Transfers

Birmingham City appoint Wayne Rooney as new manager

Birmingham City have appointed Wayne Rooney as their new manager.

The 37-year-old former England captain has joined the Championship club on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Rooney succeeds Blues head coach John Eustace, who was sacked on Monday after 15 months in charge.

The ex-Everton and Manchester United striker’s appointment is the first managerial change made by Blues’ new American owners Shelby Companies Limited since they took over in July.

Rooney will be supported by his former England team-mate and current England Under-21 assistant Ashley Cole and his old United colleague John O’Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland men’s national team.

Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth will also be part of Rooney’s backroom staff after both assisted him at DC United.

It will be Rooney’s third job in management following spells at the MLS club and Derby County and his first game will be at Middlesbrough on 21 October.

“Wayne is a born winner,” Blues co-owner and chairman Tom Wagner said.

“We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey.

“His playing philosophy will help to realise the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City.

“Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United.

“He and his staff have the full support of the board and everyone at the football club.”

Rooney retired from playing and was appointed Derby boss in January 2021, following a spell in caretaker charge.

His time at Pride Park was marred by off-field troubles. He saved them from relegation from the Championship by a single point four months after taking on the role.

But during his first full season in charge in 2021-22, the Rams were given a 21-point deduction for being in administration and EFL breaches, alongside a transfer embargo. Derby were relegated to League One and Rooney left in June 2022 with the club still in administration.

He returns to England after just over a year with Washington-based DC United.

Wayne Rooney was unable to save Derby from Championship relegation following a 21-point deduction in 2021-22

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City at such an exciting time,” Rooney said.

“It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club.”

Rooney added that he and Blues are “fully aligned” on what is expected of him and says the “challenging environments” he has put himself in has “got me ready for this opportunity”.

“It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started,” he said.

“I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.

“My job is to elevate the club to the next level. I know what the expectations are and our job is to deliver.”

Birmingham chief executive Garry Cook called Rooney’s appointment a “defining moment” for the club before adding the new boss will work straight away with technical director Craig Gardner in evaluating the squad and identifying potential transfer targets in January.

Birmingham are the longest serving occupants of the Championship, having completed the third of their short stays in the Premier League in 2011.

That was the same year they beat Arsenal at Wembley to win the League Cup, making them the last West Midlands side to lift a trophy.

This is their 13th successive attempt at getting back to the top flight but they have only once gone close to a return, their first season back in the second tier under Chris Hughton in 2011-12, when they were beaten by Ian Holloway’s Blackpool in the play-offs.

Birmingham beat neighbours West Brom at St Andrew’s in their last Championship game
Since then, despite the efforts of 10 different bosses, they have come closer to relegation than promotion – twice staying up on the final day, under Lee Clark in 2014 and Harry Redknapp in 2017.

But they are handily placed this season and sixth in the table having won three of their first four league games and then twice last week, to edge within two points of third-placed Preston.

Transfers

Man United Face £230m Overhaul As Four Crucial Signings Named

Osimhen demands one condition for joining Manchester United

Old Trafford icon Rio Ferdinand has recommended which four players he would attempt to sign this summer if he was Ruben Amorim.

And many fans may wish the retired England defender was on the board on the back of his tips.

Ferdinand, 46, is desperate to see his old club lifted back to the place of prosperity they enjoyed during his 12 years on the books. And he laid out a blueprint of four specific targets that, if signed for their reported valuations, could set the Red Devils back around £230million this summer.

“I agree with Gary Neville that they need five players, I think they need four or five players but they will be constrained by [Profit and Sustainability Rules],” he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents show. “I want a centre midfielder to play alongside Ugarte, that player needs to be able to take the ball and transfer it through to the Bruno’s and the strikers. And you know who I’d go for? Adam Wharton.”

It wasn’t long ago that Real Madrid were linked with Wharton, whom Palace signed from Blackburn Rovers in a £22m deal. The Daily Mail reported that valuation has now supposedly risen to around £70m, which is a hefty expense for a midfielder coming off a long-term injury, particularly given Mason Mount’s struggles for fitness at Old Trafford.

He then moved onto United’s attack, where he feels the club is in need of at least two landmark signings. And one of those would be coming in as a direct replacement for the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, neither of whom have lived up to expectations at Old Trafford.

“[Victor] Osimhen. And I know, sorry Napoli and Galatasaray, if I’m Man United, Osimhen comes to Man United next year, I’m making it happen,” he continued. “Another one I’d go and buy is Cunha. He’s made it clear that he wants to leave so I’d go and get Cunha.”

Nigeria talisman Osimhen is currently on loan at Galatasaray after failing to land a permanent move away from Napoli last summer. Ferdinand tipped United to use Alejandro Garnacho – who was linked with the Italian giants last year – to offset the cost of triggering his £64m release clause, though Napoli may no longer be as keen on the Argentinian winger.

Cunha recently disputed the notion that he had said he wants to leave the club. Instead, he took to social media to explain that a comment relaying his message that he wanted to “take the next step” was in regards to helping Wolves move up another level.

The player is known to have a £62.5m release clause in his new contract, though United may be wary in light of Cunha’s disciplinary issues, which have seen him banned for a total of six games this season. Last but not least, Ferdinand tipped his former club to recruit another asset designed to thrive in Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 system.

“You know who else I’d go and get? [Jeremie] Frimpong at right wing back,” he continued. Frimpong impressed at Celtic before really excelling at Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, having previously spent nine years on the books in Manchester City’s academy.

That English connection could prove pivotal in bringing the Netherlands international back to the Premier League. Frimpong, 24, had a £33.5m release clause in his contract that expired in July 2024, though some have suggested a similar stipulation means he could be available for a similar fee once again.

Transfers

Liverpool Star Agrees Five-Year Deal With Real Madrid

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will hope to see his side get their season back on track when they face Everton in the Merseyside derby at the start of April.

The Reds had been in contention to complete a remarkable quadruple at the turn of the year, but exits from the FA Cup and Champions League – as well as a Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United – mean Slot’s side can now only win the Premier League title.

At present the Reds sit 12 points clear at the top of the table, although that lead could be reduced to nine points if Arsenal beat Fulham on April 1, one day before the Merseyside derby takes place at Anfield.

Much of the talk surrounding Liverpool this season has been in relation to the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, all of whom are set to be out of contract this summer.

Now, it appears that one of the three players has agreed a free transfer to Spain this summer.

According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, full-back Alexander-Arnold has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid ahead of a move to the Spanish capital this summer.

The 26-year-old is a product of Liverpool’s youth system and has been a regular for the Merseyside club for several years now.

His next appearance will be his 350th for the club across all competitions, but Tavolieri claims that the player’s proposed free transfer to Real is ‘settled’.

Tavolieri claims that the England international is expected to join the Spanish champions in July, having agreed a five-year deal with the club.

He also claims that the Englishman will be in line for a significant pay rise when he joins Real, with the full-back set to earn around £240,000-per-week from the start of next season.

Transfers

Man United List Rashford, Nines Others To Quit Old Trafford For New Players

Manchester United are reportedly preparing for a huge clear-out this summer with at least 10 departures on the cards.

It is no secret that the club’s new ownership and manager Ruben Amorim are looking to overhaul the squad after another desperately disappointing campaign.

The Manchester Evening News claim United are looking to permanently sell the trio of Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho.

All three players are currently on loan at other clubs after falling out of favour at Old Trafford.

And the money made from those sales will be put towards signing a new proven goalscorer.

Rashford has impressed since joining Villa on loan in January but it seems the damage is done in terms of his future at the club after a public falling out with Amorim.

Chelsea have an obligation to buy Sancho for £20-25m but it has been revealed they could pay United £5million in compensation in order to avoid doing so.

Antony has also has somewhat of a career revival since joining Real Betis but there looks to be no way back for him too.

Veteran midfielder Casemiro will also be put up for sale as United look to raise funds for new signings.

Fellow experienced players Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton are expected to announce their retirements at the end of the season while Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof are set to be released.

The Red Devils are also believed to be in the market for a new winger with a host of attacking talents set to depart.

The prospect of no European football also puts United in a position to trim their squad with both the Europa League and Champions League guaranteeing at least eight more games in a season.

The future of goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is also up in the air as the Turkish stopper could seek more football in order to improve his chances of playing at next year’s World Cup.