Harry Kane may already be looking ahead to next year's World Cup with England but the Tottenham striker's short-term targets are less clear amid uncertainty over his club future.

The England captain suffered heartbreak with his team-mates on Sunday, the Three Lions losing to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley following a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time.

Luke Shaw gave the hosts the lead inside two minutes as he scored the fastest-ever goal in a European Championship final, only for Leonardo Bonucci to hit back for the Azzurri in the second half.

Kane converted his penalty in the shoot-out, but he otherwise endured a quiet match as he failed to have a single touch of the ball inside the opposition box. Indeed, the 27-year-old did not have a shot or create any chances for his team-mates for only the second time in his 61 senior international appearances.

However, Kane finished the tournament with four goals – only Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick (five each) managed more – to draw level with Gary Lineker as his nation's leading scorer at major tournaments.

While disappointed to fall at the final hurdle, the prolific striker is determined to push on at Qatar 2022.

"Last night hurts. It'll hurt for a long time. But we've come so far and broken down so many barriers that this is not the end," he posted on his Twitter account on Monday. 

"We win together, lose together and will regroup together for the World Cup. Thanks for all your support this summer."

It remains to be seen whether Kane will still be a Tottenham player come the time the next World Cup begins, though. He revealed last week he had yet to speak to new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who was named as Jose Mourinho's permanent successor on June 30.

Fabio Paratici, now managing director at the Premier League club, also stressed last week that Spurs have no intention of selling the "special player" while he has three years to run on his contract.

"Of course, as a player you want to be wanted, you want to feel like you're loved, which I do," Kane said when asked about his Tottenham future.

"I haven't had the chance to talk to any of these people yet. I'm sure we'll get to know each other after the Euros, have a phone call or two once I get a week or two of holiday."

Keeping hold of Kane will be the top priority for Paratici and Nuno, the former Leicester City loanee having finished as the Premier League's top scorer with 23 goals in 2020-21.

Kane also set up 14 goals to become only the second player in the Premier League era to top the charts for both goals and assists, the other being Andy Cole for Newcastle United in 1993-94.

Manchester City are rumoured to have already had a big-money offer knocked back by Tottenham, while Manchester United have also been linked.

Tottenham's players not involved in international action over the past month returned to training last week ahead of their first pre-season friendly with Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Spurs are also set to take on Colchester United, MK Dons, Chelsea and Arsenal before their Premier League opener with Manchester City on August 15.

Lionel Messi seems certain to stay at Barcelona, and he could reportedly be joined by Renato Sanches.

While Messi came out of contract at the end of June, he seems set to stay at Barca, who remain central to plenty of transfer talk.

They are apparently interested in Sanches, who helped Lille win Ligue 1 last season.

 

TOP STORY – BARCELONA EYE SANCHES

Barcelona want Lille midfielder Sanches, according to Le 10 Sport.

The report says Tottenham are also targeting the Portugal international, who has previously played for the likes of Benfica and Bayern Munich.

Barca have already signed Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay ahead of the 2021-22 season, though missed out on midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

 

ROUND-UP

- One player whose future at Barcelona is uncertain is Antoine Griezmann. La Vanguardia reports the forward wants to remain at Barca, where he is contracted until 2024, but could leave given the financial uncertainty at the club.

- Could Kalidou Koulibaly finally be set to leave Napoli for the Premier League? 90min reports Everton manager Rafael Benitez has recommended the defender as a transfer target for the club.

- Also in Serie A and Sky Sport reports Andrea Belotti is set to decide in the coming days whether to renew his contract with Torino beyond 2022. The report says Jose Mourinho's Roma are interested in the striker.

- Barcelona are looking to offload goalkeeper Neto, but finding a suitor for the shot-stopper is complicated, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Lionel Messi lifted the Copa America on Saturday in Brazil.

But back in Europe, rumours continue to swirl about his future.

The 34-year-old forward is out of contract though the latest development suggests a resolution is in sight.

 

TOP STORY - NEW BARCELONA DEAL LOOMS FOR MESSI

AS reports that LaLiga have authorized Barcelona to register Lionel Messi despite the club's financial concerns.

Messi became a free agent last week with Barcelona working on a new deal, pending their financial constraints having been impacted heavily by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paris Saint-Germain had been linked with a swoop for Messi but the approval of the authorities to register Messi is a strong indication he will stay.

 

ROUND-UP

- Highly sought-after Saul Niguez is being considered in a swap deal between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which would include Antoine Griezmann, claims Football Espana. Liverpool were linked with Niguez earlier this week.

- Chelsea have joined the race for Rennes teenage talent Eduardo Camavinga, alongside Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid, according to Le Parisien.

- Manchester United are ready to spend £17m to sign Napoli's right-back Giovanni di Lorenzo following the Euro 2020 final, reports Il Napolista.

- Fabrizio Romano reports that veteran Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini will sign a new one-year extension with Juventus after the completion of Euro 2020.

- Newly promoted Watford are keen on Udinese's Danish star Jens Stryger Larsen after he impressed during Euro 2020, reports 90min.

- Newly promoted Brentford are preparing a £10m bid for Liverpool's Harry Wilson claims The Sun.

Arsenal have completed the signing of defender Nuno Tavares from Benfica.

The Gunners confirmed on Saturday that Tavares had joined on a long-term deal, with Arsenal having paid the Primeira Liga side a reported €8million plus add ons.

Left-back Tavares made 25 league appearances for Benfica, 17 of which were starts, and proved himself an impressive creative outlet.

Indeed, Tavares created 23 chances in the Portuguese top flight, laying on four assists.

He will link up with the Arsenal squad after travelling from Portugal and completing his period of isolation in the United Kingdom.

"When I finished the season my agent told me that Arsenal were interested in me," Tavares told the club's official website.

"In the first instance I was very happy and after this I dreamed about it, and [spoke about it] with my mum. I was so excited to be here, and now I'm here I'm so happy.

 

"I'm so excited because it is a big club and for me as a young guy, it is a pleasure to be here.

"[Manager] Mikel [Arteta] and [technical director] Edu helped me so much.

"They speak with me every time, and call me and I feel people want me here. I like that because I need this power and I'm so grateful for this."

Arteta said: "We welcome Nuno to the club. He is a young player with great promise who has developed very well with Benfica in recent seasons and has also shown his quality by being part of Portugal Under-21s.

"Nuno's arrival will give the squad extra strength and options in defence, particularly with this energy on the left side of the pitch.

"We look forward to Nuno's arrival soon, his integration into the Arsenal family and playing in front of our fantastic supporters."

Liverpool are reportedly leading the race to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez.

Saul has five years remaining on his contract with the LaLiga champions, but could be on the move ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Jurgen Klopp may have competition to land the 26-year-old, with Barcelona said to be interested in a stunning swap deal which would see Antoine Griezmann return to the capital.

 

TOP STORY - SAUL IN DEMAND

Liverpool have lined up a move for Saul Niguez and are willing to fork out £35million to get their man, according to AS.

The Reds are in the market for a central midfielder after losing Georginio Wijnaldum, who moved to Paris Saint-Germain after his contract expired.

Saul is thought to be the man Jurgen Klopp has identified to fill the void left by Wijnaldum, although Football Espana claim Atletico Madrid and Barcelona could be open to a swap deal, with Antoine Griezmann returning to his former club and Saul joining the Catalan giants.

 

ROUND-UP

- Juventus will step up their attempts to sign Manuel Locatelli are are will to pay €40m for the Sassuolo and Italy midfielder (La Gazzetta dello Sport).

- Arsenal have raised their offer for Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White to an initial £48m plus a possible additional £6m in add-ons, according to The Star.

- Chelsea outcast Emerson Palmieri is a target for Napoli and Roma, but Calciomercato say the Serie A clubs are not willing to pay the €20m asking price.

Felipe Anderson is poised to rejoin Lazio from West Ham and will undergo a medical on Saturday. (Sky Sport Italia, Sportitalia and Tuttomercatoweb).

- Former Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has received three offers to finish his career in the MLS following his Boca Juniors exit. (ESPN Deportes) 

Harvey Elliott has set his sights on regular game time for Liverpool after signing a new long-term contract with the club.

The 18-year-old agreed fresh terms with the Anfield club on Friday and now wants to make his mark in the first team.

Elliott has played nine times for Liverpool and impressed last season when he was loaned out to Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

He had seven goals and 11 assists in 41 Blackburn outings in the league, a spell he hopes boosts his chances of getting "in and around" the starting XI under Jurgen Klopp in 2021-22.

"I think that's got to be everyone’s aim: to get in the team. - to get in and around it at least," Elliott, who joined Liverpool from Fulham in 2019, told the club's website.

"It's not going to come easily; there's a great bunch of boys here and great talent. 

"But it's down to me to work hard. I believe in myself that I can do it. I just want to be around the team, support everyone and be there if needed.

"Ever since I first walked through the door they [the coaching staff] have showed [faith]. 

"They show it with every single player; they always have faith in you.

"They're always giving you 100 per cent on the training pitch and off the training pitch, always wanting you to be the best possible person and player. 

"I feel like there's a lot of faith in me. But it's just down to me to go and show it and prove them right."

Elliott says he will never grow tired with the feeling of playing for Liverpool.

He added: "It's always going to be there throughout the years I'm here. Hopefully it's going to be a long time.

"There's always going to be those butterflies whenever you put on the shirt, whenever you go out to train and play, whenever you're involved in the club there's always that feeling.

"Especially for me, being a Red, as well as my family – it's nice to make them proud and make myself proud. But the hard work carries on.

"It's always a nice feeling when you sign a new contract – especially for your boyhood club. It's all done and dusted now so I've just got to focus on pre-season, get my work in and make sure I'm ready for the season."

Only two players registered more assists than Elliott in the Championship last season – Emiliano Buendia (16) and Michael Olise (12). 

Virgil van Dijk is close to making his return from a serious knee injury after being included in the squad for Liverpool's pre-season camp in Austria.

Van Dijk missed much of the 2020-21 season having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Everton in October, ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign.

As such, he was also unable to feature for the Netherlands at Euro 2020, with the Oranje finding themselves eliminated by the Czech Republic in the round of 16.

But he looks set to bolster Liverpool's defensive ranks for the 2021-22 campaign, with the 30-year-old included in the group that is due to begin pre-season training in Tyrol, near Salzburg, next week.

Also on the list is new signing Ibrahima Konate, a recent arrival from RB Leipzig, as well as Joe Gomez, who, like Van Dijk, missed much of 2020-21 through injury.

But Van Dijk's presence is the biggest boost of all. While he was only one of numerous defensive injury issues Liverpool had last term, the Reds sorely missed his leadership and imperious attributes having played every match of their successful 2019-20 Premier League campaign.

During that season only one defender in the league bettered his 191 aerial wins, he attempted – and completed – more passes than any of them and Trent Alexander-Arnold was the sole defensive player to have more than his 3,624 touches of the ball.

His excellence did not only help keep them solid at the back but his influence stretched to their wider philosophy on the ball as well, yet they were without that for most of 2020-21, as he featured just five times.

It is arguably no coincidence that Liverpool's form dropped off dramatically without him, with their points tally of 69 being 30 less than they had managed the previous year.

Liverpool won 81.4 per cent of the 43 Premier League matches Van Dijk played between August 2019 and his injury, but that fell to just 51.5 per cent between October and the end of the season when he was out of the team.

Paul Pogba's future at Manchester United has drawn speculation.

The France international has one year left on his United contract and is yet to re-sign with the Red Devils.

The 2018 World Cup winner has numerous big-spending admirers and impressed at Euro 2020.

 

TOP STORY - PSG PLOT CUT-PRICE POGBA DEAL

Paris Saint-Germain are lining up Manchester United's French mdifielder Paul Pogba for a cut-price £50million (€58m) deal, claims the Daily Star.

Big-spending PSG have already landed Achraf Hakimi and Georginio Wijnaldum this off-season and will need to sell players to fund the deal.

L'Equipe reports PSG are confident they can land Pogba on a cut-price deal given his contract status.

 

ROUND-UP

- Denmark's Euro 2020 star Mikkel Damsgaard is set for a Premier League switch this off-season with interest from Tottenham, Liverpool, Leeds and Leicester City reports HITC. However, Gazzetta dello Sport claims Sampdoria will not sell the Danish talent for less than €40 million (£34m).

- Atalanta want €60million (£52m) for Manchester United target Cristian Romero, who has also been linked with Tottenham and Barcelona according to Calciomercato.

- Sport claims Philippe Coutinho will leave Barcelona this off-season, with Leicester City, Inter and Milan among the top contenders to sign him.

- Football Insider reports that Liverpool have approached Wolves about Spain winger Adama Traore.

- New Everton manager Rafa Benitez wants to sign Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, reports Fichajes.

- Hector Bellerin is ready to leave Arsenal to join Italian champions  Inter, claims FourFourTwo.

- Tottenham are mulling over a move for Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix according to The Boot Room.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain would be committing "financial doping" if they signed Lionel Messi on similar terms to his previous Barcelona deal.

Argentina captain Messi is a free agent after his Barca contract expired at the end of June.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has been linked with City and PSG previously, though he is expected to remain with the Blaugrana despite their financial problems.

Tebas does not see how any club would be able to offer Messi the sort of terms he had been earning, with his last contract reportedly worth in excess of €500million over four years.

Asked if Messi would have to take a pay cut to extend his stay at Barca, Tebas said: "Exactly. He won't be able to sign on the previous conditions, that's impossible.

"But I don't think any European club would be able to pay that amount."

Tebas added: "City have lost €270m [during the coronavirus pandemic] so obviously they wouldn't even consider signing Messi [on the terms he was previously on].

"PSG have had losses, too, so they can't even consider signing Messi.

"If they do, it will be financial doping. It would be incredible if it happened. We need to establish limits. Financial doping is damaging football.

"It's not real money because it's not generated by the clubs. Money not from football causes bad inflation and ruins football because clubs must put in all this effort [to compete], which takes them above their financial capacity.

"We have to fight against this. This is one of the pending issues in European football. If it's not solved, the game will find itself in a very complicated situation."

Jose Mourinho claimed his "disaster" years would be regarded as career high points by many bosses as he began life as head coach of Roma.

The 58-year-old rejected any suggestions he was in decline and set his sights on bringing success to the Giallorossi, his second Italian club after a highly successful two-year stint at Inter.

Sacked by Tottenham in April, Mourinho believes it could be a long rebuild at Roma, a club that last won a trophy in 2008 when they landed the Coppa Italia.

Roma's last Scudetto came in 2001 when a star-studded side pipped Juventus to the title. Mourinho has won the Italian league title since then, guiding Inter to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble in 2010.

"I'm a victim of what I've done and the way people look at me," Mourinho said in a news conference. "If you look at Man United, I won three times and was a disaster.

"At Tottenham I took over and took them to a cup final where I couldn't manage them in, and it was seen as a disaster.

"In my last three clubs I won the league title with Chelsea, three trophies with Man United, I got to a final with Tottenham. We ended up in the Europa League.

"For me that is [thought of as] a disaster, but perhaps some coaches haven't achieved that ever."

The three trophies Mourinho is counting at Manchester United are the Europa League and EFL Cup from the 2016-17 season, and the Community Shield from the beginning of that campaign.

He left United after failing to build on his early promise there and was chopped by Tottenham before their cup final last season, caretaker Ryan Mason seeing Spurs through the final weeks of the campaign.

During his Premier League career, Mourinho had a points-per-game record of 2.33 in his 2004-07 first spell at Chelsea, falling to 2.00 when he returned to Stamford Bridge from 2013 to 2015, sliding to 1.89 in his 2016-18 stint at United and then delivering at 1.64 during his Tottenham career.

At Inter his team had a 2.18 points-per-game rate, losing just eight times in Serie A across two seasons, and they achieved a league win record of 64.47 per cent.

Inter made San Siro a fortress under Mourinho, staying undefeated there over those two campaigns, winning 29 games and drawing nine.

His Nerazzurri side struggled against Roma, however, winning just one of their four Serie A meetings (D2 L1).

Mourinho stressed he returns to Italy, 11 years after leaving Inter for Real Madrid, as a more rounded personality.

"Perhaps I'm more experienced and mature now and that puts me in a more solid position from an emotional standpoint," the Portuguese said.

Roma finished seventh in the 2020-21 Serie A campaign, which leaves considerable room for improvement.

"We ended the season 29 points behind the winners and 16 points behind fourth place and we can't escape from that reality," Mourinho said. "First of all, we want to understand why and understand how we can change that.

"Time is a word that we all share. That was a key word when we met with the owners for the first time. If we can accelerate the process, all the better.

"We're not speaking about trophies. We're speaking about time, projects and work.

"Titles will come. For the owners a key principle is the idea they don't want isolated success. They want to choose success and maintain success.

"That's harder because it's easier to get that isolated success. We want to be sustainable and we are completely united on that front. It is about hard work and the rest will come."

He added: "I know the passion here, I've already changed my phone three times. Maybe it won't be pleasant for you to talk to me, for me it is essential that everything stays inside Trigoria.

"I want to get to know the squad, that's the most important thing. There are fundamental and non-negotiable principles. I want players to understand my principles right away. Anything that is not 100 per cent is not good."

Erling Haaland's future is a major talking point this off-season.

The Norwegian has been linked with several top clubs but could also stay with Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland and his representatives visited Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Chelsea and Manchester City have also been credited with interest.

TOP STORY - CHELSEA TO OFFER UP TO £150M FOR HAALAND

Chelsea are readying a bumper £150 million (€175m) move to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, reports 90Min.

The Blues are prepared to offer up to that amount, believing the deal will be too hard to refuse for Dortmund.

Chelsea spent approximately £120m (€140m) last off-season on German pair Timo Werner and Kai Havertz but want an out-and-out striker.

 

ROUND-UP

- New Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti wants to sign Brazil international Richarlison from his former club Everton, reports ESPN.

- Fabrizio Romano claims Milan are still working on a deal to sign Chelsea's French veteran forward Olivier Giroud.

- RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer is in the sights of Borussia Dortmund according to Bild, amid reported interest from Premier League clubs.

West Ham and Tottenham are both interested in Sassuolo's Mert Muldur reports the Mail.

- Football League World claims Southampton will sign Blackburn Rovers forward Adam Armstrong for £10m plus add-ons.

Harry Kane is the best finisher in world football and supporters were wrong to doubt him amid his slow Euro 2020 start.

That is the view of former England manager Steve McClaren as Kane prepares to lead the line in Wednesday's huge semi-final against Denmark on Wednesday.

Kane failed to score in all three group games against Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic as England made a steady but unspectacular start.

There were questions over whether the 27-year-old should retain his place in the line-up but the Tottenham striker responded with a headed goal against Germany in the last 16 and two more as England thrashed Ukraine 4-0 in the last eight.

Kane, the top scorer at World Cup 2018, has been involved in 27 goals in his last 26 games for England.

He has nine goals at major tournaments, with his second goal against Ukraine meaning he matched the career total scored by Alan Shearer.

Ahead of the Denmark game, Kane is one away from equalling the national record held by Gary Lineker (10).

Reflecting on Kane's tournament, McClaren told Stats Perform: "Unbelievable. 

"Do we not learn the lessons? You know, you have got Shearer and Lineker on the TV and talking their exploits and not scoring for ages coming into squads.

"Terry Venables [kept faith] with Shearer and Bobby Robson did with Lineker, do we not learn from this? 

"And you could see from the first games, okay, he's out of sorts, but he didn't get the service.

"There were no crosses going into the box, there was no one sliding balls through. 

"And to be fair Harry was outside the box the majority of the time but against Ukraine, Germany, he was inside the box.

"When he is inside the box, he is the best finisher in the world at the present moment. So put the ball in the box. Once we do that, he will score without a doubt."

 

McClaren believes Kane and Raheem Sterling are the two automatic attacking selections for Gareth Southgate, with a host of options beyond that for the other two spots.

"Reliability, that is the key thing," McClaren said about Sterling. "He's always produced for England, why? He's got the trust of Gareth. Every time he comes in, he plays. 

"It's difficult in a club because there are many, many games and sometimes you've been left out or other talent comes in. 

"And I think he's had an up and down season with Man City and in his relationship with Pep Guardiola. 

"He's not the nailed on number one like he is with England and that's the key thing. 

"He's playing with that freedom and you don't see players like that in any of the other nations. 

"Someone who can beat players, go past players, can score with both feet, with his head now he's getting into the box. But he can also create like he did for Kane against Ukraine."

 

McClaren believes England have fringe players who would be huge stars for most of the other nations at the Euros, talking up the likes of Jack Grealish, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden.

He added: "Gareth's got an embarrassment of riches, he's got so many players who are so different in those positions.

"Grealish normally in any other team in these championships would be the star man regularly playing every game, Foden would be the star man playing every game, Sancho would be the star man playing every game. 

"They are not for England - what a luxury for Gareth.

"Sancho is just one of those talents amongst quite a few that we've got. He beats players, he's quick, strong, direct - he can assist, he can score. 

"He is a younger Sterling at the present moment and looking at him in the future, he could be better than him."

 

While the attacking options often dominate the public debate, McClaren has been extremely impressed with West Ham's Declan Rice and Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips in midfield.

"The work-rate, intensity, the amount of interceptions, the tackles that they put in, they have been for me the unsung heroes of the performances so far," said McClaren.

"We always say if you if you've got weak centre backs or you're not too sure about your centre backs, you always give them protection.

"When you're a little bit suspect there and you have [Tryone] Mings and [John] Stones and people, and without [Harry] Maguire [for the initial games], he [Southgate] needed that protection.

"They've been absolutely fantastic. They've protected the back, let them defend well from crosses. And they've also provided the front players the freedom to go about their jobs. 

"So it's a thankless task, but they're doing it so well."

 

Of the threat posed by Denmark, he added: "I think the big danger is the momentum that they're gaining, the emotion from everybody is with Denmark.

"Christian Eriksen with that incident - so pleased for him and his family and for everybody in football that he's fine and is recovering. 

"But I just think they've been galvanised by what has happened and if Eriksen is at the game with the Danish squad, that's an unbelievable boost. 

"You can see that something is behind them and that for me is the biggest danger, it is not so much Denmark, the players and the team - it's the momentum and the sway and the emotion and the euphoria that is propelling that Danish team above what they should be doing. 

"When you have a cause like that, it so powerful, a powerful emotion, a powerful incentive to see Eriksen at the game as well."

Will Kylian Mbappe move to Real Madrid?

Will Lionel Messi leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain?

The star pair are dominating headlines in the transfer market.

 

TOP STORY – MBAPPE TO MADRID?

Real Madrid believe they will be able to prise Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain if the Ligue 1 giants sign Lionel Messi, according to the front page of Wednesday's Diario AS.

Mbappe – entering the final year of his contract – has long been tipped to join LaLiga powerhouse Madrid, while Liverpool have also been linked.

Messi is out of contract at Barca and while the Catalan club remain confident of re-signing the superstar captain, PSG and Madrid are hoping to make the most of the situation.

 

ROUND-UP

Arsenal have joined PSG and Atletico Madrid in the chase to sign Lyon star Houssem Aouar, reports Le10 Sport.

- Calciomercato says Serie A champions Inter and Ligue 1 outfit Lyon are both eyeing Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Milan have increased their contract offer for star midfielder Franck Kessie, per Gazzetta dello Sport. Having already lost Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu, the Rossoneri are keen to re-sign Kessie, who has been linked with PSG, Tottenham, Arsenal and Inter.

Manchester City are interested in Napoli star Piotr Zielinski, according to Tuttosport. Napoli are believed to be willing to listen to offers. Premier League champions City have also been linked with the likes of Tottenham's Harry Kane, Inter forward Romelu Lukaku, Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland and Madrid defender Raphael Varane in the transfer window.

- Rennes sensation Eduardo Camavinga and Varane both moving to Manchester United, while not impossible is "remote in reality", according to Sky Sports.

Leeds United have announced the signing of left-back Junior Firpo from Barcelona on a four-year contract.

The 24-year-old has reportedly cost the Premier League club £12.8million (€15m) just two years after he joined Barca from Real Betis.

Firpo had scored three goals and provided five assists from 26 chances created in all competitions in his final season at Betis, appearing 29 times.

But he struggled for opportunities at Camp Nou, with Spain international Jordi Alba the clear first choice.

Firpo scored twice and supplied two assists across two seasons for the Blaugrana, with only 22 of his 41 outings coming from the start.

He hailed Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa as a key factor in his decision to join the club.

"I saw him [Bielsa] in Spain when he trained there," Firpo told Leeds' official website.

"I know the coach that he is, and for me he is a really good coach. He wants to press all the time, play one against one many times, and for me that's my football. 

"Physical football, running, having the ball, for me it's not a problem and I think he will help me go to another level.

"I think in this team I can show the player that I am, for me I hope I can show the people what I want to show."

 

Firpo would appear to be a direct replacement for Ezgjan Alioski, the North Macedonia international who spent much of last season at left-back before his contract expired.

Ranking Alioski's 2020-21 output against Firpo's in his final year at Betis, the pair are comparable in an attacking sense.

Firpo created 1.01 chances per 90 minutes, just shy of Alioski's 1.02.

But the Spain Under-21 international both attempted (2.45 versus 0.99) and completed (1.28 versus 0.42) more dribbles per 90.

Alioski's defensive shortcomings should not be quite so evident in Firpo either, with the new man dribbled past 0.62 times per 90 against the outgoing player's 1.43.

Stuart Dallas, who also filled in at left-back, was beaten even more often (1.53 times per 90), although he played in numerous roles.

Lionel Messi became a free agent last week.

Initial reports suggested he had agreed to a new two-deal with Barca.

The 34-year-old told Barcelona last year he wanted to leave but opted to remain.

 

TOP STORY – MESSI BEING EYED BY DUO

Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are both monitoring Lionel Messi's transfer position after becoming a free agent, according to the front page of Tuesday's Mundo Deportivo.

Messi's Barcelona contract expired on June 30, but he has been widely expected to re-sign with the LaLiga giants, who need to manage their finances.

However, with Messi still unattached, Ligue 1 powerhouse PSG and Premier League champions City are continuing to eye the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

 

ROUND-UP

- ESPN reports Sergio Ramos, fresh from his Real Madrid exit, will have a medical with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday and join as a free agent.

Juventus remain interested in signing France international midfielder Paul Pogba from Manchester United, according to 90min.

- Marca reports United are leading the race to sign Rennes teenager Eduardo Camavinga, ahead of Madrid and PSG.

City may still turn to Barca forward Antoine Griezmann, if they fail to land Tottenham's Harry Kane, claims Mundo Deportivo. City have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland and Inter star Romelu Lukaku.

- New Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is interested in signing Benfica's Haris Seferovic reports the Mirror. Benfica are looking to sell the Swiss striker.

- Fabrizio Romano claims Juventus have not initiated any move for Barcelona's Miralem Pjanic despite links of a return to his former club. Juve continue to be linked with Sassuolo's Manuel Locatelli, who is also reportedly wanted by Arsenal.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.