Manchester United: Restoring Glory to the Reds

Roy Keane announced as New United Manager

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Former Old Trafford Legend Roy Keane has returned to the club, replacing the outgoing van Gaal

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In a move which has surpised many, Louis van Gaal has made his departure from Manchester United after only one season - a season in which many fans were exasperated by his tactical approach, and the deals made in the transfer market.

van Gaal himself is said to have been frustrated by the lack of support from the board as he chased transfer targets such as Paul Pogba this summer - the higher management seemingly not keen on parting with the £70m desired by Juventus for their star man, preferring instead to look at less expensive targets.

In a statement, van Gaal had little to say on the matter, offering a few succinct words: "I am very sad to be leaving Manchester United, but perhaps the club was not the correct choice for me last summer...We did not achieve the heights and success which should be customary in this great club, and for that I can only apologise to the fans - I wish my successor the best of luck."

But how will his successor differ? Roy Keane doesn't have the most spectacular of managerial records, but former Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson has given him a glowing endorsment: "It is always different, managing a club like Manchester United - especially when you've spent a career there, and become a club legend in a playing capacity. I have full faith in Roy, and I cannot wait to see what kind of ethos he instills at the club."

Keane himself has been remarkably quiet on the matter, but the club have released a statement on his behalf, stating that he is "over the moon to be named the new Manchester United manager - This club flows in my [Keane] blood, and I know how much it means to fans to consistently be the best club in the country, if not in Europe. I [Keane] will look to bring those levels of success back to our magnificent club"

Keane set to Splash Cash in Pre-Season

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Juventus' Highly-rated youngster Kingsley Coman is said to be high on Roy Keane's shopping list

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With the new season looming, Roy Keane is said to be ready to splash the cash reinforcing the squad he has been left by Louis van Gaal. As with most other top clubs, United are likely to be chasing French Midfield sensation Paul Pogba, but Keane seems to be eager to explore other options for strengthening his squad.

"Obviously Paul is a player I hold in high regard, but we do have some other targets in mind, across various areas of the pitch, in order to bring some extra depth to the squad. I'm keen to bring in some youngsters who we can develop into first team players for a long time to come."

Odds have shortened dramatically on young Juventus winger Kingsley Coman joining the Reds, with Scouts who have been observing Pogba apparently sending back positive reports around the young Frenchman's ability, and Keane has apparently reacted to these positively.

With the board prepared to back their new man with a massive War Chest, Keane is also rumoured to be looking at Everton defender Leighton Baines to bring some steel to his backline, along with PSG youngster Marquinhos, and highly rated teen Jesus Vallejo, who should be available for just over £1million.

Elsewhere, rivals Arsenal are said to be keen on Real Madrid's Denis Cheryshev, while Chelsea chase Andriy Yarmolenko from Dynamo Kyiv. Raheem Sterling's Liverpool future is still uncertain, but Brendan Rodgers seems to be close to tying up a deal for Villa striker Christian Benteke, which may pave the way for Sterling's mooted move to Manchester City.

There's still a lot of business to be done, and Keane will be sure to keep his eye on the ball to ensure United don't fall behind.

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Manchester United Seal Deals for Youngsters

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Dundee United youngster John Souttar is one of 7 youngsters announced today

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Manchester United today announced their first completed deals of the summer...and its not at all how fans imagined it would be, as Roy Keane sets out to bolster the clubs' youth squads with 7 players from around the world.

1. Breel Embolo - FC Basel - £2.1m (Rising to £7m)

This Cameroonian wonderkid has been playing for Basel since 2011, making 7 appearances, and scoring once in the league in a breakthrough end to his season last year. Emboli was one of Roy Keane's first transfer targets, and although he will spend the season on loan at Basel again this year, United fans will be following his progress with keen interest. Blessed with pace and composure which make him a defender's worst nightmare, the 17 year old has a growing reputation within World football, and this big-money move will only serve to increase that reputation even further.

2. John Souttar - Dundee United - £2m

One of Scotland's brightest talents, Souttar has been a key part of the setup and United since 2012, making 30 first team appearances before his move to United. Once more, he will return to United on loan for a season, and with the Dundee side set to push for European Qualification, the experience he will gain in the frenetic Scottish League will serve him well when he comes to make the huge step up for Manchester United. With a calm head, and strength in the tackle far beyond his 17 years, Souttar has a massive future ahead of him.

3. Nathan Leyder - Ajax - £1.8m

Young Belgian Leyder started his career with Club Brugge in 2011, moving to Zulte Wagrem in 2012, where he spent just under a season before his move to Ajax in 2012. despite not playing a first team game for the Dutch side, Roy Keane and his team watched recordings of the youngster playing for the Belgian youth sides, and in training, and decided he was worth the cash. A solid Central Defender who can also play in the heart of midfield, Leyder will return to Amsterdam on loan this year, and upon his return, Keane will assess the situation further.

4. Brandon Barker - Manchester City - £1.7m

It's unusual to see a player cross the divide in Manchester, but if you're going to do it, doing it aged 17 would probably be the best time. Young left-winger Barker has done just that this summer, and some at City are bound to be wondering why such a talent was allowed to leave for so little. An all-round winger, Barker has some of the top players in the England around him to learn from - Juan Mata, di Maria and Depay all play similar roles to the young Englishman, and he may well turn out to equal their skill as he matures.

5. Calvin Miller - Celtic - £1.5m

Another young Scot, Miller has already forged himself a formidable reputation for his nations youth teams, helping Scotland to qualification for multiple tournaments. At just 16, a move to Manchester United was a huge commitment, but with bags of pace and an eye for goal, Miller has all the tools to make his career a success.

6. Jesus Vallejo - Zaragoza - £1.1m

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Highly-rated Spanish youngster Vallejo was on the shopping list for many clubs around the world, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, but it is rumoured David de Gea played a huge part in convincing the youngster to move to Manchester. A loan move to Stade Rennais was Vallejo's first act in his United Career, and the experience he'll gain in France will prove invaluable has he develops into a first-team player.

7. Alberto Cerri - Free Transfer

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Formerly of Parma, Alberto Cerri was left a free agent by the Italian Club's financial troubles, and drew attention from all over the world. Juventus, Real Madrid and AC Milan all chased Cerri, and Chelsea and Liverpool had a cursory glance over his credentials, but it was Roy Keane who moved first, and Cerri was a United player within a few days. Although not the quickest, Cerri's powerful build and ability to hold off a challenge make him a valuable asset, and while he is likely to remain at the club this season, a first-team spot may not be on the cards quite yet.

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Keane Splashes Cash on Juventus Duo

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New recruits Coman and Pogba, pictured here with former United player Patrice Evra

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After weeks of tantalising rumours, and 7 transfers already made, United fans could be forgiven for believing that their summer would be barren of big name transfers, but manager Roy Keane has today proven them wrong, parting with an undisclosed fee to bring not one, but two Juventus starlets to Old Trafford.

Pogba's move to United has long been mooted in the press, but the negotiations were far from simple, with Keane having to convince the youngster that a return to the club which blew him out all those years ago was the correct one. At the time, Pogba was competing against the likes of Paul Scholes for a midfield starting spot, but now, as one of the most highly rated midfielders in the world, the 21 year old sought assurances that the starting spot would be his - and Keane agreed.

The move will see him link up with Englishman Michael Carrick, and a midfield setup which will likely see the Frenchman given licence to roam the pitch and create chances - a role which he undertook so well in Turin. Spaniard Ander Herrera, and Belgian Marouane Fellani will be left to fight over any potential 3rd midfielder spot.

Pogba's Juventus sidekick, Kingsley Coman, is the other new face making the move to Old Trafford. The 18 year old Frenchman is equally adept on the wing or as a deep striker, usually playing in the hole, rather than as an out-and-out marksman. It will be interesting to see how he links into a front line which also contains big names such as Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney, as well as Angel di Maria and Memphis Depay on the wings.

The tactical wrangling will come during pre-season. For now, United fans breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they finally got their man...plus a bonus!

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4 Leave United, Keane Seals Final Deals

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Javier Hernandez (far left) is one of 4 players leaving Old Trafford this summer

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As Roy Keane continues his assault on the Glazer's war chest, 4 players have today confirmed deals with other teams which see them leave United for pastures new, with no place found for them in Keane's new regime.

The first to announce his departure, early this morning, was striker Javier Hernandez, who heads to Italy in an £11.5m deal with Fiorentina. He was closely followed by Nani, who makes a £5m switch to Inter Milan.

Staying closer to home, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia were in moves, Young to Tottenham in a deal thought to be worth around £10m, while Valencia moved to Newcastle, with the Tyneside club paying around £7.5m for his services.

Keane is not done spending yet, and he proved that with moves for Everton's Leighton Baines, Torino's Matteo Darmian and PSG's Marquinhos, with the trio thought to have cost the club around £30m up front, although, as with Pogba and Coman, Keane has made healthy use of monthly installments and performance related clauses to buff the deals out a bit.

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Italian Right-back Mateo Darmian looks set to push Rafael for a starting spot

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With transfer spending now in the region of £100m, and a squad which rivals Real Madrid for the status of 'Galacticos', the pressure is on Keane and his side to deliver this season, but the Reds manager has confidence in his side.

"I think everyone's blowing this out of proportion. Yes, we've spent a lot this summer, but we needed to. This club deserves to be playing at the very highest level, and in the last couple of years, that hasn't been the case. Change was necessary to bring a new energy, and if you could see the boys in training, you'd know that the energy in the camp right now is incredible - we're absolutely prepared for pre-season, and the season proper beyond that."

Manchester United Pre-Season 2014 Report

New boy Memphis Depay really impressed in pre-season, netting 4 goals in 4 games

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An unbeaten pre-season was just what the doctor ordered for Roy Keane's Manchester United Side, as they swept towards the new season in style, conceding only 3 goals, and scoring a total of 16. Critically for Keane, his teams performances seemed to come in the perfect mix of new and old - new signings gelling with established players to bring a vibrant game to the pitch, and bring hope to the hearts of the fans.


Manchester United 2-0 Manchester United U21s
Rooney
Blind



Scunthorpe United 1-3 Manchester United
Rooney
Herrera
Coman



Atletico Madrid 1-2 Manchester United
Di Maria
Rojo




Sampdoria 1-3 Manchester United
Depay (x3)



Levadiakos 0-6 Manchester United
van Persie (x2)
Depay
Coman (x2)
Mata

Keane's Diary: August 2014 Report

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Kinglsey Coman was both record breaker and hero this month

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This month, we opened our European campaign with a convincing 4-0 win, although the return leg was something of a disappointment, and went unbeaten in the league, with wins against Arsenal and Liverpool amongst the highlights for me in terms of performances and results.



In the league, we opened with a close-run game against Chelsea, which I felt we probably deserved to win, but a 1-1 draw on opening day was touted in the media as a fair result. Our opening month didn't get any easier, as games followed against Arsenal and Liverpool, in a quick whip-around of our top 4 rivals. We came out on top though, with some supreme performances giving us narrow wins in both games.


Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea
van Persie
Rooney



Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United
Baines
Depay
Coman



Manchester United 2-0 Liverpool
Rafael
Jones



In Europe, Fenerbahce proved to be no real test, as a sweeping 4-0 win at home gave me licence to start some younger players in the away leg, and rest big names for the Liverpool game, with us safely into the group stages.


Manchester United 4-0 Fenerbahce
Coman
Di Maria
Rojo
Baines



Fenerbahce 1-0 Manchester United

Honourable Mention: Kinglsey Coman

The new signing form Juventus was both a saviour and a record breaker this month - scoring the winning goal against Arsenal with only his 3rd touch of the ball, and also beating Ryan Giggs' record for the fastest Manchester United goal; scoring after just 14 seconds against Fenerbahce

Player of the Month: Paul Pogba

The French youngster was impressive this month, controlling the play in midfield and creating chances for his team-mates, with 2 assists in 3 starts this month in the league. He has settled in straight away, and one can only speculate on how good next month will be for the 21 year old.

Injury List

Torn Knee Ligaments
2-3 Months