Cost-cutting Man Utd ask Man City to give players a lift to Ballon d'Or ceremony

Manchester United asked rivals City if Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo could cadge a lift with their party of eight nominees to the Ballon d’Or – only to be told the flight was full.

Mail Sport understands that the Premier League champions have chartered a private jet to ferry their sizable delegation to Paris for the Monday night awards ceremony.

And in a move which may well raise eyebrows, it can be revealed that United asked their neighbours if they had any room for their two hopefuls.

Sadly for the Old Trafford club they were informed that there was no room on the flight and alternate arrangements had to be arranged.

United are in the midst of a series of cost-saving measures following the arrival at the club of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group earlier this year.

It is understood that the prospect of sending two players on a private jet was not deemed to be a good look in the current climate.

In the men’s section, Ruben Dias, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Rodri are all in the running for City while in the women’s, Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw are all up. In the hunt for the Kopa Trophy, for the best player under 21, City’s Brazilian winger Savinho has been nominated, along with Garnacho and Mainoo.

Arsenal also have four candidates in the men’s section - Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba and one woman, Mariona Caldentey.