Bruno Fernandes has been a talisman for Manchester United during a difficult period and he has been told to make a decision on his future despite his importance to the club

Bruno Fernandes’ importance to Manchester United in recent seasons cannot be understated. “Shut down Bruno, United won’t score!” said Ange Postecoglou of his Tottenham side’s plan in the Europa League final.

The Portugal international has been central to most positive actions on the pitch for United since he arrived at Old Trafford. It has not been enough to reestablish the club at the top of the Premier League, but no opposition coach can take on United without thinking about how to contain him.

“I knew if we shut down Bruno [Fernandes], they weren’t going to score,” Postecoglou said. “I just felt with United, the way they set up with Ruben [Amorim] and the kind of ways they would try to break us down if we were really solid defensively, as long as we scored, we had to get a goal.”

Since that devastating result, Fernandes’ future has been thrown up in the air. While the club signed figures such as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in a bid to alleviate the pressure on Fernandes, the talisman still has 18 goal contributions this term, six more than any of his teammates.

That was not always destined to be the case. Fernandes has admitted he weighed up a move to Saudi Arabia and spoke to Al-Hilal over a potential transfer last year after United showed little determination to keep him. The star ultimately preferred to stay put despite the Saudi club being prepared to bid £100million and offer weekly wages of up to £700,000.

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Fernandes has since admitted he was saddened by United’s stance. “From the club I felt it was, ‘If you go it’s not so bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit,” he said.

“More than hurting me, it makes me sad. I’m a player that no-one can criticise, I’m always available, I always give my best. I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money. I would have won many trophies this season but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club.”

But now, Fernandes has been told to consider his future once again. Former United striker Louis Saha believes it is imperative for the playmaker to be selfish.

Saha told CasinoHawks: “I think for the respect that we all have for Bruno Fernandes, I think he’s a terrific player, he has to consider his future because, looking at the strategy of INEOS, the way they think is very uncertain. It’s really difficult to anticipate.

“I can imagine a player of his stature, who has delivered as much as he has over the years, has to think about himself at some point. Those people at the top think about the club, and they think about their own position. The reality is, you can love the club as much as you want, it doesn’t matter. At some point, you have to make your own decision.

“This isn’t to say, ‘Bruno, you have to go.’ No, he has to think about his own career. It’s not only about trophies because we know 100%, I have no doubt about that, that Bruno wants to win a major trophy with Manchester United.

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“It would be his proudest moment because he really loves the club and he’s shown that with his dedication. He was disappointed because he has seen, he has heard some behaviour around his future that he didn’t like, so it’s up to him to make the decision.

“But he also has to consider staying as well if he feels that the club and the staff are really behind him, because he needs the support to go out there and be the captain we need.”

Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move for Brighton star Carlos Baleba and the midfielder has now addressed the speculation

Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba has opened up on the impact surrounding rumours of a potential move to Manchester United had on his form during the first half of the season. United were heavily linked with signing the Seagulls midfielder last summer, as they looked to strengthen their midfield.

However, Brighton were reported to value Baleba at a fee worth around £100million, so United ended up not going on to sign the Cameroon international despite the intense speculation – and widespread reports that they had agreed personal terms with the player.

United are continuing to be linked with a move for a new midfielder, particularly after it was confirmed that Casemiro would be leaving the club this summer when his contract at Old Trafford expires.

As a result, speculation linking Baleba with a switch to United is likely to return once the summer transfer window rolls around, although it remains to be seen if any other clubs will have an interest in the midfielder.

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim spotted after £12m Man United sack pay-off – ‘What is he doing!’READ MORE: Man United star’s actions ‘spread like a virus’ after Matheus Cunha speaks out

Baleba endured a difficult first half of the season for Brighton, but has featured in all but six Premier League matches this term, with those absences due to his participation at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.

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With both the summer and January transfer windows now in the past, Baleba has reflected on how the speculation surrounding his future affected him.

“I feel more relaxed now,” Baleba, 22, told Sky Sports. “The noise about me outside, I didn’t understand.

“I didn’t look on the websites. I’m more focused on me, myself and for my team-mates.”

Brighton have had a tough campaign on all fronts so far this season, with the Seagulls in 14th place in the Premier League table and just seven points above the relegation zone. Despite the struggles, Baleba is remaining positive and is focused on enjoying the remainder of the campaign.

“All my qualities, I need to improve on that,” Baleba said. “The most of the qualities I have is I need to enjoy more football, because when I play, I’m so serious that I want to do the right thing or to do the proper thing on the pitch.”

It remains to be seen what United will have planned for the summer transfer window when it comes to potential midfield reinforcements.

Baleba is not the only midfielder to be linked with a move to Old Trafford over the last 12 months, with Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace all seeing their names mentioned on the rumour mill.

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Manchester United face a big three months as they look to clinch Champions League qualification under Michael Carrick

Manchester United are currently enjoying a two-week break due to their third round exit from the FA Cup but will need to quickly get back up to speed. By the time Monday’s game at Everton rolls around, some 13 days will have passed since Benjamin Sesko secured United a point at West Ham.

That doesn’t mean we’ve been free from headlines about United, though, with much of the chatter focusing on what’s to come this summer. A decision will need to be made regarding Michael Carrick’s future as manager, with 12 matches of the season left for him to make his case even more strongly, while some transfer activity is inevitable regardless of who occupies the dugout.

United have already confirmed Casemiro won’t be at Old Trafford next season, with the Brazilian international aiming to leave on a high note. Things aren’t set in stone when it comes Marcus Rashford, who is currently on loan at Barcelona and could well still move to Camp Nou permanently.

We have an update on another of United’s loanees, as well as a separate Barca battle. Here are our latest discussion points from around Old Trafford.

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Lausanne decision causes Kone concern

The winter transfer window wasn’t the busiest for Manchester United but it did see Sekou Kone loaned out to Lausanne-Sport in early February. However, the Malian midfielder’s move hasn’t quite gone according to plan – at least not for his first few weeks in Switzerland.

Kone made his debut coming off the bench against Thun in a league defeat. However, he has remained an unused substitute in Lausanne’s other two February fixtures, and has now been left out of the club’s Conference League squad.

United highlighted possible European involvement as justification for loaning Kone to Switzerland. Now, according to The Mail, the latest development has caused concern

Lausanne secured ninth position in the Conference League table before Christmas, suffering just one defeat in their six league phase fixtures. This means they’re seeded for the play-off round, where they face Czech outfit Sigma Olomouc.

Double battle with Barca

Manchester United could see their transfer plans derailed by Barcelona not once but twice, according to reports from Germany. Borussia Dortmund right-back Julian Ryerson is one of two reported United targets also eyed by the Catalan club, as well as young German midfielder Kennert Eichhorn.

According to BILD (via Sport Witness), Eichhorn has attracted attention from several major clubs with his performances for Hertha Berlin. Bundesliga sides Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have been mentioned as possible destinations, along with Barcelona, Real Madrid and United.

The wonderkid only celebrated his 16th birthday in July but established himself in Hertha’s first team before sustaining an ankle injury which has sidelined him for the last three matches. He has featured in 12 of his side’s 2. Bundesliga games this season as Stefan Leitl’s team occupy sixth place in the standings.

The defensive midfielder reportedly has a release clause around £10million. It’s anticipated that he will make a move this summer, even if Hertha manage to secure promotion back to the top tier.

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Man United might have another area they need to strengthen in the summer transfer window.

Manchester United will be desperate to avoid adding to their summer to-do list. The Reds, of course, need to appoint a permanent head coach, having only hired Michael Carrick until the end of the season.

Carrick could still become the permanent head coach, but the Reds’ performance in what is left of the Premier League season will decide whether he is in the running or not. Even if he leads United back into the Champions League, the club could still decide to look elsewhere. Once a permanent head coach is appointed, attention will turn to the transfer market.

Casemiro is on the way out of the club and so a new defensive midfielder is needed. United were quoted £100m for Carlos Baleba last summer and they might have to shell out a similar fee if they are to sign a player capable of filling the hole left by Casemiro.

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The World Cup will only complicate matters further, so already the summer is looking challenging. The last thing United will want is another spanner thrown into the works.

Harry Maguire has had a turbulent career at United. He has been unfairly ridiculed at times and was stripped of the captaincy by Erik ten Hag. Looking back, that decision has arguably been the best thing to have happened to him at Old Trafford.

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Maguire has turned a corner without the armband and he is now a key part of the defence alongside Lisandro Martinez. Regardless of his improved form, United know they cannot keep Maguire, 32, on the contract he is currently on.

Negotiations are understood to be underway with Maguire to keep him at Old Trafford. There is the option to extend his current deal by a further year, but United are keen to reduce his wages and so an agreement needs to be reached if he is to stay at the club. If an agreement isn’t reached, United could be forced to hunt for a replacement.

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Leny Yoro enjoyed a solid start to his United career but has struggled of late. A solid cameo against West Ham left Carrick delighted as he took time to praise him in his post-match press conference, but the Frenchman clearly still needs time to settle in Manchester. Ayden Heaven is still adapting to senior football and should be given the time to develop away from the spotlight of regular first-team action. Matthijs de Ligt has not played since November and it’s still unclear when he will be ready to return. Suddenly, tying Maguire down to a new deal looks to be a key task for United.

United have plenty of issues that need addressing this summer. They could do without adding another to the list and keeping hold of Maguire would be sensible business.

One of Cole Palmer’s friends has vowed to get the Chelsea star to Manchester United and claims he ‘belongs’ at Old Trafford.

Palmer, a United fan growing up, joined Chelsea in a £40m deal from Manchester City in 2023.

Despite supporting the Red Devils, it was the blue half of Manchester who poached Palmer at the age of eight and took him through the club’s academy to the first-team.

But Palmer only made 19 Premier League appearances for Man City before selling him to Chelsea, where he has become one of the biggest stars in world football.

Palmer enjoyed a sensational first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 27 goals and making 15 assists – the most of any player in the Premier League.

England caps soon followed – Palmer scored in England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain – and he was named the Premier League Young Player of the Season.

Palmer was slightly less effective last season but still scored 18 goals in all competitions to help the Blues qualify for the Champions League, win the Europa Conference League and then lift the Club World Cup trophy.

The 23-year-old struggled with form and fitness earlier in the current season and reports claimed Palmer was missing Manchester.

It was even suggested Palmer would be ‘open’ to joining his beloved Manchester United, with a return to Man City out of the equation, especially while Pep Guardiola is still in charge.

Chelsea tried to dismiss speculation Palmer could leave the club, insisting he is one of three ‘untouchable’ members of Liam Rosenior’s squad.

But Palmer has continued to be linked with a move and one of his friends has made it his mission to get him to Manchester United.

Manchester-based rapper Tunde spent some time with Palmer during his holiday to Dubai this week as some Chelsea players were given time off ahead of the business end of the season.

Tunde uploaded two pictures of him and Palmer together with the Instagram caption: ‘Bro from early.

‘1 day I will get CP to UTD back home where he belongs. Go ask him who his favourite team is.’

Following a frustrating start to the season, Palmer has looked back to his best in recent weeks, scoring a first-half hat-trick against Wolves.

Asked about Palmer’s future at Stamford Bridge last month, new Chelsea boss Rosenior said: ‘Is he untouchable, is he happy? Yes and yes.

‘It’s simple, Cole Palmer is an incredible player like many players in the group. Cole is here, he’s very happy and I can’t wait to see him back on the pitch.

‘Cole is very happy. I’ve had numerous conversations with him. Our thoughts are on how we can make this team better, how he can improve and how I can help him.

‘He loves being here and he wants to be a Chelsea player.’

Former Chelsea captain Ruud Gullit certainly hopes Palmer stays put, telling Gambling Insider earlier this week: ‘I don’t know what’s going on with Cole Palmer. Nobody seems to know.

‘If he continues to be in and out of the Chelsea team, then that suggests that something is going on behind the scenes and it’s not just his fitness issues.

‘It’s possible that he’s still a little bit injured and that’s affecting his form, but only Liam Rosenior and the medical staff know the true story.

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‘We haven’t heard Cole’s side of the story yet, so we’re in the dark with what’s going on with him.

‘I really hope he doesn’t leave Chelsea in the summer – I want him to have his chance to win big trophies at Stamford Bridge.

‘We can only speculate at the moment, so let’s see what happens between now and the end of the season.’

But there are those who would like Palmer to be on the move, with Louis Saha insisting he would be a brilliant signing for his former club Manchester United.

‘It would be incredibly exciting to see Cole Palmer at Manchester United,’ Saha told CasinoHawks. ‘He is just a terrific player.

‘If he does think about going back to Manchester again, I’m sure that he’s going to be exciting for United fans.’

For now, Palmer will hope to help Chelsea finish in the top-four – they arefifth with 12 games remaining – and enjoy a deep run in the Champions League.

Chelsea, who thumped Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup last time out, return to Premier League action on Saturday against Burnley.

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Julian Alvarez is wanted by Manchester United and Barcelona with Atletico Madrid demanding close to £100m and Marcus Rashford could be key in him moving to Old Trafford

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez, and a move for the Argentina international could play a massive role in Marcus Rashford’s future. Alvarez moved to Atletico in 2024 in a deal worth over £80million.

Since the switch, the 26-year-old has scored 41 goals in 91 games, and his form for Diego Simeone’s men has attracted interest from the Premier League. Arsenal and Chelsea are both said to be keen on signing Alvarez.

Before moving to Spain, the striker played 103 times for Manchester City and was a key part of Pep Guardiola’s team that won the treble in 2023.

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Despite spending big on centre-forwards last summer in Viktor Gyokeres, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, both London clubs are being linked with a new striker in the summer transfer window. However, Spanish outlet Sport has reported that United have joined the race to bring Alvarez back to Manchester.

After splashing over £74m on Benjamin Sesko last summer, United aren’t expected to rule out a new striker with Joshua Zirkzee tipped with a move away and Rasmus Hojlund unlikely to be offered a lifeline.

The sticking point for United is that Alvarez’s preferred destination is reportedly Barcelona should he leave Atletico Madrid. Reports in Spain have suggested that a deal between the two La Liga rivals is seen as ‘extremely complicated’, with Alvarez’s current club believed to be demanding around £100m.

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While Atletico are keen on offering Alvarez on a new contract, United could make a huge statement by taking pole position. Michael Carrick has used Bryan Mbeumo as his first-choice striker in his first five games in charge, with Sesko proving to be a valuable player off the bench.

Mbeumo’s natural position is on the right, and having an elite striker who can play with the ball and link up would be instrumental. Fortunately, United have an advantage over Barcelona, and it could help them ship Rashford.

The forward has been excellent on loan at the Nou Camp, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13 so far. Barcelona have an option to sign him permanently for £26m, with it widely expected that they will trigger the clause at the end of the season.

The financial issues at Barca have been a recurring problem for them in the transfer market, making a move for Alvarez at nearly £100m difficult. With Champions League football hopefully returning to Old Trafford, United will be in a better position to meet Atleti’s asking price.

Rashford’s impressive campaign at Barcelona means Hansi Flick’s men will be planning for the 2026/27 season with the England international. His arrival, should all go ahead as planned, will deplete Barca’s available budget and drastically reduce their chances of landing Alvarez.

Chelsea and Arsenal are another kettle of fish. But with United back in the Champions League and a clear position for Alvarez to slot into at Old Trafford, it could be the golden ticket in his arrival.

Barcelona have an option to purchase Marcus Rashford for £26m – and the forward has made it clear he does not want to return to Manchester United

Manchester United have told Barcelona that they will not re-negotiate Marcus Rashford’s fee.

Rashford is on a season-long loan at the Spanish giants, who have the option to buy him for £26million at the end of the campaign. And according to the Daily Mail, United are said to be puzzled by speculation they are prepared to negotiate the fee.

The report also claims that Barca must pay the agreed figure in full, and United hope that selling Rashford and wiping his salary off the wage bill will contribute to some significant savings this summer.

The forward has largely impressed at Spotify Camp Nou, scoring 10 goals and claiming 13 assists in 34 games.

Rashford has not played for United since December 2024 and lost his ‘10’ squad number to Matheus Cunha under former coach Ruben Amorim during the summer.

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Before that Amorim said he would rather name his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach as a substitute than a player who does not give his all, in response to a question about Rashford.

The forward spent the second-half of last season on loan at Aston Villa and was forced to train at a separate time from United’s first-team players in the summer before he joined Hansi Flick’s side.

Although Rashford has made clear that he wants to join Barca permanently in the summer, Flick revealed last month that the forward’s long-term future with the Spanish giants remains uncertain.

“(Sporting director) Deco and I always speak about our team and what we can do,” the German said when quizzed about Rashford.

“Marcus’ performances have been really good until now, but we have to manage it. It’s Deco’s job and the club’s job to work on next season so we have to wait.

“We still have plenty more time, there are many months, many days, many weeks ahead of us, and that’s how it is.”

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Man Utd have got recruitment wrong too often in recent years, but things are looking up after one deal in particular in the summer.

Robin van Persie’s heroics for Manchester United in his first season at Old Trafford won the club its last Premier League title. Bryan Mbeumo’s efforts might only be good enough for a return to the Champions League, but that doesn’t make his start to life at the club any less impactful.

A major reason United have gone 13 years without a Premier League title is their recruitment. It has been consistently underwhelming and has often lacked a clear, long-term strategy. One minute, there is a focus on superstars; the next, the plan is to target young domestic players.

Really, United should be just focusing on signing the best players available to strengthen their squad. Adding youth and bringing in players with their best years ahead of them is always ideal, with Senne Lammens a good example, but there also needs to be arrivals who can hit the ground running.

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That is exactly what Mbeumo has done. The £65million summer signing from Brentford is in the running for the club’s player of the year award, and is only likely to be denied that honour due to the brilliance of Bruno Fernandes.

Mbeumo is certainly United’s best signing since Fernandes, who joined from Sporting for an initial £47million in January 2020. Between them, they are leading the charge to get the club back in the Champions League.

The Cameroon international’s return of 10 goals in 22 games is impressive and even more eye-catching is who he has scored against. He has scored home and away against Tottenham and netted against Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. More than half of his Premier League goals for United have been against their ‘big six’ rivals.

In the process, he became the first United player to score against City, Liverpool and Arsenal in his first season at the club since 2012/13. He is the first player to do it at any point in their United career since Marcus Rashford three seasons ago.

It’s difficult to understate Mbeumo’s impact. He is a versatile forward who has played as a No. 9 under Michael Carrick, as a No. 10 under Ruben Amorim, and on either wing, as he may do if Benjamin Sesko returns to the side. Whatever position he plays, he is delivering.

This should now be the template for United transfers. Ineos put a rather ambitious target of winning the league by 2028, and it’s pretty clear United look short of that at the moment.

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The good news is that there is suddenly no outstanding club to catch. The days of Manchester City and Liverpool racking up points totals in the high 90s are over and don’t look like returning any time soon.

City are in transition, and Pep Guardiola could depart this summer, which would only add to the unpredictability at the Etihad. Liverpool are in a similar situation under Arne Slot. Arsenal could end their long title drought this season, but under Mikel Arteta, they aren’t in the same league as City and Liverpool were at their peak.

United still have significant improvements to make, however. But in Mbeumo, they have an idea of what their new signings should be able to achieve.

The 26-year-old has helped to transform the attack this season. This summer, the focus will turn to midfield. In trying to replace Casemiro and bring in two new midfielders, United need players who can make the same kind of immediate impact.

That is the only way they are going to achieve that ambition of winning the league, whether it takes two years or a little longer. Recruitment is the most important aspect of achieving success in football, and while United have got it wrong for years, there is an obvious example now of how they can get it right.

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Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has encouraged the club to pursue a possible move for Sandro Tonali in the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils prioritised overhauling their misfiring attack last summer, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko arriving through the doors at Old Trafford for a combined fee of around £200million.

Club bosses had also been keen to bring in a deep-lying midfielder to suit Ruben Amorim’s much-maligned 3-4-3 system, reportedly identifying Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba as potential targets.

Brighton have since confirmed United’s interest in Baleba on the back of an exceptional season for the 22-year-old Cameroon international last term at the Amex Stadium.

But according to Brighton CEO Tony Bloom, United simply ‘went away’ when informed that Baleba would not be sold unless an astronomical fee was offered for the former Lille man.

Despite Amorim’s departure as head coach, United remain in the market for a midfielder in the mold of Baleba – and the likes of Joao Gomes and Ruben Neves were also linked over the course the January transfer window.

If it were up to Meulensteen, though, Newcastle duo Tonali and Joelinton should both be on United’s radar as options who ‘could fit the bill’ at the Theatre of Dreams.

Widespread reports claimed Arsenal made an approach for Tonali following an injury to Mikel Merino last month, but Newcastle made it clear the Italian was not for sale. It’s understood the Magpies have since slapped an asking price of £100m on their prized possession.

‘Sandro Tonali is a good player and he’s done really well for Newcastle,’ Meulensteen told BetGoat.

‘The rumours I heard were that he possibly wanted to go back to Italy, but he’s definitely a good player who understands how to play that role in midfield and he’s a good passer of the ball.

‘Manchester United definitely need to look into that position and what they need, I think they could look at Joelinton in that position. He obviously came there as a forward and Eddie Howe has dropped him and turned him into this massive motor in midfield.

‘He is a great player that has been learning from Bruno Guimaraes who is a leader, a strong character, a winner.

‘He’s possibly hard to get, but he could all fit the bill in my opinion.

‘Having said that, so does Adam Wharton because he’s so good at playing forward and that is exactly what the forwards would thrive on at Manchester United. Elliot Anderson again, great.’

But while Meulensteen recognises United’s apparent weakness at the base of the midfield, he is also wary about forcing Kobbie Mainoo out of the side again – as was the case under Michael Carrick’s predecessor Amorim.

‘There are so many, there’s plenty out there,’ Meulensteen, one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most trusted lieutenants, added.

‘But you wouldn’t want to bring too many in because you don’t want Kobbie Mainoo to end up back on the bench again.

‘He’s proven in those games that Michael Carrick has played him and he has all the right to keep playing and improving because you’ve got an outstanding player there.’

After the incessant rumours linking him with Arsenal towards the end of January, Tonali appeared to reaffirm his commitment to Newcastle with his animated goal celebration in the side’s FA Cup win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Tonali, who scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Villa Park, later explained: ‘The first one, this celebration was, I think, seven months without scoring; if you don’t score for seven months, after the first goal, you celebrate for 10 or 11 goals – like Bruno [Guimaraes]!

‘But after the second goal, I came to Eddie [Howe] because in the past few weeks, people spoke about our relationship, but I work every day with the gaffer, the gaffer works every day with me, and our relationship is perfect. It’s not broken and I think this is perfect for the team.

‘We try to do the best for this team, every game, because we play a lot of games – every three days, we play, and we have to be concentrated every time in the training ground to do the best for our team.’

Tonali has made 96 appearances in all competitions across his three-year spell with Newcastle and got his hands on some silverware last season as Howe’s men lifted the Carabao Cup.

A ten-month ban – after Tonali was found to have breached Italian betting regulations – meant the midfielder played just eight league games in the debut season at St James’ Park.

Tonali’s current contract with the Toon runs through to June 2028, with the option of a further 12 months.

Manchester United are set for another busy summer transfer window with a number of areas of the squad in need of reinforcements.

Manchester United haven’t been shy in splashing the cash in the transfer market in recent years. The Reds have been guilty of not implementing a proper recruitment strategy and have often paid way over the odds for players.

United were wrong to back Erik ten Hag in the 2024 summer transfer window, only to sack him a few months later, and while they made some solid additions during Ruben Amorim’s time at the club, there are still plenty of issues that need addressing.

There will be money to spend this summer but United may well want to utilise the free agent market as they look to work within their budget. There are a couple of players who could strengthen the squad without the need to break the bank.

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The first option available to the Reds is Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka. The 31-year-old has been at Bayern for eight years and has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell with the German giants. Goretzka has regained his spot in the national team squad and looks certain to be on the plane to the World Cup this summer.

Recently, Goretzka has been pushed to the fringes of the Bayern squad after announcing his intention to leave the club. Given an opportunity at the weekend, he scored in a 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen.

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If United were to sign Goretzka, he would not be a direct replacement for Casemiro. While the Brazil international breaks up play and wins the ball back better than anyone in the United squad, Goretzka focuses more on driving play upfield. That being said, he has experience playing as a defensive midfielder, so he has that highly desired quality of versatility that the Reds will need if they return to European football next season.

With Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, both valued at around £100m, on United’s radar, Goretzka could be an alternative option should United want to sign a midfielder with more experience before pursuing younger targets in the years to come, once the likes of Wharton and Baleba have gained more Premier League experience.

The other free option United should be looking at is Dusan Vlahovic. His time at Juventus hasn’t gone to plan. That being said, he has scored a goal every 2.5 games for the Italian giants, having spent a lot of time on the bench.

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What will impress United is Vlahovic’s form in the Champions League in recent seasons. In the last two campaigns, the forward has scored seven goals in 13 appearances in the competition, including goals against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.

Vlahovic has a similar profile to Benjamin Sesko but at 26 has a bit more experience. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee will likely both leave in the summer, so bringing in a player who can provide competition for Sesko is essential.

United could lose a lot of experience in the dressing room this summer and so two players who have played at the top and wouldn’t command a transfer fee could look very attractive.