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Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool ‘to rival City in race for £50m-rated Brentford star after red-hot start to 2023-24’

by www.thesun.co.uk Leave a Comment

MANCHESTER CITY are facing competition from three Premier League rivals for Brentford’s Aaron Hickey.

Arsenal , Liverpool and Manchester United have joined the race and are ready to make bids for the £50million-rated Scottish defender.

The 21-year-old full-back has been in remarkable form for both club and country – attracting interest from a the Premier League’s big-hitters in the process.

SunSport exclusively revealed earlier this year that City were chasing Hickey, who was then rated at £30m.

And Pep Guardiola remains keen on the Bees star, despite seeing his side win six out of six in a flawless start to the season.

But it won’t be easy, with the Mirror reporting title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as neighbours United interested too.

German giants Bayern Munich who already poached Harry Kane from the Prem this summer, are also keen.

And Hickey’s performances have seen his price-tag continue to rise too, with Brentford set to demand at least £50m.

Bees boss Thomas Frank will be gutted if he loses another key asset with Rico Henry sidelined due to a serious knee injury, and suspended talisman Ivan Toney set to depart in January.

Frank spoke about Hickey’s versatility and importance in the Bees squad.

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He said: “With Aaron there is a lot of talk about whether he is a right back or a left-back, but I am in that privileged position that he can play on both sides and will most likely go on the left.

“He is both-footed and has huge ability, we don’t have that many full-backs so he is very important.

“He is a player we signed a year ago with big ambitions and his future and it is going in the right direction for him.”

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has made it clear how much he rates Hickey’s ability to play on either flank and is ready to fight for his signature.

United meanwhile are desperate to add to their full-backs with Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka suffering injuries.

Liverpool are keen to reboot what Jurgen Klopp is calling ‘Liverpool 2.0’ with youthful talent and Hickey fits the bill perfectly.

The Brentford star started out as a left-back for Hearts before making his way to the Serie A side Bologna in 2020.

Hickey then made his debut in 2022 for the Premier League and has since made a remarkable start under Frank.

Pep Guardiola branded ‘sausage’ by fans after incredible reaction at full-time after Man City dumped out of cup

by www.thesun.co.uk Leave a Comment

PEP GUARDIOLA has been branded a “sausage” by fans for his reaction to Manchester City’s Carabao Cup exit.

The Treble winners were knocked out in the third round by Newcastle on Wednesday night.

Alexander Isak’s second half strike proved to be the only goal of the game as Eddie Howe’s side progressed to the last 16.

After the match, Guardiola fumed at Newcastle’s approach to the game, despite initially congratulating them on their victory.

The City boss ranted: “I think Newcastle couldn’t accept our first half dominance.

“They increased the rhythm and aggression and kicking, and they were there, more aggressive. We struggled a little but that’s normal.

“I said at half-time the second half will not be like the first.

“I don’t know how many fouls they did and how many we did but we had double yellow cards. It is what it is.”

Guardiola had earlier been shown a yellow card for dissent during the match before confronting referee Chris Kavanagh at the final whistle.

Reacting to the Spaniard’s rant on social media, one fan wrote: “Pep Guardiola the biggest sore loser in world football, sausage.”

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Another added: “Pep Guardiola aka the cheque book manager, is a big sore loser!”

Meanwhile, a third supporter commented: “Seems like the best manager in the world certainly cared being knocked out of it last night on the back winning a treble…”

City will look to bounce back from their loss when they return to Premier League action away at Wolves on Saturday.

As for Newcastle, they have been drawn away to Manchester United in the next round, a replay of last season’s final.

Benni McCarthy knocks Erling Haaland down a peg with honest assessment of Man City star

by www.express.co.uk Leave a Comment

Man Utd were ‘hours’ away from losing transfer target to Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp chat

coach believes that he could take to a different level if he was at Old Trafford. The Norwegian shattered the single-season scoring record in 2022/23, and he has followed that up with a promising start to the new campaign with .

Haaland is continuing his remarkable strike rate of approximately one goal per game, and he is already up to eight in the Premier League this season. The 23-year-old therefore has twice as many as any other player in the division, aside from Tottenham’s Son Heung-min.

But McCarthy is adamant that there is room for improvement in Haaland’s game. And in an interview with South African radio station 947 , the Man Utd attacking coach was clear on whether he felt he could teach him some new tricks.

“If he was to sign for Man United, then hell yeah,” he stated. “I would love to contribute but I don’t see that ever happening.

Benni McCarthy Erling Haaland

Benni McCarthy has specified how Erling Haaland can improve his game (Image: GETTY)

“I can’t see a possibility for me ever coaching Erling Haaland. But I think he’s a great striker. He’s still got loads of room for improvement. I observe and analyse a lot of attacking players, sometimes I just feel he can improve his game a little bit, especially when defenders try to mark him out of the game.

“I saw against Real Madrid, Antonio Rudiger was so tight on him and he ended up not having a solution, even though he’s such a strong and powerful player. He’s got speed, heading ability, but you need to adjust your game to play against different kinds of defenders.”

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McCarthy was drafted in to form part of Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff at Old Trafford upon the Dutchman’s appointment last year. The South African earned rave reviews during his debut season with the club, bringing the best out of Marcus Rashford, who bagged 30 goals in all competitions.

The pressure is back on Ten Hag and McCarthy, however, after a poor start to 2023/24. United are currently ninth in the Premier League table after suffering three defeats in their first three matches.

Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland is up to eight Premier League goals already this season (Image: Getty)

But an encouraging week has seen the Red Devils win two games on the trot – against Burnley and Crystal Palace – to suggest that most of the storm has been weathered.

By comparison, Haaland is experiencing no such trouble as his goals have fired City to a flawless Premier League start. Pep Guardiola’s side remain top of the table as they go for a sixth title in seven years.

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag ‘has copied Pep Guardiola’ with Alejandro Garnacho decision

by www.express.co.uk Leave a Comment

Man Utd were ‘hours’ away from losing transfer target to Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp chat

Dimitar Berbatov has praised for his treatment of , comparing it to how has managed at . Garnacho has emerged as one of Ten Hag’s most exciting young players, but the manager has an arduous task ensuring his development doesn’t stall.

United has a reputation for harvesting promising talents from the club’s academy, but not all have lived up to the task when it’s time to sink or swim at senior level.

Infamous cases in the past include Adnan Januzaj, James Wilson and Ravel Morrison. Recently, Teden Mengi, Axel Tuanzebe, Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal are examples of potential not realised at Old Trafford.

More often than not, most academy graduates become stuck in a state of flux between being too good for the youth ranks and struggling for consistent first-team minutes.

Marcus Rashford’s status as an undroppable figure on the left has sparked fears that Garnacho will suffer the same fate, given he has started just three times this season.

But in Ten Hag, United have appointed a master of managing youth talent. And Berbatov believes he’s doing the right thing by resisting calls to hand the 19-year-old winger a regular starting berth.

“It was great to see Alejandro Garnacho get on the score sheet in the week. People want him to play more at United, but he needs time,” Berbatov told Betfair.

Man Utd must manage Alejandro Garnacho carefully.

Man Utd must manage Alejandro Garnacho carefully. (Image: Getty)

“I think Ten Hag is showing enough faith in Garnacho and deciding the right times for him to play.

“He’s very, very young – just 19 – and you need to be careful not to rush things and try not to be impatient. Look at how Guardiola treated Phil Foden.

“He was brought in slowly and had to answer questions about why he was not playing. A good manager will explain that to young players, and the players are usually smart enough to understand.

“Garnacho is in the right place, at the right time, and he has the right coach. When the opportunities are given to him, he should take them 100 per cent.

“Believe me, the manager will see that, appreciate it, and give you your time. If you deserve it, you’ll get your chance in the first team.

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Pep Guardiola had a similar situation with Phil Foden.

Pep Guardiola had a similar situation with Phil Foden. (Image: Getty)

“It’s always exciting to watch new talent. People think ‘he can be the next… whoever’ and start to compare.

“Let’s not rush things. In some cases, though, when the player is really exceptional – like when Mbappe was at Monaco – you can understand why he’s not on the bench.

“Those players are very rare, however. Everybody’s time is different, and I think Ten Hag is doing the right thing here.”

‌Garnacho impressed in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, but Rashford is expected to reclaim his place for the Premier League rematch this weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s brother, 47, leads minnows to top of LaLiga as he prepares to face Jude Bellingham in title clash

by www.thesun.co.uk Leave a Comment

IT will be no surprise to anyone to hear ­Guardiola is top of the league.

But it is a bit of a shock to realise it is the club run by Pere Guardiola, not his brother Pep.

And that it is Spanish minnows Girona, not ­ Manchester City , who are No 1.

The unlikely LaLiga pace-setters went to the summit after their win at Villarreal on Wednesday night.

Next up, and visiting the 14,000-capacity Estadi Montilivi on Saturday, are Jude Bellingham and second-placed Real Madrid .

The prospect of Girona, who joined the global City Football Group headed by the Etihad outfit in 2017, playing in the Champions League may already be causing concerns for Uefa.

Their rules currently ban clubs under mutual ownership playing in the same competition.

Yet the Catalan side, in only their fourth LaLiga campaign in 90 years, are the fairytale story of the season.

A side that plays Pep-like football — all about excitement and attacking, high pressing and quick feet rather than the overwhelming control of City.

But one that has done it on a shoestring, featuring a cast of unlikely stars and a Middlesbrough flop who is a true local hero.

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Pere Guardiola at 47, five years younger than his sibling, came to prominence initially as an agent, with clients including Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta.

But in 2017, shortly before the City buy-out, he took a 16 per cent stake in Girona, where he is now ‘chairman’, combined with work as a player representative.

It has not been an unmitigated success, with three years in Liga B after relegation in 2019 and promotion then only gained via the play-offs.

That was the first season with former Rayo Vallecano midfielder Michel as boss — and the start of a rebuild led by one-time Boro winger Cristhian Stuani.

The Uruguayan, now 36, refused to leave after relegation, pledging to stay until he had scored for the club in LaLiga once more, a feat he has now accomplished 12 times in 40 matches.

One-time Manchester United stalwart Daley Blind has brought experience, with former City man Eric Garcia on loan from Barcelona .

The craft comes from Ukrainian Viktor Tsyhankov, signed from Dinamo Kiev, and 19-year-old Brazilian schemer Savio, who is on loan from French sister club Troyes.

Six wins and a draw in an unbeaten start has seen the 18-goal joint top scorers rise to the summit for the first time in the club’s history.

Michel, who gave the go-ahead for a celebratory dressing-room picture after Wednesday’s win, said: “It’s great to look at the table and see that we are top.

“We could only savour it for one night because we had to start preparing for Real Madrid.

“Still, we deserved to enjoy the moment. This is a team that believes in what it is doing.”