Manchester: Manchester United have identified France international Djibril Sidibe as one of their principal summer transfer targets.
The AS Monaco full back is wanted as part of an overhaul of the English Premier League team’s back four proposed by manager Jose Mourinho, a club source has told Arab News.
Sidibe can operate on both the right and left side of defense and would add energy and pace to a United defense in which the 32-year-olds Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young have been preferred at full back this season.
Monaco signed Sidibe from Lille in 2016, extending the defender’s contract until 2022 after his contribution to last season’s unexpected French title success.
According to a Monaco source, the 25-year-old is one of three senior players the club’s Vice President Vadim Vasilyev expects to cash in on this close season as the next part of a transfer strategy that has raised unprecedented sums in recent windows. Monaco are said to want a minimum of €35million ($42 million) for Sidibe.
Mourinho is pushing United to add as many as four new defenders ahead of a campaign in which he aims to bring the Premier League title back to Old Trafford for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
The recruitment of “decisive” individuals at center and full back would allow the deployment of more aggressive tactics against stronger opposition. With current personnel, Mourinho is often forced to protect his back four by deploying a low defensive line or a conservative midfield strategy.
The request that significant resources be focused on such reinforcement echoes Pep Guardiola’s demands that Manchester City provide him with a cohort of new defenders last summer. On the Catalan’s instruction, the Abu Dhabi-owned club agreed global record transfer fees for full backs
Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy, paid a domestic high for goalkeeper Ederson, then signed French center back Aymeric Laporte for €70 million mid-season. City’s reward was one of the most impressive Premier League campaigns ever, the League Cup and a Champions League quarterfinal place.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has favored converted wingers Valencia and Young over a pair of failed Louis van Gaal signings, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw. None of United’s center backs has started more than 22 League fixtures, with injury depriving Mourinho of his most trusted performer in that area of the field, Eric Bailly, for much of the campaign.
Darmian has played just 196 minutes of League football this season and has been offered to Serie A clubs. Daley Blind has 274 minutes, while Luke Shaw — the most expensive full back in world football at the time of his move — has less than 10 hours of playing time this League season.
Among other defenders United are after is Samuel Umtiti. The France international has a €60 million
release clause at Barcelona, who have so far failed to meet his request that his salary be more than doubled to an annual €9 million. United have made it clear that they would meet the center back’s terms should he agree to leave Camp Nou.
Juventus are open to selling Alex Sandro if their valuation of the Brazil left back is met. The 27-year-old has encouraged United’s interest and pressed his current employers to be allowed to move, but is expected to cost a minimum of €57 million.
An alternative option favored by United’s scouting department is
Celtic’s Kieran Tierney. The Scotland left back, who has also operated as a central defender this season, was made the club’s captain last year.
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Manchester Utd chasing Monaco man Sidibe as Jose Mourinho seeks dominant defense
Manchester Utd chasing Monaco man Sidibe as Jose Mourinho seeks dominant defense
- Manchester United chasing Monaco's Djibril Sidibe
- Mourinho is pushing United to add as many as four new defenders ahead of a campaign in which he aims to bring the Premier League
Mayweather to fight Pacquiao in Las Vegas in September
- Manny Pacquiao: ‘Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history. The fans have waited long enough — they deserve this rematch’
- Mayweather beat fellow welterweight Pacquiao in their money-spinning 2015 'Fight of the Century,' which generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys but largely failed to live up to the hype
LOS ANGELES: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will meet in a long-awaited rematch of the highest-grossing clash in boxing history this September at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Netflix announced Monday.
The bout between two of boxing’s biggest names — who famously fought a blockbuster clash in 2015, and are now both in their late forties — comes days after Mayweather announced he is coming out of retirement.
It will be broadcast live September 19 on Netflix, as the global streaming platform increasingly moves into live sports with glitzy one-off events.
“Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history. The fans have waited long enough — they deserve this rematch,” said Pacquiao, 47, in a joint statement.
Mayweather beat fellow welterweight Pacquiao in their money-spinning 2015 “Fight of the Century,” which generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys but largely failed to live up to the hype.
Mayweather is believed to have earned an estimated $300 million from the unanimous points victory over the Filipino icon, which remains the most lucrative fight in history and generated more than $600 million revenue.
Former multi-weight world champion Mayweather retired from boxing in 2017, unbeaten in 50 bouts, though he has continued to fight in exhibitions since, including an upcoming clash this spring with Mike Tyson.
Pacquaio, also a multiple world champion, retired for a four-year period from 2021 in which he unsuccessfully ran for the Philippine presidency. He came out of retirement last year.
‘One loss’
Rumors of a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch have circulated for years, and speculation soared following Mayweather’s announcement last week that he would return to the professional arena this year.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” said Mayweather, in the statement.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” said Pacquiao.
The clash will be the first-ever professional boxing match to take place at Sphere, a venue primarily used for concerts and films which opened in 2023 and features an immersive 160,000-square-foot wraparound screen on its curved interior walls.
It will be shown globally on Netflix, which boasts some 325 million subscribers.
The streamer has recently increased its sports offerings, with a super middleweight clash between Terence Crawford and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas last September viewed by 41 million people.
It also aired divisive fights pitting YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul against a 58-year-old Tyson in November 2024, and versus Anthony Joshua last December.
Both were criticized for proving to be lackluster contests, but drew enormous global attention.
‘Glory’
Nicknamed “Money,” former multi-weight world champion Mayweather was once the world’s highest-paid athlete. His last professional bout took place in 2017 against UFC star Conor McGregor.
The 48-year-old American has long been a controversial figure, often criticized for an overly defensive style, and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record.
Mayweather has also spent time in prison for one of a string of domestic violence incidents.
Pacquaio known at home as “The National Fist” and more broadly as “PacMan,” is an eight-division world champion.
He is beloved in the Philippines for his rags-to-riches story, having dropped out of high school at 14, selling donuts on the roadside and working as a grocery stacker.
Pacquaio, having already served as a Philippines senator from 2016, retired for a four-year period from 2021 in which he tried and failed to win the country’s top political office.
The diminutive southpaw came out of retirement last year. He was held to a draw by Mario Barrios, putting his professional record at 62-8-3.
“As always, I dedicate this fight to my fellow Filipinos around the world and to bringing glory to the Philippines,” said Pacquiao.
The bout between two of boxing’s biggest names — who famously fought a blockbuster clash in 2015, and are now both in their late forties — comes days after Mayweather announced he is coming out of retirement.
It will be broadcast live September 19 on Netflix, as the global streaming platform increasingly moves into live sports with glitzy one-off events.
“Floyd and I gave the world what remains the biggest fight in boxing history. The fans have waited long enough — they deserve this rematch,” said Pacquiao, 47, in a joint statement.
Mayweather beat fellow welterweight Pacquiao in their money-spinning 2015 “Fight of the Century,” which generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys but largely failed to live up to the hype.
Mayweather is believed to have earned an estimated $300 million from the unanimous points victory over the Filipino icon, which remains the most lucrative fight in history and generated more than $600 million revenue.
Former multi-weight world champion Mayweather retired from boxing in 2017, unbeaten in 50 bouts, though he has continued to fight in exhibitions since, including an upcoming clash this spring with Mike Tyson.
Pacquaio, also a multiple world champion, retired for a four-year period from 2021 in which he unsuccessfully ran for the Philippine presidency. He came out of retirement last year.
‘One loss’
Rumors of a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch have circulated for years, and speculation soared following Mayweather’s announcement last week that he would return to the professional arena this year.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” said Mayweather, in the statement.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” said Pacquiao.
The clash will be the first-ever professional boxing match to take place at Sphere, a venue primarily used for concerts and films which opened in 2023 and features an immersive 160,000-square-foot wraparound screen on its curved interior walls.
It will be shown globally on Netflix, which boasts some 325 million subscribers.
The streamer has recently increased its sports offerings, with a super middleweight clash between Terence Crawford and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas last September viewed by 41 million people.
It also aired divisive fights pitting YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul against a 58-year-old Tyson in November 2024, and versus Anthony Joshua last December.
Both were criticized for proving to be lackluster contests, but drew enormous global attention.
‘Glory’
Nicknamed “Money,” former multi-weight world champion Mayweather was once the world’s highest-paid athlete. His last professional bout took place in 2017 against UFC star Conor McGregor.
The 48-year-old American has long been a controversial figure, often criticized for an overly defensive style, and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record.
Mayweather has also spent time in prison for one of a string of domestic violence incidents.
Pacquaio known at home as “The National Fist” and more broadly as “PacMan,” is an eight-division world champion.
He is beloved in the Philippines for his rags-to-riches story, having dropped out of high school at 14, selling donuts on the roadside and working as a grocery stacker.
Pacquaio, having already served as a Philippines senator from 2016, retired for a four-year period from 2021 in which he tried and failed to win the country’s top political office.
The diminutive southpaw came out of retirement last year. He was held to a draw by Mario Barrios, putting his professional record at 62-8-3.
“As always, I dedicate this fight to my fellow Filipinos around the world and to bringing glory to the Philippines,” said Pacquiao.
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