MANCHESTER UNITED are pressing ahead with their transfer business despite coronavirus forcing them off the pitch.
We have the latest on the Red Devils' pursuit of Borussia Dortmund hotshot Jadon Sancho.
But Wayne Rooney has slammed the Government for pushing for footballers to take a 30% wage cut during the COVID-19 crisis.
Follow all the latest gossip and news from Old Trafford below…
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WAGE WARS
Premier League players have created a WhatsApp group including all 20 top-flight captains to discuss the proposals over drastic pay cuts.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has stressed that wealthy players must do their bit to help out, as he states that they should donate part of their salaries to struggling hospices.
According to the Mirror, a Whats App group has been formed where players are urging each other to stand strong together, with one club skipper labelling pay cut plans as “disgusting”.
They add how the footballers are uniting to reject the plans and not break rank.
It has also been stated that there is anger amongst club captains as well as frustration that they are being panted as the bad guys.
The Mirror also claim that footballers are ready to set up their own charity foundation to help out.
An unnamed club executive told the news outlet: “Not every club is owned by a billionaire and if they don’t accept some sort of compromise then clubs will go bust. It’s as simple as that.”
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TIM TO GO
Man Utd defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah faces an uncertain wait to find out his future as talks surrounding his contract have stalled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Red Devils star is reported to be in the dark over whether or not United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is prepared to trigger a one-year extension on his current deal.
The 22-year old Dutch ace’s contract is set to expire in June and he had hoped to prove to the United hierarchy he was worth a new deal before Covid-19 slammed the door shut on world football.
Sources close to the action at Old Trafford suggest the former Ajax youth star’s future remains up in the air after only returning to action with United’s under-23s in January after injury.
Fosu-Mensah suffered a horrific cruciate knee injury while on loan at Fulham and showed off his war wounds on his return to training at Carrington.
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RASH CASH
Marcus Rashford has won a staggering £20million bonus for the nation’s needy children.
The Manchester United star this week announced he was working with the charity FareShare, helping them distribute food for kids who would otherwise go without meals because schools have been closed.
But having pleaded to the public that every little helps, Rashford has been left stunned by the response.
For the England striker, 22, has scored his greatest-ever hat-trick. Thanks to Rashford…
– Tesco have donated food worth £15m.
– Fellow supermarket giants Asda have thrown in £2.5m cash.
– The Co-op are providing £1.5m in food.
There have also been notable assists from Pret A Manger and Pizza Express, who have also come up with a slice of the action.
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'PR DISASTER'
Gary Neville has blasted the Premier League for five failures including “blindsiding” players and furloughing staff amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, following a meeting with the EFL, PFA and LMA, the Premier League issued a lengthy statement which suspended the top flight indefinitely and pledged £20million to the NHS.
It was also confirmed that £125m would go to the EFL and National League, but this would only be an advanced payment rather than an increase – which many feel is required to keep clubs alive amid the coronavirus crisis.
Manchester United legend Neville feels the whole approach amid this unprecedented situation has been an unmitigated “PR disaster”.
And he took to Twitter to criticise the Premier League's plan, while listing the five key areas that have been handled “terribly”.
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ROO SERIOUS?
Wayne Rooney has described getting sent off in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final as the “worst feeling” he has experienced in football – but doesn’t blame Cristiano Ronaldo.
And incredibly, the Old Trafford hero says his moment of shame actually brought him and the Portuguese icon closer together after clear-the-air talks in the tunnel after the game.
Rooney wrote: “I went over to him afterwards in the tunnel. I felt it was important to speak to him while it was still fresh and to do it face to face. He gave me a look as if to say sorry but by then I had my United head on.
“I said I’ve no issues with you. Enjoy your tournament and good luck. I’ll see you in a few weeks — and let’s go try and win the league.
“In the dressing room we were always really close. It was always the two of us doing pranks on the manager or other players. And what had happened brought us closer together on the pitch.
“The next three years were our best as a partnership and brought three titles and the Champions League. My red card in Gelsenkirchen was the starting point.”
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