Ian Parker

Michael Carrick says Manchester United still need to strengthen despite spending around £85 million on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow. The club will not match the record spending of rivals such as Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, but Carrick insists United must keep pushing to compete after returning to the Champions League. He also welcomes Marcus Rashford back from his Barcelona loan and says the winger remains part of United’s plans. Carrick believes the squad has the potential to challenge for a first league title since 2013, while avoiding a firm prediction.

Youri Tielemans said he had held direct talks with Manchester United on two previous occasions before finally joining from Aston Villa after United activated his £35m release clause. He described Manchester United as a club above Aston Villa and called the move a major achievement, while expressing gratitude to Villa for helping restore his form. Tielemans also praised new manager Michael Carrick’s footballing ideas, dismissed concerns about burnout despite nearly 600 senior appearances, and said his aim is to become successful at Old Trafford.

Mathieu van der Poel won a shortened 89-kilometre Tour de France final stage in Paris after attacking alongside Tadej Pogacar on the Montmartre climb and holding off the chasing peloton by a bike length. Pogacar was caught inside the final 400 metres but safely secured his fifth overall Tour victory, equalling the record shared by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Remco Evenepoel finished second overall, 6 minutes 26 seconds behind, while Pogacar’s teammate Isaac del Toro took third.

Jasper Philipsen claimed his first stage win of this year’s Tour de France with a dominant sprint in Voiron after a reduced breakaway, narrowing Mads Pedersen’s lead in the points classification. Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey with no change in the overall standings, though team-mate Adam Yates struggled due to illness. The fallout from controversial night-time anti-doping tests continued, with rider representatives criticising the practice as disruptive, while the UCI defended the controls as exceptional but necessary measures.

Tom Heaton expressed confidence that Senne Lammens will recover stronger from his late error in Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final loss to Spain, praising his mentality and resilience as Manchester United’s first-choice goalkeeper. Heaton emphasised that mistakes are inherent to goalkeeping and believes Lammens has the character to handle pressure at the highest level. He also discussed United’s momentum heading into the new season, the reintegration of players returning from the World Cup, and shared a positive assessment of new signing Andrey Santos after observing his debut performance in Helsinki.

Mathieu van der Poel claimed victory on stage nine of the Tour de France after Tom Pidcock lost the ability to change gears due to a mechanical issue, finishing third behind Tobias Johannessen. The shortened stage saw intense racing, with Van der Poel’s Alpecin-Premier Tech team securing their first win of the race. Tadej Pogacar retained the overall lead ahead of Jonas Vingegaard and Isaac del Toro, with no changes in the general classification standings.

India took full control of the first women’s Test at Lord’s by bowling England out for 170 and building a 269‑run lead by stumps on day two. Kranti Gaud’s five‑wicket haul dismantled England’s top order before Nat Sciver‑Brunt and Amy Jones provided brief resistance. India then extended their advantage with a strong opening stand led by Smriti Mandhana, who finished unbeaten on 69 as England struggled in the heat and managed only one wicket in the evening session.

Heather Knight will retire from international cricket following the historic women’s Test match against India at Lord’s, concluding a 16‑year England career that included 320 appearances and leadership of the 2017 World Cup victory. Her decision follows England’s difficult position in the ongoing Test and comes shortly after Tammy Beaumont announced her own retirement. Knight reflects on her career milestones, including scoring centuries in all formats, while only a few members of the first cohort of women’s professional contracts remain active in the game.

Tadej Pogacar claimed stage three of the Tour de France with a late attack on the final climb, taking the yellow jersey from Jonas Vingegaard on countback. Support from teammate Isaac del Toro proved decisive as Pogacar gained a two‑second advantage at the finish. UAE Team Emirates-XRG controlled the race pace throughout the 196km stage from Spain into France, neutralising breakaway attempts. Alex Baudin secured the mountains classification before being caught, while Tom Pidcock faded on the final ascent. Wildfires in southern France reduced roadside crowds but did not affect the race route.

Fenerbahce announced they had reached an agreement to sign Nathan Ake, though Manchester City maintain no deal is finalised despite ongoing positive negotiations over a fee of £7m plus add-ons. Ake, entering the final year of his contract and facing increased competition for playing time, is expected to move as City look to secure value before his contract expires. The defender has made 177 appearances since joining from Bournemouth and could join Fenerbahce following his post‑World Cup break.

Real Madrid publicly denied any intention to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, issuing a statement dismissing recent reports and reaffirming respect for both the player and Chelsea. Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 after winning the World Cup with Argentina, scored 10 Premier League goals last season as the club finished 10th and missed out on European competition. Xabi Alonso was recently appointed Chelsea’s new manager.