Manchester United face a battle to land one of their key targets in the summer transfer window, as TEAMtalk reports of another team entering the race to seal their signature.

It comes as the Red Devils are looking to bolster the midfield ranks this summer, as Ederson is set to join from Atalanta as one of a few additions expected in the centre of the pitch.

There are plenty of options on the cards, with confidence that the club could land Elliot Anderson ahead of their rivals Manchester City, while links continue to emerge over interest for the likes of Alex Scott, Adam Wharton, and Carlos Baleba.

United are already facing a transfer hijack from Real Madrid after Jose Mourinho asked his new club to sign United target Mateus Fernandes from West Ham, and it might not be theonly one.

Then there’s the future of Sandro Tonali to consider, with Man United firmly in the race for the Newcastle star valued at £100 million, but there is fresh competition for his signature.

AC Milan Join Sandro Tonali Race

As Man United line up a potential deal for Tonali this summer, they may be met with some fierce competition, as TeamTalk reports that the midfielder’s former side AC Milan view a pathway to landing the star.

It’s stated that the Rossoneri are keen on a return, but the Italian international’s camp are frustrated by the club’s delay in putting a new leadership team in place.

AC Milan dismissed Massimiliano Allegri, along with much of the sporting structure behind him, leaving the club in search of a fresh plan after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

While that process to hire a new head coach and sporting director is ongoing, there is belief that a return to the San Siro could be on the cards for Tonali.

The £100 million price tag could prove prohibitive, but the report claims that AC Milan are looking at deal structures that could write off previous transfer fees owed to the club from Newcastle for deals involving Tonali and Malick Thiaw.

It’s unclear how successful that will be, but Tonali’s preference appears to be a return to his former club, if he is to leave the Magpies this summer.

That comes as a potential blow for Man United, who have been tracking a deal for the 26-year-old as a potential key target for the summer window.

Michael Carrick’s Midfield Focus

While the midfield will be a focus for Manchester United, there should also be a priority in signing players with the right attitude to joining the club.

The Red Devils cannot afford to have players who don’t want to join the club, with Tonali’s preference to joining AC Milan making it clear where his priorities stand.

While United seemingly have the upper hand, with more money to spend than the Rossoneri, as well as a clear structure in place, a move for the midfielder is likely to take time, if he waits to see the outcome of their rebuild.

It would be a deal for a player described as a “superstar”, but one that may not come with the same level of buy-in that Man United could get elsewhere.

With that in mind, attention should turn towards players who can join quickly, and with a desire to play at Old Trafford to be part of the new project.

That buy-in will help Carrick continue to build the foundations that have got the club back into the Champions League, with aims of going even further in the future.

More shocking details have emerged about what happened to top FIFA referee Omar Artan before he was denied entry into the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The football world was left outraged this week after learning that the Somali official would not be able to work at the tournament this summer, despite having a visa. Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul but was not allowed to come into the country due to ‘vetting concerns’.

An unnamed United States official later stated that he was refused admission due to “association with suspected members of terror organisations.” The FIFA referee has now claimed that he simply shares the same name as a leader of a terrorist group, as he offered more eye-opening details about how he was treated in the US.

Referee Artan Details Being Held For 11 Hours in Miami Airport

Upon arriving in Miami, Artan faced an immediate issue. Despite having a valid visa, he was interrogated for 11 hours, then thrown into a cell and then officially denied entry as he was sent on a flight out of the country. He explained:

As quoted by Gazzetta, Artan explained how security took issue because he shares the same name as a leader of the Al Shabab military group, which occupies part of Somali territory. He said:

Artan Was Set To Make History at 2026 World Cup

Artan became a FIFA-listed referee in 2018, was named CAF’s African Referee of the Year for 2025, and was set to make history as the first Somali official appointed to a World Cup. His absence now means just six African referees will work at the tournament this summer.

He finally landed in Somali capital Mogadishu this morning (10 June), where he was greeted by a crowd of reporters and supporters. Despite seeing his dreams dashed, Artan has spoken positively about his hopes for the future, noting:

“Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career.

“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future.

“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”

Newcastle United are now eyeing a double signing after reaching a ‘full agreement’ with their next summer arrival. The Magpies have work to do this summer after a disappointing campaign that saw them finish firmly in the bottom half.

Eddie Howe knows that, even after so much positive work, he is not going to be granted another disappointing campaign to that extent next season, but new signings are needed for the Magpies to turn things around, and especially after Anthony Gordon was sold to Barcelona off the bat.

As ever, though, Newcastle have to be smart with their spending to keep in line with Financial Fair Play, and that means signing some ready-made players, yes, but also players with big potential yet to be reached.

Newcastle strike deal with goalkeeper

Newcastle have completed their first signing of the summer by bringing in Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen. The 20-year-old France Under-21s international impressed with Reims last season, serving as their starting goalkeeper and making 34 Ligue 2 appearances as they finished sixth, and with the fourth-best defensive record in the league.

The young stopper is over 6ft 5ins tall and will be signed as a prospect with the hope he can supplant Nick Pope at some point in the not too distant future.

Magpies in search of another deal

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Newcastle may be shopping for the future in Jaouen, but they are also looking at players who can make an immediate impact, and Osasuna attacker Victor Muñoz certainly fits into that category.

The winger has impressed with the Spanish side this season, scoring seven and assisting five across all competitions, with the Pamplona side narrowly dodging relegation in LaLiga. The 22-year-old even won a call-up to the star-studded Spain World Cup squad, and that could complicate a transfer this summer, or at least the timing of it.

A report from the Northern Echo claims Newcastle are trying to make a breakthrough in negotiations before the Spain World Cup squad effectively shuts off all communications, although most players are already likely to have told their agents to stop business communications at this point. La Roja are just a few days from kicking off their World Cup campaign, and it’s a World Cup they have a serious chance of winning.

To further complicate things, Real Madrid hold a buy-back clause in Muñoz’s deal, having sold him to Osasuna, and if they do not take up the option of re-signing him, they will likely pocket a significant chunk of cash instead.

Osasuna are likely to demand the full release clause for their young World Cup star, which is worth £34.5million.