Manchester United
Fletcher Reinstates 4-2-3-1 as Fernandes Returns and Ugarte Is Recalled
Fletcher returned a familiar 4-2-3-1 to Manchester United, restoring Fernandes and recalling Ugarte.
Darren Fletcher has reverted Manchester United to a 4-2-3-1 shape after taking charge on a temporary basis. The change mirrors the system Fletcher has used all season in his main role as U18s manager and represents a clear departure from the setup deployed under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim had argued shortly before leaving that he could not alter his formation amid external pressure because it would have undermined his position. He did make a switch for Boxing Day’s 1–0 victory over Newcastle United but returned to a 3-4-2-1 for the two subsequent games, both draws.
The starting XI announced for the Wednesday trip to Turf Moor suggested a conventional back four: Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw at full back, with Ayden Heaven and Lisandro Martínez at centre back. Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte were named as the midfield partnership. Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu were selected on the wings, with Bruno Fernandes in the No. 10 slot behind Benjamin Šeško.
For much of this season, Amorim had overlooked Ugarte and routinely selected Fernandes as a central midfielder alongside Casemiro. That approach moved Fernandes deeper and reduced his presence higher up the pitch, placing additional responsibilities on the captain.
Fletcher’s decision restores Fernandes to a more advanced role after the player returned to fitness following a rare injury absence that saw him miss each of Amorim’s final three games. Equally notable is the immediate recall of Ugarte to the starting lineup, a selection that signals a shift back towards a double pivot in midfield.
Expectation that Fletcher would make tactical changes in his caretaker role has been met with decisive action. Re-adopting a familiar 4-2-3-1 and balancing the midfield with Casemiro and Ugarte reflects both Fletcher’s recent work with the academy and an attempt to free Fernandes to operate as the team’s primary creator.
Borussia Dortmund
Sancho Faces Major Pay Cut As Getafe Table Short-Term Deal
Sancho’s latest offer from Getafe is far below his old United salary, with La Liga interest still alive.
Jadon Sancho’s next move has brought a stark reminder of how far his career has drifted from the heights once expected of him. The former Manchester United winger has been offered a contract by Getafe that is worth only 4% of his previous salary, according to a report.
Sancho, 26, struggled badly in the Premier League and failed to make a strong impression during loan spells with Chelsea and Aston Villa. After that, Manchester United decided not to activate an extension clause in his contract, allowing him to leave as a free agent.
Getafe approached him earlier this month, and The Telegraph reports that the financial terms are on a completely different level to anything he was used to in England. The Spanish club’s proposal is a yearly salary of €400,000 ($448,000), a figure that is less than he would have earned in two weeks under his previous United deal. The contract would run until the end of the current season.
Sancho has not dismissed the possibility of accepting the offer and is understood to be keen on a move to La Liga. He is expected to speak with club management in the coming days to formally review the proposal.
For a player who has been in the spotlight for nearly a decade, the contrast is dramatic. His move from Manchester City’s academy to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017 generated major attention, and he quickly justified the interest with his performances. In 2018-19, he was involved in 30 goals in the Bundesliga, then improved that return to 34 the following year, prompting Europe’s top clubs to circle.
United’s success in that transfer battle was widely applauded at the time, with Sancho viewed as a possible transformative signing. But the expectations, amplified by the size of the deal, have followed him ever since.
In the last five years, however, little has gone to plan on the pitch. The scrutiny around every step has remained intense, and the latest offer reflects just how sharply the picture has changed.
Manchester United
United’s dressing room becomes central issue as manager search continues
United’s manager search is being shaped by concerns over a dressing room described as “out of control”.
Manchester United’s search for a new manager is being shaped by more than just results. As the club considers its next move over Michael Carrick, reports suggest several candidates are uneasy about the atmosphere inside the dressing room.
The Telegraph states that a number of managers being considered by United have serious reservations about the level of toxicity around the squad. That concern has grown after recent criticism from Lisandro Martínez aimed at technical director Jason Wilcox, while Bruno Fernandes also offered a bleak assessment of Carrick’s tactics.
For some of the contenders, restoring control in the dressing room is viewed as a basic requirement. The squad has been described as “out of control” and populated by players who “talk too much.” From that perspective, there appear to be only two routes forward: appointing a strong authority figure able to impose standards, or moving on the players seen as part of the problem. Neither guarantees success.
This is not a new issue for United. The challenge of managing noise around the dressing room has followed several managers. In 2022, Ralf Rangnick, then interim boss after Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s dismissal, said the club needed “open heart surgery.” He added that it required “strong leadership,” players with the right attitude and a clear plan from the board.
Erik ten Hag arrived that summer and quickly clashed with Cristiano Ronaldo, later saying the Portugal international’s poor work rate was harming the team. A short improvement in form did not last, and Ruben Amorim was then handed the task in 2024.
Although results under Amorim were poor, he did make efforts to steady the dressing room. He challenged the training performances of both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho and spoke openly about the long-term nature of his project, before the team’s performances led to his dismissal in early 2026.
Manchester United
Conte moves to shut down talk of advanced talks amid Manchester United speculation
Conte has denied advanced talks with any club as Manchester United speculation continues to grow.
Antonio Conte has moved to cool speculation over an immediate return to management, insisting he is not in advanced negotiations with any club despite renewed talk linking him with a move to Manchester United.
The 57-year-old has been out of work since leaving Napoli by mutual consent at the end of last season, having guided them to the Serie A title in 2024-25. His availability has naturally attracted attention, but Conte used a statement on Friday to set out his position clearly.
He wrote that there are “currently no negotiations at an advanced stage.” Conte also said he intends to “take the time to consider how and when to return to management,” adding that any comeback will only happen when the “conditions are right.”
He went on to reject reports about his supposed financial terms and demands for control. Conte said: “I have read reports of financial demands and requests for full control that I have supposedly already made to the clubs mentioned, as well as reservations about what has been described as my ‘strong personality.’ These reports are unfounded.
“Should a concrete opportunity arise, that will be the time to hold discussions with the club concerned and jointly consider the terms of a potential agreement, with due regard for both parties’ needs and the qualities and approach that define my work as a manager.”
Conte added that any “assumptions” about his “demands and professional future” are exactly that for now and “cannot be treated as fact.”
The broader conversation around him is unlikely to stop there. Manchester United have been warned that Conte can deliver results, but that his methods can be demanding. He is also seen as more of a short-term solution than a long-range planner, usually spending no more than two full seasons at a club. Juventus remains the lone exception over the past 20 years.
His last spell in the Premier League, at Tottenham Hotspur between Nov. 2, 2021 and March 26, 2023, ended in turmoil after he labelled his own players “selfish” following a poor result against Southampton, then bottom of the table. “We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players. I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart [into it],” he said at the time.
