Lionel Messi moving to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami would serve as a "reference point for football in the U.S." as David Beckham's franchise look to make high-profile signings.

That is the message from Miami's chief business officer Xavier Asensi, who hinted to Mundo Deportivo that his side will look to make a move for Messi.

Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini made their MLS debuts on Sunday for Los Angeles FC in a 2-1 win over Nashville SC.

Five-time Champions League winner Bale and Chiellini, who won Euro 2020 with Italy last year, joined Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Beckham as some of the biggest names to play in MLS.

With Messi's Paris Saint-Germain contract set to expire at the end of the upcoming season, Asensi suggested Miami will attempt to sign Messi but conceded the aim may be unrealistic.

When asked whether signing a player like Messi was a target for Beckham's side, Asensi said: "Yes, with some caveats. You can't compare Leo Messi with any other player; he's different.

"Having said that, what we're looking for is to be the reference point for football in the U.S., and to do that, the important thing is the players and the show that you can put on.

"To do so, you need the best players, and having them is a genuine objective at this club. In terms of Leo Messi, there's him and then there's everyone else.

"It depends on him and what he wants. We want to have the best players in the world, and I think Messi is the best in history. From there it's up to him."

 

Messi, 35, experienced a lean first season by his own high standards for PSG, scoring 11 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.

That return was 17 fewer than he managed for Barcelona in the 2020-21 campaign, his final campaign before ending a 21-year association with the Blaugrana.

Though his goal tally diminished, Messi set up 14 league goals – only once in his last five seasons at Camp Nou (21 in 2019-20) did he assist more in a term.

After making his intentions and admirations for Messi clear, Asensi's focus turned to the pre-season friendly against Barca on Wednesday.

"From an emotional point of view it's marvellous and professionally it's exceptional," he added. "Barca are, if not the biggest, one of the three biggest clubs in the world for sure, and clubs are the ones that capitalise on the passion for football.

"I don't know of any fans of FIFA or UEFA. In international football everyone supports their country, but clubs don't have any borders, they go everywhere. And in terms of clubs, Barca are among the biggest, looking at the numbers.

"Emotionally, it's the biggest thing for me. To have them here, for the people of Miami, is spectacular."

Kai Havertz hopes to repay the trust of Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea in the absence of Romelu Lukaku, while the Germany international cannot wait to learn from Raheem Sterling.

Tuchel has previously used Havertz as a false nine to lead the Blues line, with Lukaku either injured or unselected, but the striker scored just eight times in 29 Premier League appearances last season.

With Lukaku returning to Inter on loan, Tuchel ruling out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski joining Barcelona, Havertz will likely be tasked with the role up top once more.

Though the former Bayer Leverkusen star acknowledged he did not expect the positional switch, Havertz is aiming to make the role his own and give Tuchel reason to have faith in him.

"I've played a lot of positions over the years but last season I played a lot as a number nine and it's a position I like very much," he told reporters.

"If I look back four years ago, I could never have imagined playing there. But the last two years I've played it more often and I like the position.

"It's still good that I am flexible and can play different positions up front, but I am there to score goals and make assists and as a number nine you have to do that and link up with players.

"Consistency in football is a very big word; we play every three days and we have to always keep the level high. It's also the case for me to be consistent in every match and to score as many goals as I can.

"Sometimes, it's normal that for one game you drop the level. It's not always possible to score five goals in every game. Consistency for me is a big point and I try to work on that.

"I need to get that confidence from the coach, I need the trust of the coach. Sometimes also in the bad times too. He has always given that trust to me in the last couple of years.

"It is always good for a striker, and me as well, [to know that]. I'm still young. If you are playing and on the pitch, you always have to take the responsibility.

"I will definitely try to play again as much as I can this season. Hopefully, it is going to be a better year than last year."

If Havertz wants to improve his goalscoring ability and finishing, he has to look no further for advice than from Sterling, who joined from Manchester CIty on a five-year deal last week.

Since Pep Guardiola became City coach in 2016, Sterling has scored 27 Premier League goals from inside the six-yard box, which is five more than anyone else (Harry Kane, 22).

The England international averaged almost a goal every other game (one every 179 minutes) in the Premier League under Guardiola, with his haul of 85 bettered by only five players since the start of the 2016-17 season.

"We all know that he is a great player," Havertz said of Sterling. "I saw a stat about him that he has had the most goals and assists for Man City in the last five years or something like that. That tells the whole story of him.

"He was a great player for City and the national team as well, hopefully, he can keep up his level here. For me and of course, for everyone, he is going to help.

"I think in every game you can see that. I know the game against England at the Euros, he played well. You can see his quality here already and it's been just a few days.

"You can see in training how good he is, how fast he is. He is definitely going to help us."

Kalidou Koulibaly has also joined Chelsea as the second signing of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital era at Stamford Bridge, and Havertz is delighted to have new ownership after a turbulent last season.

"It was a crazy time for all of us," Havertz said, referencing former owner Roman Abramovich's sanctions. "There were then a lot of changes in the club which was strange for all of us, but we came through it.

"I think it helps that in the team we all get to know each other and also in different or difficult situations that everyone is together so I think it helped us as well.

"I think we are a special group. We see that in the changing room away from the pitch and on the pitch. We have a lot of young players who are maybe the same age.

"We have a lot of experienced players and I think we all fit together very well. You see it off the pitch that it is hopefully going to be a special year for us."

Manchester United's strikers in particular will welcome the arrival of new signing Christian Eriksen thanks to his creativity from midfield, according to manager Erik ten Hag.

Eriksen turned down the chance to extend his short-term deal with Brentford and instead joined United on a three-year contract last Friday.

The Denmark international made an instant impact on his return to the Premier League in the second half of last season, scoring once and assisting four more in 11 appearances.

The 30 chances he created between his Bees bow in March and the end of the campaign was bettered only by Martin Odegaard (38) and Kevin De Bruyne (42).

Eriksen has also previously played for Ajax, Tottenham and Inter, where his time was cut short on medical grounds after suffering a cardiac arrest at last year's Euro 2020.

He has yet to link up with his new team-mates, who are on the Australia leg of their pre-season tour, but Ten Hag believes they will benefit from playing alongside the playmaker.

"He's an experienced player. He plays in countries abroad, in Italy, in Holland, a long time in England, so he knows the Premier League," Ten Hag told United's official website.

"It's an absolute advantage that we have him in. I think he is a magnificent football player and I think the fans will enjoy watching him.

"He's creative and he has ideas. I think especially our strikers will also be happy because he's the one who can involve them in the game.

"The fact that we've got him, we have him now in our squad, tells everything, because I think we were really selective.

"It was not the point to get players in, but the right players in. I'm really happy that we succeeded with Christian Eriksen."

Eriksen created 2.88 chances per 90 minutes on average in the Premier League last season, compared to 2.57 for United's most creative player Bruno Fernandes.

Cristiano Ronaldo led the scoring charts for United in the top flight last term with 18 goals, though Fernandes (10) was the only other to register double figures.

While Eriksen's arrival will help United in the final third, they have also strengthened at the back with the signing of Tyrell Malacia and the imminent arrival of Lisandro Martinez.

A £48million (€57m) agreement is in place with Ajax for Martinez, potentially rising to £56.5m (€67m), which will see the versatile defender reunite with former Ajax boss Ten Hag.

"He's a warrior and I think the fans will admire him. He has an attitude, fighting spirit," Ten Hag said when asked what supporters can expect to see from the Argentina international.

"He brings aggressiveness in the game, in a good way. I think we need that. But he's also skilful and he can deal with the ball, and he's also left-footed.

"I think the Premier League is high intensity, lots of challenges. We need such players [with fighting spirit]. 

"Certain ideas, he knows them. That is an advantage, clearly. But also he has to adapt, to a new country, a new club, new team-mates. So also a lot of things will be different."

Erik ten Hag can lead Manchester United to a Premier League title challenge next season, according to Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira.

Ten Hag has enjoyed a fine start to his first pre-season at Old Trafford, with United racking up comfortable victories over Liverpool and Melbourne Victory during their tour of Asia and Australia, netting four goals in each game.

United missed out on Champions League qualification at the end of a dismal 2021-22 season, posting their lowest Premier League points tally (58), but hopes are high that Ten Hag can revitalise the side.

The club have been making moves in the transfer market in a bid to turn things around, adding Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia, former Tottenham and Brentford midfielder Christian Eriksen, and agreeing a deal for versatile Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.

Speaking as his team prepared for a friendly against United at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Vieira said there were already signs the Dutchman had improved the Red Devils. 

"I think when you look at the first game they played against Liverpool and the game that they had against Melbourne, it looked like the new manager has started to implement the way that he wants the team to play," the former Arsenal captain said.

"But you just need to look at the individual talent that you have in that team and to believe that, you know, United, they used to play to win the Premier League.

"I think this year they will be there, trying to get the spot for the Champions League or win the title."

Meanwhile, Palace's hopes of building on their 12th-placed finish last season appear to have been dealt a huge blow, with last term's loan star Conor Gallagher set to fight for his place at Chelsea.

Only Wilfried Zaha (14) scored more Premier League goals than Gallagher's eight for Palace last season, and only Michael Olise (five) bettered the midfielder's tally of three assists for the Eagles. 

But with Gallagher declaring last week he was desperate to earn playing time at Stamford Bridge in the upcoming campaign, Vieira concedes Palace will have to do without his talents.

"At the moment I don't think there is any chance because he is a Chelsea player," he said of a potential return for Gallagher. 

"He did fantastically well for us, but he is in pre-season with Chelsea and honestly we wish him all the best. I don't think there is a way to get him back."

Ben Stokes will say farewell to ODI cricket when England face South Africa in the first game of a three-match series.

England's Test captain announced on Monday that Tuesday's clash at his home ground at Durham will be his last in 50-over international cricket.

It will bring down the curtain on a spectacular career in this format, Stokes' defining moment coming when he helped guide England to glory in the 2019 World Cup final.

Stokes scored a remarkable 84 not out and a subsequent eight in the Super Over as England won on the boundary countback rule after an astonishing game against New Zealand ended in a tie.

He began that tournament by claiming a stunning one-handed catch at The Oval against South Africa to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo.

The player who bowled the delivery for that wicket is back in the England squad, Adil Rashid returning after being granted permission to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca by the ECB.

Rashid will give England a leg-spin option they sorely lacked across 2-1 T20I and ODI series defeats to India, who prospered in part due to the effectiveness of their own legbreak bowler, Yuzvendra Chahal.

South Africa are without captain Temba Bavuma due to an elbow injury, meaning Keshav Maharaj will captain the side in his absence.

With the ODI series not forming part of the World Cup Super League, in which England are first but South Africa are outside the top eight in 11th, the Proteas have also elected to rest fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.

CAN STOKES SIGN OFF IN STYLE?

Stokes is 81 runs away from reaching 3,000 in ODI cricket. He will want to bow out on a high at The Riverside Ground, and the omens are good for him reaching that milestone as he has scored over 80 in each of his last two ODIs against South Africa (101 and 89).

SHAMSI EXCITED FOR ENGLAND TEST

Wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi has excelled against England in ODI cricket and is ready for the challenge of facing a star-studded batting line-up.

He is five wickets away from 50 for South Africa in men's ODIs and has an ODI bowling average of 24 against England, his best against any team (min. two innings).

Shamsi told ESPNCricinfo: "I've always wanted to get the best guy out on the opposition team.

"England is blessed with many good guys, so that's really exciting for me. It's something I'm proud of when I play: it's a great opportunity to be bowling against very good players and having an opportunity to get them out."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will continue playing for Milan past the age of 41 after signing a one-year contract with the Rossoneri.

The Sweden international returned to San Siro in December 2019 after leaving Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.

Ibrahimovic vowed he would end Milan's long wait for the Scudetto and subsequently delivered in the 2021-22 season as the Rossoneri won their first Serie A title in 11 years.

Injuries restricted the striker to just 12 appearances in all competitions last term, but only Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud (both 14) scored more goals than the 40-year-old's eight.

Ibrahimovic is expected to be out until January following an operation on his left knee, but Milan have rewarded the forward with a new contract to keep him at the club until June 2023.

Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi arrived earlier in the transfer window to bolster Pioli's attacking options as Milan aim to defend their Serie A title in the upcoming campaign, which the Rossoneri start at home to Udinese on August 13.

The Belgian scored 22 goals in 107 Premier League appearances for Jurgen Klopp's side, while only starting 34 of those matches, and will provide additional competition for striking options alongside Giroud, Leao and Ibrahimovic.

Jos Buttler must be afforded time to settle after a "baptism of fire" to his England white-ball captaincy against India.

That was the message from new England white-ball coach Matthew Mott, who is also relishing the prospect of Adil Rashid returning after being granted leave to undertake the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Buttler was appointed as ODI and T20I captain following the long-serving reign of Eoin Morgan, but started with back-to-back 2-1 defeats against India in white-ball cricket.

The wicket-keeper batter struggled in a bowler-dominated series against Rohit Sharma's side, passing 50 just once in six outings and failing to record double figures on three occasions.

Though Buttler seemed to regain some form with 60 in the third ODI defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday, Mott insists it will take time for his captain to become familiar with the role.

"I think his leadership has been a baptism of fire. I thought it was a gutsy knock [on Sunday] – a real captain's innings," Mott told reporters. 

"He was hit in the head a couple of times, he'd have been shaken up, but he showed a lot out there.

"Jos brings a nice calmness. He's a hugely empathetic person. He won't be someone who stands up and makes big speeches, he'll do it in his own quiet way, one-on-one, working out what makes players tick. And he's an amazing player – that helps."

Buttler has sizeable experience as vice-captain to Morgan, who retired from international cricket after scoring the most runs in both white-ball formats for England – 6,957 in 50 overs and 2,458 in T20.

Morgan also led England to dramatic Cricket World Cup success over New Zealand at Lord's in 2019, three years after guiding his side to the T20 World Cup final.

The former England captain has moved into TV punditry, working for Sky Sports, but Mott insists that Morgan's presence is not overshadowing Buttler's start to his new era.

"There's no doubt his legacy is huge, his leadership is renowned. But at the start it wasn't like that," Mott added. 

"He had his early struggles when the team wasn't firing as well. You get judged at the end of your tenure, not the start.

"[Morgan] developed that experience over six or seven years, making a few mistakes, learning, getting better. We know we've been off in a couple of departments and India made us pay heavily.

"I felt lucky Eoin went on that first trip to Holland – he showed me the ropes, how the team ticks. He'll be a great sounding board for both Jos and myself about what he's seen from the outside.

"He clearly loves the team. Now he's on the other side of the fence, he has a really good perspective and will give us some good feedback.”

England struggled without the presence of leg-spinner Rashid throughout the middle overs against India, whose leg-break bowler Yuzvendra Chahal regularly tormented the hosts' batters.

Only four players – James Anderson (269), Darren Gough (234), Stuart Broad (178) and Andrew Flintoff (168) – have taken more ODI wickets for England than Rashid (162), and Mott is glad to have the leg-spinner back for the three-match series against South Africa, which starts on Tuesday at Durham.

"We fully respect the reasons why [Rashid] wasn't here and I think it's great he’s made that journey," said Mott.

"But we'll definitely welcome him back with open arms. It will have freshened him up nicely as well."

Gabriel Jesus can help Arsenal discover a "winning mentality" after joining from Premier League champions Manchester City, according to his new Gunners team-mate Emile Smith Rowe.

Brazil striker Jesus left Pep Guardiola's team for Arsenal in a deal worth around £45million after starting just 28 games in all competitions last season, scoring 13 goals.

Only Riyad Mahrez (24), Kevin De Bruyne (19), Raheem Sterling (17) and Phil Foden (14) outscored Jesus for City last term despite his limited playing time, as Guardiola's men successfully defended their title by a single point ahead of Liverpool.

Meanwhile, only Lionel Messi (291), Sterling (186), De Bruyne (175) and Sergio Aguero (151) can better Jesus' tally of 136 goal contributions under Guardiola's management, with the forward winning 10 pieces of silverware in his time with City.

Despite Jesus only turning 25 in April, Smith Rowe believes his experience of featuring for an elite side will benefit the Gunners.

"He's been fantastic since he came in, it feels like he's been here for a couple of years," he told the Evening Standard. 

"Everyone knows how good he is, and we can't wait to get started with him. Man City are a big club and they've won a lot recently. 

"It would be good if he could bring that [winning] mentality and help us out."

Jesus netted in Arsenal's friendly win over Everton last time out, taking him to three goals in two pre-season appearances for his new side.

But the 25-year-old is not the only signing made by Mikel Arteta during the transfer window, with Porto's 22-year-old midfielder Fabio Vieira joining for an initial fee of £30million (€35m).

And Smith Rowe was keen to emphasise Vieira's similarity to another Portuguese midfielder, namely City's Bernardo Silva, as he hailed his creative talents.

"He's very similar [to Silva]," Smith Rowe said of Vieira. "He's a very good passer of the ball, his left foot is very good, and he likes to create goals and score them himself.

"I've already played against him at international level, so I can't speak highly enough of him, and the fans should be really excited. At the Euro Under-21s, they [Portugal] beat us 2-0 and he was unbelievable in that game."

Arsenal will feature in the Europa League after a late-season collapse saw rivals Tottenham beat them to a top-four Premier League finish last time out, and Smith Rowe says the Gunners are desperate to atone for that disappointment in the 2022-23 campaign.

"It's definitely tough looking back on it, it was in our hands. The Spurs game [a 3-0 defeat in May]… it was tough. It wasn't a nice atmosphere. All the boys were down," he recalled.

"The manager picked us up and we had another chance after that, but it didn't go our way in the end. 

"Going forward, we have just got to stick together as a team. We are a young team, we are still getting there. It's fuel for us going forward and we can't wait to start the season.

"It will be a good season, a tough season. The big clubs are buying players and every season is hard, but we are confident. 

"It's been a long time since we've been in the Champions League. We need to get back in it, not just for us but for the fans as well."

Roma lifted their first trophy since the 2007-08 campaign in their first full season under Jose Mourinho, but that came as no surprise to Giallorossi centre-back Chris Smalling.

Smalling left Manchester United in 2020 for Rome, where he linked up with former Red Devils manager Mourinho after the Portuguese coach was appointed last year.

Mourinho headed back to Italy following his sacking by Tottenham after just 17 months in charge of the Premier League side, and guided Roma to sixth in Serie A in 2021-22.

Though his team failed to keep pace with Italy's top four, Mourinho managed to deliver European success in the inaugural Europa Conference League, beating Feyenoord 1-0 in the final.

That made the 59-year-old just the second manager to win five major European titles after Giovanni Trapattoni, and the first coach to lift such trophies with four different teams.

Mourinho went as far as marking the achievement with a tattoo on his right arm picturing his European honours, and Smalling says success was bound to happen after his Roma appointment.

"The coach is always the same, he is a leader with such a strong character that he has forged over the years with successes," Smalling told Il Corriere dello Sport.

"A great coach like Mourinho who enjoys enormous esteem all over the world is the perfect profile for Roma, it is no coincidence that he won immediately, in the first season."

The lure of Mourinho has reportedly secured the services of free agent Paulo Dybala, whose contract expired at Juventus at the end of last season.

With Mile Svilar, Nemanja Matic and Zeki Celik already signed this transfer window, Smalling believes Roma will continue improving to compete with the likes of Inter, Juve, Napoli and Milan.

"I like this team, it is normal for expectations to rise and the bar to move upwards," added Smalling, who made 27 Serie A appearances last season. 

"We found good continuity at the end of last season, which we lacked before when we had left points on the road. The backbone of the team is good, the group is united, we know the coach, who has been working with us for a year.

"All the teams can improve, whoever arrives would be an important addition. I think this should be the minimum goal for Roma.

"This club has been out of major European competition for too long. We must be in the top four to participate in the Champions League and then try to win another trophy."

Smalling's contract is set to expire next June but the 32-year-old insists his focus remains solely on Roma.

"The priority for me is to play and help the team and then things will come," he continued. "I think I can still be useful. You can't escape your age, but you have the years you feel. 

"I have always tried not to have regrets, I play every game as if it were the last, I always go out on the pitch to give everything, to leave no stone unturned. 

"I have not changed today that I am 32, I have always faced one game at a time."

Sergio Aguero has provided a glowing endorsement for Argentina compatriot Julian Alvarez after his move to Manchester City.

That is the message from former City and England defender Joleon Lescott, who expects Alvarez to become a key figure for Pep Guardiola's side in the Premier League in the coming years.

Alvarez signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with the Premier League champions from River Plate in a deal worth a reported £14million ($18.8m) back in January, before being loaned back to his former side.

The 22-year-old initially caught City's eye after 20 goals and 12 assists in 35 games in the Argentine Primera Division last year, with those 32 direct goal involvements at least six more than any other player in 2021.

He added another 11 goals in 15 league appearances in 2022 and, while it remains unclear whether Alvarez will be loaned out again, Lescott revealed the forward has the backing of City great Aguero.

"He's definitely got the quality [to perform in the Premier League]," Lescott told City's official website.

"I've seen little bits, but I've also spoken to Sergio about him briefly and he said he was a top talent. He was excited for him, which was good, so that'll be a high expectation.

"Sergio said he will score goals. He can also excite fans, Sergio said possibly more than him, not in terms of scoring but in terms of the way he plays.

"He wants to dribble a little bit more than what Sergio did, who was more 'let me score', which was great for us but a different mindset.

"But with the likes of [Gabriel] Jesus leaving, you're not going to do that if you're not replacing him with an exceptional talent as well. I'm excited for him and hopefully he gets opportunities to score."

Alvarez will provide able competition to fellow arrival Erling Haaland should the Argentine stay at the Etihad Stadium for the season.

Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 appearances during his two-and-a-half-year spell at Borussia Dortmund, a tally bettered by only Robert Lewandowski (123 in 108 games) and Kylian Mbappe (93 in 111 games) of players from Europe's top five leagues during that period.

Yet with competition aplenty within Guardiola's squad, Lescott encouraged Alvarez to seize his pre-season opportunities as opposed to settling for a back-up role behind Haaland.

"I'm sure Julian has come in and wants to play and not just come to watch Erling Haaland score goals and perform," he added.

"There's an opportunity for him to play and I'm sure he's going to back himself to do that and do well. The age of the squad is good, it helps keep everyone competitive.

"The younger lads from the City academy as well will respect what it is. They'll understand that yes, they need to perform, yes they need to train well and get themselves ready for whatever season they have."

Lucas Moura insists he is committed to Tottenham amid uncertainty over his future, as he expressed his desire to end a trophyless spell in north London next season.

The Brazil international revealed last month that the 2022-23 campaign could be his last with Spurs, though the forward's agent was quick to suggest his client remains an important part of Antonio Conte's plans.

Moura may have to settle for a rotational role, or play at wing-back as Conte previously hinted, due to the arrival of Richarlison in the off-season, with the former Everton man joining Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min in Spurs' attack.

With just a year left on his contract, on which Tottenham hold an option for a further 12 months, Moura said his planned return to Brazil can wait until he has experienced success under Conte.

"I will turn 30 in August. I'm getting old already, but I feel very good mentally and physically," he told football.london. "I'm very, very happy at Tottenham. I love the club. I love the fans.

"I love everyone who works in the club, but of course I have a plan to go back to Brazil one day. I have at least one year in my contract, maybe two.

"I don't know if the club will want me to sign another contract but I'm happy here. I just want to have the best season this season. 

"I just want to win a trophy because this has been my objective here since the first day I arrived in the club, and I believe this season I can achieve this, and then we'll see next season what is the desire of the club."

The former Paris Saint-Germain attacker appeared 34 times across the 2021-22 Premier League campaign, scoring two goals and assisting six, while creating 34 chances.

That represented Moura's worst goal return when playing a full season in the English top flight, but he hopes to prove his worth in a bid to feature at the Qatar World Cup for Brazil in November.

"I have other targets, which are to go back to the national team," he added. "Why not play in the World Cup at the end of the year? It's very difficult but anything is possible.

"I have this hope and I will work for this. These are the two most important targets for now."

Moura's compatriot Richarlison is another who will aim to feature in Qatar for Brazil following his big-money move from Everton.

The 25-year-old scored (10) and assisted (five) more Premier League goals than any other Everton player last term, and Moura believes Conte's new signing could be a great asset.

"I met him two years ago on the national team. Quality player, very good guy, he will help us a lot because he has some experience in the Premier League," he continued.

"He is strong. His mentality is very good. He's a great addition for us. He's a very simple guy, very humble, very funny. It's always good to have a guy like this in the squad and I'm happy because he's Brazilian, so I have one more Brazilian with me now!

"He's always ready to play because we see he loves to play football. It's good to have a player like this. 

"This season we can see another Tottenham and I hope we achieve our targets because we have a quality squad and a great manager. We have the quality to win trophies and this is our objective.

"We know how difficult it is because we play in the Premier League and there are a lot of teams that can win. Also, the Champions League we know is not easy, but we have a great squad.

"We have stars like Harry and Sonny. We have a manager who is one of the best. We have a structure, an amazing training ground, an unbelievable stadium, great fans.

"We have everything we need to achieve. Now it depends on us. We need to work hard and show on the pitch we deserve to win."

Robert Lewandowski declared it was time for Barcelona to "get back on track" after securing his long-awaited move to Camp Nou, as the Poland international revealed he had always dreamed of playing in LaLiga.

Barcelona confirmed on Saturday they had reached an agreement in principle to sign Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, before completing a deal reportedly worth €50million for the 33-year-old on Sunday.

Lewandowski scored 50 goals across all competitions as Bayern won a 10th consecutive Bundesliga title last term, but made his desire to join the Catalan giants clear at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old leaves Bayern having scored 312 Bundesliga goals, a tally only bettered by legendary striker Gerd Muller (365), and will provide a new focal point for a Barcelona team which scored 12 goals fewer than LaLiga champions Real Madrid last season. 

Having joined his new Blaugrana team-mates in Florida ahead of a friendly against Inter Miami, Lewandowski has targeted restoring Barcelona to the top of the Spanish game, with the league title having evaded the club since 2018-19.

"Finally I'm here, I'm very happy," Lewandowski told the club's media channels. "The last few days were very long days but in the end, the deal is done, so I can focus on a new chapter in my life, a new challenge.

"I am always the guy who wants to win, not only the games but the titles, so I hope from the beginning of the season we're going to start by winning, and go to [win] titles at the end of the season.

"I always wanted to play in LaLiga, I wanted to play for the big clubs.

"Now it's my next step, this opportunity that I had. Also for my private life, it's a new challenge, a new life.

"It's time to get [Barcelona] back on track and that's why I'm here, to help Barcelona be on top and win as many titles as possible.

"For me, the goals are always high. We have so many good players with amazing quality, and we know that with this team we can achieve a lot this season, I'm sure it's going to be like that."

 

Lewandowski joins the likes of Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Raphinha in signing for Barcelona in this transfer window as Xavi looks to reshape his squad after finishing a distant second to Madrid in LaLiga last season.

And the striker believes Xavi is the ideal man to revive Barca after a difficult few seasons, as he revealed he had been in contact with the former midfielder throughout his transfer saga.

"I was speaking with Xavi, from the beginning I knew that his idea was going in a good way, with this idea it was easy for me to decide to come to Barcelona," he added.

"I know I'm the guy who wants to play, to win, and I think with Xavi it's very possible. 

"He knows exactly how to coach Barcelona because he was amazing player, now he's also a very good coach with an amazing future and I want to be part of this as well."

Ronald Araujo insists he will welcome competition for places at Barcelona amid continued speculation Jules Kounde will join the Blaugrana.

Barca have already signed Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie and Raphinha despite financial difficulties for the LaLiga side.

Xavi's side have also struck an agreement to bring Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski to Camp Nou for a reported €50million, including add-ons.

Ousmane Dembele has penned a contract extension with Barca as well, but the Blaugrana's spending looks set to continue with the Catalan giants reportedly on the brink of purchasing Kounde from Sevilla.

Chelsea and Manchester City have also been linked with the in-demand France centre-back, who Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui appears resigned to losing.

With Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia, Christensen and potentially Kounde as competition, Araujo suggested he wants the best for Barca to compete, and will welcome any addition to Xavi's squad.

Asked about Kounde after training on Barca's pre-season tour of the United States, the Uruguay international responded: "He is a great player; the best players being at Barca is good for the group.

"They know what I can contribute, my characteristics; what I want is for us to have the best possible team.

"Competition is always good in football because it makes you get the best of you, and players arrive who can contribute. I always say that I want the best for Barca, and that they add to the team."

As for Dembele's extension and the new arrivals, Araujo was quick to express his delight as Barca prepare to challenge Real Madrid for the LaLiga title.

"We all wanted Ousmane to continue in the team," he added. "We know [Lewandowski's] quality; it is tremendous that he is with us. 

"Raphinha, Christensen, Kessie also arrived. It's important that good players arrive to continue growing as a team."

Barcelona face friendlies against Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls before their LaLiga opener against Rayo Vallecano on August 13, and Araujo stressed the importance of pre-season.

"It is important to have a good pre-season, at a tactical and physical level. I think it's going to be a nice season," he continued. "It's important to win titles for the group, but you have to go step by step."

Sebastian Haller says he does not want to be labelled as "someone's successor" after replacing Erling Haaland at Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 appearances during his two-and-a-half-year spell at Dortmund before making a big-money move to Manchester City last month.

That tally was bettered by only Robert Lewandowski (123 in 108 games) and Kylian Mbappe (93 in 111 games) of players from Europe's top five leagues during that period.

Dortmund swiftly acted to replace the Norway international, signing Haller from Ajax for a reported €36million and exciting forward Karim Adeyemi from RB Salzburg.

Haller caught the eye with Ajax during a talismanic 18-month spell that included 11 goals in just eight Champions League appearances in the 2021-22 season.

But the Ivory Coast striker was quick to dismiss comparisons with Haaland, insisting he did not want to be viewed as a replacement for the prolific striker.

"I'm not coming to Borussia Dortmund as someone's successor, but because the club needs my quality," he told reporters on Sunday at Dortmund's Bad Ragaz training camp in Switzerland. 

"So I'll do my best to give back the confidence. I knew that BVB had been interested for a long time, by that I mean during the last season.

"But there is a big difference between interest and the transfer fee. When it became concrete, I felt that Dortmund had a very good option for me. In the end, it certainly wasn't a bad deal for Ajax either."

 

Barcelona struck a deal with Bayern Munich on Saturday to bring Lewandowski to the Blaugrana for a reported €50m, including add-ons.

The Poland captain scored 50 goals last season in all competitions, more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, but Haller refused to suggest Bayern would be weaker without Lewandowski.

"Time will tell. I'm here now to play for Borussia Dortmund and do my best. Not to talk about the situation at other clubs," he added.

"It doesn't matter to me whether he still played at Bayern or not. I want to win games with my team. I don't focus on other teams.

"First of all, to be able to achieve anything, we have to win our games. If we're not successful, then we don't need to look at others anyway.

"I focus on the way we play, on our team, and I want to adapt quickly instead of worrying about our opponents getting weaker. It's like this: If you want to win titles, you have to focus on yourself."

Dortmund start their new campaign with a DFB-Pokal tie against 1860 Munich on July 26, with their Bundesliga season starting at home to Bayer Leverkusen on August 6.

Bernarda Pera secured her first WTA Tour title after defeating Aleksandra Krunic 6-3 6-3 at the Budapest Grand Prix.

Pera, who won two qualifying rounds to reach the main draw in the tournament, will likely re-enter the top 100 in the world rankings after her triumph.

The pair advanced to Sunday's showpiece in Hungary without dropping a set, teeing up a mouth-watering clash between the world number 105 Krunic and 130th-ranked Pera.

Pera, the lowest-ranked contender to play for the title in Budapest since world number 112 Yvonne Meusburger lost to Simona Halep in 2013, raced out the blocks to claim an early 3-0 lead, with the Serbian winning just one point.

Krunic then squandered four break-point opportunities in the fifth game before the American required five attempts to claim the first-set lead, with both missing a plethora of chances.

Moscow-born Krunic seemed to regain her composure, with the pair exchanging breaks to leave the match finely poised at 3-3 in the second set.

But Pera, appearing in her first tour-level final, broke again once more in the following set before holding out on her serve to seize the initiative.

The 27-year-old required just one opportunity to wrap up the match and her maiden title, while she achieved her third career win over Krunic in as many meetings.

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