Sir Jim Ratcliffe's extraordinary week of interviews has revealed a lot of home truths about the current state of Man United.
In his latest sit-down with the Times, the minority owner revealed that United completely missed the "data revolution" and that they struggle to make signings compared to the likes of "Liverpool, Brighton and Brentford."
Victor Osimhen has taken a somewhat sabatical-like year from the top tier of European football as he applies his trade in Turkey.
However, his performances for Galatasaray (on loan from Napoli) - scoring 26 goals in 30 - has enhanced interest rather than temper it.
Niccolò Ceccarini reports that Manchester United, Arsenal and Juventus will all try to sign Victor Osimhen this summer.
He has a £63m release clause, which will need to triggered.
Man Utd are fully committed to signing Nico Williams, according to reports.
Reports in Spain claim the Red Devils see the Spain winger as a "primary objective" in the summer.
The wide man could be available for as little as £48million because of a release clause in his contract.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Juventus have also been linked with a move for the Euro 2024 winner.
MANCHESTER UNITED legend Wayne Rooney revealed he still keeps in touch with iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
However, there is a catch as they only contact each other after Rooney, 39, gets sacked from the dugout.
The ex-Everton star joined Gary Neville, Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Jill Scott on The Overlap, via Sky Bet, and answered fan questions.
Neville read out one of them for the panel, which read: "Do you ever hear from your old managers?"
Wright confirmed that he still keeps in touch with his former gaffers.
And that was when Rooney revealed: "Every time I get sacked Fergie gives me a text."
The former centre-forward's fellow panelists immediately burst into laughter.
Scott asked: What does it [ the text] say?"
However, the United great opted against sharing any details of the exchange.
Instead, Rooney simply said: "He gives me a text every time I get sacked"
RUBEN AMORIM says Bruno Fernandes is a shining light for Manchester United — and the club’s former stars in the media need to give him a break.
Boss Amorim jumped to the defence of his fellow Portuguese, saying: “When you play for this team you have to be prepared for the critics.
“I understand former players had a lot of success here and standards for them were so high.
“They see things in black and white. Life is sometimes not black and white — there are other colours and you have to understand that context.
“He is always there, trying his best. I am really proud to coach a player like him.”
BRUNO FERNANDES has revealed the main reason he stayed at Manchester United after admitting he had an offer to leave.
He said: "I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave and we talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying.
"They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they saw me as part of the future of the club or not.
"I spoke at the time with (Erik) Ten Hag also. He was very clear and the club were very clear with me, that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild.
"I heard what they had to tell me. I thought that we could be successful."
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE has taken aim at Manchester United's previous custodians - and claims they made a "complete cock-up" of running the club.
Ratcliffe told The Times: "I mean, I wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward, or Richard Arnold.
"Richard was a rugby man, he didn’t even understand football. Ed didn’t have the credentials to manage the club.
"He was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn’t the chief executive."
March 16: Leicester (A)
April 1: Nottingham Forest (A)
April 6: Man City (H)
April 10: Lyon (A)
April 13: Newcastle (A)
Fenerbahce have reportedly received an offer for Man Utd target Yusuf Akcicek.
Fanatik claim the club's Vice President Acun Ilicali said:: "We had a verbal meeting for Yusuf.
"After the Anderlecht game, a sporting director from the Premier League texted me saying, now it's £20 million, but we don't plan to sell him."
Napoli and Atletico Madrid are also said to be interested in the central defender.
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE has revealed the first thing Sir Alex Ferguson told him after he bought a stake in Manchester United.
Speaking to The Times, the Ineos chief revealed: "The first thing Alex Ferguson said to me was that the shirt can be too heavy. It applies to everyone here really, the coach, the players — the owner.
"It’s turning me into an old man. It’s hard to do the interviews. On camera for 40 minutes, one cock-up and you’re legendary for it.
"Remember [jewellery chain chief executive] Gerald Ratner, the guy with the rings? Spent his life building a business -one word, all gone.
"It takes a lot out of you. Because it’s around the world in a heartbeat. It goes viral. Everything is scrutinised."
Man Utd's board have reportedly given the green light to signing Victor Gyokores, according to reports.
TEAMtalk claim that United's hierarchy are backing Ruben Amorim's wish to bring the Sweden striker to Old Trafford.
However, there are some hurdles the Red Devils face.
First, is his £83.6million release clause which his club Sporting Lisbon are demanding.
That could mean United would have to sell players first, before footing that transfer feee.
Second, they face competition for the player from Arsenal and Chelsea.
Man Utd lost out in the race for Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Geovany Quenda.
Chelsea stole a march on their rivals to secure a £42million move for the 17-year-old winger, who Ruben Amorim brought through with the Portuguese giants.
See why below.
Arsenal and Man Utd have been linked with a move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.
And now his manager Hansi Flick has revealed the latest on the Dutch midfielder's contract situation.
Flick said: “De Jong’s future depends on both the club and himself.
"He has recovered well from injury and is performing excellently. His ability to control possession is vital, and I’m delighted to have him in the squad."
GEOVANY Quenda dropped a huge hint he would snub Manchester United for Chelsea.
However, the teenager - who earned a Portugal call-up this week - arguably showed early signs that favoured a move to Chelsea.
He hit Palmer's famous 'ice cold' celebration after scoring his penalty in Sporting's penalty shootout defeat to Benfica in the Portuguese League Cup.
When Quenda beat Anatoliy Trubin from 12-yards, he paid tribute to Palmer by rubbing his hands over his arms to mimic shivering.
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE claims that co-owning Manchester United is turning him "into an old man".
The British billionaire, 71, also admits that he doesn't know why he decided to buy into his boyhood club.
On if it was the money that appealed, he said: "That is 100 per cent not where I’ve come from at all. I’m making enough money in chemicals and oil and gas and all that stuff."
He then added: "I can’t honestly answer why we did it. It’s quite a difficult question.
"With Nice, in the French league, you can buy a club for £100million. It’s much cheaper access.
"But I don’t particularly enjoy going to watch Nice because there are some good players but the level of football is not high enough for me to get excited."
It's fair to say Andre Onana has divided Man Utd fans since signing for £47million.
So it's no surprise to hear the Red Devils linked with a move for a new keeper.
According to Fichajes, the Premier League side are eyeing up a move for Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak.
The report says United are confident they can secure a £30million deal for the Slovenian.
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE has indicated he'll walk away from Manchester United - if he gets as much stick as the Glazers.
He told The Times: "It can be unpleasant. And I’ve probably failed on the having fun front. I mean, I can put up with it for a while.
"I don’t mind being unpopular because I get that nobody likes seeing Manchester United down where they are, and nobody likes the decisions we’re having to make at the moment."
He added: "So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I’d have to say, look, enough’s enough guys, let somebody else do this.
"They can’t really come to a match, the Glazers. They’ve retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I’m getting all the bloody stick.
“We bought in and I haven’t seen them since.
"At the moment, I don’t have security, I don’t have to walk around like that.
"But it would defeat the object, wouldn’t it? You couldn’t tolerate it at that level, it just wouldn’t be fun."
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE slammed Manchester United's decision to appoint David Moyes as manager.
Moyes took over at Old Trafford when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Ratcliffe told The Times: "Look, I like David Moyes, and I think he’s a really good manager.
"But to go from Sir Alex Ferguson to Moyes is not where I would have gone.
"Moyes stepped into the shoes of Ferguson, who’s won the Premier League 13 times, who won the Champions League twice and then you’re handing over to a guy that has never managed big players and had never won anything.
"He’s not necessarily got the personality to stand in front of them all."
Recent reports claim that Manchester United has stepped up their efforts to sign Victor Osimhen.
The Red Devils are reportedly negotiating a deal whereby they would give Rasmus Hojlund in return for Osimhen.
Napoli boss Antonio Conte's enthusiasm for Hojlund is apparently accelerating the possible transaction, with some speculating that the transfer may be almost finalized.
A trio of Premier League giants are reportedly monitoring Morgan Gibbs-White - despite the midfielder missing an England call.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with the 25-year-old.
Gibbs-White has notched five goals and six assists in 24 Premier League games for for Nottingham Forest this season.
CaughtOffside say that’s put him on the radar of elite clubs.
They also reckon Gibbs-White could cost £60million.
According to the Portuguese publication A Bola, Gyokeres would prefer to play for Manchester City, Liverpool, or Arsenal if he were to move to England.
It is also understood that he will likely leave Lisbon at the end of the current season.
Arsenal has shortlisted Gyokeres as a potential option for the summer.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes admitted "it's not nice to hear certain things" after the club's co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe suggested some players are "overpaid".
In a string of interviews this week, Ratcliffe offered strong opinions on the club, included the standard of the squad.
The co-owner said: "Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for and accountable for will take time.
When asked about Ratcliffe's comments, Fernandes said: “It’s not nice to hear certain things, obviously.
“I don’t think any player likes to hear criticism or things that are talked about; that you’re not good enough or you’re overpaid or whatever.
"Everyone has their own contract. The club agrees to the contracts at the time you come here, or at the time you do a new contract, and it’s about proving that you can be important for the club.”
Jack Fletcher netted a three-minute double, assisted twice by his brother Tyler in Man Utd's 5-1 under-21s win over West Brom.
Chelsea and Arsenal have shortlisted Viktor Gyokeres as a potential option for the summer,
The London duo have both made signing a striker one of their priorities for the summer.
Arsenal's dream signing this summer would be Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, but given he could cost up to £150m, Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are viable alternatives.
Man United reportedly never submitted a bid for Geovany Quenda before Chelsea agreed to sign the winger from Sporting.
Chelsea agreed a fee of £42million for Quenda, 17, and he will join the Portuguese club in the summer in a seven-year deal.
But the Manchester Evening News has since debunked reports that said he snubbed United for Chelsea.
