Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans as they look to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season.

The Red Devils have made reinforcing the centre of the pitch a priority this summer but have endured a series of setbacks in the transfer market. Their pursuit of Elliot Anderson ended unsuccessfully after the midfielder opted to join Manchester City, while Mateus Fernandes chose to move to Tottenham Hotspur instead of Old Trafford.

United had also agreed a £35 million deal with Serie A side Atalanta for Brazil international Ederson, but that transfer has been put on hold.

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos is understood to have completed a medical ahead of a proposed £48 million move elsewhere, while United are expected to remain active in the market before the transfer window closes.

With Kobbie Mainoo currently involved in England’s World Cup campaign, United have limited experienced options in central midfield, making the addition of an established player a key objective.

Tielemans, 29, has long been admired by the club, with his extensive Premier League experience viewed as a major asset. The Belgium international played an important role in his country’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals but was forced to miss their 2-1 defeat to Spain after suffering an injury during the pre-match warm-up.

England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Mexico national football team has been delayed by one hour because of severe weather in Mexico City.

Heavy rain has fallen throughout the day, while lightning has been detected above Estadio Azteca, where the match is due to be played.

Under local safety regulations, play cannot begin until 30 minutes have passed without any lightning being detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium.

Earlier, a shelter-in-place order was issued at Estadio Azteca as adverse weather moved through the area, requiring spectators and personnel to remain in safe locations.

Although FIFA oversees the tournament, it must comply with local public safety protocols regarding severe weather and cannot apply separate rules in such situations.

In a statement, FIFA said: “The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA’s priority.”

The delay follows discussions held on Friday between FIFA, The Football Association and the Mexican Football Federation after FIFA proposed moving the fixture to an earlier kick-off time of 19:00 BST (12:00 local time) on Sunday.

However, that proposal was later withdrawn, with the original kick-off time initially left unchanged before the weather ultimately forced the delay.

The Football Association requested additional time to examine detailed weather forecasts before any decision was made.

During the discussions, officials also considered the potential impact that changing the kick-off time would have on player preparation, supporter travel arrangements and the complex logistics involved in staging one of the tournament’s highest-profile matches.

The revised kick-off will now take place once local authorities confirm that weather conditions meet the required safety standards for players, officials and spectators.

Folarin Balogun will be available to play for the United States men’s national soccer team after FIFA suspended the automatic one-match ban he received following his red card at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 25-year-old striker was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Tarik Muharemović during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.

In a statement, FIFA confirmed that the automatic suspension would instead be suspended for a probationary period of one year, without providing a detailed explanation for the decision beyond citing disciplinary regulations that permit sanctions to be suspended.

The governing body said: “In line with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.

“If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

The decision has drawn a strong reaction from the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), which said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s ruling and is now examining all possible responses.

The Belgian federation argued that every previous red card issued during this World Cup had resulted in an automatic suspension and said FIFA’s latest decision was in “direct contradiction” of the tournament regulations, which it said had been “explicitly reaffirmed” to all participating nations in May.

In a statement, the RBFA added: “In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump welcomed FIFA’s decision in a post on Truth Social, thanking the governing body for what he described as correcting an unfair outcome.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump wrote.

United States captain Christian Pulisic revealed that the players learned of the decision while travelling to training on Sunday.

Pulisic said Balogun was “super happy” after hearing the news.

“Just a big smile on his face and all of ours,” Pulisic said. “The foul wasn’t what it was, it was harsh.”

FIFA’s decision means Balogun remains eligible for the United States’ next World Cup match, while the controversy surrounding the unprecedented suspension of an automatic red-card ban is likely to continue as Belgium considers its next steps.