Sports
Man Utd Can Still Sign ‘Elite’ MIdfielder This Summer
Manchester United still hold hope of signing Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, despite the player reportedly agreeing a new contract at the Bernabeu, according to journalist Andy Mitten.
Tchouameni enjoyed another impressive season for Los Blancos in 2025/26, but a fallout with teammate Federico Valverde towards the end of the campaign has fuelled speculation that he could leave the Spanish capital this summer. Unsurprisingly, a number of clubs were said to be on hand to pounce on the opportunity to land the Frenchman, with Manchester said to be his most likely destination.
United have reportedly expressed their interest in the 26-year-old, with the Red Devils said to view him as a dream midfield signing.
However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed last week that Tchouameni has reached an agreement to extend his contract at Real Madrid until 2031, seemingly ending United’s immediate pursuit of the player.
Man Utd could still sign Aurelien Tchouameni this summer
United’s priority this summer was to renovate their midfield, and they’ve already set the wheels in motion on this front.
Andrey Santos has arrived from Chelsea for around £50million, while Youri Tielemans is closing in on a switch from Aston Villa after United opted to activate the Belgian’s £35million release clause.
Despite these two additions, there is still a feeling that the Red Devils need to add an out-and-out defensive midfielder to their squad. Tchouameni has been identified as the ideal candidate to fulfil this role at Old Trafford, but after reports emerged indicating that the France international is set to sign a new deal at Real Madrid, hopes of pulling off this statement transfer were somewhat diminished.
Usually, when a player commits their long-term future to a club, they aren’t then immediately sold. However, such is the dramatic nature of proceedings at the Bernabeu, journalist Mitten has claimed that sources at the La Liga outfit have told him Tchouameni’s departure could still be sanctioned.
“It sounds like he is, but when I spoke to somebody in Madrid after he had signed the contract, let me just read the text back: ‘They could still sell him,’” he told on Talk of the Devils.
“So, there you go. They could still get him. I will try to find out. So, the player has obviously done well out of this. This isn’t the first time that this has happened, where a Real Madrid player has benefited from Manchester United’s interest.
“Look, United were interested in him, as you would be, because he’s very good. As I have said on this podcast several times, the player’s perfectly happy in Madrid.
“If that situation changes, he would be perfectly happy to play for Manchester United.
“When I did some calls last week to Madrid, or actually it was the US because that’s where the journalists are covering the Spanish national team, one of the points put to me was Real Madrid want to buy big, so they need to sell big.”
Real Madrid still unlikely to sell Aurelien Tchouameni
While not implausible, the likelihood of Real Madrid selling Tchouameni after he’s put pen to paper on a new deal is slim. Going through the hassle of convincing him to stay and undergoing intense negotiations, just to let him leave straight away, doesn’t make much sense.
Jose Mourinho reportedly spoke to Tchouameni and convinced him to remain at Real Madrid, which doesn’t suggest that the Portuguese manager would be happy if Florentino Perez decided to imminently cash in.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
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Not to mention, the midfielder boasts a unique profile within the Real Madrid squad. He’s the only natural defensive midfielder, and there are few players on the market Los Blancos could replace him with and expect to find an upgrade.
United are likely going to be forced to look elsewhere.
Sports
Paddy Pimblett Wanted To Replace Injured Conor McGregor at UFC 329
Backstage footage has revealed what Paddy Pimblett asked Dana White in the aftermath of the disappointing main event between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday night.
The much-anticipated headliner at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas ended in just 69 seconds as referee Mike Beltran waved off the contest with the Irishman having suffered a knee injury during the first strike he threw during the welterweight bout.
The Notorious landed awkwardly after running across the cage and throwing a jumping roundhouse kick. Subsequently, he kept slipping to the ground when throwing offense and looked unable to put much pressure on the injured leg, leading to the finish.
Paddy Pimblett Scored A Quick Victory at UFC 329
Liverpool’s Pimblett also finished his lightweight contest against France’s Benoit Saint Denis in just 52 seconds via a D’Arce choke and having received just one significant strike. “Did you like that,” Pimblett said to White. “I said what was gonna happen and I come and done it. Stole the show. That’s how we roll!”
Pimblett secured a performance of the night bonus for his assured finish of “The God of War”, thus securing an extra $100,000 in the process. He also rose four places in the latest UFC Meta rankings from ninth to fifth. The Liverpool fighter had fallen from sixth to ninth when the new Meta fighter rankings were first brought in June.
Paddy Pimblett’s Backstage Question to Dana White at UFC 329
Paddy’s performance brought the record crowd to its feet in Sin City, but the 31-year-old clearly realised that the fans had been short-changed by the main event.
“Do you want me to get in with Max now? I’ll get in with Max now if you want?,” Pimblett said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. ‘The Baddy’ was clearly joking when he made the comment, given that he had a slice of pizza in his hand at the time. The clip cut off before Dana could deliver his response.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission would almost certainly have put a halt to any impromptu main event anyway, given that Pimblett and Holloway weighed in at different weights 24 hours earlier.
There is, however, every chance that Pimblett and Holloway could meet in the near future. Neither man took any damage during their respective contests at UFC 329.
Although he competed at welterweight at the weekend, Holloway actually sits one place above Pimblett in the UFC lightweight rankings. If he can’t land a rematch with champion Justin Gaethje or a grudge match with long-time rival Ilia Topuria, Pimblett vs Holloway would likely be the next most-appealing challenge for the scouse hero.
Sports
Fernando Torres Named Julian Alvarez as ‘Best Player in the World’
A Spain legend snubbed Lionel Messi when naming the current Argentina player who is the ‘best in the world’, making an interesting claim ahead of La Roja’s potential World Cup final vs the reigning champions this coming Sunday night.
Spain played France off the park during their 2-0 semi-final win over the tournament favourites, and while it was Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro that got the goals, the performance of Rodri has people calling for him to win the Ballon d’Or again. What’s more, Luis De La Fuente’s side have only conceded one goal this summer, making them the new favourites for glory.
They will play the winner of Argentina vs England on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. If the former are to continue their title defence, then most would consider Messi – the best performing World Cup player based on stats – as the one Spain must focus their efforts on thwarting. However, Fernando Torres believes otherwise.
Fernando Torres’ Controversial Pick For ‘Best Player in the World’
After he bagged a brace against Real Madrid in last September’s derby win in La Liga, Julian Alvarez received the highest plaudits from Torres. Speaking of his star power back then, the former Liverpool and Atletico Madrid striker claimed:
“For me, Julian Alvarez is the best player in the world, without any doubt. There’s not much more to say.”
Others will say the likes of Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, among others, are better. But that’s not to take away how underrated-yet-integral Alvarez for both club and country. He is a huge part of Argentina’s future post-Messi, and should not be underestimated.
His role is still as a selfless workhorse in enemy territoary – against Switzerland he recorded more presses and more sprints than any Argentina star, and only Alexis Mac Allister ran further – and he sees himself as an enabler for his hero. “We will do everything to make sure Messi wins the World Cup again,” he said recently. But with his own record in big games, he could well be the headline-grabber this week.
Lionel Messi, 39, Still Among the Elite at 2026 World Cup
Every year, people make the bold claim that Messi is finally past his sell-by date, only to be left utterly embarrassed. At 39 years old, the player most consider to be the greatest of all time is still breaking records and pulling the strings for the three-time world champions, as proven by his eight goals and two assists in six appearances this summer.
Heading into his first-ever fixture against England, Lionel Scaloni’s side will almost be entirely reliant on his superpower to lead them to back-to-back World Cups. While Alvarez, Enzo Fernandes, and Mac Alliser are all top quality footballers, they all just make up a small part of a team defined by their immortal captain.
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Location, Capacity, Cost & Name
Manchester United‘s venture to explore a new stadium has moved from a plan to an official business proposal.
Old Trafford has reigned in European football as one of the most iconic and incredible areas in the sport, earning the nickname ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ due to the magic that has been witnessed at the ground.
By the end of 2026, Fosters and Partners will have a detailed vision for the proposed 100,000 seater stadium that will be located some 350 meters north of the existing stadium.
With this exciting news breaking, GiveMeSport has decided to break down everything we know about United’s proposed move, the cost, the plans and the name.
New Man Utd Stadium Location
As stated, the new stadium will be built roughly 350 meters north-west of Old Trafford, in Stretford on a plot bounded by John Gilbert Way, Wharfside Way and Europa Way.
For the locals, that will make perfect sense. However, it essentially means the stadium will remain located in the same corner of Trafford that it has called home since 1910.
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This land was acquired in June 2026 from a logistics firm that is owned by a US investment giant, Blackstone. Initially, the deal came after talks to buy an adjacent site from freight neighbour Freightliner stalled, pushing United to this north-west plot instead.
With this area keeping the club anchored to its heritage, it will preserve the Old Trafford postcode, matchday rituals and club identity — as well as creating 15,000 new homes, a projected 48,000 jobs and green space and upgraded transport to boot.
New Man Utd Stadium Capacity & Design
The most exciting part is the overall scale of the project; it is said that the proposed capacity will reach 100,000 — dwarfing Old Trafford by over 25,000.
It would also beat Wembley Stadium in London, which currently sits at 90,000, making it the most spectacular stadium in the country. But what is the proposed design?
With a proposed capacity of 100,000, the new Manchester United Stadium would become the biggest stadium in the United Kingdom and Europe, eclipsing Wembley and Camp Nou respectively.
There has been no official design published, but mock-ups show a relatively conventional ‘bowl’. United has stressed those images are illustrative only.
Yet, an initial dramatic concept from Fosters showed a vast “umbrella” canopy and three towering masts that were billed as the “Eiffel Tower of the North” but it was mostly curtailed due to the rising costs that such a design would incur.
Fans should treat any design as performative right now as the full work-up is set for the end of the year, or early 2026.
How Much Will the New Man Utd Stadium Cost?
For INEOS and everyone involved at United, the cost will be a significant factor. The current working figure is around £2 billion; a figure that will likely rise as costs do.
United had previously explored a refurbishment of Old Trafford in 2024, which would likely have cost £1 billion-1.2 billion, but it would have cut capacity during works and capped the ceiling. Instead, the club chose to scale.
Fans know the ailments that currently plague Old Trafford. It has been exposed to mockery from fans across the past few years, pointing towards leaky roofs and outdated infrastructure.
For a stadium that was once regarded as the stadium in club football, it is a far cry from its former reputation.
Does the New Man Utd Stadium Have a Name?
As it stands, there is no official name. The project is being referred to as ‘New Trafford’ but that isn’t a real stadium name as far as we know.
The “Old Trafford Regeneration” is the label being used by Fosters to describe the project as a whole.
What will be vital is the commercial conundrum surrounding the name. United have not sold naming rights and, given the costs and significant debt carried out by the project, a naming-rights deal is an obvious revenue move.
It hasn’t been ruled out, and we now wait until a sponsor or a decision is made to preserve the Old Trafford name, or some combination of the two is confirmed. But, for now, United’s new stadium moves ahead.
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