With the exception of Belarus, and very soon Germany, global football is currently suspended. There is talk of the Premier League making a mid-June return, and with that in mind, a possible resumption of team training in the next week or so. However, there are still plenty of questions when it comes to Project Restart.
The good news is that United have reportedly called their foreign players back home, in the belief that training will restart soon. Until we get there, we still have plenty of news items to cover, so let’s take a spin through the Manchester United news community in cyberspace. For today’s MUFC transfer rumor round-up go here.
United will have striker Marcus Rashford and midfielder Paul Pogba at full fitness if/when play resumes.
“For them two, this gives them a chance to start on a par with, or even ahead of, other players if or when we get going,” Solskjaer said in an interview with Sky Sports.
“Because they have been focused. Mentally it’s easier for them to train hard now because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The availablity of on-loan striker Odion Ighalo remains to be seen however. Not because of any physical issue, but instead a clerical/legal variety. The 30-yar-old Nigerian moved from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua in January and has a contract until 31 May. There are many questions facing all football leagues right now, and what will become of these loan deals is certainly one of them.
Ighalo hopes to see out his United deal, and then, if possible stay longer.
“I would like to finish the season if it’s possible,” Ighalo told the BBC. “I was in good form, good shape, scoring goals and now we’ve stopped now for over a month. I’ve given it my best and hopefully we’ll come back to play.”
“The team had a good momentum before the pandemic started. At the moment I’m on loan, and this will cut short my time at the club.”
Finally, Angel Di Maria’s wife, Jorgelina Cardoso, ripped the city of Manchester for its culture, weather, food, women, well pretty much everything, yesterday. Still very bitter about having once having to live there, several years after her husband massively flopped at the club, she just did not hold back.
As expected, the city responded publicly.
“Before I comment, I do agree with her on one point,” Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and adviser to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, told ESPN.
“Having been a United supporter all my life, I also found that period quite depressing. Her husband was bought for almost £60m, sold a year later and was undoubtedly one of United’s biggest flops.”
“As for our food, we have many outstanding restaurants across the whole of our city region. I can only think her taste buds have been tarnished by how sour and bitter she is.”
There’s more of course, as Lord didn’t stop there. Just follow the link above for the rest.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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