Manchester United transfer news LIVE: Benzema loan rejected, Mejbri exit, Ten Hag’s Sancho message, Reguilon a target for Brentford

Karim Benze-nah

Manchester United will not be making a loan move for Karim Benzema in January, talkSPORT understands.

Reports emerged over the weekend that the Red Devils were exploring the possibility of signing the former Real Madrid star from Al-Ittihad on loan for the second half of the 2023-24 campaign.

The 36-year-old has scored nine goals and registered five assists in 15 appearances in the Saudi Pro League this season.

However, Benzema is said to be keen on returning to European football having left Madrid on a free transfer last summer.

Han's away

Manchester United forward Hannibal Mejbri has arrived in Sevilla to complete his loan move.

The 20-year-old spent last season on loan with Birmingham, but has struggled to force his way into the United first team.

The loan deal will also include a buy option for the Spanish side to make the move permanent.

Han the man

Manchester United forward Hannibal Mejbri is closing in on a loan move to Sevilla.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that the loan with an option to buy agreement has been completed between the two clubs.

Romano adds that Hannibal will have his medical next week.

Ratcliffe speaks

Sir Jim Ratcliffe expects the Premier League to approve his 25 per cent ownership of Manchester United by the middle of next month, but has refused to discuss his influence in the January transfer window.

Ratcliffe spoke publicly for the first time since agreeing to pay £1.2bn for a minority stake in United ahead of their Premier League home clash with Tottenham.

The INEOS owner also confirmed to reporters that he has spoken to United boss Erik ten Hag but has not yet met the players.

He said: “I'm very excited to be here. It is a big match, we normally do well against Spurs.

“I've met Erik but it would be inappropriate, really [to speak to players], until it's all formalised which should be early to mid-February, we hope. We hope they don't find anything dodgy in our CV!

“I've done a few exciting things. It's taken a few turns along the road, as you know, but it all turned out well in the end.

“I can't come all the time because I have a few other things to manage, but I'll come quite a lot."

Asked about his first impressions of Old Trafford and United’s Carrington training ground, Ratcliffe said: “I don't think that would be appropriate. Good question, though. You can give me a hard time in three or four weeks, then I'll do my best to answer the question.”

Reguilon update

Brentford have held talks with Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon about a loan move, talkSPORT understands.

Reguilon is considering his options after spending the first half of the season on loan at Manchester United.

Spurs are keen to offload the defender in January, either on loan or a permanent deal.

Forgotten man

Manchester United defender Alvaro Fernandez will be heading to Benfica on loan.

The 20-year-old, who is yet to make a senior appearance for the Red Devils, has been on loan at Granada for the first half of the season.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that he will now be heading to Portugal.

He said: "Alvaro Fernandez will undergo medical tests at Benfica tomorrow, on Monday.

"Deal sealed with Manchester United on loan with buy option as Fernandez will leave Granada with immediate effect."

Sanch-no!

Borussia Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has defended Jadon Sancho's discipline record.

He re-joined Dortmund on loan in January from Man United and hit the ground running.

The Dortmund's CEO said: "Jadon doesn't have a discipline problem at all, I don't know who always said that,

"Jadon only has one problem, he comes late every now and then. His internal clock is not that developed." The 23-year-old is "a very nice boy, but every now and then he was late.

"But you have to deal with that. What do you go to the stadium for? We don't go there because everyone is always on time. I want to see how he receives the ball."

Sergi-go

Sergio Reguilon is a target for Brentford in January, according to reports.

Reguilon was on loan at Manchester United from Tottenham, but that was cut short this month.

Spurs will likely move the defender on again, on loan or a permanent deal.

Fabrizio Romano said: "Brentford want Sergio Reguilón on loan deal from Tottenham. Negotiations already took place but final decision will be up to the player.

"There are more clubs interested and Reguilón will assess the situation. In any case, he's still expected to leave the club in January."

Youth striker leaving

Young Manchester United striker Mateo Meija is set to join Sevilla, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The transfer guru claims the Red Devils will have a 25 per cent sell-on clause inserted inserted into the contract.

The 20-year-old was born in Spain but is a Colombian national.

He has never made a senior appearance fro the Red Devils.

Todibo race open

Manchester United's interest in Jean-Clair Todibo appears to have cooled in recent weeks.

The Red Devils were heavily linked with a loan move or permanent transfer to Old Trafford.

However, Liverpool have emerged as potential contenders for the centre-back.

This is due to Joel Matip's ACL potentially forcing Jurgen Klopp's men into transfer action.

However, Fabrizio Romano claims the race is still open, with no club leading the chase.

He said: “Let me clarify once again, there are no clear favourites for the signature of Jean-Clair Todibo, and the expectation is for him to move in the summer, not now.

“It will take time before we know who the favourite is and what kind of evolution there will be in the next months.

“My information remains that OGC Nice don’t want to sell Todibo in January.”

Mason Greenwood says that he's 'happy' at Getafe

Mason Greenwood has told Spanish media that he's happy with life at Getafe following his move to the club over the summer.

Since joining on loan, the striker has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 matches as he looks to get his career back on track.

Asked how he's settling in by club media, Greenwood said: “Everything’s fine. I adapted pretty quickly.

“Teammates took me under their wing and I’ve just been happy ever since, coming here and training, playing the games. I’m happy.”

He added: “The fans mean a lot to me. The best feeling so far is when I scored my first goal here at the stadium and it meant a lot to me, I heard the fans quite a lot.

“Also we had the training day and a lot of fans came out to watch so we always appreciate the fans. They’re like an extra man out there on the pitch when they’re out there supporting us.”

Jadon? No problem

Former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has defended Jadon Sancho and insisted he had no issues with the winger.

The 23-year-old has returned 'home' to Borussia Dortmund on loan after falling out with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford this season.

Ten Hag exiled Sancho over his attitude, with the player hitting back on social media, while other claims have been made about the youngster's apparent poor conduct.

But Rangnick says he didn't witness anything of the sort during his six months in charge at United, after he replaced the sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021.

“In the six months I had him, there wasn’t a single discipline problem," he told Sky Germany. "On the contrary, he is a calm and pleasant guy.

"He had his best time in Dortmund and, when he was healthy, he always played for me. However, he wasn't as carefree as in Dortmund. But that was also due to the overall situation. 

"When he was fit, he was set and did well under me. He no longer had a chance in Manchester. 

"He now has to get back into a rhythm and really into shape in Dortmund. From his point of view, the change makes perfect sense."

Solskjaer on verge of managerial return

Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has held talks with the Swedish FA over becoming the national team's new head coach.

Fotbollskanalen reports the ex-Red Devils gaffer is one of the favourites to replace Janne Andersson.

Sweden failed to qualify for Euro 2024 and Andersson resigned.

However, former Aston Villa defender Olof Melberg is also under consideration.

But after over two years out of the game, Solskjaer could be the man to take Sweden into a new phase.

Devils you know

Simon Jordan believes Jadon Sancho’s return to Borussia Dortmund underlines a culture that has been allowed to manifest at Manchester United.

The 23-year-old winger sealed a loan move to the Bundesliga side on Thursday which runs until the end of the season, after falling out of favour with United boss Erik ten Hag.

But ex-Palace owner Jordan points towards a more pressing issue as to why high-profile signings such as Sancho, Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Antony have all struggled to make the required impact at the club.

“It’s based upon two things,” said Jordan. “Who’s to blame for this culture Man United that has been allowed to develop inside the football club that engenders players with a belief system they can behave the way they do.

“The recruitment policy that’s recruiting players that are clearly not fit for purpose and the fact that Ten Hag is trying to change the direction of travel and is having to break some serious eggs to make an omelette."

Jordan added: "They sign big-name players on paper, with big attitudes and big outlooks, who are not the right fit for the football club.

"Pogba was let go by Man United for a reason. Look at him now. Look at where Sanchez went and what he did.

"He chose Man United because they offered more money than Man City. Once upon a time, you chose Man United because of the fabric of the football club. They've allowed the culture to deteriorate."

Hugill departs on loan

Burton Albion have confirmed the signing of Manchester United youth player Joe Hugill on loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old striker signed a new deal at Old Trafford earlier this week and will now look to get some first-team opportunities in the EFL.

His new contract expires in 2026, so the forward has plenty of time to develop and learn the game.

More on Fernandez

Alvaro Fernandez's time at Manchester United is nearly over.

The player has agreed personal terms with the Portuguese giants.

The deal is expected to be permanent, with Man United pocketing around £8.6million from the deal.

Given the left-back has yet to make a senior appearance for his club, that's a good deal.

Sancho at fault for Man United failure

Jadon Sancho's Manchester United nightmare is over, at least temporarily.

The winger has rejoined Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season after being cut from the first-team picture by Erik ten Hag after a public falling out.

And now he's gone, the analysis of his time at Old Trafford is underway and England icon Stuart Pearce thinks Sancho is at fault for things not working out.

Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "I always think it [blame] lies with the player.

"I have heard too many things coming out about Sancho that I don't particularly like.

"The manager's are rarely wrong. It's often the player because the manager is looking at the whole picture. The individual just sees himself.

"For me, it's always the player."

Ten Hag targets another Ajax man

Manchester United's search for a long-term Anthony Martial replacement could see them turn to Ajax striker Brian Brobbey.

The Daily Mirror claim Erik ten Hag is watching the forward with a view to a summer move.

A January transfer could still happen, but it would have to be a loan for the 21-year-old due to financial constraints at Old Trafford.

Brobbey played 32 games under Ten Hag and scored 13 goals and got three assists in those games.

However, a failed transfer to RB Leipzig has set the forward back over the last couple of seasons.

But he's back in Amsterdam and has scored 12 times in 24 appearances this year.

Fernandez set for departure

Manchester United left-back Alvaro Fernandez is closing in on a move to Benfica, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The transfer guru reports a deal between the Portuguese giants and United is advancing.

The 20-year-old has already agreed personal terms and the two clubs are close to agreeing a fee.

However, it's unclear if the Red Devils will have a buyback clause inserted into the deal.

Ten Hag hoping for more from Antony

Despite being critical of Antony's form, he still believes the winger will come good at Manchester United.

The Brazilian is yet to show much of the ability that convinced Man United to sign him in the first place.

But his manager has full confidence.

He said: "You mention Ajax, I look back there his effectiveness, end product was higher and also Champions League very high.

"He's capable of doing this, key actions, key passes, the crosses, the finishing, it's very high and should return to that level but the Premier League is more difficult and he's capable of doing that.

"It has had an effect, an impact on him, definitely, so he has to deal with that, he caused them, he has to sort them out but he has to do better."

Ten Hag pinpoints Antony problem

Manchester United winger Antony has been way off this season, struggling to produce any form of end product or consistent performances.

At times, he's looked lost and frustrated and isn't living up to his hefty price tag.

He's yet to score a Premier League goal this season.

However, Erik ten Hag thinks 'off-field' problems have impacted the winger.

Earlier in the season, Antony was forced to miss some games due to allegations of domestic abuse.

It's not entirely clear, but this appears to be what Ten Hag is talking about.

He said: "I can explain I think it's very simple. His off-field issues stop him playing.

"First year was okay, the pre-season was very okay, first four games was very good.

"I've seen the game against Spurs back and he played a very good game but from the moment he was out and then he came back and didn't deliver the performance you should expect from him and he can do so much better."

Ten Hag gets boost

Manchester United have endured a huge number of injuries this season.

But there is some good news ahead of the Tottenham game.

The Dutchman has revealed that Luke Shaw, Christian Eriksen, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Amad Diallo are all back in training and available for selection.

Martinez and Casemiro's returns are especially huge for the Red Devils.

Both were excellent last year but have struggled massively this year due to long-term problems.

Ten Hag revealed all in his pre-match press conference.

He said: "We have had a lot of injuries, so this week in training, the last couple of days, Licha Martinez training, Casemiro training, Luke Shaw training, so there are players returning, they are coming in for selection for Sunday.

"Antony, yeah. Eriksen was ill in the week, he will return. Antony will return. Amad will return.

"We have more choice in this moment in the squad to put out a starting XI and create a bench that is stronger."

Ten Hag wishes Sancho well

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been speaking for the first time since Jadon Sancho completed his loan back to Borussia Dortmund until the end of the season.

The winger's departure was confirmed yesterday by Man United, with the Bundesliga giants having no option to buy.

Sancho was cut out of the first-team picture at Old Trafford after a public falling out between Sancho and Ten Hag.

However, the Dutchman wants the England international to perform well.

Diallo delight

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo is feeling confident after finally making his return from injury.

Diallo made his long-awaited comeback in United’s 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest on December 30.

He said: "Well, to be honest, I wasn't expecting to play so soon.

“I thought I would maybe be playing for the last 10 or 15 minutes because I was coming back from an injury but the fact that he brought me on at that moment meant that the coach trusted me.

“I was really happy to have played in that match.

Diallo has also said he’s enjoying working with United manager Erik ten Hag.

He said: "Working with him is really something that doesn't happen every day.

"He is a person who wants to work hard, even in training and when you're going slowly, he calls you over and tells you to go stronger. 

"I like coaches like that, that let you know that you need to train hard. My relationship with him is a good relationship."

‘Show the world’

Jadon Sancho has posted his first picture on his reactivated Instagram account, celebrating his move to Borussia Dortmund.

The winger left Manchester United yesterday, returning to Dortmund on loan and posted a picture in his new kit with the caption - "2024, let’s go!"

Several footballers have commented on it including England star Jude Bellingham who posted a heart hands emoji.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added: “Back again !!!! Bruvv show the world.”

Vinicius Junior, Alphonso Davies, Jesse Lingard, Tammy Abraham and Callum Wilson were among those to also hail the news.