Jude Bellingham would be a "perfect" signing for Manchester United, according to former Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Bellingham has played 161 times for Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City, and is one of Europe's hottest prospects after an impressive World Cup with England.

The 19-year-old starred for the Three Lions in Qatar, becoming the only teenager behind Michael Owen in 1998 to start a knockout game at the tournament in the 3-0 round-of-16 victory over Senegal.

He marked it with a sensational performance too, playing a big role in all three goals and providing an assist, making him the youngest England player to do so in a World Cup game since 1966.

Bellingham has also played a key role for Dortmund at club level, scoring a team-high 10 goals in 27 appearances this season while ranking second for assists (six) and third in chances created (28).

That incredible form at such a young age has predictably garnered much interest in securing his services. Real Madrid are reported to be interested, while Liverpool and Manchester City are also rumoured to be keen on the midfielder.

However, Schmeichel believes it could be United who beat their rivals to Bellingham's signature, but only if they are to finish in the Champions League places this season.

Schmeichel also feels Liverpool's increasingly unlikely chances of finishing in the top four, as well as the Premier League charging City with financial breaches, could help United's chances of bringing Bellingham to Old Trafford.

"He would be perfect for us," Schmeichel told Goal. "But we're not attractive enough [right now] because we're not in that position.

"But you can imagine a situation where Liverpool aren't in the Champions League and Manchester United are, then all of a sudden we might be more attractive.

"And of course with the situation of Man City as well, we might be that club, so it's very important for us now to keep on track steadily."

United sit third in the Premier League, holding a seven-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham as they bid to secure Champions League qualification for next season.

The Red Devils travel to face Barcelona on Thursday in the Europa League looking to reach the last 16, and Schmeichel believes a good performance in Europe can evidence United's resurgence after finishing with their lowest-ever Premier League points tally last season.

"Of course, we want to do well in Europe," Schmeichel added. "We want to do well in Europe because we want to show the footballing world that Manchester United, we're on our way back.

"It's taken a long time. We're on our way back. We're not rushing, but we are on our way back and we are an attractive place for the greatest footballers of this world to come and play for us."

Paris Saint-Germain will not win the Champions League because they are "terrible at defending," according to former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi scored twice while Neymar was also on target in the thumping 7-2 victory over Maccabi Haifa at Parc des Princes. 

Despite progressing to the knockout stages with a match to spare, the Champions League trophy has remained elusive to PSG, who are yet to register a clean sheet in this season's competition after Abdoulaye Seck's brace for the visitors.

Schmeichel, who lifted the trophy with United in 1999, heaped praise on the attacking trio of Mbappe, Messi and Neymar after another devastating goalscoring display, but believes that defensive frailties will wreck any title ambitions.

"What was special about this game was the quality of the goals," he told CBS Sports Golazo. "You can't defend against that. These three guys up front, Mbappe, Neymar and Messi, when they play like that, there are no answers.

"I'm not sure when you talk about them winning the Champions League. I think the problem they have also showed today. When they're 3-0 up, all of a sudden, it's 4-2. They need to score a lot of goals to win games, and it's not always going to happen.

"I think they are terrible defending; that's also because of the three front players. When you are at the stadium, and you see how little they take part in defending.

"Everybody else, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, all those teams, it's 11 players attacking, it's 11 players defending. I think in modern-day football, that's what you need.

"That could be the problem in one game, one game against Man City, one game against Real Madrid, it's enough to get knocked out."

Erling Haaland shares many of the same qualities as Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to Peter Schmeichel, who has described the Manchester City man as several top strikers "put into one player".

Haaland produced an incredible display as City swatted aside Manchester United for a 6-3 derby win on Sunday, scoring a treble and teeing up two goals for fellow hat-trick hero Phil Foden.

The Norwegian – who has scored 14 goals in his first eight Premier League appearances – has now scored a hat-trick in three successive home league games, becoming the first player to do so in the competition's history.

After watching Haaland tear United apart at the Etihad Stadium, Schmeichel picked out similarities between the 22-year-old and several striking legends.

"The biggest part of a good striker is patience. I played against some of the best strikers, and when they go missing is when you really have to concentrate," the former United and City goalkeeper told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"The Cristiano Ronaldos, the Filippo Inzaghis of this world – they disappear then all of a sudden they get the chance.

"When you look at Haaland, you see different players. That Zlatan-like goal, and Ronaldo is in there too. You see top, top strikers in one.

"That is why he is so dangerous. He has the luxury of seeing many top strikers and they are all put into one player."

Haaland's dominant display on Sunday saw him become just the 25th player to record five goal involvements in a Premier League game – and the youngest to ever do so (22 years, 73 days).

In Haaland and team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, meanwhile, City have the highest goalscorer and top assist-maker in Europe's top five leagues this season (in all competitions).

Haaland has already found the net 17 times this season, with five of those strikes being laid on by De Bruyne, who has a total of 10 assists in 2022-23.

Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel is "surprised" by the club's pursuit of Casemiro, expressing doubt as to whether the midfielder can adapt to life in the Premier League.

Erik ten Hag's side are widely reported to be closing in on the capture of the Brazilian from Real Madrid for an initial fee of around £60million (€70.6m), with his weekly wage said to be £350,000.

Such a significant outlay on the 30-year-old, who is set to pen a four-year deal at Old Trafford, has raised eyebrows given the fact he is entering the twilight years of his career.

Schmeichel has further concerns though, as he is not convinced that Casemiro will be able to fit into the role that United are recruiting him for, highlighting the differences to his current position at Madrid.

"I'm surprised, I have to be honest, because Casemiro hasn't been mentioned at all throughout the transfer window, at no point was that name mentioned," he told the BBC's Football Focus.

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic at Real Madrid, I've been impressed with how well he's played. He had an injury, came back and really tightened up the back.

"But what he did at Real Madrid was to sit in front of the back four, just to give them protection, then when they had the ball he took part in play but they had Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to give the ball to, then he just stopped.

"If you're a number six for Manchester United, you are supposed to also drive and take part in the game."

"Ten Hag says he wants to be in possession of the game, to be in control of the game, put pressure on the ball all the time, and that's a big difference from LaLiga. Even playing in the Champions League to playing every week in the Premier League.

"So I'm surprised that this player is now being mentioned at that amount of money with those wages at that age, when we don't know if he can do the job.

"I'm not sure. Maybe sign somebody who we know can play in the Premier League, just for now, then maybe next year or the next transfer window you go and sign the players like Casemiro, exciting players to watch.

"For me, it's an open question, I don't know."

United, who have lost their opening two Premier League matches, have spent much of the transfer window chasing Frenkie de Jong from Madrid's rivals Barcelona.

They were the unlikeliest of all European champions and to this day remain the poster boys for all underdogs.

Denmark, the Euro 92 winners, gave hope to generations of teams that would follow them onto the big stage.

How could a nation with a population of a little over five million in 1992 sweep away the competition, when that competition looked so formidable?

Michel Platini's France squad boasted Papin, Cantona, Deschamps, Blanc and Boli; Germany had Klinsmann, Hassler, Moller and World Cup final match-winner Brehme; the Netherlands fielded Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard and a young Bergkamp.

Nobody was tipping Denmark, who were called into the tournament 10 days before it began after the expulsion of Yugoslavia, a decision taken by UEFA amid war in the Balkans.

Denmark have given hope to teams who logically should have none. This hope has often been outrageously misplaced. The notion that 'if Denmark can do it, so can we' is a fallacy. The Danes opened the door and fantasists walked through.

The 1992 Denmark team were a band of brothers who seized their unexpected opportunity, facing on-field and off-field challenges along the way. Thirty years since the June 26 final, we celebrate them.

HOW ON EARTH DID THEY DO IT?

There was little indication of what was to come when Denmark followed a 0-0 draw against England by losing 1-0 to hosts Sweden; however, a 2-1 victory over France in Malmo snapped the watching continent to attention.

Peter Schmeichel. John Jensen. Brian Laudrup. Kim Vilfort. Torben Piechnik. The football world knew about goalkeeper Schmeichel, a year into his Manchester United career, and Laudrup was Denmark's star outfielder. But many in their side were barely known outside Denmark. Twelve of their 20 still played in the Danish league.

Michael Laudrup was in international exile, after he and Brian quit the national team in late 1990, unimpressed with new coach Richard Moller Nielsen. Brian came back shortly before the Euros, but Barcelona forward Michael continued to give international football a swerve. Denmark got by without him.

"We were very fortunate that we were one group of people who felt like pioneers in Danish football," Schmeichel told UEFA.com. "We felt we had responsibility to break the waves and go against the tide and prove to everyone that we can compete."

He said it was a "myth" that the Danes had been summoned from the beach, not least because the Danish season was still in full swing.

It was "like a funeral" in the Denmark dressing room after the England stalemate, according to Schmeichel.

"But from that moment on we felt we were definitely in a position where we can compete in this tournament," he said.

SLAYING THE GIANTS

In an eight-team tournament, scraping through in second place from Group 1 meant the Danes went straight into a semi-final.

Getting the better of the Netherlands looked beyond Denmark, given the defending champions were so strong.

Both teams knew Germany were waiting in the final, having got the better of Sweden 3-2 in the first semi-final. The Netherlands had beaten Germany in the group stage, but their hopes of a second clash with Berti Vogts' side were to be shattered in Gothenburg.

Henrik Larsen's double either side of a Bergkamp strike almost gave the Danes victory in 90 minutes, but Frank Rijkaard grabbed a late leveller. When it came to penalties, Schmeichel's save from Marco van Basten made all the difference, every other player scoring from the spot as Kim Christofte sealed the shoot-out success.

In an interview at the FIFA Best awards in 2022, Schmeichel recalled how he had found inspiration in the national team from a young age.

"I have to go back to even 1984 when Denmark lost to Spain in the semi-finals of the Euros," Schmeichel said.

"I was in the generation that came after that and [took] the inspiration from that, and the understanding that even though we are from a small country with a limited number of people playing football, if you work hard and look for your luck, and we always produce skilful players, then there is an opportunity to create very, very good results."

Denmark were winning their battles on the pitch, but the most important struggle was being fought away from the spotlight, with Vilfort's young daughter Line battling leukaemia.

He missed the France game to be with his family in Copenhagen but returned to Sweden before the semi-final. A movie dramatisation of Denmark's great triumph that summer portrayed Line telling her father he should go back and join his team-mates.

Come the June 26 final against Germany, the Danes were not alone in thinking the improbable might just be possible.

At the Ullevi stadium, Germany began strongly but were caught out in the 18th minute when Jensen sent a sizzling strike past Bodo Illgner.

Schmeichel and his defence defied Germany, and in the 78th minute came a magical moment for Vilfort when he found space between Brehme and Thomas Helmer before sending a low left-footed shot in off the right post, sealing a 2-0 win.

Schmeichel said Denmark's achievement came "from not accepting we're a small country".

"If we get the right circumstances, we can go and do whatever job we want to do, so it's more a mentality thing," he said. "I think that, more than anything, was why we won the European Championship. It was magical and unexpected."

Coach Moller Nielsen later reflected on his sudden change of plans for June 1992.

Moller Nielsen, who died in 2014, was quoted by UEFA as saying: "I was supposed to fit a new kitchen [in my house] but then we were called away to play in Sweden. The kitchen is finished now. I got a professional decorator to do it."

From a hospital bed, Line Vilfort got to see her father lead Denmark to the country's greatest footballing success.

She died a few weeks later, at the age of seven. Dad was a national hero, but this would be the cruellest of final chapters in the story of these great Danes, a personal tragedy amid a summer-long national celebration.

Manchester United great David Beckham acknowledged change is required at Old Trafford, but hopes Cristiano Ronaldo will remain part of the Red Devils' future plans.

Ralf Rangnick's United delivered an abject showing in a 4-0 loss at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, meaning the Red Devils have conceded more goals (56) than in any previous Premier League campaign.

The result represented a new low in a dire season for United, who will also set their lowest-ever Premier League points tally, sitting on 58 – six fewer than their 2013-14 mark with only one game to play.

Ajax coach Erik ten Hag will replace Rangnick at the end of the season, but the Dutchman will be tasked with a sizeable rebuilding job, with numerous players out of contract and several signings required.

Paul Pogba is reportedly a target for neighbours Manchester City when his contract expires in June, while the future of Ronaldo remains under scrutiny as debates continue around the impact of the Portugal forward.

Ronaldo has scored nine of United's last 13 league goals across 11 matches, taking his tally to a club-leading 18 in the Premier League this campaign.

However, questions persist as to the influence the former Real Madrid man has on United's pressing. Nevertheless, Beckham wants Ronaldo to feature as an integral part of Ten Hag's plans next term.

"Obviously Cristiano is one of the best players over the last 15 years, with Leo [Messi]," Beckham told Sky Sports while attending the Miami Grand Prix.

"To see him stay on, hopefully at United, is important for the fans. It's important to him – we all know how much Man United means to him. He's still doing what he does best, scoring goals. That's what Cristiano does.

"To be doing what he's doing at his age is really incredible, so hopefully it continues for another year or two."

Beckham, who won six Premier League titles and a Champions League at United, also knows significant change is required to transform his former side into a competitive force again.

"I think there are changes to be made and changes that are happening, we've seen that," Beckham said.

"It's been a tough end to the season. But it is the end of the season, I'm sure a lot of the fans are thankful of that because it's been a tough one – full of ups and downs.

"The players have done what they can do best, so has the manager. I turned up at the stadium a few months back and every seat was filled so the fans still believe, they support, they turn up for the team.

"It's what United fans do. There's not many teams to have gone through what they've gone through in the last few years and still be filling out their stadium. There will be changes."

Beckham's former team-mate Peter Schmeichel, who made 292 league appearances for United and was a part of the famous treble-winning 1999 side, believes Ten Hag's arrival offers the Red Devils the perfect opportunity to change.

"It's not nice to watch," Schmeichel said before the Formula One event. "It's difficult to understand but also to put a finger on exactly what is wrong.

"We've been struggling since Alex [Ferguson] left the club. We've been spending a lot of money and we've got somewhere, but not far enough.

"With Erik ten Hag coming in now, it is an opportunity for change and I think this is what we want – maybe modernise the club a bit, restructure the club. That is what I'm looking forward to."

Paul Scholes and Didier Drogba lead the latest slate of inductees to the Premier League Hall of Fame, it was announced on Thursday.

Former Manchester United midfielder Scholes and ex-Chelsea striker Drogba head the remaining six names of the Class of 2022.

Patrick Vieira and Wayne Rooney had already been announced as two of the eight players to be bestowed with the honour, following last year's inaugural group of players.

They are joined now by Scholes and Drogba, alongside Arsenal legend Ian Wright, ex-Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany.

Widely acclaimed as the greatest midfielder of his generation, Scholes – a one-club man between 1993 and 2013 – won the Premier League 11 times during his playing days.

Drogba, who spent two different spells with the Blues, proved a cornerstone of Chelsea's elevation to regular contenders in the competition.

Wright helped Arsenal to the title in 1997-98 before a brief spell with West Ham and remains the Gunners' second-highest scorer ever, behind only previous inductee Thierry Henry.

Schmeichel, who remains the only goalkeeper to win the Premier League Player of the Year Award, in 1995-96, is the first shotstopper to be inducted.

Kompany, a four-time Premier League winner during an acclaimed spell at City, helped usher in the team's modern era of dominance.

Aguero, meanwhile, is the highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history, having scored 184 goals in just 275 appearances.

The six players were inducted via a public ballot, after Vieira and Rooney had been selected as automatic picks.

Peter Schmeichel is confident Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold is aware of the scale of the task ahead of him at Old Trafford.

Having watched United lose 4-0 to old rivals Liverpool on Tuesday, Schmeichel believes a new manager alone will not be enough to turn his former club's fortunes around.

Erik ten Hag is widely expected to be confirmed as United's next permanent boss, replacing interim appointment Ralf Rangnick, but he faces a daunting challenge.

United remain just three points outside the top four in the Premier League but offered little hint of a late-season fight for Champions League football in their meek Anfield reverse.

Various United legends bemoaned the state of the club following that awful defeat, but Schmeichel at least feels Arnold – appointed earlier this year – is the right man to take the club forward.

"Make no mistake, this is not a case of getting a new manager in and everything will be brilliant again and he will create this wonderful team," Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"This is about a rebuild of the club. We changed leadership at the beginning of February. Richard Arnold has started the job of CEO, and it's the first CEO we have had since David Gill.

"He has a bit of power now to do what he thinks is right for the job, and I welcome that.

"I have had lots of conversations with him about the future of Man United, and he understands it's not about the manager, it's about restructuring and modernising the club.

"We pride ourselves on our fantastic history, but at some point, we have to plan ahead. I have great faith in him and the direction he wants to take the club."

Roy Keane called for Manchester United to dump their derby flops as he attacked "shameful" effort levels in the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Along with fellow 1999 treble winners Gary Neville and Peter Schmeichel, Keane said the performance from United was unacceptable at the Etihad Stadium.

Doubles from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez left United to reflect on a wretched afternoon at the home of their neighbours.

A first-half strike from Jadon Sancho had briefly brought United level, as they began the game well enough before fading alarmingly.

Keane said on Sky Sports: "They did give up, and for a player in any game to give up, it's unforgivable really.

"The beauty of top-level sport is there's no hiding place. I know United have done well here the last couple of years. We saw all the United shortcomings today.

"There's ways to lose football matches. We've all lost football matches. But the way United lost it today, they stopped running, they gave up. There are players not running back, that's what I don't understand."

Ralf Rangnick, the interim manager, had led United on an eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League before this crushing blow.

"The manager will be criticised, and the tactics," said Keane. "But players not running back when you're playing for Man United, it's really unacceptable, it really is. They threw the towel in, which is shameful.

"It's hard when you're out there and you're up against a really good team and they're keeping the ball and you can't get it back, but I go back to it, we see some of the goals and you've got to run back, you've got to tackle.

"United players have shown quality over the years but we've just seen a reflection of where the team is and where the club is. It's just so far behind the other teams."

Sunday's results saw United slip to fifth, as Arsenal went above them with a 3-2 win at Watford earlier in the day.

Keane suspects there is more to United's troubles than may meet the eye, casting a degree of doubt before kick-off on the reason for Cristiano Ronaldo's absence, which was put down to a hip problem.

But he sees no excuse for United's players letting their focus drift.

"Whatever's gone in the dressing room, and we hear noises all the time, and we hear about problems obviously with the new manager maybe coming in, and recruitment," he said.

"But your own bit of pride eventually has to kick in at some stage. There were five or six players who should never play for Manchester United again. Just shameful, shameful that you can't run back and put your body on the line.

"I thought City had a couple of gears to go. They toyed with them. They [United] gave up, and shame on them."

Schmeichel, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, felt United were ripe for being picked off and need to look at themselves.

The former goalkeeper said: "I thought Rangnick should have changed things at half-time. He may have had words, but the second half was worse; at no point were United in the game apart from on the scoreline.

"Far too many players are either not good enough, or don't care enough. Having an interim manager means he can't do much; he knows he's not going to be there, so what can he change?

"There are players whose contracts are running down. [Paul] Pogba started the game, big question marks over whether he's going to stay. [Substitute Jesse] Lingard has said he doesn't want to be there. But for all that, Man City showed, in difficult circumstances, that they are the best in the country."

Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland on Saturday should not have restarted following the cardiac arrest suffered by Christian Eriksen, according to head coach Kasper Hjulmand. 

Inter midfielder Eriksen was given CPR by medics in the first half of the Group B match after falling to the ground with no other player around him.

The fixture was originally suspended, but Eriksen was later confirmed to be "awake" and the game resumed a little under two hours later, with Finland winning 1-0 in Copenhagen.

The Danish Football Union (DBU) provided a further update early on Sunday confirming Eriksen was in a stable condition pending further examinations, while team doctor Morten Boesen later revealed he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Boesen said the 29-year-old "was gone" before being resuscitated.

The players only agreed to finish the game once they had been assured Eriksen was in a comfortable condition, with Hjulmand revealing after the game that they had also been given the option of resuming the match on Sunday. 

Speaking at a media conference on Sunday, Hjulmand said it was not right that his players finished the game so soon after going through such a traumatic experience.

"No, we should not have played," Hjulmand said.

"Players have different reactions to shocks and trauma but we'll try to get back to normal as much as possible.

"I get the feeling from the players that maybe the time is too short to try to play football again, but maybe we can use it as a force to get together and try to go out and do our best in the next match."

Meanwhile, former Denmark international Peter Schmeichel, father of current goalkeeper Kasper, said UEFA's stance lacked "compassion". 

"They should have tried to work out a different scenario and shown a little bit of compassion, and they didn't," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"That would be the worst two hours of my time in football. Something terrible like that happens and UEFA gives the players an option to go out and play the game or come back at midday on Sunday. What kind of option is that?

"The result of the game is completely irrelevant. I mean, how can you play?"