Manchester United will be heading into the summer without a permanent manager on their side, so free agents could be their best friend

Manchester United are likely going to need to add a number of fresh faces to their squad come the summer. With no permanent manager at the helm, the club are set to make a decision on their next permanent boss and back whoever they choose in the market to make their stamp on the squad.

With funds stretched, that could lead to the club looking at free agents to add more quality and depth. Signing players who are without a club seems like a calculated risk for the Premier League giants.

United have long relied on academy graduates and rising stars to bolster their squad, but this may change in a few months’ time. Michael Carrick has been a breath of fresh air at Old Trafford, winning four out of five matches upon his interim return and fans have been calling for his temporary head coach role to be made permanent once the 2025/26 season ends.

However, with plenty of moving parts in the United dressing room, the club’s hierarchy may want to bide their time before hiring someone permanently.

READ MORE: Cole Palmer to Man Utd transfer claim made despite Chelsea stance on dealREAD MORE: Staggering amount Man Utd agreed to pay for players they don’t want as millions wasted

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Free agents could become United’s saviour during this uncertain period. Here, Mirror Football takes a look back at some of United’s most daring free transfers.

Michael Owen

Michael Owen sent shockwaves through the football world when he signed for United after his Newcastle contract expired in 2009. The former Liverpool star, who clinched the 2001 Ballon d’Or during his stint on Merseyside, ruffled many feathers by penning a two-year deal with their arch-rivals.

To add insult to injury, Ferguson handed Owen the club’s iconic number seven shirt.

The then-29-year-old forward had struggled to regain his top form since departing Anfield and had experienced relegation with Newcastle the previous season. However, Owen’s knack for goal-poaching remained intact.

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The former England striker netted a memorable 4-3 winner against Manchester City and also scored as United triumphed over Aston Villa in the 2010 League Cup final. After an impressive debut season, Owen made enough appearances to earn a Premier League winner’s medal in 2011 but saw his playing time dwindle before departing United in 2012.

He scored 17 goals in 52 appearances for the club.

Victor Valdes

In 2014, United made a statement signing by bringing in Barcelona icon Victor Valdes as backup to David De Gea. The goalkeeper had been without a club for several months as he recovered from a knee injury after leaving Barcelona, eventually penning an 18-month deal with United in January 2015.

Valdes won six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with his boyhood club and knew United boss Louis van Gaal from his time at Camp Nou. Having completed the recovery from his knee injury at United, the 32-year-old was happy to compete with De Gea and made his first team debut in May.

However, Valdes was later placed on the transfer list after it was reported that he had refused to play in a reserve game. The Spain international made just two appearances for the club before joining Standard Liege on loan in January 2016 and later signing for newly-promoted Middlesbrough on a free transfer.

Paul Scholes

One of the most extraordinary moves during Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary reign as manager was coaxing Paul Scholes out of retirement. The midfielder called time on his career at the end of the 2010/11 season but made a stunning comeback, coming off the bench in an FA Cup victory over Manchester City in January 2012.

Scholes’ return was revealed just an hour before the Manchester derby as United grappled with an injury crisis, with Darren Fletcher and Tom Cleverley sidelined. Ferguson was convinced Scholes had retired prematurely, and his judgement was vindicated as the midfielder featured 21 times that campaign.

Scholes penned a contract extension and was part of the United squad that won the Premier League in Ferguson’s final season at the helm before hanging up his boots for good.

Edinson Cavani

United snapped up former PSG legend Edinson Cavani on transfer deadline day in October 2020, several months after his departure from the French club. The then-33-year-old had become PSG’s record goalscorer during his seven-year spell in Paris, netting 200 goals in 301 outings.

Upon his arrival at Old Trafford, Cavani was handed the iconic number seven shirt and would have hoped to replicate his former team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s immediate impact on the club a few years prior. Cavani bagged 17 goals in his debut season as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side finished 2nd in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final on penalties.

Regrettably for Cavani, who had renewed his contract in May 2021, United were unable to build on that progress as Solskjaer was succeeded by temporary manager Ralf Rangnick that December.

The Uruguayan forward had relinquished his number seven jersey to a returning Cristiano Ronaldo and witnessed his game time drastically cut before departing the club in the summer of 2022.

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Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

The new trail will only be at the National Trust site for a few weeks.

A National Trust site in Cambridgeshire has announced a new trail will be opening in the spring inspired by a famous children’s book. Anglesey Abbey has revealed it will have a new sculpture trail for families to visit at the start of spring.

The trail will bring the “much-loved” characters from The Wind in the Willows to life around the gardens of the National Trust site. The trail will follow Kenneth Grahame’s characters Badger, Toad, Mole, and Ratty the Water Vole on a “modern-day adventure”.

The trail will also feature a “cast of newly introduced species”. While walking around the gardens, you will learn more about how wildlife, farming, people, and the environment are all connected making the experience quite educational.

All of the sculptures have a unique design and have been placed in “key locations” around the gardens to allow visitors to explore “while engaging with art, storytelling, and nature”. The sculptures cover themes like biodiversity and conservation.

Visitors will be able to use trail maps to guide them around the gardens. The map will also feature more information about the characters, artists, and ideas that inspired the new trail.

Meghan Curteis, Experience and Visitor Programming Manager at Anglesey Abbey, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Wind in the Willows sculpture trail to Anglesey Abbey this spring. It’s a wonderful way for visitors to explore the gardens, enjoy some fantastic artwork and reflect on the important connections between nature, wildlife and people, all while spending time outdoors with family and friends.”

The trail has been created by Wild in Art in collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The trail is part of a “wider programme of public activities” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of wildlife research at APHA.

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-found, Wild in Art said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Animal & Plant Health Agency and the National Trust to bring this much-loved story to life in such a beautiful and inspiring setting.

“The trail will be a spectacular celebration of artistic talent, using sculpture as a three-dimensional canvas to spark curiosity, open up conversations and create moments of connection with nature and the environment for people of all ages. We hope visitors will enjoy discovering each one and the stories they tell.”

The trail will only be available at Anglesey Abbey from Saturday, March 28, until Tuesday, May 5. Entry to the National Trust site costs £19 for adults and £9.50 for children between the ages of five and 17.

Anglesey Abbey is around a 21 minute drive away from Cambridge via the B1102. The site has a car park that is free to use for all visitors.

A foam roller may be basic, but it’s also one of the highest-impact recovery tools you can have in your arsenal, especially for relieving tight glutes, hamstrings, calves and upper back. This one’s designed with a textured, trigger-point style surface to mimic hands-on pressure, which helps you target stubborn knots rather than just rolling around.

For the price, it’s a great entry point if you’re starting to take recovery seriously, and it’s simple enough to use while watching TV. Pair it with slow breathing, and you’ll feel your body downshift.

Protesters commemorating people killed during a deadly government crackdown in Iran last month have clashed with security forces at a university in Tehran.

Students chanted anti-regime slogans, including “death to [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei”.

They faced off with members of the Basij, a volunteer internal police force which is a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to anti-government media.

Footage shows violent clashes at the Sharif University of Technology on Saturday, while other clips on social media showed protesters with bloody head injuries.

There were also reported demonstrations at the Amir Kabir University of Technology and the University of Tehran.

The protests followed a brutal crackdown on dissent in January which saw thousands of people killed.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is considering military action against Iran.

Mr Trump warned on Friday that strikes were possible even as Iran’s top diplomat said Tehran expected to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days.

It follows talks with the US over Iran’s nuclear programme.

America has scaled up its military presence in the Middle East in recent weeks.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group will shortly be joined by the USS Gerald Ford, which passed Gibraltar on Saturday en route to the region.

“I guess I can say I am considering that,” said Mr Trump when asked by a reporter at the White House on Friday about a limited strike on Iran.

Meanwhile, Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, sounded a defiant tone during a meeting with Paralympic athletics on Saturday.

“We will not bow our heads in the face of these problems,” he said. “We will try to bring honour and pride to our country.

“As long as we are alive, and we can breathe, we will sacrifice our lives for our country.

“By God’s grace and strength, we will not lower our heads in the face of these difficulties. Even though the outside world and global powers are unfairly pressing us to submit, we will not bow our heads, just as you [athletes] refused to bow to difficulties.”

Read more:
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Mr Trump talked up regime change in Iran on 13 February when he revealed that a second aircraft carrier was heading to the Middle East.

“It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” Mr Trump said. “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.

“In the meantime, we’ve lost a lot of lives while they talk. Legs ‌blown off, arms blown off, faces blown off. We’ve been going on for a long time.”

Bolton Mountain Rescue Team (BMRT) said that friends Lizzie and Catherine had set off from Rivington village to walk the Angelzarke amble.

The pair undertook the walk on a bitterly cold Valentine’s Day (February 14) when ice had formed on many parts of the 24-mile moorland trail.

Lizzie slipped on the ice and was suddenly in immense pain – realising immediately that she had broken her wrist.

At the same time, BMRT volunteers, Mark and Martin, were on their way to another reported fall in Holcombe, Bury, when they were redirected towards Belmont while other team members continued to the earlier incident.

A woman was rescued from the moors after slipping on ice (Image: Bolton Mountain Rescue Team)

Lizzie’s location was able to be pinned down thanks to a What3Words coordinate given by Catherine, leading them to a lane by Greenhill Farm off the A675.

Mark, one of the team’s remote rescue medical technicians, was able to ease Lizzie’s pain with a strong painkiller and she was placed in their rescue vehicle while they waited for ambulance crews to arrive.

Lizzie was then taken to hospital for treatment and surgery, with BMRT wishing her a swift recovery and thanking Catherine for her help.

Princess Andre has revealed that she’s yet to meet her mum Katie Price’s new husband Lee Andrews.

The former glamour model, 47, is in the midst of a whirlwind romance with businessman Lee, after they tied the knot in Dubai just days after meeting.

After their nuptials, the newlyweds have even now hinted at having a baby, despite reports that Lee is ‘banned’ from leaving the country.

Katie’s daughter, who she shares with ex-husband Peter Andre, has now addressed the new relationship after growing concern from her family members about the relationship.

Speaking to The Sun, Princess, 18, said: ‘She’s crazy but it’s my mum. . . I mean, if she’s happy, I’m happy.

‘No, I haven’t met Lee, and, yes, I’ve seen mum since she got married.’

Princess will discuss her mum’s four marriages on the first episode of her ITV reality show, revealing that she’s seen her heartbroken throughout her childhood.

‘I’ve seen first-hand what heartbreak can look like, and my mum is the prime example,’ she says. ‘She’s had so many people do her wrong, and growing up seeing that has given me an eye-opener of what people can really be like.’

Princess added that Katie’s past has made her vulnerable when it comes to relationships, but her dad Peter and step mum Emily MacDonagh’s marriage gives her hope. 

‘Because of that, my guard is up. But obviously, I see my dad and Emily, and think true love does work.’

Katie has now claimed that she’s planning a second UK wedding to Lee, after their Dubai nuptials, which none of her friends and family attended, came as a complete shock to her loved ones.

Discussing their relationship, a source previously told Metro that Katie’s family are ‘rightfully concerned’ about her announcing that she is now intending to have Lee’s baby.

‘The Instagram posts were the first time anyone has heard of a pregnancy, so it’s all coming as a complete shock at the moment. It’s no secret that Katie wants more children, but this feels extreme even for her.

‘They have no idea what the long-term plan is with Lee in this marriage or if they’ll live in the UK or Dubai. Everyone has been kept in the dark about the relationship from the start and they’re desperate to understand what her intentions are.’

This comes after Princess was said to be ‘horrified and desperate’ to save her mum from Lee.

‘Princess learnt about her mum’s wedding online like everyone else and has been completely horrified’, the source said.

‘She’s read the stories and all the stuff on TikTok about his ex-wives and instantly alarm bells started ringing’, according to The Sun.

The source continued: ‘Princess is very sharp and realised straight away that if her mum wouldn’t listen to her or any of their family, she might take on board what women in the same situation have had to say about it all.

The insider also described Princess as ‘utterly heartbroken and deeply concerned’ about Katie.

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Canada’s controversial curlers let rip and hit back at the cheating jibes that have plagued their team en route to a gold medal triumph at the Winter Olympics.

Marc Kennedy had been at the centre of one of the biggest scandals that the sport has ever experienced couldn’t hide his jubilation after playing a lead role in a narrow win against Team GB.

‘It means the world to me to see my teammates with a medal around their neck,’ Kennedy said. ‘I don’t know if people will ever understand what we went through this week as a team — what I put them through this week as a team.’

Brad Jacobs’ team defeated Bruce Mouat’s all-Scottish squad 9-6 inside Cortina’s ice arena after a trying two weeks for the sport’s powerhouse.

‘When some things went down this week and people were using some pretty outrageous words like ‘cheating’ associated now with our team,’ Jacobs said, ‘I’ll guarantee you that that only motivated us further.’

Kennedy’s profanity-laced rant got attention far beyond the ice when several players were accused of double-touching the rock, a rules violation.

The sport was sent into turmoil during the round-robin phase when Oskar Eriksson of Sweden accused Kennedy, Canada’s vice skip, of touching the rock again after initially releasing it down the sheet of ice. Kennedy responded with an outburst full of expletives.

‘I let my emotions get the best of me,’ Kennedy said. ‘I stood up for my teammates. I’ll never back down from that. We moved on, we moved forward and we did something amazing and a weaker team would have fell flat on their face.’

It’s Canada’s first gold in men’s curling since the 2014 Sochi Games, when they also beat Britain in the final with Jacobs as the skip. This is his first Olympics since — he lost in the Canadian Olympic trials for 2018 and 2022.

‘For anyone who called us cheaters, for anyone who said negative things about Marc Kennedy, about us, about Canada, about our families,’ Jacobs said, ‘I hope that the image of us standing on top of the podium, embracing one another, smiling ear to ear with our gold medals is burned into your brain forever.’

Kennedy was also on the Canada team that won gold 16 years ago on home ice in Vancouver.

‘He’s an animal to be able to accomplish all that he has and to still do that today at 44,’ said Tyler Tardi, the team’s alternate who roomed with Kennedy. ‘He’s been one of the best players in the world for, gosh, 20 years. So he just knows everything, knows how to deal with it all, and hats off to him.’

Mouat, meanwhile, felt a handful of missed shots in the final two ends proved crucial in what turned out to be a gutwrenching defeat.

Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan were looking to upgrade the silver medal they won four years ago in Beijing after a bumpy ride to the final, which saw their semi-final qualification hinging on the results of other matches on Thursday morning going their way.

While they eventually defeated Switzerland on Thursday evening in their semi-final, their challenge again faltered in the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium, with a 6-5 advantage ahead of the ninth end eventually resulting in a 9-6 defeat.

The penulitmate end proved particularly costly as Britain conceded three points and while they had the hammer in the final end, they could not capitalise, with a double take out from Mouat good but not quite good enough as Canada stole a point to seal victory.

Mouat said: ‘I think we put ourselves in a really good position to win the game. It just came down to a few shots in the ninth and 10th – all of us missed one.

‘We’re disappointed – very disappointed – but we battled so hard all week just to get here.

‘I’m trying to remind myself how much of a fight it was even to win a medal. I’m incredibly proud to be able to say I’m a two-time Olympic medallist.

‘When I was five, six, seven years old and dreaming of being an Olympian, I’d have been unbelievably proud of this. That’s what I’ll try to hold on to.’

Mouat now has two Olympic silver medals and he is eager to continue his pursuit of gold.

He said: ‘I’m 100 per cent continuing. I love the game, I love the sport and I love my team-mates. I’m not done yet.

‘We’ll definitely have a debrief. I’d love to play with the guys again, but we haven’t had that conversation as four individuals yet. Personally, I want to continue – and we’ll go from there.’

Hardie admitted he was ‘heartbroken’ after another Olympic near miss, but also pointed to those important missed shots at a key stage.

He said: ‘We lost that final four years ago, it took us a long time to get over it and find the motivation to go again. We found it and we were so hungry to go and deliver a gold this time and unfortunately it just didn’t quite happen.

‘It was really unfortunate timing we delivered a bad end after eight brilliant ends to flip the game and be in the driving seat. That’s going to be a tough one to look back on.

‘I’ve loved this nine-year journey with these boys. We’ll go and have a drink tonight and celebrate another Olympic medal, which we’re very proud of. The future’s not on my mind at the moment.’

MORE: What is the Canada curling scandal? Cheating allegations rocking Winter Olympics explained

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Opposition Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Paula Widdowson said legal routes for getting rid of household waste were being blocked off amid a rise in fly-tipping.

Cllr Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat ward member for Westfield, said his party’s proposal for community skips would help households without cars to dispose of rubbish.

City of York Council’s Labour environment spokesperson Cllr Jenny Kent said York had one of the lowest levels of fly-tipping in Yorkshire and recently-created Neighbourhood Caretakers were already bringing positive results.

It comes as council figures showed there had been 2,807 incidents of fly-tipping reported in York in the nine months since April last year.

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The figure compares to 2,954 in the year up to the end of March 2025, 2,500 in 2023/4 and 2,368 in 2022/3.

The Liberal Democrats put forward proposals for community skips for people to throw away their household waste in areas where fly-tipping is an issue in their alternative budget proposals.

Proposals to spend £52,000 on the skips tabled along with other Liberal Democrat budget amendments were voted down on Thursday, February 12.

The council’s ruling Labour group’s budget for 2026/7 which was voted through included an extra £90,000 for Neighbourhood Caretakers which launched in September.

The council team responds to issues including fly-tipping following in response to reports from residents and councillors.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Widdowson said the rise in fly-tipping also came as fees for the council’s Garden Waste Subscription Service had risen to £52.

The opposition’s deputy leader and environment spokesperson said: “For many residents, particularly those without cars, older residents, or people on low incomes, getting rid of waste has become much more difficult and when legal routes are blocked off, fly-tipping goes up.

“Community skips are a targeted response, put them in the places that are worst affected, give people a legal, accessible way to dispose of waste, and you reduce fly-tipping, clean up neighbourhoods, and save money in the long run.”

Westfield’s Cllr Waller said ‘tidy-up vans ‘ were also used to help residents clean up waste when his party ran the council with the Greens.

The Liberal Democrat said: “These initiatives are particularly beneficial for areas with low car ownership.

“The funding for community skips would have supported the reinstatement of this initiative, so it’s disappointing that Labour voted it down.”

York Council’s Labour Environment Executive Member Cllr Jenny Kent (second, left) with Neighbourhood Caretakers. Picture is from York Council

Labour’s environment executive member said the Liberal Democrats had not opposed hikes in green waste charges in the budget meeting.

The Liberal Democrats proposed spending £100,000 to discount some of the charges.

Cllr Kent said: “The Liberal Democrats have shown in their budget proposals that they support the green waste collection charge and has no intention of reversing it, so their criticism is hypocritical at best.

“While any fly-tipping is too much, York has one of the lowest levels of fly-tipping in Yorkshire.

“The council’s waste team do a great job, responding quickly to incidents such that at the end of 2025, only two live reports required clear ups.

“With the launch of a new Neighbourhood Caretakers team last year, Labour is cleaning up our neighbourhoods and residents are already seeing the positive results.”

The news comes as part of a wider shake-up of costs following a government pledge to deliver an average £150 cut to household energy bills.

Latest industry forecasts indicate that Ofgem will reduce the energy price cap by £117 to £1,641 per year for a typical dual fuel household.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in November that savings would be achieved by scrapping the Energy Company Obligation (Eco) scheme, which was introduced by the previous Conservative government.

However, not all customers should expect a direct £150 discount, as actual savings will vary based on household size and energy usage.

British households set for lower energy bills

Ned Hammond, deputy director of customer policy at Energy UK, said: “At a time when many households are struggling with their bills, action taken by the Government to provide a considerable discount on energy bills is hugely welcome.

“While the saving will be £150 for the average household, it is important to note that the discount is applied to the unit rate.

“Therefore, households will experience significantly different savings depending on their energy consumption, some much higher and others substantially lower than £150.

“In addition, other moving parts, such as network charges and wholesale costs, mean energy bills will not necessarily fall in line with the saving provided.

“Indeed, the price cap is projected to drop by around £115 from April 1.”

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— Ofgem (@ofgem) February 20, 2026

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Much of the reduction is expected to come through a lower price per unit of electricity, and households are being advised to watch for updates from their suppliers following Ofgem’s formal announcement.

Cornwall Insight, an energy consultancy, estimates that the changes will reduce the cap by around £145 per year once VAT and pricing adjustments are included.

Some of the savings have been offset by higher charges related to the operation and maintenance of Britain’s energy networks.

Wholesale prices have risen slightly since December, with the cost of gas particularly volatile due to “geopolitical factors.”

Emily Seymour, energy editor at consumer group Which?, said: “Households can expect a significant cut to their energy bills in April, which will come as a relief to millions of people struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

“The bulk of this change is expected to be applied to your electricity price per unit, so your exact savings will depend on your usage.

“Look out for communications from your energy provider in the coming weeks to see how it will affect your bills.”

Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “We know that energy bills can be confusing and trying to decide when to switch tariffs or change supplier is a big decision which can overwhelm people.

“As well as setting the price cap, Ofgem should play a greater role in ensuring that the tariffs reaching the market are fair and don’t discriminate against specific customer groups.

“Sadly, the responsibility currently falls to households to pay careful attention to any changes in their unit costs and standing charges.”

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He urged households to note the changes in unit costs and standing charges, rather than focus on the headline “average energy bill.”

Cornwall Insight said it expects the cap to remain steady throughout 2026, with only a small rise forecast in July.

This stability is due in part to wholesale costs remaining lower than when Ofgem set the January cap level.

However, it noted that the cost of gas is particularly volatile due to “geopolitical factors.”