Newcastle United are planning a move for out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Julian Draxler, with the Germany international's price tag believed to be in the range of £25million (€29.5m).
Draxler, 28, has spent the past six seasons with the French giants, but his last campaign was mostly from a bench role, with 13 of his 18 Ligue 1 appearances coming as a substitute.
He also had two separate injuries that forced him to miss over a month each time, but with 58 senior caps for Germany and a World Cup right around the corner, he could be a savvy purchase for a club desperate for a marquee signing.
TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE ENQUIRE ABOUT VERY AVAILABLE DRAXLER
According to French publication Le 10 Sport, Draxler is on Paris Saint-Germain director of football Luis Campos' "blacklist" of players who have no future at the club.
The report says he has been asked to find a way out, and with a relatively low price tag – around half the £40m demanded by Lyon in Newcastle's reported pursuit of Lucas Paqueta – the stars could be aligning for the Magpies to land an established international on a cheaper deal.
Draxler was left out of PSG's pre-season squad for the recent tour of Japan, indicating he already has one foot out the door, but it remains to be seen if Newcastle will be his landing spot.
ROUND-UP
– Chelsea are reportedly willing to part ways with Timo Werner, with Foot Mercato claiming the forward was included in an offer to former club RB Leipzig in exchange for defender Nordi Mukiele, who appears to be PSG-bound.
– Sport believes Chelsea will block Barcelona moves for Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso due to the Spanish club's chase of Blues target Jules Kounde.
– The Guardian is reporting that Gianluca Scamacca will have his medical this week before confirming a £35.5m move from Sassuolo to West Ham.
– According to Calciomercato, Milan have increased their bid for Club Brugge midfielder Charles de Ketelaere to €32m, and are also trying to secure a move for Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech.
– Barcelona have told Memphis Depay to find a new club after Robert Lewandowski's arrival, according to AS.
Lewandowski denies reports he could join Mourinho at Fenerbahce
Robert Lewandowski has denied reports he could join Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, also insisting he is not considering retirement as he approaches his 36th birthday.
Lewandowski scored 26 goals in 49 games across all competitions in 2023-24, though that was down on his total of 33 goals as Barcelona won LaLiga in his first season with the club in 2022-23.
With the Blaugrana finishing a distant second to Real Madrid in LaLiga and exiting the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, reports had suggested an attacking refresh could be in the offing.
Lewandowski – who is halfway through a four-year deal with the Catalan giants – was linked with a move to Fenerbahce, who appointed Mourinho as their head coach on Sunday.
However, the Poland international has not heard anything about a transfer, telling Sport: "Fenerbahce have not contacted me. I don't know anything about it."
Lewandowski will turn 36 shortly after LaLiga's 2024-25 campaign commences in mid-August.
He was asked whether he might follow in the footsteps of Toni Kroos, who went out at the top of his game by helping Real Madrid win the Champions League in the final match of his club career on Saturday.
"My heart will tell me that moment. Before making a decision, I must first feel something," Lewandowski said.
"I don't know when it will happen, it's difficult to determine it by myself. I need to hear my decision to be sure of it and now I don't have it.
"Physically I feel very good and that means I can't think about retirement. Maybe Toni Kroos felt that moment, but it's not the case for me. I'm realising that the hard work I've done and I'm still doing is paying off."
Lewandowski will hope Hansi Flick's arrival at Camp Nou helps him step things up next season, having registered an incredible 83 goals and 18 assists in 71 games under him at Bayern Munich, between November 2019 and June 2021.
The striker also set the Bundesliga's single-season goal record under Flick, netting 41 times in 29 league matches as they won the title in 2020-21.
Nagelsmann hits out at 'racist' poll about make-up of Germany squad
Julian Nagelsmann has condemned a "racist" survey from German public broadcaster ARD, which asked respondents whether there should be more white players in the national team.
State broadcaster ARD asked 1,304 participants whether they would like to see more white players representing Germany at Euro 2024, with 21 per cent of respondents answering yes.
Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich described the poll as "absolute nonsense" on Saturday, saying the diversity of the national team was a major positive.
Coach Nagelsmann echoed those sentiments during a media briefing at the team's Herzogenaurach training base on Sunday, saying: "It is racist. I feel we need to wake up.
"Many people now in Europe had to flee, searching for a safe country.
"Josh responded really well, with a very clear and thought-out statement. I see this in exactly the same way. This question is insane.
"There are people in Europe who have had to flee because of war, economic factors, environmental disasters, people who simply want to be taken in.
"We have to ask: What are we doing at the moment?
"We in Germany are doing very, very well, and when we say something like that, I think it's crazy how we turn a blind eye and simply block out such things."
Memphis Depay to leave Atletico Madrid as a free agent
Memphis Depay has confirmed he is leaving Atletico Madrid after 18 months at the Civitas Metropolitano.
Depay joined Atleti in a €4million deal last January after struggling to make an impression at Barcelona, initially signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.
However, the Netherlands international – who has been named in Ronald Koeman's squad for Euro 2024 – has now agreed to part ways with the club 12 months early.
Depay scored nine goals in 31 league appearances throughout his time with Atleti, though the form of Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann limited him to just 12 starts.
In a post to X, the attacker hinted the parting was not entirely amicable, writing: "It's not easy to say how I feel about writing this message because I feel that things could’ve been very different.
"Maybe it's better to keep that conversation for another time…
"To Atleti, my team-mates, the staff and especially the fans, I want to thank you for the energy and support I've experienced in my time being an Atleti player.
"I keep the good memories close to my heart. Gracias."
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