Manchester United
Manchester United’s Late Approach for Angelo Stiller Falls Short
Manchester United lodged a late, unsuccessful approach for Angelo Stiller before this window closed.
Manchester United lodged a late attempt to sign VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller on the day before the summer transfer window closed, but the move did not materialise. The club’s search for midfield reinforcements came after concerns about presence and control were underlined by the 1–1 Premier League draw with Fulham.
United explored several options during the window. There were flirtations with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, but talks stalled because of a prohibitive valuation of the Cameroonian. Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher was also floated as a potential Deadline Day target. BILD reports that the late approach for Stiller ultimately failed.
Stiller was not keen to leave Stuttgart this year, according to the reports, content with his “guaranteed” status as a starter at club level. His immediate objective is to secure a role with Germany at the 2026 World Cup, and moving to a new league and country now could risk that trajectory when his national-team place remains more fragile than his first‑team position.
The player has indicated he will consider a move abroad after the World Cup. Stiller has publicly acknowledged that his eventual desire is to move overseas after seeing Florian Wirtz take the plunge by joining Liverpool this summer.
Stiller’s career path began in Bayern Munich’s youth and reserve teams before he moved to Hoffenheim in 2021. He has progressed since joining Stuttgart two years ago. He made his senior Germany debut last September and has accumulated four appearances to date.
United’s late-day work reflects a recognition that midfield was an area to strengthen, but the club’s pursuit of Stiller was unsuccessful and now looks likely to be revisited only after the World Cup.
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.
