MAN UNITED CONFIDENTIAL: The key that unlocked the £42m Manuel Ugarte deal, Erik ten Hag’s big selection dilemma and how the Red Devils are already ahead of rivals Liverpool

Marcus Rashford’s place in the Manchester United line-up is the biggest selection dilemma facing Erik ten Hag as he prepares to take on arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Rashford has started what many see as a make-or-break season at United in the same disappointing vein that he played much of the last campaign.

Alejandro Garnacho, on the other hand, has made an impact off the bench after a delayed return to pre-season training following his success in the Copa America with Argentina this summer.

Garnacho scored in the Community Shield against Manchester City, set up Joshua Zirkzee’s late winner against Fulham, and was only denied another goal at Brighton on Saturday because Zirkzee was in an offside position when he nicked Garnacho’s effort as it crossed the line.

Another option would be to start Garnacho on the left and switch Rashford to the right, but Amad Diallo was one of United’s brightest performers at Brighton and scored the equaliser in a 2-1 defeat. 

Alejandro Garnacho was only robbed of a second goal of the season on Saturday by a tight offside

Amad Diallo was one of the Red Devils’ brightest performers against Brighton and scored their equaliser

The Ivorian also scored a memorable injury-time winner against Liverpool in last season’s FA Cup quarter-final.

In Rashford’s favour, he has a better record against the Merseysiders than any Big Six club with seven goals – putting him third in United’s all-time rankings. That might be enough to sway Ten Hag for now, but Rashford’s place has to be in jeopardy unless he pulls his socks up soon.

The other major selection issue for Ten Hag is whether to drop Harry Maguire in favour of Matthijs de Ligt after the England defender was partly at fault for Brighton’s first goal at the Amex Stadium.

The United boss may also have new signing Manuel Ugarte available as an extra midfield option against Liverpool assuming his international clearance comes through in time, although limited training time with his new teammates means he would be unlikely to start.

United ‘mend’ bridges with Ugarte agent

The Ugarte deal went through after United’s technical director Jason Wilcox and director of player negotiations Matt Hargreaves flew to France on Monday to complete the final details with Paris Saint-Germain.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth stayed in Manchester to oversee negotiations for Scott McTominay’s £26m move to Napoli and Hannibal Mejbri’s £9.5m transfer to Burnley, as well as Jadon Sancho’s possible departure before the end of the transfer window.

United believe a fee of £42m plus £8.4m in add-ons for Ugarte is an attractive deal for one of the best midfield prospects in world football. The Uruguayan was identified as a target early in the transfer window but United played a waiting game to get Ugarte for less than PSG’s £50m valuation.

Manuel Ugarte has long been a transfer target for United but now is nearing a move from PSG

Jason Wilcox was pictured at Manchester airport on Monday before flying to Paris to complete the final details 

Scott McTominay is closing in on a £26m to Napoli which enabled United to make their move

What was also significant about Monday’s talks in Paris was the presence of Ugarte’s agent Jorge Mendes who was overseeing his second player sale to United this summer following Leny Yoro’s move from Lille to Old Trafford.

It’s fair to say that Mendes’ relationship with United was more than a little strained after Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious departure in November 2022 following a bombshell TV interview with Piers Morgan.

But the transfers of Ugarte and Yoro are a sign that it’s water under the bridge and the Portuguese super-agent sees Old Trafford as a desirable destination for his clients again.

Ratcliffe cuts claim match programme editor

The brutal cost-cutting under Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues with long-serving matchday programme editor-in-chief Ian McLeish one of the latest victims.

McLeish, who also edited the club’s official magazine Inside United, has been in the job for 18 years since he began in in 2006. It’s understood that chief content officer Ian Nolan is staying as part of the restructuring.

McLeish’s exit is one of 250 redundancies being made by Ineos to save money and streamline the business following Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion investment.

Employees were informed in a series of meetings last month which departments and individuals are under threat as part of a redundancy process that will result in nearly a quarter of the 1,100 work-force losing their jobs. The process has been accelerated in recent weeks as risk turns to redundancy for many staff, some of them long-serving employees like McLeish.

Ineos are committed to re-investing the majority of the money saved back into the football operation with Carrington currently undergoing a £50m upgrade. Ratcliffe pledged an additional £245m as part of his minority takeover to improve the infrastructure at United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cuts have now claimed the job of the club’s matchday programme editor Ian McLeish

Ten Hag pressed for time

The building work at the training ground has thrown up its fair share of logistical challenges, not least with the first-team squad moving into the recently-built facility for the women’s and academy teams for the rest of the season.

The upgrade has put a squeeze on any available space and that includes the media area used for Erik ten Hag’s press conferences. The timing of Ten Hag’s weekly audience with the media has already been switched from Friday lunchtime to Thursday afternoon for the first three games of the season.

Even then, there was rush to get the room ready for Ten Hag’s arrival ahead of his press conference for last weekend’s game at Brighton because Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt were being interviewed by UEFA’s media department ahead of this season’s Europa League campaign.

Tables and chairs were rearranged and camera equipment hastily removed before Ten Hag made his entrance at 4pm.

There will be similar challenges over the next nine months, but United will have a vastly superior training facility once the work is completed in time for next season.

After a bruising late defeat against Brighton Man United face arch nemesis Liverpool next

United clean up against Liverpool

Despite the work at Carrington, the training ground still has a maximum food hygiene rating of five – which is more than can be said for Sunday’s opponents Liverpool.

Following the last inspection by the Food Standards Agency in March, the AXA Training Centre was awarded two stars which means ‘improvement is necessary’.

United also fell foul of the system in December when Old Trafford dropped from five stars to one star because some guests came down with food poisoning after they were served raw chicken at a corporate event. The stadium has since recovered to a four-star rating despite evidence of mould growth in one of the kitchens.

United’s overall rating of 9/10 puts the club behind 13 Premier League rivals who have a perfect score in a study put together by betting tips, predictions and news site Footy Accumulators, but still ahead of Liverpool who have the lowest combined score of 7/10.

Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre was given a food hygiene rating of 2/5 which means ‘improvement is necessary’

UEFA tribute to Ronaldo

His second spell at Old Trafford may have ended in tears, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible Champions League record at United, Real Madrid and Juventus is being honoured by UEFA.

Ronaldo, still playing in Saudi Arabia six months short of his 40th birthday, will receive a special award from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin during the Champions League 36-team league phase draw ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday.

The five-time winner is the top scorer in the history of the competition with 140 goals in 183 appearances, 11 clear of his great rival Lionel Messi who now plays in MLS for Miami.

It includes a total of 21 goals for United and eight in the 2007-08 season when he helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side beat Chelsea in the final in Moscow.

Ronaldo finished seven of his 18 Champions League campaigns as the top scorer and holds the record of 17 goals in a single season as well as the best scoring streak of 11 games.

Ceferin said: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation. His extraordinary goal-scoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass. His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honours.

‘Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals. His professionalism, work ethic, dedication, and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate.’

Cristiano Ronaldo will receive a special award from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin during the Champions League league phase draw ceremony

The Man United legend is still playing in Saudi Arabia six months out from his 40th birthday

Academy kids top of the class

United’s academy system doesn’t just give their youth-team players the platform to excel on the pitch. Judging by this month’s A Level and GCSE results, the club’s youngsters are proficient in the classroom as well.

More than 85 per cent of second-year scholars achieving their target grade or above including 10 players with a Btec Extended Diploma (worth 3 A levels), five of whom got a full distinction profile.

At GCSE level, three United scholars achieved a total of 12 grade 8s – an A* in old money – and two more got six of the maximum grade 9s.

In addition, two Under-21s players have recently enrolled in full BA honours degrees with the PFA.