Manchester United are focusing on strengthening their midfield this summer, but AC Milan forward Rafael Leao is keen to join the club following a bombshell update, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

It is still May, but Man United chiefs are already getting to work to ensure Michael Carrick has a stronger squad to work with next season, with the club facing the challenge of the rigours of the Champions League alongside the Premier League next term.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils will complete the signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson ‘unless something crazy happens’, in a deal worth under £40m, with the player already agreeing personal terms to join.

The club could also add two more midfielders if Manuel Ugarte joins Casemiro through the exit door, with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes and Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni mentioned as other names high on their shortlist.

United’s summer business is unlikely to be restricted just to midfield however, with talk of strengthening in the full-back positions and up top and in goal should players like Marcus Rashford, Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana depart.

GIVEMESPORT sources have also suggested that the club could look to bring in a left-sided attacker.

Rafael Leao Announces AC Milan Exit Desire

Once viewed as one of the most dangerous wingers in European football, Rafael Leao’s form has suffered in recent seasons and he has fallen out of favour at the San Siro.

The Portugal international has confirmed ahead of the World Cup that he believes now is the right time to leave the Serie A giants, after seven years in a red and black shirt.

Leao has wasted no time in making his availability clear ahead of the summer transfer window, which opens on June 15.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, his intention was to attract as many suitors and offers as possible this summer.

Leao, described as being ‘world-class’ by former Red Devils star Nani, has 80 goals and 65 assists in 291 appearances for Milan following a 2019 move from Lille.

Rafael Leao Particularly Looking at Man United

The report adds that Leao wants to compete at the highest level of European football, which immediately rules out a potential lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia.

The 26-year-old is already attracting interest from Turkey too, with Galatasaray and Fenerbahce both keen to bring him, with the former already enticing Victor Osimhen to leave Napoli for them previously.

While attractive salary offers are on the table for Leao, who is rated at £60m by Milan according to a separate report, he has made his priority a move to the Premier League and Manchester United in particular.

Leao recently said: “I often watch the Premier League. I like Manchester United especially because of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is my idol, but also Arsenal is a team I follow on TV.”

According to the Daily Mail, United have held discussions over a deal to bring Leao to Old Trafford, with Romano recently confirming that club chiefs have been in Italy discussing many potential deals, on top of the Ederson talks.

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico this summer, and with just weeks to go until the opening game, everyone wants to know who is going to win it.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina side are the defending champions, having claimed the trophy for a third time in their history in Qatar in December 2022, defeating France on penalties in one of the all-time great finals. Prior to that, Les Bleus claimed their second triumph in 2018, while Germany claimed a fourth victory in the tournament in 2014.

Now it has emerged that an economist Joachim Klement has created a formula that has correctly predicted each of the last three winners in advance, and he has made his pick for the 2026 edition of the tournament – to surprise results.

100% Accurate Formula Picks 2026 World Cup Winner

Klement has run the 2026 tournament through his formula, and after previously picking Germany, France and Argentina successfully to win the competition, he has now claimed that it will be the Netherlands who come out on top in New York on July 19th.

According to his algorithm, Ronald Koeman’s side will take on France in the quarter-finals and find a way through, before taking on tournament favourites Spain in the semi-final, where they will once again come out on top.

Then, in the final, they will take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, but the fairytale for the legendary forward will end in heartbreak, with the Netherlands tipped to go all the way.

“I was a bit surprised when it came out of my model and the simulations that the Netherlands would win,” Klement told SBS Dutch.

“Particularly given that the simulation showed that the Netherlands has a very, very difficult path to the final.”

“France would be more likely to win against the Netherlands, because it’s one of the best teams in the world right now,” he said.

“But … on any given day, in any given match, luck plays an important role and, in fact, about 50 per cent of the outcome is given by luck.”

“If Holland makes it to the semi-finals, it will be a situation where it already has a lot of confidence that it can beat anyone,” he said.

“I think it will literally be 50/50 if you beat Spain or not, and if you beat Spain, then the path is clear to the World Cup.”

Netherlands Have Never Won the World Cup

The Netherlands are currently ranked as the eighth favourites with bookmakers ahead of the tournament, and that makes it a surprise that they have been tipped to go all the way.

But what makes it even more surprising is the fact that they have never won it before in their history, despite having some football legends having worn the kit, and the fact they have reached three finals in the past.

In 1974 they reached the final but were beaten 2-1 by West Germany, and then four years later in 1978 they made it to the final once again, only to suffer defeat at the hands of Argentina after extra-time. They then suffered heartbreak in extra-time once again in 2010, as Spain’s golden generation secured victory through Andres Iniesta’s winner.

Watching Netherlands go all the way would be an incredible achievement, and it would add to the legendary career of Virgil Van Dijk, and many other players.

The build-up to the 2026 World Cup has been one of the most turbulent in living memory, and with less than a fortnight to go until the tournament kicks off, yet another nation has seen their preparations thrown into serious jeopardy, this time by a visa crisis that’s left an entire squad stranded thousands of miles from where they need to be.

The problems surrounding this summer’s competition, co-hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, have been well documented. The shadow of Donald Trump’s administration has loomed large over proceedings from the very beginning, with travel restrictions, diplomatic tensions and logistical complications creating headaches for competing nations that would’ve been simply unimaginable at any previous World Cup.

The most striking example to date has been the Iran national team, who were forced to relocate their entire training camp across the border into Mexico after concerns around operating within the United States following their recent conflict made their original plans untenable.

The situation laid bare just how politically charged this tournament has become before a single ball has been kicked. But Iran isn’t alone, and the latest nation to find themselves caught up in the chaos will be hoping their situation is resolved rather swiftly.

South Africa Caught Up in World Cup Visa Chaos

Despite not being on Trump’s travel ban list, the South African Football Association has surprisingly confirmed that Bafana Bafana were unable to depart for North America as originally planned, after visa complications arose for a number of players and officials within the squad. It’s a large blow to a side who face one of the toughest possible opening fixtures, a match against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca, in what will be the first match of the tournament.

Every day spent in Johannesburg rather than acclimatising in Mexico City is a day of preparation lost, and with the clock ticking down rapidly, the pressure on SAFA’s officials to find a resolution gets bigger with every passing day. The association has confirmed an Emergency Committee Meeting, with a further update to be communicated to the nation once discussions have concluded. In the meantime, the squad will continue training at home.

South Africa’s Full Statement Ahead of the World Cup

Speaking on their website after seeing their players and staff denied visas to enter Mexico, the SAFA have released the following statement:

“The South African Football Association (SAFA) wishes to update the nation on Bafana Bafana’s travel plans to Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“SAFA is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match of the global tournament against the hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026.

“We remain committed to ensuring that the team’s preparations for the tournament remain on track and in the meantime, Bafana Bafana will continue to train in Johannesburg until departure.

This year’s World Cup will be hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026.