Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic has revealed that he often avoided training and only played matches during his time at Old Trafford due to a persistent back injury.

Signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in December 2005 for around £7 million, Vidic became one of the Premier League’s greatest defenders, winning 15 trophies, including five league titles. However, his time at United was eventually cut short due to injuries and a dip in form, leading to his departure under Louis van Gaal.

The Serbian moved to Inter Milan but retired just 18 months later after struggling with injuries, ending his contract by mutual agreement. Upon announcing his retirement, Vidic admitted:

*"The time has come for me to hang up my boots. The injuries I have had in the last few years have taken their toll."*

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba should consider signing for Premier League rivals Fulham, according to ex-Netherlands international Ryan Babel. Babel believes that a move to Fulham would provide Pogba with a better environment to rediscover his best form, free from the intense pressure of playing for a top-six club like Manchester United.

Pogba has been sidelined from competitive football since August 2023 after failing a doping test. This led to a four-year ban, which, after an appeal, was reduced to 18 months.

Ruben Amorim has expressed strong belief in Mason Mount's ability to succeed at Manchester United, praising the midfielder’s dedication and effort since joining the club. Mount, who arrived at Old Trafford from Chelsea for £55 million in 2023, has faced challenges during his debut season, including injuries and limited game time.

Despite these setbacks, the 2021 Champions League winner delivered a standout performance in United’s 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt, which Amorim called one of his best displays since joining the club.

The latest round of fixtures in Portugal’s Primeira Liga provided plenty of drama, with Ruben Amorim's emotional farewell from Sporting CP, but it was Benfica and Porto who stole the limelight in the title race.

Amorim, after a long and successful tenure at Sporting, signed off in style with a 4-2 comeback victory at Braga. However, a couple of hours later, Benfica made a statement of their own by thumping Porto 4-1, sending a clear message that a three-way title race could be in the making.

FC Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo has disclosed that he rejected an approach from Manchester United during Erik ten Hag's tenure, citing his desire to play regularly and compete for titles.

United, under Ten Hag, managed to secure the League Cup and FA Cup, but their struggles to challenge for the Premier League title ultimately led to the Dutchman's dismissal. Among the challenges Ten Hag faced during his stint was rebuilding United’s goalkeeping department.

David de Gea was deemed unsuited to Ten Hag’s playing style, leaving a significant gap that required addressing. While United eventually signed Altay Bayindir to deputize for Andre Onana, the club had initially considered Mvogo as an option.

Manchester United have spent much of 2024 recalibrating their operations under Ineos’ leadership, aiming to mount a genuine challenge to rivals Manchester City. From managerial changes — including the dismissal of Erik ten Hag and the hiring of Ruben Amorim — to structural overhauls, United are working towards closing the gap. However, across town, Manchester City have been dealing with their own set of challenges.

City's Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, has stepped down, and the club remains embroiled in a high-profile legal battle with the Premier League over alleged historic financial violations. Despite the turbulence, City have consistently declared their innocence, claiming they possess "irrefutable evidence" to exonerate themselves.

Former Chelsea and Italy star Gianfranco Zola has expressed his disbelief at Manchester United’s decision to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli during the summer transfer window.

McTominay, a product of United's academy, joined Napoli for £25.7 million on the final day of the transfer window, a move that many in England, including Zola, find puzzling.

Speaking to *Corriere dello Sport*, Zola praised the midfielder's impact in Serie A, where McTominay has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just 10 appearances. “He is among the best signings of the last summer,” said Zola. “Here in England, they can’t understand how Man United could let him go. Perhaps it was tied to Financial Fair Play, but they haven’t digested it.”

Ajax has been a valuable resource for Erik ten Hag during his transfer dealings at Manchester United, but his other former club, Bayern Munich, has not been quite as accommodating.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Ten Hag, as Bayern suffered a shocking defeat at Villa Park on Wednesday, with Aston Villa pulling off one of the Champions League’s biggest surprises. Ten Hag, who managed Bayern's second team between 2013 and 2015, could have done without this surprise victory.

After spending three pivotal years working alongside Dan Ashworth at Brighton, Graham Potter believes Ashworth can help get Manchester United back on track.

Since joining United over the summer as sporting director, Ashworth has faced a challenging start, navigating a period of transition and high-profile struggles, most notably around the future of manager Erik ten Hag.

Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United's "most important" challenge is improving the team's self-belief as they prepare for key fixtures against Porto and Aston Villa this week. Under pressure after a crushing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Ten Hag has been given the upcoming trips to Porto and Villa Park before the international break to turn things around.

Despite the scrutiny surrounding his position, Ten Hag remains unfazed about the possibility of losing his job. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, he insisted that he is not concerned about his future and emphasized that the club is "together" under the new ownership structure. However, he acknowledges that his side needs to improve on the pitch, especially after United's poor start to the Premier League season, equaling their joint-worst opening six-game record.