It has been a difficult 12 months for Manchester United. First, losing their most accomplished and respected manager Alex Ferguson to retirement, only to be disappointed by the performance of replacement manager David Moyes, who many believed would do well. Following David Moyes’ removal, his replacement, Luis Van Gaal, has had a difficult start to the season, securing only 2 points out of a possible 9 in the first three games. Fans from all over the world, including Tunde Folawiyo, would have every right to have been concerned – but with one of the biggest transfer overhauls in the club’s history over the summer, Manchester United may be about ready to turn things around.

Spending a massive £151.3million on six new world class players has been enough to make Robin Van Persie, one of United’s best players, filled with optimism for the games ahead. All six players have been brought in during a lull for the club which has not been seen since before Alex Ferguson took over at the reigns. The weight of expectation is therefore placed on these 12 shoulders, hoping that all six can make an immediate impact and take the team back to the pinnacle of English football.

Getting Manchester United back into the number one slot will not be easy. In recent years the English Premier League has become increasingly competitive, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all competing with Manchester United for the country’s top footballing trophies. It is therefore hoped by United’s fans that the six signings can, not only make the first team better, but compete with the legions of international footballing stars which now populate the other contending teams.

The six signings are all international players including Argentina’s Marcos Rojo and Angel Di Maria, alongside Radamel Falcao of Columbia, Dutch midfielder Daley Blind, Spaniard Ander Herrara and English left back Luke Shaw. While all six signings are not a representative of an entire clear-out of the existing squad, it is assumed that this financial investment has been made with the players coming into the club expected to take up immediate starting positions, such has been the poor start to the season.

The club has many prominent fans with business expertise such as Tunde Folawiyo, whose credentials can be verified on this Zoominfo page, and they will be increasingly interested in the financial implications of spending such high amounts on the squad, hoping that the money can be recouped through Champions League involvement and winning trophies in the seasons to come. There is no doubt that it is a gamble, but the game of football often requires financial speculation, just how much is within the limits of a club’s budget, however, is another matter.

Regardless of the outcome, the high profile nature of all six signings should reaffirm Manchester’s ambitions for the English Premier League title.

After suffering the disappointment of a poor league campaign under previous manager David Moyes, new manager Luis Van Gaal has made a statement of intent with the preliminary purchase of Real Madrid Winger Angel Di Maria from the Spanish club. Smashing the previous British transfer record, Di Maria’s acquisition will be a massive boost to a United side which has started the season slowly after Van Gaal’s appointment. African Manchester United fans, such as Nigeria’s Tunde Folawiyo, have watched the transfer situation with interest, hoping that each new signing will push United on to win the title.

Paying £9 million more than Chelsea paid for Fernando Torres in the 2011/2012 season, this remarkable level of investment takes Manchester United’s summer spending up to a massive £132million. After dominating the English game for over two decades, it is this financial statement of intent which will define United as a club ready to compete with England’s other top footballing institutions, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.

At just 26 years of age, Angel Di Maria could provide both many years of service, and the promise of sell-on value should he decide to join another club in the future. As an integral part of the Real Madrid side, which went on to win the Champions League at the end of the 2013/2014 season, Di Maria has been lauded by his opponents, including the opposing manager Diego Simone who recognised Di Maria’s impact on the game, going on to claim that he was Real Madrid’s best player. This kind of reputation is exactly the reason why Manchester United has spent so much on him – a player to create goals and make space for the rest of the team.

As an Argentinian internationalist, Di Maria has amassed 52 caps for one of the world’s most talented international football teams, although he did miss out on the 2014 World Cup due to an injury. This may be of concern, especially considering the amount of money being offered for him. As of the time of this writing, the signing has not been confirmed yet, as Di Maria will have to go through a rigorous medical evaluation to ensure that there are no underlying issues which could hamper the number of appearances he could make for Manchester United in the future.

The question is, will this signing win the fans around? Many Manchester United supporters from around the world have discussed the transfer policy at their club in great detail. In Africa, United has a wide and varied supporter base, including all demographics. Will the signing of Di Maria engage the ordinary fans? Only time will tell, but success is something which the Manchester United supporters crave, all over the world. The player will have to justify his price tag on the pitch. This is perhaps the most important point, what will happen if he does not? For fans with a business background such as Tunde Folawiyo, whose vast experience and credentials are available on the Tunde Folawiyo Weebly page, spending such an outlay on one player may be a concern for the club’s financial model; however, without such investment it is clear that the team has been going backwards, and if Di Maria is a success, then trophies and increased revenues should follow.

Making such a high-priced purchase is not without its risks, as other clubs have found out the hard way. A player could be injured, or just not reach the playing level expected of them; despite these considerations, if Di Maria does perform the way he has for Real Madrid, Manchester United will be adding a world class superstar to their ranks who will affect their ability to win games positively.

RoShaun Williams, only fifteen years old, is a youth player for Manchester United and England who is in the news today for clocking a 10.99 second time in a 100m dash at his school. The record is more that significant—it beats the 11.13 second time set by Darren Campbell, who won an Olympic gold in 2004 in the 100m relay. Williams’ accomplishment has many looking forward to his possible future as a professional footballer. Williams cites newly retired United star Ryan Giggs as a personal hero. Thinking toward the club’s future will merit some recounting of its historic past.

In 1878, some employees at a wagon works started a football team called Newton Heath that played against other employees at rail companies at a North Road pitch, but quickly gained a reputation when they entered the Manchester Cup in 1885, and won it the following year. The team did not have the chops to join the Football League, but started the Football Alliance with a dozen other town teams. After nearing bankruptcy in 1902, the club reorganized and became Manchester United. The team first won the title of League Champions in 1908.

Old Trafford was destroyed in a bombing during World War II, and when the league resumed at the end of the war, Manchester came back to finish in second place, and they went on to win in 1952. A plane crash in 1958 devastated the team, but they fought to recover, and ten years later the team became the first in all of England to ever win the European cup, sealing their place in football history. Currently the team is among the richest football clubs in the world, and also the most valuable. It also has one of the largest fan bases of any sports team in the world. Fans of the club aren’t just local, but hail from all over the world, including Tunde Folawiyo. Interested readers can see uploads from Tunde Folawiyo for more information on his work and interests.

Manchester’s crest is modelled after a city council crest, and features a ship. The club colours varied in the early years but settled on today’s red, white and black in 1902, along with the team name. Manchester United still plays at Old Trafford, which has seen extensive remodelling over the years. The stadium sees the second highest fan population of any European football club.

Ryan Giggs is in the news recently, amid rumours that Manchester United is considering retiring the number 11 shirt in honour of Giggs, whose twenty-three year football career ended in retirement last year. Giggs has stated that he is interested to see who will take over the number, and says he can imagine inheriting the number 11 shirt could come with a great deal of pressure. But he does not think the team should retire it, given their high turnover of fantastic players. The retirement rumours are thought to have started in a push from excited fans. Now that he is retired, Giggs has joined the Manchester United coaching staff under Louis Van Gaal.

Ryan Giggs was born in Canton, Cardiff in 1973. His father, Danny Wilson, played union rugby for Cardiff RFC, and Giggs was a player of both rugby and football from a young age. Giggs was offered associate schoolboy forms on his fourteenth birthday and his first professional contract on his seventeenth birthday. He made his league debut for Manchester on March 2, 1991, and was voted the PFA Young Player of the year in 1992 and 1993. By 2002, Giggs was the longest serving player on United, and in 2004 he became one of only two players to have one the FA cup more than three times. Giggs’ unquestionable skills and long duration in the game have made him the holder of numerous league records, including league titles, and was awarded PFA player of the year in 2009.

Giggs retired in 2014 at age 40, in an open letter to friends and supporters that announced both his retirement and his position as assistant manager of Manchester United. In the letter, he referred to his pride at representing United in 963 games, and Wales in 64, fulfilling a life-long dream and playing among the greatest players in the football world. He is pleased to be going on to work alongside van Gaal, and his efforts on the field, spanning two decades, are sure to be remembered for a long time to come. Long-time fan and business owner Tunde Folawiyo is among the many that cite Giggs as the greatest Manchester United player of all time, for his longevity in such a competitive climate. Giggs was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Van Gaal has been working hard to secure the transfer of new players to United. Arturo Vidal, Juventus’ Chilean midfielder, has been high on the manager’s wish list for several weeks now, despite the fact that his current club are clearly reluctant to let him go. However, recent reports suggest that the transfer could still go ahead; it was revealed last week that Vidal had passed a series of medical examinations which were set up to see confirm that he is fit enough to join the Red Devils. This is certainly a step in the right direction, and could mean that the midfielder will be joining the team at Old Trafford in the very near future. (

As a fan of the club, Tunde Folawiyo may have heard that United are now in pursuit of Juan Cuadrado, following reports that Barcelona has failed in its attempt to sign the player. The Spanish club is thought to have been unimpressed with the price which Fiorentina has demanded for the Columbian; rumour has it that they deemed £39.5 million too excessive a sum. However, Van Gaal is eager to nab the winger, and may be able to afford it, if he manages to sell Javier Hernandez, a forward that several Spanish and Italian clubs are interested in.

Whilst the sale of Hernandez is still up in the air, the departure of Patrice Evra has been confirmed. After eight years with the Red Devils, the 33 year old has joined Juventus, at a cost of £1.2 million. Discussing the move, Evra said that although he had ‘the best memories’ of his time with United, he was thrilled by the idea of returning to the country where he first began to play football professionally.

United fans like Tunde Folawiyo are probably aware that Mats Hummels is another player whom Van Gaal is hoping to purchase during the coming weeks. The Borussia Dortmund star may be up for grabs, now that his current club are considering replacing him with another centre back named Tiago Ilori. However, Dortmund have stipulated that the transfer of Hummels will only go ahead if United agree to loan the player out to them on occasion. Hummels himself has yet to comment on the matter, but Hermann, his father, has said that a transfer is unlikely.

Although Folawiyo is an avid football fan, and enjoys watching Man United matches, he spends much of his time immersed in his own entrepreneurial activities. Those who wish to learn more about his work can read the Tunde Folawiyo company details online.

Manchester United has picked up another three Premier League points, following their defeat over Cardiff City. This was a welcome reprieve from the recent losses that the Red Devils have experienced at the hands of Tottenham, Swansea and Chelsea. The 2-0 victory has probably given many supporters, including Tunde Folawiyo hope that United might still win the title.

Juan Mata, the Red Devil’s newest midfielder, made his debut at the match. Whilst he missed out on two scoring opportunities, his quick-footedness and ability to support the efforts of other players on the team, resulted in him receiving a standing ovation from United’s fans as he left the pitch at the end of the game.  Mata and Van Persie were undoubtedly the stars of the show, with the latter providing the Red Devils with the lead just six minutes in.

Van Persie’s first attempt to score was saved by David Marshall; undeterred by this failure, he continued to attack and netted a goal a few minutes later. The move which led to this early success was initiated by Mata; after several seconds of passing between the Spaniard, Patrice Evra and Ashley Young, the ball was shot over to Antonio Valencia, who then accidentally headed it into the bar. However, Van Persie was quick to react to this error, taking control of the ball and kicking it into the net.

After the interval, Young doubled United’s advantage, by executing a perfect kick from 25 yards. This second goal seemed to spur Cardiff on, and for the rest of the match, they managed to retain possession of the ball. However, United’s defence was strong, and their opponents were unable to convert.

Whilst the Red Devil’s will still struggle to win the league trophy, the victory probably came as quite a relief to fans such as Tunde Folawiyo, given the team’s less-than-perfect results as of late. Speaking to the press after the match, Moyes seemed pleased, stating that he was much more optimistic about the team’s chances of winning the title now. He noted that their impressive performance during the game was largely due to the presence of players such as Mata, who just joined the club, and Van Persie, who has been absent for several months due to his injuries. However, Moyes was quick to add that he doesn’t want the results of this match to go to the players’ heads, and that they have a lot of work to do if they want to win the title.

Man United’s recent match against Stoke City was what many described as dismal; plagued by poor weather and bad luck, this was not the Red Devils’ finest performance. Stoke’s  2-1 win is likely to have left many fans of Man United, including Tunde Folawiyo disappointed, as it means that the team are that much further away from winning the Premier League title.

The weather at Britannia Stadium certainly didn’t make things easier for either side, with icy temperatures, rain and wind having a considerable impact on the players’ ability to remain on their feet, and in control of the ball; however, Stoke appeared to adjust to the unforgiving conditions far quicker than their opponents.

During the first half, Man United lost two of their central defenders; Phil Jones suffered a knock to the head which resulted in him being carried off the pitch in a concussed state, whilst Jonny Evans slipped and strained his calf. The absence of these two players certainly had a significant effect on United’s tactical approach; Rooney was dropped into midfield, Carrick was asked to move into central defence, and Welbeck was chosen as Jones’ replacement. Several commentators questioned Moyes decision to select Welbeck over Fletcher, whom they regarded as a stronger player.

Stoke took the lead during the first half. The goal, scored by Charlie Adam, was largely due to luck, rather than skill – his shot bounced off Carrick, and then soared past De Gea into the net. After this, the Red Devils began to attack with far greater gusto; this approach seemed to pay off during the second half, when Mata assisted Van Persie in scoring an equaliser, resulting in uproarious cheers from United’s supporters.

However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Stoke gained the advantage just five minutes later. The shot was initiated by Walters, who headed the ball to Arnautovic, who then passed it to Adam. The midfielder proceeded to deliver a powerful shot which, buoyed by the strong winds, flew far beyond De Gea’s reach.

Rooney almost managed to level the score with a free kick, but Stoke’s keeper, Asmir Begovic, performed a fingertip save at the last second. Further attempts by United were also fruitless; despite both of the team’s full-backs making it to the by-line, their opponent’s skilful defence meant that they simply could not convert, and as the whistle was blown, Stoke emerged victorious. As a sports fanatic, Tunde Folawiyo is probably aware that this was the first time, in thirty years, that the Potters have defeated the Red Devils in the Premier League.

Fans of United, such as Tunde Folawiyo, are probably aware that January has been a disappointing month for the team; over the past three weeks or so, they have been beaten by Tottenham, Swansea, and most recently, Chelsea. United got off to a strong start in their match against the Blue Lions, maintaining control of the ball for the first fifteen minutes. During this period,  came very close to scoring, with Petr Cech just barely managing a low save.

Ultimately however, Chelsea’s tactical expertise and highly organised defensive strategy was too much for United. Whilst the Blue Lions as a whole played exceptionally well, it was Samuel Eto’o’s hat-trick which led to United’s downfall. Commentators questioned Mourinho’s decision to choose Eto’o over Torres, but as the match played itself out, it became clear that the former was the better choice. Following the match, Mourinho explained that although Torres was an excellent player, Eto’o was better at manoeuvring and controlling the ball in smaller spaces.

Eto’o gave Chelsea the lead 17 minutes into the game. His somewhat clumsy footwork initially suggested that he posed no real threat to the Red Devils; however in the space of just a few seconds, he managed to cut in from the side of the pitch, sneak past Jones and unleash a tremendously powerful shot which hit the corner of the net. This goal should have served as United’s wake-up call, but the players’ seemed disheartened, rather than motivated by Chelsea’s early success.

A few minutes before the interval, the Red Devil’s didn’t quite manage to clear a corner, and then subsequently failed in their attempt to push the Blue Lions out; this resulted in Chelsea taking control once again, with Gary Cahill passing the ball to Eto’o, who then promptly swept yet another goal past United’s keeper. Mere minutes after the two teams returned to the field following the half-time break, Cahill’s attempt to score was thwarted by De Gea; however, Eto’o once again came to Chelsea’s rescue, taking the ball from Valencia and kicking it into the net.

Whilst at this point in the match, it was clear that United would not be going home with a win, the players made a number of valiant efforts to redeem themselves. Hernandez provided the Red Devil’s with their one and only goal, accepting a pass from Jones and then shooting the ball beyond Cech. However, this minor victory was negated by Vidic being given a red card by Phil Dowd, the referee, after his somewhat questionable challenge of Hazard. Overall, the match was most likely a frustrating one for supporters of United,  like Tunde Folawiyo.

In May of last year, Sir Alex Ferguson publically announced that he intended to retire as Manchester United’s manager, explaining that he would instead serve only as the club’s ambassador and director. His final match at Old Trafford took place just five days later, and resulted in the Red Devils defeating Swansea with a final tally of 2-1. As it was Ferguson’s last game on home turf, a huge number of Man United fans attended, one of whom was Tunde Folawiyo.

Prior to kick-off, the team members of both Man United and Swansea formed a guard of honour, which Ferguson then walked through to reach the arena; his arrival was greeted with applause and cheers by everyone in the stadium. The match got off to a lively start, with the two teams defending themselves well; but a few minutes before the interval, the Red Devils took the lead, after Javier Hernandez deftly kicked the ball just beyond the keeper’s reach.

United did not maintain this advantage for long however, with Swansea’s Michu levelling the score moments after half-time ended. This was an expertly executed play, with Williams heading the ball to the feet of Dyer, who then passed to Michu. The Spaniard was quick to react, immediately volleying the ball into the net.

This equaliser probably came as quite a blow to many fans, including Tunde Folawiyo. Given the significance of this match for Ferguson and his supporters, anything less than a total victory would have been heartbreaking. At this point, Ferguson recognised a need for some changes on the pitch; in the 66th minute, Anderson replaced Scholes, whilst Welbeck replaced Valencia.

Ferguson’s decision almost instantly improved United’s performance, and the fans’ spirits were raised once again when, just 12 minutes before the match drew to a close, Robin Van Persie initiated the winning goal, taking a free kick which was volleyed home by Rio Ferdinand.

Throughout the match, Ferguson remained stationary in his technical area, only making his way towards the pitch after the referee blew the final whistle. With a microphone in hand, he expressed his gratitude to all of the players and the fans, who had supported him even during the difficult early years of his time with the club. He also paid tribute to David Moyes, the team’s new manager.

Manchester United, nicknamed “The Red Devils”, has long been revered as England’s most successful professional football team with millions of fans including Tunde Folawiyo knowing exactly who they are. Boasting the largest average game attendance in European football, Manchester United has won numerous honours including three European Cups, 20 League titles, 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and a record 20 FA Community Shields, further demonstrating their vast impact on European sports.

Throughout its history as a franchise, Manchester United has held many international sports superstars on its roster, including Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. But Ryan Giggs overall, has won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two Champions League titles during his time with the club. Dubbed “The Most Popular Football Team in the World” due to its outstanding wealth and dynamic fan base, Manchester United was founded under the name Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 before later being renamed in 1902. Among the tales of its history, Manchester United suffered a loss of immense magnitude when a plane carrying the team crashed in Munich in February of 1958. Twenty-three died that day, including eight Manchester United players. Midfielder Sir Bobby Charlton was instrumental in rebuilding the team with 17 years of loyal service.

Manchester United paved the way for many English football teams, including their win of the European Cup while under the management of Matt Busby in 1968. Other respected Manchester United managers include Alex Ferguson, who won 28 major honours during a career spanning over 25 years before announcing his retirement. He remains one of the most respected managers in the history of football while fans will undoubtedly remember Ferguson for his incredible passion and numerous contributions toward the sport.

In 2012, Forbes ranked Manchester United first on the list of the ten most valuable sports team brands in the world. This poll estimated Manchester United’s brand to be worth $2.3 billion. Further cementing this title, Manchester United became the first sports team in the history to be valued at an incredible $3 billion in 2013. This is $1.2 billion higher than the next most valuable sports team in the world.

With their enormous success comes the opportunity to assist their community. The Manchester United Foundation maintains a mission of educating, motivating and inspiring young people by making charitable contributions to disadvantaged areas across Greater Manchester. Manchester United Fans such as Tunde Folawiyo will continue to prove an immeasurable source of support for the team’s success.