Sports
Perfect Next Man Utd Manager Candidate No One Is Talking About
Manchester United have a big decision to make once the season ends – is Michael Carrick the right man to take the managerial position on a permanent basis.
The former United player was brought in on an interim basis until the end of the season in January after Ruben Amorim was given the boot. And results since his appointment have improved, putting the former United player in the boxseat for the job on a permanent basis.
Carrick has overseen 11 matches in total, with United winning seven, drawing two and losing two – the most recent match being that shock defeat at home to Leeds United on Monday Night Football.
Carrick Has Competition For The Manchester United Job
That loss will make the United hierarchy rethink their options, although their shortlist for permanent new manager has been whittled down.
There are not too many options beyond Carrick currently, with Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann the other standout candidate at this time. It remains to be seen whether United will make a move for Andoni Iraola or not, following his decision to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season.
Oliver Glasner was another who was heavily linked with the Old Trafford job, with the Austrian leaving Crystal Palace at the end of his contract in south London, but interest in him has waned slightly over the last few weeks.
But there is one manager who has been linked with the United job in the past that no one is talking about and would be the perfect fit for the Red Devils if they do not decide to entrust Carrick with the role permanently.
That man is Antoni Conte.
Wherever he has been, he has been successful and that includes Tottenham, given he is the only manager since Mauricio Pochettino to have guided the club into the Champions League via a Premier League finish.
Conte is a winner.
He won Serie A in each of his three seasons at Juventus, won the Premier League in his first season with Chelsea, won Serie A in his second season at Inter Milan and guided Napoli to the Serie A title in his first season there last season.
The Italian brings almost immediate success. And he demands it of those around him. Just think back to that incredible rant about Tottenham and their lack of success of the years under Daniel Levy. Conte said: “The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here?”
Antonio Conte Can Get Manchester United Back Where They Belong
He demanded more out of the team he had at his disposal and the Spurs hierarchy and it ultimately led to him getting the sack.
He almost left Napoli after their title-winning season after making demands of owner Aurelio de Laurentiis.
He is a volatile character, but at United he would have the freedom – and the money – to bring his ideas to life and to get United back in the shake-up for the biggest pieces of silverware available.
United thought about bringing him to the club in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, but decided against it, despite reports of talks being held with Conte’s representatives over a move.
Conte only has one year left on his Napoli contract, and with the Naples outfit second in Serie A and unlikely to win back-to-back titles, he could once again agitate for something better.
With just one year remaining, he would not be expensive to bring to Old Trafford, and if United do not think Carrick should take the job permanently, United may well be better off looking at Conte rather than Nagelsmann.
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Sports
Kim Kardashian Slammed For Second ‘Classless’ Act at Monaco Grand Prix
Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was full of headline-making moments. From Max Verstappen’s Red Bull stalling on the grid to Charles Leclerc’s race-ending crash that resulted in a red flag that temporarily halted the Grand Prix, there were plenty of highlights to enjoy long before Mercedes‘ Kimi Antonelli took the chequered flag.
However, the biggest viral moment of the afternoon came courtesy of influencer and reality television star, Kim Kardashian. The American socialite was attending the race in support of her boyfriend, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton.
In the build-up to the race, Kardashian was taking in the atmosphere on the grid when she was approached by Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle. The much-loved broadcaster is famed for his quirky chats with celebs while walking the grid prior to races.
Kim Kardashian Angered Fans With Her Behaviour at Monaco Grand Prix
Kim wasn’t in the mood to engage Brundle and was heavily criticised online for her decision to blank the veteran Formula One personality.
Her pre-race conduct, though, wasn’t the only time she came under the microscope for her behaviour at Circuit de Monaco.
Having watched her partner claim his second-successive P2 finish, Kardashian again caught the attention of F1 fans for all the wrong reasons.
Kim Kadashian Goes Viral For Her Actions After Monaco Grand Prix
Kim was captured on camera in the waiting area before Antonelli, Hamilton and third-placed Isack Hadjar took to the podium. Fans spotted the polarising star helping herself to the towel that had been reserved for the race winner from Mercedes.
Kardashian treated the situation as a playful joke, but that wasn’t the way that fans saw the situation, with many upset that she had picked up an item that was specifically reserved for the winner of the race.
“Literally, who does she think she is? Wow,” exclaimed one user. A second chimed in: “Totally classless”.
“The fact that she completely ignored Brundle during the grid walk had me enraged already. This takes the cake,” declared a third, while a final fan summed up the general feeling towards Kardashian’s actions.
“It was never just about a towel. It’s about a growing feeling that some celebrity guests treat the paddock and podium like a VIP lounge. The spotlight should be on the people who earned the moment, not the guests who were invited to watch it.”
Despite the largely negative reaction Kardashian received, Hamilton made it clear that he was delighted that his partner had come to support him.
“It is amazing to have her come this weekend and to have that support. It is amazing to have good people around you, good people supporting you, and she does that for me every day,” he told reporters after the race.
While Kardashian continues to date Hamilton, it seems likely that F1 will need to get used to her presence on the grid from time to time.
Sports
Man Utd Want Pio Esposito Amid Joshua Zirkzee Swap Deal Chance
Manchester United are in the market for a new potential striker target, as TeamTalk reports that the club went on a scouting mission to monitor one star on the club’s shortlist.
The striker position is an area that the Red Devils have worked hard to improve, with Rasmus Hojlund leaving the club last summer before the arrival of Benjamin Sesko.
The 23-year-old wasn’t the complete package, but over time there were signs that he is capable of competing in the Premier League at the highest level.
There have also been chances for Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha as the number nine, but the summer transfer window could offer a chance to add another star into the ranks.
Pio Esposito Scouted By Man United
According to a report from TeamTalk, Manchester United recently spent time scouting Italy international Pio Esposito, as the star featured in friendly matches against Greece and Luxembourg.
The Red Devils are believed to be interested in the 20-year-old after monitoring him for a considerable amount of time, with the most recent matches only hardening their belief that he could be a top player in the future.
It’s unclear whether a move will be launched this summer, and indeed whether Esposito himself would be open to a switch to Old Trafford if the club came calling.
However, the ‘complete #9’ is one of several options that Man United are considering as they assess the forward options available before next season.
Esposito showed signs of quality throughout the most recent campaign for Inter Milan, scoring ten goals and assisting six across all competitions.
That led to some praise from manager Cristian Chivu, who believes the striker has it all, when he said last September: “The strikers complete each other… Pio can do a bit of everything. I’m happy for him.”
Other clubs are believed to be on alert over a possible deal, though no transfer valuation has been set on the youngster by Inter as things stand.
The report adds that Esposito wasn’t the only player being scouted, as Greek duo Christos Tzolis and Christos Mouzakitis were also being monitored in the most recent match.
Any move could hinge on the future of Joshua Zirkzee, however, in a deal that could take a twist.
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Joshua Zirkzee Swap Chance
While Man United hold interest in Inter Milan star Esposito, there is similar interest from the Nerazzurri in Joshua Zirkzee this summer.
The report claims that the interest adds an “interesting” subplot to potential discussions over a deal for the strikers in the coming weeks that have an impact.
Zirkzee is being heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford this summer after a lack of game time, as the striker has struggled to make an impression in the Premier League so far.
Any move for a striker this summer could depend on a sale in the frontline, most likely to be the Dutch international, to help address the balance in the squad.
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Manchester United and INEOS aren’t messing about in this summer transfer window
That could throw up the possibility of a swap deal being on the cards, but would depend on the enthusiasm of Inter Milan to see Esposito move the other way, as well as the figures involved.
It remains to be seen what could come of the interest, but it sets up an intriguing few months for Man United on the transfer front.
Sports
Man Utd Handed Marcus Rashford Boost As Bayern Munich Eye Transfer
Marcus Rashford may finally have a new permanent club, but only if Manchester United are willing to meet one condition over his transfer exit, according to The Sun.
It comes as the forward looks set for a return to Old Trafford, despite a successful season on loan at Barcelona, with the Catalan club seemingly running down the time remaining on his permanent transfer clause priced at roughly £26 million.
Rashford‘s chances of staying with the Blaugrana were not helped when his England international teammate Anthony Gordon joined the club on a move from Newcastle United.
As all things seemingly point towards a return to Man United, questions persist over what is next for the 28-year-old in his career, as he searches for his next opportunity.
While Barcelona isn’t necessarily ruled out as an option, there is another European giant now seemingly in the mix for his signature.
Bayern Munich Want Marcus Rashford
According to a report from The Sun, Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have emerged as a potential suitor for Rashford in the summer transfer window.
It’s claimed that the Bavarian outfit are willing to meet Manchester United’s valuation of the forward, in the region of £34.5 million, but there is a stumbling block.
Rashford’s £325,000-a-week wages are claimed to be a major factor in the deal, with Bayern far less keen on paying such a substantial figure for the England international.
It’s a wage that the club aren’t willing to shell out for, as there is no guarantee that he will be a guaranteed starter, even though they are on the hunt for more left-wing options.
Bayern Munich failed in their attempts to land Gordon, as he eventually joined Barcelona, while the enquiries over a move for Rio Ngumoha were shot down by Liverpool in recent days.
Rashford appears to be the next target, although links with Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal have arisen again as an option for the side this summer.
It remains to be seen what decision will win out, and whether Man United will have to swallow the costs of the wages or whether Rashford will have to take a pay cut.
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Man United’s Wage Dilemma
There is a clear dilemma facing Man United when it comes to the possible exit of Rashford, as any move will likely incur the club taking a hit on some of the overall wage package he is on.
There may be a bitter taste about sending a player on loan and paying partially towards the success he may bring others, but the alternative options aren’t exactly easy decisions either.
One move could be to wait it out and hope that Rashford is the one to take a pay cut wherever he ends up, but that may prolong any possible exit and cause further problems down the line when the deadline draws closer.
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Manchester United and INEOS aren’t messing about in this summer transfer window
The other option is to keep the forward and try to fit him into the current squad. While that may work, it depends on the appetite of the player and manager to make it work, as well as the finances, as the club would then be taking all £325,000-a-week on.
It’s a dilemma that will continue until a decision is made on Rashford’s future one way or another, with a limited amount of possible destinations for a star of his calibre.
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