Luke Shaw linked with Barcelona transfer

Exciting times for Manchester United defender Luke Shaw. He might have been given hints about his weight and health by Mauricio Pochettino while at Southampton, giving him healthy smoothies as a nudge in the right direction. Roy Hodgson might have suggested he wasn’t fit enough to be picked for international duty, despite still picking Wayne Rooney. He was criticised by Louis van Gaal and then Jose Mourinho, who has basically told him to to get his act together five times now, and not once has he chosen to do so. Fear not, Luke! You can now definitely move to Barcelona, because that’s what this definitely true story in The Mirror says.

United have history with Barcelona usurping them in transfer deals. A story in the Daily Mail reports that Ronaldinho was set to replace David Beckham, as he joined Real Madrid in 2003. United were interested in bringing in Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, but a late move from Barcelona saw the Brazilian leave Paris Saint-Germain head to Spain instead. It would have been, perhaps, the best signing that Ferguson ever made after Eric Cantona had he pulled it off, and we would have to wait for Rafael for our first Brazilian legend.

The Glazers are one of the worst owners in a very bad bunch of Premier League owners, and this story in The Independent highlights just how dreadful the whole business really is. Rising ticket prices are rewarded with poor performances on the pitch and an increasing lack of freedom. The whole thing stinks, and until there’s a proper boycott of clubs, it won’t change.

ESPNFC think that Marcus Rashford will be in the first team for England at the World Cup. There’s a look at which other United players will go to Russia. Jesse Lingard’s goalscoring might well seal him a position in the first eleven.