Here are your Friday morning Manchester United headlines.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plan slammed
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has criticised prospective Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's regime at Ligue 1 outfit Nice.
The Failsworth-born billionaire, who owns petrochemical firm INEOS, purchased the French side in 2019 although his time at the club has been something of a mixed bag. Petit's former teammate Patrick Vieira departed the club as manager just over a year after Sir Jim's arrival, with Christophe Galtier appointed as his replacement.
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But after leading the club to fifth in Ligue 1 and a Coupe de France final, he was subsequently snapped up by European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain. That led to the appointment of former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre last summer, although he was sacked by the club in January with a permanent replacement yet to be installed.
The club have also brought in the likes of former Premier League stars Kasper Schmeichel, Aaron Ramsey and Ross Barkley in recent years with mixed success. It has led Petit to question Sir Jim's leadership of the French outfit, with the British billionaire also hoping to take a controlling stake in United in the coming weeks.
Summer transfer priority made clear
Former striker Dimitar Berbatov believes Manchester United must recruit a centre-back and a striker in this forthcoming summer's transfer window to launch a genuine Premier League title charge next season.
United, with three league games left to play this term, are on course to secure a top-four finish and a route back into the Champions League for next season. They have already scooped the Carabao Cup and have made it to next month's FA Cup final, meaning Erik ten Hag's maiden season in charge could end up being highly successful.
The Reds have made enormous strides under the Dutchman this season and did briefly poke their nose into the title race in January, though they were never expected to compete for the top step of the podium this season. Next term, however, they will have genuine aspirations of competing with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Berbatov, however, believes recruiting another central-defender, as well as a striker, will be key to Ten Hag and United standing any chance of competing for the title next term.
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