Here are your Manchester United headlines for the evening of Monday, June 26, 2023.
Where United stand on possible midfield signings
Manchester United's third bid for midfielder Mason Mount remains on the table, but the club are looking at alternatives after becoming frustrated with Chelsea's approach.
United made a third offer worth an initial £50million for Mount last week, with a further £5million due in add-ons, but Chelsea have now rejected every bid for the 24-year-old, who is out of contract next summer.
The Blues are holding out for £65million for the England international and have told United they would accept £58million, with £7million in add-ons. They have also suggested holding face-to-face talks to try and resolve the impasse.
But United have consistently said they have a limit when it comes to signing Mount, who wants to join the club and could leave Chelsea for free next summer. While the third offer remains available to Chelsea, they have no plans to hold face-to-face talks.
United agree deal to sign Watford defender Harry Amass
Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign highly-rated Watford defender Harry Amass. The 16-year-old is one of the brightest young talents in English football and is tipped to have a successful future in the game.
The Manchester Evening News understands that while his signing hasn't been officially completed yet, a deal has been agreed that will see him move to Manchester shortly.
Amass signed an early scholarship deal that ties him to Watford until he is 18, meaning that under the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan, United will have to pay compensation for his signature.
United squad might get Pep Guardiola treatment from Erik ten Hag
In Ajax’s greatest season under Erik ten Hag there was a degree of consistency that comes from knowing your best team and having a squad small enough to keep everyone contented.
Ajax played 58 games in 2018/19, winning the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup and missing out on a Champions League final in the most agonising, heartbreaking circumstances. But through all of that workload and drama, only 20 players played 10 or more games in that season. Eleven players featured in at least 46 of those matches.
Ten Hag certainly knew his best team in that season and he had built a team suited to his needs. It wasn’t needlessly big, but was slimmed down to incorporate the players he could rely on and keep motivated and it worked brilliantly.
