Man Utd transfer news LIVE: Fernandes gets HUGE Saudi offer, PSG ‘to HIJACK Utd move for Mastantuono’, Cunha ‘agreed’
MANCHESTER UNITED are preparing for a MASSIVE summer transfer window.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes has a huge £700,000 per week contract on the table from Al-Hilal.
Elsewhere, Red Devils target Franco Mastantuono is now on the radar of Champions League finalists PSG - who could be a more desirable destination for the Argentine.
Matheus Cunha will join at the end of the season, with United triggering the Wolves star's £62m release clause.
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Follow ALL of the latest news, rumours and updates from Old Trafford below...
Three in for Lindelof
Three English sides will move for Victor Lindelof this summer.
The defender is set to leave Man Utd as a free agent when his contract expires.
And reports claim Everton, West Ham and Wolves are all preparing deals to sign him.
But Lindelof could prefer a move abroad with Inter Milan, Juventus and former side Benfica linked.
Garnacho warned over ‘sulking’
Paul Scholes has told Alejandro Garnacho to stop sulking after the winger was hauled off in Man United’s Europa League draw with Real Sociedad.
Scholes said: "He looked like he was sulking a little bit to me. I am not having fatigue. I think they are alright. I don't think there are great legs in this Manchester United team.
"Garnacho's biggest strength is running through. Sometimes he makes the wrong decisions but he had a lack of energy and a little bit of silkiness.
"He will need to get better as they don’t really have anything else to call on."
No more England
Former Manchester United player Mason Greenwood has officially asked to switch allegiances from England to Jamaica.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham has confirmed that Greewnood has asked to represent the Reggae Boyz.
My understanding is that he's asked to switch.
“That's happened formally, so he wouldn't be able to [play for England again] because you can only switch once.
It’s a personal decision by him.
Mark Bullingham
Rub of the green
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he is still the man to lead the Red Devils for the long term.
But Amorim knows what the consequences will be if he cannot start to win more matches.
That is clear, I know what to do. But sometimes there’s a lack of results.
So I know the consequences when you don’t win games.
I am really confident since day one. A little bit more frustrated now — but I am still confident.
I’m really confident on the big goal of this club. I’m trying to show the big picture to our supporters.
Ruben AmorimMomentum stats
And here's how Manchester United's momentum rates looked like at the Anoeta:
More Man Utd stats
Here's how Manchester United's players fared at Real Sociedad:
More from San Sebastian
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has tried to play down the importance of winning the Europa League – but surely he isn’t kidding anybody.
Winning a trophy would lift the gloom which is hanging over Old Trafford, not to mention give them a passport to the Champions League next season.
It would also put a very different slant on a season which is in danger of becoming the worst since the club was relegated more than 50 years ago.
Yet for all the problems in the current campaign, United have not lost a game in Europe – which is why they are among the favourites to go all the way to Bilbao on May 21.
So there was so much at stake in San Sebastian – particularly after their FA Cup exit.
And Amorim had to go into the game with a squad of just 18 – and only five outfield players on the bench – as the injury problems got worse still.
United’s form at Old Trafford has been so dismal this season that it was hard to work out what would be classed as a good result here.
Match report
No English football fan will forget the name Mikel Oyarzabal any time soon. He was the Spain striker who popped up with the late winner which broke Three Lions hearts in the Euro 2024 final.
Eight months later he was at it again – the calmest man on the park as he stroked home the penalty that keeps this Europa League tie very much in the balance.
It meant more penalty woe for Ruben Amorim’s men four days after they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Fulham in a shoot-out.
For a few second-half minutes at least - it looked as though Manchester United were going to put that disappointment firmly behind them.
And there was redemption for Joshua Zirkzee who had seen the final spot-kick saved by Bernd Leno – before slumping to the turf in tears.
This time he was all smiles as he swept home a cross from Alejandro Garnacho to give the visitors a crucial lead on the hour.
But Oyarzabal – just as he did in Berlin last summer – had the last word and the tie is still on a knife edge. As is United’s season.
Mouse trap hell
Top-flight club Aalborg have swapped offside traps for mouse traps… after finding RODENT DROPPINGS in their canteen.
The Danish outfit normally provide their players and staff with breakfast and lunch.
But they have had to change plans after health inspectors found mouse poo in their catering facilities.
Former Manchester United youth star Isak Hansen-Aaroen, 20, currently plays for Aalborg on loan from Werder Bremen.
Newcastle midfielder Travis Hernes, 19, joined the Superliga side on loan in January.
Ex-Watford winger Jubril Adedeji, 24, and on-loan Swansea midfielder Melker Widell, 22, are also in Aalborg’s squad.
Man Utd stats
Here's all the stats from Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad in the Europa League:
Full Europa League action
Relive all the action from Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad via SunSport's live blog coverage.
Link below:
Word from Spain
Manchester United seemed to be coasting towards the quarter-finals when they took a second-half lead but ended up grateful for the draw.
Joshua Zirkzee’s goal was a heart-warming moment for the Dutch forward after his penalty heartache on Sunday.
But a penalty awarded by the VAR for handball against Bruno Fernandes was converted by Mikel Oyarzabal – the man who broke England hearts at Euro 2024.
And Icelandic forward Orri Oskarsson could even have given the home side a lead to take to Old Trafford for the second leg but wasted two golden late chances.
FT: Real Sociedad 1-1 Man Utd
That's full-time in Spain!
Manchester United leave the Anoeta with a draw heading to the second leg at Old Trafford!
Credit: Alamy Word from Spain
Mikel Oyarzabal – remember him? He was the guy who broke England hearts at Euro 2024 with a late winner in the final.
And here he was scoring from the spot to keep Real Sociedad in the tie – after Joshua Zirkzee had given the visitors the lead.
It was a controversial spot-kick given for a handball by Bruno Fernandes – but has given the home side a huge lift.
Real Sociedad 1-1 Man Utd
Goal!
Real Sociedad equalise with Mikel Oyarzabal
Real Sociedad 0-1 Man Utd
Goal!
Joshua Zirkzee breaks the deadlock for Manchester United!
Zubimendi absent vs Man Utd
Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi isn’t playing against Manchester United tonight.
Sociedad and United are facing off in the Last 16 of the Europa League at Anoeta.
However, the Arsenal target is absent from Imanol Alguacil’s squad due to illness.
Alguacil said: “He had a very bad night and woke up with a fever. We decided to send him home.”
Credit: Rex Word from Spain
Not a classic but Manchester United should be ahead. Both Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee failed to score from their best moment of the half.
With Real Sociedad missing their best player in Martin Zubimendi through illness, the home side look flat.
This is a golden chance for Ruben Amorim's men to take control of the tie – but as yet they have not done so.
HT: Real Sociedad 0-0 Man Utd
Half-time at the Anoeta.
Manchester United and Real Sociedad are goalless.
Relive all the action from the first half below:
Word from Spain
Rasmus Hojlund has not scored since mid-December and cut a frustrated figure when Diogo Dalot wasted a promising position by failing to cross for him.
He made his feelings known in no uncertain terms to the defender.
Otherwise there was not been much to worry Ruben Amorim as his team have looked largely comfortable and had the best openings so far.
Man Utd eye Mateta
Manchester United are monitoring Crystal Palace star Jean-Phillippe Mateta and could make a shock summer swoop.
United manager Ruben Amorim admitted following their FA Cup penalty defeat to Fulham that his side is suffering from a goalscoring problem, which means securing a striker in the summer has now become a priority.
Top of the list is Viktor Gyokeres, who Amorim’s former striker at Sporting Lisbon.
But despite Gyokeres being keen on the idea of a reunion with the Portuguese tactician, he’s pushing for a move to a Champions League club.
This has led to Man Utd casting their net wider, and they’ve watched Mateta’s last three Premier League matches.
The Redc Devils' scouts were also watching on as Mateta was pole-axed by the kung fu assault by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round tie, which saw the Eagles ace ferried to hospital before receiving 25 stitches in a head wound.
Credit: Getty
Real Sociedad 0-0 Man Utd
Kickoff!
Manchester United's crucial Europa League clash is in full swing at the Anoeta!
Word from Anoeta
Ruben Amorim may be playing it down – but so much hinges on this tie as far as this season – and next – are concerned.
Win and the prospect of going all the way and clinching Champions League football in 2025/26 is very much alive.
Lose and it will be a bleak end to the campaign with both domestic cups gone and the only goal trying to improve on their dismal 14th place in the league.
This looks a tough tie on paper but Real Sociedad are not in great form themselves and star man Martin Zubimendi misses out through injury.
Then again United have only named a squad of 18 players – with three of them goalkeepers.
A live band were singing ‘Highway to Hell’ in the stadium as the players warmed up – United could be heading down that road if they blow it in San Sebastian.
Real Sociedad vs Man Utd formations
Manchester United take on Real Sociedad in about 15 minutes at the Anoeta.
And here's how the two teams will look like in their Europa League clash:
Real Sociedad vs Man Utd LIVE
Follow SunSport's live coverage of Manchester United's Europa League clash at Real Sociedad by clicking the link below:
Credit: Alamy