MANCHESTER UNITED have agreed a six-month deal with Ralf Rangnick to become their interim manager, according to reports.
The German, who is a practitioner of gengenpressing, is currently heads of sports development at Lokomotiv Moscow and he inspired Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
Odds have been slashed on the German, 63, becoming the interim manager.
That is after reports that Mauricio Pochettino will be difficult to prise away from Paris Saint-Germain before the end of the season.
The French club have been irked by reports the former Spurs manager could head to Old Trafford and have reportedly blocked an approach.
United have now put any move for Poch, 49, on hold until at least the summer.
Brendan Rodgers remains in the running, but United will have to stump £8million to prise him away from Leicester City.
In the meantime, former Barcelona, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao manager Valverde remains a popular option to become United’s interim manager.
The Spaniard, 57, has been out of work since leaving the Nou Camp last year, when he was replaced by doomed Ronald Koeman.
And Man Utd legend Peter Schmeichel wants to see his former team-mate Steve Bruce take temporary charge at the Theatre of Dreams.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland has been urged to join rivals Liverpool over Manchester United or Chelsea.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Follow all the latest Man Utd news, transfer and gossip from Old Trafford below…
-
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.”
-
IN MAUR-NING
PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino and his star-studded squad flew back to France following their Champions League defeat to Manchester City.
Second half goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus handed Pep Guardiola’s side a 2-1 victory over the Ligue 1 leaders as they booked their place in the last 16 as group winners.
Pochettino was visiting Manchester for the first time since being heavily linked as the long-term successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.
But the Argentine did not entertain any form of speculation at the airport as he signed an autograph before boarding the plane back to the French capital.
Scorer Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Sergio Ramos were all in attendance for the flight home as they wore disappointed looks following the defeat.
-
NOT TRUE
Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed the talk linking him with the vacant Manchester United job as nothing more than rumours.
Speculation has been rife that the Argentine will be the next man in charge of United.
But Poch refused to entertain the idea as there’s no need to respond to rumours.
He said: ‘We know their situation. We are living in a business that rumours are there, sometimes negative, sometimes positive.
“That is not a thing to talk about – the rumours.”
-
NO MAUR
Zinedine Zidane is not interested in becoming Manchester United manager, according to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The former Real Madrid head coach has been touted as a potential long-term fix at Old Trafford following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But Gunners icon Henry, who played alongside Zidane for the France national team, does not believe it is something the World Cup winner is considering.
Speaking on CBS Sports, he said: “Zidane going to United? I don’t think he would be interested in that now.
“Why? Because in the back of my head I’m thinking that maybe he’s waiting for the national team job.
“I think he has that in the back of his mind.
“So I see it more, although I don’t think Pochettino will leave, but if Pochettino goes then the PSG job will be free for Zidane.”
-
SHIRT PULL
Mauricio Pochettino signed a Manchester United shirt for a supporter before last night’s Champions League tie between PSG and Man City.
The Argentine, 49, is one of the Red Devils’ top choices to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.
Paris Saint-Germain are standing firm, however, blocking an approach from United to speak to their manager.
Pochettino was in town for last night’s clash with Man City at the Etihad.
And prior to his side’s 2-1 defeat he added fuel to the fire, by signing a young fan’s Man United shirt – despite a PSG representative saying he wouldn’t.
A United supporter told talkSPORT: “We met Poch today, my kid had his autograph stuff in the bag and the guy goes, ‘see if you can get him to sign a Man United shirt’.
“That’s my kid’s shirt, what they didn’t post was the photo of him signing it.
“There was a representative next to him going, ‘excuse me, it’s a Manchester United shirt, he won’t sign it’. And he goes, ‘it’s fine, it’s fine’ and he signed it.”