With the UK seeing temperatures above 34C (93.2F) in May, June, and July for the first time, there has been an increased risk of blazes in rural and urban areas The high temperatures and heatwave aren't due to end any time soon, with some areas of the country not set to see any significant rainfall for at least another week. That means a lot of places won't have seen any since a wet spell in mid-June. It's made for perfect conditions for wildfires. So, what is a firewave? Where are the areas most at risk? And when will we be out of the worst of it? What is a firewave? It's not an official term you'll see from forecasters, but experts define a firewave as a phenomenon that happens when multiple wildfires occur in urban areas. It happens when we have weather much like we have had since June: Extreme heat and high temperatures coupled with drying vegetation and low to no rainfall. Joe McNorton, scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, told Sky News: "Across the UK we are seeing a combination of hot, dry weather and vegetation that has become increasingly combustible after a prolonged period without significant rainfall." He said that the conditions "even in the UK, where large wildfires are relatively uncommon... can allow fires to spread quickly through grass, heath and moorland once they start". "Importantly, wildfire risk has a memory, and it can take weeks or even months of warm, dry conditions to remove moisture from vegetation and create a landscape that is ready to burn," he added. Joanna Robinson, Sky weather producer, noted that the prolonged hot spell this summer "has dried out vegetation, while strengthening winds and low humidity are further increasing the fire risk across England and Wales. "Any fires that do break out, the stronger winds will help them spread faster, making them harder to contain," she added. Where did the term come from? The term firewave first originated from Imperial College London research into the wildfires that broke out during the 40C (104F) weather in July 2022 - when more than 100 blazes broke out in London. The study found that vapour pressure deficit (VPD) - a measure of how quickly vegetation dries out - was the single strongest predictor of wildfire risk. By way of example, while there were four London heatwaves in 2018 to 2022's three, only one in 2018 had a high VPD, which explained up to 61% of the variation in fire numbers in those two years. ICL said in its findings that climate change, as well as land use and population, are "driving an increase in wildfire frequency and size" in urban areas. How many wildfires have there been? From 6 July to Monday, data from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) showed that fire and rescue services in England and Wales responded to 342 wildfires. And according to the NFCC, there were 19 wildfires active in England and Wales as of Monday. In response to multiple fires, including those in Rhinog National Nature Reserve and the Conwy Mountain area, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has declared a major incident. Meanwhile, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and West Midlands Fire Service have activated a mutual aid arrangement due to the volume of emergency calls being received. Blazes have also been reported in Orpington in London, and in the Peak District. Where are the risks from wildfires? As conditions have stayed hot and dry for almost an entire month, much of England and Wales is at risk. A chart from Natural England has most of the two home countries classed as very high under the Fire Severity Index. Areas with a lower risk are in the northeast of England, under high or moderate risk, and the northwest, mostly under high risk. Elsewhere it's a little less extreme: As of Tuesday, neither Scotland nor Northern Ireland's fire services have issued a wildfire warning, but both are urging caution during high temperatures. Europe is battling similar fire risks though, with a wildfire tearing through the historic Fontainebleau forest near Paris on Monday. Two have since been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire. And Spain has been battling one of its deadliest wildfires on record. Authorities there identified a British woman as a victim of the fire on Monday, the fifth known to have died from the UK. When will firewave conditions end? Not for another week at least: Joanna Robinson, Sky weather producer, said that parts of England and Wales are expected to remain in heatwave conditions until at least the weekend. See the weather forecast for your area This is due to "a marked diffluent block," which she explained occurs "when an area of high pressure sits directly above an area of low pressure, splitting the jet stream and causing little movement in the weather pattern, which can last for weeks". See more from Sky News:Widdecombe suspect re-arrested under terrorism actKane has his say on Tuchel v BellinghamUS military releases footage of new Iran strikes Ms Robinson added: "High pressure is currently sitting to the north of the UK, which is bringing dry conditions to the country, with just a small chance of showers or thunderstorms in the southwest on Wednesday and Thursday. "Temperatures will remain well above average in the south over the next few days, with the heat also returning to parts of the north. "By the weekend, temperatures will be a bit lower but will still be above average and reaching the mid to high twenties."

Mills, 53, earned between £745,000 and £749,999 for the year ending in March 2026, according to the corporation's latest annual report (see the list of the BBC's highest-paid stars below). He had presented the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show for just over a year, after taking over from Zoe Ball in January 2025. Mills was sacked by the BBC shortly before it emerged that the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into him in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a boy aged under 16 between 1997 and 2000. The police investigation was closed in 2019 after prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. Mills' rise to the top of the list came as another departing BBC employee - former England footballer Gary Lineker - left the top 10. Lineker had been the corporation's top-paid star for the last eight years. Mark Chapman, one of the three presenters to replace Lineker on Match Of The Day, alongside Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, made it into 11th place on the list. Another celebrity out of the top 10 was Zoe Ball, last year's second-highest earner. She previously hosted the Radio 2 breakfast show, before briefly moving to a Saturday afternoon show last year. She has since left the BBC, and will present on Greatest Hits Radio from September. BBC political journalist Laura Kuenssberg was the highest-paid female staff member in the latest report. She was one of four women on the list alongside Naga Munchetty, Fiona Bruce and Sophie Rawoth. That is a slight increase on last year's list, which featured three women. Sara Cox, who moved from the Radio 2 drivetime slot to replace Mills earlier this month, didn't quite make it into the top 15 earners, with a salary band capped at £324,999. Vernon Kay - who hosts Radio 2's most listened-to show according to RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) figures - was joint fourth on the list alongside Kuenssberg. BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James, who is particularly popular with younger audiences, rose two places from last year and is this year's second highest earner. The third-highest paid was Northern Irish Radio 5 Live presenter Stephen Nolan. Top talent pay slashed by half in seven years, BBC says Responding to a question from Sky News on how the BBC can justify paying talent a premium when hundreds of millions of pounds of savings need to be made, deputy director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said there had been "remarkable progress" over presenter pay in recent years. He said talent above the £500,000 threshold had been reduced by 50% across the past seven years, going on: "If you look at all our on-air presenter costs over the last seven years, they've come down by about £20m, so we have been focused on it, there is always a balancing act. "We want to be a broadcaster that can attract the best talent, but we're also very mindful of the financial pressures that we're facing. I think we're striking that balance very, very carefully, and I think you'll see that downward trend continuing in the months to come." The BBC is required to declare a list of salaries paid to people both on air and off air who receive more than £178,000 from licence fee revenue in the year. However, the list does not include people who are paid through independent production companies or the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Studios. A string of 'errors' affecting public confidence BBC Chair Samir Shah addressed recent "broadcasting errors" at the corporation, including at Glastonbury Festival and the BAFTA film awards, saying they "affect confidence in our journalism, trust in the BBC as a public institution, and perceptions about how effectively we are held to account". In February, a racial slur was broadcast after Tourette's campaigner John Davidson shouted at Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo as they presented the BAFTA award for special visual effects. An involuntary verbal tic, the slur was not cut from the live broadcast, which was on a two-hour delay, and remained on iPlayer for over 12 hours. It came after a previous incident, which saw the BBC face criticism for continuing to livestream the performance of punk duo Bob Vylan as they led chants of "death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)" at last year's Glastonbury Festival. There was also a breach of BBC editorial guidelines after the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone failed to disclose information about the child narrator's father's position within the Hamas-run government. The BBC is also currently embroiled in a multi-billion-pound lawsuit with US President Donald Trump over the editing of an episode of BBC documentary series Panorama, broadcast in 2024. Referencing the various errors, Mr Shah said: "I am confident that the changes we have now introduced will ensure that swift, appropriate and transparent action is taken to address editorial issues as effectively as possible, whenever they occur." Read more: Who is Matt Brittin? BBC boss: 'This is a moment of real jeopardy' The report also showed that BBC TV licences have dropped by more than half a million in a single year. While 94% of adults use BBC services per month, fewer than 80% of households pay the licence fee. Highlighting the challenges this presents to the corporation, it said the BBC would need to reform its funding model in order to sustain its public service mission going forward. Speaking to journalists as the report was released, the BBC's new director-general Matt Brittin said it was "a moment of real jeopardy" both for the BBC and the UK as a whole," going on to say it was also "an opportunity". The former Google executive, who stepped into the role in May, concluded: "Reinventing the BBC to adapt to this fast-changing world is our duty and our challenge". The BBC is facing huge cutbacks, with hundreds of jobs to be axed and many TV and radio programmes under review, as part of a major downsizing. The month after he stepped into the role, Mr Brittin told employees that £160m of staff and non-staff cost savings would be made from across BBC News and TV and radio teams by the end of the financial year. The huge savings plan was first announced in April, with up to 2,000 jobs to go in total - the corporation's biggest downsizing in almost 15 years.

Ms Sturgeon, who is no longer under investigation by police, has repeatedly stated she is innocent of any wrongdoing and was "deceived, misled and betrayed" by her former partner. After her arrest in 2023, she exercised her right to give a "no comment" police interview, later sending a written statement to officers. The interview was part of Operation Branchform, which ultimately led to Ms Sturgeon's former husband Peter Murrell being convicted of embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP during his time as the party's chief executive. Murrell was jailed for five years and three months in June. Ms Sturgeon, who is no longer under investigation by police, has repeatedly stated she is innocent of any wrongdoing and was "deceived, misled and betrayed" by her former partner. Her solicitor Aamer Anwar said: "Ms Sturgeon's detailed statement produced for Police Scotland was to assist them with their inquiries; not for those who think they could now do a better job than the robust 'gold-plated' financial crime investigation. "Ms Sturgeon is innocent, as evidenced by the fact that she was not charged, prosecuted nor convicted of any crime. "Having been exonerated through the proper process, there is no onus on her to now prove her innocence in the court of media opinion. "Neither Ms Sturgeon's written statement or her police interview will be released." Read more:Operation Branchform: The downfall of Peter Murrell Opponents of the ex-Glasgow Southside MSP highlighted how the former SNP leader earlier said in a media interview that she would not be opposed to releasing her written statement. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "Yet now her lawyer has insisted that neither her written statement or her police interview will be released. "The question is - why not? If Nicola Sturgeon has nothing to hide, then why is she so opposed to her statement being published?" Mr Anwar, has also said Murrell "never had access" to pro-idependence Yes Scotland campaign cash. The lawyer was speaking on behalf of former Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins, and issued the statement following newspaper reports which claimed the SNP "tightly controlled" the campaign group. Mr Anwar said: "All of the income received by Yes Scotland is fully accounted for and it is grossly defamatory to say otherwise. "There appears to have been a desperate attempt to link Peter Murrell's criminal conduct in the SNP to the financial affairs of Yes Scotland. "To make it perfectly clear, Mr Murrell never at any time had access to Yes Scotland's accounts." According to Mr Anwar, Yes Scotland received donations totalling £2,403,976 in 2013, with these identified in the accounts as "other income". The group had a year-end surplus of £878,978, after operating costs of £1,535,855. These operating costs included the salaries of Yes Scotland staff, the cost of the group's Glasgow headquarters, and campaign events and publications. Mr Anwar said: "A balance sheet surplus of £878,978 and income of £2,403,976 doesn't mean that over £1.5m had gone missing or been stolen, rather that Yes Scotland's operating costs were about £1.5m in 2012-13. "To be clear, there is no 'missing' £1.5m, but what is missing is any explanation as to why it did not occur to those making the allegations that the £1.5m represents spending by the campaign."

The 121-run partnership of Liam Dawson (68 off 83) and the classy Joe Root (76no) was not enough to repair a disastrous four-over period that saw England go from 61-0 to 80-5. India skipper Gill was aided by a valuable innings from Shreyas Iyer (35 off 53) and a 96-run partnership from Axar Patel (57no off 52) and Washington Sundar (52no off 63) to chase down the target of 259 with 4.4 overs to spare. Scorecard: India seal six-wicket victory over EnglandAs it happened in the ODI series opener at EdgbastonStream England cricket and more contract-free with NOWListen to episodes of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast The win will soothe the pain of India's 4-0 T20I series whitewash and condemns England to a seventh loss in their last 10 ODIs, with two games in the three-match series still to come. How India extended England's ODI woes After winning the toss, England took the initiative in the powerplay as Ben Duckett (43) and Jacob Bethell (14) notched the highest opening partnership for England in 10 ODIs (61), but were pegged back swiftly after a delicious over from Gurnoor Brar (2-61) saw both dismissed in the space of three balls. Jasprit Bumrah (1-31) then ended any hopes of a swift England revival, taking the wicket of captain Harry Brook (1) to make it three wickets from India's last seven deliveries, before Jos Buttler (5) - making his 200th ODI appearance - and Sam Curran (0) fell in four balls to Prasidh Krishna (2-50) just three overs later. A stunning one-handed KL Rahul catch to dismiss Will Jacks left England reeling at 107-6, but Dawson became an unlikely hero with the bat as the spinner-by-trade put up a century stand with Root, notching his maiden ODI half-ton along the way before being caught on the boundary. The classy Root - whose blushes were spared after being dropped on seven from a Shivam Dube caught-and-bowled chance - top scored for England, notching his 46th ODI fifty from 59 deliveries as England posted 258 all out from 47.5 overs as Axar (4-62) cleaned up the tail expertly. England's seamers - who will benefit from the return of Brydon Carse to the squad for the next ODI in Cardiff - were able to remove Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) in quick succession, but toiled against the century partnership of Shreyas Iyer (35 off 53) and swashbuckling opener Gill before the latter's hamstring injury forced him to make way in the 25th over. Shreyas, though, was brilliantly run out by a dead-eyed direct hit from Harry Brook to give England hope, but a composed unbeaten 102-run partnership from Washington and Axar - who matched his brilliance with the ball with a stylish fifty off 41 balls for his 4th in ODIs - saw India home to the delight of the travelling faithful at Edgbaston. Brook: The way we fought was phenomenal England captain Harry Brook: "Not ideal, obviously. I think we lost 5-20 in that middle period, which is always going to put us on the back foot, but I thought the way we fought with the ball just then was phenomenal. "To get us to a decent total in the end that we fought we could potentially defend, it's a great effort from the lads. "We definitely would have liked to play slightly better in that middle period, but getting 260 on the board was a great effort from [Joe Root and Liam Dawson] with a couple of cameos off the back of it as well. "The pitch changed quite a bit, it got a little bit slower and it just allowed them to cruise along. They only really needed to go at five or six an over. "If we'd have got a few more runs there, our spinners might have been able to tie them up through the middle, but it all comes back to that 5-20 period which wasn't ideal. "On another day we get 320, 330, and our spinners play a massive part. "We'll head to Cardiff, make decisions based on the pitch, and hopefully we can come back stronger." Gill: Team gave me confidence as a captain India captain Shubman Gill "When you see your middle and lower-middle order score runs and finish the job, it gives you confidence as a captain. "It was about our combination. We have a youngish bowling attack. Our batting is more experienced than our bowling, so even if we had a target of 300-320, we backed ourselves to chase that. "Our bowling in the middle overs was very pleasing. We bowled in the right areas. They got away at the end of the powerplay and we were put under pressure, but the way we came back and bounced back was important. "We'll try different combinations and see which gives us the best depth in batting and bowling." England vs India results and fixtures All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports First T20 (Durham) - Match abandonedSecond T20 (Old Trafford) - England won by four wicketsThird T20 (Trent Bridge) - England won by 125 runsFourth T20 (Bristol) - England won by nine wicketsFifth T20 (Southampton) - England won by 56 runsFirst ODI (Edgbaston - India win by six wicketsSecond ODI (Cardiff) - Thursday July 16 (1pm)Third ODI (Lord's) - Sunday July 19 (11am)

A 41-year-old man, a woman aged 39 and an eight-year-old girl were found in a house in the Old Cullybackey Road area. Superintendent William Calderwood, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), said they were from the same family and called it a "shocking scene". The adults are believed to have originally been from Poland. Superintendent Calderwood said they were waiting for the results of a post-mortem but "a strong hypothesis is that this was a double murder followed by a sudden death". Police are not looking for anyone else and specialist officers are supporting relatives and liaising with the Polish consulate. Flowers were left outside the property this morning and a pair of child's sandals were still hanging on the washing line. Anyone with CCTV or dash-cam footage that might be relevant is asked to contact police on 101. Read more from Sky News:Johnson's government wasted 'vast' sums on PPEScott Mills was BBC's highest earner before his sacking "My heart goes out to the relatives in the Ballymena area and to those in Poland," said North Antrim MP and TUV leader Jim Allister. "I am also mindful of the school friends of the child and the distress they will suffer," he added. "The gruesome scene with which the first responders and forensic officers had to deal is a reminder of how hard their job can be. We are grateful for all they do. "Even as the shock subsides over coming days there will be a lasting effect in the neighbourhood of this awful event."

The Northern Ireland-born New Zealand actor was best known for his leading roles in the blockbuster dinosaur franchise and The Piano, and appeared in more than 50 films over his career. The family of the screen star, who was one of New Zealand's most successful Hollywood exports, said his death had been "sudden and unexpected" in a statement on Monday. Neill was diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in 2022. After his cancer diagnosis, Neill said he would take a short break from acting and had announced he was cancer-free earlier this year. His family said he died on Monday in Sydney, Australia, but did not specify the cause of death. "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," they said. "The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free." Neill was regarded as a versatile actor, who had traversed blockbuster and arthouse films throughout his career. His range saw him dodge velociraptors in Jurassic Park, chop off actress Holly Hunter's finger in The Piano, and gouge out his eyes in the sci-fi film Event Horizon in his on-screen roles. 'One of the greats' Tributes flooded in for Neill from around the world, from Hollywood directors to prime ministers. Colin Trevorrow, who directed Neill in Jurassic World Dominion, remembered the actor as a "deeply soulful and beautiful man". "He was a friend and collaborator at a challenging time, and his strength gave us all strength," he said. He added: "It's not every lifetime you get to befriend a legend." New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Neill as "one of the greats". "He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of," he said. "For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today - one of our greatest cultural exports. "His work will be watched and loved long after all of us." In a post on X, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts. "Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered." Australian actor David Wenham said: "Aside from being an international all-round legend. Sam was the kindest, cheekiest, most generous and supportive friend going around." Author Kathy Lette remembered Neill as a "wonderful actor but also the most charming, kind, intelligent and deliciously self-deprecating friend". Australian comedian Magda Szubanski said: "An exceptional man - talented, kind, classy, wryly hilarious and loving. Proud cancer survivor. My heart goes out to all Sam's family and friends." From Omagh to Hollywood Neill was born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Omagh, but moved to New Zealand aged seven when his father retired from the army. At the age of 11, he changed his name to Sam. In his 2023 memoir, he said "to land in a primary school with a plum in the voice and Nigel for a name was asking for trouble". He described himself as a nerdy, unsporty and stuttering boy, but took his first steps into acting through school plays. His big break came with the low-budget 1977 New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs, which led to bigger roles in neighbouring Australia. Neill was one of a host of actors and directors who achieved international fame after an explosion of Australian films that began in the late 1970s. These included Paul Hogan, Mel Gibson, Geoffrey Rush, Russell Crowe, Jane Campion, Peter Weir and Gillian Armstrong. He first came to the attention of international audiences in Armstrong's 1979 film My Brilliant Career. Neill later appeared in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm, also starring a then-relatively unknown Nicole Kidman. He twice co-starred with Meryl Streep in Australian director Fred Schepisi films Plenty and A Cry in the Dark, based on the true story of a dingo killing a baby in the Australian Outback. He missed out on a chance at mega-stardom in the mid-1980s when he did a screen test for the role of James Bond but did not land the role. He would later achieve blockbuster fame in Steven Spielberg's 1993 hit Jurassic Park, as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant. Younger audiences will remember Neill for his portrayal of ruthless chief inspector Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders. Read more from Sky News:'Nothing to suggest' Ann Widdecombe murder politicalAntiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell dies aged 39 In 2022, Neill accepted ​a knighthood for outstanding contribution to film. Neill, who was married twice, divided his later years between Australia and his vineyard in New Zealand's Central Otago, which produced Pinot Noir under the label Two Paddocks. He is survived by his two sons and two daughters.

Trans activist Heather Herbert made the comment before police announced the politician's death was being treated as a suspected murder. In the post on Bluesky, Herbert shared Sky News' initial story on Ms Widdecombe's death and wrote: "And some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death." A further post added: "And I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony." Police Scotland received complaints about the post but initially said the information had been assessed and "no criminality" had been established. However, in an update on Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the force said: "We received reports on Saturday 11 July 2026 relating to a post made online. "Following further assessment, additional enquiries are being carried out." Herbert, a web developer at the University of Aberdeen, is also being investigated by the institution. A university spokesperson said: "The university is aware of social media posts made by a member of staff regarding the death of Ann Widdecombe and is reviewing this as a matter of priority. "The comments that have been shared are entirely the individual's own and do not represent the views of the University of Aberdeen. "Complaints into any member of staff are handled confidentially through our established processes." Professor Peter Edwards, principal and vice chancellor, added: "Ann Widdecombe was a highly respected figure in both the Westminster and European parliaments. "The University of Aberdeen does not tolerate violence or hateful behaviour in any form. "We are aware of the incident and the concerns that have been raised and are looking into the matter as a priority." Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Devon on Thursday morning. Police believe the former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman was attacked at around 12.30pm on Wednesday - nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered with "serious injuries". A 28-year-old white British male is in custody after being arrested on Saturday. Read more from Sky News:Man admits raping 'drugged' partner with other menMan raped and murdered estranged wife and staged it as suicide Herbert's Bluesky account currently shows as being "suspended". Herbert, a transgender woman, stood for Scottish Labour to contest the Aberdeen Donside constituency in the 2021 Scottish parliament election, and for the Scottish Greens for Aberdeen City Council's Kincorth/Nigg/Cove ward in the 2022 local government election. Sky News has tried to contact Herbert for comment.

Summer transfer windows are the stuff of wonderkids and fantasy buys, rumours to fuel the imagination. At 29 years old, with 244 Premier League appearances to his name, Tielemans is not in that category. But this is a smart signing. A triumph of common sense. The frustration for some United fans might be that this deal was not done three years ago when Tielemans was available on a free transfer. But he is a better player now, boasting a rare robustness, having played at least 35 club games in each of the last 13 seasons. VOTE: Is Tielemans the right option for Man Utd?Transfer Centre LIVE! | Key dates for summer window 2026Premier League ins and outs | Papers - latest headlinesDownload the Sky Sports app and follow your club United will be feeling buoyed by the relative success of their moves for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo last summer. Buying Premier League proven products is a less risky way of clambering back to the top table than many of those Hail Mary acquisitions from abroad. Not that Tielemans, a sensible and solid buy at £35m, should be seen as boring. He has been a class act for Villa and brings the progressive passing from deep that Michael Carrick sees as essential now that Bruno Fernandes has been restored to an advanced role. With the help of Genius Sports, which blends tracking data with event data, we can identify which midfielders play the most passes bypassing, say, four opponents. Over the past two seasons, Fernandes, Elliot Anderson and Tielemans are the top three. The Belgium international is forward-thinking in his use of the ball, something that United supporters demand. Speaking to him earlier this year, he had a memorable way of expressing that. "There is always a message in the pass," Tielemans told Sky Sports. He was referring to a pass to Morgan Rogers against Nottingham Forest that was directed at a particular foot because he wanted to encourage him to turn that way upon receipt of the ball. This is a player who is capable of conducting the movement of others. He discussed his risk-taking in possession. Indeed, there are echoes of the United captain Fernandes in his thinking. "Sometimes you are going to lose balls but it is about the next action and trying to help the team progress higher up the pitch," he explained. "You do not have to force silly passes, which I have done and I still will do sometimes, but you do have to find the right balance between playing forward and playing sideways or backwards." Tielemans articulated the merits of both, depending on the situation. "Sometimes when you play sideways or backwards you can attract the opponent to be able to play forward so that the space is there. If it is not on, it is not on. But I try to look forward as much as possible." There is no doubt that he will make United better in possession. Out of possession, there will be supporters wondering whether Tielemans and Andrey Santos - both all-rounders rather than out-and-out holding midfielders - can provide the protection required. But this aspect of Tielemans' game has evolved under Unai Emery. "It is more of a complete package." That is how he described his own game when sitting down with him at Villa's training ground. Both in terms of his ability to take the ball under pressure in tight areas but also his defensive work, which is now much improved. "Defensively, especially, I feel like the manager has challenged me in that position to go for it 100 per cent and be stronger in the duels. And also the tactical analysis of the game, just trying to find better spaces on the pitch to break down the opposition." It is reflected in the numbers that show his record for duels won per 90 minutes in 2025/26 was at its highest level in any of his eight seasons as a Premier League player. The same is true of his tackling numbers - double that of his debut campaign with Leicester. Still not a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro but perhaps not as far removed stylistically as some might assume. And if there are those wondering about what all this means for Kobbie Mainoo then the increased schedule demands answer that question. In Tielemans, United are bringing in a proven performer they can plug in and play, one with a penchant for the big occasion who will improve them day to day. And all for the sort of modest fee that will make Villa fans itch. File this particular signing under no-brainer.