Retiring from football is hard enough, but leaving a WhatsApp group, that’s a whole other level.
Phil Jones, who decided to call time on his playing career in August 2024, had a hard time saying goodbye to the game, but also his teammates.
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Jones said goodbye in difficult circumstancesCredit: Getty
Having spent 12 years at Manchester United after a heralded move from Blackburn in 2011, Jones left the team in 2023, but only officially stepped away from playing a year later.
Calling it quits at the age of 32 will have made things difficult as injuries dogged his later career, but it was leaving the team WhatsApp group where the true heartbreak began.
“Believe it or not, it was quite emotional,” he said, as per The Sun. “I’d been on the WhatsApp for years and banter and you’re sending people pictures and all sorts.
“I remember sitting in the bedroom going like, ‘Lads, it’s been a pleasure and blah blah blah. Some I’ve played with a lot, some I’ve only just met, but it’s been an absolute pleasure. I wish you all the best and I’ll be your biggest supporters.’ It was a tough moment actually.”
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However, the reality then set in.
“Do you know what I gave it a minute and there was no response,” he said. “I was like ‘gone, gone, gone, I’m gone!’ No-one cares. But that’s it. It’s football.
“Things move so quickly and people come in. I played with people for six years. I will never see them again. I’ll never speak to them again.”
Jones has since turned to punditry and is training for his UEFA coaching licence, but admitted that the transition wasn’t easy.
“I found myself getting really bitter towards the game and that’s not who I was,” he said.
“But I needed that time to reflect and come to terms with what happened and how it happened.
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Jones won the league under Ferguson, but didn’t see much action in his final few yearsCredit: Getty
“I look back now and I’m in a great place.”
The Preston-born defender made headlines with a £16.5million switch to Old Trafford in 2011, a hefty fee at the time for a young centre back.
His first season saw Premier League heartbreak as Manchester City won their first title on the final day, beating their neighbours thanks to the iconic Sergio Aguero goal against QPR.
However, United and Jones struck back the following season under Alex Ferguson, winning the title before the legendary Scot retired.
Jones would add an FA Cup, two Community Shields and a Europa League crown in the following seasons, but from the 2019/20 season onwards he failed to make more than ten appearances in a season.
Jones had rave reviews for United wonderkid Obi-MartinCredit: Getty
Despite having a full bench, even if it was filled with inexperience, Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim made just one substitution and waited until the stoppage time to do so.
It was Obi-Martin, as he came on for Casemiro in what was his senior debut.
The fact it was the 17-year-old who was brought on ahead of his fellow teenage compatriots on the bench has given Jones, who works as a coach in United’s academy at Carrington, plenty of belief he will play a starring role in the English giants’ turnaround.
In fact, Jones has tipped the Danish prodigy to follow a similar path to Amad Diallo, who impressed on loan spells before he became one of the first names on the team sheet under Amorim.
“Working in and around the academy and helping those young players develop, United have some really good and talented young players coming through,” Jones said on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast.
“The squad had a lot of injuries against Tottenham and the bench was full of kids, but there were some talented players on that bench.
“People might not know a lot about them now, but they certainly will in the next few years.
“I think you look at Kobbie Mainoo, top player, you look at Chido who we’ve just signed from Arsenal, who’s an animal.
“You look at Amad who had a couple of really good loans, and I remember watching him winning it against Liverpool in extra time last season, and I had said at that time he’d play a huge part in the next season.
“I played with Amad for a year or two and you could see then that the quality he had was really good and really strong.
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The former Red Devils defender has been impressed by the Dane in trainingCredit: Getty
“As I said there’s a great crop of young players ready to be given the chance and integrated into the team.”
United’s academy and first team staff undoubtedly have high hopes for Obi-Martin given the effort they made to prise him away from Arsenal last September.
The Red Devils reportedly beat out two German teams to Obi-Martin’s signature thanks to their willingness to fast-track the forward into the first team picture.
Obi-Martin was a menace in front of goal for the Gunners’ under-18 side last season, netting a whopping 32 goals in just 18 league fixtures.
He even bagged a seven-goal haul in a 9-0 victory against Norwich City’s under-18’s in April.
Thanks to his goalscoring exploits, Obi-Martin beat Folarin Balogun‘s tally of 25 to become the record-holder for most goals scored by an Arsenal under-18’s player in a single season.
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Obi-Martin was the only player Amorim brought on against Tottenham last SundayCredit: Getty
Obi-Martin didn’t have to wait long to make a positive impression at Carrington as he bagged a first-half hat-trick in his debut for United’s under-18’s against Nottingham Forest.
In fact, his first goal came after just 13 seconds as the Dane rounded the Forest goalkeeper following a loose pass in their defence.
Obi-Martin then completed his hat-trick in the 14th minute with a close-range finish and was taken off at half-time.
The 17-year-old will hope to be involved with United’s first team for a second-straight weekend when Amorim’s side travel to Everton on Saturday.
Jones’ decision may be unpopular with United fansCredit: X / @SkySportsPL
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Van Dijk has been ‘incredible’ for Liverpool says JonesCredit: Getty
Jones had been asked by Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports to pick between the two centre-backs.
The ex-England man started by explaining: “I think for a modern day centre-half, what you would want, you know he’s commanding, he’s great on the ball, he’s a threat in both boxes.”
Redknapp then asked if Van Dijk would have been as good during the era Ferdinand played, highlighting the lack of teams playing two strikers at once in the modern game.
Jones added: “Yeah I think he would. I think that would be harsh to say he wouldn’t have been as good as he is now in that era. I think he still would have been top.”
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Since joining the Reds in 2018, Van Dijk has made 290 appearances, scoring 25 goals from defence.
He has also won eight trophies including the Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League.
As a result, Jones chose the Dutchman over Ferdinand, explaining: “I’ve got to go Van Dijk, just because I think what he’s given Liverpool over the last five, six years has been incredible.
“Ok, he might have had a little bit of a dip in form over the last sort of four, five months but I think he’s right up there again now.”
The 32-year-old continued: “I used to think about the players that we would come up against back then when we were fighting for titles, going to the latter stages of competitions and watching Liverpool if they were in the competition as well thinking ‘how are they going to score if Van Dijk’s on the pitch’. He’s a top player, I can’t deny that.”
Under Arne Slot this season, Van Dijk has helped Liverpool top both the Premier League and Champions League standings.
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Ferdinand won 15 trophies with United including six league titlesCredit: Getty
He has also scored twice and provided an assist from defence in 20 appearances across all competitions.
In those matches, the 33-year-old has kept 12 cleans sheets and conceded just 12 goals.
However, he could leave the club at the end of the season with his contract set to expire next summer.
Jones’ choice may come as a surprise having played alongside Ferdinand at Old Trafford.
Of his 229 appearances for the Red Devils, 55 came in the same team as Ferdinand between 2011 and 2014.
During that time, the pair won both the Community Shield and Premier League.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand made a total of 455 appearances for United, scoring eight goals.
He left the club in 2014 after winning 15 trophies, including the Champions League, Club World Cup and six league titles.
The former Leeds man also won 81 caps for England before retiring in 2015 aged 36.
Rio Ferdinand reveals he rang Wayne Rooney about Manchester United stars Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard’s behaviour
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has recalled the time he phoned up Wayne Rooney in disgust over Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba.
Ferdinand enjoyed huge success alongside Rooney, where they won 12 major trophies together – which includes five top-flight titles and the Champions League.
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United legends Ferdinand and Rooney enjoyed huge success at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – Contributor
Former West Ham centre-back Ferdinand departed Old Trafford in 2014 before retiring at QPR the following year, with Rooney staying at the Theatre of Dreams until 2017.
Following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, with Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs retiring soon after, there was a huge change in the dressing room dynamic.
It was something that Phil Jones commented on when he appeared on ex-teammate Ferdinand’s YouTube channel.
Jones, who joined United in 2011 before departing 12 years later, said: “Back then, when you look at the dressing room we had.
“We had so many incredible, powerful leaders that wouldn’t let anything get in the way of the team’s performance and the team winning.
“That winning mentality was so strong and powerful that no-one that came in could disrupt that.
“I think now players maybe don’t have the ability to call people out anymore and the power to tell them, ‘That’s not what we do at this football club… don’t come in here and start acting like that, that doesn’t work here.’
“I’m not saying that happens every single day at the club but if we lost a game, we’d have a meeting the next day, not even with the coaches.
“The leaders would be saying, ‘this is not good enough’ after one loss.”
Ferdinand then revealed how he once phoned Rooney up in anger having seen a social media video of Pogba and Lingard dancing together in the dressing room in 2017 – while United were languishing sixth in the table.
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Lingard and Pogba’s dancing antics in the dressing room rubbed Ferdinand up the wrong way
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The duo were known for their choreographed celebrationsCredit: AFP or licensors
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Ferdinand has opened up on the time their antics left him phoning up Rooney in disgustCredit: Rio Ferdinand Presents
Ferdinand recalled: “I’ll tell you when it changed, well I think from the outside and you can correct me if I’m wrong.
“I rang Wazza when I saw Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard dancing when we were sixth in the league on Instagram.
“I rang Wazza, and said, ‘What is going on here? How are you allowing this?’
Rio Ferdinand makes public apology to ex-Manchester United teammate Phil Jones and admits he got it wrong
“And he said, ‘You can’t say nothing, it’s not the same anymore.’
“He said, ‘It’s not only Jesse and Paul, there’s a load of them all together who would all be looking at me like I’m mad if I said anything.’”
Quick to reply, Jones then stated: “Can you imagine that happening in the dressing room we were in?! You would get torched.”
Both Pogba and Lingard were guilty of inconsistent performances during their time at United – despite turning up in big games.
Lingard scored winners in the FA Cup final and League Cup final, while also scoring in the Community Shield against Leicester in 2016.
As for Pogba, he was on target in the Europa League final in 2017 triumph over Ajax.
Neither of the men are on United’s books today, with Lingard plying his trade in South Korea for FC Seoul.
While Pogba is currently unemployed, but seems set to return to football having had his four-year doping ban reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Tuchel joins club legend as favourite to be next Man United manager – talkSPORT BET odds
Al Hilal are reported to have negotiated a £50 million ($AUD99 million deal for the 28-year-old.
“The club can confirm that Aleksandar Mitrovic has this evening left to join Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League for a club record transfer fee,” Fulham said in a statement.
“The club had reluctantly accepted a revised offer as the player had consistently made his desire to leave known.”
Mitrovic pushed for a move in order to join the growing list of players swapping Europe for a lucrative switch to the Gulf state.
He will be Al Hilal’s latest high-profile signing after their swoops for Neymar, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves and Malcom.
Mitrovic has gone to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Manchester City have completed the signing of Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol on a five-year deal from RB Leipzig, the Premier League champions announced Saturday.
No financial details were revealed but Pep Guardiola’s side are understood to have agreed a fee of €90 million ($AUD150 million) for the Croatia international.
Gvardiol, 21, has impressed in his two seasons at Leipzig which he joined from Dynamo Zagreb in July 2021.
“I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me,” said Gvardiol of joining a team which won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League last year.
“Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the Treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has.” Gvardiol becomes Man City’s second signing ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, following fellow Croatian international Mateo Kovacic.
Gvardiol has signed for Manchester City. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“To be joining City is something very special for me and my family,” continued Gvardiol.
“To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing for me. “I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.
“To be linking up with Mateo Kovacic will also be special. He’s a top footballer and I hope we can both help City achieve another successful season in 2023/24 and then beyond.” Capped 21 times for Croatia, Gvardiol made 87 appearances across two seasons for Leipzig winning back-to-back German Cups.
He won two league titles with Zagreb before moving to the Bundesliga.
PL DONE DEALS
ARSENAL
In
Declan Rice [West Ham] £105m
Kai Havertz [Chelsea] £65m
Jurrien Timber [Ajax] £38m
Out
Granit Xhaka [Bayer Leverkusen] £21m
Pablo Mari [AC Monza] £6m
Nikolaj Moller [FC St. Gallen] Undisclosed
Mazeed Ogungbo [Barrow] Undisclosed
Ben Cottrell [NS Mura] Undisclosed
Mauro Bandeira [Colchester United] Loan
Auston Trusty [Sheffield United] Undisclosed
Tom Smith [Colchester] Free
Ainsley Maitland-Niles [Released]
Matt Smith [Released]
Joel Ideho [Released]
George Lewis [Released]
Tom Smith [Released]
Zach Awe [Released]
Kaleel Green [Released]
Alexandar Kovacevic [Released]
Tino Quamina [Released]
Mathaeus Roberts [Released]
Declan Rice moved to Arsenal for a British record fee. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ASTON VILLA
In
Pau Torres [Villarreal] £35m
Youri Tielemans [Leicester] Free
Moussa Diaby [Bayer Leverkusen] Undisclosed
Out
Marvelous Nakamba [Luton Town] Undisclosed
Wesley [Stoke City] Undisclosed
Morgan Sanson [Nice] Loan
Kaine Kesler-Hayden [Plymouth Argyle] Loan
Louie Barry [Stockport County] Loan
Finn Azaz [Plymouth] Loan
Ashley Young [Everton] Free
Declan Frith [Released]
Hayden Lindley [Released]
Arjan Raikhy [Released]
Ruben Shakpoke [Released]
Myles Sohna [Released]
Jed Steer [Released]
Brad Young [Released]
Aston Villa broke their transfer fee record to snap up Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BOURNEMOUTH
In
Justin Kluivert [Roma] Undisclosed
Romain Faivre [Lyon] Undisclosed (sent on loan to Lorient)
Hamed Traore [Sassuolo] £20m
Milos Kerkez [AZ Alkmaar] Undisclosed
Andrei Radu [Inter Milan] Loan
Out
Siriki Dembele [Birmingham] Undisclosed
Jefferson Lerma [Crystal Palace] Free
Jack Stacey [Norwich City] Free
Ben Pearson [Stoke] Undisclosed
Will Dennis [Kilmarnock] Loan
Mark Travers [Stoke] Loan
Junior Stanislas [Released]
Josh Popoola [Released]
Tarik Gidaree [Released]
Matthew Burgess [Released]
Christopher Francis [Released]
Brooklyn Genesini [Released]
BRENTFORD
In
Nathan Collins [Wolves] £23m
Kevin Schade [Freiburg] £22m
Mark Flekken [Freiburg] £11m
Kim Ji-soo [Seongnam] Undisclosed
Ethan Brierley [Rochdale] Undisclosed
Ethan Laidlaw [Hibernian] Undisclosed
Romeo Beckham [Inter Miami] Undisclosed
Erion Zabeli [Oxford United] Free
Out
Pontus Jansson [Malmo] Free
Daniel Oyegoke [Bradford] Loan
Fin Stevens [Oxford] Loan
Matthew Cox [Bristol Rovers] Loan
Paris Maghoma [Bolton] Loan
Tristan Crama [Bristol Rovers] Loan
Ben Winterbottom [Welling] Loan
Alex Gilbert [Middlesbrough] Free
Paris Maghoma [Bolton] Loan
Saman Ghoddos [Released]
Tariqe Fosu [Released]
Joel Valencia [Released]
J’Neil Bennett [Released]
Lachlan Brook [Released]
Nico Jones [Released]
Roco Rees [Released]
Roy Syla [Released]
Lucias Vine [Released]
Collins moved from Wolves to Brentford. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for Premier League)Source: Getty Images
BRIGHTON
In
Joao Pedro [Watford] £30m
Bart Verbruggen [Anderlecht] £16.3m
Igor Julio [Fiorentina] £14.5m
Jacob Slater [Preston North End] Undisclosed
Mahmoud Dahoud [Borussia Dortmund] Free
James Milner [Liverpool] Free
Out
Alexis Mac Allister [Liverpool] £55m
Robert Sanchez [Chelsea] £25m
Antef Tsoungui [Feyenoord] Undisclosed
Taylor Richards [Queens Park Rangers] Undisclosed
Aaron Connolly [Hull] Undisclosed
Kjell Scherpen [Sturm Graz] Loan
Abdallah Sima [Rangers] Loan
James Beadle [Oxford United] Loan
Marc Leonard [Northampton Town] Loan
Jeremy Sarmiento [West Brom] Loan
Carl Rushworth [Swansea] Loan
Ed Turns [Leyton Orient] Loan
Toby Bull [Released]
Billie Clark [Released]
Matthew Everitt [Released]
Teddy Jenks [Forest Green] Free
Todd Miller [Released]
Sam Packham [Released]
Haydon Roberts [Released]
Casey Gabriel-Shann [Released]
Jack Spong [Released]
Fynn Talley [Peterborough] Free
Lorent Tolaj [Released]
Antef Tsoungui [Released]
Ben Wilson [Released]
BURNLEY
In
James Trafford [Manchester City] £19m
Dara O’Shea [West Brom] £7m
Luca Koleosho [Espanyol] £2.6m
Zeki Amdouni [Basel] Undisclosed
Jordan Beyer [Borussia Monchengladbach] Undisclosed
Lawrence Vigouroux [Leyton Orient] Undisclosed
Michael Obafemi [Swansea] Undisclosed
Nathan Redmond [Besiktas] Free
Jacob Bruun Larsen [Hoffenheim] Loan
Out
Ashley Barnes [Norwich] Free
Lewis Thomas [Harrogate] Free
Bailey Peacock-Farrell [AGF Aarhus] Loan
Michael Mellon [Morecambe] Loan
Will Norris [Portsmouth] Free
Lukas Jensen [Lincoln] Free
Luke McNally [Stoke] Loan
CHELSEA
In
Christopher Nkunku [RB Leipzig] £52m
Axel Disasi [Monaco] £38.5m
Nicolas Jackson [Villarreal] £32m
Robert Sanchez [Brighton] £25m
Lesley Ugochukwu [Rennes] £24m
Kendry Paez [Independiente del Valle] Undisclosed
Dujuan Richards [Phoenix All Stars Academy] Undisclosed
Angelo Gabriel [Santos] Undisclosed
Alex Matos [Norwich] Undisclosed
Diego Moreira [Benfica] Undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith [Everton] Undisclosed
Out
Kai Havertz [Arsenal] £65m
Mason Mount [Manchester United] £55m
Christian Pulisic [AC Milan] £20m
Mateo Kovacic [Manchester City] £30m
Ruben Loftus-Cheek [AC Milan] £15m
Kalidou Kouilbay [Al-Hilal] Undisclosed
Edouard Mendy [Al-Ahli] Undisclosed
N’Golo Kante [Al-Ittihad] Free
Cesar Azpilicueta [Atletico Madrid] Free
Ethan Ampadu [Leeds] £7m
David Datro Fofana [Union Berlin] Loan
Dujon Sterling [Rangers] Free
Baba Rahman [PAOK] Free
Derrick Abu [Released]
Prince Adegoke [Released]
Tiemoue Bakayoko [Released]
Nathan Baxter [Bolton] Free
Juan Castillo [Released]
Bryan Fiabema [Released]
Joe Haigh [Released]
Henry Lawrence [Released]
Sam McClelland [Released]
Silko Thomas [Released]
Ethan Wady [Released]
Jayden Wareham [Released]
Charlie Webster [Heerenveen] Loan
Dion Rankine [Exeter] Loan
Nkunku is Chelsea’s big-money signing this summer. (Photo by Mike Stobe / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
CRYSTAL PALACE
In
Jefferson Lerma [Bournemouth] Free
Out
Wilfried Zaha [Galatasaray] Free
Rob Street [Cheltenham] Free
Luke Plange [Carlisle] Loan
James McArthur [Released]
Luka Milivojevic [Released]
Jack Butland [Rangers] Free
Joshua Addae [Released]
David Boateng [Released]
Ryan Bartley [Released]
Maliq Cadogan [Released]
Reece Hannam [Released]
David Omilabu [Released]
Daniel Quick [Released]
EVERTON
In
Ashley Young [Aston Villa] Free
Arnaut Danjuma [Villarreal] Loan
Out
Ellis Simms [Coventry] £7m
Yerry Mina [Released]
Andros Townsend [Released]
Niels Nkounkou [Saint-Etienne] Undisclosed
Einar Iversen [Released]
Isaac Price [Released]
Tom Davies [Released]
Harry Tyrer [Chesterfield] Loan
Lewis Warrington [Plymouth] Loan
Stanley Mills [Oxford] Loan
FULHAM
In
Raul Jimenez [Wolves] £5m
Calvin Bassey [Ajax] Undisclosed
Willian
Out
Shane Duffy [Norwich] Free
Kieron Bowie [Northampton Town] Loan
Ibane Bowat [TSV Hartberg] Loan
Joe Bryan [Millwall] Free
Thorsteinn Antonsson [Released]
Paulo Gazzaniga [Girona] Free
Sonny Hilton [Released]
Sylvester Jasper [Released]
Neeskens Kebano [Al-Jazira] Free
Ziyad Larkeche [QPR] Free
Jonathon Page [Released]
Steven Sessegnon [Released]
Jean-Pierre Tiéhi [Released]
LIVERPOOL
In
Alexis Mac Allister [Brighton] £35m
Dominik Szoboszlai [RB Leipzig] £60m
Out
Fabinho [Al-Ittihad] Undisclosed
Jordan Henderson [Al-Ettifaq] £12m
Rhys Williams [Aberdeen] Loan
Calvin Ramsay [Preston North End ] Loan
Sepp van den Berg [Mainz] Loan
Fabio Carvalho [RB Leipzig] Loan
Roberto Firmino [Al-Ahli] Free
James Milner [Brighton] Free
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [Released]
Naby Keita [Werder Bremen] Free
Jack Bearne [Released]
Liam Hughes [Released]
Oscar Kelly [Released]
Fidel O’Rourke [Released]
Oludare Olufunwa [Released]
Leighton Clarkson [Aberdeen] Undisclosed
Harvey Davies [Crewe Alexandra] Loan
Adam Lewis [Newport County] Loan
Owen Beck [Dundee FC] Loan
Anderson Arroyo [FC Andorra] Loan
Dominik Szoboszlai adds plenty of quality to Liverpool’s midfield. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LUTON TOWN
In
Tahith Chong [Birmingham] £4m
Marvelous Nakamba [Aston Villa] Undisclosed
Ryan Giles [Wolves] Undisclosed
Mads Andersen [Barnsley] Undisclosed
Chiedozie Ogbene [Rotherham United] Free
Issa Kabore [Manchester City] Free
Thomas Kaminski [Luton Town] Undisclosed
Out
Harry Isted [Charlton] Free
Josh Neufville [AFC Wimbledon] Free
Sonny Bradley [Derby] Free
Henri Lansbury [Released]
Fred Onyedinma [Rotherham United]
Elliot Thorpe [Shrewsbury Town] Loan
Jack Walton [Dundee United] Loan
MANCHESTER CITY
In
Josko Gvardiol [RB Leipzig] £77m
Mateo Kovacic [Chelsea] £30m
Spike Brits [AFC Wimbledon] Undisclosed
Out
Riyad Mahrez [Al-Ahil] £30m
James Trafford [Burnley] £19m
Shea Charles [Southampton] £15m
lkay Gundogan [Barcelona] Free
Carlos Borges [Ajax] £17.3m
Terrell Agyemang [Middlesbrough] Free
Finley Burns [Stevenage] Loan
Rowan McDonald [Released]
Benjamin Mendy [Released]
Morgan Rogers [Middlesbrough] Undisclosed
Kian Breckin [Wycombe] Loan
Liam Delap [Hull City] Loan
Callum Doyle [Leicester] Loan
MANCHESTER UNITED
In
Mason Mount [Chelsea] £55m
Andre Onana [Inter Milan] £47m
Jonny Evans [Leicester] Free
Out
Anthony Elanga [Nottingham Forest] £15m
Alex Telles [Al Nassr] Undisclosed
David de Gea [Released]
Zidane Iqbal [Utrecht] £850,000
Ethan Laird [Birmingham City] Undisclosed
Ethan Galbraith [Leyton Orient] Free
Issa Kaboure [Luton Town] Free
Di’Shon Bernard [Sheffield Wednesday] Free
Nathan Bishop [Sunderland] Undisclosed
Will Fish [Hibernian] Loan
Phil Jones [Released]
Axel Tuanzebe [Released]
Di’Shon Bernard [Released]
Eric Hanbury [Released]
Charlie Wellens [Released]
Manni Norkett [Nottingham Forest] Free
Mason Mount moved from Chelsea to Manchester United. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
NEWCASTLE UNITED
In
Sandro Tonali [AC Milan] £52m
Harvey Barnes [Leicester] £38m
Yankuba Minteh [Odense Boldklub] Undisclosed
Out
Chris Wood [Nottingham Forest] £15m
Allan Saint-Maximin [Al-Ahli] Undisclosed
Karl Darlow [Leeds] Undisclosed
Matty Bondswell [Newport] Loan
Jamal Lewis [Watford] Loan
Kell Watts [Wigan] Loan
Niall Brookwell [Released]
Ciaran Clark [Released]
Dan Langley [Released]
Matty Longstaff [Released]
Josh Stewart [Released]
Isaac Westendorf [Released]
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
In
Chris Wood [Newcastle] £15m
Anthony Elanga [Manchester United] £15m
Manni Norkett [Manchester United] Free
Ola Aina [Torino] Free
Out
Will Swan [Mansfield] Undisclosed
Braian Ojeda [Real Salt Lake] Undisclosed
Sam Surridge [Nashville SC] Free
Jack Colback [QPR] Free
Cafu [Rotherham] Free
Oli Hammond [Cheltenham Town] Loan
Josh Bowler [Cardiff] Loan
Andre Ayew [Released]
Jesse Lingard [Released]
Jordan Smith [Released]
Lyle Taylor [Released]
Billy Fewster [Released]
Alex Gibson-Hammond [Released]
Ryan Hammon [Released]
SHEFFIELD UNITED
In
Anis Slimane [Brondby] Undisclosed
Benie Traore [Hacken] Undisclosed
Yasser Larouci [Troyes] Loan
Auston Trusty [Arsenal] Undisclosed
Out
Illiman Ndiaye [Marseille] Undisclosed
George Broadbent [Doncaster Rovers] Undisclosed
Jake Eastwood [Grimsby Town] Undisclosed
Harry Boyes [Wycombe] Loan
Jack O’Connell [Released]
Billy Sharp [Released]
Enda Stevens [Stoke] Free
Kyron Gordon [Released]
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
In
James Maddison [Leicester City] £40m
Manor Solomon [Shakhtar Donetsk] Free
Guglielmo Vicario [Empoli] Undisclosed
Dejan Kulusevski [Juventus] Undisclosed
Out
Harry Winks [Leicester] £10m
Lucas Moura [Released]
Jamie Bowden [Released]
Kallum Cesay [Released]
Malachi Fagan-Walcott [Released]
Marqes Muir [Released]
England international James Maddison moved to Tottenham. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
WEST HAM UNITED
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Sean Moore [Cliftonville] Undisclosed – joining U21 squad
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Manchester United’s season of promise was handed a reality check of the hard work that still lies ahead for Erik ten Hag as an under-strength side were blown away by Sevilla to crash out of the Europa League.
And now a report from The Guardian claims that United could move on from 15 players as part of a mass cleanout.
In his first season in charge, Ten Hag has ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup, has United in pole position for a return to the Champions League next season by sitting third in the Premier League and into a FA Cup semi-final against Brighton on Sunday.
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Yet, a 3-0 defeat in the cauldron of the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Thursday was also far from United’s biggest or most humiliating under the Dutchman.
United have been smashed 4-0 by Brentford, 6-3 at Manchester City and 7-0 by Liverpool – matching the club’s worst ever defeat – in a rollercoaster campaign.
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It could see mass changes at United, according to The Guardian. Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial, Victor Lindelöf, Fred and Scott McTominay are among those facing the axe.
Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson, Anthony Elanga and Brandon Williams could also depart while loanees Alex Telles, Hannibal Mejbri and Eric Bailly are certain to leave.
Elsewhere, out-of-contract players Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are also heading for an exit.
A season of highs and lows for the fanbase is also accentuated by the uncertainty surrounding the future of the club’s ownership.
Supporters have long since wished for the departure of the Glazer family. But delight at the Americans announcement they were exploring a sale in November has turned to fear they could yet stay on by selling just a minority stake.
The delay in a solution to the sale process, with a third round of bidding to take place by the end of the month, risks leaving United behind when it comes to securing transfer targets this summer.
Nailing transfer targets has to be a priority too for United, with the club’s past spending exposed earlier this week in a special report.
Harry Maguire could be moved on. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
On the evidence in Seville, that is something the Red Devils can ill afford if Ten Hag’s early impact is to not fizzle out into another false dawn in the club’s decline since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.
Despite hundreds of millions spent in recent years, United’s lack of depth without a few key players was exposed in Spain.
In the absence of injured first-choice centre-back pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, United’s defence was torn to shreds by a side that was fighting a relegation battle in La Liga a few weeks ago.
Ten Hag has left club captain Maguire on the bench for most of the season and the England international showed why as he gifted Sevilla the perfect start with a misplaced pass that Youssef En-Nesyri capitalised on.
But Maguire was far from the only culprit as David De Gea’s performance raised questions over whether United should shell out on a new contract for the Spanish goalkeeper.
De Gea’s deal – which made him the world’s highest paid ‘keeper when he signed it in 2019 – is due to expire at the end of the season.
Reports suggest he will remain at Old Trafford with his shot-stopping capabilities winning Ten Hag’s confidence.
De Gea’s deal is due to expire at the end of the season. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
But De Gea has always been a poor fit for Ten Hag’s desire to play out from the back and a calamitous clearance handed En-Nesyri his second and Sevilla’s third of the night.
By that point, the tie already appeared lost with United toothless in attack, once again exposing the need for a specialist number nine.
Marcus Rashford’s career-best 28 goals have papered over the cracks, but the England international prefers playing off the left wing and was unable to turn around a sinking ship when he was thrown on at half-time on his return from a groin injury.
Bruno Fernandes’ creativity was also missed with the Portuguese midfielder suspended.
“This shows the squad isn’t good enough, if you have injuries,” former United midfielder Paul Scholes told BT Sport.
“This squad can handle other games but when it comes to the crunch, the big atmosphere, it falls short. The quality drops a level when the big players aren’t fit.”
Another expensive summer rebuild is required to get United back to the standards Ten Hag demands.
But whether he will have the resources he needs rests on who is running the club next season.
