The Warm-Up: Ashley Young heads to Italy to join Project Prove Jose Wrong

SunSport can reveal the astonishing scenes at United’s training ground last Friday as Young, 34, pushed for his Old Trafford exit. Just 24 hours after a meeting with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over his future, Young marched off the training pitch and went into the gym to work on his own.

He has an attacking mentality and gives width to the game, but his crosses, which were really good when he played for Monaco, haven’t been good enough for years. Still, he can bring danger in the attacking end but the problem comes defensively. His positioning is not good enough, and he lacks concentration. He has not given the impression that he is mentally prepared for the elite level in football. He must demand much more of himself. His mentality has always been a question mark since he was young (see Guidetti vs Kurzawa). I think he never reached his potential because of that and I’m not sure he will change at 27.

It has been my dream to be here at Chelsea and play week in week out and to have a contract for another five-and-a-half years is living the dream again. I have always wanted to be here and another five-and-a-half years means a lot to me and a lot to my family.

So explains Klopp, legs crossed on a white-leather office couch, speaking between puffs on a vape. He’s dressed a bit like a dad going to his kid’s weekend soccer game: black sweatshirt, windpants, white running shoes, no socks. But what stands out above all else in person are his teeth. They’re majestic, like a human Hoover Dam, and they can express multitudes, whether it’s the pleasure of a radiant smile or the Let’s go! urging of a sideline gnash or the cackling cocksureness of the cartoon-villain laugh he emits when his team concedes.