Manchester United
Agent confirms Manchester United talks for Orlando Gill amid transfer negotiations
Manchester United were named in talks as Orlando Gill’s agent outlined a transfer nearing completion.
Orlando Gill’s agent has confirmed that Manchester United were among the clubs involved in early discussions over a possible move, while insisting the goalkeeper is at a stage where a transfer makes sense.
Mario Jara, speaking to DSports Radio, said the Paraguay international is in active talks with English and German clubs and that only two firm offers have been received so far. He added that negotiations are ongoing and that a move is drawing closer.
“We’re in talks with English clubs, as well as some in Germany. There were preliminary discussions with Manchester United . We’ve only received two concrete offers. We’re in the midst of negotiations,” Gill’s former club manager turned representative told DSports Radio .
Jara was equally direct about the timing. “The sale is close—now is the time. We have to handle this very carefully because there are a lot of factors involved. It’s the perfect opportunity for him to take a leap forward in his career. He’s ready and capable of playing in any league, without a doubt.”
Gill’s rise has been unusual and difficult. Only in September 2025 did he make his senior international debut, keeping a clean sheet as World Cup qualification was secured against Peru. His wife, Melissa Ávalos, later described the sacrifices behind that journey. “We had nothing, and Orlando sold his jerseys from the club where he was playing at the time to cover the expenses,” she said after the match. “Our son fought for his life, and his dad was always there. He sold everything.”
The goalkeeper had made only two top-flight appearances in Paraguay before a move to San Lorenzo’s reserves in a deal that raised questions. It took more than a year, along with a run of injuries, for him to make his professional debut, after which he kept his place.
At the World Cup, Gill’s reputation was tested after conceding four against the United States. Jara admitted the response was intense: “Everything he went through at the World Cup wasn’t easy, especially the 4–1 loss to the United States,” he said. “A lot of influential people spoke out.”
Gill responded by keeping clean sheets against Türkiye and Australia, then starring in the knockout rounds. Against Germany, he made six saves and denied Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade in the shootout. France were beaten too, though Kylian Mbappé did score from the spot after Gill tried to unsettle him, and later refused to shake his hand.
Even with Manchester United named, a move to Old Trafford still looks unlikely.
Aston Villa
Villa signal long-term Emery backing amid United speculation
Villa reinforce Emery’s future as reports link the manager with Manchester United again this week.
Aston Villa have moved to underline Unai Emery’s future at the club at a time when links with Manchester United continue to circulate.
Emery has been central to Villa’s rise, guiding them into the Champions League and delivering their first major trophy in 30 years last season with the Europa League. That track record makes him a natural fit for a club of Manchester United’s stature, especially given his history of success at Sevilla and Villarreal, as well as his experience at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
However, Villa’s position around their manager is clearly a sensitive one. The club recently threatened legal action against pundit Jamie Carragher over remarks made on the Stick to Football podcast last month. In his comments on Emery and Manchester United, Carragher suggested the Spaniard might want the chance to “manage a giant again,” while also saying, “There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not. Shut the f— up, Aston Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”
After a public apology in which Carragher described his wording as “clumsy and wrong,” the matter was dropped.
Reports earlier this week stated Emery is “happy” at Aston Villa, has no release clause in his contract, and is not expected to leave. Villa have now added further weight to that view by publicising a meeting focused on “the club’s long-term strategic direction.”
One outcome from that meeting was “establishing a clear commitment beyond 2029” under Emery’s leadership. While the club stopped short of announcing a new deal, his current contract expires in 2029, and the wording strongly suggests a longer partnership is being prepared. The Athletic report that such an agreement is close.
Villa said: “The meeting brought together Nassef Sawiris, the club’s Chairman, and Unai Emery alongside President of Football Operations Roberto Olabe and Director of Football Operations Damián Vidagany.”
Manchester United
Baleba setback leaves United waiting on hamstring issue
Baleba’s hamstring injury could sideline him until after the November international break.
Carlos Baleba’s night ended early as Manchester United’s comeback over Roma unfolded without him, and the midfielder’s latest setback now hangs over the club’s schedule. What should have been another step forward in his first months at Old Trafford instead became another interruption in a move that had already been delayed by injury.
Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in August, Baleba was presented as the final piece in United’s midfield rebuild, the player expected to provide balance. He arrived with a pre-existing ankle problem picked up during Brighton’s preseason preparations, which pushed his debut back until after the September-October international break. Once available, the Cameroon international had begun to settle and show promise in a side that had otherwise struggled.
Tuesday’s match was only his fifth start for the Red Devils, but it ended shortly after half-time when he went down clutching his hamstring. He received treatment on the pitch before being forced to withdraw and hobble off. After the 3-2 win, Michael Carrick confirmed the problem was indeed hamstring-related, though he could offer little immediate clarity.
“We’ll have to assess what that looks like but, initially, it doesn’t look great,” Carrick offered.
Further tests and scans are expected in the coming days, with the club hoping the issue proves to be minor. Even so, the first indication was not encouraging, and the range of possible outcomes for hamstring injuries means the recovery window remains uncertain until the diagnosis is complete.
At this stage, it appears likely Baleba will miss action until after the November international break. United have only one fixture before then, away to Aston Villa on Nov. 8, before the schedule pauses again. Their next match is away to Liverpool on Nov. 22, a game that may come too soon even for a light hamstring problem. International duty with Cameroon also looks unlikely.
Aston Villa
Cunha available for Aston Villa after Champions League dismissal
Cunha’s Champions League red-card ban will not rule him out of Manchester United’s Aston Villa fixture.
Matheus Cunha’s eventful Champions League night against Roma ended with celebration, controversy and a suspension that will not affect Manchester United this weekend.
Cunha was central to the comeback, first by earning the penalty that helped change the game and then by scoring the winner after United had been pushed into a strong late position. Bruno Fernandes had earlier converted a retaken penalty early in the second half, before Cunha levelled after a Leo Balerdi error and then finished clinically at Devis Vásquez’s near post following Shea Lacey’s pass.
The Brazilian’s decisive contribution came with a cost. He collected two yellow cards in the closing stages, leaving him with a one-match ban. Even so, Manchester United can still call on him against Aston Villa on Sunday, because disciplinary suspensions from UEFA competition do not carry into the Premier League.
That means the ban will instead be served later this month, when United meet Sporting CP in Lisbon on Matchday 5 of the league phase, on Nov. 25.
Cunha’s first booking came after his goal, as he took off his shirt and then jumped into the crowd, both of which counted against him. The second arrived after Jesús Gil Manzano, who had awarded United a penalty at the start of the second half, was left with no option but to caution him again for his stoppage-time challenge on Balerdi.
It was a dramatic conclusion to a night that had already swung sharply in United’s favour, with Cunha emerging as the key figure in a revival that may have eased the pressure on Michael Carrick, at least for now.
