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Report: Chelsea may ask Abraham to play through injury

By Kyle BonnJan 28, 2020, 9:37 PM EST

Chelsea has so far come up empty in its search for a striker, so desperate times may call for desperate measures.

Tammy Abraham, who has been a revelation this season with 13 Premier League goals, went down with an ankle injury late in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend. The club has tried desperately to find a striker before the Friday transfer window closes, and while the Blues have been linked with Edinson Cavani and Krzysztof Piatek they so far have not had any success in finding a replacement.

Therefore, according to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea may ask Abraham to play through his injury against Leicester City this weekend. The match is a vital one as Chelsea, sitting fourth in the Premier League table, looks to put separation between themselves and Manchester United while also chasing the third-placed Foxes who sit eight points clear.

The thinking appears to be that Chelsea has a 16-day break between the Leicester City match and their subsequent game against Manchester United in mid-February thanks to the Premier League’s two-week break at the start of the month.

Earlier this month, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted regret for not resting a banged up Marcus Rashford, choosing instead to bring him off the bench in an FA Cup match against Wolves. Reports after the match confirmed that Rashford was carrying a single stress fracture in his back at the time of the appearance, and he was hauled off 16 minutes later with scans after the match showing his appearance against Wolves worsened the injury. He now he faces two to three months on the sidelines.

Abraham has also slowed of late after being so heavily used this season. The 22-year-old has logged a massive 2,359 minutes across all competitions this season, including 1,843 out of a possible 2,160 in Premier League play. Abraham scored his first 11 Premier League goals in his first 14 matches of the season, but has just three goals in the last 10 games.

Chelsea has Michy Batshuayi as a natural replacement for Abraham up top, but Frank Lampard has used him as solely a bench option the entirety of this season. Batshuayi has made 14 Premier League appearances this season, but has logged just 138 minutes across those matches. When used as a starter in cup action, Batshuayi has four goals in four domestic cup starts. Olivier Giroud is also on the roster, having made just five Premier League appearances this season.

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Ed Woodward’s house attacked by Man United fans with flares

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By Kyle BonnJan 28, 2020, 8:41 PM EST

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Manchester United has been unable to reclaim the glory of the Sir Alex Ferguson days, and that has Red Devils fans up in arms. CEO Ed Woodward has taken much of the heat, with the executive unable to prevent the squad from degrading in quality and the team consequently has been unable to consistenly challenge for a top-four place, with his financial background not exactly a fit for his player recruitment position.

Some fans seem to have taken their frustration way too far.

A video emerged on social media claiming to show fans shooting flares at Woodward’s private residence, and reports from Sky Sports and The Daily Mirror corroborated that claim. The club then issued a statement condemning the incident.

“Manchester United Football Club have tonight been made aware of the incident outside the home of one of our employees.”We know that the football world will unite behind us as we work with Greater Manchester Police to identify the perpetrators of this unwarranted attack. Anybody found guilty of a criminal offense, or found to be trespassing on this property, will be banned for life by the club and may face prosecution. Fans expressing opinion is one thing, criminal damage and intent to endanger life is another. There is simply no excuse for this.”

The Sky Sports report claims that neither Woodward nor any of his family – particularly his wife and two children – were present in the home at the time of the attack. The Daily Mirror claims upwards of 20 or 30 fans were part of the attack on the house, with the caption “Ed Woodward’s gonna die” with three red circle emojis all in a Snapchat banner. Sky Sports also reports that red paint was sprayed on the gates of the home.

There are also reports of sickening chants during the recent FA Cup win over Tranmere Rovers, with fans singing about burning Woodward and the club owner Malcom Glazer in a bonfire.

Manchester United has reportedly looked to hire a Director of Football in recent months, but has so far stuck with Woodward as the head of recruitment. The squad has

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Reports: Man United nears Bruno Fernandes deal

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By Kyle BonnJan 28, 2020, 4:05 PM EST

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Watch our transfer deadline day show from 6-8 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, live on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com.

A transfer saga that has lasted nearly as long as the winter window itself finally appears to be nearing a conclusion.

Multiple reports in England, including James Ducker of The Telegraph and Simon Peach of Press Association, have revealed that Manchester United has finally agreed to a deal with Sporting CP for Bruno Fernandes.

Ducker’s report states that Manchester United has agreed to pay $61 million for Fernandes, with another $27 million of add-ons. The 25-year-old will sign a four-and-a-half year deal with an option for another year, taking him under club control through at least the summer of 2024.

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Reports over the past few weeks had highlighted the struggle for the two clubs to come to an agreement regarding the transfer. There were recent rumors over the past 24 hours that Barcelona had gained an interest in Fernandes with Manchester United struggling to get a deal over the line, but those appear to be nothing but a push by the player to drive through a deal.

Fernandes will be a boost to the Manchester United midfield that lost Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera over the summer and have suffered injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, both of whom have grown into vastly important players. The Portuguese international has made 28 appearances for Sporting CP this season across all competitions, scoring 15 goals including in league play.

The deal is still subject to a medical.

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Report: Barcelona to edge out Man United, sign Fernandes

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By Joe Prince-WrightJan 28, 2020, 11:43 AM EST

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Maybe Bruno Fernandes won’t be staying at Sporting Lisbon after all, as Barcelona have reportedly made a late bid to sign him ahead of Manchester United.

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According to our partners Sky Sports in the UK, Barcelona “have proposed signing him this summer until 2025 but will loan him to Valencia until the end of the 2020-21 season.”

The report adds that with Barca in talks to sign Valencia striker Rodrigo, they are hoping buying and then loaning Fernandes helps to sweeten the deal.

Watch our transfer deadline day show from 6-8 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, live on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com.

This is all very bizarre and all very Football Manager.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has looked a beaten man in recent days when it comes to talking about the pursuit of Fernandes which has been going on since last summer. United are said to be $26 million short of matching Sporting Lisbon’s valuation of Fernandes and even though the Portuguese playmaker would make a big difference for them in the final months of the Premier League season, it is unlikely the deal will happen and Barca seem ready to nip in at the 11th hour to seal the deal.

Speaking to journalists earlier on Tuesday, Solskjaer bemoaned the January window and how difficult it is to do business and shocked everyone as he revealed that Alexis Sanchez will be welcomed back with open arms in the summer when his loan with Inter Milan ends.

“Well, we’ve got players here we are working hard to get back and if there is something out there then the club are pursuing that and looking at it. Of course, it is the difficult window, it has always been,” Solskjaer said. “” can’t remember how many good ‘uns or deals we’ve brought in January. Henrik [Larsson] was good, Nemanja [Vidic] and Patrice [Evra] were two good ones. Henrik as a loan. Alexis… It is hard because some of the clubs don’t want to lose their players. Alexis will come back in the summer and prove you all wrong.”

It looks like Solskjaer may have to rely on Alexis Sanchez to provide a creative spark for the 2020-21 campaign as Fernandes could well be heading to the Nou Camp instead of Old Trafford.

After chasing Fernandes since the summer, this would be a massive blow for United and Solskjaer.

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Solskjaer coy on Man United transfers; Alexis to return

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By Joe Prince-WrightJan 28, 2020, 8:48 AM EST

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was coy when asked about possible transfer for Manchester United in the final days of the January window and revealed that Alexis Sanchez will return this summer.

Speaking ahead of their League Cup semifinal second leg against rivals Man City on Wednesday (City lead 3-1 from the first leg), Solskjaer was asked about a possible deal for Bruno Fernandes and if United will do any other business before the window shuts on Friday.

“I haven’t got any updates for you on transfers, I think it was a wasted question,” Solskjaer told a reporter. “I haven’t got anything to say now.”

Pushed further about what type of players United could sign, Solskjaer was asked if the club are now ‘thinking outside of the box’ amid reports they could sign strikers Odion Ighalo and Islam Slimani.

Solskjaer bemoaned the January window and how difficult it is to do business and shocked everyone as he revealed that Sanchez will be welcomed back with open arms in the summer when his loan with Inter Milan ends.

“Well, we’ve got players here we are working hard to get back and if there is something out there then the club are pursuing that and looking at it. Of course, it is the difficult window, it has always been,” Solskjaer said. “I can’t remember how many good ‘uns or deals we’ve brought in January. Henrik [Larsson] was good, Nemanja [Vidic] and Patrice [Evra] were two good ones. Henrik as a loan. Alexis… It is hard because some of the clubs don’t want to lose their players. Alexis will come back in the summer and prove you all wrong.”

“At the moment it doesn’t look like it, no,” Solskjaer added when asked about outgoings, while he added that Nemanja Matic may not be fit for the League Cup semifinal at Man City and Marcos Rojo is very unlikely to be sold.

It seems likely that United will not do any business in the final days of the window as Solskjaer looked frustrated but put on a brave face.

United are said to be $26 million short of matching Sporting Lisbon’s valuation of Fernandes and even though the Portuguese playmaker would make a big difference for them in the final months of the Premier League season, it seems unlikely the player they’ve chased since last summer will arrive at Old Trafford.

This news will no doubt be frustrating for United but given Mason Greenwood‘s recent displays, perhaps Solskjaer will place extra faith in the 18-year-old to fill the void left by Marcus Rashford over the next six weeks or so. It is either that or bring in a more experienced striker on loan for the rest of the season and that doesn’t seem to slot in with United’s new philosophy of developing young British talent.

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