Manchester United are monitoring Fenerbahce defender Archie Brown, who is available for around €20 million (£17 million) this summer, according to Turkish outlet Sabah Spor.

Brown left England at an early age after developing through Derby County’s academy, enjoying spells at Lausanne in Switzerland and Gent in Belgium before making his way to the Turkish Super Lig. He enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 season, scoring five goals and providing six assists in 38 appearances from left-back, prompting interest from United and Chelsea.

The Red Devils are said to be leading the charge to land Brown, who is keen on returning to his home nation.

Fenerbachce are willing to cash in on the 24-year-old this summer, but only if prospective suitors meet their valuation and agree to a significant sell-on clause.

Man Utd Monitoring Fenerbache’s Archie Brown

It’s well documented that United are in the market for left-backs this summer. Luke Shaw is both injury-prone and entering the latter stages of his career, while Michael Carrick has predominantly used Patrick Dorgu as a winger since arriving in the Old Trafford dugout.

Lewis Hall has been heavily linked with a switch to the north-west club, although Newcastle are reluctant to sanction the Englishman’s departure as they continue to get raided for their best players. Djed Spence has also been mooted as a target for United, although it’s believed Tottenham would charge a fortune for the player, whose stock has risen considerably since the World Cup.

Thus, the Red Devils are looking for alternatives. Sabah Spor report that the Manchester-based outfit are in the mix to sign Brown.

While Fenerbahce executives are open to selling the defender, the Turkish giants’ manager, Ismail Kartal, wants to keep the player in his ranks.

The Istanbul club’s higher-ups are likely to win that internal battle, meaning United have a strong chance of landing the left-back. An offer in the region of £17 million could be enough to get a deal over the line.

That said, they face competition from Chelsea, who are eager to sign an attacking left-back who can operate as a wing-back in Xabi Alonso’s 3-4-3 system.

Archie Brown Could Be the Perfect Left-Back Option For Man Utd

United need to find a long-term successor to Shaw, and Brown could be the perfect candidate to fill this role. At his best, Shaw has been a dynamic attacking full-back, capable of overlapping and providing value in the final third.

This is exactly the type of profile Brown is. The Derby County academy graduate ranks highly across the board in offensive metrics, and while the Premier League would be a significant step-up for him, he’s probably ready to make this jump.

Ultimately, United have a limited budget and they still need to sign one more midfielder. If they can acquire a competent left-back for a fee as low as £17 million, that addresses one of their main needs without eating into this budget.

Wrexham has gone through an incredible transformation following the takeover by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2020. And the same can be said for the club’s nickname.

The EFL Championship side have now adopted the fiery Red Dragons as part of their nickname in recent decades, but this wasn’t always the case.

Wrexham were also known as “The Robins” for a significant part of their history before adopting their new nickname. But what inspired the change at the Welsh club?

Why Wrexham Are Called The Red Dragons

Action Images/Andrew Boyers

The dragons have been a central part of Wrexham’s iconography since 1967, when the club’s crest was first sewed onto the team’s shirt. However, it wasn’t until the 2001-02 season before Wrexham adopted the “Red Dragons” as their calling card.

The new nickname was suggested as part of the club’s rebranding strategy. The club’s management wanted to champion national pride and identity, opting to drop the robin and use Wrex the Dragon as the club’s mascot. As Wales’ oldest professional club, embracing the Welsh Red Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) was a great way to showcase Wrexham’s cultural and historical roots.

The Welsh Red Dragon is the ultimate symbol of Wales, standing as a testament to the country’s ancient mythology and noted Celtic military power.

The most famous myth to feature the Red Dragon is the 9th-century text, Historia Brittonum. During the myth, a young Merlin discovers two dragons fighting deep in the waters of a lake. The red dragon, representing the native Welsh Britons, defeated the white dragon, which symbolised the invading Anglo-Saxons. The victory represented the resilience and sovereignty of the Welsh people.

Officially recognised as part of the Wales flag in 1959, that grit and fierce passion has now spread to the football and rugby fields of Wales.

Do Wrexham Have Other Nicknames?

Action Images/Ed Sykes

As previously mentioned, up until the 2001-02 rebrand, Wrexham were known as The Robins. The rebranding was an exercise in advocating national pride, but it also helped to create a club identity that was more distinct. As well as Wrexham, clubs such as Bristol City, Swindon, and Cheltenham bore the same nickname as the Welsh club.

But that isn’t to say that The Robins moniker didn’t have strong connections to Wrexham’s past. The nickname is a reference to Wrexham Hall of Fame inductee Ted Robinson, who managed the team between 1912 and 1924. During his tenure, the team was often referred to as “Robin’s Team.”

Wrexham also continues to be known as “The Town” by its devoted supporters. Previously the biggest town in North Wales, that title was technically lost when Wrexham was officially granted city status in 2022 as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. But the Wrexham faithful refused to part with the beloved nickname.

The moniker features in a few of the match day chants and songs, most recently being referenced in the supporters’ rendition of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia theme song. Club co-Chairman Rob McElhenney, also known as Rob Mac, is a series regular on the show.

Kai Rooney, son of Manchester United legend Wayne, has shown support for one fellow teenage talent at Old Trafford after the club’s recent friendly against Rosenborg. Fans of the Red Devils were also excited by what they saw.

With the World Cup now over, the 2026/27 Premier League season will kick off again next month. As such, the coming weeks will be vital for all clubs as they look to get their squads in tip-top shape.

Having now been made permanent boss at Man Utd, Michael Carrick is overseeing his first pre-season and likely would have enjoyed the action, with his men winning 5-0 against Norwegian side Rosenborg at the Lerkendal Stadium.

Kai Rooney Impressed by Man Utd Talent in Pre-Season Friendly

Shea Lacey opened the scoring for the Red Devils, as the 19-year-old showed good composure to cut in on his left foot and curl a smart finish past goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt. Joshua Zirkzee doubled our lead on the other side of half-time with a fairly spectacular goal as he sat down two players before rolling the ball into the back of the net. After plenty of changes, a series of youngsters finished the match, but that didn’t stop Man Utd from scoring three more times, through Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams, to seal the 5-0 victory.

It was the scorer of the first goal, however, who caught the eye of many. Indeed, 16-year-old Kai Rooney – who currently plays as a forward for Manchester United’s youth academy – could not help but highlight the talent of teenager Lacey.

Taking to social media, he shared a clip of the 19-year-old winger’s goal, with the simple caption: ‘My brother!’

Adding to the hype after the game, ManchesterEveningNews went with the headline: “Manchester United’s own Phil Foden is ready for a breakout season.” In that article, journalist Steven Railston noted: “It’s understood the 19-year-old was backed by academy coaches ahead of pre-season to have a breakthrough 2026/2027, and he will vindicate that faith if he continues to perform well in friendlies over the coming weeks. “

In his player ratings, Railston also gave him an 8/10 and wrote: “Received the nod to start after coming off the bench last weekend and grabbed his chance with both hands. Pressed aggressively and sent United on their way to a comfortable win with a great opening goal.”

Man Utd Fans Want More of Shea Lacey

Add to those who liked what they saw, fans on social media were very excited by Lacey’s efforts. Some have even suggested he should get more first-team chances next season under Carrick. One wrote:

Another added: “Shea Lacey is really trying. Deserves minutes when league starts.” A third wrote: “Harry Amass & Shea Lacey are both good enough to play a squad role in the 1st team this season.”

Someone else said: “Shea Lacey breakout season off to a sensational start. Go on, lah.” A final fan insisted: “I’m sure Lacey has already earned a spot on the first team.”