It’s all systems go at Manchester United in the transfer market, despite the summer window not yet being open.

The Red Devils are closing in on a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta, with at least one other central midfielder to follow suit at Old Trafford.

United will be looking for players on the left-hand side too, with a left-back and left winger on the wishlist, while another striker could arrive if Joshua Zirkzee leaves the club.

With Harry Maguire putting pen-to-paper on a new contract this summer, Manchester United are not actively looking for centre-back reinforcements, but they have been linked with a move to sign Tottenham club captain Cristian Romero in recent days.

Romero set to leave Tottenham this summer

However, GIVEMESPORT understands that reports of a move for the Argentinian are wide of the mark. GMS understands that United are not actively pursuing a central defender at this stage of the summer.

Their stance on signing a centre-back could change, of course, as the summer goes on, but right now, links with a move to sign Romero are wide of the mark.

Romero has been linked with United in the past and looks set to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

GMS senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs said last month: “My information on Cristian Romero is he will depart…or at least there’s a high likelihood of that. It would be a begrudging exit for Tottenham.”

Spurs will look for at least £50million to sell Romero this summer, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid both having been linked with signing him.

He missed the end of the season with Tottenham after picking up a knee injury in the defeat to Sunderland, in what was Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge. He has been named in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, however, and Tottenham officials will be hoping he enjoys a good tournament to bump his price tag up a bit higher.

Lionel Messi is a big fan of Cristian Romero

Lionel Messi once described Romero as the “best defender in the world”, something that was backed up by compatriot Alexis Mac Allister, who snubbed club mate Virgil van Dijk when saying as much.

Spurs are already looking at replacements for the Argentine, with Romero’s countryman Marcos Senesi set to be confirmed as their second signing of the summer on a free transfer from Bournemouth in the coming days.

Tottenham have also had two bids rejected by Brighton & Hove Albion for Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke. GMS understands Spurs will go back to the Seagulls with a third bid for the 26-year-old who worked under De Zerbi on the south coast.

It would be “absolutely insane” for Tottenham to sanction one rumoured transfer exit, according to football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold.

Spurs have already confirmed one signing this summer, before the transfer window has even opened, with Andy Robertson arriving in north London from Liverpool on a free.

Marcos Senesi is set to follow him, with a four-year deal agreed in N17 following his departure from Bournemouth, also on a free.

Tottenham have also seen two bids for Jan Paul van Hecke rejected by Brighton & Hove Albion, as they look to further bolster their defence, with club captain Cristian Romero likely to leave this summer.

Van de Ven will not be leaving Tottenham

There had been rumours about Micky van de Ven potentially leaving before Roberto De Zerbi came in as the club’s new permanent head coach at the end of March, but GIVEMESPORT understands the Dutchman is now happy to stay and could sign a new deal with the club.

There remain suggestions that highly-rated teen defender Luka Vuskovic could leave Tottenham though. The 19-year-old spent this season on loan with Hamburg in the Bundesliga and won the league’s young player of the season award.

He has admitted he would like to stay at Hamburg and play alongside his brother Mario, who is currently serving a doping suspension. There have even been reports that Spurs could sell the teenager without having played a game for the club.

Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for the talented 19-year-old, who scored six league goals from defence this season and reports have suggested the player would be open to leaving Tottenham.

Spurs player who will be better than van Hecke

Gold finds any question of Vuskovic departing the north London club permanently preposterous.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “Everyone I’ve spoken to said Vuskovic has got way higher ceiling than van Hecke. Van Hecke is a very good Premier League player, but Vuskovic can be, in the words of Thomas Frank, a top, top, top player in world football, and I know there’s some suggestions that Spurs, you know, maybe would accept a bid for him this summer. That would be insane! That would be absolutely insane!

“You don’t sign a player of that much talent, and then everyone else sees that talent, wants to sign him, and then you go, ‘yeah, we don’t need him’. Yes, you do need him, whether it is now or in the future, you need potentially world-class players, and that is what people are saying about Vuskovic. He will reach that level, so no way on earth, that would be the stupidest transfer.”

A World Cup nation has said that the United States have revoked their ticket allocation just days before the tournament starts.

The 2026 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will kick-off on Thursday, June 11 when El Tri take on South Africa in Mexico City.

Hundreds of thousands of football fans have travelled or are travelling to North America to watch this summer’s tournament.

However, many supporters have found it difficult to get into the United States. Many Scotland fans have been denied entry into the US following late ESTA status changes.

Dozens of Moroccan fans have also been denied US visas for the World Cup, despite spending thousands on travel, match tickets and accommodation.

There have now been further complications in regard to Iranian fans watching their side in North America.

Iran Release Statement as Tickets Cancelled

Iran’s participation in the competition has been in doubt amid their conflict with the United States.

However, despite suggestions they would withdraw, Iran’s players have been granted US visas and landed in Mexico on Sunday. Many of their staff, though, did not travel with them after being denied entry into the country.

Iran are due to play all three of their group stage matches in the United States. They will face New Zealand on June 15, Belgium on June 21 and Egypt on June 26.

Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) has now claimed that its ticket allocation has been pulled just days before the World Cup starts, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend their team’s matches.

In a statement, the Iranian federation said they could no longer provide tickets to fans despite having already begun the sales process. It read, per the Daily Star:

“Accordingly, and after receiving the relevant quota, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran began the process of selling tickets for the national team’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt through its official website.

“Under the current circumstances, it is not possible to provide even a single ticket to the fans of the national team through the federation. This is despite the fact that many Iranian football enthusiasts had made the necessary plans to attend the tournament venue, trusting in the officially announced process.”

Iran Send Message to FIFA and Tournament Organisers

Iran has also called on FIFA and the tournament organisers to not allow issues outside of football to overshadow the tournament.

Their statement continued: “Depriving Iranian fans of access to the legal and official quota of allocated tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality between participating countries.

“This incident raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the process of organising the world’s biggest football event.

“Therefore, while expressing dissatisfaction with this process, FIFA and the tournament organizers are expected to adhere to the principles of impartiality, justice, and approved regulations, and to provide the necessary conditions for Iranian fans to enjoy their legal rights and not allow issues outside the football field to overshadow the world’s largest football tournament.”