James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur reacts
Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison could have previously joined Manchester United, it is claimed
Manchester United are less than a week away from their season-defining clash against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Ruben Amorim's side know that victory in Bilbao on May 21 will secure a lucrative place in next season's Champions League and somewhat save a dreadful season. United must first navigate a trip to Chelsea on Friday night in the Premier League as they look to go into their European final with at least some form.
But the main aim for Amorim's men will be to avoid any more injuries. United's head coach is sweating over the fitness of defensive trio Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro ahead of next Wednesday's game in Spain.
With all that said, below are some of the latest headlines surrounding United as well as a view on each one..
Maddison claim
In 2020, Ian McGarry, who was working as a football consultant for Coventry City at the time, claimed he contacted United to see if they would be interested in bringing Maddison to Manchester United but claimed they "didn't take any notice" of his recommendation.
"When Maddison was in the process of leaving Coventry City because the club's financial crisis meant they had to sell their best players and Maddison even then was considered one of the best players," McGarry explained on the Transfer Window podcast.
"I contacted someone I knew at Manchester United in their recruitment department and said look you’re going to get a bargain here, this guy's going to be a huge player in the future and he's available for around £5m and he's also a Manchester United fan.
"They didn't take any notice. Manchester United could have had Maddison four years ago. In saying that there's no guarantee he would have developed the way he did at Norwich and then Leicester."
Isaac Seelochan of The Manchester Evening News says: "It's hard to see how Maddison would have worked at United with Bruno Fernandes playing in a similar position for the Reds. Ultimately, he is unlikely to have made a huge difference, and his career would have probably stalled at M16."
Amorim verdict
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen belives Ruben Amorim must be given time at Old Trafford.
"You have to give Ruben another season," he told GIVEMESPORT. I’m sure he is not happy that he has not got more out of this squad in the Premier League. He keeps almost confirming that in every interview, which I find a little bit strange. What people want to hear is a bit of reassurance. But if you keep saying ‘maybe I’m not the right man for the job’, it doesn’t sound good.
"I don’t know why he keeps saying it. It has been an amazing run in the Europa League and, against Athletic Bilbao, they were very good over two legs. There were no problems and it was a really confident walk into the final. But in the final they will play against Tottenham, who have had an equally disastrous season but it’s a Premier League team. Tottenham have definitely shown that they are capable of beating Manchester United.
"They haven’t been firing on all cylinders but, if they have got everybody fit outside of James Maddison and as long as they’ve got Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven fit and have stability in the backline, it’s a one-off game. Amorim will definitely be there at the start of the season, but he has to make improvements in the first three months of the season in the Premier League."
Isaac Seelochan of The Manchester Evening News says: "It's extremely unlikely that Amorim will be sacked this summer, regardless of their final Premier League position or the Europa League final outcome. However, the spotlight will be shone on him if they remain this low going into the Autumn, and that could be fatal for his job prospects at M16."
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