Manchester United’s transfer plans are once again being revamped, following the appointment of Louis van Gaal as manager. While his predecessor David Moyes was said to have been eager to add Cesc Fabregas to the team, van Gaal has insisted that he has no interest in this player, and has now provided Ed Woodward, the club’s executive vice chairman, with a new transfer list, which includes Kevin Strootman, Bruno Martins Indi and Jordy Clasie.

Some Manchester United supporters, like Tunde Folawiyo, might be a bit confused by van Gaal’s decision to name Strootman as a potential addition to the team, as the midfielder suffered quite a severe knee injury recently, which has left him unable to participate in the World Cup. However, the manager’s other choices should come as no surprise; both Martins Indi and Clasie have been with Holland for the past two years, and are believed to have played a key role in helping the club to secure their World Cup qualification. As such, it makes sense that the Dutch manager is now hoping to bring these two on board at Old Trafford.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, who currently plays for Bayern Munich, is said to be at the top of the manager’s wish list. He has performed well in the past, but following the appointment of Pep Guardiola as the club’s new manager, the midfielder spent much of the last season on the bench. Schweinsteiger is rumoured to be frustrated with his lack of playing time, and so might very well be open to the idea of moving to another club.

While most of Manchester United’s transfer negotiations have not yet led to any concrete decisions, one deal has already been struck. Federico Macheda will be moving from Manchester United to Cardiff this summer, and will remain with his new club for at least three years. The 22-year-old described it as a fantastic opportunity, and thanked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for signing him.

As a fan of Manchester United, Tunde Folawiyo might recall that Macheda started out strong when he joined the Red Devils in 2009, scoring winning goals for his team against both Sunderland and Aston Villa. However, as time went on, he began to spend more and more time on loan, and although he did well during his spell with Birmingham, it seems that the management at Manchester United are quite content to part with him.

Ryan Giggs, who was taken on as Manchester United’s interim manager following the departure of David Moyes, is delighted with the announcement that he will remain part of the management team under new coach van Gaal. But the former midfielder says that his team must do much better. Giggs is someone much admired by Tunde Folawiyo, and other Manchester United fans. Over the course of his career, he has won 34 trophies and scored countless goals for the club.

One of the team’s recent matches against Sunderland, which resulted in a loss of 1-0, left Giggs – along with many others – disappointed. Many criticised the Red Devil’s inability to retain possession of the ball, and the lack of technical finesse in midfield.

Shortly after the match ended, Giggs spoke of his frustration regarding the team’s performance, not only in this game, but throughout the past season. He acknowledged the lack of consistency demonstrated by the players lately, and said that their form simply wasn’t good enough over the past few months. He finished by saying that he hoped they would be able to bring in some new players during the summer transfer window.

While some might say that Giggs’ words are unduly harsh, a number of other players, including Patrice Evra, have also voiced concerns regarding the club’s Premier League performance. Evra described the season as a ‘disaster’, and admitted that he and his teammates deserved the criticism that has been hurled at them lately. He added that looking at their position on the Premier League table (they finished in seventh place) was frustrating, and that he hopes to ‘forget’ this season as quickly as possible.

Although things at Old Trafford seem decidedly grim at the moment, the summer transfer window may offer the club a ray of hope. As a supporter of the Red Devils, Tunde Folawiyo may know that Manchester United have set a budget of £150 million, which they intend to use to entice in some talented new players. It is understood that the club’s new manager, Louis van Gaal, will have the final decision regarding these matters.

Manchester United has an illustrious and long history at the top of the English league, as well as achieving a number of remarkable milestones on the European stage. In 2008, a season when many did not believe it was possible, the team once again rose to the challenge and won the Champions League. The squad immortalised itself in Manchester United’s history, while adding more prestige to manager Alex Ferguson’s career, who many believe is the greatest football manager of all time.

After qualifying through the English league, Manchester United were placed into a group alongside Sporting CP, Roma, and Dynamo Kyiv. The first two matches against Sporting CP and Roma were won by just a one goal margin courtesy of Ronaldo and Rooney respectively. After this, a doubleheader against Dynamo Kiev resulted in a 4-2 victory before Manchester United went on to add to this with an impressive 4-0 win against the same opponents in the next game. The team cemented itself at the top of its group with a subsequent 2-1 win over Sporting CP, and a 1-1 draw against Roma.

Once Manchester United were through to the knock-out phases of the competition, the quality of the opposition inevitably increased. A hard fought 1-1 draw away to French team, Lyon, may have knocked the confidence of the team, but this did not show when, on the returning leg, United defeated Lyon by a solitary goal, securing passage to the quarter-finals of the Champion’s League on the road to glory.

Surprisingly, the Manchester United team were drawn against previous group opponents A.S. Roma for their quarter-final ties. This proved remarkable, as it would go on to be the fifth and sixth times the teams had played each other in the preceding 12 months. The initial leg of the quarter-finals was played in Italy, with Manchester United coming out on top comfortably with a 2-0 win. The quarter-final was then seal on the return leg when Roma was defeated by one goal.

In the semi-finals, Manchester United met another one of Europe’s greatest footballing teams, Barcelona. After a dogged first leg where neither team got the upper hand in a 0-0 draw, Manchester United, edged out Barcelona in the return leg with one solitary goal, provided by club legend Paul Scholes, in the 14^th minute of open play.

The team’s efforts were rewarded with an exceptional final against fellow English team Chelsea, much to many of the fans, including Tunde Folawiyo’s delight. Both sides had competed for the English title, and so it was fitting that the game went to penalties in the end. The Manchester United team were victorious after a 1-1 score could not separate the teams, with Chelsea losing 5-6 on penalties.

Manchester United Football Club has an illustrious history, and its fan base is just as impressive. To find out more about the team from a fans perspective, read Tunde Folawiyo’s online articles on his passion for the world’s most successful club.

Van Gaal is being kept busy by transfer negotiations at the moment. It might surprise Tunde Folawiyo to hear that, should his efforts to sign Arturo Vidal fall through, the Dutch manager will attempt to sign Alex Song instead. The Red Devils have been open about their talks with Juventus over the past few weeks, and are said to have offered the Italian club £45 million for the 27-year-old. Several weeks ago, they also requested that Vidal undergo a medical assessment, in order to ensure that his old knee and ankle injuries would not hinder his ability to play in upcoming matches.

Whilst such measures – and such a generous offer – clearly indicate that Van Gaal is eager to bring Vidal on board, it is unclear if Juventus would be willing to let him go. Whether Song would be the best alternative is debatable. Although Luis Enrique, the Arsenal manager, is thought to have been less than impressed with the Cameroon player’s performance, Van Gaal seems to see some potential in him which others do not.

United have also set their sights on another Arsenal player – Thomas Vermaelen. The club are believed to be looking to strengthen their central defence by playing with three centre halves, and are confident that Vermaelan is the right man for this job. However, it has been reported that the young player is close to agreeing to a transfer to Barcelona, in a 5-year deal worth approximately £12 million.

Vermaelan had expressed a desire to leave Arsenal some time ago, due to the fact that Enrique had been continually favouring Koscielny and Mertesacker over him. Initially, he seemed willing to transfer to United, but now that Arsenal has stated that they would prefer to make a deal with an overseas club, a move to Old Trafford looks very unlikely.

Being a supporter of United, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that Van Gaal had not had much luck with his efforts to sign Mat Hummels either. Hummels has been one of his top transfer targets, due to the recent departure of both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Despite Dortmund refusing to budge regarding the transfer of the defender, Van Gaal intends to make one final offer of £30 million. If this is rejected, he will be considering Daley Blind, who currently plays for Ajax.

Folawiyo has been a fan of the Red Devils for quite some time. However, he has many interests outside of football too; to learn more about this man, view Scribd uploads on Tunde Folawiyo online.

Mere weeks after leading the Netherlands to a third place finish at the World Cup, Van Gaal is at it again, seeking to sign the boldest and brightest players to the Manchester United roster. A variety of international players are said to be under Van Gaal’s radar, few of which have been confirmed by the coach himself, though the exception lies in Kevin Strootman, Roma midfielder. Recently, Van Gaal confirmed interest in 24-year-old Strootman who is currently on lay-off due to a knee injury suffered in March. Tunde Folawiyo and other fans of Manchester United may find a Strootman acquisition to be amongst Van Gaal’s wisest moves as coach so far.

Whilst Van Gaal has indeed admitted interest, he has also admitted hesitance over Stootman’s long period of lay-off. According to the Manchester United coach, no decision will be made until an assessment of the player’s period of recovery. Also swirling around the rumour mill is Roma player Medhi Benatia, a centre half who may very well be within Van Gaal’s eye line. The coach also addressed Luke Shaw’s wage demands.

The Dutchman first made his professional debut playing for Sparta Rotterdam during the 2007–2008 season. His contract was extended during November of 2008, where he later performed in the Eerste Divisie. During the January 2011 transfer window, Strootman was signed by FC Utrecht, where he played for part of the 2010–11 season before making a move to PSV during June of the same year.

During July of 2013, Roma and PSV finalized Strootman’s transfer to Italian Serie A, a €17 million deal. With several goals throughout his time with the club, he suffered an injury during March 2014 that would render him out for the rest of the season, as well as the 2014 World Cup, one in which the Dutch placed third. The manner in which the midfielder bounces back from his injury will be under heavy scrutiny by Van Gaal and his staff in the coming weeks.

Strootman’s international debut for the Dutch team came in 2011 in a match against Austria. Whilst he was part of the Netherlands’ roster at the Euro 2012, the team was knocked out during group stage. He played regularly for the team during the qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup, scoring during an 8-1 victory over Hungary. Given Strootman’s tremendous performance for both Roma and the Netherlands national team, Tunde Folawiyo and millions of other Red Devils fans may welcome the signing of the super talent. A Tunde Folawiyo success story on Frontiers provides a glimpse into the life of one of United’s loyal fans.

With Manchester United Head Coach Louis Van Gaal hard at work solidifying the club’s roster, the rumour mill continues to swirl with tidbits of potential trades and new signings. Whilst the fate of the club’s current members is not yet set in stone, there are a few rumours that have been confirmed. It has recently been reported that United hopes to soon complete Arturo Vidal’s signing, a move that had been previously disputed by the player himself. Tunde Folawiyo and millions of other fans of the beloved club may welcome the signing of the 27-year-old Chilean.

Whilst Vidal, a Juventus midfielder, recently told reporters that a move to Old Trafford was not on the cards, recent reports claim an outstanding £35 million move may be in the works with a signing possible in the coming weeks. With Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera recently signed to United, a Vidal contract would be the third initiated since Van Gaal’s start as head coach.

Although signing Vidal would be of great benefit to United, there are many tough decisions up ahead for Van Gaal and his coaching staff. Wilfried Zaha and Nani are both rumoured to be on the chopping block after receiving significant dressing-downs from Van Gaal during their pre-season United States tour. The coach is said to be unimpressed with the pairs’ attitude, prompting questions of whether they will remain with the team for the upcoming season.

If the player’s career stats are any indication, United would benefit immensely from signing the midfielder to the squad. Vidal held several roles in the early years of his career, demonstrating his versatility and capabilities in both attack and defense. His reputation earned him the nickname “Ill Guerriero” or “The Warrior” by Italian press for his aggressive playing style.

Vidal is regarded amongst the best in the world after displaying outstanding skill under Juventus. His service to the team, as well as Chile’s national team, have garnered him much fanfare throughout his career. During 2013, he was ranked 11^th on Bloomberg’s list of the best players in Europe. With much work to be done to the Red Devils’ roster ahead of next season, whether or not Vidal will join in is a topic of interest for many United fans and players alike. Flickr images of Tunde Folawiyo may showcase a glimpse of Red Devils fan life. He and millions of other Manchester United fans may welcome the Chilean with open arms if Van Gaal does indeed seal the deal.

As a supporter of United, Tunde Folawiyo was no doubt thrilled to learn that the team enjoyed yet another victory this month, with their match against Valencia ending with a final tally of 2-1. Darren Fletcher gave the Red Devils the lead soon after the interval; however, Rodrigo scored an equaliser for Valencia minutes later, and for a time, it seemed as if the match would end in a draw. But Van Gaal’s decision to bring on Fellaini proved to be a wise one, as the Belgian grabbed an opportunity to score after the keeper Diego Alves accidentally collided with a defender.

This was a particularly proud moment for Fellaini, being the first goal he has scored since joining the team last summer. His transfer to United cost the club just over £27 million; as such, it’s safe to say that there were high expectations, which up until this week, Fellaini had failed to meet. He was – and perhaps still is -a favourite to be transferred; however, given his performance during this match, he might be able to sway Van Gaal’s opinion, and keep his place at his current club.

Whilst fans like Tunde Folawiyo were probably very pleased with the final results of the match, commentators observed a certain lack of excitement amongst the spectators. Despite Van Gaal’s best efforts, he and his team could not improve the somewhat sombre atmosphere in the stadium. The only point at which the crowds began to awaken was when Wayne Rooney was awarded a penalty, after having been nudged by Antonio Barragan. Unfortunately, Rooney mistimed his footing and failed to get the ball anywhere near the net. After the match ended, Van Gaal expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, and said that although they had won in the end, it had been their worst game yet, with a number of questionable decisions being made by the players.

Despite the striker’s momentary lapse from grace in their game against Valencia, Van Gaal still decided to appoint Rooney as United’s captain. The announcement was made shortly after the match. Van Gaal praised Rooney for having a great attitude, adding that he had been pleased with how professional the player had been in regards to training and adhering to the newly-introduced system. He described him as an inspiration, and said that he believed he would work well alongside the new vice-captain, Darren Fletcher. Rooney also commented on the news, stating that it was a great honour to be given the role of captain. He went on say that he would perform his duties with great pride, and that he was very thankful that Van Gaal for giving him this opportunity.

Folawiyo is a football fanatic, and enjoys watching the matches played by his favourite teams. However, this is just one of his many pastimes; he also, for instance, likes reading about the accomplishments of important figures. You can discover more about his thoughts on this subject by visiting the Influential icons blog of Tunde Folawiyo.

With Coach Van Gaal hard at work perfecting the Manchester United roster, it has been announced that the club intends to heighten efforts to acquire the talented Thomas Vermaelen. United are expected to extend a £15m to the Arsenal defender to top Barcelona’s attempts for a signing (1). The news comes upon Vermaelen’s rejection of a contract extension with Emirates, prompting the renewed interest in the Belgian. Tunde Folawiyo and millions of other Red Devils fans may welcome the player with open arms as his achievements are not lost upon the world of football thus far.

The Red Devils have exhibited a weak central defense in the past, driving Van Gaal’s determination to acquire Vermaelen. Arsene Wenger had previously halted the move earlier in the summer. Also on the Coach Van Gaal’s player wish list is Daley Blind, Ajax’s wing-back. Signing these two players would do tremendous things for Van Gaal’s plans for a 3-5-2 player formation that would allow two wide players to easily transition from defense to attack.

Though a Vermaelen transition to United would most likely be welcome by fans, Arsenal has displayed reluctance to part with Vermaelen, especially to a League rival. In recent years alone, six of Arsenal’s first team have moved north, further adding to their hesitation to hand over Vermaelen. Though, whilst he served as captain for the team last season, the defender made only seven appearances, adding to speculation of his reputation amongst the team.

United’s defense is undoubtedly of great concern for the new coach. Acquiring Vermaelen would provide coverage for Luke Shaw, adding strength to a defense previously seen lagging. Recent reports have suggested that as many as six of United’s players may be making a move from Old Trafford.

Vermaelen joined Ajax’s youth academy during 2000 before winning the 2003-2004 Eredivisie during his first season. He served as the club’s captain after the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar during 2009. That same year, he joined team Arsenal, where he was named club captain upon the transfer of Robin van Persie to Old Trafford during August of 2012. Though he displayed great talent on the field, the success of defensive duo Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker hindered playing time. His leadership skills and goalscoring abilities as a defender make him a force to be reckoned with. Tunde Folawiyo and other loyal fans of Manchester United may hope for a Vermaelen signing to turn the team’s defense around in hopes of brighter times ahead. For more information about his varied interests, view this interview with Tunde Folawiyo.

Former Scottish footballer and famed manager of Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson retired last year after serving the team since 1986. Ferguson’s departure occurred after his 1500^th match as manager, against West Brom. Ferguson said simply that it was the right time to leave. Many consider him among the best managers in the history of football. He won the Manager of the Year award more times than any person in British history. Fans of Ferguson and Manchester United can be found in the UK and all over the world, including Tunde Folawiyo, who has been a fan since the days of Best and Charlton. For more information, please see this Tunde Folawiyo company overview.

Ferguson’s soccer career began as a player at aged 16 in the amateur league with Queen’s Park. He began his professional career after signing with Dunfermline in 1964. In 1966, Ferguson tied for the most goals scored in the Scottish League. He played for several teams in the Scottish football association before transitioning to management in 1974. He was only 32 when he began as manager for East Stirlingshire, and headed next to St. Mirren to oversee a remarkable rise in the club’s game play and base of fan support. After St. Mirren became the only football team to ever fire Ferguson, he moved on to Aberdeen, the team that claimed both the Scottish Cup and the European Super Cup in 1983.

Manchester United took Ferguson on as manager in 1986, and in his first season he brought the team from twenty-first to eleventh place. He worked with players to increase discipline and drive, and made some expensive acquisitions, including Neil Webb and Danny Wallace in 1989. After a rough start, Manchester United found its stride, and Ferguson went on to be one of the most celebrated managers in football. He has a long legacy of former players who have gone on to become managers themselves.

His former players praise his skills as a manager, his incredible passion and commitment to the game. After achieving one thousand games in 2004, he was lauded by then-captain Bryan Robson as a man who “lives and breathes for football.” Ferguson won nearly forty trophies with Manchester United. The team won the UEFA Champions League title twice under his direction and the Premier League title thirteen times.

Now that the World Cup has drawn to a close, Louis Van Gaal is focusing all of his attention on transfers. It was recently reported that the Dutchman had been hoping to sign Kevin Strootman; this dream has been dealt a blow, as the midfielder’s current club, Roma, are reluctant to sell one of their top players.

As a football fanatic, Tunde Folawiyo may know that Strootman is still recovering from a severe knee injury – but this has not deterred Van Gaal, who says that he will continue to monitor the player’s recovery, and potentially make an offer in the near future. However, Van Gaal’s offer will have to be a generous one; Rudi Garcia, Roma’s manager, has stated that he would not let Strootman go for less than £79 million.

United have had better luck with signing Arturo Vidal; whilst the midfielder initially said that he had no interest in transferring to Old Trafford, an offer of £35 million is said to have caused him to reconsider. At the moment, talks are underway, and if they go well, Vidal could be moving to the Red Devils within a matter of days.

Supporters of United, such as Tunde Folawiyo, might have heard the rumour that Angel Di Maria, one of Real Madrid’s midfielders, is keen to move to another team. There have been indications that Di Maria is feeling overlooked at his current club, and would quite happily transfer to United, if a reasonable offer was made. The Argentine is reported to have complained about the lack of time he has had on the pitch as of late, due to the arrival of newly-acquired players like Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez.

However, it is unclear whether Van Gaal is interested in signing Di Maria. When asked, he noted that he will need to closely examine the existing squad at United before making a decision. He explained that he must first analyse the strengths and weaknesses of his team and determine if certain players need to be replaced; only then will he be able to consider the midfielder.

Van Gaal has been true to his word in this regard, and has made it clear to several members of the current squad that he will replace them if their performance is not up to scratch. In particular, the manager is said to be keeping an eye on Wilfried Zaha and Nani, neither of whom did as well as they should have during the pre-season US tour.

Like many of United’s supporters, Folawiyo is no doubt curious as to what decisions Van Gaal will make during the coming weeks. To find out more about this football fan, read the Tunde Folawiyo ‘About Me’ information.