It’s international break, and hence a slower period of news, but there’s still a ton of Manchester United storylines circulating on the internet today. Let’s check out what is going on.
-Club legend Ryan Giggs has landed a new job, and it’s in a coaching role; in Vietnam of all places. The Daily Mail has more on the new “gig.”
“Ryan Giggs is set for a role as a youth academy director in Vietnam, involving biannual trips to Asia…Giggs is expected to head over to Vietnam with Scholes for the opening of the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talents FC (PVF) later this month.”
Manchester United may not be at the top of the Premier League table, and they could be dangerously close to falling out of title race soon, but they’re still first place in one area- shirt sales.
In this facet, United are more than just the top of the heap, they are dominant. According to Sports Direct.com, the Red Devils account for a third of Premier League shirt sales, and it’s more than Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City combined. Of course, it’s just one retailer, and that’s not a huge sample size, but it is very indicative of the market as a whole.
-The Manchester Evening News has more. Percentage of total Premier League shirt sales, via Sports Direct:
Manchester United: 32%
Liverpool: 21%
Arsenal: 15%
Chelsea: 10%
Tottenham: 8%
Newcastle: 7%
Manchester City: 4%
-Finally, Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, a loanee to Valencia this season, has snubbed the chance to return to Old Trafford in the January transfer window. Pereira revealed his intent to see out his loan. Via Sky Sports News:
“In my head I want to be here, help Valencia until June. It is the thought with which I came,” he told Super Deportes.
“I know that I have this clause in the assignment contract and now I have to wait to see. But my mind is focused on Valencia and I want to stay here.
“It is important that I am playing to grow, be better and help Valencia. It would be very difficult to return to United mid-year and continue with the same evolution that I’m having now.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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