STUDY SPORTS

  Anthony Elanga has made a breakthrough at Man United in recent weeks and he's set a pathway for others to follow. The cold Friday nights at Leigh Sports Village are often made worthwhile by Manchester United's academy talent. There is no escape from the elements at the stadium that is situated around 10 miles away from Old Trafford, but sometimes there are individual performances so brilliant that they are enough to make you forget about the cold biting at your fingers. United have a rich history of naturing academy talent and that tradition has survived decades when other aspects of the clubs have changed and evolved. There are hundreds of staff that work tirelessly at United and some are tasked with defining and shaping young players' futures every day. United's unrivalled record of producing players is a testament to their brilliant work. Last weekend against West Ham, Ralf Rangnick started Mason Greenwood and Anthony Elanga down the right and left channels respect...

  Manchester United and Arsenal are in need of midfield additions, and the perfect player has just been revealed to them at an ideal price in Ruben Neves. According to The Sun, Wolverhampton Wanderers have set an asking price of £40m-£45m for the midfield maestro, a price they believe will be enough to allow them to keep the player in the summer. As the report indicates, they have already rebuked the effort’s of Man United to sign the 24-year-old, rejecting a bid of £35m. However, with Wolves revealing their asking price for the former Porto captain it should be a no brainer for United and Arsenal to throw all they can at meeting the demands of the club in order to benefit their own respective clubs for many years to come. The Wolves man is a superior player to any within the midfield’s of United or Arsenal, so would represent an instant upgrade. A deal in January is very unlikely to take place, so a move in the summer would be a more likely time period for a move despite the appar...

  There is something about the emergence of a young, energetic and exciting talent that gets pulses racing. Manchester United  supporters, more than most, have experienced that thrill on several occasions in recent years with  Marcus Rashford  and Mason Greenwood, amongst others, bursting onto the scene and refusing to look back. The same can now be said for Anthony Elanga. A run of three consecutive Premier League starts, plus a late cameo appearance in United's slender 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup earlier this month, has seen the start of a new romance beginning to take hold at Old Trafford. Although Elanga, who turns 20 in April, had experienced life in the first-team prior to be his recent reintroduction, this is the first meaningful opportunity he has had to show off his talents with United's supporters in situ.

 are now only three days of the January transfer window remaining for Manchester United to conduct any business. Amad  was the latest player to leave United this week - with the youngster joining Rangers on loan for the rest of the season. In more transfer news, Donny van de Beek could leave  United  on loan before Monday's 11pm deadline.  Van de Beek,  24, is attracting interest after starting just four times this season and is confident of receiving permission to leave from  Ralf Rangnick.

  Fresh reports suggest Paul Pogba has changed his mind and is now open to staying at Manchester United, but only if Ralf Rangnick remains manager next season. That is according to Neil Custis of  The Sun , who claims the Frenchman has been so impressed with his new manager during a number of talks with him that he is ready to make a U-turn rather than leave the club when his contract expires in the summer. It feels like we’ve had years of speculation linking Pogba to Real Madrid and back to Juventus, so this would be an unexpected end to the story… for now at least. However, there’s part of me questioning whether this could be another tactic by his agent, Mino Raiola, to spike interest from other clubs? Only yesterday we were talking about how Pogba is Paris Saint-Germain’s prime target this summer. Although the World Cup winner has yet to play under Rangnick, the article suggests the player has a high opinion of him already. Pogba has been out of action since early November ...

  Over the last few seasons it has become more and more evident that Manchester United’s midfield is the area which needs to be addressed and yet it appears to remain untouched. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Fred and Donny van de Beek have all come in for varying sums of money and all had moments or patches of form but never really established themselves as first regulars. Academy graduate Scott McTominay and Fred are the preferred partnership for the last few years now, this is less out of design more necessity in that Pogba has never nailed down a role in the team and Matic’s better days are behind him. They functioned well during Ole Gunner Solskjaer’s tenure in a midfield that was energetic and tenacious but didn’t really control the games in which a top team should do. The whole team was seemingly built around chaos in sitting deep and hitting teams on the counter-attack in more of a basketball style where United, wh...

  Lopetegui has a great record when it comes to getting the best out of his players and it could work to United's advantage It's been a strange January transfer window for Manchester United, with the club seemingly concentrating on outgoings rather than incomings. While supporters will undoubtedly be disappointed that Ralf Rangnick has been unable to strengthen his squad, it's good to see that players who have been deemed surplus to requirements are being allowed to make an impression elsewhere Recent reports of dressing room disharmony threatened to completely derail a campaign that's already looking like it will fail to produce the goods we'd once hoped, but Rangnick looks to be doing his best to nip the issue in the bud.

  When you see the Nasris, Silvas and that type of player, you look at Mats and think he could end up as similar in his style." "It is a hard decision when you are young. "I cannot say it was the right decision, or the wrong decision.   It is hard for me to say, but what I experienced in the year after Manchester United. I won the cup with Molde and then I got to play in the Premier League." There are not many teenagers who choose to walk away from Manchester United, especially not just after being named the club's young player of the year. There are even fewer who do that and then also turn down the chance to return to the club within a year of leaving it. However, tha   t is exactly what Mats Møller Dæhli did nine years ago.

  Juan Mata has hardly played for Man United this season as his time at Old Trafford comes towards the end. The eight-year anniversary of Juan Mata's arrival at Manchester United just recently passed but you'd be forgiven for forgetting he is still at the club. Only  David de Gea  and  Phil Jones  have been in the United first-team longer than  Mata,  yet even the injury-ravaged Jones - who had spent two years on the sidelines - has played more minutes in the Premier League than him this season. That's not particularly hard as even this journalist has played the same amount of minutes in England's top division in the current campaign as one of its most talented playmakers ever: precisely zero. It's quite sad to see. Well, sad not to see, rather. A player of Mata's immense quality and such a great servant to United deserves a much better final swan song.

  Manchester United transfer rumours, injury latest and breaking news with updates ahead of transfer deadline day. UPDATED There are now only five days of the January transfer window remaining for Manchester United to conduct any business. While any incomings are unlikely, a few players could follow  Anthony Martial  out of the door before the window shuts on Monday. MANCHESTER UNITED NEGOTIATING WITH CLUBS AMID POSSIBLE TRANSFERS BEFORE DEADLINE 

  Man United have been linked with several midfielders amid speculation over Paul Pogba's future. Manchester United are ready to prioritise central midfield when they get down to business during the upcoming summer transfer window. Declan Rice has already been identified as a priority target by key figures in the Old Trafford boardroom, although Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Haidara have been highlighted as potential alternatives Speculation over Paul Pogba and his United future also continues to spiral, too, with the World Cup winner yet to sign a new contract. He is likely to leave United on a fee transfer when his deal expires in the summer. Pogba spent four years with Juventus before re-signing for the Premier League giants in 2016. Should he opt for another challenge, United might need to make further moves in the engine room and, as things stand, they are already planning up to four signings across the board next season. Here are six players who could be available for a 'cut...

  Man Utd are looking ahead to the summer transfer window and could see some of their issues eased by players already at the club. Manchester United are already planning ahead for the summer transfer window as they provisionally look at as many as four first-team signings to back their next permanent manager. The Manchester Evening News looked ahead to the summer earlier this week by lifting the lid on the drafted plans and the positions that could be strengthened. United's priority position this summer is in central midfield, and there is an argument to suggest they actually need two or three additions there, rather than just one.

  Even though there are just five days left in this January’s transfer window, Manchester United remain hopeful they can find a loan move for wide-attacker Amad. That’s according to a recent report from  Manchester Evening News , who claims the young forward could spend the second half of this season away from Old Trafford so long as a team can offer the attacker valuable first-team minutes. Similarly to midfielder Donny van de Beek, Amad, 19, is also a candidate to move away in order to rack up some first-team minutes.

  Man Utd have found some form under interim manager Ralf Rangnick and now have a 13-day gap between fixtures. Departures at Manchester Airport was a happy place to be on Saturday night as several United players headed for the sunshine. A 13-day gap between the Premier League fixture with West Ham and the FA Cup fourth-round tie with Middlesbrough allows for some rest and recuperation, with the squad granted some time off this week. With the opportunities for a holiday few and far between during the season, players were heading for flights on Saturday night, with Dubai always a popular destination. The reclining seats of first-class would have felt even more luxurious after the win against the Hammers, secured in the 93rd minute and sparking the kind of scenes Old Trafford hasn’t seen enough of this season. Marcus Rashford’s dramatic winner brought wild celebrations on the pitch amongst a squad that is lacking morale more than it's lacking team spirit, according to some close to th...

  Manchester United bosses have drawn up a four-man shortlist in the club's search for their next permanent manager - and Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be keen on one of them No matter how successful  Ralf Rangnick  is at Old Trafford, a huge decision still looms over  Manchester United's  season – who to appoint as the club's next permanent manager. The club has reportedly drawn up its wishlist of candidates ahead of the big appointment this summer – and the appearance of one name, in particular, is sure to please star man  Cristiano Ronaldo .

  The Portuguese star is reportedly a fan of one of the shortlisted candidates as Man Utd consider their next manager. Cristiano Ronaldo has already made his pick for who he wants as the next Manchester United manager, according to reports. Despite only having lost one game in charge of United, it is widely believed that Ralf Rangnick will step aside at the end of the current campaign and head into an advisory role. And according to The Athletic, a four-man shortlist is being written up to become the next manager of Manchester United. Erik ten Hag, Mauricio Pochettino, Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique are the four men believed to be in line for the coveted position. The MEN has already reported that Ten Hag and Pochettino are towards the top of the list. But following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Portuguese superstar labelled Enrique as the man best suited to take on the challenge, the Mirror reports. It is therefore fair to assume that Ronaldo would still like the form...

  Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard could both leave Man Utd on loan this week and the club should already know how to replace them It is shaping up to be an interesting final week of the January transfer window as clubs scramble to get deals over the line ahead of deadline day next Monday. With time running out to secure a season-defining signing, desperation is running high and  Manchester United  could be one of the parties to benefit. Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are two names that have dominated the gossip columns all month, and it is looking increasingly likely they will both leave United by the end of the week. French forward Martial will arrive in Spain on Tuesday to sign for Sevilla on-loan until the end of the season, while it only seems a matter of time before Lingard caves into the incessant pursuit from Newcastle for his signature.

  Ralf Rangnick is going to be left with a dilemma once one player comes back from injury. Manchester United have improved under Ralf Rangnick. The German was appointed as interim manager upon the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the club in disarray and struggling for results. Two  United  players that have benefitted dramatically from Rangnick's appointment are Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles, who had struggled for game-time under  Solskjaer

  Man United could see a summer of mass change this year with plenty of players likely to depart. While the remaining week of the January transfer window will likely pass by without much incident, the upcoming summer could be one of drastic change for Manchester United. It says a lot about United's woeful squad management in recent years that the club will surely have a mass exodus on its hands once the season concludes. United have six players who will be out of contract and are likely to depart Old Trafford alone, as well as several other out-of-favour players who may be looking for a move elsewhere. So many players could realistically leave in the summer that quite a strong starting XI can be made out of them, with enough even left over for a couple of substitutes.

  Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek are all open to leaving Man United before the transfer deadline. There were a smattering of boos for Anthony Martial upon his entrance on Saturday. A supportive minority started his song but were soon drowned out by the revered Edinson Cavani's chant. At full-time, both merited serenading. 'Tony Martial' did not score again but his contribution to Manchester United's winner was crucial. At full-time, he was separately embraced by Ralf Rangnick, Anthony Elanga, Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard. There were a smattering of boos for  Anthony Martial  upon his entrance on Saturday. A supportive minority started his song but were soon drowned out by the revered  Edinson Cavani's  chant. At full-time, both merited serenading. 'Tony Martial' did not score again but his contribution to  Manchester United's  winner was crucial. At full-time, he was separately embraced by Ralf Rangnick, Ant...