We bring you two of the latest stories surrounding Manchester United ahead of the fixture against Everton
Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim gestures during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England
Ruben Amorim's Manchester United are in a good run of form(Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
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Manchester United return to action on Monday night in their first game following the international break.
Ruben Amorim's Red Devils host Everton at an important juncture in their season. Despite an initial struggle for consistency, highlighted by a shock Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town, United have since bounced back.
They're currently on a five-match unbeaten streak - the first under Amorim's leadership - and a victory over the Toffees could propel them into the Champions League spots. However, Amorim, who has proven himself a pragmatist during his year at the helm, will likely be keeping one eye on the upcoming January transfer window.
He'll be looking to strengthen his squad, particularly in central midfield and on the left wing, to boost their chances of securing a spot in next season's Champions League. As we approach the eagerly awaited clash next week, we bring you two big stories involving United.
Mateta and Palace begin talks
Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Crystal Palace FC at Old Trafford on February 02, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Jean-Philippe Mateta was linked to Manchester United earlier this year
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Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta is reportedly in discussions over potentially extending his contract at Selhurst Park. The French international was among the names rumoured to be heading to Old Trafford last summer, before Benjamin Sesko's £74m transfer, reports.
United, who were reportedly in discussions with Mateta's representatives earlier this year, have recently been hit by an injury setback, with Sesko sidelined for several weeks. Despite the short-term nature of the Slovenian's injury, it's believed that Amorim is keen on bringing in another forward.
That could lead to United revisiting their interest in 28-year-old Mateta, who has a year and a half remaining on his contract in south London. It was previously claimed that the Eagles would be looking for an offer of around £40m to part with their striker, who has netted 16 and 14 goals in each of the last two seasons.
Last month, when asked if he would like to join an ‘elite’ club, Mateta told RMC Sport: "It's natural, every ambitious player wants to reach that milestone. Especially when you arrive in the national team and around you, there are only players who play in the Champions League, who win the biggest trophies. When you play surrounded by the best players in the world, naturally you want to reach that milestone."
Mainoo's silver lining
Despite having a standout 2023/24 season with his childhood club, Kobbie Mainoo's future at United is under threat. Amorim has consistently chosen Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte as part of his midfield duo this season over the 20-year-old, who has yet to start a league match this campaign.
Mainoo's game time has been restricted to just seven Premier League substitute appearances, after rumours emerged over a potential exit during the final weeks of the recent summer transfer window. While many United supporters would be reluctant to see one of their own depart, there may be a silver lining if they decide to part ways in January or next summer.
That's because they can use the "pure profit" generated from a Mainoo sale to boost their financial position amid a £1billion debt. Football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley told Football Insider: "I don’t think PSR will be their sole focus. I think it’d be a happy coincidence, if you will.
Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United looks on
Kobbie Mainoo is frustrated with his lack of game time under Amorim
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"We saw this in the summer with PSR and Manchester United. We saw a lot of people were looking at the wrong company. It’s a company called Red Football, which is where the PSR calculation sits.
"So, despite the fact that we’ve seen they’ve had, well, they’ve told us, they’ve had financial problems and plenty of media reports on that, the outlay that they spent in the summer, people were kind of scratching their heads, but they’re okay with PSR ultimately.
"If this were to go through, I think PSR is probably not the sole driver. Of course, it does benefit Manchester United in that sense as well, because you can book that as pure profit and you can book it in the year that it occurs."