Manchester United are planning to sign a marquee midfielder for Michael Carrick this summer, according to The Sun.

Carrick has been appointed on a two-year permanent deal at Old Trafford, with the option of a third, after an impressive interim spell in charge.

He had 17 matches in the dugout, winning 12 times, drawing three games and losing just twice.

In that time, no other Premier League side picked up more points – with the Red Devils even earning three more points than champions Arsenal during Carrick’s interim spell.

With Casemiro leaving the club, United are in the market for a new midfielder and Carrick is set to be boosted by one marquee signing to strengthen the position.

Man Utd plan £100m midfield signing

The Sun’s Manchester United correspondent Samuel Luckhurst reports a big midfield signing will be made by the Red Devils, with any deal expected to cost around £100million.

Bruno Fernandes was used in a deeper role under previous manager Ruben Amorim but Carrick has moved the Portugal international back into a more attacking midfield position.

In defensive midfield, Kobbie Mainoo has rediscovered his form under Carrick after being a bit-part player under Amorim. However, with Casemiro’s exit, a replacement will be needed for the Brazilian.

Manuel Ugarte is not viewed as good enough to fill the void left by Casemiro. United’s preference would be to sell the player but the Red Devils accept interest in him will be low due to his poor performances, meaning he is poised to stay.

His £120,000-a-week wages also mean any interested clubs would struggle to meet the player’s demands.

The midfielders on Man Utd’s radar this summer

There are several players United are targeting as they eye a big midfield addition.

Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson is one name at the top end of their list but rivals Manchester City are firmly in the race and keen to get a deal done ahead of United.

Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali is another player of interest after an impressive few seasons in the Premier League with the Magpies following his £55million move from AC Milan.

Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid has been described as a dream target for the Old Trafford outfit but a deal for the player would be difficult to do.

Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton are also options. Baleba was keen to make the move to United last summer but Brighton were not willing to lower their asking price.

Wharton’s future at Crystal Palace is also up in the air, but it has been reported that Selhurst Park club chiefs are set to hold talks with the player.

They want to convince him to spend one more year at Palace after they won the Europa Conference League on Wednesday night and qualified for the Europa League.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni is taking as much time as possible to carefully select his squad for the 2026 World Cup. He has some massive decisions to make, and a couple of high-profile absentees have been leaked.

The reigning world champions will almost certainly take the likes of Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister to the United States, Mexico and Canada-hosted tournament. The level of talent at Scaloni’s disposal is incredible.

That’s shown by two surprising names who have reportedly missed out on a place in the 26-man squad. They join the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Joao Pedro as players who were expected to go to the World Cup, but will instead have to watch on from home.

Argentina Snub Two Young Stars

The first name to be reported as missing out was new Chelsea signing Valentin Barco. The young defender left Brighton to join the Blues’ sister club Strasbourg, but is reportedly moving to Stamford Bridge this summer.

He would’ve been hoping to return to England with some World Cup experience under his belt, but German Garcia Grova os TyC Sports has reported the player’s entourage are under the impression he won’t be on the plane with Messi and Co.

“We still have some doubts that we’ll resolve in the coming days,” were Scaloni’s words when discussing the length of time he’s taking to confirm his squad list. Argentina are the last big nation to submit their 26-man roster, but the final list will be in by the end of the week.

Another man who looks very unlikely to be included is Real Madrid starlet, Franco Mastantuono. The 18-year-old is a highly exciting prospect who has played 35 senior games for Los Blancos. The main issue he may have encountered is that he likes to occupy the same spaces as Messi.

There were some concerns for his long-term fitness earlier in the season as Mastantuono suffered from publagia, an issue that also plagued Lamine Yamal and Cole Palmer. However, he has since recovered and featured in six of Real Madrid’s last seven league matches of the season. The decision is said to be purely football-related.

Concerns Over Lionel Messi’s Fitness For World Cup

Concerns across Argentina were sparked when Messi, the nation’s main talisman, was forced off early in Inter Miami’s recent 6-4 victory over Philadelphia Union. The greatest player of all time reportedly suffered muscle fatigue, just a few weeks before the World Cup kicks off.

“Obviously we would have preferred that nothing had happened,” Scaloni told Argentine TV channel DSports. “Now one has to wait and see how it evolves and above all the new tests they are going to conduct in order to see if it confirms their original diagnosis.”

While the manager was quick to play down any worries that Messi wouldn’t be fit in time for the opening game against Algeria, Inter Miami’s statement, which said ‘the timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress,’ was less convincing.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 28-05-26.

Leeds United are looking to make a splash in the transfer market this summer after securing their Premier League status for another season.

The Whites secured a 14th-placed finish in the top flight this season, avoiding the drop with several games to spare, and are now keen to bolster their squad further to ensure they make their stay long-term, rather than just a flash in the pan.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the team’s top scorer with 14 Premier League goals, but Daniel Farke is keen to find him some support for the next campaign, and a surprise move for an attacker he is very familiar with has now been explored.

Leeds Eyeing Surprise Summerville Reunion

According to Sports Boom, Leeds United are considering a surprise move to re-sign winger Crysencio Summerville from West Ham following their relegation to the Championship.

Summerville, who has been described as ‘electric’, was one of the Hammers’ top performers this season despite their poor campaign, and it’s understood that he is attracting the attention of several clubs, including AS Roma.

But with West Ham having only signed Summerville two years ago on a long-term contract, the east London side still owe money for the deal, and that could Leeds an advantage in the race for his signature, while also securing a cut-price deal in their favour.

Farke is yet to completely sign off on a deal, but it’s reported that there are several members of the board at Elland Road who would be delighted to welcome Summerville back to the club this summer.

A new forward is expected to arrive with Wilfried Gnonto’s departure likely, and while Summerville may take some convincing to return it can’t be ruled out. His form this season has earned him a spot in the Netherlands squad for the World Cup, and that could see him attract even more attention in the transfer window.

Summerville Return Would be Huge Coup for Leeds

Summerville has improved every year since breaking into the Leeds team, and his performances in the Championship two years ago deserved to earn promotion.

So when they failed, it was no surprise that he was on the move, and a move to West Ham looked like a good step up for him. While injuries have hurt him, he has performed well in east London, and this season he was among their best performers.

Bringing him back to Elland Road would be a huge coup, and would no doubt be a hugely popular move with the fans. Convincing him to be part of the squad again may be tough, as the 24-year-old may see it as a backwards step, but if there is a deal to be done, then Leeds should be in the race.