Jose Mourinho believes Roma can hang on to Nicolo Zaniolo as the Italy midfielder pushes for a move before the transfer window closes.
The 23-year-old has been linked with various clubs but particularly Tottenham, Mourinho's former team, and the Roma head coach is well aware Zaniolo's head has been turned.
Zaniolo played no part in Roma's 2-0 win against Spezia in Serie A on Sunday, with club director Tiago Pinto saying ahead of the game the player had "put his individual interest in front of those of the collective" by deciding not to feature.
Mourinho said: "The director spoke before the match, and he did it well. The important thing today is to have won with a good team performance.
"I have my opinion and I think he will stay here in February, but the market is open and he wants to leave.
"Showing desire doesn't mean leaving. Usually when a player wants to leave it means that there are important offers behind it, but that's not the case.
"There's nothing on the table, nothing the club can accept."
Speaking to broadcaster DAZN, Mourinho added: "I have a very good relationship with him, I have always tried to help him. He has made a maximum effort and for this reason I have always defended him, even when he has been criticised for the few goals and assists."
Zaniolo, who helped Roma win the Europa Conference League last season, has scored twice and had one assist in 17 games during this campaign.
"Right now he wants to leave," said Mourinho. "It's something I have to accept, but where's the offer?
"If he leaves, someone has to come in return. The situation is unacceptable, and I'm sorry that in this story Tiago Pinto comes out as the villain of the story. He's not the villain of the story but tries to defend the interests of the team."
Toronto FC v CF Montreal: Courtois accepts blame amid ongoing winless streak
Laurent Courtois has accepted that it is on him to find a winning formula as CF Montreal look to snap their winless run against Toronto FC.
Montreal were beaten 3-1 by Columbus Crew in midweek and are now without a victory in six games in all competitions.
That includes a three-game losing streak in MLS, leaving them 13th in the Eastern Conference, and Courtois is eager to get back on track.
"It's up to me to find the winning formulas and discern the phases of the game," head coach Courtois said after the loss to Columbus.
"We have to grit our teeth and find solutions. The difficult times we are going through help me identify my group. I want to know the players better.
"From all the negative aspects we can observe, I can identify a few individual aspects to improve the game or the team itself."
Monreal's rivals Toronto have themselves lost back-to-back games ahead of Saturday's Canadian Classique at BMO Field.
Nashville SC scored twice late on to snatch a 2-0 win in the Reds' most recent match, but acting head coach Jason deVos admits there can be no excuses.
"The last ten minutes, two mistakes cost us and that's the cruelty of football sometimes - that it's a 90-minute match and you need to put in a 90-minute performance in," he said.
"The players are aware of that. They know where the growth areas are for us as a team."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto - Federico Bernardeschi
Bernardeschi missed the loss to Nashville but will hope to start this weekend in a fixture he has fond memories of.
The Italian has scored in each of his two home games against Montreal, making him the third Toronto player to score in two successive home games against them after Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley.
Montreal - Joel Waterman
Montreal have conceded three or more goals five times across their 12 MLS games this season, which is tied with San Jose Earthquakes for the most in MLS.
They quite simply need to sharpen up at the back, with Joel Waterman needing to step up and hope others around him also do so.. The centre-back led the way for interceptions (three) and clearances (four) against Columbus, yet it was still not enough.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Montreal have won five successive matches against Toronto, following a run of neither side ever winning more than three on the spin in this fixture.
Toronto have won seven and drawn one of their eight matches in which they have held opponents under two goals since September, while they have lost all 13 in which they have shipped two or more.
Keeping the opposition quiet is therefore key, and this could present a chance to do just that against a Montreal side with fewer points (five) than any side in MLS since mid-March.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto - 39.6%
Draw - 28.5%
Montreal - 31.9%
Al-Nassr 1-1 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic scores last-gasp penalty
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a penalty in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time as Al-Hilal denied Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr victory in a 1-1 draw.
Mitrovic netted his 27th Saudi Pro League goal of the campaign after Sadio Mane was harshly judged to have fouled Saud Abdulhamid in the area.
Mane stuck out an arm to shield the ball, catching his opponent in the throat, though the contact appeared to have been outside of the box.
Mitrovic made no mistake to keep Al-Hilal's unbeaten campaign going.
The Serbian's spot-kick cancelled out Otavio's first-minute opener, with Ronaldo having set up his compatriot.
Champions Al-Hilal remain 12 points clear of Al-Nassr at the summit of the Pro League standings.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo the provider
Ronaldo leads the scoring charts in Saudi Arabia this season, though he had to settle for an assist on Friday.
That came from the only chance he created, with the 39-year-old limited to 25 touches, though he did have four shots.
Postecoglou reflects on 'worst experience' as a manager in Man City defeat
Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou had "the worst experience" he has had during his managerial career when Spurs lost to Manchester City.
Spurs went down 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, as City went top of the Premier League heading into the final day of the season.
There was a peculiar atmosphere, with Spurs supporters seemingly torn as to whether to fully back their team, given a positive result would have all but handed Arsenal, their biggest rivals, the title.
Postecoglou was in spiky form in the post-match media conference, suggesting there was a "fragility" to the club.
On Friday, ahead of Spurs' final game of the season against relegated Sheffield United, the Australian explained he feared people would question his integrity.
"That's probably the worst experience I've had as a football manager in a game," he said.
"Once I realised I'd got it wrong in terms of what the atmosphere was going to be like and what people felt, I got a real anxiety within me of, 'What happens if Man City, the best team in the world, who were disposing of teams quite easily in the lead-up, what if we play as well as we can but they beat us 5-0?'
"I got cold sweats thinking about people questioning my integrity and the people I work with.
"Even watching the game back, there was a comment on the commentary, 'Oh, Tottenham are having a real go here'.
"That's why I was animated on the night. I didn't enjoy the night.
"I needed the boys – and credit to them – aside from everything else, their football was outstanding on the night. That was important for our football club. It would have cast aspersions on us as a football club. I don't think anyone can say we didn't make Man City earn that win the other night.
"It could have gone a very different way, just by Man City being Man City."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sheffield United – Ben Brereton Diaz
Brereton Diaz has scored six goals for the Blades since he arrived on loan from Villarreal, and may be out to end on a high note in order to try and secure a Premier League move for next season.
Tottenham – James Maddison
Maddison has created 62 chances for Tottenham in the Premier League this season, the most by a player in their debut season for Spurs since Christian Eriksen in 2013-14 (68). It is the most overall by an Englishman since Dele Alli in 2017-18 (64).
MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN
Spurs have lost five of their last six Premier League matches (W1), one more than in their previous 18 games combined (W10 D4 L4). However, they are unbeaten in 11 games against the side starting the day bottom (W8 D3), scoring 35 goals.
The Blades have a goal difference of -66 – defeat by four goals here will see them finish the campaign with the worst goal difference in Premier League history (currently -69 by Derby County in 2007-08).
They have conceded 101 Premier League goals this season, the outright most in a single campaign. In a top-flight season with a maximum of 20 teams, only Leicester in 1908-09 (102) and Darwen in 1891-92 (112) have shipped more.
Tottenham have lost their final league game in just one of the last 13 seasons (W10 D2), with that loss coming at already-relegated Newcastle United in 2015-16 (1-5).
Tottenham won 3-1 in their last away league game against Sheffield United, last winning consecutive visits to Bramall Lane in December 1975.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sheffield United – 11.7%
Tottenham – 67.7%
Draw – 20.6%
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