Manchester United take on Championship club Wrexham in their first pre-season fixture this afternoon in Helsinki, Finland

After a World Cup summer, Manchester United have begun their preparations for the new Premier League campaign. A selection of senior and academy players have returned to Carrington this month to go through their early fitness checks. While the focus has been on international football, United have been working to add to their squad.

This week, three players joined the Reds. Midfielder Andrey Santos was the first arrival from Chelsea for an initial £48m fee (plus £2m in add-ons). He was followed by the free agent addition of Karl Darlow, who spent last season at Leeds. Finally, Aston Villa midfielder and Belgium captain Youri Tielemans arrived for £35m.

With the new recruits added, preparation for the new campaign steps up a notch today as United travel to Helsinki, Finland to take on Wrexham. This will be the first time United have played since the final day win at Brighton on May 24.

Supporters will be eager to see all three of United’s new additions in action. As such, MEN Sport has taken a look at when the trio could make their debuts for the Reds.

Andrey Santos

Santos’ first game for United could come today, after he was included in the 25-man squad to take on Wrexham. The midfielder has been pictured training at Carrington since joining and, after missing out on the Brazil World Cup squad, was free to begin training immediately.

Due to a lack of senior midfielders, Santos seems destined to gain at least some minutes against the Welsh club. He can play in defensive midfield, as an attacking No.8 or in the No.10 slot, so it will be interesting to see where Carrick chooses to utilise him.

Youri Tielemans

As mentioned, United are lacking midfielders for the trip to Finland and Tielemans is one of those who is absent. Upon returning from the World Cup, the 29-year-old signed for the Reds before going on holiday.

According to FIFPRO recommendations, players should receive at least four weeks of uninterupted rest during the summer. Belgium were knocked out of the World Cup on July 10. By those recommendations, the earliest we can expect Tielemans to play for United is on August 8 against PSG.

However, the more realistic debut date would be either August 12 against Leeds or August 15 against AC Milan.

Karl Darlow

Darlow was not at the World Cup this summer but he was not included in the travelling squad to take on Wrexham. United confirmed on Friday, the goalkeeper is recovering from a procedure that he had at the end of last season.

Depending on how long the final stages of the recovery take, Darlow could make his debut on July 24 against Rosenborg, or against Atletico Madrid on August 1.

An emotional Vanessa Feltz hosted her last Channel 5 daytime show on Friday. 

It was revealed last month that bosses ‘blindsided’ the presenter when they made the decision to axe her chat show after just one year on air.

A determined Vanessa, 64, told viewers she ‘is not going to hide under a rock’ and will be launching a new show on YouTube, At Home With Vanessa. 

The presenter said it will be filmed at her home, ‘Feltz Tower’ as she added: ‘I hope it’s going to be really great fun’.

It comes as sources close to the star revealed Vanessa is not coping well. 

They told the Daily Mail: ‘She was crying all morning before the show and didn’t think she would get through it. It’s been horrific for her. She’s not coping well at all.’

Vanessa herself said that she was ‘weeping in the car last night thinking, “oh God, tomorrow is my last show”.’

She added: ‘I feel very, very sad this is the last show. To anybody who is sending me nice messages, I really appreciate it.’ 

Vanessa had guests Danniella Westbrook, Cosmo Landesman and Lizzie Cundy on Friday’s show. 

Lizzie, who was also on the presenter’s first show, told her: ‘Vanessa it’s been such an honour working with you. We’ve all loved you, I’m so proud of you.’

The presenter became teary-eyed after Jeremy Vine sent in a personalised message. 

He said: ‘You’re amazing. We’re going to miss you in the afternoons, your company. You bring the sunshine, I hope you enjoy your last show. Lots of love, dear Vanessa.’

Fans wrote on X: ‘Vanessa Feltz has been my rock’, and ‘Oh Vanessa Feltz on 5’s final show is so emotional.. until we meet again’.  

Vanessa was also presented with flowers at the end of the show from her daughter Saskia and grandson AJ.  

Sources close to the show say Vanessa was left furious and stormed out of the studios in tears following the tense discussion to axe the show.

It was revealed last month that bosses had made the decision to axe her chat show after just one year on air

Vanessa was joined on the show by Lizzie Cundy, (left) and Danniella Westbrook, (right)

Lizzie and Danniella were seen making a stylish exit after their appearance on the show

Advertisement

Lizzie turned heads in a pink midi dress

Danniella stunned in a white blazer and trousers 

She said: ‘It was a bit of a shock. It was meant to be a delightful year’s contract, the show was going really well…

‘I was shocked to the core and very upset and I still am. It was only Wednesday at 3 o’clock that I found out.

‘It apparently comes from Paramount, who bought Channel 5.

‘They want to show Paramount movies every afternoon at two. It doesn’t cost them any money because they already own them. I don’t think I really came into the equation at all.’

An insider told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Vanessa was brought into a meeting after her show came off air this week.

‘She had no idea what the meeting was about and certainly didn’t expect to be told it was not being renewed.

‘She feels so blindsided but also let down by bosses.’

Her show, which aired on Channel 5 weekdays at 2pm for an hour, has been consistently targeted by scam callers during their phone-ins for months now.

The Daily Mail understands extremely low ratings for the programme are to blame for the cancellation, but also not being able to get a grip on nuisance calls.

Our insider continued: ‘Producers tried their best to crack down on the calls by limiting just landline users to phone in, but that was decided to be too restrictive given today’s technology and accessibility.

‘Vanessa has given her all to the show, she left a very good role on This Morning which is already long established for this gig.

‘She is truly devastated, but also for her team too, many of whom will now need to find new jobs.’

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

The Sutton Bank Star Hub, near Helmsley, will once again host public events after a summer pause, offering visitors a chance to explore the night sky from one of the darkest locations in the UK.

Richard Darn of Go Stargazing said: “The North York Moors is beautifully dark, which is why it was designated as an international dark sky reserve in 2020.

“We want to keep it that way by sharing our passion for the night sky and inspiring people to help protect it.”

The specially designed facility has welcomed hundreds of visitors since opening in 2021, offering telescope viewing and planetarium-style presentations.

Astronomer Richard Darn prepares for action at the Sutton Bank Star Hub (Image: Richard Darn)

A new series of events will begin on August 12 to coincide with the Perseid meteor shower, with nearly 20 sessions scheduled through the season.

Mr Darn added: “The Hub is a fantastic venue and last year we had record numbers taking part in events.

“We saw the sky in all its majesty and pushed the limits by looking at distant galaxies.

“It’s the ultimate outward-bound activity.”

Sessions are suitable for adults and children aged six and over.

The hub is wheelchair accessible, and tickets are priced at under £20, available from: https://tinyurl.com/uux8hert

Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko has confirmed Christos Tzolis is on his way to Arsenal. The Greek international looks set to move to the Emirates Stadium after a phenomenal campaign last season.

Leko confirmed the news, saying: “It’s one fantastic example, someone who was first coming on the training base, last training was like game for him, giving so much for his career.

“Then you get to go to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe, big thing for him, big thing for Club Brugge and big thing for Belgian football Good lesson for all young boys that in football you need to work, stop to talk, work, try to do everything to improve yourself day by day.

“On one side I’m very happy for him but very sad for me as we are losing a top player. I am convinced that he will have his minutes that he will show on highest level in Premier League and Champions League that he will show he’s a top player and that he absolutely deserves to be there.”

A perfect family day out which also supports a fantastic charity

The words ‘hidden gem’ are often thrown about too flippantly these days – but when it comes to a family day out, this urban farm truly is just that.

Carrickfergus Urban Farm was established in 1998 by Kilcreggan Homes, an independent charity based that provides housing, day and employment opportunities for adults with a Learning Disability, an autistic spectrum condition or an acquired brain injury.

Considered the “best kept secret” in the area, groups, individuals and families can visit Carrickfergus Urban Farm and Garden centre for free to see up close the pet goats, pigs, pony, poultry, waterfowl, geese and small pets.

The farm was the idea of Linda Bennett, who was a tenant at Kilcreggan, after she discovered that spending time caring for animals made her feel good.

Advertisement

Knowing others would benefit too, she was motivated to create the much-loved community space where service users can engage in therapeutic activities and demonstrate their skills, passion, and knowledge for what they do.

The farm space was originally an old, derelict site but was improved and made more accessible following a successful grant from Ulster Garden Villages for £70,000.

It was then passed to Kilcreggan by Carrickfergus Council for a peppercorn rent of £1 per year for 100 years.

Open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 4pm, it is only a short 25-minute drive in the car from Belfast along the shores of Belfast Lough.

If a free, fun, family day out with plenty of lovely animals to pet and meet isn’t enough, the site also features buzzing social enterprises, including a beautiful garden centre and delicious cafe for a lovely browse or a bite to eat.

The Dancing Goat Cafe, located onsite, is a perfect spot to refuel after a busy day on the farm and also support the fantastic work the charity does with people with learning difficulties in the area.

You break the bank to make special memories this summer, so why not add Carrickfergus Urban Farm and Garden Centre to your list – not only for the free family magic, but also to support the amazing work that Kilcreggan do.

To find out more about the farm, see here

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

The fires are believed to have been deliberate

Two cars were set alight within an hour in an area of Peterborough. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to the first car in flames on Green Lane in Millfield, Peterborough at 3.38am on Wednesday, July 15.

A crew from Dogsthorpe attended. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels to fully extinguish the fire and returned to their station by 4.25am.

At 4.28am on the same day, less than an hour after the first blaze, firefighters were called to a report a separate incident on Green Lane. The crew from Dogsthorpe arrived to find a second car engulfed in flames spreading to a second vehicle.

Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the fire. They returned to their station by 5.10am. A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue confirmed the fires are believed to have been deliberately started.

The spokesperson added: “Anyone with information should contact police by visiting www.cambs.police.uk to submit an online report or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

Indian activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk, on hunger strike for the past 20 days in Delhi, has been forcibly removed from his protest site.

The 59-year-old had been protesting in support of an online satirical movement called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) who are seeking educational reforms. The protesters had planned a march to India’s parliament on Monday.

Wangchuk was sitting on hunger strike in the scorching summer, consuming nothing but salt and water. He had lost more than 9kg and was in a lot of pain.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has now begun an indefinite fast in his place. He says the march to parliament will go on and has called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign.

Dipke told the BBC he had gone to a friend’s house in the morning to freshen up when policemen turned up and refused to let him leave.

Videos from the protest site on Saturday showed chaos erupting just before 07:30 local time (02:00 GMT) when dozens of police and paramilitary personnel swooped in on the stage where the activist was lying down. Protesters who tried to stop them were pushed away.

They covered him with curtains of bedsheets before removing him from the stage. Minutes later, an ambulance was seen speeding away.

The activist’s wife Gitanjali Angmo later posted on X that she was “at Safdarjung hospital where he has been admitted”.

“Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenous[ly] without taking consent from me, his family and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days,” she wrote, external.

Dr Charu Bamba, Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, later told news agency ANI that Wangchuk was “fully alert and stable”.

“He is somewhat weak due to prolonged fasting and is experiencing mild dehydration; otherwise, all his vital parameters are stable. He is being continuously examined and monitored, and his treatment is under way,” she said.

A top police official told reporters that Wangchuk had been moved “in compliance with [a court] order, and based on health conditions and medical advice”.

“Sonam Wangchuk has been moved to a government hospital for much-needed medical intervention and is currently under medical supervision,” said Sachin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

He was referring to a Delhi High Court order from Thursday asking the federal government to monitor Wangchuk’s health regularly and provide necessary treatment if needed.

Wangchuk had refused to end his indefinite hunger strike despite growing calls for him to do so. Despite his frail health, he had been insisting that he would participate in Monday’s march to the parliament.

“I’ve grown weak from the outside but I’m strong from within,” Wangchuk told the crowd gathered at the protest venue, Jantar Mantar, a 300-year-old observatory, a couple of days back. His statement was met with cheers and applause.

Among the worst affected departures was easyJet flight U22145 to Dalaman, which was due to leave at 3.50pm but was delayed by one hour and 50 minutes until 5.40pm.

Another easyJet flight to Geneva, scheduled for 11.10am, was pushed back by one hour and 22 minutes, while the airline’s 4.40pm service to Enfidha was delayed by 43 minutes.

Several Ryanair services were also affected.

The airline’s 9am flight to Brussels Charleroi was delayed by 25 minutes, while departures to Rome Ciampino, Faro, Paris Beauvais and Krakow were each delayed by around 25 minutes.

A number of Jet2 and TUI flights, including services to Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Antalya and Paphos, were also running more than 20 minutes behind schedule.

Arriving passengers also experienced lengthy delays.

Virgin Atlantic’s flight from Atlanta, due to land at 8.50am, was delayed by one hour and 46 minutes until 10.36am.

IndiGo’s service from Mumbai was running 47 minutes late, while Ethiopian Airlines’ flight from Marseille was delayed by 47 minutes.

Corendon Airlines’ flight from Heraklion was delayed by 20 minutes.

Two flights were cancelled altogether.

Scandinavian Airlines cancelled its 9.35am departure from Manchester to Copenhagen, while the airline’s scheduled 8.55am arrival from the Danish capital was also cancelled.

The cancellations were not limited to SAS services.

Riyadh Air’s 8.40am departure to Riyadh from Terminal 2 was also cancelled.

Flight delays can happen for a range of reasons, including poor weather, air traffic control restrictions, technical issues with aircraft, late arrivals of incoming flights and operational pressures during busy holiday periods.

During the summer getaway season, even small delays can have a knock-on effect throughout the day as aircraft operate multiple routes.

Passengers due to travel today are being advised to check the status of their flights with their airline before leaving for the airport, as schedules may continue to change throughout the day.

Andy Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday, the BBC has been told.

The Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto – which the new leader said he would follow – had pledged to not issue new licences but to honour existing ones.

At the heart of the debate are two oil fields in Scotland – Rosebank and Jackdaw – which regulators approved in 2022 and 2023 under the then Conservative government, but were overturned in 2025 after a legal challenge.

The announcement will form part of a flurry of policy measures from Burnham, including plans to take water and energy companies under public control and a new council house-building programme.

While details of the new oil and gas plans are not clear, the North Sea row has become increasingly divisive as Labour figures debate the party’s future direction over energy policy.

Some Labour MPs have urged the government to take a more liberal approach, warning that the transition away from oil and gas must protect jobs and the cost of energy bills.

Others have backed the government’s existing approach, arguing that expanding renewable energy is key to improving energy security and reducing the impact on climate change.

Current Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – who is likely to get a senior cabinet role under Burnham – has been a staunch supporter of Labour’s manifesto position, and previously described the licence issued to Rosebank as “climate vandalism”.

Earlier this week, before the leadership nominations deadline, Burnham was issued with a letter from the oil and gas industry and trade unions calling on him – and all other Labour MPs – to “back North Sea oil and gas”.

It stated that support for the oil and gas industry is “a signal that the country remains committed to producing, building and manufacturing.

“It is a signal that government backs the people and places that have powered this country for generations,” the letter added.

Burnham, who returned to Parliament a month ago in a by-election, cemented his status as the sole leadership candidate after being backed by 379 Labour MPs, as well as all 11 trade unions affiliated to the party, earlier this week.

The new Labour leader has said he is finalising his top cabinet jobs before he takes over from Sir Keir Starmer on Monday.