Hakan Calhanoglu believes Inter are a stronger team than Milan despite the latter's Scudetto success, while he questioned the behaviour of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

Calhanoglu watched on as Inter lifted the Serie A title in the 2020-21 season, when he was playing for fierce rivals Milan. 

The Turkey international switched city allegiances by joining Inter for the following campaign, which finished with Milan winning the Scudetto and ending a 1,976-day wait for a trophy. 

That also marked the first time that Inter and Milan finished in Serie A's top two in consecutive seasons, but Calhanoglu says Simone Inzaghi's side are far stronger than their neighbours. 

"Inter are a much stronger team than Milan. We lost a derby that suddenly changed in the 75th minute after [Ivan] Perisic and I were substituted," the midfielder told Tivibu Spor.  

"We were leading 1-0, then we lost 2-1. The coach [Inzaghi] also contributed to that defeat, I told him. In the cup, however, we beat them 3-0. The team is very ambitious." 

Ibrahimovic could be seen smoking a cigar at Milan's title celebrations, where he took the microphone and told supporters: "Hey, send a message to Hakan." 

Calhanoglu insists he would not have behaved like Ibrahimovic, questioning his actions at 40 years old. 

"He's a 40-year-old man, I wouldn't do a thing like that if I was that age. He's not 18. He likes to be the centre of attention," he added.  

"This year he didn't contribute to the Scudetto, he hardly ever played. But he does everything to attract the attention of the fans. 

"I don't care at all. It's not right because he's someone who always calls me when I'm in Milan, who wants to go out for dinner and ride a motorcycle with me. 

"I respected him. He also wrote about me in his book, he had to write these things or his book would be empty. I won't answer him, it's better not to answer." 

Daniil Medvedev eventually mastered the windy conditions as he came from behind to keep his Mallorca Championships defence alive, but Jannik Sinner and Diego Schwartzman crashed out in Eastbourne. 

World number one Medvedev fought back from a set down to defeat Aslan Karatsev 3-6 6-4 6-2 and advance to a quarter-final against fifth seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who was granted a walkover after Nick Kyrgios pulled out with an abdominal issue. 

The Russian got just 48 per cent of his first serves in during a blustery opening set before improving to 68 per cent in the second and controlling the decider as Karatsev struggled with injury. 

"It was tough to play [in] rhythm. It felt like many points were just whoever managed to put the ball in the court was going to win the point," Medvedev said of the tricky conditions. 

"It was not easy but I'm happy to win because that's the most important [thing]. 

"Last year was amazing. I played great tennis. Hopefully I can do the same this year. I like it here in Mallorca, so hopefully I can stay as long as possible in the tournament." 

Alongside Medvedev and Bautista Agut, Stefanos Tsitsipas is the only other seed left in the draw after he overcame Ilya Ivashka 6-4 6-4. 

Denis Shapovalov was a 6-4 6-1 loser against Benjamin Bonzi, Pablo Carreno Busta went down 6-3 6-4 to Antoine Bellier and Sebastian Baez's meeting with Daniel Altmaier ended in a 6-2 2-6 6-4 defeat for the Argentine. 

At the Eastbourne International, second seed Sinner suffered a 6-3 3-6 6-3 loss to Tommy Paul as he made his return from a knee injury sustained at the French Open.

World number 13 Sinner remains without a grass-court win in his ATP Tour career, while Paul will next face defending champion Alex de Minaur, who overcame Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 in a repeat of last year's final. 

Jack Draper defeated fourth seed Diego Schwartzman 7-5 7-6 (7-3) to advance to the quarter-finals and Cameron Norrie cruised past Brandon Nakashima in straight sets.

There were also wins for Maxime Cressy, Alexander Bublik and Taylor Fritz. 

Garbine Muguruza saw her Wimbledon preparations take a hit as she fell to a last-16 defeat at the Eastbourne International on Wednesday. 

World number 26 Camila Giorgi battled from a break down in both sets to beat fifth seed Muguruza 7-5 6-3 in an hour and 53 minutes. 

That meant 12th seed Giorgi made her second straight quarter-final, following a last-eight appearance in Birmingham, and will next face Viktoriya Tomova, who defeated Kirsten Flipkens 3-6 6-3 6-4. 

Jil Teichmann, the 10th seed at the tournament, was a notable second-round elimination, falling to a 7-6 (9-7) 4-6 6-3 defeat to Briton Harriet Dart, who later triumphed 6-4 2-6 6-4 over Marta Kostyuk. 

Dart's fellow Briton Katie Boulter stunned last year's Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Pliskova in the second round but had no such luck against Petra Kvitova, losing 5-7 6-0 7-5. 

Beatriz Haddad Maia, the winner at the Birmingham Open last week, extended to a 12-match winning streak with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Jodie Burrage. 

Jelena Ostapenko also progressed after Madison Keys retired when 6-3 down and will next face Anhelina Kalinina, who battled to a 6-3 2-6 6-3 win over 16th seed Yulia Putintseva. 

While seeds fell at Eastbourne, there were not as many shocks at the Bad Homburg Open, where Angelique Kerber defeated Lucia Bronzetti 6-2 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals. 

Fourth seed Simona Halep also made the last eight with 6-0 6-3 victory over Tamara Zidansek and will meet Amanda Anisimova after she won an All-American match against Ann Li 6-0 6-2. 

Alize Cornet downed Tatjana Maria 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to tee up a clash with Kerber, while Bianca Andreescu will meet top seed Daria Kasatkina after defeating Katie Swan 6-4 6-4. 

The PGA Tour has announced schedule changes and prize money increases in order to stem the flow of big-name players joining the rival LIV Golf International Series.

Brooks Koepka became the ninth major champion to sign up to the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed league, rocking the PGA Tour on Wednesday.

The American joined Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Bryson DeChambeau in the breakaway competition.

Defecting players were indefinitely suspended from PGA Tour events, but were allowed to play at last week's U.S. Open and participate in next month's 150th Open at St Andrews.

The PGA had been rumoured to be mulling over a switch to a calendar-year schedule, alongside increased purses and the creation of new no-cut international events featuring the Tour's top 50 players.

Commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed those alterations at a press conference ahead of the Travelers Championship, stressing the PGA's need to innovate to remain golf's leading competition.

"I want to talk about where the PGA Tour is headed. We don't expect to overcome this current challenge by relying on our legacy and track record alone," he said.

"We've been on a path for a number of years to strengthen and evolve our product for the benefit of our fans and players alike, those plans are obviously accelerated in light of the current environment.

"We have some exciting developments coming out of yesterday's policy board meeting that will further secure our status as the pre-eminent golf tour in the world.

"This includes moving forward with our future product model for the 2022-23 season and beyond, a return to a calendar-year schedule beginning in 2024, with the FedEx Cup contested from January to August, culminating with the FedEx Cup play-offs and followed by the fall events.

"[The Tour will also add] revised field sizes for the FedEx Cup play-offs in 2023 and beyond, [and] the creation of a series of up to three international events, to be played after the conclusion of the fall schedule, which will include the top 50 players from the FedEx Cup points list.

"Alongside these changes, the policy board also amended the resource allocation plan, to increase purse sizes at eight events during the 2022-23 season, with an average purse at $20million. 

"There is more work to be done, and details to confirm, but implementing substantial changes to our schedule gives us the best opportunity to not only drive earnings to our players, but also improve our product and create a platform for continued growth in the future."

Rory McIlroy, a vocal opponent of LIV Golf, had earlier stated he supported the changes, saying to Sky Sports: "I think having the FedExCup season go to a calendar year, that would be a pretty good idea.

"So then it gives guys the opportunity to play if they want to play in the fall, or if they don't want to play in the fall they don't have to, they're not forced to.

"You're trying to give playing opportunities and create prize funds for the lower half of the membership, but also trying to accommodate what the upper half of the membership want as well with an off-season, time away from the FedExCup schedule. So it's a balance."

Monahan added the PGA could not wish to compete financially with the rival tour, headed by two-time major champion Greg Norman, which he described as "irrational".

"I am not naive," Monahan said. "If this is an arms race and if the only weapons are dollar bills, the PGA Tour can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in an attempt to buy the game of golf.

"We welcome good healthy competition, the LIV series is not that. It's an irrational threat, one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game. 

"Currently no one organisation owns or dominates the game of golf, instead the various entities work together to meet our own respective priorities but with the best interests of the game at heart.

"When someone attempts to buy the sport and dismantle the institutions that are intrinsically invested in growth and focus only on a personal priority, that partnership evaporates. 

"Instead we end up with one person, one entity, using endless amounts of money to direct employees towards their personal goals, which may or may not change tomorrow or the next day.

"I doubt that's the vision any of us have for the game."

Ben Stokes is out to make some more happy memories at Headingley as England look to complete a Test series whitewash of New Zealand in Leeds.

Stokes and England have not played a Test at Headingley since his remarkable showing in the third Ashes Test with Australia in 2019, which saw him rescue the hosts and lead them to a one-wicket win with the highest successful chase in their Test history. Stokes' unbeaten 135 propelled England past the target of 359 and is regarded by many as the greatest Test innings of all time.

After replacing Joe Root as captain, Stokes – along with new head coach Brendon McCullum – has inspired another transformation in his first series as skipper, his side claiming successive wins over New Zealand, having previously won one of their last 17 Tests, to wrap up the series with a game to spare.

The second Test at Trent Bridge saw England ruthlessly chase down 299 in front of a packed day-five house, the hosts prevailing despite conceding 553 runs in the first innings.

It was a match that saw a Test-record 249 boundaries (225 fours and 24 sixes) struck. Seven of those sixes came in Jonny Bairstow's critical 136, the Yorkshireman reaching 100 off just 77 balls as he went into Twenty20 mode having recently returned from the Indian Premier League.

And Stokes says his side will play in the same attacking manner as he targets more joy at Headingley.

"The first time we've played Test matches since that game [versus Australia in 2019], so it's amazing how fast time goes," said Stokes. 

"There are obviously some great memories here at Headingley, we've got a good record here as a team so, yes, looking forward to getting going again.

"I was pretty simple and clear in the dressing room. I said this week, let's try and think like we're in the entertainment business rather than the sporting business because I feel like we've managed to do something over the last two weeks.

"There's a reason why we had 20,000 people that are at Trent Bridge on day five, because they want to come in and watch this new brand-new cricket that we're playing.

"I set a challenge to the team to come out and be even more fearless, more positive and more aggressive than we were last week."

Anderson out but Williamson returns

England's sole change from that win sees Jamie Overton replace James Anderson, who is out with an ankle injury.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson returns after missing the second Test with COVID-19 and he is not concerned with England's change in style under Stokes.

"Their style is theirs," Williamson said. "It appears to have evolved a little bit.

"For us it's focusing on our cricket and finding different areas of the game to target and be aware they are choosing to play a different brand that seems to be suiting them.

"The focus is us and wanting to be better."

New Zealand's attack has been depleted by injuries to Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson. Neil Wagner and Ajaz Patel are each in consideration to come into the side.

Stokes' six appeal

Stokes hit six maximums in the second Test and is now on the verge of joining a select group. He needs one six to become just the third player to hit 100 in men's Test cricket (Brendon McCullum – 107 and Adam Gilchrist – 100).

The omens are good. Stokes has hit more than one in each of his last three Test innings against New Zealand, after hitting only four across all his 12 innings prior in the format against the Black Caps.

Rory McIlroy labelled breakaway players joining the LIV Golf International Series as "duplicitous" before Brooks Koepka became the latest high-profile name to leave the PGA Tour.

McIlroy has been a critic of LIV Golf, the controversial Saudi-backed competition, with opponents accusing the breakaway league of sportswashing.

However, that has not stopped the likes of Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia leaving the PGA Tour, who have indefinitely banned the defectors from returning.

Koepka was confirmed on Wednesday as the next big name to join and is the ninth major winner to sign for LIV Golf, with world number 20 Abraham Ancer also being linked with the tournament.

Four-time major winner Koepka refused to discuss LIV Golf at last week's U.S. Open, where he said he was "tired of conversations" and debates were "throwing a black cloud" over the third major of 2022.

Koepka subsequently withdrew from the Travelers Championship, which is the next PGA Tour event on Thursday, and will feature at the second LIV Golf event in Portland.

That has led to more debate around the breakaway league, and McIlroy feels his fellow golfers are not staying true to their word.

"Am I surprised?" McIlroy told reporters in Connecticut before Koepka's switch was confirmed. "Yes, because of what he said previously.

"I think that's why I'm surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another, and I don't understand that and I don't know if that's for legal reasons or if they can't – I have no idea.

"But it's pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing…the whole way through, in public and private, all of it."

McIlroy has enjoyed an upturn in fortunes over the last month, triumphing at the Canadian Open before finishing in a tie for fifth at the U.S. Open.

The 33-year-old admitted that tiredness is becoming a factor as he prepares for his fourth tournament in as many weeks, but remains excited to compete at the Travelers Championship.

"I got a night in my own bed down in Florida on Monday night, which was really nice," he added.

"But, yes, I came back up here yesterday and played the pro-am today and going to get an early night tonight. I've got an early start again tomorrow.

"But excited to get going and especially continuing the run of form I'm on. I'm playing some really good golf and I want to continue trying to do that.

"I think the three weeks that I've played, like Memorial's a very demanding golf course. Canada wasn't so demanding but when you get yourself in contention and you play a weekend like that, then that takes quite a lot out of you. And then you follow that up with a US Open. So I think it's a combination of everything.

"Mentally I'm totally fine, but it will be nice to sort of rest up this afternoon and get another good night's sleep and get ready to play tomorrow.

"But four weeks in a row is pretty rare for me these days. I haven't played four in a row in a while and you start to remember why!"

Brooks Koepka has become the latest high-profile player to trade the PGA Tour for the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia were among the early joiners of the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway competition, which started earlier in June in London.

Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed followed suit as they announced their intention to play in LIV Golf tournaments, with all participants aware they would be indefinitely suspended from the PGA Tour.

The breakaway golfers were still allowed to participate at the U.S. Open, where Koepka said he was "tired of conversations" about the new circuit and asserted LIV Golf debates were "throwing a black cloud" over the third major of 2022.

Four-time major winner Koepka, who finished 55th at Brookline, then removed all references to the PGA Tour from his social media profiles as expectations grew that he would trade allegiances.

The world number 19's move was subsequently confirmed on Wednesday and he will feature in the second event at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon, which starts on July 3.

"There's no understating the impact that Brooks Koepka has had on the game of golf in the last five years," LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman said.

"He carries a championship pedigree and record of success as one of the most elite players in the world

"The addition of Brooks is yet another example of the incredible fields LIV Golf is assembling as we build momentum in our first season and look towards the future."

Six further tournaments will follow for LIV Golf this season, with the total prize fund for the eight competitions £200million, with Charl Schwartzel collecting £3.9m when he won the opening 54-hole competition.

Uncertainty remains as to what the breakaway league means for further participation at the majors, with USGA chief executive Mike Whan admitting he could foresee a day where players may be banned.

Koepka becomes the ninth major champion to defect to LIV Golf, along with Garcia, Johnson, Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and DeChambeau.

World ranking points remain unavailable for LIV Golf events, but Norman – himself a two-time major champion – has said an application for that to change has been submitted.

Rafael Nadal proved his fitness on his return to action ahead of Wimbledon with a routine straight-sets victory over Stan Wawrinka in Wednesday's exhibition match.

The 37-year-old has won the Australian Open and French Open titles already this year, but his bid for a grand slam sweep was halted by a troublesome foot problem.

Nadal triumphed at Roland Garros despite needing pain-killing injections before every match, leaving his fitness in doubt for Wimbledon next week.

However, the 22-time grand slam winner confirmed last week he was planning on taking part in the third major of the year after spending time training on grass in Mallorca.

And in his first match since beating Casper Ruud in the French Open final two-and-a-half weeks ago, Nadal eased past Wawrinka at the Hurlingham Club in London.

The Spaniard raced into a five-game lead in the opener and, despite losing his break of serve in the seventh game, saw out a straightforward opening set.

Playing in front of around 1,300 spectators, Nadal was pushed a little harder in the second set but still came through relatively unscathed to win 6-2 6-3 in a little over an hour.

Wawrinka, who has been handed a wild card for Wimbledon, expects Nadal to be right in the mix for a third crown at All England Club, 12 years on from his most recent triumph.

"After that I have a lot to work on," he joked. "But it's OK, it's against Rafa. We are used to losing against him. It's normal!.

"I don't know how he's feeling – it looks like normal Rafa. He has been saying he is feeling better and if he is playing he is ready to play his best and to win.

"I think Rafa any time he enters a grand slam is going to be one of the favourites, if not the favourite. 

"He won the first two slams of the year without too many matches before those grand slams so he got a lot of confidence so of course he is part of the favourites."

As well as twice winning Wimbledon, Nadal has also reached the semi-finals in his past two appearances in 2018 and 2019.

After getting a first grass-court appearance in three years under his belt, he is hoping for more happy memories during his time in the English capital.

"I have spent some fantastic moments here in London," he said. "Playing of course at the World Tour Finals a lot of times but of course playing at Wimbledon since 2003. 

"It was always a big goal and a dream for me to achieve important things here at Wimbledon and I was able to make that happen for the first time in 2008. 

"Since that moment, I always come back with the same passion and I always feel very welcomed by the crowd here."
 
Nadal will be number two seed when the draw takes place on Friday, with long-time rival Novak Djokovic the top seed in the absence of Daniil Medvedev.

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will make his 10th appearance in the race next month after being confirmed as part of Israel-Premier Tech's squad for the second grand tour of the year.

Froome has won the Tour on four occasions, in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 – only four riders (Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain - all five) have more general classification wins. 

The 37-year-old finished 133rd overall at last year's Tour, his first entry since coming third in 2018, but will bring up double figures for appearances in the race when it gets underway in Copenhagen on July 1.

Froome told his team's media channels: "It's awesome to be starting my 10th Tour de France with Israel-Premier Tech.

"I've worked exceptionally hard this year and I'm looking forward to giving it my all. We've got a great group of riders in the line-up and we can't wait for the battle to begin in Copenhagen."

Froome will ride largely in support of Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang, with the team's general manager Kjell Carlstrom insisting stage wins are their priority this year.

"In this Tour, the main priority for us is to win a stage," he said. "With Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana stage wins to our name, we would like to complete the grand tour trifecta with a Tour de France win, so it's certainly our main focus to begin with.

"We also want to keep our options open and see what may be possible in terms of fighting for a leader's jersey like we did last year, when we had Michael Woods fighting for the KOM jersey. 

"However, hunting for stages is definitely the most important goal for us in this year's Tour de France."

Lucas Moura expressed his excitement to play in the Champions League with Tottenham, but warned the upcoming campaign could be his last with the Premier League side.

Moura joined Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 on a five-year contract, which is due to expire next June.

The 29-year-old appeared 34 times in the 2021-22 Premier League term, scoring two goals and assisting six, while creating 34 chances as Tottenham secured Champions League qualification.

Brazil compatriots Richarlison and Raphinha have been linked as Antonio Conte looks to bolster his squad to compete in Europe, with Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma already signed.

Moura also has to compete with the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski for a starting spot, with the attacking trio integral to the success in the second half of the season for Spurs.

While Moura is looking forward to featuring in UEFA's flagship club competition under Conte, he revealed that the 2022-23 season could be his last with Tottenham.

"The idea is to fulfil the contract. It has one more year, with the option of one more, on the part of the club," he told journalist Andre Hernan.

"So at the end of this season now, if the club wants to extend another year, they have that option.

"But my idea is this. Finalising the contract, playing in the Champions League, we haven't played the Champions League for two years, and now it could be, perhaps, my last Champions League there at Tottenham.

"So then the idea is to stay there, fulfil the contract, then be free, then decide where I'm going."

The high school coach of heralded quarterback prospect Arch Manning says the five-star recruit is still in the process of deciding where he will play college football in 2023. 

Nelson Stewart, coach of Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, told The Athletic this week that although Manning is getting closer to a decision, the highly coveted 17-year-old has yet to make a commitment as he continues to gather information from several prospective suitors. 

"There's no impulsivity to him. There's no rush," Stewart said. "When he knows, he knows. 

"Obviously he's been going through this for seven years. We're in the fourth quarter. It's just about attention to detail and supporting him."

Manning, the nephew of former Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning, just returned to New Orleans following a recent visit to the University of Texas. The Longhorns are considered among the favourites to land the Class of 2023's top quarterback along with Alabama and Georgia, two schools Manning also made official visits to earlier this month. 

Mississippi, where both Archie and Eli Manning played, is also viewed as a potential landing spot for the younger Manning.  

Stewart said Manning is not expected to take any more visits and will spend the remainder of the summer preparing for his senior year at Isidore Newman and working at his family's passing academy in Louisiana. He is unsure if Manning will have his decision finalised by the time the high school season begins. 

"When he's ready, he's ready," Stewart said. "This is his private time. We're just trying to give him the distance to formulate his own thoughts." 

Romelu Lukaku must rediscover the form that fired Inter to the Scudetto in 2021 should he return to the Nerazzurri, former Italy striker Christian Vieri has said.

Lukaku scored 24 goals under the stewardship of Antonio Conte as Inter lifted the Serie A title in the 2020-21 campaign, before returning to Chelsea for a club-record £97.5million fee.

The Belgium international struggled on his Stamford Bridge return, scoring just eight times in 26 Premier League appearances.

Lukaku is widely expected to head back to Inter on loan less than a year after leaving, as Simone Inzaghi looks to assemble his side to reclaim the Scudetto from fierce rivals Milan.

The 29-year-old will hope to regain the confidence he had during his two-year spell with Inter, with no Nerazzurri player scoring more times (64), providing more assists (17) or creating as many chances (133) in all competitions in that period.

Vieri understands the pressure of a big-money move, having joined Inter in a then world-record €49m transfer in 1999 from Lazio, but insists Lukaku must find the old version of himself with the Nerazzurri.

"I wouldn't want to talk about players who haven't signed yet. We'll see how it ends, the teams are working to become stronger and stronger," Vieri said on his podcast.

"He is still a great player, he has scored many goals all over the world. Last year he did very badly with Chelsea, few games and very few goals.

"If he returns, he will have to prove that he is the Lukaku seen at Inter."

While Inzaghi will be delighted to bolster his attacking ranks, with Paulo Dybala also reportedly set to arrive from Juventus, not all at Inter are keen to welcome Lukaku back.

After Lukaku expressed his desire to return to Inter in a controversial interview in December, the Nerazzurri supporters group Curva Nord unveiled a banner, stating: "It doesn't matter who runs away in the rain, what matters is who stays in the storm. Bye Romelu".

Curva Nord issued another statement on Wednesday, assuring they have not forgotten about Lukaku's exit to Chelsea that they felt betrayed the Nerazzurri.

"He was supported and treated like a king, now he is one like another player," the group posted on Instagram. "We took note of Lukaku's betrayal and we were very upset.

"To a footballer these things can be forgiven over time, but they remain. Let us also be clear to everyone that we will never cheer against Lukaku if he wears the Inter shirt again.

"However, we invite all Inter fans not to fall into the trap of running immediately and drooling after him. 

"In addition to a clear instinctive emotional aspect, pretending that nothing has happened, would only give a further acceleration to that process that has been going on for years aimed at making us all stupid and supine consumers."

England legend John Barnes has warned Manchester United that their issues stem deeper than the squad at their disposal, as the club enters the Erik Ten Hag era.

United axed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer midway through last season and drafted in Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis until the end of the 2021-22 season – which ended with disappointment as the club failed to secure a top-four finish and Champions League football.

Ten Hag was lured to Old Trafford from Ajax to take the club into a new direction, becoming the fifth permanent managerial appointment at United since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

The arrival of the Dutchman comes amid further changes in the United hierarchy, with Ed Woodward departing and Richard Arnold coming in as chief executive officer.

While fans are hoping for new signings, having seen rivals Manchester City land Erling Haaland and Liverpool capture Darwin Nunez, Barnes isn't convinced that additions will solve their problems.

"I don't know whether other players coming in is going to be better because Man United have spent money and brought players in and it hasn't worked," he told Stats Perform.

"So, it's not a question of just buying players in and automatically it's going to work because you know, everybody has their problems, adjusting when a new manager comes in when new players coming in. 

"What I do know is they've spent money and they've had players. So, I don't know anything about the institution as to how an institution should be run. But what I do know is they’ve got good players. 

"If they have good players and they're not performing, I don't think you can blame the hierarchy, blame the owners for them not playing well on the pitch. 

"Because what they have on the pitch, the players they have on the pitch, the money they've spent, they shouldn't be where they are. And they shouldn't be in the turmoil that they are. 

"I think it's too easy to blame that rather than looking at the players who should take responsibility for performances."

Barnes also made it clear that Ten Hag needs to establish himself as more powerful than the players in the United squad, as Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel have done.

"Once you don't have a manager who you give the power to make decisions, you will then keep changing the manager and then the players get very complacent. Because they know they're not going to get blamed," he explained.

"I can think of the three clubs in England who don't blame the manager and who the manager is more powerful than the players, Klopp, Guardiola, Tuchel, there's not one player at those clubs who could undermine the manager.

"I suppose you could put Conte and now Arteta in that position after the decision with Aubameyang where he [Arteta] won that battle, and that has to happen at any football club to be successful.

"Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened at United for the last four or five managers. So that for me is the issue, not the manager."