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Man United star wants to secure Old Trafford exit in January

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By:John Menzies

Man United are hoping to make a signing or two in January, but they will almost certainly see a couple of players move on too. One of those is expected to be Kobbie Mainoo, who remains out of favour under Ruben Amorim.

As recently as 18 months ago, Mainoo had been the jewel of Man United, but now, he is heading towards the exit door. He has little prominence at Old Trafford, with zero starts in the Premier League this season – all 10 of his appearances in the competition have come from the substitutes’ bench.

Kobbie Mainoo wants to leave Man United

Kobbie Mainoo of Man United
Kobbie Mainoo of Man United (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Chelsea are favourites to sign Mainoo, who intends to seek a move away from Man United in January, according to Mick Brown (via Football Insider).

“Mainoo will push to leave in January, I have no doubt. It’s crazy the way he’s been treated, but Amorim isn’t the only one to blame, as Man United were testing the waters about interest in him during the summer.

“All of the noise coming out of the club was that they would be prepared to let him go for the right price because of their financial situation. Nothing ended up happening, but it’s something they looked into, and the player was made aware of that which left him a bit unsettled. If you keep telling a player he’s not wanted by the club and the manager, even if you later change your minds, he’s not going to want to stick around.

“Mainoo works hard, he’s a creative player, an excellent passer of the ball. He’s not a powerhouse or a flying machine, but he’s a very, very good footballer. The fact he continues to be left out of the side and isn’t even coming off the bench, he could go and start every week for a lot of top clubs in Europe.

“He knows that, and he knows there’s interest, it won’t come as a surprise to anybody but if the chance comes up he will want to jump ship. It was completely avoidable, but it’s a situation the club have put themselves in with the way they have treated him since the summer window opened.”

Who should Kobbie Mainoo join?

It will be interesting to see where Mainoo ends up. Chelsea may be favourites, but the likelihood is that his situation would be similar to how things are at Man United, given that Enzo Maresca already has the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Andrey Santos as midfield options.

The post Man United star wants to secure Old Trafford exit in January appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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“End of” – Micah Richards sends message to Arne Slot over Mohamed Salah involvement

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By:John Menzies

Liverpool defeated Brighton over the weekend, with the big story being Mohamed Salah’s return to the squad. He had not featured in three of their last four matches after falling out with Arne Slot, but the matter has now appeared to be resolved.

It has been a season of struggle by Salah’s standards, with only five goals and four assists in 20 appearances across all competitions. However, there were signs on Saturday that he is getting back into form, as he was involved throughout against Brighton after coming on in the first half for the injured Joe Gomez.

Micah Richards back Mohamed Salah to return to form

Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool
Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Micah Richards took in Salah’s performance, and when speaking on The Rest Is Football, the former Man City defender admitted that he was impressed with how sharp the Egyptian was.

“The most important thing was he looked sharp when he came on. He should’ve scored, but the bigger picture is that there were question marks as to whether he still had that electric pace, and he does. Maybe he’s not at the consistency of previous seasons, but from a football point of view, it was like, ‘Salah looks very sharp here; we could’ve seen this a bit more during the season’. That was my takeaway.

“He’s not gonna go on there and have a stinker, is he? He’s gonna be running around. He’s gonna be energetic. I never doubted it. I just think he was going through a spell where he wasn’t scoring. Mo Salah makes your team better. He was going through a ball spell – end of.”

How important is Mohamed Salah to Liverpool?

It certainly has not been an easy season for Salah, but the same can be said for Liverpool as a whole. If they can turn things around, it is still salvageable, and they will surely have a better chance of success with their number 11 involved.

The post “End of” – Micah Richards sends message to Arne Slot over Mohamed Salah involvement appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Tottenham make decision on Thomas Frank future following Nottingham Forest defeat

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By:John Menzies

Thomas Frank has had a difficult start to life at Tottenham, made more so by Sunday’s dismal 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. The former Brentford manager is under severe pressure in North London, as his side sit 11th in the Premier League standings.

In the last 24 hours, it has been reported that Tottenham are looking into replacements for Frank, although they are not yet prepared to give him his marching orders.

Tottenham to stick with Thomas Frank for the time being

Thomas Frank reacts during Tottenham vs Fulham
Thomas Frank reacts during Tottenham vs Fulham (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

As per Football Insider, Mick Brown has revealed that Tottenham are unlikely to make an imminent decision on Frank, with the idea being for him to remain in charge.

“There is a lot of pressure on Frank. Fans have been calling for him to be sacked, and after a result like the one against Nottingham Forest, he’s not going to have done himself any favours.

“I wouldn’t expect anything to happen immediately, because from what I’m told, they’re hoping to stick with him for the foreseeable future. But obviously, if results aren’t picking up and the crowd start turning against him, serious questions will be asked and it could force them to make a decision about where he stands. The feeling is that they want to back him long-term, so turning against him this early into his tenure isn’t going to be part of their plans.

“I know he’s been given a while to get his ideas across and he hasn’t quite met expectations yet, they’re having a torrid time and they have to turn that around. But they want to stick with the manager and hope he will be the one to get them out of it.”

Should Tottenham sack Thomas Frank?

It has been a difficult season for Tottenham. It makes sense that supporters want Frank out, although when taking into account their struggles during the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, it is clear that the club’s issues go beyond the manager.

The post Tottenham make decision on Thomas Frank future following Nottingham Forest defeat appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Man United planning to sell £44m player in 2026

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By:John Menzies

Man United want to sign a new midfielder, but in order to do, it is expected that a current player will be sold. At this stage, a likely candidate is Manuel Ugarte, given his lack of importance at Old Trafford.

Ugarte, who joined Man United in the summer of 2024 from PSG in a deal worth €50m (£44m), has struggled for playing time this season. He started only twice in the Premier League, and with plans for a Carlos Baleba or Adam Wharton to sign, he is set to fall further down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim. As such, he has chances to leave.

Man United open to offers for Manuel Ugarte

Manuel Ugarte in action for Man United in pre-season
Manuel Ugarte in action for Man United in pre-season (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images)

As per Football Insider, Mick Brown has revealed that Man United will consider offers for Ugarte, who would not be short of candidates to sign him.

“Amorim doesn’t see Ugarte as part of his plans. He’s done very little when he has been given the opportunity to show why he should be getting more regular game time, he just isn’t of the required level.

“Ultimately, the manager will be given the freedom to make his own decisions. From what I’m told, he’s willing to let Ugarte go to raise some money, and then that money will be spent on trying to strengthen the squad.

“It’s clear the midfield is going to be their main area of focus, that’s where they want to strengthen, so letting him go means they’ll want to bring in somebody else. If they can do that, they’ll definitely look into it, and I have no doubt Ugarte will have suitors.

“He’s still young, and not being good enough for Man United doesn’t make you a bad player by any means. If they get a big offer for him, I would expect him to leave.”

Should Man United sell Manuel Ugarte?

Ugarte has struggled at Man United, so it makes sense for him to leave. They may struggle to recoup the money they gave to PSG, but a decent transfer fee should still be brought in, which can be used towards his replacement.

The post Man United planning to sell £44m player in 2026 appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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West Ham make move to sign towering England defender

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By:John Menzies

West Ham intend to improve their squad in January, as they seek to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight in the Premier League. Defence is one area that Nuno Espirito Santo wants addressed, with targets having been drawn up with a view to making a move in the coming weeks.

West Ham have conceded the third most goals in the Premier League (32), with only Wolves (35) and Burnley (33) having worse records. In this regard, it makes a lot of sense for a defender or two to arrive at the London Stadium, and one of those could be former Leeds centre-back Charlie Cresswell.

West Ham want to sign Charlie Cresswell in January

Charlie Cresswell of England
Charlie Cresswell of England reacts during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)

As per Hammers News, West Ham are interested in signing Cresswell during the January transfer window. The 23-year-old, who has also attracted attention from Liverpool and Newcastle, is seen as an ideal solution to the club’s defensive woes, with the plan being for a deal to be finalised as early as possible.

Cresswell has impressed at Toulouse since his 2024 move from Leeds. He helped England win the U21 Euros last summer, and he could now be set to make a return to the Premier League with West Ham.

Should West Ham sign Charlie Cresswell?

There is no doubt that West Ham need to sign a defender or two in January. They have struggled to keep the goals out, with the likes of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo having been nowhere near their best this season. Cresswell could be an ideal pick-up, especially considering that a deal would likely not cost too much.

It remains to be seen whether West Ham make a move for Cresswell, but he is certainly an option being considered for transfer.

The post West Ham make move to sign towering England defender appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Nuno blames West Ham star for Villa defeat

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By:John Menzies

West Ham were bitterly disappointed to lose against West Ham on Sunday, in a match they had been leading twice. Mateus Fernandes and Jarrod Bowen scored, but a own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos and Morgan Rogers’ second half brace ensured victory at the London Stadium for the visitors.

There was a lot of frustration among West Ham supporters at the defeat, with the same also being said for manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Both parties aimed their frustration at one player in particular: Lucas Paqueta.

Nuno digs out Lucas Paqueta for costly mistake vs Aston Villa

Lucas Paqueta of West Ham
Lucas Paqueta of West Ham (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Speaking to West Ham TV (via Hammers News) after the Aston Villa defeat, Nuno pinpointed the moment where Paqueta gave the ball away in the lead-up to Rogers’ first goal at the London Stadium as one that caused huge frustration for him.

“It was a game that I think we had a lot of positives, but at the same time a lot of things that we should do better. There’s a major pivotal moment of the game, it’s the beginning of the second half, we are in front, we are leading, and we allowed Villa to get back in the game. It has been a factor in recent matches, we are leading and the leads are getting away from us.”

How does Lucas Paqueta’s future at West Ham look?

It has been a difficult couple of seasons for Paqueta, although a weight has now been lifted with his FA charge for alleged spot-fixing being dropped a few months ago. Despite this, he has struggled to recapture his best form in a West Ham jersey, which has led to speculation on his future at the London Stadium ahead of the January transfer window opening in a couple of weeks.

The post Nuno blames West Ham star for Villa defeat appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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