United cut again

GM football fans. Route One here, and we’re covering Man United’s new cost-cutting methods, the landmark NWSL deal, and much more.

STATS

Premier League MD2: Brighton vs Manchester United (Sat 24 - 12:30 BST)

→ Manchester United have lost 43% of their Premier League meetings with Brighton (6/14), their highest loss rate against a single opponent in the competition’s history.

→ Brighton will fancy their chances here, having won four of their last five Premier League games against United.

Premier League MD2: Aston Villa vs Arsenal (Sat 24 - 17:30 BST)

→ Aston Villa did the double over Arsenal last season, accounting for 40% of the Gunners’ league defeats (2/5).

→ Arsenal, though, have won 14 away Premier League games against the Villans, their joint-most wins at a single away venue in the league.

Plus…

• Premier League fixtures for Matchweek 2 (More)

• Match of the Day pundit Jermaine Jenas sacked for “inappropriate texts” (More)

• Thibaut Courtois releases statement saying he will not play for the Belgium national team manager (More)

• Arsenal have reached an agreement in principle to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, around £28.4mn (More)

• John Textor is assessing two offers for his stake in Crystal Palace before Everton takeover (More)

PREMIER LEAGUE

Man United’s creative cost-cutting

As part of their cost-cutting programme, Manchester United are getting creative with how they scale down costs on matchday.

Their first cost-cutting victim: Lunchboxes. United’s staff were familiar with a complimentary matchday lunchbox - including a sandwich, cereal bar, bag of crisps and a soft drink - but now they’re scrapping this entirely. 

The staff at Old Trafford only found out in United’s opening game against Fulham that they would be offered leftovers from the football supplied to corporate boxes.

Their second cost-cutting victim: Corporate boxes. Now only half the number of matchday programmes will be provided to private boxes.

According to United, not only is this a financial saving, but they claim they’re reducing waste as “many of the magazines [are] found in bins”.

An evil necessity? 

These are just some ‘smaller’ changes to their spending habits, especially compared to those that were issued last season:

• United cancelled credit cards and the use of private chauffeurs for senior employees as they claimed some were overspending.

• The biggest move, though, came when United announced their plan to make 250 of their staff redundant. While controversial, United had 1,100 staff while their noisy neighbours, Manchester City, have around 520.

Frugal origins: INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe assessed the state of the club and decided they needed more cost controls, especially after posting a £71.4mn net loss in the first three months of this year.

Whether or not a packet of crisps and a can of Coke will close that gap… well only time will tell.

POLL

HEAD START

📸 Bodycams on referees successful trial run. The FA has successfully trialled the use of bodycams on referees in adult grassroots football. After doubling the number of games using the bodycam to 1400, there were no activations of the bodycams by referees, suggesting the bodycams are working to deter violence towards officials. There was a 15% increase in registered match officials this season and retention levels have reached a record high as 78% of referees who refereed last season have re-registered this season. The trial will expand to an additional four football leagues in England for the 2024-25 season.

🔁 Ugarte to Manchseter United imminent. Paris Saint Germain’s defensive midfielder is soon likely to arrive at Manchester United in a deal worth €60mn, per Le Parisien. The Uruguayan arrived at the French giants for €60mn last season from Sporting, and despite having a strong start at PSG he quickly found himself wanting more minutes. In the 2022-23 season, Ugarte was the best midfielder in terms of possession won in the final third and tackles per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues. It’s understood that all parties are keen on the transfer.

👋 Kieran Trippier wants to leave Newcastle. England full-back Kieran Trippier is reportedly eager to leave The Magpies before the end of the summer transfer window. Manager Eddie Howe seems to favour Tino Livramento at right-back and Trippier’s captaincy armband has now been handed to Bruno Guimaraes. The 33-year-old is now hopeful for a move to another Premier League side, with Everton among the clubs wanting to sign him.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Historic new deal for the NWSL announced

Women’s soccer in the U.S. has taken a step towards European-style football.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Players Association have a new collective bargaining agreement, one which includes higher pay, more benefits and - most notably - abolishing the draft.

The backstory: When the NWSL looked over the pond, it didn’t like what it saw. Spain and England were attracting the top talent in the women’s game - and their respective World Cup and Euros wins were the cherries on top. 

“What we learned from the World Cup is there’s a global talent pool we want to engage and attract,” said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman.

So… last year the league and its player association got together to agree a new collective bargaining agreement.

A new way of doing things

More eyes are on the NWSL than ever - a 42% year-on-year increase - but it isn’t attracting the talent it wants. So it needed to switch things up.

Here’s the important part: The new deal means that the NWSL has become the first major American professional sports league to abolish its draft, allowing players to choose which team they join. There are plenty more revolutionary changes:

• The agreement will bar trades without players’ consent and ensure that every player becomes a free agent at the end of their contract, eliminating the five-year service requirement to attain free agency. 

• The salary cap will be raised from $2.75mn to $3.3mn next year and $5.1mn by 2030. Minimum salary in 2025 will be $48.5k, rising to $82.5k by 2030.

• Player contracts will now be guaranteed, as opposed to allowing semi-guaranteed contracts, preventing early termination.

A big take: This could be the first sign of American sports aligning with European sports. At the end of the day, soccer is a truly global sport - and it looks like the NWSL knows the only way it can compete is if it acts globally.

AROUND THE FOOTBALL WORLD

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Al Hilal have reached an agreement for Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo after being told Kyle Walker will not be leaving the club this summer (More)

🇮🇹 Serie A Women: AC Milan captain Christy Grimshaw says players “now don’t have to make a choice” between being a mother or a footballer after the club introduced a ground-breaking maternity policy (More)

🇩🇪 Bundesliga: RB Salzburg have signed Liverpool’s 19-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark in a £10mn deal (More)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish football: Clubs in Scotland are failing to bring through enough young players, a report by the Scottish FA has said (More)

🇬🇷 Super League Greece: Panathinaikos have completed the signing of Manchester United forward Facundo Pellistri for £5.1mn (More)

PHOTO OF THE DAY

On this day in 1978. The summer signings by Tottenham of Argentine World Cup stars Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa meant an eagerly-awaited home League debut for the duo. A ticker-tape parade and 47,892 fans were at White Hart Lane to give them that welcome. But visitors Aston Villa hadn’t read the script – Villa beat newly-promoted Spurs 4-1.

ROUTER’S VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Do you think that Chelsea have dealt with the Raheem Sterling situation well?

Routers voted that Chelsea didn’t handle the Sterling situation well - but only just.

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ 🤝 Yes, Maresca is only being honest. (43.4%)

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🤕 Nope, it's unfair the way he's being treated. (47.3%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (9.2%)

Your punditry takes:

• 🤝 Matthew voted ‘Yes’: “He is the manager and he alone gets to make game day roster decisions. I am sure he consulted with his assistants and they came to this decision together. None of us are at training on a daily basis so we can not say how things have gone there. Have to trust the manager is making the best decision for the team.”

• 🤕 Craig voted ‘Nope’: “One of their longest-standing squad members, one of their few consistent performers over the last two years? Let's alienate him and force him out. Good one, Chelsea.”

• ✍️ CJ voted ‘Other’: “If this were any other business, we'd be saying both sides have valid grievances and reasons. It's only football that gets this pantomime.”

• ✍️ NT voted ‘Other’: “I said last week that having all these players with massive egos this would happen. It's only going to get worse if A - He doesn't get a move before the deadline and B - He doesn't start to be named or played.”

EXTRA TIME

Conor Gallagher’s presentation at the Metropolitano…

… and his attempt at speaking Spanish.

Cristiano Ronaldo presents his new YouTube plaque to his family.

Four key questions ahead of the Bundesliga 2024-25 season.

Rafa Benitez sets the record straight with Gary Neville.

Phil Foden ranks his England teammates in two-touch.

FC Red Bull Salzburg novel reveal video. 

Paul Merson’s take on Chelsea ousting Sterling from the club.

Atletico Madrid fans deface Joao Felix’s plaque.

Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek 2 FPL team selection. 

Analysis: Do Arsenal have the depth to go the distance in the title race?

GAME FACE ON

Question: Who am I…

• I played youth football for VfB Stuttgart, before joining RB Leipzig in July 2013.

• I won eight Bundesliga titles in a row.

• I provided the assist for the winner against PSG in the 2020 Champions League final.

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

FOOTBALL

EFL Championship

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Leeds United (20:00 BST)

English National League

• Dagenham & Redbridge vs Halifax (19:45 BST)

La Liga

• Celta Vigo vs Valencia (18:00 BST)

• Sevilla vs Villarreal (20:30 BST)

Ligue 1

• PSG vs Montpellier (19:45 BST)

Bundesliga

• M’gladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen (19:30 BST)

*EST -5. PST -8. CET +1. CST +8. JST +9.

Answer

Joshua Kimmich. The German international cemented his name when he provided a pinpoint cross for teammate Kingsley Coman to head the winner against PSG in the Champions League final.