Manchester United are said to be extremely frustrated over accusations circulating online that Alejandro Garnacho or Amad Diallo could be to blame for Manchester United’s line-up being leaked before games.
The club are determined to defend Garnacho and Diallo against the unfair scrutiny, and sources say they will not accept either player being wrongfully accused without any evidence whatsoever. Both players have emphatically denied any wrongdoing, and there are concerns that online fan accounts are simply using the United stars’ names to grow their following.
Confidential has learned that Garnacho and Diallo are so angry over the allegations that they wanted to speak out in public after the Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic last week, but were persuaded it would only add fuel to the fire ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday.
Although United accept that leaks are inevitable in the digital era, particularly at a club of their size, there is frustration that the line-up continues to get out on a regular basis.
However, insiders point out that it’s a problem that has plagued the club for some time, long before Garnacho and Diallo were part of the first-team squad.
When United played Fenerbahce in October, former Reds’ boss Jose Mourinho joked with reporters about how his team selections routinely found their way into the media before games, while David Moyes spent a lot of time trying to root out a mole in the camp.
Amad Diallo (right) and Alejandro Garnacho (left) are furious at being accused of leaking team news
Amad and Garnacho wanted to speak out after last week’s match against Viktoria Plzen but were persuaded not to
United have stopped short of launching an official club investigation this time, but there is a feeling within Old Trafford that the leaks are coming from a variety of sources around players rather than from the players themselves. It’s hoped that the publicity around the issue will persuade players and their associates to think twice before sharing news.
Addressing the problem after Sunday’s win in the Manchester derby, head coach Ruben Amorim said: ‘I think it’s impossible to fix nowadays because you have a lot of people in the club, the players talk with agents.
‘You can talk with friends, so it’s hard to know. It’s not a good thing but let’s move on and go to the next one and see if they find the next starting XI.’
Garnacho still untouchable?
Alejandro Garnacho has been seen as one of the untouchables at Manchester United until now, but some of Europe’s top clubs are sensing an opportunity that he could be available at the right price.
Confidential understands the changing situation over Garnacho has less to do with Ruben Amorim’s decision to drop the Argentina winger from his squad for the Manchester derby on Sunday, and more with the market forces putting United under greater pressure than ever.
The club have sailed close to the wind with regard to profit and sustainability rules after losing £300million over the last three years, and will have to trade very carefully in the January transfer window.
By far the easiest way to generate maximum profit is to sell homegrown players, as United did reluctantly by letting Scott McTominay join Napoli for £25.7m in the summer. That has left Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo as the prize assets in Amorim’s squad.
Much of the speculation has raged over Rashford’s future at Old Trafford, and even more so after he too was dropped for United’s win at the Etihad on Sunday.
However, the fact that Rashford earns £315,000 a week and still has three and a half years left on his contract are seen as prohibitive to a move. Any club willing to take Rashford on current form are unlikely to pay him anywhere near as much, meaning United would have to give the 27-year-old a significant pay-off to go.
That would eat into the transfer fee and it’s understood that having valued Rashford at around £100m when he scored 30 goals in Erik ten Hag’s first season, United would expect to get less than half that price now.
Garnacho, on the other hand, has yet to move into the high-earner bracket having signed a new contract worth less than £50,000-a-week last year. That is still some way short of Rashford and other stars like Casemiro on £375,000, Bruno Fernandes on £230,000 and Harry Maguire on £190,000.
The 20-year-old would also command a bigger transfer fee than Rashford in the region of £70m, generating even greater profit for the club.
Although Amorim has been keen to offer both players a clean slate after they were axed from Sunday’s squad, questions have also been asked about how Garnacho fits in under the new head coach. While Amad Diallo has flourished at both right wing-back and a more advanced position on the right, Garnacho is not seen as a wing-back and has struggled on the left side of United’s attack under Amorim.
There is no indication at this stage that United would be prepared to sell him, but intermediaries now believe the door to a Garnacho deal may not be as firmly closed as it once was.
That could alert clubs like Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, although Confidential understands that Real Madrid and Barcelona would be unlikely to move for the former Atletico Madrid youth product at this stage.
Mainoo is the other option, but there seems even less chance of United letting go of their latest academy poster boy who is arguably a more natural fit for Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation. In the absence of Rashford and Garnacho at the Etihad on Sunday, it was left to Mainoo to extend the sequence of academy players appearing in United’s matchday squad which stretches back more than 4,000 games to October 1937.
Grnacho was previously seen as untouchable, but United may now consider selling him after he was dropped by Ruben Amorim for the Manchester derby
Kobbie Mainoo is another homegrown player, but it seems United will be very reluctant to allow him to leave
PSG cool on Rashford bid
Paris Saint-Germain have dispelled interest in Marcus Rashford amid suggestions that the faltering forward could make a switch to the Ligue 1 side in January.
It’s understood United would consider sanctioning a £40m deal for the homegrown talent who was dropped by Ruben Amorim for Sunday’s 2-1 derby win over Manchester City.
That has prompted greater scrutiny over Rashford’s future at Old Trafford and PSG were linked with a high-profile move for the 27-year-old before he penned a £315,000-a-week, five-year contract last year.
However, the French champions are no longer interested in pursuing a transfer and have told Confidential that speculation over a swap deal in January that would involve Randal Kolo Muani going in the other direction are wide of the mark.
PSG are keen to keep hold of the France international who is contracted to the club until 2028, and will not entertain an offer from United midway through the season.
PSG are not interested in making a move for Marcus Rashford at the moment
A potential deal involving Randal Kolo Muani (pictured) has been speculated about, but PSG want to keep the Frenchman
All eyes on Victor
United are closely monitoring the progress of Botafogo goalkeeper John Victor. The South American market is seen as a key one moving forward for United as they seek out the best value from talent across the globe.
As Confidential revealed recently, United are assessing their goalkeeping options ahead of next month’s window in case No.2 Altay Bayindir departs in search of more playing time. While United would prefer to wait until the end of the season to replace Bayindir, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that he moves in January.
Victor, 28, is also attracting interest from Tottenham, as well as teams in Europe, after impressing in the Copa Libertadores for Botafogo.
United are monitoring John Victor (pictured) and could make their move if Altay Bayindir leaves
Ticket win for fans
United appear to have scored a victory in their battle with Arsenal over ticket prices for the FA Cup third-round clash at the Emirates next month.
Arsenal had planned to charge up to £90 for visiting fans for the game on January 12, but United confirmed on Tuesday that the maximum price in the away section will be £46.40.
It comes after significant lobbying from the supporters’ trusts for both clubs, who had rallied against the decision to put the match in Arsenal’s highest price category.
United are still contesting the allocation with Arsenal, who have so far refused to give the full 9,000 they are entitled to under FA Cup rules. United have escalated their case to the FA and in a message to supporters said: ‘Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to secure our full allocation for this game.’
United have managed to get ticket prices down for their trip to Arsenal in the FA Cup next month
Foundation takes bonuses hit
The decision to give staff a voucher from M&S instead of their usual £100 Christmas bonus has gone down better with some employees than others, but Confidential understands there has also been a knock-on effort for the Manchester United Foundation.
It was revealed in this column last week how cost-cutting by Sir Jim Ratcliffe had led to the change, with some staff left unhappy over the £40 voucher and others surprised that they are getting anything at all in light of the recent redundancy programme.
It has been pointed out, however, that in previous years staff were able to donate their £100 bonus to the foundation, while those earning more than £60,000-a-year saw that bonus automatically redirected to it.
The foundation is a key community arm of United and after the dramatic win in the Manchester derby on Sunday, many of those first-team stars were at Old Trafford appearing at a foundation event for school kids on Monday.
Alejandro Garnacho, who was dropped by Ruben Amorim at the Etihad Stadium, was among the stars in attendance. Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof were others to head down to the event.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to replace Christmas bonuses with M&S vouchers has had a knock-on effect for the Manchester United Foundation
Jack catches Amorim’s eye
A word on 19-year-old midfielder Jack Moorhouse who caught the eye in front of a watching Ruben Amorim at Carrington over the weekend.
His two goals in a man-of-the-match performance against Southampton has been a topic of conversation in academy circles ever since.
Moorhouse had missed a significant amount of time through injury, with insiders pointing to setbacks from growing pains. But the young midfielder, who is one of the best ball carriers in midfield right across the academy, is looking the best he ever has.
While the plan for his development does not at this stage include a loan move away in January, hopes are increasing that he could be elevated to first-team training on occasions before the season is out.
Amorim has shown a willingness to take a closer look at academy players, as shown by the emergence of centre back Godwill Kukonki. With Moorhouse a player going from strength to strength, there is a growing belief that he is firmly in the mix to be next man up.
Teenage midfielder Jack Moorhouse (right) has caught the eye of Ruben Amorim
Amorim has already promoted Godwill Kukonki (pictured) into his first team squad this season
Youth Cup fix
For United fans not making the trip to Tottenham but still looking for a football fix this week, look no further than the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night.
The prestigious youth football competition is in its third round as United host Coventry City at Leigh Sports Village with a 7pm kick-off.
United are the competition’s most successful club with 11 successes, the most recent of which came in 2022 with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho part of the team. Tickets are priced £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
