Manchester United
Scholes apologises to Carrick after social media backlash
Scholes apologised to Carrick after his social post drew criticism; he said he did not mean offence.
Paul Scholes has reached out to Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick to apologise after a social media post prompted criticism. The former midfielder said he had not intended to upset Carrick and moved to resolve the matter directly.
It was a sharp intervention from Scholes that drew reaction from supporters and former players. Patrice Evra accused Scholes of courting controversy to attract attention and also targeted comments from Gary Neville and Roy Keane that were similarly critical of Carrick.
“Michael is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in football,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football in response to the criticism. “He’d be the last person I would want to offend.
“I messaged Michael anyway. I went straight to Michael and said, ‘Look, I never intended to upset you.’ And I don’t think I needed to say that anyway, and he told me himself he wasn’t upset by it.
“I think people have just took it differently from what was meant. The only thing I was saying was that I don’t think they played that well the last four games, and he’s still managing to get results.”
Scholes and Carrick have a long playing history together. Scholes sits 12th on the list of Carrick’s most frequent teammates, having shared the pitch with him 160 times for a total of 9,900 minutes before Scholes retired in 2013. Five years later, after his own retirement, Carrick gleefully named Scholes as the best player he ever played with. “I always say Scholesy because he was right next to me and, as a partnership, he was fantastic to play with,” Carrick told The Mirror. “We had some incredible players, amazing, but I always go back to Scholesy.”
Their relationship was tested when Carrick took interim charge in 2021 following Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s departure. Scholes accused Carrick of disloyalty for stepping into the role and said on BT Sport: “I get the impression with Ole that he put a lot of trust into Michael,” Scholes said live on BT Sport. “He put a lot of trust into Kieran [McKenna]. He put a lot of trust into Mike Phelan. Which is why they shouldn’t be at the club now, I don’t think.
“I’ve got big friends. Michael’s a good friend, Darren Fletcher, I’ve worked with Mike Phelan, I’ve worked with these people. I just think if I was in their position now, I’d be feeling guilty working at this football club still, while Ole put so much trust in them.”
Scholes went on to challenge Carrick for a perceived lack of “responsibility” for the form which saw Solskjær sacked, insisting he played a significant role as an assistant and should not have been protected from criticism. Carrick offered a diplomatic response and said he had quickly sought advice from Solskjær after being offered the interim job.
Arsenal
Premier League’s longest-serving managers and the rapid reset shaping 2026/27
A summer reset has left the Premier League with a long list of new managers and just one clear outlier.
The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.
At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.
Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.
There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.
A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.
For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.
Manchester United
Agent confirms Manchester United talks for Orlando Gill amid transfer negotiations
Manchester United were named in talks as Orlando Gill’s agent outlined a transfer nearing completion.
Orlando Gill’s agent has confirmed that Manchester United were among the clubs involved in early discussions over a possible move, while insisting the goalkeeper is at a stage where a transfer makes sense.
Mario Jara, speaking to DSports Radio, said the Paraguay international is in active talks with English and German clubs and that only two firm offers have been received so far. He added that negotiations are ongoing and that a move is drawing closer.
“We’re in talks with English clubs, as well as some in Germany. There were preliminary discussions with Manchester United . We’ve only received two concrete offers. We’re in the midst of negotiations,” Gill’s former club manager turned representative told DSports Radio .
Jara was equally direct about the timing. “The sale is close—now is the time. We have to handle this very carefully because there are a lot of factors involved. It’s the perfect opportunity for him to take a leap forward in his career. He’s ready and capable of playing in any league, without a doubt.”
Gill’s rise has been unusual and difficult. Only in September 2025 did he make his senior international debut, keeping a clean sheet as World Cup qualification was secured against Peru. His wife, Melissa Ávalos, later described the sacrifices behind that journey. “We had nothing, and Orlando sold his jerseys from the club where he was playing at the time to cover the expenses,” she said after the match. “Our son fought for his life, and his dad was always there. He sold everything.”
The goalkeeper had made only two top-flight appearances in Paraguay before a move to San Lorenzo’s reserves in a deal that raised questions. It took more than a year, along with a run of injuries, for him to make his professional debut, after which he kept his place.
At the World Cup, Gill’s reputation was tested after conceding four against the United States. Jara admitted the response was intense: “Everything he went through at the World Cup wasn’t easy, especially the 4–1 loss to the United States,” he said. “A lot of influential people spoke out.”
Gill responded by keeping clean sheets against Türkiye and Australia, then starring in the knockout rounds. Against Germany, he made six saves and denied Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade in the shootout. France were beaten too, though Kylian Mbappé did score from the spot after Gill tried to unsettle him, and later refused to shake his hand.
Even with Manchester United named, a move to Old Trafford still looks unlikely.
Man Utd Transfer News
Rashford’s transfer stance leaves United with a narrow set of outcomes
Rashford wants only elite Europe or United, leaving Manchester United’s summer plans in doubt.
Manchester United’s intention to move Marcus Rashford on this summer has run into a familiar obstacle: the forward’s own standards.
Reports have narrowed the picture around the England international, with Fabrizio Romano indicating that Rashford is only open to two outcomes in the window. He would either join a “top, top, top” club in Europe or stay at United.
That position leaves the club in a difficult spot. Rashford, now 28, is not believed to be interested in stepping down a level, which immediately removes much of the market from consideration. In England, United’s decision to exclude Manchester City and Liverpool from Rashford’s release clause makes a move to either domestic rival look impossible. Arsenal could still be a possibility, while Chelsea are not expected to enter the discussion because of their lack of Champions League football.
Elsewhere, the options remain limited. Barcelona are not thought to be in line for another deal after bringing in both Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, while Real Madrid have no obvious need for another winger, particularly with Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig expected to arrive.
That leaves Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain as the two clubs most often mentioned as possible destinations. Both have previously held an interest in Rashford, yet neither has shown any sign of pushing ahead with a move this summer.
Inter and Atlético Madrid can be included in the wider conversation, but there has been no exploration of a deal from either side.
United had started planning for Rashford’s return towards the end of last season, when Barcelona’s position on keeping him became uncertain. His exile came under former manager Ruben Amorim, who is no longer in charge at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick now holds the role and is understood to be open to a reunion. He is expected to have Rashford back in preseason training in the coming days after a rest following the World Cup.
