Manchester United are still hunting for a new midfield star to complete their rebuild this summer, but one star has now been ruled out of the running.

The Reds have secured the arrivals of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, for a combined £85m, while Karl Darlow and young winger Tynan Thompson have also arrived to further bolster the squad.

But the midfield remains a priority for new manager Michael Carrick this summer, and the club have got a strict budget that they are working on, and that means some targets have become unattainable.

Man Utd Won’t Sign Carlos Baleba

Baleba, who has been described as ‘world-class’, is a long-term target at Old Trafford, with the club keen to sign him last summer and even going as far as agreeing personal terms over a deal.

But the Seagulls’ valuation for the Cameroon international has so far been a hurdle towards a deal being completed, and speaking to TEAMtalk, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that that continues to be the case, with a deal highly unlikely to be completed this summer.

“What I am hearing is they want someone who can really help them defensively,” he said.

“In an ideal world they’d just sign Carlos Baleba. They absolutely love his game. Yes, he didn’t have his best season, but they still believe he’d be an outstanding fit for Manchester United.”

“United believe Baleba is worth somewhere around the £50m mark, especially after what they considered an inconsistent campaign. Brighton couldn’t disagree more.

“Even before Elliot Anderson became the most expensive British player ever (now surpassed by Morgan Rogers), Brighton were talking about figures well north of £75m and closer to £100m. That immediately puts him outside United’s thinking.”

Man Utd Missing Big Opportunity

via Reuters

While Baleba had a difficult campaign last season after having his head turned by the attention at Old Trafford, the talent that he has as a defensive midfielder is undeniable.

Man Utd are looking for a Premier League-proven defensive midfielder who excels at winning the ball back and covering ground, and there is arguably nobody better than Baleba when it comes to that criteria. Brighton were never going to let him go easily, and while United don’t want to be ripped off, sometimes you have to pay big to get the right pieces for the puzzle.

At this stage it’s unclear who Man Utd will sign, if anyone, as their third midfielder, but if it isn’t Baleba then it will be a secondary option, and that should tell you that they should just cough the money up to get their top choice in.

Barbara Paredes, the sister of Argentina star Leandro, has been caught launching into a bizarre rant about England after La Albiceleste were outfought and outclassed by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday night.

Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, with their opponents forced to rely on physicality, foul play and defensive dark arts just to stand even the slightest chance of reaching penalties. Across the 90 minutes of normal time, Lionel Messi and co. committed 26 fouls and failed to register a single shot on target – two unwanted records that summed up a deeply frustrating night for the South Americans.

However, if anything truly exposed Argentina’s lack of class, it was the ugly scenes that unfolded after the final whistle. While Spain’s players rushed towards each other, their families and supporters to celebrate a historic triumph, several members of the Argentina camp appeared to let emotions boil over.

Punches were thrown, tempers flared, and Paredes was seen grabbing Gavi by the throat before throwing him to the ground – a chaotic and shameful ending that made nearly everyone realise how classless they can be in the pursuit of glory.

Leandro Paredes’ Sister Launches Into Bizarre Rant Abotu England

Jeenah Moon/Reuters

Since the semi-final win against England, many Argentines have struggled to keep the Falkland Islands out of their minds, with the players celebrating that win with a banner claiming the British-owned territory is theirs, and countless chants being sang before, during, and after the dramatic 2-1 turnaround victory – all of which FIFA refused to investigate, despite calls to do so.

While Sunday’s final loss should refocus attention on Spain’s deserved victory or prompt an honest conversation about Argentina’s misconduct, Paredes’ sister has renewed hostility towards England by passionately telling reporters (watch below):

The Falklands had been a huge topic in the build-up to England’s semi-final defeat and rumbled on for days afterwards, following uproar over the banner held up by Argentina players. The UK government even chimed in, saying: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.”

UK Government Could Take Unprecedented Action Against Argentine Players

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

According to the Mirror, Argentina’s Premier League stars could theoretically have their UK work visas revoked if their conduct is considered “not conducive to the public good”, with the Home Office holding the legal authority to do so. Nevertheless, legal expert Asma Bashir has described such an outcome as “highly unlikely”.

But that’s not to say La Albiceleste won’t get away with other issues they’ve been involved with throughout the tournament. They’ve managed to stay out of political trouble, but their aggression in the final is subject to an ongoing investigation, with a range of punishments being mapped out.

Spain’s Gavi has spoken out after chaotic scenes following the 2026 World Cup final saw him physically involved with Argentina star Leandro Paredes.

The Barcelona ace was an unused substitute as Ferran Torres smashed in a 106th-minute winner for La Roja to add a second star to their badge. Argentina players and staff weren’t particularly happy at the full-time whistle, as several incidents threatened to overshadow Spain’s success on the pitch.

Nicolas Otamendi confronted Rodri, an Argentine coach struck Dani Olmo and Paredes and a teammate threw Gavi to the ground. FIFA have opened an investigation into the chaos that followed the final.

Gavi on Potential Punishment For Argentina’s Paredes

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

There have been calls for punishments across the board for Argentina. Several players and coaches will be nervously waiting to find out what the governing body decides to do. Some have called for the South Americans to be banned from the next World Cup over their actions.

A more likely scenario could see several players handed individual punishment, whether it be a suspension or a fine. However, Gavi doesn’t believe Paredes deserves to be banned, despite being physically assaulted by the 32-year-old.

Speaking after the game, the Spain No.9 claimed the post-match scenes weren’t appropriate for young viewers, but stated the Argentina players should escape sanctions (as translated by Spanish outlet SER):

Paredes Ignored Fallout in World Cup Final Statement

Reuters/James Lang

It was initially reported and believed that Paredes was sent off during the incident. However, FIFA later confirmed that this was incorrect and the Boca Juniors man saw his red card ‘deleted’ from the record.

Paredes has since posted a statement on social media, where he thanked his nation’s supporters. But he failed to mention what happened after the match.

He wrote: “Today, I write with a heavy heart, having been unable to bring our country the joy it so richly deserves – but with a chest full of pride for having given everything we had and for flying our flag at the very top once again!

“It was an honour to be part of the best Argentine national team in history.”