Cavani misses out on quick return to Paris with Man United

Edinson Cavani has posted solely two updates to his 2.1 million followers on Twitter over the past 11 days, each of them displaying him onerous at work — first on a working machine after which on the observe subject.

The Uruguay striker seemingly needed the world to know he’s in fine condition and able to make his debut for Manchester United.

And he’d have been determined for that to come back within the Champions League in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain, the French membership the place he spent seven trophy-laden years and is the report scorer with 200 targets in 301 appearances.

It wasn’t to be, although, with Cavani not touring with the squad as he was not deemed match sufficient to play after seven months out of motion — since what proved to be his final match for PSG earlier than the coronavirus outbreak led to a worldwide suspension of soccer.

Cavani mightn’t have any sturdy lingering sentiment for PSG when he watches the match from afar, having left the membership below one thing of a cloud in June after refusing to increase his expiring contract by a few months to allow him to be concerned within the pandemic-delayed finale to final season’s Champions League.

Cavani clearly was miffed at shedding his place within the group final season after the arrival of Mauro Icardi. He spent a part of the primary half of the season injured, then noticed PSG block his try to maneuver to Atletico Madrid in January.

By March, when the pandemic was declared, Cavani had already determined he could be leaving PSG when his contract expired — and the ultimate phases of the Champions League getting rearranged for August wouldn’t change that.

He by no means received to say an actual goodbye to PSG’s followers as a result of his last match for a membership the place he received six French titles got here within the final 16 of the Champions League in opposition to Borussia Dortmund at an empty Parc des Princes.

Now a United participant after clinching a transfer on the ultimate day of the European switch window, it’s on the stadium he graced for seven years the place he would have needed to make an announcement return after greater than half a 12 months out.

Once he regains his match sharpness, Cavani would possibly nonetheless have a tough time breaking into United’s group, with Anthony Martial — who’s at the moment serving a home suspension — and Marcus Rashford the opposite choices up entrance for supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Cavani was unavailable on Saturday for the 4-1 win at Newcastle within the Premier League as a result of he was finishing his obligatory quarantine interval following his transfer to England.

Rashford is aware of the standard and significance of the group’s new signing.

“He can be a massive player for us this season,” Rashford stated final week. “To win two or three trophies in a season, you need a squad. It’s not possible if you don’t have people who can score goals one week and the next week, it’s just not possible without three or four forwards in a team.

“Growing up, United always had four or five forwards who could score goals at any time. The closer we get to that, the more strength we’ll have.” Solskjaer has spoken of Cavani being “one of Europe’s top goal scorers over the last 10 years” and his pleasure on the “energy, power, leadership and a great mentality” the Uruguayan will convey.

Indeed, Cavani received PSG followers over along with his work ethic and unselfishness. Even when performed out of place on the wing early in his time in Paris to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he sacrificed himself for the group trigger.

Cavani by no means complained, and or took it to coronary heart, when PSG followers mocked and jeered a few of his dangerous misses whereas he performed in Ibrahimovic’s shadow. Cavani’s psychological energy and self-belief made him imagine he would win over the supporters in the long run, and he left as one of the widespread and broadly revered gamers in membership historical past.

He will hope to do the identical at United, as soon as he’s given the prospect.