Manchester United
A calculated risk? – Man United must take the plunge and sign this veteran hitman who is available for free
Fernando Llorente could be a smart signing for Man United
According to The Sun, Man United are on the verge of signing Spanish international striker Fernando Llorente, who is currently a free agent following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the summer.
The 34-year-old left the North London club upon the expiry of his contract but United are apparently keen to offer him an escape route, with the report suggesting that the Red Devils have lined up the veteran frontman as a replacement for Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku’s £74 million switch to Inter Milan on transfer deadline day has left United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer short of options in the centre-forward role and Llorente has been identified as someone who could possibly add much-needed experience, depth and variety to an attack that is apparently a bit over-reliant on pace.
The likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have both found the net so far in the Premier League this season but United are still short of cover in the final third and Solskjaer seems to be wary of the fact that he could possibly face a burnout if either of the two strikers is forced out of action with an injury.
United are not alone in the race to sign the 34-year-old, though, with The Sun claiming that Llorente is also being courted heavily by Italian clubs Lazio and Napoli.
However, the lure of a move to Old Trafford in the dying stages of his career, coupled with the prospect of staying in the Premier League, might prove too much for the towering centre-forward to resist.
Llorente, who made his move to Spurs in 2017 after netting 15 goals for Swansea City in the Premier League in the 2016-17 campaign, went on to register 13 goals and 6 assists in 66 appearances for the Lilywhites over the course of two seasons.
Those numbers might look pretty mediocre on paper but, in all honesty, the veteran did pretty well in his role as an understudy to the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, with a lion share of those appearances coming as brief cameos from the bench.
Despite that, however, the former Athletic Bilbao and Juventus star proved his worth as a wily old fox in front of goal last season when Kane was sidelined with an injury, scoring some crucial goals to propel the Lilywhites to the finals of the UEFA Champions League.
To put things into perspective, Man United’s links with Fernando Llorente isn’t likely to get the fans at Old Trafford off their feet but the 34-year-old might as well prove to be a handy addition to the squad before the end of the month.
The Premier League clubs are still allowed to sign free agents until the end of August and the veteran Spaniard is certainly worth a punt for the Red Devils, given his availability on a free transfer.
The move might prove to be a masterstroke from Solskjaer if it pays off and even if it doesn’t produce the desired results, the loss in terms of finances would be quite meagre. Hence, United do not have too much to worry about the negative consequences of bringing in an ageing star like Llorente.
On the contrary, the Spaniard’s technical abilities on the ball, physical presence inside the box, subtle offensive movement, slick link-up play, as well as supreme aerial abilities and poaching instincts, is likely to add another dimension to United’s attack.
The Red Devils already have a lot of pace and flair in their attacking ranks but Llorente could provide Solskajer with a much-needed focal point in front of goal, whilst his ability to turn the tables from the bench should also prompt United to play a low-cost gamble on him.
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Keeping all the aforementioned factors in mind, United should not hesitate to take a calculated risk and offer the 34-year-old a chance to stay in the Premier League.
Manchester United
Broken Eye Socket Sidelines Manchester United Women’s Star: Expected Healing Time and Return Date
Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has suffered a fractured eye socket that could sideline her for several weeks, dealing a significant blow to the Red Devils’ momentum in both domestic and European competition.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce Fractures Eye Socket
The 29-year-old sustained the injury during United’s Women’s Super League clash against Aston Villa on November 11 in an accidental impact that required immediate attention after the match.
While she escaped without a concussion, further medical assessments confirmed the fracture, forcing her to miss Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain and Saturday’s 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City.
Marc Skinner confirmed after the PSG match that Tullis-Joyce had experienced “a little bit of irritation” around the affected area. She was spotted on the pitch before kick-off wearing sunglasses and talking with teammates, highlighting the sensitivity to light that typically accompanies this type of injury.
Expected Recovery Timeline
Recovery timelines for a fractured eye socket typically extend several weeks, with rest and protection crucial to ensuring safe healing before a return to competition.
Despite the concerning diagnosis, Skinner struck a cautiously optimistic tone ahead of the Manchester derby. “She should be fine, it’s just trying to make sure she doesn’t get another knock in that area,” the 42-year-old coach said on Saturday.
Impact on United’s Title Push
The timing couldn’t be worse for Manchester United. Tullis-Joyce has been in arguably the best form of her career this season, establishing herself as one of the WSL’s most reliable goalkeepers since inheriting the number one spot following Mary Earps’ departure in summer 2024.
Her absence forces United to rely on backup goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel, who impressed in her second senior appearance against PSG but remains relatively inexperienced at this level. The 3-0 derby defeat to City, where Middleton-Patel deputised again, exposed the defensive vulnerability created by Tullis-Joyce’s absence.
United currently sit third in the WSL table with 17 points from nine matches, but their fixture list intensifies significantly over the coming weeks. Beyond Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Wolfsburg, they face a crucial run of domestic fixtures that could define their season.
Internationally, the injury also disrupts Tullis-Joyce’s upward trajectory with the USWNT. After making her senior debut in April 2025 against Brazil, she’s been a regular in Emma Hayes’ squads and had positioned herself as a genuine contender for future major tournaments. With the United States set to face Italy in a doubleheader on November 28 and December 1, her availability remains uncertain.
Manchester City
Manchester United Women Suffer Unwanted Record for the First Time in 18 Months after Lackluster Display Against Manchester City
Manchester United Women endured their most toothless attacking display in 18 months during Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, failing to register a single shot on target for the first time since facing Chelsea on May 18, 2024.
Despite controlling 60% of possession at the Etihad Stadium, United failed to test City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita once across the entire 90 minutes, managing just 11 shots with none finding the target.
Defeat in the derby. pic.twitter.com/6KImmqLhTj
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 15, 2025
It’s a damning indictment of Marc Skinner’s side, especially considering they came into this fixture as the only team with a perfect away record in the WSL this season. That unblemished run is now history, blown apart by Andree Jeglertz’s side who delivered three first-half goals through Rebecca Knaak, Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp.
Creativity Vanished When It Mattered Most
The absence of injured goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce certainly didn’t help defensively, but United’s attacking woes can’t be blamed on personnel. Jess Park started against her former club, Ella Toone was in the lineup, and Melvine Malard came off the bench. Yet none of them could fashion a single effort that genuinely troubled Yamashita.
United dominated possession but lacked any penetration in the final third. When they did manage to get shots away, it was either blocked, wayward, or hit straight at City defenders.
The worrying part is this wasn’t just a one-off. United collapsed 3-2 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League midweek despite initially leading 2-0, and now they’ve followed that up with arguably their worst attacking performance of the season.
Manchester City
(Photos) Not For the Faint-Hearted: Nasty Head-On Collision in Manchester Derby Leaves Stars With Lumps
Manchester United‘s Simi Awujo and Manchester City‘s Jade Rose caused a lengthy stoppage in the dying moments of Saturday’s derby after a brutal clash of heads competing for a goal-line clearance.
Medical staff immediately rushed on to carry out concussion protocols, with Awujo eventually forced off whilst Rose was cleared to continue post treatment.
Sickening Head Clash Stops Manchester Derby
The incident marred what had already been a punishing afternoon for United, who lost 3-0 to their cross-city rivals to fall seven points behind City in the WSL title race. Goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp handed City a comfortable victory, extending their unbeaten run to eight consecutive matches.
Jade Rose Shows Battle Scars on Instagram
Despite the severity of the collision, Rose appeared in good spirits afterwards when teammate Alex Greenwood snapped a photo showing the defender’s sizeable forehead bump. Rose posted the image to Instagram, writing: “Can’t say I didn’t put my body on the line.”
Manchester City Women’s Statement Victory
After tonight’s statement victory, City now sit four points clear of second-placed Chelsea, having played a game more, whilst United are stuck in third position seven points adrift of their rivals.
Jeglertz expressed delight at his first derby triumph despite the intensity. The Swedish manager particularly praised his side’s defensive solidity after keeping a clean sheet.
On the other hand, Manchester United boss Marc Skinner was left frustrated by his team’s individual errors.
United had been dealing with a tight turnaround after beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, when Awujo had made her first start in European competition before the unfortunate collision ended her afternoon prematurely.
Read more: Arsenal Women vs. Tottenham Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
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