A priority position for the club in the transfer market, Andrey Santos was the first to join from Chelsea before Michael Carrick’s side struck a deal with Aston Villa for Youri Tielemans.
Baleba will help elevate United’s midfield to another level after catching the eye with a number of big performances for Brighton ever since his move from Lille in 2023.
United have been active in the transfer market this summer and it appears that the arrival of Baleba will not be their last deal before the window closes for business on September 1.
“And then I think United will also get a left back before the end of the window,” said Romano. “They are exploring options. I don’t think it’s going to be Lewis Hall because at the moment Newcastle are not opening the doors, so it’s not easy at all unless there is a big change before the deadline. It’s a very complicated one.
Let’s see what happens also up front because in case of a good proposal for Joshua Zirkzee, there could be some movement. So I think it could be a busy end of the window for United, definitely.
Jorge Salinas of Racing Santander has been linked with a move to Old Trafford following his performances that saw the Spanish club promoted to LaLiga.
The 19-year-old, who has been linked with a transfer to Barcelona, registered seven assists in 34 games in all competitions last term and it does appear that he will move on at some point in the future if he continues to excel.
“There’s little you can do if a giant appears,” Aragan said. “We value the assets we have, we consider them important. For the club, at this time, there is no other option than to try to strengthen the team and not weaken it by losing stars. The reality is that the club that wants him has to come along with an offer.”
Argentina players and staff have finally found out their punishments after the chaos at the end of the 2026 World Cup final, with three players and one member of staff sanctioned. One Spain player has also been punished.
FIFA opened an investigation into the actions of the South American side following their 1-0 loss against Spain at MetLife Stadium in July. Leandro Paredes was at the centre of the chaos, which saw him grab Gavi by the throat and throw him to the floor.
Paredes and Four Others Punished For World Cup Antics
Mike Segar via Action Images/Reuters
Following the investigation, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to take action against Paredes, Ayala, Thiago Almada and Nahuel Molina. Martyn Ziegler of The Times posted further information about the action FIFA has now taken on X.
Gavi has also been handed a $30,000 fine and a one-match ban for his part in the physical altercation. Almada was given the exact same sanction for his actions.
Meanwhile, Ayala will serve a three-match suspension on top of his $30,000 fine. The biggest punishments by far have been given to Paredes and Molina.
Both men got physical after the final whistle, with Paredes being handed a 10-match suspension, while Molina will miss seven games. The pair have also been given $90,000 fines.
Paredes Could ‘Escape’ His Ban
REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
The 2026 World Cup appeared to be the end of the line for several members of Argentina’s squad. Lionel Scaloni relied heavily on many of the players who were key to the 2022 success in Qatar for one last dance.
EA Sports has officially confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo‘s overall rating for FC 27 — and it’s his lowest base card in more than two decades.
Whilst the game isn’t always the best indicator of the overall football reality, the former Real Madrid star’s steady decline in ratings helps to go some way in showing his current perceived level of performance in what is now the twilight of his career.
Here’s everything to know about Ronaldo’s rating, and how it ranks with the rest of the elite in the sport.
Cristiano Ronaldo EA Sports FC 27 Rating
Paul Childs via REUTERS
Posting his lowest card in years, Ronaldo has fallen to 84, from 85 last year, and has seen a decline across the board, except with shooting. Regardless of the other statistics, his real-world record in the 2025/26 season for Al-Nassr was strong, with 30 goals in 37 games in all competitions.
Now 41, and in the twilight of his career, it is to be expected that other figures such as dribbling, pace and physicality have all taken hits. Yet, some fans have pointed out that he recorded a top speed of 33.7 km/h in the 2026 World Cup, according to WhoScored, which suggests his figures are a little harsh.
An overall rating of 84 places him as the joint second-highest player in the Saudi Pro League, with only Rúben Neves recording a higher score (85). Tied with him are Sergej Milinković-Savić and Mexican star Julián Quiñones.
Stat
Rating
Overall
84
Pace
67
Shooting
88
Passing
75
Dribbling
78
Defending
33
Physical
75
Cristiano Ronaldo Rating Change from FC 26 to FC 27
REUTERS/Stringer
As mentioned, the drop-off is to be expected due to his involvement in the Saudi Pro League, a league that is considered to be outside the top 10 leagues in world football.
Despite his regular scoring rate at club level, it hasn’t been recognised by EA as being good enough to maintain last year’s figures.
Stat
FC26
FC27
Change
Overall
85
84
-1
Pace
76
67
-9
Shooting
88
88
=
Passing
76
75
-1
Dribbling
80
78
-2
Defending
34
33
-1
Physical
76
75
-1
Looking back across the past decade, there has been a steady decline across the years in terms of his overall rating.
His long stay in the 90s was quickly curtailed in FIFA 23, as his original 90 rating was downgraded to 87 mid-cycle following his move to Al-Nassr. It has since trickled down year by year.
It is important to consider the context; 84 is still the highest base card ever assigned to a 41-year-old in the franchise’s history. This year also marks the first time since his 2023 move that Ronaldo isn’t the top-rated player in his own league, being overtaken by Al Hilal’s Neves.
Cristiano Ronaldo EA FC Ratings Change
Year
Game
OVR Rating
Change
2023
EA Sports FC 24
86
-1
2024
EA Sports FC 25
85
-1
2025
EA Sports FC 26
85
=
2026
EA Sports FC 27
84
-1
How Does Cristiano Ronaldo Compare to Others in FC 27?
Peter Hansson/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect / Action Images
Interestingly, Messi, 89, is among them. Ronaldo’s new rating ensures he misses the Top 27 entirely. As it stands, that 27 is a list this year that doesn’t dip below 88.
Player
OVR
PAC
SHO
PAS
DRI
DEF
PHY
Kylian Mbappé
91
96
91
80
92
29
76
Erling Haaland
91
87
92
71
80
47
89
Lionel Messi
89
76
87
89
90
33
63
Cristiano Ronaldo
84
67
88
75
78
33
75
The comparison was always with his Ballon d’Or rival, Messi. However, despite the two former leading stars featuring in similar leagues in terms of overall quality and depth, it seems Messi has been rewarded for his World Cup efforts.
Messi’s card moved in the opposite direction — moving three points up from last year’s 86. Whilst once the two were the standout figures, ruling at the top together, that symmetry is now gone. Despite being 39 and featuring outside of Europe in MLS — a league that is far from the competitive weight EA’s model typically rewards due to its level — a stunning run of 12 goal involvements (eight goals) in eight games for Argentina at the World Cup was enough to warrant an upgrade.
In contrast, Ronaldo struggled, as ex-professionals honed in on how Roberto Martinez‘s side at the time would be better off without the former Real Madrid superstar.
