Manchester United’s pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes has been well-documented over the course of the summer so far.

The Red Devils are looking to strengthen under Michael Carrick after the former United midfielder led the Premier League giants to a third-place finish in the top-flight last season.

It is no secret that midfield is one of United’s priority positions in the transfer market this summer following the departure of Casemiro. Additionally, Manuel Ugarte suffered knee ligament damage while playing for Uruguay in the World Cup.

Although not officially announced yet, the Red Devils have agreed a deal with Atalanta to sign midfielder Éderson but the capture of the Brazilian isn’t planned to be their only midfield addition this summer, with Fernandes still high on their priority list.

United leading the race for Fernandes

via Reuters

According to Football Transfers, United are currently leading the race to sign Fernandes, with Tottenham Hotspur one of their main rivals for the Portuguese’s signature.

It appears as though the Red Devils have now definitely missed out on a deal to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest with the England midfielder set for a move to Manchester City instead. Therefore, they will be increasing their efforts to get a deal for Fernandes over the line.

The 21-year-old midfielder made 38 appearances across all competitions for West Ham last season, scoring four goals, and was one of the Hammers’ most impressive performers as they suffered relegation down to the Championship after a 14-year stay in the Premier League.

It was Fernandes’ second Premier League relegation, having been part of the Southampton team relegated the season prior. That was another example of the midfielder impressing in a struggling side.

United are a better option than Spurs

In terms of which option is currently the more enticing proposal between United and Spurs, the former’s ability to offer Champions League football should be a significant advantage.

There is still an element of the unknown as to what to expect from both teams this season under managers who came in mid-season last term. Carrick was initially interim manager but has since had his stay made permanent, while Roberto De Zerbi arrived at Tottenham in March and helped get them over the line in the battle for Premier League survival.

At 21, Fernandes still has plenty of room for improvement but after being one of the standout players in two struggling Premier League teams, the midfielder should get the opportunity to impress in a stronger team, as opposed to playing in the Championship next term.

A Formula One driver has savaged his team over their nightmare performance at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

It was another fine weekend for Mercedes, as George Russell picked up his second victory of the season to reinvigorate his pursuit of teammate Kimi Antonelli at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.

The Brit was chased hard by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished second, with championship pacesetter Antonelli back in third. All three crossed the finishing line within seconds of each other at the Red Bull Ring as the race saw a tense conclusion.

However, while the race for victory went right the way until the end of the Grand Prix, one F1 team endured a dismal time in Austria, with one of their drivers publicly calling them out over the situation when speaking to the media on Sunday evening.

Struggling F1 Team Sees Both Drivers Exit Austrian Grand Prix Early

The Cadillac pairing of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas were both out of the race within four laps, with both cars suffering brake overheating problems.

It’s not the first team that the grid’s newest team has struggled for reliability in their debut season, either. Bottas was forced out of the Monaco Grand Prix three weeks ago, while Perez endured a suspension failure in Montreal.

The American constructor is the only team not to have picked up a point so far this season and Perez’s frustrations with his employers boiled over while speaking to Crash.net after the race.

Perez, who finished as the world championship runner-up just three seasons ago at Red Bull, held nothing back as he discussed the current state of his car.

“We’ve been having issues all weekend. I think it’s been the worst weekend ever. It feels like we took four or five steps backwards. So there needs to be a massive process, thinking on how we’re doing things, especially when it comes to upgrades, because today what happened was totally unacceptable and very unfortunate as well for the team.”

Perez admitted that his anger was born out of a lack of general progress by his new side since the start of the season, but he expressed hope that the issues could be rectified before next weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

‘Frustrated’ F1 Driver Reportedly Thinking About Quitting His Seat

Crdit: Alessio De Marco/Sipa USA

“The most frustrating thing is not to see progress. I think we always expected these things to occur to a new team, obviously, but I think the frustration comes from the lack of progress.

“So I’m sure that this upgrade will help us to understand a lot of those efficiencies, and I do expect a massive step forward in reliability going to Silverstone.”

Perez reportedly signed a multi-year agreement with Cadillac when he joined the team, but a report surfaced last month claimed that he was already considering tearing up his deal over performance concerns.

Cadillac were always realistic about their chances of success in their debut season being low, but few expected them to be without a point after eight rounds of the season. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon will be hoping that they turn the corner with their form as soon as possible, starting with a far stronger performance at the British Grand Prix this weekend.

Germany stands as one of the most historic international football institutions, boasting both iconic players and teams across the ages.

Whether it’s the dominant force that prevailed in the 1970s that cleaned up at both European and world level, the famed sides in the 1980s and 90s, or the triumphant winning squad of 2014, they have always been a contender.

As a result, the famous white-and-black strip is an unmistakable feature of Die Mannschaft, and is a design known all over the world and associated with football royalty.

However, when a kit clash occurs at international level, they are forced to switch to a far-less witnessed green strip. This is the unexpected trivia behind the colour that isn’t found anywhere on their national flag.

The Reason Why Germany’s Away Kit is Green

Action Images via REUTERS

Interestingly, the truth behind the inception of the green kit is shrouded in an urban myth. One story claims that, following the aftermath of World War Two, Germany was isolated from international sports and Ireland became the first country to agree to a friendly match, resulting in them adopting the country’s green look.

However, the timelines simply don’t match up. Their first match actually came a year earlier in 1950 against Switzerland. Instead, the true origin lies with the German Football Association.

Green and White are the official colours of the DFB, matching the governing body’s crest and logo. It is also matched to the colours of the pitch, ensuring it is more a neutral sports identity rather than a political one. Despite it being the lesser worn kit, it was worn during iconic moments such as their winning 1972 European Championship campaign and later 1990 penalty shootout victory over England.

Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthäus later remarked that:

Why Germany Wear White

Credit: Football Tweet

The famed home jersey is indeed rooted heavily in the history of Germany. Dating back to the 19th century, the white and black refer to the colours of the Prussian Flag — the state that led the unification of the German Empire.

Even though the political landscape changed dramatically over decades, it remains loyal to the traditional sporting identity. The colours were also favoured for their simplicity of early athletic wear. Countless icons have helped to elevate it to cultural significance; Franz Beckenbauer leading the country to glory in the 1970s stands out.

Plus, the introduction of Adidas as the designer from 1980 onwards gave us the iconic 1990 kits, with the simple home design possessing the three colours of the flag running across steeped in football culture. And the aforementioned green away strip is also a stunning creation.

Not many countries can boast football attire that is as beloved in the football vintage kit community as Germany’s — combining style with the rich history of being one of football’s elite nations.