Manchester City are now pushing hard to beat Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the race to sign a new midfielder in the summer transfer window, according to David Ornstein.
It appears to be a summer transfer window where clubs in the Premier League are all battling for the same signatures, going head-to-head for new additions.
We’ve already seen the likes of Man City and Manchester United battle for Elliot Anderson, while the Red Devils were also pushing against Tottenham for Mateus Fernandes.
They all appear to be shopping in this similar market, and it’s primarily down to the fact that most of the big clubs are eyeing midfielders.
We’re already seeing plenty of competitive races setting up for an exciting end to the window.
According to a report from Ornstein, Manchester City are pushing hard to sign Lille midfielder Ayoubb Bouaddi in the summer transfer window.
Bouaddi, described as elite, has held talks with Arsenal and Manchester United in recent months, according to Ornstein, while separate reports have confirmed Liverpool’s interest.
Ornstein claims that Lille would consider selling at the right price, with a valuation believed to be in the region of £85 million.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Ornstein reports that there are clubs who would be willing to sign Bouaddi this summer, but loan him back to the French club for another year.
Man City are believed to prefer to integrate him immediately. It will be interesting to discover whether that impacts their chances of securing his signature.
Despite bringing in Ederson from Nottingham Forest, Man City are in the market for another midfielder, with Bouaddi clearly one of their top targets.
There remains plenty of interest in the Moroccan international, but City are now pushing to get a deal over the line.
Ever since its inception in 1930, the World Cup has always been the most prestigious and sought-after title in international football. What began as a small gathering of football’s leading nations has evolved into the world’s biggest sporting event, uniting fans across the globe as they celebrate ‘the beautiful game’.
From 13 teams at the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, to the record-breaking 48 nations who participated at the 2026 World Cup, the competition has undergone significant transitions as it tries to keep up with the ever-growing popularity of the sport. But, in the 2026 tournament, during which 104 matches will be played, concerns over the commercialization of football took centre stage, with some speculating that the expanded format is simply a vehicle to drive further revenue, with greater opportunities for advertising and sponsorship.
But how did the competition grow to the size it is today, and could we see even more teams fighting on the world’s biggest stage at the 2030 tournament?
The 2026 World Cup saw the most teams ever competing at the same tournament, with 48 nations traveling to North America in their quest to claim the coveted World Cup trophy. But what about the 2030 edition?
It is almost certain that the next tournament will feature at least 48 teams, with the increased reach and global interest driving FIFA’s viewership figures at the 2026 tournament. But some have speculated that the centenary year could bring the biggest World Cup we have ever seen, with a proposed 64-team format.
According to the New York Times, the 64-team idea was first raised by the Uruguayan Football Association’s president, Ignacio Alonso, during a FIFA Council meeting in March 2025.
CONMEBOL president, Alejandro Dominguez, also backed the suggestion, stating that the expanded format would ensure “nobody on the planet is left out of the party”.
But what would a 64-team tournament look like?
If FIFA were to approve the move, it would see a staggering 128 matches played across the tournament, doubling the number of fixtures held at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Such a tournament would almost certainly see 16 four-nation groups battling it out over the opening stages, before progressing to the knockout stages. A 64-team World Cup would, however, make it harder for nations to make it out of the group stage, with the third-placed qualification rules likely to be scrapped, should the number of participating teams be increased.
|
Year |
Number of teams |
|---|---|
|
1930 |
13 |
|
1934 |
16 |
|
1938 |
15 |
|
1950 |
13 |
|
1954-1978 |
16 |
|
1982-1994 |
24 |
|
1998-2022 |
32 |
|
2026 |
48 |
The first World Cup tournament in 1930 saw an awkward 13 teams travel to Uruguay for the inaugural competition, with the nations split into three groups of three, plus a group of four, and only the first-placed teams progressing into the knockout stage.
The 1934 edition of the tournament in Italy as FIFA ditched the group stage entirely, instead opting for a straight knockout tournament between the 16 participating sides. This format was retained for the 1938 tournament, which was scheduled to have 16 teams competing, before Austria’s withdrawal saw Sweden given a bye in the first round.
After a 12-year hiatus due to World War II, the 1950 competition saw France, Scotland, India and Turkey all withdraw before the tournament, leaving just 13 teams to compete.
Switzerland 1954 brought the first of seven consecutive tournaments to be contested by 16 teams, before the 24-team format, introduced in 1982, made way for the 32-nation setup following USA ’94.
Sunderland are set to sign a Belgian international on a two-year contract, according to David Ornstein.
According to a report from The Athletic’s Ornstein, Sunderland are set to sign Belgian international Thomas Meunier on a free transfer this summer.
The 34-year-old is set to sign a two-year contract at Sunderland and has already landed in Newcastle this morning to complete a medical.
Analyst Wade Plemons has claimed that Conor McGregor did NOT see a knee specialist just days before his UFC 329 TKO defeat to Max Holloway.
McGregor injured his knee while performing a high kick seconds into his main event return to the sport and could not continue, but many people believe he wasn’t 100% fit going into the fight in the first place.
Eagle-eyed fans noticed his knee not looking secure as he approached the Octagon, as he staggered while removing his shoes and opted against putting any weight on it as well.
Following the knee injury, fans began to speculate whether McGregor was injured heading into his bout, and damning footage was posted online which sparked massive speculation.
He was filmed by the Hollywood Fix walking into Newport Pain Management Clinic four days prior to UFC 329, and it was later reported that a knee specialist works there, leading to mass speculation that the Irishman was already injured and already had a damaged knee heading into the fight.
However, Plemons took to X denying that McGregor was there for a knee injury, tweeting: “I went to this exact location today. The knee specialist, Dr. Kramer’s office, confirmed that he DID NOT see Conor and that he IS NOT a patient of theirs. I checked the other 3 offices there that anyone could go to for ‘knee issues’. None of them had him as a patient.”
Following the visit, Plemons hit back at critics who claimed he was lying because doctors would need to follow HIPA guidelines: “tHaT’s A hIPAa ViOlAtIoN. YoU’rE lYiNg” No, it isn’t and no I’m not lol.”
McGregor’s return to the sport was short-lived, and he took to X himself to express his frustrations after his body gave out and claims that he was not carrying an injury going into the fight.
“I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”
Before McGregor’s hiatus five years ago, he was arguably the biggest name the sport had ever seen. In 2016, the Irishman became the first fighter to hold two titles simultaneously at different weights and brought the UFC to a mainstream audience.
After his leg break in 2021, McGregor was embroiled in multiple legal issues while also dipping his toe into politics with an abandoned bid for the Irish presidency.
McGregor’s last win came six years ago after a 40-second victory over Donald Cerrone.
While “The Notorious” has insisted that he will return to the UFC once his leg heals, there will be fans questioning whether he can return to the spotlight that he left in 2021.
2026 World Cup Star Spotted Rowing With Norway Fans During England Match
Alfie Haaland’s 6-Word Insult to Roy Keane After England vs Norway
Lionel Messi Missed Training Session Ahead of Argentina vs England
Argentina ‘Make Special Request to FIFA’ Before England World Cup Clash
US Pundit Rips Into ‘Embarrassing’ England After World Cup Victory vs Norway
Ex-Referee Casts Verdict on Breel Embolo Red Card
England vs Argentina: Referee and Assistants Announced
Newcastle Agree Deal to Sign Arsenal Winger Kyran Thompson
