Frank Lampard struggles on Manchester City debut

After thirteen years as one of Stamford Bridge's favourite sons, Frank Lampard stepped out in a Manchester City shirt for the first time as his new side faced Arsenal at the Emirates.

Chelsea fans will no doubt still be getting used to the fact their all-time top goalscorer is plying his trade for a title rival and unfortunately for Lampard, the feeling seems mutual.

The 36-year-old stuggled to keep up with the pace of Arsenal's bustling midfielders during his first bit of action since being hauled of at half time by Jose Mourinho against Norwich in May.

Lampard, as always, was calm and considered in possession as he ticked things along next Fernandinho in the heart of City's midfielder.

However, the Chelsea legend's main issue came when Arsenal were counter-attacking. It was here that Lampard looked like a man still trying to catch his breath as he made several fouls before being shown a yellow card for a late lunge on Aaron Ramsey.

Lampard spent the majority of his Chelsea career on the left side of the central midfield position, but didn't seem as comfortable with such a role on Saturday, often finding himself too far out wide.

The former Blues star did almost earn a delightful assist after he passed through the legs of Laurent Koscielny and onto David Silva, but the ball was cut out and it was to be the highlight of a disappointing 45 minutes for Lampard.

Just as Mourinho brought the veteran off as Chelsea struggled against Norwich last season, City boss Manuel Pellegrini made the cut-throat decision that Lampard's City debut wouldn't extend the half-time break.

With City ahead after a first half goal from Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri replaced Lampard in a change that may well signal the end of his time in the Premier League.

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This could put an end to human race: Ebola virus could mutate to become an AIRBORNE disease- Expert

As the Ebola outbreak rampages through Africa scientists are privately concerned the virus could mutate to become airborne, one expert has warned.

So far 2,300 people have lost their lives to the disease with more than 4,300 cases recorded in West Africa in the last six months - the worst outbreak since the disease was discovered in 1976.

 The World Health Organisation has warned there may be thousands of new cases each week in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria by early October.

Fifteen countries could be hit by the outbreak - putting the lives of 22 million people at risk, a new study has revealed.

But behind closed doors, virologists fear what we have seen so far may be just the tip of the iceberg.

Writing for the New York Times, Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy a the University of Minnesota, said those experts are loathed to discuss their concerns in public, for fear of whipping up hysteria.

Discussing the possible future course of the current outbreak, he said: 'The second possibility is one that virologists are loath to discuss openly but are definitely considering in private: that an Ebola virus could mutate to become transmissible through the air.'  

But the chair of the UK's Health Protection Agency, Professor David Heymann of the London School of Hygiene of Tropical Medicine, said it is impossible to predict how any virus will mutate.

He said scientists across the world do not know enough about genetics to be able to say how the ebola virus will change over time.

The virus can currently only be transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, including blood, of an infected patient.

But  Dr Osterholm warns viruses similar to Ebola are notorious for replicating and reinventing themselves.

It means the virus that first broke out in Guinea in February may be very different to the one now invading Nigeria, Congo and Cameroon.

Pointing to the example of the H1N1 influenza virus that saw bird flu sweep the globe in 2009, Dr Osterholm said: 'If certain mutations occurred, it would mean that just breathing would put one at risk of contracting Ebola.' 

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The rich do suffer: Billionaires left powerless to huge wave battering their multimillion-dollar homes

The rich and famous are well-seasoned in dodging the lurking paparazzi in their Malibu haven.

But as these pictures prove, they are currently contending with a bigger threat in their exclusive gated community - their multimillion-dollar homes are getting battered by huge waves which are spilling over into their seaside showplaces.

The erosion of the beach means the celebrities and billionaires who live along the exclusive beach stretch of Malibu Colony are powerless to protect their guarded houses from the forces of nature.

As these photos powerful waves have smashed through glass panels, pulled down fences and destroyed many beach side balconies which are owned by some of the most wealthy and powerful people in the United States.

In recent years, winter storms and rising high tides have reduced the size of the famously long and impressive beach and now the high tides threaten to erode the foundations of the homes along the coast - despite millions already having been spent on a sea wall further along the coast and sand bag defenses.

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Selfie-made-easy: 20-year-old designer who has dressed Lady Gaga created a giant, glittery selfie-taking sombrero

As London Fashion Week gets underway, fashionistas everywhere will be trying to outdo each other this weekend. And here's one accessory that's sure to make you stand out - and give you a picture to prove it.

A 20-year-old designer who has dressed Lady Gaga and Rita Ora has created a giant, glittery selfie-taking sombrero.

The bright pink number is the result of a collaboration between London-based Christian Cowan-Sanluis and Acer, and features a top of the range tablet dangling off the side.

The £599 couture hat spins 360 degrees - helping selfie lovers find their best angle - and is available through appointment only.

 

 Dubbed the 'Christian Cowan-Sanluis x Acer Selfie-Hat', the piece combines the designer's unique and playful style with the Taiwanese tech firm's top-notch technology.

The hat's sparkly pink design is inspired by Cowan-Sanluis' AW14 collection. No starnger to outrageous outfits, Lady Gaga was pictured earlier this year in a version of the hat (minus the tablet) which she teamed with a matching glittery pink suit.

The high tech version comes with a tablet that spins while being worn and helps detect the user's best angle whilst the selfie camera is activated, letting them snap and review photos from any angle desired.

The selfie sombrero helps the user understand lighting and how various expressions can change your face to create the perfect social media moment.

Users can then access apps such as Facebook or Instagram whilst wearing the hat to up load their selfies instantly and share them with the world.

Christian Cowan-Sanluis is a first year fashion student at London College of Fashion but has already worked with some of the world's most A-list fashion icons. 

He has already presented several collections at London Fashion Week, and Acer say his unique style was the perfect match for their selfie hat project.

'We wanted to work with someone young and fresh, that not only understands the selfie culture, but both currently is part of it and works with people in it', said an Acer spokesperson.

Cowan-Sanluis explains: 'With the hat, we wanted to take an element from my last collection, but correspondingly integrate the most popular zeitgeist there is in technology at the moment, the selfie. 

'We also wanted to give it a fun and playful approach, but that in the end helps the user to better understand their face when taking a self-portrait.

'There has been a lot of articles over the last year looking at how the selfie has gotten so big and being monetised on, celebrities such as Kim Kardashian making a selfie book and the term becoming part of mainstream society. 

'But on the other side, a lot of people taking selfies struggle to find the full potential of their front-facing camera when they use their hand. The hat helps to perfect the shot, either if it's a cute, sexy or silly selfie.'

A Selfie-Hat service provides you with a personal introduction to the hat with consultation from Christian Cowan-Sanluis, but it's only available in central London.

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Miley Cyrus shares naked shower photo

She's hit the road again for her Bangerz World Tour after a month long break.

And Miley Cyrus kicked off her travels by posting a photo of herself on Thursday naked in a shower. The star was in her in hotel in Puerto Rico. 

The 21-year-old pop diva Photoshopped a large red heart over her derriere in the image captioned: 'F*** YEAH PUERTO RICAN SHOWER  #showeringinnatureisdashitmane'

The We Can't Stop hitmaker had her back to the camera in the spacious and luxurious enclosure. 

That night, she was pictured rocked out at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, sporting a cut-out neon orange leotard and a variety of wacky sunglasses. 

 

 

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Report: Blood of Ebola survivors is being traded in black market

A 'treatment' for Ebola made from the blood of survivors of the vicious disease is being traded on the black market in West Africa, it has emerged. 

Health experts have warned the serums could contain other harmful infections as the World Health Organisation vowed to work with governments to stamp out the illicit trade.  

The 'convalescent serum' is made from survivors' blood, which contains antibodies that could help fight the virus, Bloomberg News reported.

Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO said: ‘There is a danger that such serums could contain other infections and wouldn’t be administered properly.'

The announcement comes as the WHO said new cases in West Africa are increasing faster than the capacity to manage them.

More than 2,400 people have died from Ebola in recent months and almost 4,700 people have been infected, making it the largest outbreak in history.

Patients are given intravenous fluids, blood transfusions and antibiotics to bolster their immune systems and help fight off other infections.

However, the blood of survivors contains natural antibodies that can protect against Ebola.

Antibodies are produced by the body’s white blood cells and bind to foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria to neutralise them as a threat.

About half of the people infected during the current outbreak have survived, providing a potential pool of donors.

The WHO is developing a system where blood from survivors of the disease can be drawn out safely and re-injected into patients.

It comes as Ebola survivor Dr Kent Brantly donated blood to a fellow American aid worker infected with the diesase.

Dr Rick Sacra received blood transfusions from Dr Brantly shortly after he arrived at the Nebraska Medical Center last Friday.

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Rio Ferdinanad: I never got the chance to say goodbye to United

Rio Ferdinand returns to Manchester United for the first time on Sunday, complaining the club he served for 12 years never let him say goodbye before his move to QPR.

Ferdinand made 455 appearances and a huge contribution to United’s success under Sir Alex Ferguson. But executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward stunned the defender by choosing to tell him immediately after the last game of last season, in the away dressing room at Southampton, that he was not going to be offered a new contract. As a result, the 35-year-old former England captain left for Loftus Road in July.

‘I had great years at Old Trafford,’ Ferdinand told the BBC. ‘I never got to say goodbye when I left, which was unfortunate, so it will be a nice opportunity to say bye to a lot of people who supported me and helped me.’

Ferdinand’s feathers will be ruffled further by Louis van Gaal, who yesterday appeared to dismiss him as a has-been. Asked if Ferdinand would still be a valuable asset, United’s manager replied: ‘No. There is a time to stay and time to go and I think he decided to go. He was a great player and maybe he is still a great player, but there is always a time to go for a player in a club.’

This weekend the first extracts of Ferdinand’s autobiography will appear in a newspaper serialisation, with the centre half expected to give forthright views on John Terry, David Moyes and Roy Hodgson.

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I won't change my lifestyle- Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho said he doesn't plan on changing his lifestyle off the pitch, but that it wouldn't keep him from fighting to add one more title to an illustrious career that currently has made a stopover at Queretaro in the Liga MX.

Ronaldinho, who was officially introduced by the club he signed with last week, has been a king of the World Cup with Brazil, the Champions League and La Liga with Barcelona, and the Copa Libertadores with Atletico Mineiro. However, he's known as a king of nightlife, a bon vivant and party animal.

At 34 years of age and in the twilight of his career, Ronaldinho doesn't believe it's time to change his lifestyle.

"I've always led the same kind of lifestyle, and all the teams I've played on, I've been a champion," said Ronaldinho during a press conference in Mexico's capital. "I hope to continue leading the same lifestyle and to keep being a champion."

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Beyonce Knowles and Nicki Minaj Perform at 'On the Run' Show in Paris

Beyonce Knowles was joined onstage by a special guest when she and husband Jay-Z brought their "On the Run" joint tour to Paris on Friday, September 12. During the first of the two-night concert in the city, the diva brought out Nicki Minaj for the first live performance of their collaboration, the remix of "Flawless".

The two divas took the stage at Stade de France in colorful Versus Versace outfits. Bey flaunted her long legs in a leotard-like ensemble while Onika wrapped her killer curves and bared her cleavage in a bodysuit.

Lucky fans at the show shared photos and videos of the superstars' performance, which later became a trending topic on Twitter. Those who weren't lucky enough to make it to the Friday concert can still watch Queen Bey slay with Minaj on HBO's "On the Run Tour: Beyonce and Jay Z" special that will air on Saturday, September 20.

After the show, Minaj posted an Instagram photo of her posing with Bey while Jay-Z makes an unexpected appearance in the background. "The QUEEN, could never thank you enough," the raptress wrote in the caption.

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Yorkville Endoscopy clinic Med Director Fired After Joan Rivers' Death

Dr. Lawrence Cohen, the medical director of Yorkville Endoscopy where Joan Rivers underwent surgery before her death, was let go by the clinic's board. He allegedly allowed the comedienne's personal ear, nose and throat specialist into the clinic although the doctor wasn't authorized to practice medicine there.

"Dr. Cohen is not currently performing procedures at Yorkville Endoscopy, nor is he currently serving as medical director," said a spokesperson for the private Upper East Side clinic as investigation by the state Health Department and the medical examiner into Rivers' death was still underway.

Rumor suggested Rivers only signed off on an endoscopy, but her private doctor who accompanied her to the clinic performed an unplanned biopsy on her vocal cords. According to New York Daily News, the alleged biopsy which the clinic denied ever took place caused laryngospasm and cut off her air supply.

Joan passed away September 4 after being hospitalized for a week at the Mount Sinai Hospital. She was put on life support after going into cardiac arrest during the surgery. Her funeral on September 7 at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan was attended by many public figures like Howard Stern and Hugh Jackman.

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Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Chelsea....'Forget it'- Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has dismissed reports about Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Chelsea.

Ronaldo, 29, has been the subject of speculation recently, with frequent suggestions that he is unhappy at Los Blancos and wants to leave the club.

Mourinho coached his compatriot for three years during his time in charge at Madrid, but rejected talk at his news conference on Friday that the Portugal captain is on his way to Chelsea.

"Pfff... forget it," he said, when questioned on the possibility of Ronaldo moving to West London.

Mourinho went on to praise the work of his club in the transfer market this summer, stating that they did an "amazing job" in securing all their major targets.

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Legendary actor 'Sir Donald Sinden' dies aged 90

Theatre, film and TV actor Sir Donald Sinden has died at his home aged 90 following a long illness, his son has confirmed.

He made his name on stage as a Shakespearean actor and appeared in more than 70 film and TV productions.

He had been suffering from prostate cancer for several years, and died of the disease at his home in Kent.

Sir Donald's family described his death as a "huge loss" and asked for their privacy to be respected.

He was appointed a CBE in 1979 and then knighted in 1997 for his services to drama.

Although renowned for his theatre work, he was arguably best known to the masses for his TV appearances - in the sitcom Never the Twain and the BBC crime drama Judge John Deed.

His son, actor Marc Sinden, said that his career was "probably unique in our business".

"He worked out that he only had a total of five weeks' unemployment between 1942 and 2008," said Mr Sinden of his father.

"Even though his death was expected, it is still a huge loss to his family and we, his brother, his son, his four grandchildren and great-grandchild will all miss his humour and knowledge.

"We would all like to share our appreciation for the Pilgrims Hospice and the carers that looked after him and us with such dignity, consideration and care until the end."

According to Marc Sinden, Sir Donald was the last person living to have known Oscar Wilde's lover Lord Alfred Douglas and was one of only two people to attend his funeral.

Sir Donald trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

He made his film debut in 1953 with The Cruel Sea and went on to make about 30 films.

He also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in leading roles such as King Lear and Malvolio in Twelfth Night.

Sir Roger Moore was among those to pay tribute to "a wonderful actor" with whom he had worked on 1975 film That Lucky Touch.

"Sad to wake up to news another mate has left us," wrote the former James Bond star on Twitter. "Awful week."

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Radamel Falcao: I hope to stay many years at Manchester United and make history

Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao has set his sights on earning a permanent deal at Old Trafford and aims to stay at the club for the best years of his career and make history in England.

Falcao, 28. has joined the former Premier League champions on a season-long loan and United have the option to purchase him after that.

The former River Plate, Porto and Atletico Madrid forward is playing for his fifth club since 2009 and said in a news conference: "I hope to stay many years at Manchester United and make history at this club.

"When I was in Porto and Atletico Madrid, I always want to improve and I dream of playing in a team like this and now I want to stay here for many years.

"I believe in this project. I think Manchester United is the best club for my style of play and I am sure about my decision. This project in the future will be great for us."

He added: "I think Manchester United build a big team this season and in future seasons and I would like to be here and part of his project. I am happy to be here."

Falcao has a record of starting well with new clubs and believes it will not take him long to adapt to life at Old Trafford.

He explained: "I don't think I will need too much time because Manchester United have very good players and [for] that reason [it] is easier to play football and I am used to life in cities like this. I think I don't have a problem for adaptation.

"I have had a great welcome. When you talk about a settling-in period when you are surrounded by top players it makes settling in all the easier."

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A Solar Storm Is Heading Towards Earth- NASA

A giant solar flare that arced off the sun on Wednesday afternoon is heading for Earth, and scientists say it could disrupt our planet's power and communication grids when it crosses our path on Friday and Saturday. It's the largest solar storm in years.

NASA has issued a geomagnetic storm watch, cautioning that the flare could affect unprepared electrical systems. Though the flare was classified as an ominous-sounding "X-class" event (an X1.6, in the high-intensity category), you can relax: NOAA space weather forecaster Bill Murtagh told the media that though the event is expected to cause "geomagnetic storm levels in the G2 (moderate) and G3 (strong) range," problems with power grids on that scale are "typically very manageable." Satellite operators may have to deal with increased interference.

Still, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said, "This is a pretty strong solar storm, and we just won't know until it gets here." NASA released an ominous video of the solar flare, which is both gorgeous and not exactly reassuring.

Solar flares, the European Space Agency explains, are formed when "energy stored in 'twisted' magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is suddenly released." The resulting flare is supercharged with radiation of every sort; Tech Times' Rhodi Lee writes that the most intense flares can carry up to six times the energy being emitted by the sun at any given second. The current storm also triggered a coronal mass ejection (CME), which the ESA describes as "huge bubbles of gas threaded with magnetic field lines that are ejected from the Sun over the course of several hours." 

"There's been a giant magnetic explosion on the sun," Tom Berger, director of the Space Weather Prediction Center, explained to the Associated Press. "Because it's pointed right at us, we'll at least catch some of the cloud." But he added, "We're not scared of this one."

The largest flares may have the potential to knock out unhardened satellites and bring down infrastructure all around the planet; NASA scientists have concluded that another occurrence of the largest flare in recorded history, the 1859 Carrington Event, could cause $2 trillion in damage and take years to repair critical equipment. The chance of such a scenario occurring between 2012 and 2022 was around 12%, and the planet barely dodged a flare that could have reached similar proportions in 2012.

"Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground," NASA said in a statement. "However — when intense enough — they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel."

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Arsene Wenger gave reason he chose to spend transfer deadline day in Rome

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he opted to spend transfer deadline day in Rome as he had a long-standing appointment to meet the Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Wenger was criticized for taking part in a charity football match in the Italian capital on a day when so much transfer activity takes place for top Premier League clubs, but he still managed to sign Danny Welbeck from Manchester United despite his day trip to Italy.

The Frenchman suggested the fact he was out of bed early to catch his flight to Rome helped him to set up the deal for Welbeck, but it was clear that his eagerness to have an audience with the head of the Catholic church was important to him.

"Meeting the Pope was an experience I did not want to miss," Wenger told reporters, of a match that was supported by Pope Francis. "I am a Catholic, so it was an experience, and one I accepted a long time ago.

"On top of that it was a game for peace and multi-religion understanding. I thought today where we are a bit in front of an international religious war [in Gaza], it was a very important game.

"He is a great person. He shows humility and is available to meet for everybody, has a word with everybody.

"He is also a football fan. He is a supporter of San Lorenzo in Argentina. You cannot be born in Argentina and not be a football fan. He spoke with many Argentinians, so I wanted to be discreet and say, 'It was nice to meet you and bye-bye.'"

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Why Some Business Moguls Still make Use of ancient mobile Phones

When it comes to consumer technology, many people are used to coveting the newest and shiniest gadget. So it may come as a surprise that a number of top executives and dealmakers are still clinging to ancient mobile phones.
Of these outmoded mobiles, one stands out as the clear favorite. By all appearances, it's the Nokia 6310, a model that was discontinued more than six years ago. Among its devotees, according to the Financial Times, are Martin Schulz, the president of the European Union's parliament; retail mogul Philip Green; and Julian Dunkerton, chief executive of clothing company SuperGroup, which is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion.
Why would global leaders hang on to obsolete technology, especially in the high-flying, status-conscious set they move in?
For one thing, old Nokias were built to last: They are hard to damage (no touchscreen to worry about) and have a long battery life. Also, being less connected can actually be an advantage, improving your focus on what's important. With the Nokia 6310, "I'm not bombarded with emails every minute, allowing me to deal with the crucial stuff," Dunkerton told the FT.
And it turns out, an old "dumb phone" can actually serve as a status symbol. It signals to associates that you can't be bothered to check email every 10 minutes. Other people actually like the retro aesthetics.
If you feel the urge to go back to the future, you would do well to check online marketplaces. A search of eBay turns up a number of Nokia 6310 phones for sale, with "buy it now" prices ranging from $44 to $64. Not a bad price for a decent phone -- and a little bit of history.

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Mario Balotelli struggles with his short at training

What's Mario Balotelli up to now? Liverpool’s £16million striker was sporting an odd new look at training.

Whether the 24-year-old carried on training like this was unclear but it had echoes of when he struggled to put on a bib during his time with Manchester City.

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre revealed yesterday the club sold huge numbers of Balotelli shirts on the day the Italian moved to Anfield from AC Milan last month.

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Buddhist monk enters trance in bid to meditate himself to death

A Buddhist monk who said it's time for him to die has decided to lay in a coffin and 'meditate himself to death'.

The Thai holyman told his followers that if he did indeed pass away, the coffin would self-combust on Thursday.

The monk, Phra Khru Weruwan Chantarungsi, 65, who is also known as Luang Pu Pim, is the abbot of Wat Weruwan temple in Tambon Thung Phra in Thailand - and is in good health, according to temple representatives.

However, his daughter, 41-year-old Chanakarn Srisombat, insisted that he was poorly, according to the Bangkok Post.

She added that he'd died once before in a cave but that a miracle had brought him back to life.

Mr Pim's coffin was placed outside his living quarters on Tuesday after he'd delivered his last sermon, in which he explained that death something that comes to everyone.

Detractors of Mr Pim's actions say that he's being anti-Buddhist, by 'showing off'. However, his followers strongly refute that he's seeking attention.

Many of them have stayed at the temple to witness the coffin being consumed by fire.

The coffin has several holes in it, to allow Mr Pim to breathe.

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Khloe Kardashian and French Montana split after eight months of dating

Khloe Kardashian is reportedly single again. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star has allegedly split from rapper French Montana after eight months of dating. Us Weekly claims the couple was "on a break" and Khloe just needed her space. Meanwhile, E! News says they were done for good but French "won't really accept it."

Rumors suggest French was using Khloe for fame. Even her family including momager Kris Jenner and sister Kim Kardashian thought so, but the reality TV star didn't seem too concerned about it. What really turned her off was reportedly his "needy" behavior. "It grated on her that he became so dependent on her," a source told Us Weekly.

French, whose real name is Karim Kharbouch, is allegedly trying to save their romance, "but eventually they will be totally broken up," an insider says to E!. "For all intents and purposes, Khloe is single again." The source adds, "She's just decided to move on. Khloe thinks he's a great guy but it just wasn't working out."

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Manchester United aim Premier League top three this season with Louis Van Gaal in charge

Louis van Gaal is expected to take Manchester United back into the top three in the Premier League this season — and he will have to do it without any major signings in January.

The target was revealed by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward as he detailed the club’s accounts for last season and made forecasts for this campaign.

Figures published show United had record income of £433.2million for the 2013-14 season, but that is expected to plunge to £395m because the club are not in the Champions League, from which they made about £55m last season.

Getting back into Europe is an urgent priority for United and Woodward confirmed Van Gaal’s target when he said: ‘We assume third in our budgets.’

Another consequence of David Moyes’ miserable year in charge was £5.2m in ‘exceptional costs’, most of which represented compensation payments to the former manager and his staff.

Woodward gave the strongest indication yet that there will not be a further splurge in January to follow the £153.1m spent on Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao. ‘We don’t intend to significantly increase capital expenditure [by buying players] in January,’ he said during a conference call aimed at investors in the 10 per cent of the club that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

‘We will continue to monitor in association with Louis his view of the squad and which areas we want to strengthen and which areas we want to sell. I wouldn’t have expectations for January but if there is a willingness from the manager, we will engage with him and if there is an opportunity, we will try and take that as we did last January.’

Woodward said the club was ‘very proud’ of the record income figures and added: ‘With Louis van Gaal at the helm as manager, and the recent signing of some of the world’s leading players to further strengthen our squad, we are very excited about the future and believe it’s the start of a new chapter in the club’s history.

‘Louis’ footballing philosophy fits very well with Manchester United and he has an impressive track record of success throughout his career, winning league titles with every club he has managed.’

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