WHY SAY ANYTHING?

So, according to Claude Puel, the Leicester City manager, Manchester United’s interest in Harry Maguire may have been fabricated in order to unsettle the player.

As conspiracy theories go it isn’t a very good one, nor is it very original. Firstly, Maguire does not look the type who would be bothered too much about interest from a bigger and better club. Yes, he would like to play for Manchester United but he is also realistic enough to be aware that he has just signed a five-year contract with Leicester, so a move for anything less than totally silly money would be out of the question.

Secondly, if United wanted to unsettle any Leicester players it would far more likely be at the other end of the pitch where the team rely, almost completely, on David De Gea to keep their goal intact as their defence is no better than average.

It is fairly obvious that there was genuine interest in Maguire and Ed Woodward was, reportedly, prepared to pay £65 million for a player valued at £50 million, (don’t ask, that’s just how he is).

Leicester, on the other hand, were reported to be holding out for around £80 million, a fee which even the generous Mr. Woodward was unwilling to pay, even though it isn’t his money.

So United’s interest now focuses on Yerry Mina. He is a Colombian international who scored three goals at the World Cup. He is currently at Barcelona but may be available for around £30 million. He may not be the “big name, big bucks” player craved so much by United’s CEO but, then again, most of his big money signings of the recent past have been failures.

He still struggles to find a smile even after scoring!

Anthony Martial appears to be on his way out, Paul Pogba is speaking with Juventus and Barcelona, depending upon which paper you read, Angel Di Maria never made the grade and others who came in on big wages were a waste of space, such as Radamel Falcao.

The other advantage in signing Mina would be the fact that he is only 23 and could have years ahead of him at Old Trafford. Marcos Rojo could then be sold to Everton and Chris Smalling to Wolves. In fact, if required, we would be happy to fly over to England, rent a car and drive Smalling to Wolverhampton if it helps to get rid of him.

This would still leave United with Jones, Bailly, Lindelof, Mina, Tuanzebe and Fosu-Mensah all capable of playing centre back. Surely that would be enough.

Meanwhile, up in the frozen Nort-East…..

And it looks like this season could be the last one spent on Tyneside by Rafa Benitez. Unless the club is sold and he gets some money he would be foolish to stay.

He wants the best for the club and, against all odds, managed to finish 10th in his first season back in the Premier League. If he goes then it will mean that Newcastle United is still owned by Mike Ashley and they will be relegated the following season.

That, of course, assumes that Rafa can keep them up in the coming season which, given the money being spent by the likes of Everton, West Ham and even Fulham and Wolves, is looking more and more like a near-impossible task.

Times are bleak in Newcastle but it would only take a new owner with plenty of money to change the mood entirely.

Could this be his final season at St. James Park?

And finally…..

That unwanted and unneeded trophy, the Community Shield, is up for grabs once again this weekend.

In a game which is only really an exercise in putting money into the pockets of the FA and dragging northerners down south for a meaningless friendly, Manchester City will be doing the travelling this time while the Chelsea players will have a lie in, then take a coach for the short trip to the national eyesore still known as the “New Wembley” even though it is now 11 years since the first competitive game was played there.

With many players missing due to previous commitments at the World Cup this game is now, more than at any other time, surplus to requirements.

What is the point of asking two top teams to risk injury, bookings and sendings off for a game which, by the following week, will have been forgotten?

Correct, none whatsoever.