International break is still dragging on, but it won’t be too long until it’s over- Manchester United will take on Newcastle in just four days! Let’s take a look at some of the news items circulating in the MUFC cyberspace in advance of Premier League week four.
We start with Cristiano Ronaldo, who was returned to the United training pitch today. Here is a link to some photos and videos, and here below is video of CR7 training with the squad today:
Still got it? @Cristiano ?
? [MU] pic.twitter.com/5V4OltUbPg
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) September 7, 2021
Moving on to the midfield, Donny van De Beek transferred over from Ajax last summer in what was United’s highest price acquisition of the 2020 summer transfer window. Yet here we are and he’s still buried way down on the depth chart.
DVD opened up on the struggles of not getting playing time at Old Trafford and how it’s affecting him emotionally and mentally.
“I think the start was good, my first game I scored [against Crystal Palace and I think I did well but after that it’s difficult if you’re not really in the team and if you’re waiting for your chance,” the Dutchman said while guesting on Rio Ferdinand’s “Vibe with Five” podcast.
“That’s not easy if you’re not playing, also not for the confidence. But, OK, the first year you come from a different competition and it’s normal that you need to have time to adapt and everything but of course you are not happy. I want to play. That is clear.
Sticking with the theme of players with high transfer market value, but never ever play, Jesse Lingard bagged a brace for England in their World Cup qualifying win over Andorra this past weekend.
He celebrated the first one, his first international goal since 2018, with Ronaldo’s patented move. Lingard needs to play, somewhere, because he’s still got it, and we saw that when he went on a purple patch with West Ham in the back half of last season.
There really is no reason for him to still be at United when there’s no place for him, all the while he could be a major scoring threat elsewhere.
According to a report in ESPN today, Lingard, entering the final year of his current deal, has rejected overtures towards a contract extension. The winger seeks assurance that he will get first team minutes before committing his future.
And we started this post with an item on a legendary No 7, so we’ll close it with an item on a different legendary No 7.
This one, in the words of Kent Brockman “this barely qualifies as news.”
Last weekend, Victoria Beckham broke the internet by sharing a photo of her husband, David Beckham, standing by the pool with his butt sticking out.
The Miss Bumbum Brasil contest nominated David Beckham the new Mister Butt Celebrity of football. The organization of the contest even thanked Victoria, because thanks to her they found the perfect candidate for the title.
Your move Beckham.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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