an influential on-field figure at Old Trafford. And Henrikh Mkhitaryan has pinpointed the reason why at least two of manager Jose Mourinho 's £140m summer investments have made a major impact immediately. But Mkhitaryan promised United were not getting ahead of themselves, saying: 'Let's not rush because it's only two games played. We still have 36 games to play in the Premier League. So let's go just step by step to try and win every game and at the end see where we arrive.'   Summer signings Lukaku and Nemanja Matic have both hit the ground running after making respective moves from Everton and Chelsea. Lukaku has scored three goals in two games and Matic has been a towering midfield figure in screening the back four and getting United on the front foot. Mkhi

Roy Keane insists it was only his decision to appeal a fine that led to his Manchester United departure.  Then club captain, Keane left Old Trafford in acrimonious fashion in 2005, following a controversial interview with MUTV about a 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough when he criticised the performance of a number of his teammates.  Although the interview was pulled, tensions had been brewing between Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson , and the midfielder had his contract cancelled in November 2005, and the following month he was confirmed as a Celtic player.  But Keane now insists that his exit from United was not to do with a row with Ferguson, but instead cited his decision to appeal the £5,000 fine he received for doing the interview. He told the Limerick Leader : “The only reason I ended up leaving Man United was I appealed a £5,000 fine.  “If I hadn’t appealed the fine I wouldn’t have left Man United. “Don’t be brainwashed by the propaganda and lies. It

A late Manchester United swoop for Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic is fading fast. The Croatian's boss Luciano Spalletti said the 28-year-old has not shown any new signs that he wants to leave Inter, despite United manager Jose Mourinho being linked with him all summer. “Since the start, the club spoke with Ivan, as did I, he came and told us some things, because you need specific characteristics to stay here. We must all be ready to listen to how everyone else sees things,” said Spalletti. “Perisic is a great player, in the vein of Giacinto Facchetti, Javier Zanetti and Marco Materazzi, a leader who gives something more than an individual usually does. “After this initial discussion, I never had any more signals of a departure, in training or outside of it. “Ivan is someone who has his own training schedule after the session is finished, working in the gym, and is one of the most professional players I've met. “He does something that o