Manchester United

Manchester United is retaining Erik ten Hag as manager after "the club's end-of-season review culminated in a decision to keep the Dutchman—and he has agreed to remain at Old Trafford," according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.

His current contract only runs through this upcoming season, though there is an option to extend it by another year. Per Ornstein, the two sides will enter negotiations regarding a potential extension of that length.

Ten Hag's future at United was almost assuredly saved by his FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. Otherwise, he was coming off a season that saw the Red Devils finish eighth in the Premier League, the club's worst domestic placement since 1989-90.

United only managed 60 points, their second-worst tally in the Premier League era (which began in 1992-93), and finished with a minus-one goal differential (worst since 1989-90).

Ten Hag himself called the campaign "just rubbish" in May, though added that reaching a second consecutive FA Cup final was the "maximum possible" outcome given the injuries United faced.

He could point to this season's FA Cup triumph—and last year's win in the Carabao Cup—as successes under his two-year watch, ending what had been a five-year silverware drought. United also finished third in the Premier League during the 2022-23 campaign, behind only Manchester City and Arsenal.

This year's league results were undoubtedly a concern, but ten Hag has also taken over during a period of major upheaval at the club, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS purchasing a minority stake in the club in February.

The Glazer family remains the majority owners of the club but Ratcliffe has taken over football operations, a welcome change among supporters given the consternation surrounding the Glazers' ownership.

United's woes during the 20 years of the Glazers' ownership have run deep, and ten Hag was potentially in line to become the latest scapegoat of that overall institutional failing. But Ratcliffe's intervention in the club has brought hope, and ten Hag will be given at least one more chance to become the first United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012-13 to win a Premier League title.

Manchester United and English national team soccer legend Sir Bobby Charlton died at the age of 86, Sky Sports announced Saturday.

Charlton's playing career lasted from 1956 until 1980, and he is best known for his 17-year run with Manchester United from 1956 through 1973.

The attacking midfielder also earned 106 caps with England's national team from 1958 to 1970, and he was part of the squad that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, which still stands as England's only World Cup triumph.

During his iconic run at United, Charlton was a three-time winner of the Football League First Division, which was the precursor to the English Premier League. He also won the FA Charity Shield twice and the FA Cup and European Cup one time each.

Additionally, Charlton was named both the FWA Footballer of the Year and the Ballon d'Or winner in 1966, plus he was the Ballon d'Or runner-up in 1967 and 1968.

All told, Charlton scored 249 goals in 758 matches across all competitions with Manchester United. He later went on to play for Preston North End, Waterford, Newcastle KB United, Perth Azzurri and Blacktown City as well.

For the English national team, Charlton scored 49 goals in 106 matches, placing him third on the Three Lions' all-time list behind only Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney.

During his national team career, Charlton scored once at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, which saw England get eliminated by eventual tournament winners Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Four years later, Charlton scored three times in the 1966 World Cup, including twice in a pivotal 2-1 win over Portugal in the semifinals.

Charlton was awarded the Golden Ball for his efforts, which is given to the best player at the World Cup.

In 1958, Charlton miraculously survived when the Manchester United team plane crashed during a takeoff attempt in poor weather conditions in Munich.

Dubbed the Munich air disaster, 23 people on the flight died, including eight of the 17 players who were on board. Charlton escaped with only minor injuries and returned to playing a month later.

Charlton has long been widely recognized as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, earning placement on many prestigious lists, including the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team in 1994, the Football League 100 Legends in 1998 and the FIFA 100 in 2004.

Among Charlton's other honors were being knighted in 1994 and getting selected to the English Football Hall of Fame as an inaugural inductee in 2002.

The Glazer family reportedly will be taking Manchester United off the market after signaling a willingness to sell the iconic club last year, according to Jacob Leeks of the Mirror and Nick Harris and Alex Miller of the Daily Mail.

Per Leeks' report, "The Americans opened up bidding for investment or even a full buy-out of the Red Devils last year, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani quickly emerging as the frontrunners to take over from the much-hated Glazers."

He added that none of the offers came close to the "£6 billion valuation" ($7.55 billion) the family had placed on the club.

Ratcliffe's offer reportedly would have left the Glazers as minority owners, per Harris and Miller, while Qatar's Jassim was seeking to become the exclusive owner.

The reports won't be met with enthusiasm at Old Trafford, with United supporters protesting the Glazer ownership yet again to start the season. Such protests have become a growing theme.

"The Glazers are thick-skinned and won't be influenced by any negative fan reactions," a source close to the Glazers told Harris and Miller.

Per both reports, the family will consider putting United back on the market in 2025, when certain conditions may lead to more favorable bids.

Harris and Miller cited an "uplift in TV rights revenues, the expansion of FIFA's Club World Cup to 32 teams from 2025, which could be very lucrative, and the forthcoming 2026 World Cup" as factors in moving the selling process back to 2025.

That edition of the World Cup will be hosted in North America, with the majority of the games being played in the United States, and could potentially "heighten the interest of American billionaires in football investments. The Glazers think this may help them sell United for between £7 billion ($8.8 billion) and £10 billion ($12.5 billion)."

Since the Glazers takeover in June 2005, United has won five Premier League titles and both the Champions League and Europa League one time apiece.

United hasn't won the league since the 2012-13 season, however, watching as neighbors Manchester City have emerged as England's dominant force, with five of the past six titles and seven total Premier League championships since the 20211-12 campaign.

United's 20 titles in the history of top-flight English football remains the most ever won by a club, one ahead of Liverpool and seven above Arsenal. But in recent years, clubs like City, Liverpool and Chelsea have seen far more success, both domestically and in Europe.

Manchester United announced Monday they mutually agreed to work toward ending Mason Greenwood's tenure at the club.

"All those involved, including Mason, recognize the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United," United said. "It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome."

In February, prosecutors dropped attempted rape and assault charges against Greenwood due to new evidence and "the withdrawal of key witnesses."

The 21-year-old continued to deny the allegations in connection to the charges in a statement confirming his departure from Manchester United:

I want to start by saying I understand that people will judge me because of what they have seen and heard on social media, and I know people will think the worst.

I was brought up to know that violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong, I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges. However, I fully accept I made mistakes in my relationship, and I take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post.

I am learning to understand my responsibilities to set a good example as a professional footballer, and I'm focused on the big responsibility of being a father, as well as a good partner. Today's decision has been part of a collaborative process between Manchester United, my family and me.

There was a large outcry for United to sever ties with Greenwood after photos and audio surfaced on social media that allegedly documented the abuse and sexual assault.

Manchester United said Monday that "the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offenses in respect of which he was originally charged" following its own investigation.

Still, scrutiny toward Greenwood and the club remained long after his legal case was resolved.

The Athletic's Adam Crafton also reported how Manchester United officials were fully aware of how Greenwood's return would be received. To that end, they "prepared documents outlining the type of images that should be taken of the player during training sessions and planned how manager Erik ten Hag should handle questions during an anticipated media storm."

Per Crafton, United also attempted to gauge how individual outside figures would react to the situation and "divided these people into categories to the effect of 'supportive,' 'open-minded' or 'hostile.'"

Manchester United was poised to experience some pushback from within the club as well. Crafton reported some employees were "ashamed" of the expected return of Greenwood.

"Some staff members have discussed resigning in the event United continue to pursue the plan laid out by [chief executive Richard Arnold], while others have considered coordinated action, with some staff even exploring a strike," the report read.

Greenwood's last appearance for Manchester United came in a 1-0 victory over West Ham in January 2022.

It's unclear whether United is moving to reach a negotiated settlement with Greenwood or will terminate his contract altogether.

Longtime Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea announced Saturday that he is leaving the club following a 12-year stint.

The 32-year-old Spaniard revealed the news on Twitter and took the opportunity to thank Manchester United's fans for their support:

De Gea's contract with United expired at the end of the 2022-23 season, and the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new deal.

In 2008, de Gea broke into the professional ranks with Atlético Madrid B before getting moved up to Atlético Madrid's top squad the following season and remaining there for two years.

Following the retirement of legendary Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in 2011, the Red Devils targeted de Gea and ultimately landed him on a transfer deal.

That move proved to be a great one for both de Gea and United as he went on to enjoy 12 fruitful seasons with arguably the most famous club in the world.

Manchester United have struggled in recent years to achieve their past greatness, but de Gea did lead them to an Premier League title in 2013. Additionally, de Gea played a role in United winning the 2011, 2013 and 2016 Community Shield, 2015-16 FA Cup, 2016-17 EFL Cup and 2016-17 UEFA Europa League.

Additionally, de Gea twice won the Premier League Golden Glove as the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets, including last season when he posted 17 shutouts.

Overall, de Gea had 148 clean sheets in 415 EPL starts with Manchester United, making him one of the most successful goalkeepers in club history.

The four-time Manchester United Player of the Year will leave a United team that finished third in the EPL last season, and while it is unclear where de Gea is heading next, his shoes won't be easy to fill at Old Trafford.

Former Manchester United, Ajax, Juventus and Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was hospitalized with a brain bleed.

Ajax, which was van der Sar's first professional team, announced the news Friday and noted that the Dutchman is in stable condition in the intensive care unit:

The 52-year-old played professionally for 21 seasons from 1990 to 2011 and appeared in 130 matches for the Netherlands national team from 1995 to 2008.

The bulk of van der Sar's success as a player occurred with Ajax and Manchester United, as he won multiple league titles and UEFA Champions League titles.

At Ajax, he won the Eredivisie four times and the UCL once, and he followed that with four English Premier League titles and one Champions League title at United as well.

Additionally, van der Sar was named the best goalkeeper in all of Europe twice, plus he was the Ajax and Fulham Player of the Year one time each.

At the conclusion of his playing career, van der Sar took on an executive role at Ajax, serving as marketing director from 2012 until his promotion to director general in 2016.

He remained in that position until May when he decided to step down, saying: "After nearly 11 years on the board, I'm exhausted. It doesn't feel good to have to make imminent decisions about the future of this beautiful club. Hence my decision to stop now."

While van der Sar's contract ran into 2025, he walked away early, ending a working relationship with Ajax of over two decades.

French outlet L'Equipe reported on Monday that Manchester United have already contacted Paris Saint-Germain regarding a potential transfer for star winger Neymar (h/t ESPN's Julien Laurens).

Per multiple reports, however, such a pursuit won't be happening:

Neymar, 31, has been the subject of rumors for much of the season suggesting that this could be the end of the road for him at the club. It would make sense—if PSG also see Lionel Messi leave on a free transfer, building a younger roster around Kylian Mbappé would make sense.

For all of the star power and fanfare of the Mbappé-Messi-Neymar attacking trio, it failed to land the club a Champions League title in two seasons together.

Injuries have continued to plague Neymar, meanwhile, as he was limited to 20 Ligue 1 appearances this season. When healthy he remains dynamic, scoring 13 goals and adding 11 assists in those matches. But at 31, it's fair to question how many years he has left playing at an elite level.

That, of course, will be the question that interested clubs raise in transfer negotiations. Add in Neymar's exorbitant wages, and only certain clubs will, or could, be in the running.

Manchester United have the resources to be one of them, and adding a bite in the attack has to be a priority this summer. The Red Devils have only scored 52 goals in 36 Premier League games this season, which ranks ninth behind champions Manchester City (93), Arsenal (83), Liverpool (71), Brighton (70), Newcastle (67), Tottenham (66), Brentford (57) and Fulham (54).

For a club of Manchester United's resources and rich history of attacking superstars, nearly finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League in goals is shocking.

Neymar would undoubtedly help in that regard. For now, however, it appears United will be seeking an attacking upgrade elsewhere.

It's been months since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United after his contract ended by mutual consent, and Erik ten Hag doesn't seem too broken up about it.

"I had my reasons [for Ronaldo's exit]," the Manchester United manager said, per ESPN. "They were obvious, and I also knew the consequences. It could have had a negative outcome. That is always possible in football. But I am not worrying. I sleep well also, even during those nights."

Ronaldo was a Manchester United legend earlier in his career, and his return to the club on a two-year deal in 2021 was met with plenty of fanfare.

Yet his second stint did not exactly go as planned, as he was relegated to substitute for extended stretches in addition to some public criticism of his manager and others. Ben Church of CNN noted "Ronaldo's relationship with the club began to deteriorate when he reportedly tried to push for a transfer ahead of this season."

Then there was the interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV (h/t Reuters) in which the 38-year-old said ten Hag and "two or three guys around the club" attempted to push him out, which left him feeling "betrayed."

Specifically, he said of ten Hag: "I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me. If you don't respect me, I'm never gonna have respect for you."

Ronaldo was also seen walking down the tunnel with time remaining on the clock during a match against Tottenham, and the club elected not to use him as a result during the following contest against Chelsea.

Ten Hag further explained his mindset when it came to the November split between club and star player:

"I have to take decisions in respect of advancing the club and the team. That is my job and that is the responsibility I have—and I have to stand by those decisions. I have to face the consequences and the impact of my decisions, not only in the short term but also for the longer term.

"Of course, you don't always have a lot of time. In that period I remember we had 10 days so I could consider which choice would be the best. You always have to think strategically. But that is my job and that is the responsibility I have to take."

Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr upon his departure from the Premier League club and is now the highest-paid player in the world.