Manchester United are preparing to return to the first team after the winter break.
On Sunday afternoon (4.30pm) Erik ten Hag and his team travel to second division club Newport in the FA Cup. Newport defeated Eastleigh in the third tier after a rematch and secured United's fourth-round pick. His two clubs, divided into his three divisions and 75 positions within the pyramid, will compete on TV screens. While all eyes are on the January transfer window, United continue to be linked with several players. United are expecting a quiet month in terms of reinforcements as FFP precautions continue. However, one player who is attracting their attention is reportedly Karim Benzema. The former Real Madrid superstar is set to leave the Saudi Professional League this month. The Frenchman is said to be keen on a move from United, with United said to be one of the clubs that could be keen on signing the 36-year-old striker in a high-profile deal. Ferdinand reveals his disappointment with Ronaldinho Rio Ferdinand has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson was "absolutely devastated" after missing out on signing Ronaldinho. Appearing on the Obi Wan Podcast with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, he said: ``I remember when we signed Cristiano Ronaldo we went on tour to Lisbon and he told us We were really lucky to be able to sign him." "It was just a shame that we couldn't sign Ronaldinho this summer." "I remember we wanted to sign Ronaldinho, but he decided to leave PSG for Barcelona. The coach was completely devastated." "Then we went on tour to Sporting Lisbon, opened the stadium, Cristiano Ronaldo played there and the rest was history." Manchester United have reportedly held "discussions" over a possible transfer for Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. The Red Devils have recently been linked with the former Bayern Munich player, with CaughtOffside claiming talks are taking place over a potential deal. Zirksee has scored eight goals and provided four assists in all competitions for the Serie A club this season. Broadcaster Ben Jacobs said reports that Benzema could move to United or another Premier League team were "not very substantive". The Red Devils, Arsenal and Chelsea are all reportedly linked with a move for the former Real Madrid striker, who is set to leave Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Chelsea look set to reach the Carabao Cup final as the Blues hold a 4-0 lead over Middlesbrough at half-time. Mauricio Pochettino's side lead 4-1 on aggregate after Boro won the first leg 1-0, enough to qualify for the final against Liverpool or Fulham. Dan Gore will spend the remainder of the 2023/24 season on loan at Port Vale. The midfielder has been a regular member of United's first team this season. He has been on the bench six times in the Premier League and three times in the Champions League this season. However, he only appeared as a substitute in two games in the 2023/24 season, against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup and against Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Andre Onana's return to Manchester United has been delayed following Cameroon's dramatic victory to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations finals. The 27-year-old was left out of his country's starting XI for their 3-2 win over Gambia on Tuesday, replacing his cousin Fabrice Ondoa. However, the United goalkeeper will probably remain loyal to his national team for some time to come. Christopher Wu scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Ivory Coast as Cameroon booked their place in the round of 16. They will play Nigeria on Saturday 27th January for a place in the last eight. Manchester United will have a number of players in attendance for Sunday's FA Cup fourth round tie against Newport County. Casemiro was part of the team that drew 2-2 with Tottenham nine days ago, but was unable to return due to a hamstring injury. The Brazilian has not played since November 1, but could get his first appearance for Wales in 2024. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have returned to full training to strengthen their recovery from setbacks. Maguire has been out since last month's loss to Bayern Munich with a groin problem. John Alert, the new CEO of Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, has denied reports that Sir Dave Brailsford is to retire from the sport completely and commit to Manchester United. INEOS sporting director Brailsford will be part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's inner circle at Old Trafford and is expected to assess the sporting department pending approval of a minority bid by the Premier League. "Dave is the founder of the team," Alert said, according to the Guardian. "It's an honor to continue to have him on our team." "In his role as Director of Ineos Sports, he obviously has responsibility for a variety of sports, not just cycling." "Obviously Dave is passionate about cycling and has a solid track record, so don’t be surprised if Dave joins us in the race. But he's not going to compete with us to do our homework. Like all teams, he's there to support the team. Onana, who has been left out of Tongit's squad, could return to Old Trafford sooner than expected if he gets a good result against Cameroon tonight. If the Indomitable Lions win less than three points against Gambia, they will be eliminated from the group stage. However, Onana was able to maintain his record of playing every minute for United so far this season. United are currently in the middle of the off-season when they play Newport County in the FA Cup on Sunday. After playing in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham, Onana flew to Ivory Coast and was left out of the squad for the opening game against Cameroon the following day. Andre Onana was on the bench for Cameroon's crucial AFCON group stage match against Gambia tonight. Onana was left out of the squad last week after a 1-1 draw with Guinea and was criticized for his poor performance in the 3-1 loss to Senegal. The goalkeeper flew from Manchester to Ivory Coast just hours before playing in United's 2-2 draw with Tottenham nine days ago. Anything other than a win for Cameroon tonight means elimination from the competition. In the summer of 2009, United insisted on signing Benzema when manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to take him to Old Trafford for the £80 million that Real Madrid had received for Cristiano Ronaldo. The player eventually decided to join the Portuguese superstars at the Bernabéu, where he became a club legend, scoring 354 goals in 648 games. Benzema explained his decision at the time: "Many clubs contacted me, including Manchester (United), Inter Milan and Barcelona, but I decided to come here." It is unclear whether United would accept a move for Benzema, but the approach would be risky. Mr Al Ittihad may demand contributions to his salary, which is said to be in excess of £85 million a year. Of course, player salaries are part of Financial Fair Play, so a free loan may be the only option. Another potential risk is disrupting the current team. Benzema will ask for guaranteed playing time, which would mean Rasmus Hjølund would be relegated to a supporting role. Such a prospect seems unlikely, given that United spent £72m to sign Hoylund in the summer. His style of play could also be a cause for concern, as his fitness levels in the Saudi league are believed to be well below Premier League requirements in the short term. United's next game against Chelsea is scheduled for April 3 in the Premier League. Instead, a return to Lyon in January seems the most likely goal, although the Frenchman will have to collect his salary.
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