Roberto Mancini believes Italy have four or five young players on the same level as England's Jude Bellingham, but the Azzurri boss says coaches must be brave enough to give them minutes.

Having failed to qualify for last year's World Cup, Italy will get their bid to defend the European Championship trophy they won in 2021 under way with a qualifier against England in March.

England's run to the last eight in Qatar saw a number of young players – including Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka – come to the fore.

Mancini does not believe Italy lack talented young players. The Azzurri's problem, he claims, lies in coaches' reluctance to hand them top-level experience. 

"I think Italy have four or five talents with the quality of Bellingham, but they need to be given playing time," Mancini said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"There are talented young people, I hope they can play and gain experience with their clubs to be useful to us.

"In England, the Netherlands or Germany, if a player is talented, he will be allowed to play. Here we've got four or five at this level, but they need to play."

Italy scored just 13 goals in eight games as they finished below Switzerland in their World Cup qualification group, before falling to a crushing play-off defeat against North Macedonia.

Mancini has made revamping Italy's attack a priority ahead of their next campaign, saying: "In the past there was a lack of defenders or midfielders, today we don't have great forward players.

"We are trying to find them. If we succeed, it will be a good thing. Gianluca Scamacca, for example, is gaining good experience, the Premier League is difficult. 

"Young people have to play, in Italy or abroad. In our opinion, there are quality players, the hope is to have them gain more experience.

"Do the coaches lack the courage? The coaches have to achieve results, so each pursues his own course."

Josef Martinez has left Atlanta United for Inter Miami, replacing the retired Gonzalo Higuain.

Miami announced the deal on Wednesday after Atlanta confirmed they had agreed a contract buyout with the player.

Martinez had been with Atlanta since their debut MLS season in 2018 and is the club's record scorer with 111 goals.

In the 2018 season, he teamed up with Miguel Almiron to lead the Five Stripes to MLS Cup glory.

Martinez was the MLS MVP, MLS All-Star MVP and MLS Cup MVP in that campaign, as well as winning the Golden Boot and scoring the opening goal in the title match.

Atlanta went on to win the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup the following year but have increasingly struggled since Almiron's record-breaking move to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

They missed out on the playoffs in two of the past three years, and Martinez has now moved on to join Eastern Conference rivals Miami.

Under Phil Neville, Miami enjoyed their best season in 2022, finishing sixth in the East, but Higuain's retirement had left a gaping hole in their attack.

"Josef is a champion and adding him to our group is exciting for us as we head into the 2023 season," said sporting director Chris Henderson.

"He's been one of the best players in the league since he first arrived and we believe he'll make a difference here at Inter Miami.

"We're adding a proven goalscorer with a track record of success in MLS. We're thrilled to have a player like Josef in our attack."

Martinez added: "I'm excited for the opportunity to represent Inter Miami and give the best of myself.

"This is a club with high aspirations and that aims to be amongst the best in the league. I hope to help the team achieve its objectives and leave my mark at the club."

Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra said: "Josef has played a pivotal role in Atlanta United's history, scoring memorable goals and hoisting multiple trophies for moments that will forever live with our supporters.

"He was a foundational piece who was responsible for helping build our brand into what it is today.

"We cannot thank him enough for his contributions to the club and the community over the last six years. He will always be part of Atlanta United and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours."

Salernitana have rehired Davide Nicola as head coach just two days after sacking him following an emotional plea to the club's president, he claims.

The Serie A club dismissed Nicola on Monday in the wake of a crushing 8-2 defeat to Atalanta a day earlier.

Nicola kept Salernitana in the top flight last term, though they have struggled again this campaign despite reportedly investing around €40million in pre-season, with the loss in Bergamo leaving them 16th in the table.

However, just two days after the club confirmed Nicola's dismissal in a press release, the coach claims he is back in the hot seat after pleading to president Danilo Iervolino.

"I'll tell you the truth. Yesterday I received a call from president Iervolino," Nicola wrote on social media. "With his methods, which are always amiable and kind, [Iervolino] explained the reasons for his decision, which he took with bitterness but was supposed to mark our discontinuity after the very bad match in Bergamo against Atalanta.

"I immediately held my hands up, assuming all the responsibilities for an inadequate performance and the consequential heavy defeat, because I believe in this club, as well as in the men who make it up, just as I believe in the great support behind it.

"I strongly urged the president to reconsider the decision, knowing that I was pulling on the heartstrings of a human soul that has a deep sensitivity to understand, and who strongly wants to build a different kind of football. I love Salerno and I blindly believe in this project.

"It is he [the president] who strongly believes that when men all pull in the same direction, they are capable of extraordinary things, and I have already seen many extraordinary things done by him.

"I thank the president for having called me. This is the demonstration that new football is a football of passion and heart, and for this I want to repay his trust with all my strength and with all the passion I have.

"With the sports management led by Morgan De Sanctis, whom I thank for the mediation without which this operation would not have been possible, weeks of very hard work and continuous discussion await us to achieve our goals.

"Now let's start again together, ALL of us, and tell another extraordinary football story, giving back to the Granata fans the same passion and the same sense of belonging that they show us unconditionally. This is Salerno, this is Salernitana: much more than a football team."

Despite Nicola's passionate letter and claim of being reinstated, Salernitana have not posted any official confirmation of his return on social media nor their website.

Xavi has told his players he does not want anyone to leave Barcelona, amid rumours linking Raphinha and Memphis Depay with moves away from Camp Nou.

The Brazilian only arrived from Leeds United at the end of last season but is a rumoured target of Premier League leaders Arsenal after they missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to Chelsea.

Depay – who has only made four appearances this season – is reportedly of interest to Inter and Atletico Madrid.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of their Copa del Rey round-of-16 game at Cueta, Barca head coach Xavi was asked about Raphinha's future. 

"I try to be clear with the players and, for me, nobody should leave," he said. "I am delighted with the squad. I don't want anyone to leave, it is another thing if they ask to leave."

On Depay, he replied: "Deciding if he wants to leave, it's not an easy situation for him. From here to whether he wants to leave or not, I don't know. I'll discuss it with him," later adding: "I'm very happy with the squad. If nobody wants to leave, I'm delighted."

One player who was persistently linked with a move away prior to the season was former Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong, but the Dutch midfielder has become an integral part of Xavi's team since, playing in all but one of their 16 LaLiga games so far.

"He feels comfortable and we give him a little more freedom," the Blaugrana boss said of De Jong. "He is a footballer that I really like and he has extraordinary conditions to be one of the best midfielders in the world. He is at an excellent level."

Fresh off beating Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final, Barca face third-tier side Cueta in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, having struggled to get past another third-tier opponent, Intercity, in the previous round, eventually winning 4-3 after extra time.

"It's good for us to have the experience of Intercity so we don't fail," Xavi said. "The most important thing is to get through the tie.

"We arrive at the best moment of the season, but we can't get lost. We have to show our superiority and continue the success of the Super Cup.

"We are in a good moment of performances and results. We had an excellent game [against Real Madrid]. We have three trophies left and we can compete. It seems that we are turning around, but we have to have consistency."

Julian Nagelsmann is anxious to see Bayern Munich's pursuit of Yann Sommer reach a conclusion as the Bundesliga champions prepare to return to action at RB Leipzig on Friday.

Bayern have been strongly linked with Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Sommer since Manuel Neuer broke his leg during a skiing trip last month.

With Sven Ulreich the only other senior goalkeeper in Bayern's squad and Alexander Nubel reportedly reluctant to return from a loan spell at Monaco, Nagelsmann said the club has "a duty" to sign another shot-stopper last week.

Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn has revealed discussions are ongoing regarding a move for Sommer, and Nagelsmann is eager for the transfer saga to reach a resolution. 

"I've been a coach long enough to know it's never easy. There are always more than two parties that need to be satisfied," Nagelsmann said at Wednesday's pre-match press conference.

"We need a decision to happen. I'd like to change the transfer window so it doesn't affect the ongoing matches as much.

"It's normal that at some point you want to have a certain amount of peace and quiet in this position.

"Integrating a new goalkeeper is not rocket science. This usually takes about 15 minutes, it works quickly. It depends on the goalkeeper, generally the behaviour is very similar."

With Sommer having 272 Bundesliga appearances to his name, some have suggested his arrival could mark the end of Neuer's time as Bayern's number one, but Nagelsmann remains focused on the immediate need for reinforcements.

"It's more a matter for the people further up," Nagelsmann said. "I might have some things to say on that, but my business is day-to-day business, winning games.

"I assume that Manuel Neuer, a great goalkeeper, will come back in the summer. We're looking forward to a player of his quality returning."

Meanwhile, Nagelsmann is yet to decide whether Thomas Muller will see off competition from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to start as Bayern's striker against Leipzig, saying he is comfortable using the 33-year-old in a variety of positions.

"Thomas had an injury where he couldn't play as much in the first part of the season. Thomas is an extremely important player for me, I'm always exchanging with him," Nagelsmann said.

"He's aware that Choupo-Moting is doing very well, but he's also intelligent enough to know that he is world-class in several positions.

"It's important that all the players are in top condition and that we see that on Friday. The same goes for Thomas, he's very flexible. He likes to play in attacking midfield but can play in different areas, so he's going to be important for Bayern going forward. 

"I've already decided on six positions out of 11. I won't reveal whether Choupo-Moting is among the six. I'll sleep on it for two more nights."

Real Madrid are "at the beginning of a new cycle", according to Carlo Ancelotti, who is confident Los Blancos' young players can step up to halt their difficult run of post-World Cup form. 

Madrid were heavily criticised for their performance in Sunday's Supercopa de Espana final defeat against Barcelona, with young midfielders Gavi and Pedri impressing in a deserved 3-1 win for the Blaugrana.

Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the European champions have only won two of their five games since the World Cup, only overcoming fourth-tier Cacereno in the Copa del Rey and struggling Real Valladolid in LaLiga.

With some of Madrid's experienced players – including midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric – attracting criticism in recent weeks, Ancelotti says his side are undergoing a transition.

"It is a young team. Everyone talks about Modric, Kroos or [Karim] Benzema, but there were already youngsters and there are more who have arrived this year," Ancelotti said in a press conference ahead of Thursday's Copa del Rey tie against Villarreal. 

"I think we are at the beginning of a cycle. It is a moment of transition from one fantastic era to another. 

"There are some players who have made history at this club and others who are starting their careers. The day Luka, Karim and Toni stop playing, there are others who will take command."

Madrid failed to contain a young Barcelona team in the latest edition of El Clasico, but Ancelotti does not believe Los Blancos are trailing their rivals when it comes to player development.

"I think Madrid takes great care of the academy and we have a lot of youngsters who are progressing a lot," he said. "I'm sure some of them will be key players in the coming years.

"There are some periods in which you do not have those players, and others in which you can rely on them. But I think this generation is going to be very, very good."

Thursday's trip to the Estadio de la Ceramica sees Madrid reunited with a Villarreal team which beat them 2-1 in LaLiga less than two weeks ago, but Ancelotti is determined to use the last-16 tie to turn their form around. 

"It's an opportunity to get out of this difficult moment," Ancelotti said. "The sooner we get out of this rut, the better. It's a difficult game but we consider it a great opportunity.

"It was clear it would be difficult to find our level after the World Cup, but also injuries have reduced us a lot. The injuries to [Aurelien] Tchouameni and [David] Alaba have upset us a lot. 

"We have to hold on and get through this section of the season. Last year, during January we were not very good. But we got out of that difficult dynamic and we're going to do the same this season.

"We must not lose confidence. I have a lot of depth in this squad, with fantastic players. We have to trust them and we are sure that we are going to get better."

Ex-Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli used a farewell speech to reiterate his belief in a European Super League.

Agnelli, along with Pavel Nedved and the rest of Juve's board, resigned last year amid an investigation into alleged tax fraud.

Juve have denied the allegations, on the back of the club registering a record loss of €254.3million for 2021-22. 

Agnelli, who had held his position since 2010, bowed out officially on Wednesday, though in an address to Juve's shareholders, insisted he is still firmly backing the plan for a Super League.

Along with his counterparts at Real Madrid and Barcelona, Agnelli has stood by the proposals made in April 2021, and is showing no sign of movement on that front.

"My job has always been to understand and guide the strategic direction of society," he said. "When we talk about football, we boil it down to the action on the pitch, but football is part of the entertainment industry.

"When we talk about the sports industry, we are talking about a €140 billion industry of which football is worth a large slice.

"We have seen economic transactions, and we have seen the entry of funds with percentage transfers from companies and leagues.

"When I was president of the ECA [European Clubs Association] and of the UEFA executive committee, the analysis was evident. There was no club sustainability, a vertical polarisation of interest towards only two leagues, access to very risky financial instruments and fan disaffection.

"The proposal at the time was the creation of a league system with access different from the classic ones. This proposal was made in 2019.

"If I personally wanted to maintain a privileged situation, I would not have taken the decisions of April 2021.

"I think European football needs a new system, otherwise it risks a decrease in favour of a single dominant league, i.e. the Premier League, marginalising all the others.

"The hope is that the European Court of Justice recognises professional sport as an industry, since the turnover of football is €55 billion. I thank Real Madrid and Barcelona who, together with Juventus, had the courage to face the threats from UEFA."

Agnelli confirmed he will take a step back from "listed companies" altogether, and instead serve as an advisor.

Juve great Nedved, who served as vice-president, said: "Every day I was able to learn something, I had the opportunity to make my contribution, I became vice-president, a job made up of relationships, speeches, words, but also of passion.

"Thanks to you [Agnelli]... we have discussed and argued, but we have strengthened our relationship. I know how much you love Juventus, how much you sacrificed yourself, and it was an honour to work alongside you."

Serie A leaders Napoli lost to basement side Cremonese to exit the Coppa Italia and be left with "so much disappointment".

This looks like being a dream season for the Partenopei, who have established a nine-point advantage at the top of the table as they bid for a first Scudetto since 1990.

Luciano Spalletti's side are also through in the Champions League after an impressive group stage, but there will be no improbable treble.

That is because a seemingly straightforward Coppa tie against 10-man Cremonese saw Napoli eliminated on Tuesday.

Cremonese have not won a single game in Serie A all season but reached the round of 16 for just the third time in their history thanks to a penalty shoot-out success following a 2-2 draw.

Napoli, whose line-up showed 10 changes from their stunning 5-1 defeat of Juventus on Friday, looked to be heading through after Juan Jesus and Giovanni Simeone scored in quick succession in the first half to cancel out Charles Pickel's opener.

But Felix Afena-Gyan pulled Cremonese level three minutes from time, and the strugglers survived extra time even after Leonardo Sernicola was sent off.

In a shoot-out, only Napoli substitute Stanislav Lobotka missed – a costly error for a team who had also introduced Victor Osimhen from the bench by that point.

"We are sorry," coach Spalletti told Mediaset. "There is so much disappointment.

"We always have to go through the management of the game, of the ball, and we have not been as good as we usually are.

"But then the game was in complete safety because they, apart from a few balls to the attackers, could not do much. We conceded goals in a situation where we lost two balls that were going out.

"Then we scored two goals and wasted several chances, but unfortunately that's how it works. When you question a game that was under management then it becomes complicated."

Luis Suarez marked his Gremio debut with a first-half hat-trick to set his new side on the way to a Recopa Gaucha triumph.

Uruguay striker Suarez joined the Brazilian club this month after helping boyhood club Nacional win the title back home in a brief spell ahead of the World Cup.

The 35-year-old promised goals as he signed a two-year contract at Gremio, and his bow certainly delivered that.

Facing Sao Luiz in a one-off match for the Recopa on Tuesday, Suarez's three goals had a 4-1 win wrapped up before half-time.

It was the first time Suarez had scored a first-half hat-trick in almost 10 years, last doing so for Liverpool against Norwich City in December 2013.

"Luisito's story couldn't start better here," read Gremio's Twitter page after Suarez had volleyed in his third.

Yannick Carrasco's agent has revealed talks are under way over a deal that could see the Atletico Madrid winger join Barcelona and Memphis Depay move in the other direction.

Depay is expected to leave Camp Nou this month and the forward would reportedly favour a move to LaLiga rivals Atleti.

The arrival of Robert Lewandowski at Barca has left the Netherlands international among the substitutes for the majority of this season.

Pini Zahavi, Carrasco's representative, says there have been negotiations over a potential swap deal involving the Belgium winger and Depay. 

He told Het Nieuwsblad: "We are talking. Yannick likes the idea, he is a good player."

However, Zahavi knows the talks may come to nothing

He added: "The plan is to change Yannick for Depay. There is still nothing concrete, I don't know if it can work, but negotiations are under way."

Atleti have already allowed Joao Felix to join Chelsea on loan for the rest of the season during the transfer window, while Matheus Cunha made the switch to Wolves.

Jurgen Klopp welcomed the return of the "passion" Liverpool have been lacking as a much-changed side beat Wolves 1-0 in an FA Cup third-round replay at Molineux.

Reds manager Klopp made eight changes to his starting line-up following an alarming 3-0 Premier League defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

Harvey Elliott was among the players who came into the side and the teenager proved to be the match-winner, scoring the only goal with a stunning long-range strike in the 13th minute.

A first win in four matches gives the holders an opportunity to exact revenge on Brighton in a fourth-round tie at the Amex Stadium.

It was anything but a classic all-Premier League tie after a 2-2 draw at Anfield ensured the two sides had to do battle again, but Klopp was not concerned about entertainment value. 

He told BBC Sport: "It feels like ages ago we had a feeling of winning and playing well. We had to fight hard at the end, which we controlled for long periods. It is great and the reaction we wanted to see."

Klopp vowed he would not quit after the defeat to Brighton and urged his players to go "back to basics".

The German was impressed with the way they responded to a painful loss last weekend.

 "From the passion we showed, yes," he said. "It is my job to help the boys and find the formation where they feel good from the start. Stefan Bajcetic and the whole midfield was really compact, so it was difficult for Wolves to find the key players like Joao Moutinho. I liked the game a lot."

Elliott was named man of the match, but Klopp felt several of his players were candidates for the award.

He added: "It was good from Harvey Elliott, especially after an early knock to the ankle. He fought through, and the goal was exceptional.

"I had a few man of the match performances today. We played a really good first half, had good periods in the second, and in the end it was just passion to block the shots. A cup game, great."

Harvey Elliott scored the only goal of the game with a stunning long-range strike as Liverpool lifted the gloom by beating Wolves to reach the FA Cup fourth round.

Elliott was one of eight players to come into the Reds side following a chastening 3-0 Premier League defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion, and the teenager made his mark with a sublime first-half finish.

Wolves felt aggrieved not to have won the third-round tie at Anfield after having what appeared to be a late winner ruled out for offside, but they did not pose a threat in the replay at Molineux on Tuesday.

Victory for Jurgen Klopp's side was their first in four games, setting up an opportunity to exact revenge on Brighton in the fourth round.

Liverpool quickly sparked into life after the floodlights briefly went off in the first minute, and Elliott put them in front with a stunning strike.

The teenage midfielder burst forward on the break and let fly with a left-footed strike from 25 yards that flashed past Jose Sa in the 13th minute.

Kostas Tsimikas fired over the crossbar and Cody Gapko was also off target, before Adama Traore showed a complete lack of composure when he drilled wide from a tight angle in a listless first-half display from Wolves.

Julen Lopetegui made a double substitution at the break, introducing Matheus Nunes and Nelson Semedo, but Wolves continued to look short of ideas going forward.

Mohamed Salah entered the fray with 25 minutes to go in a second half that was devoid of quality, with Wolves captain Ruben Neves sending a free-kick just over the bar from a promising position.

The hosts applied some pressure but were unable to fashion an equaliser as the Reds came out on top in a forgettable all-Premier League encounter.

Pablo Sarabia has joined Wolves from Paris Saint-Germain.

The 30-year-old Spain international, who played for La Roja at the World Cup in Qatar, has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at Wolves.

He becomes their third signing of the window under Julen Lopetegui

Mario Lemina signed from Nice last week, while forward Matheus Cunha has joined on loan from Atletico Madrid with an obligation to buy as Wolves aim to boost their chances of Premier League survival.

Sarabia, who spent last season on loan at Sporting CP, scoring 21 goals, will now help the cause, with Wolves reportedly paying £4.3million (€5m) for the winger.

The former Sevilla attacker has made 19 appearances for PSG this season.

Sarabia's debut could come against Manchester City on Sunday.

French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet has denied accusations of moral and sexual harassment after prosecutors confirmed an investigation into his conduct was opened on Monday.

Le Graet last week temporarily stepped back from his role as president after agent Sonia Souid accused him of improper conduct.

In an RMC interview, Souid outlined how her belief was that in their dealings from 2013 to 2017, Le Graet saw her as an object of his sexual desire.

The 81-year-old has also been accused of improper conduct in relation to female employees. The FFF filed a defamation suit against So Foot magazine, the publication in which these allegations were made.

Parisian prosecutors confirmed to Stats Perform on Tuesday that a probe into "sexual and moral harassment" began the day before.

Le Graet published a statement of his own in response, denying the accusations.

The release, published by AFP, said: "[Le Graet] denies all (the) accusations of moral or sexual harassment or any other criminal offences.

"[Le Graet] denounces these repeated announcements by way of the press, which intervene [in the case] before the mission of the inspection has even made its provisional report.

"In this administrative investigation, which is clearly incriminating, Mr. Le Graet has had neither the opportunity to take cognizance of the elements concerning him, nor the opportunity to put forward his observations in defence, which is seriously prejudicial to the essential rights of the defence and the presumption of innocence."

Kingston College standout Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards is among 32 players invited to training sessions with Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrinsson at the Jamaica Football Federation headquarters at the University of the West Indies on January 17 and 18.

The 17-year-old Richards recorded 29 goals and 19 assists in the Manning Cup and led Kingston College to the semi-finals.

The full list of players is as follows:

Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC), Ramone Howell (Waterhouse FC), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden FC), Peter McGregor (Dunbeholden FC), Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant FC), Ky-Mani Campbell (Mount Pleasant FC), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant FC), Devonte Campbell (Mount Pleasant FC), Jamoi Topey (Mount Pleasant FC), Tafari Chambers (Mount Pleasant FC), Sue-Lae McCalla (Mount Pleasant FC), Alwayne Henry (Mount Pleasant FC), Odane Murray (Mount Pleasant FC), Eric Edwards (Arnett Gardens), Kimani Arbouine (Arnett Gardens), Earl Simpson (Arnett Gardens), Ajuma Johnson (Arnett Gardens), Richard King (Cavaluer SC), Dwayne Atkinson (cavalier SC), Collin Anderson (Cavalier SC), Kyle Ming (Cavalier SC), Jeadine White (Cavalier SC), Gawaine Austin (Portmore United), Oshane Staple (Harbour View FC), Colorado Murray (Harbour View FC), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View FC), Nicholas Hamilton (Harbour View FC), Okeemo Jones (Chapleton Maroons), Malachi Douglas (Chapleton Maroons), Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy), Jason Wright (Molynes United).

The sessions will commence at 3:00pm.