Manchester United have been rumoured to hold an interest in several midfielders this summer, despite having already agreed a deal with Atalanta to sign midfielder Ederson.

The Red Devils have been strongly linked with potential deals for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes over the course of the summer so far. The former is now set for a move to Manchester City, but United are understood to currently be leading the way to sign the latter.

Michael Carrick’s side have seen long-term servant Casemiro depart upon the expiry of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte was also a player subject to a potential departure. However, the Uruguayan is now expected to be sidelined for a significant period of time after suffering knee ligament damage while playing for his country at the World Cup.

Man Utd expected to sign “several” midfielders

Ugarte injury aside, United are expected to make a number of midfield signings this summer. That’s according to David Ornstein, who has said that the Red Devils’ “midfield is likely to have several incomings this summer”.

Fernandes has been the player most strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford so far this window, especially now since Anderson is set for a switch to the blue side of Manchester.

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The Portuguese was one of the star players in a struggling West Ham side that was eventually relegated last season and the 21-year-old isn’t expected to be part of their Championship squad.

Tottenham Hotspur have also been reported to be in the race for Fernandes, as have Real Madrid. However, United are understood to be leading the pursuit for the midfielder’s signature at this moment in time.

United also favourites to sign Felix Nmecha

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Another midfielder whose name has been linked with a move to United is Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha.

The German came through the youth ranks at Manchester City and even represented England at youth level before returning to Germany in 2021 to sign for Wolfsburg.

It is understood that United are now the favourites to sign Nmecha, who is currently impressing at the World Cup after an excellent season for Dortmund, helping them finish second in the Bundesliga.

Either way, fans should be excited about the prospect of multiple midfield additions arriving at Old Trafford this summer and the potential profile and calibre of the club’s summer incomings.

With every team at the 2026 World Cup having now played two fixtures, the competition enters a decisive stage of the tournament. The final group stage games will see many nations either progress to the knockout phase or be eliminated from the competition.

And to make the final group games that bit more dramatic, all games in each group will kick off simultaneously. This will be different from the opening two group matches, where they were contested at different times. And rather than opting for this format for that extra added excitement, the final game format was enforced by events that occurred over forty years ago.

The ruling, which has now been adopted for other football tournaments as well as the World Cup, stems from one of the most controversial episodes in World Cup history.

What Happened during the Disgrace of Gijon

At the 1982 World Cup, the European champions West Germany were in danger of being eliminated at the group stage. In Group 2 with three World Cup debutants — Algeria, Austria, and Chile — an exit at this stage would’ve been particularly embarrassing.

The final Group 2 match between West Germany and Austria took place a day after Algeria had beaten Chile 3-2 to complete their respective group stages. With the final game left to play, Austria and Algeria were joint top with four points each, with Germany in third on two points. Chile had already been mathematically eliminated, having earned zero points.

With West Germany facing Austria in the final group game, both sides were aware that a West German victory by two goals or fewer would send the European sides through and eliminate Algeria.

The mission was clear for West Germany, who took the lead just ten minutes into the match through Hamburg striker Horst Hrubesch. But from then on, what should’ve been a breathless battle for qualification became an exhibition.

With this score in place, qualification was secure for both teams, and as a result, the intensity of the fixture quickly waned. Few passes were played with attacking intent, and nor was there much pressure from either side to retrieve possession.

When the dust settled and the final whistle blew, the anger of the Algerian players and supporters understandably boiled over with accusations of match manipulation by the two German-speaking teams. The match later became known as the “Disgrace of Gijon”, a controversial and football-altering chapter in the story of the sport.

Disgrace of Gijon’s Legacy

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Algeria was on the precipice of history. Had either West Germany or Austria played their part, Algeria would’ve become the first African nation to qualify from the World Cup group stage. So, it was unsurprising to see incensed protests from the Algerians — a feeling that spread to players and fans, regardless of which nation they belonged to.

The Disgrace of Gijon is the most common moniker given to the infamous match, but the universal disapproval of the two teams’ behaviour has led to further titles around the world.

In German, the match is known as “Nichtangriffspakt von Gijon”, which translates to “Non-aggression pact of Gijon”. In Algeria, the description is unsurprisingly forthright: “Scandal of Gijon”. Another widely accepted title is the French description “le Match de la honte”, which translates to “The Shameful Match”. The international press have, on occasion, controversially dubbed the match the “Anschluss of Gijon” in reference to the German annexation of Austria in 1938.

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Despite the Algerian protests and the condemnation of the German and Austrian teams, FIFA argued that no rules had been broken and decided not to overturn the result. However, further backlash eventually forced the hand of the football governing body.

Whilst the result remained intact, FIFA introduced a major new ruling to ensure that a similar incident didn’t occur in the future. From the 1986 World Cup onwards, final group stage matches are played simultaneously, ensuring that teams cannot alter their tactics based on earlier results.

That being said, the controversial progression of West Germany in 1982 did very nearly result in triumph at the tournament. Whilst Austria were knocked out in the second group stage, West Germany made it through to the final. Jupp Derwall’s side fell to the imperious Italy 3-1, but had the West Germans won, the Disgrace of Gijon may have sparked even greater outrage among the global football community.

Liverpool could sanction a deal for one of their stars to join a Premier League rival this summer, as Sky Sports reports that a player is being monitored in the transfer window.

A sale for the Reds could come at an important time in the market, as the club are braced for another summer of huge spending to land key targets.

Work has already been done to complete the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz so far, but Yan Diomande’s move to Anfield now appears to be over, as the winger prefers a switch to PSG.

Attention will turn elsewhere, with Bradley Barcola eyed up, but there could be exits required to help fund such a deal over the coming weeks.

Curtis Jones has been linked with a move away, but so too has Harvey Elliott, who is looking for a fresh start after a frustrating year.

Crystal Palace Want Harvey Elliott

Elliott has made his return to Liverpool this summer, a year on from agreeing a loan move to join Aston Villa with an obligation to make the deal permanent once certain criteria had been met.

The midfielder was quickly discarded by Unai Emery, however, as the manager didn’t want to give him the appearances required to trigger the £35 million transfer switch.

In the end, Elliott was stuck in limbo until the end of the season, and his return to Liverpool comes at a time when he is looking to take on a new opportunity.

Fortunately for him, and for the Reds, there is interest this summer. Sky Sports reports that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are monitoring a possible deal for the 23-year-old.

It’s unclear whether the Eagles will ramp up their efforts to land the star, who has been described as a “special” talent in his time, but there may still be a way back for him at Anfield.

The report adds that Elliott will be given the chance to impress Andoni Iraola, with the possibility that he will make an impression and stake a claim in the squad for next season onwards.

It hands him a potential lifeline, either at Liverpool or elsewhere, after a challenging season.

Tough Elliott Decision To Follow

Liverpool will have a tough decision to make surrounding the future of Elliott, regardless of whether he stays or leaves this summer.

The 23-year-old only has one year left on his deal, which means an exit would be the last chance for the club to make some money back on a sale, but it would likely not reach the £35 million they had agreed before.

If the star does stay, then Liverpool may need to consider protecting his value by offering a contract extension, so they don’t lose yet another star as a free agent.

That may have to come with guarantees over game time, however, which played a potential part in his original exit from the club to Aston Villa.

Regardless of whether he stays or leaves, Liverpool are not in the most ideal position and will have to see what the future holds for Elliott in the weeks to come.