Manchester United - Fans Corner

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from manutd.com

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THE GREATEST STAGE FOR SHOWMAN ALEXIS




With so much focus given to the finances behind Alexis Sanchez?s transfer to Manchester United, the key to the move was reflected in a different set of numbers.




In purely arithmetical terms, the signing of Alexis Sanchez was, frankly, stupefying. Even in the age of bigness, and given only the most cursory scrutiny, the numbers are nothing short of eye-watering.




Within 24 hours, over 20 million people had witnessed his piano tinkling video, #Alexis7 had become the world's most-used Twitter hashtag, a new record for 'likes' of a single post was set on the club's Instagram post and ManUtd.com had its most-read article of the season so far. For greater context, across all social media outlets, the announcement was comfortably and convincingly bigger than Neymar's 2017 move to Paris Saint-Germain - the most expensive transfer in football history.




When it became clear earlier this month that Alexis was more likely to leave Arsenal for United than long-time predicted destination Manchester City, there emerged a flimsy, but widely flaunted, concept that avarice had beaten football puritanism, and that the Chilean was moving to Old Trafford to bolster his bank balance, rather than his medal collection.




Time will tell on the latter, but the suggestion that this club can only trade on its financial clout is nonsense. The eyes of the world dart this way more than any other, and not because United sit atop Deloitte?s rich list. When the club discusses sponsorship deals with prospective partners and sponsors, the selling point is not confined to the terms on offer; association with Manchester United offers an intangible recompense. Every Premier League club has money these days - Leicester City, West Ham, Southampton and Everton are in the top 20 richest clubs in the world - but none have the prestige of United?s level.




While frothing speculation over the transfer?s total cost dominated headlines for days in advance, it?s the deal?s unfathomably vast audience which puts forward a compelling counter-argument: maybe, just maybe, Alexis wanted to join the biggest club in the country. And perhaps ? again, just a thought ? the kind of showman who once won the Copa America with a Panenka penalty, wanted to play to the largest audience on the grandest stage.




Plainly, Alexis won?t be earning a pittance during his time at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho termed it ?a fantastic contract.? As a world star penning what could be the final major long-term agreement of his career, arriving without a transfer fee, that was to be expected and, frankly, it seems unlikely that chickenfeed was being offered by his other suitors, or that his income at Arsenal was paltry enough to prompt him to seek out greater coin. The motives to play for United are many and varied, but it is a fair assumption that money is seldom even close to being primary.




?Since I was a young lad I?ve always said that my dream was to play for Manchester United, and I?m not just saying that because I?m here now and today it?s come true,? Alexis said in his unveiling interview. ?It really is a massive club, very powerful, and so now, when I got the opportunity to come here, I looked at the badge and my hairs just stood up on end because it?s a powerful club and the biggest in England.?




He?s right. We like to celebrate our history and traditions here. The badge is emblematic of a story unlike any other in football, played out by a stellar cast. When Alexis arrived at Old Trafford, he was greeted by Sir Alex Ferguson in a theatre that has starred Ryan Giggs, Sir Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson and Wayne Rooney, among other greats past and present. Knights of the Realm, Ballon d?Or winners and serial champions have all taken to that stage.




This is not a world which has much time for yesterday, with such onus on the future, but United are also in good shape today and well set for tomorrow. As well as walking in the footsteps of history?s greats, Sanchez now shares the same facilities as a squad which has won three major honours in the last 20 months. Yes, the history of Manchester United is cherished, but it is not in stasis. It is being updated all the time. When Sir Alex retired, Liverpool had won the most major honours in England. United now top that chart, and are also now the only club from these shores to win every available major honour. The ability of an obviously transitional team to keep stacking up the trophies is much maligned and deserving of greater recognition.




In the last four full post-Ferguson seasons, in spite of seismic upheaval throughout the club, United have won the same number of major trophies as City, Arsenal and Chelsea. Liverpool and Tottenham have been empty-handed during that period. Of course, only the foolhardy would bet against Manchester's Blues bolstering their total this season, but the Reds are also in the hunt for honours. This is a club which is competing and, with Sanchez on board, hopes of gaining more silverware this season have grown in the last week. Four months of the campaign remain and, given the Chilean?s instant uplifting impact on training sessions and involvement in two goals on his debut, there is further cause for short-term optimism.




Alexis is a world-class forward who has signed up to work under one of the game?s great managers in a squad replete with some of the most exciting and varied young attacking talent around. The Premier League is an extremely long shot this term, but the Champions League and FA Cup remain cautiously realistic ambitions for the remainder of this term. Next season, those aims are refreshed, and once again United will hold the collective gaze.




No team in England is more televised or scrutinised. Hated, adored, never ignored and all that. Not because of what the club is worth, but because of what it is. This is a special place. There is an opportunity for every player on the club?s books to keep adding to that history, to write their name into a story without equal, while the world watches. You can?t put a price on that.




The opinions in this story are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Manchester United Football Club.

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JOSE MOURINHO JOKES ABOUT "GREEDY" GOMES

Jose Mourinho joked about Angel Gomes's chance but was full of praise for the 17-year-old after his late cameo in the Emirates FA Cup fourth-round win over Yeovil Town.
The exciting Manchester United prodigy came off the bench to make his second senior appearance and was instantly involved, jinking his way into the box only to fire against the side-netting. Gomes showed his frustration at missing out on a maiden goal but Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukakyu went on to complete a 4-0 rout, with the youngster involved in the build-up to the Belgian's goal.
When asked by MUTV about the reigning Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year, Jose could not help but raise a smile.
"Greedy Gomes!" he replied. "He wanted to score the goal! But it's normal. It's nice and good for him. So, so young. Last year, he had his debut and he's been training with us now and again. He had this feeling of being in the first team and immediately had confidence and quality. I'm happy for the kid."
Michael Carrick also spoke to the official club TV channel about the teenager, who was born at a time when the Reds skipper was already in West Ham United's first team.
"I was willing him to score," said Carrick. "He has done great and that is what he is all about, he stands people up and goes past them. He will probably be a little frustrated that he hit the side-netting but I think he has done fantastically.
"It's great to see the lads coming through and getting a chance. He trained with us last week and got on as a sub so it's a great night for him."

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CARRICK DELIGHTED WITH RETURN AT YEOVIL

Michael Carrick was pleased to make his first outing since September and help Manchester United overcome Yeovil Town 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round, adding that he feels the squad is looking in great shape ahead of the trip to his former club Tottenham Hotspur.
The captain returned to take the armband at Huish Park and produced his customary cool performance in the heart of the midfield. Speaking to MUTV afterwards, Carrick was feeling extremely positive about his comeback.
"There were a few passes going astray but it was great to be back," he said. "It has been a long time, it's been very frustrating and it's not been a great season really up to now. Considering where I was after the Burton game, to be back out there now was great.
"It was a little bit strange before the game, if I am honest, after being out for so long, but it's great to be out with the boys and more important to get the result and get us through. I'm fine now and have been training for a number of weeks. Obviously, I'm not quite match fit - it probably takes a little bit longer as you get older to get match fit. But I feel fine, I feel healthy and that felt good so there are no problems at all."
Carrick believes a number of options are open to Jose Mourinho now, particularly after the arrival of Alexis Sanchez, and with the squad looking strong.
"I think, all of sudden, it is funny how the season goes, but, at the moment, pretty much most of the squad is fit," he added. "Hopefully that stays the same because this is the time where things really kick into gear.
"You need as many options as fit as you can as the games will be coming thick and fast. It is a good sign as this is the business end of the season, when you want to be in with a shout. We are looking good at the moment."

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tahith Chong


Fine debut for the u23s for the lad who just turned 18!

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@JuanMata8 has spoken to #MUTV following the extension of his #MUFC contract, with the deal now running until June 2019.
➡ manutd.co/KKQ
?I still feel very happy and very proud to be part of this club. I think everyone that belongs to Manchester United should feel privileged, and that?s how I feel.? #mufc [mutv]
Mata: ?Once you are part of this club, your football career is not the same; it changes, because this is one of the biggest clubs in football history. Every day I try to tell myself how lucky and how privileged I am.? #mufc [mutv]
Mourinho: ?Mata is important. He is another one, a big story when I arrived one-and-a-half years ago - 'Mata is in trouble'. Now he's getting an extension. He's an important player for me, an important player for the club, an important player for the other players.? #mufc
Mata: ?At eight, ten, twelve years old, I never imagined that I would play for such a club. I remember the big players - Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy, Ferdinand, Vidic ? and it felt so far from where I was playing, but now I?m here it?s a special feeling.? #mufc [mutv]

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Mourinho: ?In midfield Michael Carrick will not be No.16 next season, so we lose a player. It's there in midfield where we need to get a player to compensate the situation of Michael. If Marouane leaves, yes we have two gaps there, so let's see what happens

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Mctominay

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UNITED INS & OUTS - JANUARY 2018
IN
ALEXIS SANCHEZ (ARSENAL)
CAMERON BORTHWICK-JACKSON (LOAN RETURN, LEEDS)
DEVONTE REDMOND (LOAN RETURN, SCUNTHORPE)

OUT
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN (ARSENAL)
DEMI MITCHELL (HEARTS, LOAN)
AXEL TUANZEBE (ASTON VILLA, LOAN)
JAMES WILSON (SHEFFIELD UTD, LOAN)

Story updated 30/1/2018

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Danny Blind: "I can confirm that Roma want Daley but United don’t want to let him go on loan, only on a permanent basis. They don’t want to sell him now, only in the summer. Maybe if we had a few days, a week perhaps, but we’ve only got a few hours.” #mufc [laroma24]