Zaha prefers Newcastle loan move if Manchester United exile continues

The young winger has not featured for the Premier League champions since the Community Shielf back in August and would be happy to go out on loan if allowed by the club

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey

Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha has earmarked Newcastle as his ideal club to join on loan if he remains on the fringes at Old Trafford.

Zaha has not played a single minute for the United first team since starting the Community Shield victory over Wigan Athletic in mid-August.

Newcastle, Swansea City, West Brom, Stoke City and his former club Crystal Palace have all made enquiries about taking him on loan for the second half of the season.

It is believed that Zaha and his representatives prefer the north east outfit over their Premier League rivals with regards to any potential move, as long as United manager David Moyes gives the green light for the player to go on loan in the January window.

United have ruled out the possibility of Zaha dropping down a division and going on an emergency loan to a Championship club.
 
The winger joined United from Palace last January in a deal worth up to £17 million before being loaned back to Selhurst Park for the remainder of the club’s promotion-winning campaign.

He has been unable to force his way into the first-team reckoning at Old Trafford as Moyes continues to put his faith in the proven players during what has been a difficult start to his reign.

Werder Bremen hint at January move for De Bruyne

The midfielder spent last season on loan at the Weserstadion and, after being ordered to train with the reserves at Stamford Bridge, the Bundesliga side a keen on a return

Werder Bremen general manager Thomas Echin has hinted at a January move for Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at the Weserstadion, scoring 10 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances, before heading back to Stamford Bridge.

However, after featuring in Chelsea’s opening two games of the season, De Bruyne has since struggled to maintain his spot and has been forced to train with the club’s reserves after a string of unsatisfactory performances in training.

And Bremen could be set to pounce, with Eichin believing the Bundesliga side are in the best position to seal a deal for De Bruyne.

“If Kevin is dissatisfied, we are happy to be the first contact,” he told Bild. “I have contact with the consultant and am informed about Kevin’s situation at Chelsea.

“I know Kevin. If he doesn’t play, it’s certainly a big problem for him. We have to wait and see what happens in the winter. We will be present if there is a way to get him.”

Why Ibrahimovic and Cavani are incompatible at PSG

The Uruguayan has out-scored the Swede so far this season but the decision to continually deploy him in wide areas proves the pair are not functioning well together

COMMENT
By Robin Bairner

Edinson Cavani’s arrival at Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli in the summer coincided with Zlatan Ibrahimovic exit rumours reaching fever pitch. Logic dictated that it should be impossible for the duo to feature together in the same side, while using them in a rotation system was a non-starter given the ego of the Swede and money invested in the Uruguayan.

But Ibra would not be budged from Paris and in late September it was announced that he had signed a new contract carrying him through to 2016 with the capital club.

It was a remarkable turn of events given the vivacity whispers of his departure had taken on but, perhaps even more, the struggle head coach Laurent Blanc has had of shoehorning the two forwards into an effectively functioning unit.

Initially the coach tried a 4-4-2 system, yet Ibra and his new strike partner were ineffective together in attack. Of course the goals came, but as a partnership they looked weaker than the sum of the two parts.

All strikers need goals, of course, yet finding the net is the lifeblood of a No.9 such as Cavani. The South American thrives on finding spaces in the box from which to turn the ball into the net. Ibrahimovic may have more strings to his bow, yet his personality dictates that he is the kingpin of any side he plays in, and that means being the leading goalscorer. With Cavani alongside him, he was working with a player whose natural style was conflicting with his own.

The first half of the Olympiakos fixture was a particular low for PSG. Cavani may have scored to put Blanc’s men 1-0 up, but it was virtually the only opportunity they had to find the net in a period in which they were utterly outplayed. A lack of chemistry was clear and it stemmed from the incompatible attack that put pressure on a two-man central midfield that did not have the energy and defensive nous to make the system work.

Blanc was able to steer PSG back on course with a half-time tactical switch, leading to a 4-1 win that was unimaginably comfortable given the troubles the Parisians had in the first half in Piraeus. Cavani and Ibrahimovic were still involved, yet they no longer formed a tandem in attack. Instead, Blanc deployed a forward three. While Ibra retained his position through the centre, Cavani suffered by going out to the right, where his industry meant he was more useful than the languid Swede.

Immediately there was greater balance to the side as a whole. PSG’s midfield pressed far more effectively and down the left there was potency, yet Cavani seemed isolated and rather mute on the right.

Quite simply, the 26-year-old does not have the attributes to excel to his full potential on the wing. He is a No.9, the type of whom thrives by playing through the centre. Only Ibra is barring his way.

There has been no lack of desire shown by Cavani when stuck out on the right. He has fulfilled all the tasks that Blanc would expect of him, including the dirty, defensive work, and he has even weighed in with goals from that position on the right channel, yet he is not being allowed to become the Cavani who astounded with his finishing prowess at Napoli.

When PSG spent €64 million on the Uruguayan in the summer, this surely is not what was intended and this is surely not how Cavani envisaged his adventure in France beginning.

In spite of these problems, he already has five goals in nine matches, while Ibra has struggled comparatively and has found the net only twice, looking somewhat shy of confidence in front of goal.

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old Swede sees this as a good thing for the team.

“I have scored fewer goals this season and I think it’s positive,” he reasoned on Tuesday. “To have more good scorers is better than having just one.”

What the early weeks of the season seem to have shown is that Cavani and Ibrahimovic can work together to some extent, yet the best level of both world-class stars cannot be attained when they are fielded concurrently.

PSG have yet to lose under Blanc but face a big test on Wednesday. The weaknesses they showed in the first half against Olympiakos will be more harshly punished if they surface again. While they may be able to carry extra baggage and still progress top of Group C, to win the Champions League, as they hope to achieve, without each player in their optimal role is a far harder challenge.

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Manchester United expect Baines transfer request to secure January switch

David Moyes was surprised the Everton left-back declined to submit a formal request during the summer and wants him to push through a winter move as the club prepare fresh bid

EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart

Manchester United will make a fresh bid for Leighton Baines in the January transfer window, but the Everton star will be expected to submit a transfer request to force the move.

The Premier League champions made a £15 million offer for Baines in the summer but Everton refused the bid and demanded £20m for the England international.

Marouane Fellaini handed in a formal transfer request to push through his £27.5m transfer to Old Trafford, giving up around £4m owed to him by Everton in loyalty payments.

But Baines, 28, declined to follow the same strategy as the Belgian and did not formalise his desire to leave the Toffees, much to United’s surprise.

United have told Baines’ camp that they will make a fresh move for the Merseyside-born defender but want him to push for a winter transfer, when it is traditionally harder to secure new signings.

Baines is under contract until 2015 and will not sign a new deal while United retain an active interest, despite Everton being prepared to double his salary to around £75,000-a-week.

David Moyes, who signed Baines for Everton in 2007, wants a left-back to replace Patrice Evra, who at the age of 32 has been struggling for form and fitness.

The Scot is a huge fan of the former Wigan man and believes his attacking qualities will add a new dimension to the side with his attacking qualities and delivery from wide areas.

Baines has started the campaign in impressive form under new Everton manager Roberto Martinez and has scored two goal, both from free-kicks in the win at West Ham last month.

“Leighton is the most important player for us now and in the future,” said Martinez last month.

“He has been an outstanding performer over the years, and now clearly he’s at the peak of his career.

“We’re going to make sure he feels that warmth from the football club and, from a contractual point of view, exactly the same.

“As in any walk of life, when you do things correctly and work extremely hard you need to be rewarded. Leighton is clearly a vital part of our future and is going to find out about it.”

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Hinteregger confirms Manchester United interest

The 21-year-old has revealed that the reigning Premier League champions are following his progress closely and he plans to discuss his long-term future with his manager shortly

Red Bull Salzburg defender Martin Hinteregger has revealed Manchester United are interested in signing him.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and Liverpool mooted as potential destinations, and the Austrian has confirmed that the Red Devils are ready to make a move for his services.

And while Hinteregger conceded he would be interested in moving to a top club, he will consider the amount of potential playing time he will likely get before deciding whether to leave.

“There is interest from Manchester United and a top Italian club,” he told the Austria Press Agency.

“It is a big honour, I would not have expected something like this so fast.

“Originally it was always my goal to stay in the Red Bull [Salzburg] family forever and one day play for Leipzig. But if a [club the] calibre like this is interested, that makes you think.

“In two or three days there will be a meeting with my manager Frank Schreier. We have to evaluate whether a move makes sense and whether I would have the perspective to play regularly.

“I am not a dreamer and I know that these clubs have many interesting players who have no space to play.”