Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that he wants to be the top coach at a club, with change afoot at Old Trafford.
McCarthy has been the Red Devils’ forwards coach since July 2022. His current role sees him work with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.

However, he’s revealed his previous experience as a first-team coach has stoked him to take a top job at some point. Indeed, McCarthy managed both Cape Town City and AmaZulu FC in his native South Africa before switching to his current role at Old Trafford.
“With the knowledge I’ve gained and everything I’ve contributed to the team – I want to take that and then eventually become a manager,” McCarthy told YOU Magazine.
“Because once you’ve sat in the hot seat at a club and you’ve experienced the adrenaline of decision-making and leading, you want to experience that again one day.”
The change in his career could potentially come soon, with new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe making wholesale changes at the club.
That started with Chief Executive Officer Omar Berrada, and Dan Ashworth looks set to join as a director.
There is the potential that manager Erik ten Hag is replaced in the coming months, too. A multitude of reports in recent weeks and months have suggested that the boss is not long for Old Trafford.
Related video: Why Manchester United Wants Dan Ashworth So Badly (Dailymotion)

In recent days, a report surfaced stating outright that Ratcliffe has ‘decided to fire’ Ten Hag – though no timeframe was given – and will look to replace him with Roberto De Zerbi.
If Ten Hag is pushed out, it’s not unlikely that some of his coaching staff will have to follow him out the door, with a new manager potentially looking to take their own deputies with them.
If that is the case, McCarthy might have to be on the lookout for his next role soon, be that as a manager or remaining as a coach.
That he has experience learning from a boss like Ten Hag, successful or not during his spell at United, will serve the South African well, and coupled with the fact he has his own managerial experience, he could be looked upon favourably when it comes to being hired for a job.
READ MORE: Greenwood, Sancho ‘returns unlikely’ as Ratcliffe’s Man Utd summer transfer ‘priority’ emerges

Ex-Man Utd star Pogba defended by ex-France teammates amid claim he was ‘tricked’ into doping

Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba has been defended by some of his former team-mates and one thinks he was “tricked” into taking a banned substance.
Pogba left Man Utd ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window upon the expiry of his contract and it was later confirmed that he had returned to Juventus on a free transfer. His second spell in Serie A has been a nightmare for all involved, though.

Doping ban

The World Cup winner missed much of the 2022/23 campaign due to injury and it was recently confirmed that he has been given a four-year ban after testing positive for testosterone.
In response to this “incorrect verdict”, Pogba has insisted that he plans to submit an appeal as he is “shocked and heartbroken”.
“I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect,” Pogba wrote on Instagram.
READ MORE: Pogba’s career ends with the saddest chapter as ex-Man Utd star was a product of his environment
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.
“When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.


“As a professional athlete I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against. As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

“Tricked…”

It remains to be seen whether Pogba’s appeal will be successful and it will likely take a while for this process to conclude.
In the meantime, Pogba has been defended by some of his current and former team-mates. 13-cap France international Rio Mavuba – who had spells at Bordeaux and Lille before retiring – has boldly suggested that the 30-year-old may have been “tricked”.

“[I am] in no doubt about Paul’s sincerity and I think he may have been somewhat tricked too,” Mavuba told Telefoot.
READ MORE: £89m flop Pogba 15th and Rice 2nd in ranking of all 20 Premier League clubs’ record signings
Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot and former France centre-back Adil Rami have also offered their thoughts on the Pogba situation.
“We’re talking to Paul. He’s trying to keep his head up even when everything is falling on him,” Rabiot said.
“I hope he will come out of this as best he can because having all of this to deal with at once is a lot.”
Rami said: “I even think that he is capable of training by himself for four years and coming back. If he does that, it’ll be one of the best stories that a champion is capable of creating.”

Unhappy Man Utd star Amad explains why he's removed all references to club on social media

Amad Diallo has fuelled speculation over his future after deleting every reference to Manchester United on social media including Twitter and Instagram.
The 21-year-old has not started a Premier League game this season and has only made three substitute appearances since recovering from a knee injury in December. The Ivorian impressed on loan at Sunderland last term - scoring 14 goals in 43 matches - and was expected to compete for a first-team place at United this season.


However, Amad injured his knee in pre-season which kept him out for almost five months up until the 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest on December 30. He hasn't been able to force his way into the side on a regular basis, with Erik ten Hag preferring other options including Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Marcus Rashford.
And Amad's frustration over his lack of game time appears to be boiling over. The forward has wiped all reference to United on his social media accounts as speculation intensifies over his future. Amad was linked with a move back to Sunderland in the January transfer window, but he stayed put at Old Trafford.
His X, formerly known as Twitter, bio was changed to read "this will all end" in French, with his profile picture and cover photo showing Amad in action for Sunderland last season. Meanwhile, on Instagram, Amad deleted all but three posts from his feed. Those remaining snaps were from his time at the Stadium of Light.
Amad then appeared to deactivate his accounts as transfer guru Fabrizio Romano posted a tweet quoting the attacker from Snapchat. It read: "I've deactivated my social media for a month just to focus on Ramadan.
There are no mentions of Manchester United in Amad's Instagram bio
© Twitter
"Stop the hatred, there's nothing wrong with what I did. It's holy month for me and social media is a place where there are bad things to see during fasting."
Amad, who joined United from Atalanta for £35million in 2021, has less than 18 months remaining on his current deal but the club do have an option to extend his contract for a further season. He has since been linked with summer moves to Birmingham and Watford.
The winger has also removed all but three posts
© Instagram
After Amad returned to action in December, Erik ten Hag praised the forward and suggested that he will get more opportunities to impress. Asked what he can bring to the United side, the Dutchman admitted: "Yeah, he is very ball secure. He can bring a key actions, final passes, score a goal. And so I think he has some weapons. That is always what you are looking for with offensive players."
Related video: Man Utd 2-0 Everton: Post-match reaction (Dailymotion)

United are next back in action when they host Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday and Amad will be eager to get back on the pitch and at least feature in that one.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Tottenham 'Admire' Nico Williams as Timo Werner Deal Closer

• Tottenham Hotspur will look to land Nico Williams if it becomes clear that he is open to leaving Athletic Bilbao in the summer.
• Spurs believe that the Spain international has a reasonable release clause and they are mulling over whether to take advantage.
• Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is also edging towards turning Timo Werner's loan move from RB Leipzig into a permanent agreement.

Tottenham Hotspur admire Nico Williams and would be interested in luring him to Hotspur Way if they are given assurances that he is willing to walk away from boyhood club Athletic Bilbao when the summer transfer window opens for business, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Spurs chief Ange Postecoglou is already preparing to welcome a youthful talent to north London in the coming months, with Lucas Bergvall due to complete a £8.5million switch from Djurgardens after the Lilywhites fought off competition from La Liga heavyweights Barcelona a matter of hours after the winter's February 1 deadline.
But the former Celtic boss is refusing to rest on his laurels and, having seen his side boost their chances of bagging a Champions League qualification spot thanks to sealing a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa last weekend, Tottenham are preparing to splash the cash once again despite already spending more than £230million since the change in the dugout last year.

Williams Appears Open to Fresh Challenge Next Season

Spurs Could Look to Take Advantage of Release Clause

Tottenham have been given confidence that Williams is open to testing himself in new surroundings next season after making early checks on his availability and eagerness to head to the Premier League, according to GMS sources, and they are interested in securing his signature if it becomes clear that his Athletic Bilbao departure is on the cards.
The Lilywhites are intrigued by the Spain international's release clause, which is understood to stand at £43million, and it has led to the north Londoners deeming the figure it would take to put themselves in the driving seat helpful and reasonable as they prepare for other suitors to up the ante in their pursuit.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Nico Williams has grabbed the joint-second highest numbers of assists in La Liga this season, with Villarreal's Alex Baena being the only man to better his total of seven

Transfer insider Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Chelsea could make a move for Williams if Raheem Sterling leaves Stamford Bridge in the summer, while Aston Villa, Arsenal and Liverpool have also been circling despite being aware of his emotional attachment to Athletic Bilbao.
The extensive interest from the Premier League should not come as a major surprise as he has been in impressive form this season, with statistics highlighting that he has been showing more creativity in the final third than Tottenham loanee Timo Werner, and the 21-year-old has gained a fan in Postecoglou.
Nico Williams' statistical averages per 90 minutes compared to Timo Werner this season
N

Postecoglou In Line to Keep Werner on Permanent Basis

North Londoners Edging Towards Paying Pre-Agreed £15m Fee

Williams' potential arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is unlikely to have an impact on the capital club's decision over Werner's future as GMS sources understand that Postecoglou is likely to take advantage of the option to turn the Germany international's loan into a permanent agreement.

Spurs negotiated a £15million option to keep the attacker beyond the end of the season when they held discussions with parent club RB Leipzig during the early weeks of the winter transfer window, and his form since returning to London after a difficult spell with Chelsea has been eye-catching.
Werner has got his name on the scoresheet in each of his last two appearances - against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa - while he also registered assists in back-to-back clashes with Manchester United and Brentford, which will have pleased Postecoglou as he aims to keep Tottenham's push for Champions League action on track.
GMS sources are also aware that the Lilywhites have an eye on Ivan Toney's situation and could pounce if there is an opening for them to strike a deal with neighbours Brentford when the summer window rolls around.
All statistics courtesy of La Liga and FBref

Related

Tottenham Could Consider Ivan Toney Move at end of Season

Tottenham Hotspur have refused to rule out the possibility of attempting to sign Ivan Toney in the summer

New Liverpool director Richard Hughes’ greatest transfer decisions include Mings and Ramsdale sales

Liverpool have chosen Richard Hughes to help guide their brave new post-Klopp era and the Bournemouth sporting director’s CV includes some brilliant deals.
Michael Edwards is back and he’s bringing his mate with him. Here are the 10 biggest reasons why.
The best Edwards decisions are here.

 
10) Signing Ryan Christie
As part of the recruitment team which helped spot Callum Wilson, Junior Stanislas, Artur Boruc and Joshua King before moving into the role of first-team technical director, subsequently delivering Lewis Cook, David Brooks, Lloyd Kelly and many other key figures in Bournemouth’s rise, Hughes has been responsible for identifying some crucial cogs in this machine.Few have been as important as Christie. It was at the start of Bournemouth’s second season in the Championship that the midfielder was signed from Celtic for £1.5m. Three years later he is perhaps as central as ever to the club’s process, transforming his game from that of a versatile player who could be deployed wide or as a No. 10, into one of the best pressing midfielders in the entire Premier League.
Andoni Iraola has described him as “the most tactically intuitive player” of those he inherited on the south coast. Christie even said Hughes “was absolutely brilliant” in sorting the deadline-day deal, adding that “he was up in Scotland watching me all those years ago”.
Any technical director willing to travel up to Inverness to watch a potential signing is worth having.
 
9) Making money on Arnaut Danjuma
Not every signing works out. Hughes himself once said “if you’re signing 20 players and a third of that could be a failure, generally speaking it’s a success,” and even that seems like a high bar, when factoring in all the volatile variables with recruitment.Danjuma was a case in point where the equation seemed to make sense but the numbers never quite fit. A player with enough talent to score in a Champions League quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich has nevertheless proven with three separate clubs not to be suited to the Premier League.


The forward joined Bournemouth in summer 2019 for £13.7m but suffered with injuries in a season which culminated in relegation and not a single goal contribution. A wildly improved second campaign saw him crowned Bournemouth’s Player of the Year in the Championship and that was enough for Villarreal to tempt the Cherries into making a cool profit of £7.6m within 52 appearances.
 
8) The sale of Tyrone Mings
Hughes and Michael Edwards have been friends since crossing paths almost two decades ago at Portsmouth but the pair surely bonded over an innate ability to make decent money out of the most fringe players possible. Hughes certainly helped Edwards in that regard by throwing money at Liverpool for Jordon Ibe and Brad Smith but he also had his moments, shaking £20m out of Benik Afobe, Lewis Grabban and Max Gradel in the same summer.It would be harsh to describe Mings as such a player, considering his struggles in establishing himself at Bournemouth were related more to the long-term knee and back injuries he suffered in his time there, as well as stepping on Zlatan Ibrahimovic that one time. But flipping an £8m signing into a £25m sale on the back of 23 games in four years was phenomenal business.
That he has been excellent for Aston Villa does nothing to reflect poorly on Bournemouth; it was an archetypal move to suit all parties.

READ MORE: Tyrone Mings for £20m proves fees are irrelevant
 
7) Loaning Nathaniel Phillips
Liverpool are certainly familiar enough with Hughes; the Cherries have signed more players from the Reds than any other club during his eight years in charge of recruitment.The return has not been exemplary – the Ibe and Smith deals really were rotten for all involved – but loaning Phillips marked a turn in the tide which eventually carried Bournemouth back to the top flight.
The January 2022 transfer window as a whole was a success with Kieffer Moore and Todd Cantwell playing important roles in their promotion, but Phillips was the key. Bournemouth were outside the automatic promotion places when he joined, having lost their last two games. They were beaten just twice in his 17 Championship games, keeping eight clean sheets. The nominal loan fee was a literal small price to pay for promotion.
 
6) Going from Scott Parker to Gary O’Neil and Andoni Iraola
It is a satisfying managerial succession line to read, particularly considering Hughes had been closely associated for years with the first two head coaches he worked alongside in his technical director role: Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall.Bournemouth understandably struggled to look beyond their comfort zone and move on from the former’s long reign; the appointment of Jonathan Woodgate is not remembered fondly.

Parker did at least achieve the promotion which became a minimum requirement with such a talented squad, but that did not end well for the worst manager in Premier League history.
Parker’s clashes with then-owner Maxim Demin and the Hughes-led recruitment team – as well as his own severe shortcomings – led to his downfall. The ascent of O’Neil has been inexorable since but that does not make Bournemouth’s decision to switch from his course a mistake. They knew how good O’Neil was and were grateful for his work in steering them to ultimately serene safety; they just wanted something different.
Iraola provided that and owner Bill Foley named Hughes as the driving force behind a change which has pulled Bournemouth clear of any relegation concerns and into a more settled mid-table spot with the sort of scalability that felt beyond them previously.

 
5) Signing and selling Aaron Ramsdale
A simple story of buying low and selling high. Bournemouth signed Ramsdale from Sheffield United for £800,000 in January 2017 and sold him back to the Blades for £18.5m three-and-a-half years and one first-team season later. Liverpool fans know a net spend king when they see one.  
4) Getting £10m for Lys Mousset
Hughes and Edwards might well have solidified their association through a mutual rinsing of Sheffield United. The latter squeezed £23.5m out of the Blades for Rhian Brewster and the former procured an eight-figure fee for the similarly goalless Mousset a year or so earlier.Mousset was never a regular starter under Howe and five goals in 71 games tell most of the story as to why. Potential shown in the lower French leagues has never quite been fulfilled by the current 28-year-old free agent.
But Hughes extracting a record fee from a fellow Premier League club for a player of ostensibly low worth undeniably bodes well.
 
3) Signing and selling Nathan Ake
The quality of Ake was hardly a secret when Bournemouth loaned him in June 2016. The defender’s Premier League debut for Chelsea had already come more than three years before and his status as an academy star was only enhanced through temporary spells at Reading and Watford.So impressive was the Dutchman when Bournemouth borrowed him that Chelsea recalled him that January, giving Ake another minor role in a Premier League title win after Jose Mourinho did similar in 2014/15.
It was expected that Ake would return to Stamford Bridge to compete for first-team minutes but the centre-half side-stepped some trademark Antonio Conte snark to gamble on himself and join Bournemouth permanently.
Three seasons later, the Cherries sold him for twice what they initially paid as Ake became, at the time, the most expensive sale in Championship history. He replaced Moussa Sissoko and there can be no greater honour.
 
2) Net spend
Considering the imminent plight Leicester face upon the expected promotion they are nevertheless trying their damnedest to mess up, it is worth looking at Bournemouth’s response to relegation in 2020.The actual pausing of the world and subsequent threat of financial collapse was a factor but the Cherries sold Ake for £40m, Wilson for £20m, Ramsdale for £18m and clawed together whatever money they could elsewhere, including offloading the considerable wages of Jermain Defoe. Their spend was whatever it cost to loan Rodrigo Riquelme and Cameron Carter-Vickers for a season.
Across eight years with Hughes in charge of transfers, a net spend of about £200m to essentially build two new sides, establish them in the Premier League and leave them with a handful of mightily saleable assets on whom a healthy profit can be turned as and when necessary is a fine achievement Liverpool understandably feel can be translated to a higher plane.
 
1) Signing Dominic Solanke
“Everyone wants to judge a signing the day they come into the building and on the first game they play,” Hughes said in May 2019, “but when you’ve got a management team, as we do here, whose main asset is with the development of players I think you’re better off looking at the product a year and a half and not a week and a half down the line.”
It took even longer for the £19m Bournemouth dropped on Solanke four months before that interview to represent anything like a decent price. The striker had scored one goal in 27 Liverpool appearances, of which only six were starts, but Anfield tax meant an inflated fee.
Bournemouth had seemingly been sold a dud, going by the evidence of his four goals in 46 games before relegation. Even a couple of prolific Championship seasons did little to convince the sceptics that Solanke was worth anything close to what the Cherries paid.
But their perseverance has helped Solanke hold up his end of what now looks to be a bargain in a glorious working relationship alongside Iraola. It might yet be one golden season and an exception to the rule but Bournemouth could conceivably sell the 26-year-old forward for at least three times their initial investment, all because of the sort of patience Hughes preaches.