MARCEL SABITZER has signed for Manchester United on loanfrom Bayern Munich until the end of the season
The Austrian midfielder joined in a dramatic deadline day swoop from the Bundesliga.
United have been dealt a massive blow as Christian Eriksen has been ruled out of action until April or early May.
The former Tottenham man left Old Trafford on crutches following Reading's Andy Carroll's horror tackle during their FA Cup tie.
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- Henry Tomlinson
Manchester United deadline day recap
Ins
Sabitzer
Outs
Tuanzebe – loan
Bernard – loan
- Dylan Terry
Morning Man Utd fans
Marcel Sabitzer jumped at the chance of joining United – even if the final step took 70 minutes.
The Red Devils replaced injured Christian Eriksen with Bayern Munich midfielder Sabitzer at 12.10am – after submitting a deal sheet just before the 11pm transfer deadline.
It's thought the Red Devils were offered ex-Real Madrid stylist Isco, Atletico Madrid duo Saul Niguez and Yannick Carrasco and Lyon's Houssem Aouar.
But instead they went for Sabitzer on loan for the rest of the season.
The Austria star said: “Sometimes in life you have to make quick and important decisions. From the moment I heard about this opportunity I knew it was right for me.
"I am a competitive player – I want to win and help the club achieve its aims this season.
“I feel that I am at my peak as a player, and that I can contribute a lot of experience and energy to the squad.
"I’m excited to start with my new teammates and manager and to show my qualities to Manchester United fans.”
Old Trafford football director John Murtough claimed United had watched the 28-year-old "for a long time".
Murtough added: "The opportunity arose quickly, and we knew that he was someone with the ability and character to make an impact."
He adds further quality to our squad and experience to the dressing room, and all of us are pleased to be welcoming him to Manchester United.”
A rumoured Red Devils' swoop for Barcelona's ex-Leeds winger Raphinha came to nothing.
Meanwhile, United loaned two starlets to lower-division sides until the summer.
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho admitted he was surprised at capturing centre-back Di’Shon Bernard, 22.
And striker Charlie McNeill, 19, is “proud” to be joining "big club" Newport County.
- Ian Tuckey
Utd say they 'watched Marcel a long time'
Manchester United insist new loan midfielder Marcel Sabitzer has long been on their radar.
Old Trafford Football Director John Murtough told the club's media team: “Marcel is a player that we have watched for a long time.
"The opportunity arose quickly, and we knew that he was someone with the ability and character to make an impact.
"He adds further quality to our squad and experience to the dressing room, and all of us are pleased to be welcoming him to Manchester United.”
- Ian Tuckey
'Chelsea also fancied Marcel'
Manchester United not only had to beat deadline paperwork problems to sign Marcel Sabitzer on loan – they also reportedly had to fend off interest from Chelsea.
Sky Sports say the Blues considered the Austria midfielder before settling on Enzo Fernandez.
- Ian Tuckey
Sabitzer: I had to act quick
Manchester United new boy Marcel Sabitzer claims he pounced on joining United as soon as he knew of their interest.
The Bayern midfielder said: “Sometimes in life you have to make quick and important decisions.
"From the moment I heard about this opportunity I knew it was right for me.
"I am a competitive player; I want to win and help the club achieve its aims this season.
"I feel that I am at my peak as a player, and that I can contribute a lot of experience and energy to the squad.
"I’m excited to start with my new teammates and manager and to show my qualities to Manchester United fans."
- Ian Tuckey
Utd CONFIRM Marcel loan
They've done it!
Man Utd have confirmed Marcel Sabitzer's loan arrival from Bayern Munich.
- Ian Tuckey
Sabitzer leaves Carrington
Marcel Sabitzer's arrival is still on a knife-edge after he reportedly left United's training ground.
We could see in less than ten minutes whether that means a loan deal has been completed.
y
- Ian Tuckey
Dusan snub for Utd and Arsenal
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is again said to have “offered himself to Real Madrid” – after rumoured interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea hopes.
The Serbia hero, 23, is reportedly unsettled in Italy.
And Juve’s 15-point fine for a transfer scam hardly helps.
It’s claimed Vlahovic would be keen on Real coming in with a last-ditch approach.
- Ian Tuckey
Stoke set to borrow Axel
United centre-back Axel Tuanzebe is posed to join Stoke on loan for the rest of the season.
The 25-year-old urgently needs game time after injuries.
A deal sheet has been submitted – so the move can be completed by midnight.
- Ian Tuckey
Fans baffled as Utd sweat on Marcel deal
United supporters are baffled and irritated by the failure to tie up Marcel Sabitzer's signing – so far.
The Red Devils submitted a deal sheet before 11pm – meaning they've bought time until midnight to complete everything.
But one fan called the situation potentially "embarrassing" and another hit out: "This club can never get anything done on time."
This supporter sounded even more astonished: "A loan deal that has to be done by 12 he arrived in Manchester at 8."
Similarly: "How have they not done everything by now?"
- Ian Tuckey
'Sabitzer might only be good squad player'
Ex-Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann has warned United Marcel Sabitzer might not make an immediate impact .
Bayern midfielder Sabitzer, 28, has agreed personal terms with United on the temporary switch.
But 2005 Champions League winner Hamann, 49, told Sky Sports: “He [Sabitzer] is a very energetic player, he has got a good engine, he can nick a goal, I think his best position is probably a bit further forward.
“I don’t think he is a defensive or a holding midfielder.
“I am pretty surprised Chelsea and Manchester United are interested because I am not sure he will help them straight away.
“He is a good squad player to have but whether he makes an immediate impact I’m not sure.”
- Ian Tuckey
Sabitzer deal still tipped to go through
United are expected to get Marcel Sabitzer's loan arrival over the line.
It's thought they filed a deal sheet with all details BEFORE the 11pm deadline.
They've now got until midnight to tie it all up.
Bayern Munich also expect the move for their Austria midfielder to go through.
- Ian Tuckey
Marcel rated ideal short-term recruit
Rio Ferdinand believes Marcel Sabitzer will be a “really good signing”.
United are closing on Bayern Munich’s Austria midfielder to replace crocked Christian Eriksen.
And Old Trafford legend Ferdinand told FIVE’s transfer deadline day podcast: “I’m absolutely delighted.
If I could go and get a short-term replacement at the drop of the hat for Eriksen, Sabitzer is a player you’d say ‘oh if I can get him I’d take him’.
“I’ve watched a hell of a lot of this player when he was at Leipzig in the Champions League – he played with Nkunku and he was sensational – integral to everything they’ve done there.
“Yes he’s gone to Bayern Munich and hasn’t tore it up there on a regular basis, but the players he’s behind [in the pecking order] are household names.
“I think he will be a really good signing – really experienced player, played in big games in the Champions League and he knows his way round a football pitch.
“For what Manchester United need in the short window they had to sign a player – they couldn’t have done any better, so well done Manchester United’s recruitment team.”
- Ian Tuckey
Don't put your Houss on it…
Talk of a surprise loan swoop for Lyon playmaker Houssem Aouar has faded in the past two hours.
That was always likely as United edge nearer borrowing Marcel Sabitzer as replacement for injured Christian Eriksen.
- Ian Tuckey
'Utd more likely to win Prem than Liverpool in 2024'
Old Trafford legend Gary Neville believes United are more likely Prem winners than Liverpool next season.
Nev reckons the spending of the Red Devils, neighbours City and Chelsea will make them tough to compete against in 2023-24.
And the Liverpool Echo quote the former England defender as saying: “I would again say United are more likely to win the title next,” said Neville. If you ask me will Liverpool win the league again under Klopp, the answer is I don’t know.
“Who are Liverpool’s new owners going to be? Is there going to be new investment in the club? And how much is it going to be?
“If they have Jurgen Klopp as a manager and there’s a £200m or £300m transfer war chest in the summer, of course they could go and win it again.
“But if they don’t spend big in competing with City, Chelsea and United, then you’re making Jurgen Klopp’s job a lot harder in terms of winning the league.”
- Ian Tuckey
Ten Hag rage at Carroll KO of Eriksen
Erik ten Hag has torn into Andy Carroll for his reckless challenge that KO’d Christian Eriksen for at least three months.
The Manchester United boss said the Reading striker’s actions did not belong on a football pitch.
And asked if the former Newcastle and Liverpool player deliberately set out to hurt his United stars, as he later ended up with a red card, Ten Hag was not letting him off the hook.
Ten Hag said: “I think it was quite clear what my thoughts were.”
Carroll scythed down Eriksen with a reckless challenge early in the second-half of United’s 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Reading on Saturday.
While he escaped punishment for that, Carroll would receive yellow cards and a subsequent red for fouls soon after on Tyrell Malacia and then Casemiro.
Ten Hag said: “I think football has to set restrictions that protect the players. What football wants is the best players to be available on the pitch.
“This is a tackle — and the two tackles after it — that don’t belong on a pitch, because there is a high risk of injuring your colleague. So it’s worse and I’m left wondering about that.”
- Ian Tuckey
Utd 'sorting out Marcel permit'
United are thought to finalising a work permit and paperwork on Marcel Sabitzer's loan arrival.
It seems the deal won't include an option to buy Bayern Munich's Austria midfielder, 28.
- Ian Tuckey
Fans go star-tracking
United fans excitedly tracked Marcel Sabitzer as he jetted into the UK to seal a move to Old Trafford.
The midfielder, 28, is set to join on loan until the end of the season.
And thousands of fans tracked a private jet, thought to be carrying Sabitzer, as it made its way to Manchester on Tuesday evening.
At one point 7,700 people were tracking the plane on Flightradar24.
It was the No1 tracked flight worldwide at that moment in time.
Flightradar24 showed the plane to have taken off from Munich earlier this evening, before landing in Manchester shortly before 8pm.
Sky Sports then showed the midfielder arriving at United's Carrington HQ just before 9pm.
Sabitzer was seen at the airport today ahead of his loan move to United, which is not reported to include an option or obligation to buy.
- Ian Tuckey
Dai-dline move?
Manchester United have been linked with a late approach for Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Daichi Kamada.
The Japan star, 26, has impressed in the Bundesliga over the past three years.
- Ian Tuckey
Sabitzer 'at Carrington with full agreement reached'
Bayern midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is on the brink of clinching his United loan move.
That's the claim of transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who says the Austrian is at the Red Devils' training ground.
Romano states "full agreement" has been reached and "documents are being prepared right now".
- Ian Tuckey
Dusan wants to snub Prem?
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is again said to have “offered himself to Real Madrid” – after rumoured interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea hopes.
The Serbia hero, 23, is reportedly unsettled in Italy.
And Juve’s 15-point fine for a transfer scam hardly helps.
It’s claimed Vlahovic would be keen on Real coming in with a last-ditch approach.
- Ian Tuckey
Hamann warns Utd over Sabitzer
Ex-Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann has warned United Marcel Sabitzer might not make an immediate impact .
Bayern midfielder Sabitzer, 28, has agreed personal terms with United on the temporary switch.
But 2005 Champions League winner Hamann, 49, told Sky Sports: "He [Sabitzer] is a very energetic player, he has got a good engine, he can nick a goal, I think his best position is probably a bit further forward.
"I don’t think he is a defensive or a holding midfielder.
"I am pretty surprised Chelsea and Manchester United are interested because I am not sure he will help them straight away.
"He is a good squad player to have but whether he makes an immediate impact I’m not sure."
- Ian Tuckey
Rio keen on Sabitzer signing
Rio Ferdinand believes Marcel Sabitzer will be a “really good signing”.
United are closing on Bayern Munich's Austria midfielder to replace crocked Christian Eriksen.
And Old Trafford legend Ferdinand told FIVE’s transfer deadline day podcast: “I’m absolutely delighted.
If I could go and get a short-term replacement at the drop of the hat for Eriksen, Sabitzer is a player you’d say ‘oh if I can get him I’d take him’.
“I’ve watched a hell of a lot of this player when he was at Leipzig in the Champions League – he played with Nkunku and he was sensational – integral to everything they’ve done there.
“Yes he’s gone to Bayern Munich and hasn’t tore it up there on a regular basis, but the players he’s behind [in the pecking order] are household names.
“I think he will be a really good signing – really experienced player, played in big games in the Champions League and he knows his way round a football pitch.
“For what Manchester United need in the short window they had to sign a player – they couldn’t have done any better, so well done Manchester United’s recruitment team.”
- Ian Tuckey
Red Devils 'in talks over shock Aouar move'
United are in shock talks for a loan move for Lyon's Houssem Aouar, according to reports.
The midfielder is being considered as the club look to find a replacement for the injured Christian Eriksen.
The Dane was left limping out of Old Trafford after a shocking challenge by Andy Carroll in Saturday's FA Cup game between United and Reading.
It has now sparked a frantic deadline day search for a replacement.
Aouar is the latest name being linked to the club on a potential loan move.
Journalist Jonas Hen Shrag has tonight tweeted: "Manchester United have held early discussions regarding a potential loan deal for Houssem Aouar.
"Far from being done, and currently seems unlikely."
Aouar has been at Lyon since 2016 but his impressive performances from the middle of the park has seen him consistently linked with moves away.
- Ian Tuckey
Barcelona ‘interested in Elanga loan’
Spanish giants Barcelona may make a late move in this transfer window for Manchester United forward Anthony Elanga, according to ESPN.
Apparently, Nou Camp chiefs are having an ‘internal debate’ over whether Elanga could help cover the spot created by departed Memphis Depay and injured Ousmane Dembele.
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