Ten Hag and United do well in Bangkok

The pre-season training match which resulted in Manchester United 4-0 Liverpool is not to be taken too seriously because it was all about experimenting with player positions and Jurgen Klopp changed virtually his whole team at halftime.

The goals came from Jadon Sancho, Fred, Anthony Martial and Facundo Pellestri. Both managers were anxious not to sustain injuries and only David de Gea in United’s goal sustained a muscular problem and Tom Heaton replaced him at halftime.

Ten Hag chose a 4-2-3-1 formation which he favoured when coaching Ajax and it was also the line-up mostly used by Ole Gunner Solskjaer. Sancho played on the right, Rashford on the left with Bruno Fernandes operating behind Anthony Martial who was the central striker.

What was most notable was the United team playing as one unit, pressing forward with a high defensive line. It worked very well. Sancho particularly caught the eye with a very impressive display.   

Raheem passes his Chelsea medical and heads for America

Raheem Sterling says that his time at Manchester City is over as he prepared to fly out to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the USA. Sterling, who is still only 27, passed his medical in London on Monday afternoon after the two clubs agreed a £47.5m deal.

Sterling’s contract is for five years with an option of another year. He is getting a rise on his £300k a week deal at City and becomes Chelsea’s biggest wage earner. Chelsea arrived in Los Angeles and Thomas Tuchel said how delighted he is at buying Sterling.

He is still hoping to capture City’s Nathan Ake and possibly Matthijs de Ligt, who plays at Juventus. Kalidou Koulibaly arrived in London on Wednesday for a medical and the plan was for him to fly to Los Angeles to join the Blues once all the paperwork is completed. Chelsea and Napoli have agreed a price of £34million.

Conte’s training session has players collapsing

Antonio Conte is determined that Tottenham will be title contenders this coming season. You have probably read that he has made several of his players physically sick during harsh training sessions in the intense heat and humid conditions in Seoul, South Korea.

Conte’s pre-season training is legend and probably the toughest of any team. After his stars were put through their paces with 42 pitch-long runs and very few rest periods they then played two-touch football – two touches and then another run.

The location was the Seoul World Cup Stadium. Dejan Kulusevski pulled up with a calf problem and the invited watching crowd went very silent as Son Heung-min was also in some discomfort and fell to the ground and had to receive a cold iced towel at the back of his neck.

Newly-signed Yves Bissouma also went down and super-fit Davinson Sanchez, Bryan Gil and Pape Matar Sarr were among only a handful of players who completed Conte’s training programme under Spur’s fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone. Conte also arranged two 11 versus 11 matches.

Conte was the referee and could not stop himself from making the odd tackle and several passes! It gave Richarlison a chance to link up with Kane and Son and he scored two goals. Conte played the 3-4-3 system.

Korea-born Son was cheered every time he touched the ball and at the end of the session, he walked over to the 6,000 Koreans who had been watching and thanked them for supporting him. You can hardly enter any street in Seoul without seeing a poster proudly displaying Son’s picture.

Jorginho pledges to Chelsea

Chelsea fans can now relax...Jorginho wants to stay at the club. Several Italian clubs were keen to take him back to Serie A for the coming season while the 30-year-old’s contract expires in 12 months. He said he is willing to sign an extended deal with only 12 months left on his current deal. The Italian has been with the Blues since 2018, when he left Napoli. Initially, he found it difficult to adjust to life at Stamford Bridge but has since gone from strength to strength and has become one of Thomas Tuchel’s first names on the weekly team sheet. He came third in the highly-coveted Ballon d’Or this year but don’t worry Blues fans, he doesn’t want to be anywhere except west London. 

Arsenal target Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximum

Arsenal have strengthened their squad with Mikel Arteta bringing in Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos and Matt Turner.

The Gunners have spent roughly £80m so far this summer but Arteta still wants a strong forward and now that Raphina is going to Barcelona, he has turned his attention to Newcastle’s highly-talented winger Allan Saint-Maximum. I am not expecting anything dramatic but certainly there is talk going on.

De Jong situation is complicated

United Chief Executive Richard Arnold and Football Director John Murtough travelled to Barcelona this week as they continue their quest to sign Frenkie de Jong. Erik Ten Hag views the Dutchman as his main transfer target.

De Jong deferred his pay during the Covid outbreak when Barca suffered financially and is owed £17.1m and this is delaying negotiations. Ten Hag said that with the World Cup taking place Premier League clubs need more players than usual to keep their teams up to strength with players leaving and returning at various intervals mainly in November.

Diop could go to Fulham

Fulham are determined that their latest climb back into the Premier League will not be short-lived as with previous seasons. The Cottagers have been in talks with West Ham to sign Issa Diop and £20m has been discussed although this is higher than Fulham want to pay.

The Hammers are attempting to recoup some of the fee they paid to French club Toulouse for the 25-year-old. Diop dropped down the pecking order when Kurt Zouma arrived from Chelsea and now the east London club have signed Nayef Aguerd, he is not part of coach David Moyes’ first-team plans.

Fabio Silva’s loan is risky

There are mixed feelings in Wolverhampton as the club prepare to release 20-year-old Fabio Silva on loan to Dutch club Anderlecht. The season-long loan will not carry an option to buy and there is no loan fee.

Wolves said that prior to signing Fabio for £35m two years ago, he was being highly praised as one of the upcoming young talents in Europe. He has since put in some impressive performances but failed to score a single goal.

Coach Bruno Lage hopes Fabio will gain more confidence in the Dutch Eredivisie league and find his scoring touch before returning to Wolves for the 23/24 season. He does, however, accept the loan is a risk because it could rob the player of his self-confidence if it does not go well. Wolves are currently on a pre-season tour of Spain without Silva.

Leeds rebuild their midfield

I fear that life will be tough for Leeds this season. Having lost star players Kalvin Phillips and Raphina, they are rebuilding their team around new signings Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra. Adams joined his teammates for pre-season training after arriving from Leipzig

for a fee of £19.6million. He will replace Phillips. Personal terms have been agreed with Feyenoord winger Sinisterra and the Colombian international, who cost £21.4million, will replace Raphina. 

Palace pre-season tour nighmare

In what has turned out to be a nightmare trip so far, Crystal Palace arrived for their pre-season tour of Australia and Singapore with only eight senior players.

I contacted Palace and was told that some players had fitness problems and others were not allowed into Singapore because of the strict Covid vaccination rules, which some Palace players failed. Australia have only just ended their Covid restrictions and I understand all players eligible will be able to enter.

Among the Palace stars who have not travelled are Marc Guehl, Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Christian Benteke, Will Hughes and Cheikhou Kouyate. They play Manchester United and Leeds in Australia this coming week.

Leeds’ Harrison attracts Newcastle

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is an admirer of Leeds winger Jack Harrison. At present, the Baggies have an offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Mussa Diaby. However, many within the club think Harrison would fit better into Howe’s plans for next season. Striker Callum Wilson will probably sign a new, improved contract within the next two weeks.

Neco on way to Forest

Liverpool’s Neco Williams had medical on Monday and is moving ahead with his £17million switch to new Premier League boys Nottingham Forest. They have also signed Bayern Munich’s Omar Richards for £9m.

Pereira moves to West London

Returning club Fulham have concluded a good piece of business by signing Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira on a four-year contract. He came through the Old Trafford youth scheme and has cost only £8m. He appeared 75 times for United.

Farewell and welcome for Wilshere

I am both pleased and sorry for Jack Wilshere who, after failing to find a new club, has retired at just 30. He will be the new Arsenal head coach for the Under 18s at the Emirates. Jack was an England regular but injuries ruined his career and after failing to impress at several clubs, he feels his glory days are over. I wish him well because he was always a gifted player and a young nice man.

Omar Richards delighted to join Forest

Defender Omar Richards is ‘delighted’ to be joining Nottingham Forest on a four-year contract. The ex-Bayern Munich man appeared 17 times for the German champions after joining from Reading a year ago.

Forest have paid £8.5m for the ex-England international, who began his career at Fulham in 2017. Manager Steve Cooper says: “I’ve seen a lot of him through his time with Reading and we have followed his career in Germany and I believe he will fit in perfectly in our new team strategy here are Craven Cottage.”

Joke quotes from Moyes and Noble

I like to finish off with a joke whenever possible and I would like to thank both David Moyes and retired West Ham captain Mark Noble for this week’s offerings.

When the Hammers’ coach Moyes was told he is now the oldest manager in the Premier League he was astonished and said: “I didn’t know that! I need Roy Hodgson to come back. Bring back Tony Pulis or Harry Redknapp. I can’t believe it! I’m not that old!” (He is 59).

Then it was the turn of Mark Noble. His final goodbye words to defender Craig Dawson were: “I’ll be lying on a beach while you are chasing Erling Haaland around the pitch.