Jose Mourinho is gone but Manchester United still have pressing personnel problems to resolve over the coming months.
The next full-time manager is likely to work in concert with a sporting director and together they will be forced to determine whether to retain players whose contracts are set to expire in June.
Several more high-profile stars have been at the centre of persistent speculation and their futures are now up for debate as the Red Devils aim to exit the state of flux that has followed Alex Ferguson s retirement.
Here, we consider whether Mourinho s exit could halt a potential exodus.
176 Manchester United won 176 Premier League points since the appointment of Jose Mourinho as manager; fewer than Manchester City (222), Tottenham Hotspur (202), …
Chris Smalling s future at Manchester united is in doubt
When Chris Smalling joined Manchester United from Fulham in 2010 for an undisclosed fee, he was highly rated, despite the fact he had played just the one full campaign in the top-flight with the Cottagers.
He was a promising young defender with so much potential. Smalling enjoyed a couple of decent seasons with United and broke into the England team.
However, it seems he has now fallen out-of-favour with United boss Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese boss spent big on Eric Bailly last summer and this summer repeated the trick with the signing of Swedish international Victor Lindelof.
The centre-back is now slipping down the pecking order at United and looks set to leave Old Trafford this summer.…
England will face Slovakia as the Netherlands take on Romania in the last 16 at Euro 2024 after Hungary were eliminated on Wednesday.
Both the Three Lions and the Oranje had already qualified for the knockout stage following their respective third matches on Tuesday, but the identity of their opponents in the next round was still awaited.
And it had appeared likely two of Europe s heavyweights would meet in the round of 16, with the Netherlands third in their group and potentially paired with Group C winners England.
However, Georgia s shock win against Portugal altered the draw, sending Hungary home at the debutants expense.
Spain, the only team with a 100 per cent record, will face Georgia, while Portugal play Slovenia.
Instead of the Netherland…
Roma have completed the signing of Aleksandar Kolarov from Manchester City for €5million.
The left-back, 31, has signed a three-year contract with the Serie A club that will run until June 30, 2020.
His exit from the Etihad Stadium ends a seven-year association with City for the Serbia international, who won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup in his time in Manchester.
When I came in 2010, honestly, I didn t expect to play so long, Kolarov told City s official website. Today is the day I have to say goodbye. Everything was quick the last couple of days. For me, it s a very sad day.
In every part of the club we have improved not 100 per cent but 200 per cent. Now we are a far better club than what we were when I came. I am proud …
With his Liverpool contract set to expire at the end of this season, Glen Johnson says he is not in talks over a new deal and would consider a move abroad.
Johnson joined Liverpool from Portsmouth in 2009 and established himself as a regular furst choice at full-back.
The England international has struggled with injuries this term and Sunday s FA Cup quarter-final with Blackburn Rovers was his first start in any competition since January.
No talks [with Liverpool], he said. At this point I have no idea [where I will be next season]. I haven t thought about it.
There are talks [about a move abroad]. It would be great for the kids to go abroad but I am not thinking about yet as we have two months left here and I ll think about it after that.
…
Former Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen said Jack Butland is reaping the benefits of his apprenticeship away from the club, though is he unsure whether the England international will be prised away from the Britannia.
After spending time on loan at Birmingham City, Barnsley, Leeds United and Derby County in the Championship, Butland is now Stoke s number one keeper following Asmir Begovic s move to Chelsea during the off-season.
Butland, who signed a new four-year deal in March, has been a star performer for Stoke, with his six clean sheets reportedly alerting Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester United.
However, the 22-year-old England international has already distanced himself from reports linking him with a move to Anfield.
Sorensen, wh…
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Desperate to close the gap on the top of the Premier League table, Maurizio Sarri s Chelsea side will travel to Turf Moore on Sunday afternoon.
Burnley
Starting with Sunday s hosts, while Burnley may have recorded their best Premier League finish last season and also managed to book their first taste of Europen football, it has been a sluggish start for Sean Dyche s Clarets. Coming off the back of a 5-0 hammering away at Manchester City last weekend, Burnley also showed signs of a struggle during their 1-1 draw with leading relegation candidates Huddersfield a fortnight ago. Despite impressing with their defensive record last term, Dyche will be desperate to improve on what is becoming an increasingly …
England defender Gary Cahill has reportedly been offered to Serie A powerhouse AC Milan as Blues look to get the 32-year-old off of their books in January.
The experienced Chelsea centre-back has been sitting on the margins of the first-team since the arrival of Maurizio Sarri, with David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger being the Italian’s preferred defense duo.
Cahill moved to Chelsea in January 2012 to win everything he could with the club, including two Premier League titles and a Champions League but is now looking to kick-start his career.
Cahill was linked with Aston Villa where he would follow in John Terry’s footsteps but have it that the experienced defender has been offered to AC Milan in order to help solve their defensive crisis.
The Rossoneri …
Hamburger SV right-back Dennis Diekmeier is said to have alarmed a number of Premier League sides this season, according to Bild.
The 28-year-old German defender’s contract is set to expire next summer and by the looks of it Diekmeier will leave HSV on a free transfer next summer.
Diekmeier is enjoying a brilliant season with Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV. The right-back joined HSV back in 2010 and has yet to score a single goal during the last seven years at the club.
Nevertheless, his contribution in attack has been remarkable this season as Dennis Diekmeier registered three assists in Bundesliga this term.
His personal-best stands at 4, which is the number of assists he provided in the 2012/13 season. By the looks of it, it’s only a matter of tim…
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United require urgent changes if they are to return to the top of the Premier League.
United sit sixth in the Premier League, well behind the top two of Liverpool – who Jose Mourinho s side face on Sunday – and Manchester City.
The Red Devils have not won the league since 2013, and Ferdinand, who claimed 14 trophies during his 12-year spell at Old Trafford, insists that big changes need to be made if United are to challenge for the title over the coming seasons.
The current situation at Manchester United is not good, Ferdinand told reporters in Kenya.
Confidence is low and our league position is not great. Something urgent needs to happen to stop the slide.
Good to pop into the football clinic this mo…