Harry Maguire has found himself at the centre of a Manchester United transfer disagreement

Sam Allardyce has rubbished Paul Scholes’ claim that Manchester United should sign Cristian Romero, having been asked if he’d take the Tottenham captain over Harry Maguire.

Scholes recently heaped praise on Romero, 27, following United’s 2-0 win over Spurs. Despite the Argentine centre-back being sent off for a reckless challenge that eventually saw his team lose, United legend Scholes remains a huge fan of the player.

He said on The Good, The Bad & The Football: “I love watching him. I think his head’s checked out at Spurs. I’d love him at United. I just love the character of him.”

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Whether United will in fact look to sign Romero in the summer remains to be seen, though any potential transfer may be dependent on whether former captain Maguire is kept on at Old Trafford. The central defender, 32, is set to become a free agent this summer unless he is handed a new contract in the coming months.

But former Premier League manager Allardyce thinks it would be the wrong decision to part ways with the Englishman in favour of bringing in Romero. When asked on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast what he made of Scholes’ comments and if he’d take Romero over Maguire, Allardyce was very clear that he valued Maguire’s defensive abilities more.

He slammed the Tottenham man by labelling him as “irrational”, claiming he has “so many flaws” and accusing Romero of still making the same rash mistakes he made when he was first signed.

Allardyce said: “Too risky [for United to sign him]. Too risky. Honestly, too risky. He doesn’t… Listen, if you’re a centre-half, your first priority, in respect to what Paul says, and I respect his opinion, is being a defender.

“‘How good are you at defending?’ Not, ‘How good are you at playing with the ball?’ That’s only an added bonus. People are looking for that more than looking at how good they are as defenders, which is a big problem at academy level.

“Because you’ve got all these 30 little coaches going around saying, ‘Can he play out from the back?’ Can he defend?! Like full-backs. That’s what their job is.”

Allardyce insisted Romero represents the type of defenders that are now emerging in modern football compared to his own time as a manager.

Romero was sent off against United earlier this month as Spurs suffered a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford. The Argentine’s straight red card for his high and late challenge on Casemiro means he has now been dismissed more than any other player in the Premier League since he joined Spurs in 2021.

He is under contract at Tottenham until 2029 after signing a contract extension last summer. Romero’s defensive partner for Argentina, Lisandro Martinez, is currently one of United’s first-choice centre-backs. Martinez regularly plays alongside Maguire, who has made 15 appearances across all competitions this season.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s past comments praising a former Manchester United team-mate have been backed up by a current star of the squad

Benjamin Sesko is hard at work attempting to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps by lifting Manchester United to greatness. And it seems the two are somewhat kindred spirits after each taking a liking to the same personalities at Old Trafford.

More specifically, Sesko has taken after Ronaldo by developing a close bond with United defender Diogo Dalot. Aside from both being from Portugal, Ronaldo spoke highly of his countryman’s characteristics when discussing players he admired.

It was towards the tail end of Ronaldo’s second stint at Old Trafford that he infamously appeared on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show. And when pressed on which team-mates or opponents he held respect for, Dalot came out atop the list regarding United comrades.

“In Manchester United I can mention Dalot,” said the five-time Ballon d’Or-winner. “He’s young, but very professional [and] I don’t doubt that he’s going to have longevity in football because he’s young, he’s smart, intelligent and he’s very professional. Probably [Lisandro] Martinez, Casemiro is in his 30s, but I will say Dalot.”

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Fast-forward to the present day, and Dalot has displayed other appealing traits after helping Sesko settle in. The 22-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from RB Leipzig last summer in a deal potentially worth £74million, but Dalot played his role in making the switch a simple one.

When asked about which players at United he has bonded with in particular, the Slovenian told the Inside Carrington podcast: “Diogo Dalot. From the start, he was really helping me.

“Trying to help me in all the ways because it’s a different world here. I’m really grateful that he stood up, and he saw his younger self in me. We are still pushing each other every day, doing all the work.”

United fans may have Dalot to thank for Sesko’s uptick in form of late as the striker has helped raise standards on the field. The frontman has scored five goals in his last six appearances and has been crucial to Michael Carrick’s success as interim manager.

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Sesko scored both of United’s goals in a 2-2 draw away at Burnley last month, albeit not the result he and his team-mates wanted. He’s since come off the bench to score the winner in the 3-2 victory over Fulham, as well as bagging the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at West Ham last week.

Dalot, 26, also continues to play a prominent role in Carrick’s plans despite some fans raising concerns about his contributions in the past. The full-back has scored once and recorded three assists in 26 outings across all competitions this term.

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The Porto academy graduate, who joined United in 2018, was of rare value in Ruben Amorim’s former strategy given he’s able to play in either wing-back position. That role is no longer in use under Carrick, but the club legend has nonetheless found use for a player both Sesko and Ronaldo clearly revere.

Dalot appears to have cemented his place as first-choice right-back under Carrick, while Sesko has largely had to settle for minutes off the bench. It’s a set-up that’s worked for the most part to date, though the latter will hope to share more minutes with his close companion in the months to come.

Manchester United travel to Everton on Monday night looking to avoid the Toffees doing the double over them after November’s awful defeat at Old Trafford.

“We are trying to be our best,” was the message from Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick ahead of Monday’s trip to Everton. “We have things to improve on but we have a good base and foundation moving forward, a good spirit and we will draw on pretty much all of that on Monday night.”

Carrick’s return to Old Trafford has been overwhelmingly positive so far. The victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were unexpected, against Fulham his team showed the grit and determination needed to grind out a result and the win over Tottenham was another step in the right direction.

The draw last time out against West Ham was a bump in the road. United were not at their best and were frustrated by a side happy to sit back and hit them on the counter. If not for the heroics of Benjamin Sesko, the unbeaten run would have been over.

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But while the draw at the London Stadium was disappointing compared to the previous four games, it was nowhere near as bad as the loss to Everton back in November. It is understood the defeat to the ten-man Toffees was a contributing factor in the decision to sack Ruben Amorim in January.

David Moyes’ team did not need to do much to win that night. Once down to ten men, they were rigid, compact and pushed the onus onto United. Good teams would have seen that as a gift but United’s response was abject. They were slow in possession, wasteful with their build-up play and were punished for it.

Moyes received credit for the victory but United were the ones who presented it to him. As they head to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time, Carrick knows this game will be a huge test of his credentials.

There is confidence the interim head coach can do what his predecessor couldn’t. United have shown, albeit against more attacking opponents, they can stretch defences.

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The way they went from defence to attack against City was sensational. And while United are likely to have more of the ball against Everton, Carrick must show this team can keep that positivity in their play.

A key failing against Everton at Old Trafford was United’s slow use of the ball. They became too predictable and played into Moyes’ hands.

Since returning to United, Carrick has spoken a lot about knowing what it means to play for this club. That has been evidenced in most of the performances.

But this is another test in the interview process for the permanent role at Old Trafford. Carrick has a golden opportunity to show Ineos he can lead this team to good results with positive play against defensive set-ups. Moyes’ pre-match message will be simple: same again.

He will set Everton to play on the counter and catch United. If they keep 11 men on the pitch, they will show more attacking intent.

From Carrick’s perspective, he will hope his team have learnt their lesson from that November defeat. If they have, he will be another step closer to proving he is a viable option for the permanent job.

Manchester City were handed a major boost in midweek after Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester City’s bid to reclaim their Premier League title was boosted on Wednesday night thanks to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arsenal were 2-0 up but a late fightback from Rob Edwards’ side rescued a point and gave City renewed confidence.

If City beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening, they will move to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. With Mikel Arteta’s side looking over their shoulders, it’s all to play for in the Premier League run-in.

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MEN Sport has picked out seven matches for City and Arsenal that could settle the title race.

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Man City vs Newcastle United – February 21

If City can find a win on Saturday, the title race will swing in their favour.

Newcastle have found the Etihad Stadium a tough place to visit and they won’t be looking forward to this game after a long trip to Qarabag on Wednesday. Should City win, they will crank the pressure up on Arsenal even more.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – February 22

After the setback at Wolves, the north London derby could be season-defining for Arsenal. Assuming City beat Newcastle, the pressure will be on the Gunners to restore their five-point advantage.

Spurs will be confident of upsetting their fierce rivals with new interim head coach Igor Tudor in the dugout for the first time. The mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be positive compared to under Thomas Frank and if Arsenal are still suffering a hangover from Wednesday night, they could be tripped up.

Arsenal vs Chelsea – March 1

A double whammy for Arsenal as they follow up the north London derby with a visit from Chelsea. Their head coach Liam Rosenior earned no praise for his approach on their last visit to the Emirates Stadium.

But Chelsea’s ‘negative’ style saw Arsenal struggle to break them down. Only when Chelsea opened up did the Gunners score.

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There is every chance Rosenior looks to copy that tactic when they meet again in the Premier League. City will be hoping Chelsea’s defensive approach will frustrate Arsenal enough for them to drop points.

Chelsea vs Man City – April 11 (Date TBC)

City have not lost at Stamford Bridge since April 2021 but while their recent form against Chelsea is good, they will be wary. In the reverse fixture, Chelsea nicked a point at the death to frustrate the Blues.

At home, Chelsea will be expected to be more offensive – this should play into City’s hands. There has been audible frustration from the fans when Chelsea have struggled under Rosenior.

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

The Blues will hope they can utilise this, turn the home fans against their team early and make it tricky for Chelsea.

Man City vs Arsenal – April 18 (Date TBC)

No surprise to see this one on the list. This game will give a huge indication as to which way the title is heading.

As things stand, the onus will be on City to take the game to Arsenal and that will be to Arteta’s benefit. However, if the gap is two points or the Blues are leading the way by the time they meet, the game has a different complexion.

Pep Guardiola will be confident his team can pick up the win if they are in striking distance of Arsenal. It should be a day when the Etihad Stadium is at its best.

Man City vs Aston Villa and Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – May 24

With the way the season is going, the title race could go down to the final day. City hold good memories of beating Villa on the final day to win a league title and it is that experience Guardiola will be leaning on if they need it.

Villa will be a tougher opponent considering their league position. But there is a good chance their season will be over should Champions League qualification already be secured.

As for Arsenal, the trip to Palace is not straightforward but they do have a good record there. It will be Oliver Glasner’s last game as manager at Selhurst Park, meaning the hosts will be up for it.

But whoever is top heading into the final day will be expected to complete the job.

A former Sir Alex Ferguson assistant has had his say on Bruno Fernandes’ future – and it sounds like bad news for Manchester United fans

Bruno Fernandes won’t join another Premier League club – but would consider leaving Manchester United if Real Madrid or Barcelona came calling.

That’s according to Rene Meulensteen, who spent several years as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Old Trafford. The Dutch coach, 61, believes Fernandes, 31, is “very connected” and “very loyal” to United, but admits the midfielder could be tempted by a lucrative offer from overseas.

“I think there might be a case where another team, perhaps in Saudi Arabia, comes knocking with a significant amount of money because we all know the money situation at Manchester United,” Meulensteen told BetGoat.

“If a team like Real Madrid or maybe Barcelona would come, he might be tempted to go and say, ‘Listen, I want to experience that.’ But not for another Premier League team.”

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Fernandes’ Manchester United contract is set to expire at the end of next season and, although the club hold the option to extend it by a further 12 months, his advancing age has cast doubt over his long-term future at Old Trafford.

Last year, there was strong interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, with United reportedly prepared to part ways with their captain amid talk of a £100million offer. Since then, speculation has persisted that Fernandes is increasingly disillusioned with life at the club, particularly after reports suggested United are unwilling to meet the Portugal international’s wage demands.

It’s understood Fernandes is seeking £400,000 per week – £100,000 more than his current salary. Such a deal would make him the second-highest-paid player in the Premier League, behind only Erling Haaland of Manchester City.

“In terms of playing and what he wants, I think Bruno will sometimes be sitting there, absolutely fuming by himself, knowing that they could have had ten more points on the board. Because he is a winner,” Meulensteen continued.

“Don’t get me wrong, he is a winner. He doesn’t always maybe demonstrate it in the right way because he can come across a little bit passionate at times, waving his arms and all that, but that’s because of his desire and that he wants to win all the time.

“And I don’t think there is any other player than Bruno Fernandes who would want to have Manchester United challenging for the title and winning that title with Manchester United more than he does.

“He’s committed quite some years now to Manchester United and he is possibly their best player for the last six seasons. What he’s contributed, even in poor moments for United, he’s the one that constantly delivered.”

Fernandes joined United from Sporting CP in January 2020 for an initial £47m fee, rising to £67.6 million with add-ons. He made an immediate impact in English football, scoring 40 goals in his first 80 appearances for the Red Devils.

Across six seasons at Old Trafford, Fernandes has been a rare beacon of consistency in an otherwise turbulent period. While the club’s fortunes have fluctuated, the Portuguese midfielder has maintained impressively high standards, consistently delivering goals and influential performances.

In 2023, he was named club captain, succeeding Harry Maguire. To date, Fernandes has scored 104 goals in 315 appearances for United, firmly cementing his status as one of the club’s biggest Premier League icons.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is reportedly on Manchester United’s radar, and this former Premier League ace believes he’ll fetch a hefty transfer sum

Former England coach Joleon Lescott thinks Manchester United will have to shell out £100million to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer. United and a number of rival clubs have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old.

Since leaving his boyhood Newcastle United for Forest, Anderson has been a revelation. He has played his way into the England frame and is one of the Premier League’s most sought-after young players.

It has long been reported that United want a new superstar midfielder in the summer. Anderson’s name has been floated around alongside the likes of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Casemiro will leave a gaping hole in the middle of the park when he leaves at the end of this campaign.

Ex-Manchester City defender Lescott worked alongside Anderson with England’s Under-21s and has a figure in mind should the youngster leave this summer. He also agreed with a peer as to whether Anderson’s Forest will survive the drop this season.

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Lescott and a guest on In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet, were asked who they foresee being relegated this season alongside the current 19th- and 20th-place teams, Burnley and Wolves.

Both agreed on one side, and Lescott said: “I think Forest. I think West Ham get out of it.” The discussion then turned to Forest star Anderson, with Lescott adding: “He’s a £100million player, isn’t he? Especially after he plays at the World Cup.

“You’re not going to sell him before, are you? You’re going to sell him after the World Cup. [If Forest go down] they have to sell. But then there are more teams interested.

“They go down, more teams come in. Because if he’s in the Premier League, it’s, ‘He’s not leaving unless it’s £100m.’ Then there are only two or three teams.”

Having made his debut last year under Thomas Tuchel, Anderson admits he has hopes of being included in the manager’s World Cup squad. He told Sky Sports: “My dream was to play for Newcastle because I never expected to play for England but it tops everything off.

“First, I’m selected and I’m over the moon to be there, training with great players. But you want to make an impression, show the team that I am a good player. When I found out I was playing it was such a big moment.

“It’s my dream playing for England and playing with the best players brings out the best in me. England’s aim now is to win the trophies. It sounds good, doesn’t it?

“There’s a long way to go to get to the World Cup. I have to treat every game until then as a World Cup final and then hopefully I can get to one. I can’t wait. If I’m there I’ll have all of my family with me. It’s really exciting, to be honest. Very exciting.”

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Manchester City can move to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday if they beat Newcastle United.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta insisted his team needs to “go through the pain” after they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with bottom of the Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The Gunners had the opportunity to go seven points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table with a win.

Arteta’s side looked all set to do that when Bukayo Saka opened the scoring early on and Piero Hincapie doubled the advantage ten minutes into the second half. Incredibly, Wolves, who have only won once in the Premier League all season, staged a remarkable comeback through Santiago Bueno and a Riccardo Calafiori own goal.

The gap is now five points but will be cut to just two on Saturday night if City beat Newcastle United. Arsenal do not play again until Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur but even if they win, they will have played a game more than Pep Guardiola’s team.

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Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Arteta said: “I think we need to go through the pain, and you need to go through that, looking in the mirror and understanding what the game requires now, and the next action is on Sunday. That’s it.

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“Anything that we say from here today is fine, but we need to keep all that in our tummies to show it on Sunday. That’s what we have to do.” He added: “I think any question, any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin today.

“I think that’s it. Any hit, any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required. Anything that anybody says can be right because we didn’t do what we had to do. The way to do it is on that pitch on Sunday, in a great opportunity that we have.

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“We’ve always done it, but you’re as strong if you show it the next time you do it. To talk and say it here, it’s simple, and we have to do it on the pitch.”

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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Arsenal winger Noni Madueke was the target of the Wolves boo boys during Wednesday’s clash between top and bottom in the Premier League.

The England international might appear an unusual player for the Molineux faithful to single out, but the 23-year-old has a bit of history with the relegation threatened club.

Ahead of Chelsea’s game at the same venue last season, Madueke committed social media gaffe by publishing a story on Instagram that read ‘Everything about this place is s***’.

Upon realising his mistake, Madueke published a clarification that did little to appease those of a Wolves persuasion.

He said: ‘Damnn wrong Instagram account.. You lot are too fast [laughing emoji, face palm emoji].’ 

Madueke’s every touch was subsequently booed by the home fans, but they clearly had little impact on the then Blues forward who scored a hat-trick in a thumping 6-2 win on that occasion.

The former PSV Eindhoven star moved from west to north London in the summer and has begun to win over the Arsenal supporters who were not keen on their club sanctioning a £50million transfer.

Madueke had started Arsenal’s previous six games in all competitions prior to Wednesday night, in part down to Bukayo Saka’s unavailability.

And even though Saka returned to the visitors’ XI at Molineux, he continued in the No.10 position behind Viktor Gyokeres, with Madueke given the nod on the right flank.

Mikel Arteta made no secret of the fact he could use Saka more centrally after experimenting with the England international in the same role in Arsenal’s FA Cup win over Wigan on Sunday.

‘Yeah, that’s something that’s a possibility and I wanted to try it,’ Arteta told reporters after the Gunners booked their place in the fifth round.

‘We might use it in the future.

‘There’s still so many games, competitions and different scenarios to play from now until the end of the season.

‘That’s a possibility that we have, yeah.’

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Wayne Rooney has been full of praise for Michael Carrick since he took over as Manchester United interim manager

Wayne Rooney insists it “makes sense” that Michael Carrick should be considered for the permanent Manchester United position. He has full confidence in his ex-team-mate and insists he’s earned the right to be in contention for the full-time role.

Since Carrick assumed control as United’s caretaker boss, there’s been a major turnaround on the pitch. Notable victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were followed by further wins against Fulham and Tottenham, before last week’s 1-1 draw at West Ham.

This unbeaten streak has seen the side climb to fourth place in the Premier League table, putting them in prime position for Champions League qualification. Rooney featured on The Overlap’s Fan Debate and suggested that United’s next manager is already under their noses.

He said: “We’ve been there and tried different managers – [Jose] Mourinho, [Louis] van Gaal, [Erik] ten Hag and [Ruben] Amorim – and for me Carrick makes sense. Not because we’ve played together and we’re friends, but because he is a real calming influence.

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“Having someone there who knows the club and cares for the club makes a big difference. Michael is managing the whole squad and managing them well.

“The players who are starting, they’re fine, you don’t have to manage them, but the other lads – we’ve seen the impact on [Matheus] Cunha, [Benjamin] Sesko, [Harry] Maguire, [Lisandro] Martinez. He’s having an impact on the whole squad and football club.

“Sometimes we’re quick to overlook what’s right there in front of you and say we’ve got this manager from Turkey or from Spain, who is going to come in and do this, when they have no interest in the football club.

“At least [with Carrick] this will give the foundations for the club to keep building, when in two or three years’ time the infrastructure will be back at the club.”

These remarks outline Rooney’s clear belief in Carrick as a head coach. This isn’t a recent development either, as the 40-year-old warned people to not take him lightly when he was appointed.

Speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show podcast, Rooney explained: “Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks. He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”

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Carrick has evidently been warmly welcomed in the dressing room, securing the Premier League Manager of the Month award and receiving considerable praise from his first-team squad. Maguire said: “I had no surprises when he came in and the way that he spoke in his first meeting and the way the sessions have gone.

“And I do think he’s got a great, great staff with him. He takes most sessions. He still does demos in passing drills and he still bangs it through the lines like he’s still got it.”

Speaking to TNT Sports, club captain Bruno Fernandes added: “Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility, but also some freedom to take the responsibility on the pitch during the decisions that are needed.”