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.

Manchester City are now in line for a summer of change, with Pep Guardiola on his way out after ten years, following John Stones and Bernardo Silva in looking for a new challenge.

The Cityzens have gone two seasons without a Premier League title after falling behind Arsenal this season, and are now set to enter a new era at the club as a result, as they look to get back to the top of English football and compete in Europe once again.

But it has now emerged that Guardiola, Stones, and Silva may not be the only players who are on the move out of the City dynasty, after it emerged that another key star has told his agent to secure him a move away.

Ruben Dias Wants to Leave Man City

According to CaughtOffside, Man City star Ruben Dias is keen to leave Man City this summer for a new challenge after Guardiola’s exit was confirmed.

Dias, who currently earns £220,000-a-week, is under contract until 2029 with the option of a further 12 months, and has been a regular in the centre of defence ever since joining from Benfica in a £65m deal back in 2020.

But after Guardiola announced his exit, the Portugal international has reportedly become unsettled and has instructed his agent to explore the opportunity for a move away – igniting interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are believed to be the most interested club, with David Alaba being allowed to leave on a free transfer, while Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation remains unresolved.

Dias is reportedly valued at around £50m, which would represent a major bargain in the current market, but it remains to be seen if City would be willing to allow him to move on, with incoming manager Maresca understood to be keen to keep his best players at the club for the new season.

Dias Exit Would Be Major Blow to Man City

With some top players already confirmed to be on the way out, Dias looks to be the heir apparent to the captain’s armband at the club.

That would make any potential exit away absolutely huge for City, because replacing Dias would be almost impossible to do without forking out huge money, and they are already making plans to upgrade other areas of the squad.

Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, and Abdukodir Khusanov are the other options currently in the squad, but Dias stands above them, and Maresca is likely to want to do everything in his power to keep him at the club and keep things stable.