"If they ever ask me, I’ll cycle there!" - Ligue 1 star says he'd love to play for Manchester United
LOSC Lille defender Thomas Meunier has opened up about his admiration for Manchester United, saying that if an opportunity arises, he won’t hesitate to make a move to Old Trafford. The Belgian has long had a soft spot for the Red Devils, as he said in 2017, when he was at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), that he’s always been a fan of the Premier League club.
Meunier, 33, has played for some of the top European clubs, such as PSG and Borussia Dortmund. He joined Lille from Turkish side Trabzonspor last summer as a free agent and registered three goal contributions in 46 games across competitions for the French club in the just concluded season.
While age could impede Meunier’s dream of playing for United from becoming a reality, he continues to be a huge fan of the club. He recently told Belgian outlet Gazet van Antwerpen (via Metro):
“If they (Man Utd) ever ask me, I’ll cycle there! But maybe it’s better this way. Suppose I play there and have a bad time, I wouldn’t want to hate Manchester United, because I love that club so much. I went to watch them a few weeks ago, against Bilbao. In with the fans, singing, à fond (fully). Je suis un vrai (I am a real one)."
He added:
"I go to watch them at least once every season. But of all the home games I’ve seen in all those years, they’ve only won two. You have to have a self-cruelty side to be a United supporter, right?”
Meanwhile, a struggling Manchester United side under Ruben Amorim are in the rebuilding phase after enduring their worst Premier League campaign ever. They finished in 15th place with 11 wins, nine draws, and 18 losses.
Manchester United submit increased bid for target – Reports
Manchester United have reportedly upped the ante for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo in a bid to seal a permanent transfer of the player. They have been heavily linked with a move for the Cameroonian but have yet to reach an agreement with the Bees due to financial disagreements.
A recent report from The Independent said the Red Devils’ offer of a guaranteed £45 million plus £10 million in add-ons for Mbeumo was outrightly rejected by Brentford. The Bees are understood to value their player around the £60 million mark.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have submitted another bid for Bryan Mbeumo, and it is believed that their new offer is closer to Brentford’s asking price.
