Man Utd transfer news LIVE: United in ‘Olise talks’, Hannibal JOINS Sevilla on loan, Branthwaite & Todibo linked

Red Devils eye 'Wan-Bissaka for Olise swap'

Manchester United would consider swapping right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise.

That's the suggestion from ESPN - despite AWB having turned his Old Trafford fortunes around this season.

It's also been claimed that Frenchman Olise would prefer joining Arsenal to United, with Liverpool and Chelsea also regarded as big admirers.

And the 22-year-old reportedly has a release clause of £60million.

On the other hand, Palace have been linked over the last year with a possible move to bring Wan-Bissaka back.

Tonight's Best Fifa Football Awards winners

Lionel Messi won the top male player's gong as SIX Manchester City stars were named in the best XI.

City chief Pep Guardiola was named best manager, with Barcelona's Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati winning the women's player award.

WINNERS

Men’s Player: Lionel Messi
Men’s coach: Pep Guardiola
Goalkeeper: Ederson

Men’s XI: Thibaut Courtois; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias; Bernardo Silva, Jude Bellingham, Kevin de Bruyne; Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylina Mbappe, Vinicius Jr

Women’s player: Aitana Bonmati
Women’s coach: Sarina Wiegman
Women’s goalkeeper: Mary Earps

Women’s XI: Mary Earps; Lucy Bronze, Olga Carmona, Alex Greenwood; Keira Walsh, Alessia Russo, Lauren James, Ella Toone; Aitana Bonmati; Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr

'Utd and Chelsea bid for Evan'

Manchester United and Chelsea have reportedly bid for Evan Ferguson - the Brighton striker also admired by Arsenal.

Football Transfers claim United and the Blues hoped to pounce for the 19-year-old on loan as he's often been on the bench this season after his explosive form last term.

But it's also said that the Seagulls quickly rejected the advances.

Ferguson is on a long-term contract and Brighton rate him at around £100million.

Ratcliffe must 'hit the ground running'

Paul Merson insists Manchester United need a mixture of "stability" and change under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Arsenal legend says "the new investors have to hit the ground running" but must stamp their authority with long-term plans.

Merson told Sky Sports: "They need change and they started that with the departure of Jadon Sancho on loan to Borussia Dortmund.

"With that deal, you have to believe the manager is staying long-term and in fairness, if you get rid of Ten Hag, how many managers are out there who you could get in as a replacement? Could you tempt a Carlo Ancelotti for a season or so? It's debatable.

"What United do need is stability. They've done the changing manager thing a number of times since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club. It hasn't worked.

"We've seen Mikel Arteta at Arsenal backed. When many were calling for change, the Gunners gave him a chance to stamp his authority at the club and look where they are now."

'Scholes and Keane better than De Bruyne'

Paul Scholes and Roy Keane have been rated the Prem's best ever midfielders - with Kevin de Bruyne third.

Pundit Chris Sutton calmed the hype over Manchester City's fit-again playmaker KDB - by placing him behind the two United legends.

The ex-England striker left out Steven Gerrard from his top five, instead placing Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira fifth and Chelsea great Frank Lampard fourth.

How table would look if Everton & Forest penalised

THE bottom half of the Prem would look quite different if Everton and Nottingham Forest are hit with a points deduction.

Both clubs are facing the prospect of six point deductions after being accused of breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules.

Prem rules allow clubs who spend three consecutive season's in the top flight can make "permitted losses" of up to £105million over a three-season rolling cycle.

All 20 top-flight clubs had until December 31 to hand over their final accounts for the 2022-23 season. Regulations introduced last summer meant today was the deadline for charges to be brought.

And after weeks of speculation league chiefs hit Everton and Forest  with charges. If these are upheld they face a minimum deduction of six points, which would drastically alter the look of the top flight.

Everton, who are already appealing the ten-point deduction they were hit by in November for breaches in 2021-22, would plunge into the relegation zone with a further six-point penalty.

Sean Dyche's side currently sit 17th on 17 points. Chalking off another six points from the Toffees total would leave them second from bottom on 11 points, and crucially three points adrift of safety once Forest's own prospective penalty is applied.

In Forest's case, Nuno Espirito Santo's team would drop to 17th and just two points above the relegation zone after seeing their points total drop from 20 to 14 points.

Utd and Bayern keen on Araujo

Manchester United have reportedly asked Barcelona about defender Ronald Araujo.

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg also claims the Red Devils have received the same response as Bayern Munich - a valuation of around £69million.

Plettenberg believes that will help persuade United to wait until the summer before coming in for the Uruguayan.

However, Araujo is rated the "top target" for Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel.

Mejia on brink of sealing Sevilla move

Mateo Mejia is close to following Hannibal Mejbri from Manchester United to Sevilla.

But Colombian striker Mejbri is set for a permanent move on a four-and-a-half year deal, whereas Tunisian midfielder Mejbri departed on loan.

Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho have already exited Old Trafford on loan this month.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano expects Mejia's switch to be confirmed this week.

Onana woe as he misses exciting Afcon opener

ANDRE ONANA boarded a private jet to Afcon after United's 2-2 draw to Tottenham yesterday - but failed to make it in time for Cameroon's current clash with Guinea due to an unexpected delay.

Onana, 27, delayed flying out to meet with his Africa Cup of Nations squad so he could assist United.

And while everyone left Old Trafford at around 6.30pm on Sunday, Onana headed straight to the airport knowing Cameroon's first Afcon game was at 5pm today - with his side having now just made it 1-1 against 10-man Guinea.

But he suffered a hold up after his private jet was blocked due to bad weather, according to Manchester Evening News.

It's claimed his private jet was blocked in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Monday morning due to bad weather conditions in Yamoussoukro, where Cameroon play Guinea.

Cameroon were playing Guinea at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium - and Onana has been stranded 150 miles away in Abidjan.

Lingard 'offered to Portland'

Jesse Lingard's new agents have offered the ex-Manchester United midfielder to MLS outfit Portland Timbers.

Lingard has been a free agent since June when he was released by Nottingham Forest and has been struggling to link up with a new club ever since.

The midfielder sacked his previous reps this month as they failed to find him a new team and he was frustrated with a number of contract offers that never developed despite interest from clubs overseas

According to The Mail, the 31-year-old's new representatives are exploring possibilities in the US and Portland appear interested in signing him on a free transfer.

The ex-England international has been training on his own in America as well as Dubai.

And the United academy graduate has shared a series of images as well as clips showing him undergoing hard sessions at the gym.

Utd ponder swoop for Vermeeren

Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, 18, is rated a potential big-money buy for Manchester United this month.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano believes the Red Devils are weighing up an offer for the Belgium star.

Twice-capped Vermeeren could cost an initial £25million.

But adds-on might drive the eventual fee to double that sum.

Red Devils face shake-up

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir David Brailsford will give Man Utd a huge shake-up, claims club legend Gary Neville

The ex-England defender told Sky Sports: “Obviously Brailsford’s background isn’t football – but he has been in elite performance and he’ll know when he walks through that club and sees what’s going on on and off the pitch that it’s not an elite environment.

“They’ve not even got resource in positions at the moment like CEO and sporting director and a real prominent head of recruitment.

“There’s a lot to do, I think it needs a shock and it’s got a far better chance now with there being that disruption in the boardroom because going forward as it was before we would have seen more of the same.

“Ratcliffe is not going to come in and idly watch by what’s been going on here for the last few years.

“He’s going to shock the system here and I think for a lot of people they’ll find it quite difficult.”

Halsey pleads for end to delayed offside flag

Mark Halsey wants the delayed offside flag scrapped to avoid more serious injuries.

Ederson limped off with a leg problem after the Manchester City keeper collided with Sean Longstaff as the Brazilian tried to prevent the Newcastle midfielder from converting Alexander Isak’s cross.

The goal was ruled out by VAR due to an earlier offside in the build-up at St James’ Park on Saturday.

SunSport’s referee expert Halsey said: “The safety of players is paramount to the game.

“This directive about holding the flag needs reassessing because too many players are getting injured. I would change it.

“It’s happened twice for City, firstly with John Stones and now with Ederson.

“Football is an entertainment  business and fans want to see the best players on the pitch. Some of the best players are missing matches for injuries that are needless and avoidable.”

Brobbey admits snubbing Red Devils

Brian Brobbey has admitted turning down Man Utd in 2022.

“Erik ten Hag called me and said that at United, my agent would get millions of euros and I could earn a multiple of my Ajax salary,” he said. “But our decision was clear: we wanted to go to Ajax.

“Manchester United wanted to have me, but I insisted on returning to Ajax. To make that possible, my agent Jose Fortes Rodriguez even waived a hefty percentage of the sell-on clause.”