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Everton have reached an agreement over the signing of a "dynamic" player who wants to join the club, with reliable journalist Paul Joyce saying a £16m deal is in place and sharing details on the move on Tuesday morning.

Everton transfer news

The Blues have been linked with lots of possible new signings of late, one of which is Hull City youngster Jaden Philogene, who is fresh off the back of an impressive season at the Championship club. The 22-year-old scored 12 goals and chipped in with six assists in the competition in 2023/24, and is seen as a primary target for Sean Dyche.

Meanwhile, Lyon and Republic of Ireland centre-back Jake O'Brien has also been backed to seal a summer move to Everton, as the Merseysiders look to make up for the potential loss of Jarrad Branthwaite to Manchester United, in a deal that could easily go through this summer despite the recent low ball bids.

Former Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez is also being spoken about as an option for the Blues ahead of next season, possibly even coming in regardless of whether Branthwaite stays or not. With James Tarkowski now in his 30s, the Colombian could be viewed as a long-term successor and immediate added depth at the heart of the defence.

Hellas Verona full back/winger Jackson Tchatchoua is another rumoured option for Everton, as they look to bring in more attacking flair on top of the already-signed Iliman Ndiaye. A £7m offer could be enough to prise the 22-year-old away from the Serie A club.

"Dynamic" ace wants to join Everton

Taking to X on Tuesday morning, Joyce claimed that Everton have reached an agreement over the signing of Hull attacker Philogene, with a £16m move to Goodison Park close to being completed.

Perhaps more importantly however, the reporter reveals that those at Goodison Park believe the player wants to join the Toffees, which is a massive boost given there is still interest from the likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace.

"Everton have an agreement in place with Hull City for Jaden Philogene. Bid in the region of £16m made as per others. Everton believe the player wants to join them. Competition from other clubs but Everton positive."

Philogene has the potential to be a fantastic signing for Everton, arriving as a gifted young player with his best years ahead of him, but also having the talent to hit the Premier League by storm from the off.

The Englishman's aforementioned numbers show that he is capable of providing end product at a good rate, and that could only go up another gear being surrounded by superior players than at Hull. Former manager at Stoke City, Michael O'Neill, has heaped praise on him in the past, saying: "(Philogene) is a good player, he’s getting sharp, he’s dynamic and he does a lot of work off the ball as well. The other thing we like about him is that he’s brave; he puts himself in dangerous situations."

Granted, it may take a little time for the £9,000 per week youngster to adjust to the Premier League, but he has three goals in four caps for England's Under-21s and could be an instant hit, assuming the move is completed in the coming days.

Bruno Fernandes has explained Alejandro Garnacho's muted celebration after scoring in Manchester United's 3-0 win against Leicester City.

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• Garnacho scores stunning effort
• Argentinian refuses to celebrate
• Fernandes makes 'lost faith' admission

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentinian added the cherry on top by scoring late on as United ran out 3-0 victors over Leicester. From just outside the area, Garnacho sent a sublime curling effort into the top corner to secure all three points in Ruud van Nistelrooy's final game in charge as interim boss.

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  Unfortunately, the Old Trafford faithful wasn't treated to an enthusiastic reaction from Garnacho. The 20-year-old looked like he was about to run towards the fans before turning away and walking back for the restart. It was a rather anti-climactic moment, with Fernandes now explaining why his team-mate didn't want to celebrate.

• WHAT FERNANDES SAID

  "Garnacho scored a banger but didn't celebrate like he should because he thinks he has lost faith from some fans," Fernandes, who scored United's opener, told BBC Sport. "I told him people will always moan but lots of people like you and enjoy what you do.

  "I told him to celebrate, it was something special. He is a special player, we have difference-makers. They are the ones who win us games. We want them to score every game but that isn't going to happen."

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• TELL ME MORE

  Garnacho was confronted by a United supporter who told him to "work on your first touch" in the week. The incident, which went viral on social media, explains why Garnacho might feel like he's lost some attachment with the fans.

It’s fair to say that Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge of Manchester United was far from ideal, with subpar performances being matched by frustrating results.

There were many reasons for that, but one that cannot be overlooked was the absence of United’s Argentine rock, Lisandro Martinez.

The centre back missed a huge 42 matches through injury last campaign, with his recovery often met by another setback.

With the number six in mind, let’s take a look at a Man United target who could already be just as good as Martinez.

Man Utd’s search for a new centre back

As per a report from Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, Man Utd are considering a move for Odilon Kossounou, with talks having been held regarding a potential swoop.

It’s said that a fee in the region of £38m would be enough to secure his services this summer, which is a fairly reasonable number for a player of his quality.

Despite being handed a new offer, the defender hasn’t yet replied to Bayer Leverkusen, as he’s reportedly not opposed to a new adventure.

However, United will face competition from other Premier League clubs for his signature, with Liverpool and Newcastle United both keen.

Why Kossounou could already be as good as Martinez

Ever since his move to Leverkusen in 2021, Kossounou has been a reliable performer when called upon, despite not always being in the starting eleven.

Last season, the 23-year-old played an important role in Xabi Alonso’s side going unbeaten domestically while winning the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal.

Kossounou started 21 times in the Bundesliga, operating as a wide right centre-back in a 3-4-3 variant, and he also featured eight times in their run to the Europa League final.

It seems that based on his statistics from last season, the number six only needs a run of games to truly excel, and Man United could just provide him that opportunity.

As you can see from the table above, Kossounou is already boasting fantastic numbers, with the majority even being superior to Martinez’s.

Just like the World Cup winner, the right-footed ace is an extremely complete defender who has excellent technical ability and confidence on the ball.

Regardless of whether they’re under pressure or have time on the ball, the first thought is how to move the ball forward, as shown by their touches and progressive statistics.

However, as you can see, Kossounou absolutely wipes the floor with Martinez in that respect, even though that’s expected when the Red Devils had just over 50% possession last term.

On the other hand, what makes the former Club Brugge defender "exceptional," as dubbed by football scout Antonio Mango, is his athletic and dynamic ability while clearly having defensive solidity, which would make him perfect alongside Martinez.

Given that United struggled with transitions last season, having a centre back that is comfortable defending wide zones and 1v1 scenarios is vital, and Kossounou’s experience of playing as a wide centre back would lend himself nicely to those tasks.

Overall, signing Kossounou could prove to be an excellent purchase this summer, particularly if he can perform anywhere near the level of Martinez.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

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By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

Everton are reportedly closing in on a "total agreement" to sign an attacking star who has been hailed as incredible for his exploits in England in the past, according to a fresh claim.

Everton transfer news

Sean Dyche's men will be hoping for a much improved season next time around, ensuring that there is no risk of being relegated from the Premier League. New signings will be needed for that to happen even without the points deductions, and various players are being backed to move to the club currently.

Newcastle United's Yankuba Minteh has been linked with Everton plenty of times of late, with the Magpies seemingly willing to offload the 19-year-old who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Feyenoord, although Lyon are thought to be trying to hijack the deal.

Marseille ace Iliman Ndiaye has also emerged as an eye-catching option for the Blues between now and the end of the summer transfer window, with the seven-cap Senegal international seen as someone who could supply more firepower and general goal threat.

With Jarrad Branthwaite potentially leaving Everton this summer, a top-quality replacement will be needed to be lined up, and Manchester United's Victor Lindelof has been backed to move there, possibly heading in the opposite direction to the England international.

Everton close to "total agreement" with "unplayable" ace

According to a new update from Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Everton are close to having a "total agreement" in place for Marseille attacker Ndiaye, ahead of a summer move to Goodison Park.

A new offer has now been tabled for the winger, having been unsuccessful first time around, and it looks increasingly as though the Blues could make him their latest addition in the near future.

Ndiaye is a hugely talented player, and at 24 years of age there is still plenty to come from him, and he is exactly the type of footballer who fans could warm to at Goodison Park. Under Dyche, the Blues arguably haven't been the most attack-minded team around, only scoring 40 goals in their 38 Premier League matches last time around, and the Senegalese star could provide the Merseysiders with some unpredictability and magic in wide areas.

The £32,000-a-week Ndiaye enjoyed a good spell at Sheffield United earlier in his career, registering 36 goal contributions (22 goals and 14 assists) in 88 appearances for the Blades, leading to Billy Sharp to hail his then colleague, even if he is unpredictable at times: “Iliman, he’s a breath of fresh air.

"He’s one person individually who has got consistency. His consistency has been key cos I think last season he was probably a little bit flaky. One week he was unplayable, then the next not quite at it, but this season his performances have been eights and nines out of ten."

Imagine him & Minteh: Everton one of the favourites to sign £20m star

The Toffees are at the front of the pack for this Premier League star.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 24, 2024

While this does point towards Ndiaye potentially being frustrating on occasions, his overall ability outweighs that issue, and his game should only mature with age, meaning Everton could enjoy his peak years.

Erik ten Hag bizarrely refused to count Manchester United's 3-0 loss to Tottenham as a refereeing error took centre stage at Old Trafford.

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• United have had a troubled start to the campaign
• Went down 3-0 to Spurs at Old Trafford
• Ten Hag ignores defeat due to rescinded red card

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ten Hag dismissed the loss against Tottenham, attributing it to refereeing decisions rather than the team's performance, as his side continues to grapple with inconsistent form and setbacks. The Dutch tactician asserted that the decision to send off Bruno Fernandes, which was later reversed, fundamentally skewed the game’s course, leaving United disadvantaged early on and unable to respond effectively.

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  The clash with Tottenham began poorly for United, with Spurs taking the lead just three minutes in through Brennan Johnson’s goal. The situation worsened when Fernandes was shown a controversial red card for a tackle on James Maddison, leaving United down to 10 players for much of the match. Ange Postecoglou's men capitalised on United’s weakened defence, with Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke adding two more goals to complete the 3-0 victory.

• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Ten Hag said: "I deny and ignore the game against Spurs because we were down to 10 at 1-0. That is not a fair assessment to the team to take this into consideration, because we didn't have the chance to bounce back."

  United’s difficulties extend to European competitions as well. After the draw against Porto and Fenerbahce, the team have now gone a full year without securing a victory in continental tournaments, compounding the pressure on Ten Hag.

  Nevertheless, the manager emphasised: "You see this team is resilient. The team is determined. Brentford, two tough away games in Europe – this team has character and shows fighting spirit and determination to win games."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  United's record this season speaks of a broader struggle. The team has suffered three league defeats so far, with heavy losses to Tottenham, Liverpool and Brighton and their slender 2-1 win over Brentford remains their only victory in the last seven games across all competitions.

Gary Lineker came up with a shock recommendation for Manchester United's potential next manager as the club look to replace Erik ten Hag.

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• Lineker recommends Carsley
• Red Devils in talks with Amorim
• United next face Leicester City

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils parted ways with the Dutch coach on Monday, a day after the club suffered yet another disappointing defeat against West Ham. It was the team's fourth loss in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, and they dropped to 14th. After Ten Hag's departure, his assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of the club as an interim coach while the search gets underway for a new permanent boss.

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  United have been strongly linked with a move for Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim while several other names have also cropped up in media reports. Now Gary Lineker has come up with a strange recommendation as he named current England interim coach Lee Carsley as the next Red Devils boss. Carsley took charge of the Three Lions after Gareth Southgate's exit and will remain in charge of the team for their upcoming UEFA Nations League clashes in November. In January, he'll formally hand over the reins to Thomas Tuchel.

• WHAT GARY LINEKER SAID

  Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, the BBC Match of the Day host said: "I'm going to throw in a name here. I think it would be very interesting, he's certainly a brilliant coach. A certain Lee Carsley – who they probably won't think about. He's a really imaginative coach, he plays attacking football. From what I heard from England players, they thought he was really good. Really interesting and thoughtful on the game."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Amid the search for a new head coach, the club will play their first match under Van Nistelrooy's tutelage this Wednesday as they take on Leicester City in a League Cup fourth round clash.

It goes without saying that if West Bromwich Albion have any chance of getting Mikey Johnston back this summer on a permanent deal, they will go all out guns blazing in a bid to win his coveted signature.

The £6m-rated man took the Championship by storm for just half a season when joining from Glasgow giants Celtic in January, making the Baggies a terrifying prospect to contain for many second-tier defences, whilst other attackers in the side struggled to be as tricky donning a West Brom strip.

It arguably shone a light on how many underperformers there are up top for Carlos Corberan's men, who had been content with putting in largely sub-par performances before Johnston's eye-opening arrival, with Grady Diangana very much a guilty culprit in this regard.

Once purchased for a bumper £18m after being let go of by West Ham United, the Congolese attacker was the bright spark the Baggies were longing for once upon a time, before fading away into the background as of late, compared to exploits of the Bhoys loanee.

Diangana's situation at West Brom

Once described as being an attacker who can make "defenders dizzy" by football journalist Dean Jones, Diangana, unfortunately, in the here and how is a forward player for the Baggies who blows hot and cold far too often.

The 26-year-old struggling to grab the bull by the horns in the Championship play-offs would have irritated those with West Brom connections watching on, especially in the second leg of the semi-finals away at Southampton, where the out-of-sorts forward would only amass 27 touches of the ball.

He ended up being hauled off in the second half by Corberan as the West Midlands outfit bowed out of the knockout format as 3-1 losers, as the likes of the ex-Hammers man – alongside fellow goal-shy attacking teammate Brandon Thomas-Asante – failed to ever spark into life.

This could trigger West Brom into offloading their inconsistent attacker soon, who is attracting interest from his former club no less according to a report by Africa Foot last month, alongside further interest coming from Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in England.

Once stunning supporters at the Hawthorns with regular sublime strikes like the one above, Diangana's goal contributions last season sitting at 15 from 38 games felt somewhat underwhelming, especially when you consider only six of those came in 2024.

Johnston, on the other hand, was rather marvellous.

Johnston's time at West Brom

Entering the building at West Brom at the turn of the year and becoming an instant fan's favourite with electric attacking displays, the winger amassed nine goal contributions of his own from just 20 games.

Setting the league alight by scoring every 168 minutes for his new loan side in the regular season as a full-throttle forward player, Diangana exiting this summer could free up space on the wage bill for the Baggies to go back in for Johnston, alongside adding more to the transfer kitty, to try win back the Republic of Ireland international for his hefty £6m price-tag.

Constantly a thorn in the side of the defences that had to be alert to his tricky feet in the second tier, West Brom supporters everywhere would be in dreamland if Johnston was to return, even if that did result in Diangana exiting.

Described by Corberan himself as being "special" last season, the 25-year-old could be an even more petrifying prospect for Championship defences next campaign when unleashed over a full 46-game schedule, as opposed to just experiencing the latter half of the season.

Looking at their head-to-head numbers as progressive players trying to drive the Baggies forward, as per FBRef, Johnston just about edges his Congolese counterpart, alongside amassing stronger numbers in terms of both their outputs recently, over Diangana who looked bereft of confidence in the play-off clash at St. Mary's.

The West Brom number 11's high wage will also be another sticking point as to why Corberan and Co might not be completely against the idea of parting ways, with the 5 foot 11 attacking midfielder banking £20.3k-per-week last season for his employers, as per Capology.

West Brom's wage bill in 2023/24

Away from Johnston's price-tag potentially denting the Baggies bank account, with West Brom chairman Shilen Patel stating that the club will have to be "resourceful" this summer, his wage is significantly lower than that of Diangana's.

The current Celtic man earns just £10k-per-week in contrast, with the ex-West Ham attacker earning double Johnston's salary as a result.

At this moment in time, Diangana's pay-packet actually puts him quite near the top of the highest earners at the Hawthorns, with many scratching their heads at the likes of Daryl Dike earning £32k-per-week meaning he is the club's top earner, despite regularly being in the treatment room.

Allowing many of those who had been on healthy salary to leave this summer already, with Adam Reach's exit revealed recently on the club's retained list after the experienced figure had been pocketing an extortionate £40k-per-week last campaign, there could be an argument that Diangana might well follow suit out of the door.

It would be a dour note to end on for the 26-year-old, who was beloved when first joining as a dynamic maverick who got supporters out of their seats frequently, but if West Brom can gain a similar style player with Johnston re-joining, the shock of a long-standing servant leaving won't be as hard to take.

West Brom's exciting academy gem can help them forget Kipre

West Bromwich Albion will have plans already in place for Cedric Kipre’s expected exit.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 18, 2024

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has seen two qualities picked out that make him better than England team-mates Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

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• Swapped Etihad Stadium for Stamford Bridge
• Enjoyed stunning debut campaign in London
• Face competition for places with Three Lions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  At 22 years of age, Palmer has seen his stock soar over the course of the last 18 months. After taking the decision to leave Manchester City for Stamford Bridge for £40 million ($52m) in the summer of 2023, the talented playmaker has enjoyed a meteoric rise.

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  Palmer plundered 25 goals across his debut campaign for Chelsea, earning him a place in England’s squad for Euro 2024 – where he scored in the final defeat to Spain. He has a further six efforts to his name this season – including a record-setting four-goal first-half haul against Brighton – and is considered by some to be a hotter prospect than former City colleague Foden and Real Madrid superstar Bellingham.

• WHAT NEVIN SAID

  Ex-Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has told of that standing: “If you’ve watched football for a long time, you can just tell when a player has that special something. The first time I watched Cole Palmer, he was seeing things that other players weren’t. Every time other top players, like Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, got the ball, they were looking up and pinging it straight to Palmer. You don’t do that to average players, you do it to seriously good players.

  “To some degree it’s a shame for England that they’ve got Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish all in a similar position. However, I think Palmer has vision and skill levels that just set him apart from those players. I’m slightly hesitant to say that because I love Foden as a player, but Palmer has everything. If you wanted to buy an English player, I don’t know that there’s anyone you’d pick ahead of Cole Palmer.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Palmer fills a No.10 role for Chelsea, while being pushed wide by club and country at times, but Nevin sees him as a playmaker cut from the same cloth as a Belgian legend that has also graced the books in Manchester and west London. The Scot added: “When Cole Palmer first broke through at Manchester City he came on as a sub and after just three or four touches I said, ‘I think I’ve seen the new Kevin De Bruyne’, which shocked a lot of people.

  “In terms of comparing him to former Chelsea players, I think De Bruyne comes closest. He’s not a winger, he’s more of a wide attacker or a number 10. People throw in names like Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard but he’s not like either of those two, he’s just Cole Palmer. When you think about players in their first season at a club, not many have been better than him. Especially when you consider the fact that Chelsea only paid £40 million for him; it’s the best piece of business they’ve done by a country mile.”

Enzo Maresca has been tasked with the job of returning Chelsea to the top of the Premier League following his appointment from Leicester City earlier this month.

The Italian comes in to replace Mauricio Pochettino who was relieved of his duties despite leading the Blues to automatic qualification for the Europa League ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Maresca arrives at Stamford Bridge with a talented young squad following huge investment from owner Todd Boehly who has splashed over £1bn on new transfers since his takeover of the club back in 2022.

However, despite the huge influx of incomings, the new Chelsea boss will undoubtedly want to bolster the squad, looking to make more new additions following the arrival of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham upon the conclusion of his current deal at Craven Cottage.

As a result, numerous players currently playing their trade at the club will have to make way to allow for more investment, with a plethora of players being linked with an exit.

One player in particular has been subject to huge interest, potentially ending his longstanding affiliation with the Blues this summer.

Chelsea could sell £20m star this summer

Chelsea forward Armando Broja has recently been linked with a big-money move away from Stamford Bridge in the hopes of reigniting his once-promising career at the club.

The Albanian striker suffered an ACL injury in a friendly against Aston Villa during the break for the World Cup in 2022, looking a shadow of his former self upon his return to action.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at fellow Premier League side Fulham, failing to score a single goal and only featuring eight times in a disappointing move for the 22-year-old.

However, despite his dismal spell under Marco Silva, he’s been subject to £20m interest from the likes of Wolves, Crystal Palace and Everton – with all three battling to win the race for his signature ahead of next season.

Broja is currently representing his nation at Euro 2024, and after his display against current holders Italy on Saturday night, the club should look to cash in on him as soon as possible.

Armando Broja’s stats against Italy

Undoubtedly, Albania were underdogs going into the clash against the Italians this weekend, but Broja failed to have any real impact on the game, subsequently being replaced with just under 15 minutes remaining.

The 22-year-old forward failed to register a single shot during the entirety of the encounter, only managing 22 touches – an average of one touch every three and a half minutes.

He also only completed six passes, giving possession away six times and committing two fouls, picking up a yellow card for his troubles during the 2-1 defeat.

Broja only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles in Dortmund, with his display unable to catapult Albania to a shock victory despite taking the lead in the first minute of the game.

Saturday's display was further evidence of his huge decline since his horrific injury, with Broja unable to match his previous from before his extended spell on the sidelines which saw him score nine times on loan at Southampton during the 2021/22 season.

The club and player desperately need to part ways, with Chelsea receiving a hefty sum to reinvest in their battle to return to Premier League glory, with the striker presented with a fresh start to reignite his career away from Stamford Bridge.

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The Chelsea target can be bought for £65m this summer.

By
Tom Lever

Jun 13, 2024

Manchester United have reportedly earmarked Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as a potential replacement for Erik ten Hag if the Dutchman is sacked.

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• Amorim on shortlist alongside Tuchel & Lampard
• Sporting manager praised by Bruno Fernandes
• Ten Hag could face sack if results don't improve

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Man Utd chiefs have placed Amorim on their list of potential successors to Ten Hag, according to . The Portuguese boss has impressed with Sporting in recent seasons and was this week described by Fernandes as a manager who "plays the best football" and "could do it in England".

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  Ten Hag has come under intense pressure after a poor start to the season, which sees United sit 14th in the Premier League after just two wins in their opening seven games. The Dutch boss has seemingly clung onto his job after talks were held over his future this week but another poor run of form could see United manager relieved of his duties.

• WHAT FERNANDES SAID

  "Since Mister Amorim arrived at Sporting, they have been one of the teams to play the best football," Fernandes said while on international duty with Portugal. "They have been consistent, the signings have been right and they are in a very good moment. It’s a very well prepared team.

  “In relation to Amorim, he shows that he is prepared at this moment. Coaching Sporting and winning championships is not easy, Sporting went 20 years without winning championships and Amorim arrived and has already won two, this shows that the work has been done well. If he could manage to do the same in England, Spain or anywhere else, you will never know until you get there, but I’m sure their qualities are there for everyone to see.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDES AND MAN UTD?

  Fernandes will feature for Portugal in their Nations League games this week before returning to action with United next Saturday as they host Brentford. Like Ten Hag, Fernandes has also come under pressure, with the United skipper having yet to score this season and admitting he needs to improve.