Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will go straight into the squad for Friday's Premier League opener against Fulham.
Bayern Munich duo De Ligt and Mazraoui are reported to have arrived at Old Trafford for a combined £60 million.
Both players join up once again with United manager Ten Hag, having played under him at Dutch side Ajax.
De Ligt has already won league titles in three different countries with Ajax (Netherlands), Juventus (Italy) and Bayern (Germany). He bolsters United's central defence following the departure of Raphael Varane, with fellow summer transfer window arrival Leny Yoro in danger of being sidelined for up to three months with a foot injury sustained in pre-season.
Mazraoui, 26, won three league titles with Amsterdam giants Ajax and another with Bayern. The full-back has made 28 appearances for Morocco and reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Ten Hag confirmed both players will be involved against Fulham as United start the campaign with some absentees.
"Issues are there but it's not about the players who are not available," the Dutchman said. "It's also what I said always last season.
"It's about the players who are available and we have a good group, we can make a strong selection, we can put out a strong team so we will do."
Asked if De Ligt and Mazraoui were ready to start, he said: "They will be in the squad. Harry Maguire will be in the squad as well."
Rasmus Hojlund and Yoro are out with injuries sustained on the summer tour of the United States, while left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are unavailable just as they were at the end of last season.
The latter is recovering from a knee issue that kept him out of the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign, while Shaw is sidelined until after September's international break with a calf complaint.
"I think he will return in the short term," Ten Hag said of the England international. "It doesn't take long.
"We are looking forward, of course, to Luke Shaw (returning). A very important player for our team.
"He is massively important so we want to get him back as soon as possible but we can't force this process."
De Ligt said his long playing partnership with Mazraoui will be a big boost to United's back line, an area that was decimated last season by injuries.
"What can I tell you about Nous? He is an amazing guy, an amazing player," De Ligt said in an interview with the team's in-house media.
"I've known him already for a long time, I think around 10 years now. There's a reason we always come together, like before in Ajax, then at Bayern Munich, now at Manchester United," the Dutch defender added.
Meanwhile, there was good news for United fans as captain Bruno Fernandes signed a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2027, with the option to extend for another year.
Portugal midfielder Fernandes, who joined United in 2020 and has scored 79 goals and provided 67 assists in 234 appearances for the club, had signed a previous contract in 2022 which ran until 2026.
"Everybody knows the passion I have for Manchester United," the 29-year-old said in a statement.
"I understand the responsibility and significance of wearing this shirt, and the levels of dedication and desire required to represent this incredible club.
"I wouldn’t have signed this contract if I didn’t believe that my best moments in a United shirt are still to come."
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
RESULTS
Mumbai Indians 181-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata Knight Riders 168-6 (20ovs)
Mumbai won by 13 runs
Rajasthan Royals 152-9 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 155-4 (18.4 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets
Race card for Super Saturday
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Suarez 27', Vidal 32', Dembele 35', Messi 78')
Sevilla 0
Red cards: Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
