Sion are in talks with Mario Balotelli, according to the Swiss club's president.

Former Inter, Manchester City, Liverpool and Milan forward Balotelli spent last season in Turkey with Adana Demirspor.

The Italy international scored 18 Turkish Super Lig goals as the team finished ninth, with only Kasimpasa's Umut Bozok managing more strikes in the competition (20).

That tally included a stunning five-goal haul on the final day against Goztepe, making top-flight history for Adana Demirspor in the process.

Balotelli is under contract until 2024, though the 31-year-old seems to be pushing for a move away, having suggested he could move to LaLiga, with Valencia said to be interested.

However, Sion's president Christian Constantin has confirmed his team are in discussions with the player.

In an interview with the Swiss-German publication Blick, Constantin said: "It's true. We've been in talks for weeks.

"Today it is impossible for me to make a forecast about the chances of success of the transfer.

"We wanted to remain discreet, but the information apparently leaked in Italy. This is a signal that there is interest on both sides."

 

Signing Balotelli would represent a coup for Sion, who will be looking to improve on a seventh-place finish last season, with their Swiss Super League campaign starting on Sunday.

"If you only talk about talent, Mario had what it takes to win the Ballon d'Or," Constantin added.

Constantin also revealed Sion were interested in signing Balotelli back in 2016, before the forward moved to Nice.

"The first time we spoke to [Balotelli's former agent] Mino [Raiola] about Mario was in 2016, before he signed in Nice," Constantin added.

The president's son Barthelemy, Sion's sporting director, added: "We've been in contact with his agents for a long time and have a good relationship. We've done a few deals together in the past."

Thomas Tuchel acknowledged he did not expect to outlast Roman Abramovich and influential board members at Chelsea, while Romelu Lukaku made it "very clear he wanted to leave".

Chelsea have undergone wholesale change at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the club, with numerous departures at the top of the hierarchy.

Owner Abramovich, hampered by the sanctions imposed on him following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ended a 19-year spell with the Premier League side, while Bruce Buck stepped down as chairman.

Director and chief decision-maker Marina Granovskaia is also set to leave after 12 years, and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech was another departure as the boardroom reshuffle continued.

Granovskaia will remain available to Boehly, who is acting as interim sporting director and chairman, for the duration of the current transfer window to help with the transitional period.

The exodus in the Chelsea boardroom has led head coach Tuchel to be more involved with transfer activity, but the German hopes that he will not be required to participate as actively in negotiations in the longer term.

"It is intense," Tuchel said of the new era at Chelsea. "Everybody needs to find their role and have to adjust and adapt, of course.

"[My job] has changed a lot at the moment. I could never have imagined that I stayed longer at the club than Roman, Marina and Petr. 

"This was impossible so now with Marina not in charge and Petr not here anymore it has changed a lot. It's not my favourite thing to do and in the long run the focus has to be on coaching because it is why I am here.

"But, at the moment, of course my help is needed and wanted, and it is necessary that I step up and take the responsibility. 

"I am in contact with Todd directly on a daily basis and sometimes more than once on a daily basis because we are aware that we have a club in transition and change.

"My concern is for the team to be competitive and for this we have to invest a lot of time and we need to be hands on. There is no other way. 

"We compete not only against the best teams, but also against the best managers. We need to be competitive and replace big players and infuse quality.

"I think it's important for everybody at Cobham to take a little bit more responsibility, not only for me."

Tuchel has lost numerous key leaders from his side, with Antonio Rudiger going to Real Madrid and Andreas Christensen to Barcelona, where Cesar Azpilicueta could reportedly join as well.

Lukaku was another departure, sent out on loan to Inter, just a season after Chelsea spent a club-record £97.5million to bring the striker back to London.

The Belgium international labelled his return to Chelsea as a "mistake" on Thursday, and Tuchel suggested it was Lukaku who was intent on returning to Italy for the 2022-23 season.

"There has never been a meeting where I said 'I want this guy out'," said Tuchel. "Never. I was always clear – if he stays we will do everything to put him in a better place, to put him in better shape, to improve my style of coaching, our style of playing, to make him a better fit. 

"It was always a possibility he stayed, but Romelu made it very clear he wanted to leave and the owners took the decision to make the decision straight away.

"Disappointed is the wrong word. I don't know a better word in English. It feels like I take it personally – it's never personal. I am not happy that we couldn't bring more out of him.

"Maybe it would have just taken a bit more time. A bit more fitness, a bit more adaptation in our game. Who knows? But we will not find out.

"Once Romelu gave his clear opinion on the situation and there was a solution on the table, the owners made their choice and had my blessing."

Thomas Tuchel has achieved his "top priority" for the transfer window by signing Raheem Sterling, while the Chelsea head coach cannot foresee Robert Lewandowski arriving.

Sterling joined Manchester City for a reported fee in the region of £45million on Wednesday, as Chelsea confirmed their first signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the Blues.

The England international, who signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, scored 17 goals in all competitions for City last season, a tally bettered by only Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19).

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has also been linked to Stamford Bridge, alongside Barcelona's top target Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski scored 50 goals in all competitions last term, the most of any player across Europe's top five leagues, and Tuchel appreciates his quality but does not envisage bringing him in.

"I don't think we have a chance for Lewandowski but if there is a chance, he is one of the best number nines," said Tuchel.

"The priority is not on the number nine position right now. We have our top priority [Sterling], we have got our top priority signed. It makes me very, very happy and from there we are very flexible.

"He was the absolute number one for that position. I gave his name to Todd straight away. Every time we played against him, he's horrible to play against, horrible!

"The main point is his intensity and the amount of repetition of intensity that he delivers. This is simply outstanding over the last years.

"It's exactly what we need to raise the level of our players. That's why we are so sure and that's why he was, for us, top of the list.

"Our goal threat should be enough right now. If we think something crazy comes up that we don’t see, maybe we will get involved, maybe not."

 

The versatile Sterling is expected to bring experience to the Chelsea attack, a feature lacking at the back for the Blues after the departure of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Cesar Azpilicueta is reportedly wanted by Barca as well, while Chelsea appear set to bring in Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly to somewhat fill the void in defence.

The minimum requirement for success under Boehly will be a top-four Premier League finish to qualify for the Champions League, and Tuchel acknowledged he must rebuild to develop a competitive squad.

"I think with Thiago [Silva] in the middle, Toni on the left and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] or Andreas [on the right] we had the best back-three in the world," he added.

"It's possible [to rebuild at short notice]. We can, we have to. I think we can put a structure in place and we have a structure on which we can rely on.

"For example, if we play against Everton, Thiago can play, Trevoh Chalobah can hopefully play, and Azpi is at the moment here. 

"If there are guys still to be signed or not fully aware of the principles, I don't want to use it as an excuse. When I came in, I had one day to start with the back-three because it was a fit and I still think it will be a fit.

"The first 10 days or 11 days with the group have been outstanding. The mentality, worth ethic and quality in training is absolutely impressive and this makes me very happy.

"I want to be ready when we play Everton. I want to win and I will demand it from myself, my team and all my players.

"The team will be strong. I am not ready to use it as an excuse even though it is maybe true that we are in transition. We can, I can focus, I think the team can focus on what makes us strong and we can take it step by step and work out how to win games."

While Chelsea made their long-awaited first signing in Sterling, top-four rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City have all been busy in the transfer window.

Tuchel was quick to hail the transfer dealings of Antonio Conte, who looks set to seal his sixth signing of the transfer window in Djed Spence, and conceded Chelsea will have to catch up with their competitors.

"I mean it when I said we fight against the best teams and the best coaches, which does not make life easier and they set the bar so high last season, but we start again from scratch," said Tuchel. 

"So we will try again. I can promise you that everybody is ready to try again. We will not give in before we play games. That's why the sanctions did not help. We lost important players and the other teams are recruiting, and did not have the losses that we had.

"If you look at the transfer period of Tottenham with Antonio Conte, it's maybe the strongest team they ever built. Manchester United will not give in, Arsenal will not give in, they've made two big signings already, so we are aware of the situation and try to do our best to be competitive."

Matt Doherty plans to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham despite Antonio Conte being poised to bring in right wing-back Djed Spence.

Spence appears set to become Conte's sixth signing of the transfer window, joining Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Richarlison and loanee Clement Lenglet.

Reports suggest the England Under-21 international will move in a transfer worth in the region of £20million, including add-ons, from Middlesbrough after impressing for Nottingham Forest in a loan spell.

Spence competed for the most duels (508) in the 2021-22 Championship season among defenders, while also attempting (187) and completing (76) the most dribbles in the same group.

An effective presence at both ends of the pitch, Spence helped Forest return to the highest level of English football for the first time in 23 years, and will likely face Steve Cooper's side with Spurs next term.

The 21-year-old will aim to displace Conte's other options at the position, Doherty and Emerson Royal, but the Republic of Ireland international will not give up his first-team spot without a fight.

"There's a lot of competition and that's never a bad thing, it brings everybody's standards up, makes everybody train properly, train hard and that's what you want," Doherty told reporters.

"You want to earn your position on merit. You don't want it handed to you. We're all competitors and that's what we want. We want to fight against each other and get a place."

Asked specifically about his future at the Premier League club, Doherty responded: "Of course. I haven't been told otherwise. My plan is to stay and fight for my place.

"We've got an exciting season ahead. Why would I want to go anywhere else?"

Conte will require a larger squad to rotate across the English top flight and Champions League in the 2022-23 season, with Doherty, Emerson and Spence likely to be utilised in different competitions.

Doherty insists his focus for now, though, revolves around building up his fitness after impressing in the second half of the season following Conte's arrival at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"I was in for a lot of the summer because I had to rehab my knee," he added. "For the first two weeks when everybody left I was in doing rehab with weekends off, out on the pitch doing ball work and fitness work.

"I didn't have a choice. I had to be in. I wanted to be back for pre-season ready to go. I had a week away and then came in for a day.

"I had three weeks off in a row but I came in during the second week for a couple of days and in again during the third week for a couple of days. I made sure I was ready to go.

"You can only feel in so much good shape once you start all that running but I feel OK. I might need to give my knee a little bit of time, that’s normal.

"The more you train and the more reps you get it will go away. I can see that. Sometimes it will bother me and the longer the week goes it will ease off."

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic "never had any doubts" Robert Lewandowski would report back for the start of pre-season training this week.

The Poland international told Bayern in May he wished to move away from the Allianz Arena this transfer window.

That came on the back of a campaign that saw Lewandowski score 50 goals in all competitions – the most of any player across Europe's top five leagues.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last week confirmed the LaLiga giants had made an offer for the prolific striker and were awaiting a response from Bayern.

Reports from the German media suggested Lewandowski would delay returning for training, but that did not prove the case as he was present for fitness tests on Tuesday.

While the future of the former Borussia Dortmund star remains far from certain, Salihamidzic praised the 33-year-old for not downing tools in an attempt to force through an exit.

"Robert is a top professional who I know very well," Salihamidzic told Bild. "I never had any doubts that he may not show up for training."

 

Bayern have offloaded the likes of Niklas Sule, Marc Roca and Corentin Tolisso this window, while Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui and Sadio Mane have arrived.

Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt is another player on the German champions' radar, with Salihamidzic confident an agreement can be reached with Juventus.

"It was important to meet with Juve," he said. "We held two talks and now we have to be patient and see what happens. In principle, I'm an optimistic person."

De Ligt played more minutes (2,675) than any other Juve outfield player in Serie A last season as Massimiliano Allegri's side struggled to a fourth-placed finish.

And although Lewandowski may have asked for a move away, Salihamidzic believes Bayern are still a club that big-name players want to join.

"It's sexy for the players to go into the future with this club and this coach," he said.

"We'll keep our eyes and ears open, see what's happening on the transfer market, and we'll do our best for Bayern."

Bayern face MLS side D.C. United in their opening pre-season friendly next Wednesday as part of their tour of the United States.

Juventus would move for a top-class replacement if Matthijs de Ligt departs for Bayern Munich, head coach Massimiliano Allegri has promised.

Torino's Gleison Bremer is among the centre-backs to be linked with Juventus recently, and the Brazilian could fit the bill for the Bianconeri.

Talks between Juventus and Bayern have taken place this week, and it appears increasingly likely De Ligt will join the Bundesliga champions before the new season begins.

Juventus have brought in Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria as statement signings already during the close season, and they are determined another would follow should De Ligt's three-year stint in Italy draw to a close.

The 22-year-old was acquired from Ajax, and last season the Dutchman played more minutes (2,675) than any other Juve outfield player in Serie A as Allegri's side stumbled to a fourth-placed finish.

"As you all know, [on Wednesday] there was a meeting with Bayern Munich, but for the moment De Ligt is still a Juventus player," Allegri said in a news conference.

"He is training well. I manage those I have here and De Ligt is here. Then the transfer window is open until August 31, therefore anything can happen.

"That said, I am very happy about what the club are doing and have done bringing in two important players. Should De Ligt eventually leave us, our club would replace him in the best way."

Juventus have friendlies lined up against C.D. Guadalajara, Barcelona and Real Madrid on the upcoming Soccer Champions Tour in the United States, playing games in Las Vegas, Dallas and Los Angeles.

It will be a first chance to see France midfielder Pogba back in action for Juventus, six years after he left for Manchester United, while Argentine playmaker Di Maria has joined from Paris Saint-Germain after seven productive seasons in Ligue 1.

"The signings of Pogba and Di Maria are important technically, they hugely raise our technical level and take the responsibility off some other players," said Allegri. "But mostly, they make our squad's skills much better. That is why I am very happy they are with us now.

"Paul has arrived in the right way, with will and determination to come back playing to his standard level since he hadn't in his last season at United.

"At Juventus he has basically come back home, and I think he can help us a lot since from a physical and technical point of view he is a cut above the others."

Carlo Ancelotti claims Real Madrid have already completed their summer spending as he ruled out any more arrivals at the Santiago Bernabeu.

That underlines a staggering difference between Madrid and their great rivals Barcelona, who have barely got started and are hoping for pieces to fall into place to allow a spree to go ahead.

Madrid, the LaLiga and Champions League double winners, have brought in German defender Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer from Chelsea, while landing French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco for a reported initial €80million.

The club cleared plenty of space on their wage bill by offloading Gareth Bale, Isco, Marcelo and Luka Jovic, and head coach Ancelotti has decided to keep trust with the bulk of the squad that achieved so much last season.

"I can't talk about signings, but I'm already saying that everything is over. We're not going to sign anyone. We're fine like this," Ancelotti said.

As Barcelona wrestle to get players in and out, the message is already clear from Madrid that the champions have their ducks in a row already and cannot wait to get going in the 2022-23 campaign.

Ancelotti, who was speaking to international media ahead of Madrid's pre-season trip to the United States, saw Rudiger and Tchouameni come through their first training sessions with Madrid on Thursday.

The new pair were described by Ancelotti as "the best that could be found on the market".

The first pre-season test for Madrid comes against Barcelona in Las Vegas on the evening of Saturday, July 23. That Clasico clash is "not an exhibition", according to Ancelotti.

Quoted in the Spanish press, the Italian boss said: "It's never a friendly against Barcelona. They are the team we respect the most and the one with the greatest rivalry."

There could be an experiment or two from Ancelotti before the season begins, as he toys with the idea of using Eden Hazard as a 'false nine' striker.

Ancelotti is wary about overburdening captain and star striker Karim Benzema, and he believes Belgian Hazard could thrive in the role when called upon.

Madrid have the defence of their domestic and European titles as obvious targets, and a mid-season World Cup complicates planning for the campaign ahead.

"We have many options for that position. Benzema is number one, but we have to understand that this will be a strange season, different, with the World Cup in the middle, and we have to look at different options," Ancelotti said.

"My idea is to try to see Eden in that position. Given the quality that Eden has, it could be good for us to test him there."

Barcelona's off-season has the potential to become even more complicated than what it already is.

Trying to balance their ambition with the economic realities of their situation is creating a tricky environment with the players to have departed and are still at the club this off-season.

According to reports, one player whose departure can ease the financial burden Barcelona have placed on themselves does not want to leave.

 

TOP STORY – BARCELONA INFORM DE JONG OF MANCHESTER UNITED MOVE

Frenkie de Jong has reportedly been told by Barcelona they want him to leave for Manchester United, according to The Athletic.

The Blaugrana are trying to convince De Jong that while they believe he is a talented footballer, they must sell him in order to balance their excessive wage bill.

The clubs have reportedly agreed on a guaranteed transfer fee of £63million (€75m) but the 25-year-old has no apparent desire to leave club, given Barcelona still owe him a deferred salary payment.

Meanwhile, the arrivals of Raphinha and Franck Kessie this off-season complicate the club's pitch of De Jong's transfer being economically necessary, as opposed to the sale being a purely sporting decision.

 

ROUND-UP

– Juventus have approached Arsenal over signing Gabriel Magalhaes as they eye a potential replacement for Matthijs de Ligt, The Independent reports.

– Meanwhile, the Gunners are working on a deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, per The Athletic

– Leeds United are close to agreeing terms with PSG over 20-year-old striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, Sport is reporting.

– At the same time, PSG have been joined by West Ham in the race to sign Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, according to Fabrizio Romano.

 

Conor Gallagher has no plans of leaving Chelsea this transfer window, labelling the upcoming season as the season to make his breakthrough after support from Thomas Tuchel.

Gallagher is yet to make a Premier League appearance for boyhood club Chelsea, though he has impressed on his last two top-flight loan spells with West Brom and Crystal Palace.

The England international managed 11 goal involvements in the 2021-22 season with Palace, a tally bettered only by Wilfried Zaha (15) for Patrick Vieira's side in the league.

With the upcoming Qatar World Cup in November, Gallagher understands the importance of regular first-team minutes in the 2022-23 season as he looks to make his mark at Stamford Bridge.

N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount are among his midfield competitors at Chelsea, but Gallagher expects to be in the running for the starting XI.

"I feel like this is the season," he told reporters. "I've been a Chelsea fan my whole life, my family have, it's been a dream to play [for Chelsea] but I want to try and impress, and play as much football as I can and affect the game when I'm on the pitch.

"[Tuchel] said he wants me to be part of the squad and to prove myself in pre-season, so that's the plan. I'm happy with that and just willing to work as hard as I can to prove to him that I can play for Chelsea.

"It's what I wanted to hear, it was a nice phone call that we had and it gave me a clear plan of pre-season and where I'm going to be. It was great to hear."

Gallagher was quick to credit the influence of Vieira at Palace, expressing his gratitude for the efforts the coaching staff at Selhurst Park made to improve him.

Tuchel has added more international experience to his ranks, with England international Raheem Sterling joining Chelsea, and Gallagher hopes to improve alongside world-class players.

"Everyone wants to play as much as they can, but I'm willing to work as hard as I can to be on the pitch as much as possible," Gallagher said.

"There's world-class players in the squad and it's obviously a tough team to get into, but I feel like if that challenge is there, I think I'd be a bit silly not to take it," he added.

"With Chelsea being my club as well that I've supported, it's very exciting.

"I'm very keen [to play at the World Cup] because every English player wants to play for England and in a World Cup would be very special. And of course, it's very important that I'll be playing games and performing.

"The call-up was a very proud moment, for sure. But it didn't change the way I thought of myself or anything.

"It was nice to get that recognition and belief from the manager. It's very important to stay humble and do everything you can to perform well."

Mount was one of the first Chelsea players to welcome the arrival of Sterling on Wednesday, and Gallagher echoed his team-mate's sentiments as he reflected on the experience the forward will bring to the side.

"I think it's brilliant. It will only benefit Chelsea and himself," Gallagher said of the Sterling signing.

"Everyone's very excited for him to be playing and I know the fans are very excited as well. He's a great professional, very relaxed off the pitch, and does the right things.

"I feel like the young lads feel like they can talk to him as well because he's got a lot of experience in England and in the Premier League. So yeah, it's a massive signing, and I'm sure he's going to do his thing when he's here."

Sassuolo are in no rush to sell prized asset Gianluca Scamacca amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain and West Ham.

That is the message from Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali, who discussed the ongoing negotiations for the striker with Sky Sport Italia on Thursday.

Scamacca has emerged a hot property this transfer window, having scored 16 goals in 36 appearances in the 2021-22 Serie A campaign.

His tally was only bettered by five players – Giovanni Simeone, Tammy Abraham (both 17), Lautaro Martinez (21), Dusan Vlahovic (24) and Ciro Immobile (27) – in the Italian top flight.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior and Vlahovic were the only players younger than Scamacca, 23, to score 15 or more goals in Europe's top five leagues.

Despite having Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi Neymar and Mauro Icardi to call on, new PSG coach Christophe Galtier is reportedly interested in Scamacca, who earned his first Italy caps last season.

Europa League semi-finalists West Ham are also said to be interested, and Carnevali suggested David Moyes' side are rumoured to have offered more money for the forward, who may prefer the project at PSG.

Pressed on an update on where Scamacca could be heading, Carnevali responded: "I think it's normal at this time that there are market rumours about some players. 

"There is difficulty but I strongly believe in the players' professionalism, we see them constantly and they work waiting to see what will happen. There is certainly nothing yet."

When it was suggested West Ham had bid more than PSG, Carnevali added: "Yes, there are some bonuses of difference and there is a discourse that is not only linked to the economic aspect but can also be linked to the player's own aspect, to the technical aspect. 

"One thing is certain, we do not need to sell right now. We have to listen to the player's needs and see the bids that are made and that can arrive from one day to the next."

Sassuolo could also lose another star attacker this transfer window, with Juventus and Milan attempting to sign Italy international Domenico Berardi, who has posted doubles figures for goals in Serie A for his last three seasons.

Sergino Dest has categorically ruled out a move away from Barcelona this transfer window and is hoping to play a more prominent role for the Blaugrana this season.

The United States international has recently been linked with a move away from Camp Nou, with Chelsea reportedly among those interested.

Dest has spent the past two seasons at Barca, having joined from Ajax in a worth an initial €21million, and has made 70 appearances in all competitions.

That is a tally bettered only by seven other Barcelona players since his debut in October 2020, though he was restricted to just 23 starts last season after being hit by injuries.

He did not score any goals, while fellow full-back Jordi Alba (12) registered four times as many assists as his three.

However, the 21-year-old has rejected suggestions that he is looking to kick-start his career away from Catalonia ahead of the World Cup.

"I'm not thinking about transfers at the moment," Dest told reporters. "I'm happy at this club, so I will definitely stay here. 

"For me, personally, I really need to get fit. I came back from an injury, then had two injuries last year on one side, so I don't want any injuries anymore.

"I'm taking this really serious. I want to make sure that I can play the whole season without any injuries."

 

Dest played the first half of Barcelona's pre-season opener on Wednesday, a 1-1 draw with Olot.

Xavi's side now travel to the United States to face Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls.

"This pre-season is really important for me, and I think, as well, for everyone because it's just the basis for the whole season," Dest added.

"It's going to be a great season for all of us. Personally, for the ones that have a World Cup coming up, we all can't wait to play that as well."

Christopher Nkunku insists his decision to commit to RB Leipzig is not merely delaying a move to a bigger club next year.

Nkunku signed a new deal in June, extending his contract with the Bundesliga team by two years until 2026 despite being linked with a host of Europe's biggest teams.

France international Nkunku joined Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and has gone from strength to strength in Germany, netting 35 goals and adding 16 assists across all competitions last season. Of players in Europe's top five leagues, only Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe scored more times in the 2021-22 campaign.

The 24-year-old was a part of the Leipzig side that in May won the club's first ever DFB-Pokal, and after that cup triumph they will be aiming to challenge for Bundesliga supremacy, with Bayern Munich presently on a run of 10 consecutive league titles.

Previously linked with the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United, Nkunku could become the subject of fresh interest should he play a starring role at the World Cup or continue to build on his excellent club form.

However, he said on Thursday: "For me, it was a given to extend my contract here. I feel right at home in this city and at this club. I still don't see my work here as finished. So I'm not thinking about leaving the club next year either.

"We did really well as a team last season, but there's still more to come. I want to continue the success with RB Leipzig."

Nkunku's individual performance earned him the Bundesliga player of the season award. He took that ahead of Bayern's Lewandowski, who scored 35 goals in the competition.

"The numbers look outstanding but in the end it was a team performance," Nkunku told reporters. "The lads helped me a lot. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to get any goals or assists.

"Together we are working to make this season even better. And I'm convinced that we can achieve something even greater."

Leipzig begin the new season with a DFL-Supercup clash against Bayern on July 30, with their Bundesliga campaign commencing away to Stuttgart on August 7.

Between the 2020-21 season and the start of last term, Leizpig lost head coach Julian Nagelsmann, while defenders Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate went to Bayern and Liverpool respectively. Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer also headed to Bavaria early in the season.

There has been nothing nearly as dramatic this time around, so far.

"The team has hardly changed. There was no great upheaval this summer, and that's a good thing," Nkunku said.

"I can't say whether we're good enough to win the league, but we will be in the hunt and we will give it our best shot. We all want more and in the end we could achieve something really great."

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira insists Wilfried Zaha is content at Selhurst Park as he labelled the winger's transfer links to Roma as "just a report".

Zaha was a standout performer for Palace once again in the 2021-22 campaign, managing 15 goal involvements – four more than any team-mate.

The Ivory Coast international scored 14 times in the English top flight last term, his best return in his Premier League career.

But Zaha is heading into the final year of his contract at Palace, with reports suggesting Jose Mourinho's Roma are interested in signing the 29-year-old.

Zaha did not travel on Palace's pre-season tour of Australia and Singapore, but Vieira is certain the forward does not want to move away.

"It's just a report I think," Vieira said ahead of Friday's friendly against Liverpool in Singapore. "We are in a period where there is a lot of speculation regarding players.

"What is really important for me and the football club is that Wilfried Zaha came back on time and he is working well to have a good season.

"What goes on in the papers, it is difficult for us to control. What I know is that he is happy in our football club and he is looking forward to the new season at our football club."

Zaha has been mooted as a transfer target for clubs such as Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton and Borussia Dortmund in recent seasons, but Palace have managed to keep hold of their talisman.

Vieira will hope to have Zaha available when Palace open their Premier League campaign at home to Arsenal on August 5.

Erik ten Hag is edging closer to getting his man, or so it seems.

While Tyrell Malacia signed last week and deals for Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez seem close to going through, it is clear that Manchester United's priority transfer target has been Frenkie de Jong.

A star of Ten Hag's Ajax team, De Jong was tipped to help take Barcelona's midfield into the post-Xavi and Andres Iniesta era when he switched Amsterdam for Catalonia in 2019.

Yet, three years on, United have reportedly agreed a fee in the region of £63million (€75m) with Barcelona for the Netherlands international, with a further £8.5m (€10m) in add-ons also possible.

There is one small matter that needs to be resolved, though: De Jong needs convincing to make the switch from Barcelona to Manchester.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta told reporters on July 2 that De Jong had indicated he wished to stay at the club, but then suggested that if the Dutchman were to get his wish, he would have to take a wage cut.

That Laporta believes he would have to negotiate a salary decrease with a player who signed a lucrative contract only three years ago illustrates where Barca have gone wrong, and just why it is hard to fairly judge De Jong's time at Camp Nou, in which he has worked under four coaches – Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien, Ronald Koeman and Xavi.

The latter was keen to keep hold of the midfielder, but with Barca having signed Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on free transfers and agreed a deal with Leeds United for Raphinha – not to mention handing Ousmane Dembele a new deal – a big sale is apparently required.

While there is still potential for this deal to fall through, should De Jong stick to his guns, it does seem increasingly likely he will be lining up at Old Trafford next season. So, just what will he bring that United need?

Has he lived up to the hype?

De Jong came into a Barca team that had slumped to a humbling Champions League semi-final defeat to Liverpool and were reeling from that implosion.

Valverde's team let a 3-0 aggregate lead slip in that tie, and truly the coach never recovered. Yet Barca splashed out an initial €75m to add stardust to their midfield and back the coach.

On paper, De Jong is the ideal Barca player, the embodiment of total football; an elegant runner, skilful in possession and a brilliant passer, while he is versatile enough to play in any midfield role or even in the centre of defence.

Over the course of his three seasons at Camp Nou, only Sergio Busquets (144) has made more appearances than his 140, so fitting De Jong into the side has not been an issue, while his creativity has certainly come to the fore, with his 149 chances created ranking behind just Lionel Messi (233) and Jordi Alba (207).

Last season, he created 40 chances in 32 LaLiga games.

 

He ranks fifth for assists (15) in the last three seasons, though it should be noted that both Messi and Antoine Griezmann, who are ahead of him in that metric, left the club in 2021.

De Jong's 10,158 touches puts him third at Barca for the same period, with his 645 duels won likewise third, with only Messi (800) and Busquets (814) winning more.

Under Ten Hag, De Jong might well be employed as a deep-lying playmaker as he was often utilised for Ajax. At Barca, Busquets has remained the midfield metronome, topping the charts for passes attempted (10,799) and completed (9,676), though De Jong does boast a better accuracy than the Blaugrana stalwart (91.8 to 89.6).

But for all his quality, De Jong has been unable to transform Barca's midfield, with Pedri and Gavi the new kids on the block. It is that duo that have seemingly grasped the initiative more, with Busquets still trusted by his former team-mate Xavi.

A clear improvement...

De Jong might not have been able to become the superstar many forecast at Barca, but at 25, he has plenty in the tank and, in truth, strolls into United's midfield.

It has been an area of weakness for several seasons, despite the huge investment in Paul Pogba, Fred and Bruno Fernandes.

While Fernandes has, of course, proved a huge success in England, Pogba only managed flashes of brilliance across his six-year second spell at Old Trafford and has now left on a free, while neither Fred nor Scott McTominay seem natural fits for Ten Hag's possession-based, fluid system.

De Jong fits that bill with aplomb and is a huge step-up on what United have in that area.

With Eriksen's impending arrival set to supplement Fernandes as a creator, De Jong could take up the mantle as United's midfield general from a deeper position, whether playing in front of the defence in a 4-3-3, or as part of a double-pivot in a 4-2-3-1 shape, as was employed in this week's 4-0 friendly win over Liverpool.

 

Last season alone, De Jong completed more passes – 2,160 – than any United midfielder, with only Fernandes (1,849) getting close. He also proved consistently available, playing 47 times, 20 more than Pogba, who he is effectively replacing.

Perhaps surprisingly, only Fred (372) and Fernandes (841), of United midfielders, lost possession more times, excluding hoofs, than De Jong (359) last term.

However, De Jong is adept at winning the ball back, having made 226 recoveries, and the fact he did lose possession so much appears to be largely due to him attempting so many more passes than his United counterparts.

De Jong's dribbling ability adds another dimension to United's attack, with his prowess at carrying the ball upfield a useful tool while in transition. His dribble success rate of 77.4 per cent is better than any of United's regular midfielders from last season, bar Matic, who only attempted 27 dribbles. Opta data shows De Jong made 279 progressive ball carries in LaLiga last season. In comparison, Fred managed 91 in the Premier League, with McTominay mustering 182 and Pogba tallying 125.

 

It is no surprise, then, that Ten Hag sees De Jong as a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Getting this deal done and over the line would be a statement of intent, and should provide an ideal platform for United to be shaped in their new manager's image.

Even if doubts remain further up the field, with uncertainty surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's future, United's midfield has been in need of a major revamp – De Jong provides just that.

Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has joined Brentford following his departure from Lazio.

Strakosha has signed a three-year deal, which contains the option of a further 12 months, and follows Aaron Hickey and Keane Lewis-Potter in joining Brentford ahead of their second season in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old made more than 200 appearances for Lazio, but he did not sign a new deal with the Serie A side and became a free agent at the start of July.

He will link up with his new team-mates on the German leg of their pre-season tour in the coming days.

"I am pleased that we have managed to sign a top goalkeeper," Brentford boss Thomas Frank told the club's official website. 

"He has been number one at Lazio for a long time, which is very impressive. He has played in Serie A and European competition and will bring that experience with him. 

"He fits our goalkeeper model and comes into a good environment with David Raya and Matthew Cox pushing each other every day."

Greek-born Strakosha has been capped 19 times for Albania and was also touted as a possible target for fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Fulham. 

Brentford, who twice broke their transfer record in signing Hickey and then Lewis-Potter over the past week, begin their new campaign at Leicester City on August 7.

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