- United looking at luring Di Maria and Khedira to Old Trafford
- Ed Woodward confident of luring two more players to United
- Di Maria and Khedira have been told they can leave Real Madrid
- Real coach Carlo Ancelotti: ‘If Di Maria doesn’t find a solution for his future, we would happily welcome him back once the transfer market is over'
- United fans angry over club's lacklustre transfer policy
- One group planning a demonstration before home match against QPR
- Robin van Persie returns to training ahead of Sunderland match on Sunday
Manchester
United are still exploring ways of bringing in Real Madrid's wantaway
winger Angel Di Maria and his club-mate Sami Khedira.
In
more positive news for United fans, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward
is bullish about bringing in two more players before the transfer
window closes.
Real
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday that both Di Maria and
Khedira could leave. Di Maria has been target for United boss Louis van
Gaal all summer while he knows Khedira from his time in Germany.
Ancelotti
said: ‘If Di Maria doesn’t find a solution for his future, we would
happily welcome him back once the transfer market is over.
‘He
asked to leave, he didn’t accept the proposal for the renewal of the
contract. He’s a Real Madrid player and until August 31, as I’ve already
said, anything can happen.
‘Khedira
is a different situation. He’s not asked to go. He’s rejected an offer
to renew, but has a year of contract. We’ll see what happens.’
These
signings could appease United fans, who are growing angry with what
they view as their club’s lacklustre approach to signing players and one
faction is planning a demonstration at the home game with QPR next
month.
There
is better news on the pitch as they will have striker Robin van Persie
back in their squad for their Barclays Premier League game at Sunderland
on Sunday after he returned to first-team training on Thursday.
Van Persie
has not played for new manager Van Gaal yet after being given extra time
to get fit in the wake of his journey to the last four of the World Cup
in July.
But after training the striker revealed he is ready to play.
‘Good training session done this morning,’ he said on Twitter. ‘Looking forward to Sunday.’
Van
Persie was overlooked for the United captaincy by Van Gaal, even though
the two men are close and the 31-year-old was his manager’s skipper
during the World Cup.
However,
Van Persie is crucial to United’s hopes of success this season and if
he thinks he is fit enough Van Gaal will team him up with captain Wayne
Rooney against Sunderland.
Van
Gaal will hand a debut to defender Marcos Rojo on Sunday.The
24-year-old trained with his new team-mates on Thursday and is expected
to play on the left of Van Gaal’s defensive three.
‘It
is an honour for me to now say that I play for Manchester United,’ said
Rojo on Thursday night. ‘I am young and am very keen to continue to
learn the game, so playing for such an experienced technical coach as
Louis van Gaal is a fantastic opportunity for me. I have joined United
to work hard with my team-mates to win trophies and I know the manager
shares that ambition.’
United were
missing nine players when they lost to Swansea at Old Trafford last
Saturday. On Thursday they welcomed Jonny Evans and Antonio Valencia
back to training, who should help to ease the defensive burden this
weekend.
Further
tests on Marouane Fellaini’s ankle have revealed no real ligament
damage, so United hope to move the Belgian on this month.
Meanwhile,
Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone, the penalty shootout hero as the Black
Cats beat United to reach the Capital One Cup final last January, is out
to heap more misery on Van Gaal.
Mannone
said: ‘I believe we can win. In the Premier League I don’t think the
difference is that massive. We need to play our game and get a result
again.’
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