3 weeks ago
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MANCHESTER UNITED babe Sonny Aljofree has missed out on a dream place in Erik Ten Hag’s squad because of a little-known loan ruling.
The home-grown defender skippers Red Devils’ Under-21s in Premier League 2 and Ten Hag would have liked to use him with all United’s recent injury problems.
GettyOld Trafford insiders revealed Aljofree would have been on the bench at least and might even have started the FA Cup clash with Liverpool.
But the 19-year-old has been on a joint registration deal with National League side Altrincham since February 1.
That means Aljofree — son of former Swindon and Dundee player Hasney — can play for United’s U21 side but is ineligible for the first team.
Another 19-year-old, French defender Willy Kambwala, has made six Prem appearances.
And Habeeb Ogunneye, 18, was on the bench for the Liverpool Cup tie, then partnered Aljofree in the U21s against West Brom a day later.
Ironically, United were one of the first clubs to use the joint loan system, with a handful of players at non-league clubs while training with their parent club during the rest of the week.
But in Aljofree’s case, they have found the down side is the player cannot appear in the senior team.
Meanwhile, United’s bid to bring in Chelsea’s chief analyst Kyle Macaulay may hinge on a swoop for former Blues boss Graham Potter.
Macaulay and Potter worked together at Swedish side Ostersunds, Swansea and Brighton before teaming up again at Stamford Bridge.
United want Macaulay as part of their new set-up.
But sources close to the Scot say he would only be tempted if Potter is in charge.
Tuchel showed why he could be the perfect man for Man Utd, says Andy Dillon
By Andy Dillon
TOMMY TUCHEL could not have done it better had he submitted his CV to LinkedIn or Indeed.
Somehow mustering some gumption from the worst Bayern Munich team in more than a decade to stop a rampant Arsenal dead in their tracks is a spectacular job advert for a manager soon to be looking for work.
If Sir Jim Ratcliffe wasn’t watching from his Old Trafford office or from the cinema room in one of his tax havens, he should have been.
They may have even sat up and taken notice in Newcastle or in the owners’ Riyadh hub as Tuchel reminded everyone of his credentials as a top-level coach with devilish timing.
If change is coming then Tuchel is playing a trump card.
His side turned up and cowed the team that, as far as the current Premier League goes, is the best in England.
It may only add to the questions around Tuchel that after tossing away the only league easier to win than Scotland’s or Spain’s, Munich have sprung to life in Europe.
After 11 years unopposed as German champions, Chelsea’s former manager has chucked it in at home in a remarkable act of ineptitude. But freak years can happen.
Tuchel is an enigma. But that is part of the appeal as much as winning the Champions League with Chelsea just three months after taking the job.
With no new signings, he took a team that had lost five of the previous ten games and turned them into European Champions.
With Ratcliffe considering swingeing budget cuts at Old Trafford, a coach who can perform wonders on peanuts would be music to his ears.
Click here to ready Andy’s column in full.
Or to read more from Andy Dillon, click here.
And John Murtough is already looking for a new club after leaving Old Trafford in a shake-up this week.
United’s former football director does not plan to be out of work for long and has even been a target for agents looking to represent him.
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