Rangnick interim ‘deal reached’, Pochettino manager BOOST, Haaland ‘should snub United’ UPDATE

BACK TO WORK

United now turn their focus towards next weekend when they face league leaders Chelsea.

HAI THERE

Ralf Rangnick could look to reunite with RB Leipzig ace Amadou Haidara, according to the Daily Mirror.

The German signed the Mali international from fellow Red Bull side Salzburg for £17million in 2019.

Haidara has grown in confidence at the German side and has been linked with a move to Newcastle recently.

The 23-year-old might cost a fair whack, though.

PRANG-NICK

Ralf Rangnick had a painful introduction to English football 42 years ago –THREE broken ribs and a punctured LUNG, writes ROB MAUL.

The new interim Manchester United manager, 63, played 11 matches for non-League Southwick FC during the 1979-80 season in the Sussex County Division One.

Then 21, Rangnick was studying for a degree in English and PE at Stuttgart University but fancied keeping fit in amateur football when he spent a year at the University of Sussex in Brighton.

Just 154 people watched the German make his debut as a 76th-minute substitute debut in a 3-3 draw with Steyning Town on October 13, 1979.

But in his second match away at Chichester in the November, Rangnick suffered a serious injury.

POCH CHASE

Manchester United are still ‘in pursuit’ of Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino despite reaching an agreement with Ralf Rangnick to become interim boss, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.

The German, 63, will sign a six-month contract with the Red Devils, after the club sacked Norwegian boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The veteran is understood to have initially rejected United, but after new terms were offered, he has now accepted the deal to step into the dug-out until May.

After that he is expected to take on a consultancy role at Old Trafford for the following two years.

Rangnick is currently the head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow.

That means, due to work permit issues, he will not be in charge for Sunday’s clash at Chelsea.

Rangnick left RB Leipzig last year and joined Lokomotiv in the summer.

However, despite his impending arrival, The MEN states United ‘are still very much in pursuit’ of Pochettino with regards to him joining at the end of the season.

WRECK IT RALF

Manchester United are on the verge of signing up German football mastermind Ralf Rangnick, who will become their interim manager, writes JOSHUA MBU.

Described as a ‘perfectionist’ by RB Leipzig forward Yussuf Poulsen, Rangnick expects his team to be highly organised and run their socks off.

Rangnick described his style to ESPN, saying: “We like to press high, with a very intense counter-pressure. 

“When we have the ball, we do not like any square or back passes.”

The ‘very intense counter-pressure’ could see stars like Paul Pogba miss out on a starting spot.

Cristiano Ronaldo has also come under fire in recent weeks for his lack of pressing from the front, but he’s an attacking weapon often too lethal to leave out.

NEXT FIVE

League leaders Chelsea are up next for Man Utd.

RON WORRY

Some Manchester United fans are fearing for legend Cristiano Ronaldo after it emerged Ralf Rangnick is set to become interim manager.

The German, 63, will sign a six-month contract with the Red Devils, after the club sacked Norwegian boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

However, the news that Rangnick is set to arrive at United has led to many wondering where the 36-year-old Ronaldo would fit in under the new man.

Especially after Rangnick labelled the Portuguese icon as ‘too old’ five years ago while he was RB Leipzig.

Back then he asked whether he would ever consider signing Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.

And he replied: “It would be absurd to think that it could work with them here. They are both too old and too expensive.”

NICK-ED HIM AWAY

Manchester United have agreed a deal to appoint Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.

But the move is subject to his current club Lokomotiv Moscow allowing him to leave his role as head of sports and development.

United are currently involved in discussions with the Russian club to seal the move but are being respectful in their approach given Lokomotiv host Lazio tonight in the Europa League.

Rangnick, 63, is set to sign on for six months as manager and he is in talks over a long-term director role at the club.

However, the Red Devils have been unable to get a deal sorted prior to the visit to Chelsea on Sunday.

That means Michael Carrick will continue in the dugout and have the opportunity to win his first Premier League match as a manager.

KAN GO

Andrey Kanchelskis has given Ralf Ragnick his blessing ahead of his imminent arrival at Manchester United to become temporary boss.

Ragnick is currently the Head of Sports and Development at Russian club FC Lokomotiv Moscow.

But Red Devils legend Kanchelskis insists his fellow Russians have to wish Ragnick well as United’s new interim boss.

He said: “If Ralf is invited, then in England they know him and follow his work. This is a great challenge.

“Who would refuse to go to United to work? Everyone would leave. We must wish Rangnick good luck.”

TOUGH DRAW

Man Utd are the only English side Ralf Rangnick has ever faced as a manager.

However, he lost both legs of the 2011 Champions League semi-finals with Schalke, 6-1 on aggregate.

GEGENPRESSING

At the forefront of Rangnick’s belief was what later became coined as Gegenpressing, which itself was a spin off of iconic Ukrainian manager Valeriy Lobanovskyi’s pressing game.

It’s a tactic that made Jurgen Klopp follow his lead with his own brand of ‘heavy-metal football’.

The Liverpool boss also declared Rangnick as “one of the best, if not the best German coach”.

Of Gegenpressing, Rangnick describes it as “very simple”.

He continues: “[Gegenpressing is] a very proactive style of football, similar to the way in which Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool have been playing under Klopp.

“We like to press high, with a very intense counter-pressure. When we have the ball, we do not like any square or back passes.

“The goalkeeper also should not be the one with the most contact on the ball. In almost every league and every country, the goalkeeper is technically the most limited football player on the pitch and therefore we have to make sure that he has the lowest contact with the feet.

“It is a fast, proactive, attacking, counter-attacking, counter-pressing, exciting and entertaining [style of] football.”

STARTING YOUNG

Incredibly, Rangnick began his coaching career when he was just 25 in 1983, following a mediocre semi-pro career.

But his theories were against trend – with the national team adopting a rigid 3-5-2 system and man-marking.

And to be fair, West Germany tasted success playing that way – winning the 1990 World Cup, after finishing runners-up four years earlier.

But Ralf had his own ideas how the beautiful game should be played.

In 1997, he scored his first job at lowly Ulm 1846, who would become fourth division champions with him at the helm.

A year later, he appeared on German TV donning a black suit and shirt revealing his footballing thesis.

The German media nicknamed him the ‘German Professor’, probably unfairly and with derision.

He was ridiculed for his geeky look and rimless glasses, while his methods weren’t embraced with teams favouring German legend Franz Beckenbauer’s sweeper approach.

“The reaction from the media as well as others in football was extraordinary,” Rangnick told ESPN.

“The main reason for this was that 30 years before, Franz Beckenbauer set the benchmark for most teams in our country when he created a libero-sweeper position for himself.

“Franz himself even said in the mid-’90s that you cannot play with a zone-marking back four line because German players will not understand how to play it.

“I asked myself, why should German players be any less intelligent than those in Belgium, Spain or the Netherlands? For me that was simply not logical.”

NICK OF TIME 

Ralf Rangnick has become the front-runner to take over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.

The beleaguered Norwegian boss was spotted at Manchester Airport on Monday boarding a private jet with his family for a short break ahead of the international break.

The German super-coach comes with a hefty reputation in his homeland.

He is said to have inspired Premier League bosses Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich supremo Julian Nagelsman with his tactics.

Nicknamed ‘The Professor’, he was one of the pioneers of Gegenpressing, a style of play where teams immediately press the opposition after losing possession of the ball.

His influence has been felt in the modern game, with many teams adopting his philosophy.

BREAKING

Manchester United have agreed a deal to appoint Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, according to reports.

The move is subject to his current club Lokomotiv Moscow allowing him to leave, report The Athletic.

He is currently head of sports and development at the Russian club but it is believed that United do not think there will be any obstacle to prevent him from leaving.

Rangnick, 63, will sign on for six months as manager before moving into a consultancy role at the club at the end of the season.

However, the Red Devils have been unable to get a deal sorted prior to the visit to Chelsea on Sunday.

That means Michael Carrick will continue in the dugout and have the opportunity to win his first Premier League match as a manager.

GOT IT RON

Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher have said that Cristiano Ronaldo could be a ‘massive problem’ for the next Manchester United manager if he does not continue to score goals for the club.

Ronaldo has made 15 appearances for United so far this season, scoring 10 goals and assisting two since returning to the club in the summer.

He was on the scoresheet once again as the reds defeated Villarreal 2-0 on Tuesday.

Speaking on CBS Sports after the game, Carragher said: “How can a club the size of Manchester United still rely on a guy who’s nearly 37?

“He was unbelievable, his goal record is unbelievable, but if he doesn’t score he is a passenger in the game.

“You have to accept that, that’s a fact.

“But he scores nearly every game so at the moment you can accept it.

“If Cristiano Ronaldo went four or five games without scoring, that’s a massive problem for Manchester United.”

Henry added:  “I totally agree, but the problem is when your poison is your medicine you will struggle.

“You watch the game [against Villarreal], at the end Ronaldo saves them, but when they play they are exposed sometimes because they don’t defend as a unit.

“And we all know if you don’t do that you cannot win games.

“We’re talking about winning the Champions League and winning the title in England, not finishing second, third, fourth and going to the quarter-finals and semi-finals.”

VAN DER HEART

Rafael van der Vaart has questioned if Lionel Messi still has the same desire for football as Cristiano Ronaldo.

Both players made mega moves this summer with Cristiano heading to Man United and Messi joining Paris Saint-Germain.

But while Ronaldo’s hit the ground running at United, the same can’t be said of Messi in Paris.

And Van der Vaart reckons the difference between the two footballing greats lies in their hunger, which makes the Dutchman sad.

He said: “It makes me sad. It’s a question of desire. Does he [Messi] want it or not? When you compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo, one is fighting to take his team to the next level – and one isn’t.”

CAN THE MAN

Eric Cantona has seemingly put an end to Manchester United’s hunt for a new manager by declaring he’s taken up the role.

United have been searching for a new boss since dismissing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but their recruitment process has had a few bumps.

Top choices Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino are reportedly unavailable at the moment -leaving United’s hierarchy scrambling around for a viable alternative.

However, their worries have come to an end if Cantona’s Instagram is anything to go by as he revealed he’s the club’s new boss on the social media platform.

The United icon said in a recorded video: “Hello my friends. I would like to tell you in exclusivity that I am the new manager of Manchester United.

“I will tell you later the name of my great staff. See you soon.”

DUS THE MAN 

Manchester United will battle it out with a host of Europe’s top clubs including Spurs to sign £70million-rated Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are the latest to join the list of clubs keeping tabs of Vlahovic – including Spurs, Newcastle, AC Milan and Juventus.

The 21-year-old striker is currently one of Europe’s most sought after players, having scored 12 goals in 14 games in all competitions so far this season.

He netted an impressive 21 goals in 37 Serie A appearances for Fiorentina last season, which saw him win the Serie A Best Young Player for 2020-21 award.

BABY ON BOARD 

Donny van de Beek and partner Estelle Bergkamp enjoyed a heartwarming, football-themed baby gender reveal.

The happy couple revealed earlier this month that they are expecting their first child.

And now they know that they will be welcoming a baby girl into the world.

In pictures shared to Instagram, Donny gave fans a look at his football-related reveal.

Pregnant Estelle, daughter of Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp, joined the Manchester United midfielder in a five-aside cage.

Donny, 24, then booted a football, with the mini ball designed to release smoke of a certain colour when kicked.

The couple colour coded blue for a boy and pink for a girl.

Their faces painted a joyful picture as pink smoke rose into the air.

They then posed for a sweet picture together, grinning at each other in delight.

ZIDANE AP-POCH

Manchester United have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino has been United’s top target to replace former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the Old Trafford dugout.

According to Le Parisien, PSG representatives have met with Zinedine Zidane to discuss the possibility of him taking over at Parc des Princes in the summer.

Sporting director Leonardo and general manager Jean-Claude Blanc, who is also a good friend of Zidane, met with the French head coach at the Royal Monceau hotel to hold talks.

PAUL OVER 

Real Madrid have halted their pursuit of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, according to reports.

The 28-year-old Frenchman is set to leave Old Trafford for free in the summer when his contract expires.

And Real Madrid have been heavily linked with a move for the World Cup winner as they prepare to bolster their squad under Carlo Ancelotti.

But, according to AS, the Spanish giants are no longer interested in bringing Pogba to the club despite him being available for free.

OLE GONE

Manchester United savagely got rid of any memory of ex-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the club by removing his mural just days after sacking the Norwegian.

Solskjaer had a giant mural etched on the Sir Matt Busby stand but United ruthlessly took it down just a day after United’s Champions League win in Villarreal.

The Norwegian took the reins at United in 2019 but his tenure was short-lived following his lack of success in the role.

The Red Devils initially gave Solskjaer time to get things right but his clock ran out after a string of poor results and expensive signings this season.

READ THE BURB

Marcus Rashford and fashion brand Burberry have come together to build libraries in underfunded schools across the UK.

Burberry has announced that it will pay to create libraries in 10 underfunded schools in Manchester, Yorkshire, and London, donating 8,000 books and providing training to a further 200 teachers across the country.

In addition to this, all 10 schools will take part in the Marcus Rashford Book Club, a programme created by Rashford and Macmillan Children’s Books earlier this year.

Speaking on his collaboration with Burberry, Rashford said, reported by Dazed: “These children need the escapism of reading more than most, and access to books should not be restricted by the area you grow up in.

“Coming out of the pandemic, there was a huge need for safe spaces – a space where children could come and just breathe; process their feelings. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved here.”

EURO BATTLE

Cristiano Ronaldo could face Robert Lewandowski in an epic showdown in the 2022 World Cup’s next round of qualifiers.

The draw for the next round of qualifying – with a two-round playoff incoming, takes place tomorrow at the FIFA headquarters.

And as Cristiano’s Portugal are one of the seeded sides, and Lewandowski’s Poland are unseeded, the two European nations could be drawn against each other.

The draw begins at 4pm tomorrow and SunSport will be running a live blog so you can keep up with all the action.

TURN AROUND

Ex-Manchester United star Louis Saha reckons his old club can turn things around despite a tumultuous start to the season.

The Red Devils have been on a poor run of form which culminated in the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But Saha thinks the season won’t be a complete disaster if United’s attack, including Anthony Martial come together.

He told 101 goals: “Because the Premier League is a marathon, I still believe they can pick up form and go on a run,’

“And when they do, they will be unstoppable because those front 4 players are one of the best in the Premier League. Of course, they will need to defend and ensure there’s the right balance.

“But when they eventually find the right formula and things click – especially in their heads where at the minute there’s too much over thinking – those players are unstoppable when they play naturally.

“On their game, no-one can touch that front four or five. Martial, when he’s on top form, he is unplayable.”