Happy return to football everyone! The games start to count for real beginning this Friday when Manchester United host Fulham FC. As is always the case when another season commences, it’s out with the old, in with the new. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is off to West Ham United, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are coming over from Bayern Munich.
De Ligt and Mazraoui trained today, and most likely they should be in contention for featuring in the season opener.
After five years at Old Trafford, @AWBissaka has joined West Ham.
Aaron will always be a part of the United family and he departs with our very best wishes ??#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 13, 2024
Season Opener FYIs
Fulham FC at Manchester United
Kick off: 8pm, Friday Aug. 16, Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
Man United Preview Content: On-the-pitch Team News Off-the-pitch Team News Starting XI Prediction
Result Probability: Man United 64% Fulham 16% Draw 20%
Man United Team News
It is thought that Mazraoui will ultimately take over the right back position, a slot where we often saw Wan-Bissaka, over the course of the last half-decade. And now there is talk that the prospect of a Manuel Ugarte signing has new life to it. That deal could actually be closed by the weekend.
Harry Maguire (also undisclosed) and Victor Lindelof (yet again, also unknown) are both expected to face late fitness tests in order to feature here.
Meanwhile Luke Shaw is seriously injured again. What else is new? This time it’s a calf injury, and it will keep him on the shelf until after the September internationals.
Moving forward, United will have to find another solution at left back. He’s proven unreliable.
Tyrell Malacia (rehab from knee surgery) has suffered some setbacks in his rehabilitation process and is still a couple months away. Rasmus Hojlund (hamstring/thigh problem) and Will Fish (ankle/foot problem) are about a month ahead of Malacia in their timelines for return.
Meanwhile Leny Yoro (recovery from foot surgery) is about a month behind him.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.