Man Utd news: Board overruled Rangnick on exit and £33m signing after ‘verbal agreement’ | Football | Sport

The Manchester United board had the final say on any potential incomings and exits last month – despite Ralf Rangnick agreeing to at least one signing and departure, both of which were seemingly overruled by the club’s hierarchy. The Red Devils interim boss has been working hard to turn United’s season around following a difficult start to life in the Old Trafford hot-seat and was open to strengthening the squad where possible.

However, United have since made it clear that they never intended to make any new signings in the winter market because they are yet to decide on a new manager.

Club chiefs want to put the brakes on all spending and recruitment until they have a new boss in place, so they can sign players that fit his philosophy and identity.

There is an understanding that United now need to nail their summer business in order to close the gap on Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Yet Rangnick was in fact keen on adding at least one player to his squad in the form of Amadou Haidara.

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The board also intervened to block a late outgoing too after Jesse Lingard came close to joining Newcastle.

He had been a target for the Magpies all window but had effectively been priced out of a move to Tyneside as United demanded a substantial loan fee (£12m).

The asking price was then slashed on deadline day but after Rangnick gave Lingard his blessing to depart, the United board intervened.

Having already loaned Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek to Sevilla and Everton, there was a feeling that the club were significantly weakening their squad.

Furthermore, the arrest and suspension of Mason Greenwood also leaves United light on the ground in attack.

While there is an appreciation that Lingard will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires, he will not be going anywhere for now.

Instead, he may get the minutes he was promised by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the start of the campaign when he was told he had a future at United.

Since then, Lingard has barely featured despite an impressive second half of the season in 2020/21 on loan at West Ham that saw him force his way back into the reckoning with England.