Darwin Nunez can be a hybrid of fellow Uruguayan strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, according to a former coach of the 22-year-old.

Nunez has been heavily linked with a big-money move from Benfica to Liverpool or Manchester United ahead of next season, with a reported fee of up to €100million (£85m) being touted.

The young forward produced electric form for Benfica in 2021-22, scoring 34 goals in 41 games in all competitions, including six Champions League goals against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Liverpool.

Leonardo Ramos coached Nunez during his time at Penarol in Uruguay and told Stats Perform of his belief that, while the player still has a lot to learn, he is showing similar traits to legendary La Celeste strikers Suarez and Cavani.

"Everyone compares him a lot to Cavani," Ramos said. "They have a similar style. It seems to me that Darwin is faster and more powerful than Cavani. Cavani, maybe now he is a more experienced player and knows the moments where to press, when to attack, when to go back, when to be able to play and associate with his team-mates.

"Today, Darwin seems to me to be much more explosive, but apart from that explosiveness, he obviously has already shown unbelievable a scoring ability. 

"It is the same scoring ability that we saw in Uruguay when he was in the bases of Penarol because he scored many goals there. And the truth is that if you ask me about a player who looks quite similar to him, I would say Cavani."

When asked if there were any similarities to former Liverpool and Barcelona star Suarez, Ramos said: "I think he has two parts, it's half-and-half.

"He has the power that Suarez had to go for everything, to go to the clash, to be a fighter with the rival. And he also has the part of Cavani, of being a much more athletic player, more physical, more intelligent, and I think it's a union of those two things that are important.

"Let's see, Darwin is still a very young boy, he has to learn a lot. It is not to discredit the Portuguese league, but [he will be judged] playing in Spain or Italy, which along with England, are the places where he will surely need much more of his characteristics and his strength to perform much better."

Reports suggest that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp sees Nunez as an ideal replacement for Sadio Mane, who is being linked with a move to Bayern Munich, and Ramos can see why the Reds are interested, though does think it could be a bit early for the player to move to such a club.

"Darwin is a player who can help a lot in the recovery of the ball," he said. "With Uruguay, he does it and does it very well.

"Yes, he is a player who has to play near the area because there he is lethal, he has no regard for the opponent, he knows in advance where the ball is going to fall and where the goal is, [but] I don't know if it's time for him to go to Liverpool now. Not because of his conditions, but because [Liverpool] is a very big club.

"There have been players who have been very important in world football who have gone to play for Liverpool and they have failed.

"I think it would suit Darwin, and I have to say that this is just my opinion, it does not mean I am right, but I think that it would be better for him to go to a lower team to gain experience and explode at another time.

"Although the moments are now and Darwin's time is now, so if he goes to Liverpool, it seems to me that if Liverpool takes him it's because they really believe he can work in their team."

The 2021-22 season may still be ongoing at international level, but Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs can officially register new signings for the next campaign following the opening of the transfer window on Friday.

Teams in LaLiga, Serie A and the Bundesliga must wait until July 1 for their business to go through – though that is not to say preparations are not already in full swing behind the scenes.

Indeed, a number of big deals are already in place and waiting to get the seal of approval, with Antonio Rudiger heading to Real Madrid and Karim Adeyemi brought in by Borussia Dortmund to replace Manchester City-bound Erling Haaland, while others – Darwin Nunez to Liverpool and Aurelien Tchouameni to Madrid – appear to be all-but complete.

One transfer saga came to an end before the window even officially opened, meanwhile, with Kylian Mbappe confirming that he is staying put at Paris Saint-Germain, despite strong interest from Madrid.

For others, there are weeks of uncertainty ahead. Having already picked out the big-name free agents up for grabs this window, Stats Perform looks at the transfer sagas that are likely to rumble on for a little while longer yet.

Player: Robert Lewandowski
Current club: Bayern Munich
Rumoured suitors: Barcelona, Real Madrid

While the futures of Mbappe and Haaland have already been resolved, arguably the world's best striker in Lewandowski is seeking pastures new after recently declaring that his time at Bayern "has come to an end" – even if the German champions do not quite see it that way.

The Poland international still has 12 months to run on his contract and Bayern are understandably reluctant to sell, even if that means forgoing a transfer fee in a year's time, making things particularly difficult for Barcelona, who are the rumoured frontrunners for his signature.

He was once again the hottest striker across Europe's top five leagues in 2021-22 when taking all competitions into account, the 33-year-old scoring 50 goals in 46 games for Bayern in what was his second-best goalscoring campaign across eight years in Bavaria, behind only the 55 netted in 2019-20.

Player: Sadio Mane
Current club: Liverpool
Rumoured suitors: Real Madrid

Whether it is to replace wantaway Lewandowski or to play alongside the prolific striker, Bayern are seemingly intent on bringing Liverpool and Senegal forward Mane to the Allianz Arena.

Bayern are reported to have had a second bid of €35.3million (£30m) turned down by Liverpool earlier this week, with the ball very much in the Reds' court – just like it is with the Bavarians and Lewandowski.

Mane would be a huge loss to Liverpool, having scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League appearances since joining at the start of 2016-17 – only Jamie Vardy (104), team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (134) have more – explaining their desire to snap up Nunez from Benfica.

Player: Gabriel Jesus
Current club: Manchester City
Rumoured suitors: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Real Madrid

Manchester City striker Jesus may just about be the most in-demand player up for grabs this window, with his agent confirming as many as seven clubs are interested in signing the Brazil international.

Arsenal are the only known team to be in discussions with Jesus' camp, though they are expected to face interest from the likes of rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, as well as reigning European and Spanish champions Madrid.

The stats reflect exactly why Jesus is so highly regarded – albeit not by City following the arrival of Haaland – as he has scored or assisted in 57 per cent of matches he has started in the Premier League, a figure bettered only by Salah (62 per cent), Thierry Henry (61 per cent) and City legend Sergio Aguero (60 per cent) among those to have started at least 10 games.

Player: Frenkie de Jong
Current club: Barcelona
Rumoured suitors: Manchester United

De Jong has not quite been able to match expectations at Barcelona since arriving from Ajax in a big-money deal two years ago, which the midfielder has regularly put down to being used out of position in central midfield.

The arrival of the Netherlands international's former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at United has only intensified speculation that he could be on his way out of Camp Nou, with Barca themselves needing to offload players if they are to seriously strengthen elsewhere.

De Jong will leave a void to be filled if he does move on, though, as Sergio Busquets (51) was the only Barca outfielder to feature in more games in the 2021-22 campaign than the 25-year-old (47 apps).

Player: Christopher Nkunku
Current club: RB Leipzig
Rumoured suitors: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid

Nkunku well and truly burst onto the scene in the 2021-22 campaign with a combined 51 goals and assists in 52 games for Leipzig across all competitions, meaning he near enough directly contributed to a goal per game.

Only Europe's absolute elite players, Lewandowski (56 goal involvements), Benzema (59) and Mbappe (60), outperformed Nkunku in that regard, making links with Europe's top clubs unsurprising.

Still aged only 24, the four-cap France international may well be a Ballon d'Or winner in waiting if his trajectory over the past couple of seasons is anything to go by. But with two years to run on his Leipzig contract, it will take a huge sum for the Bundesliga side to even consider cashing in. 

Irrespective of the result, a lingering sense of change accompanied Liverpool's Champions League final appearance.

Reports on Sadio Mane's departure and Mohamed Salah's reticence over a new deal follow Roberto Firmino's status on the periphery this season.

Following Luis Diaz's arrival in January, it appears another South American star is set to land at Anfield via Portugal.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL AGREE TERMS WITH DARWIN NUNEZ

Liverpool have reached an agreement on personal terms with Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, according to the Athletic.

While reports suggest nothing has yet been signed and no agreement between the clubs is in place, they are closer to finalising the deal.

Discussions are ongoing with regards to the structure of the deal, but it is understood any deal will break the £85.5million (€100m) mark.

Jurgen Klopp is said to be an admirer of the 22-year-old, with the club looking to act in the event of Sadio Mane's reported departure for Bayern Munich.

Mohamed Salah has been named the PFA Players' Player of the Year, while Phil Foden has successfully defended his Young Player of the Year award.

Manchester City edged out Liverpool by a point in a thrilling Premier League title battle, but Salah again claimed a plethora of the individual awards after another fine campaign.

The Egypt international scored 23 top-flight goals to share the Premier League Golden Boot accolade with Son Heung-min, while also securing the Playmaker of the Season award for most assists.

Salah added the Premier League Goal of the Season trophy to his haul, alongside both the FWA and PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards.

Indeed, no player in the English top flight could match the Liverpool forward's 36 goal involvements (23 goals, 13 assists), setting him a class above his competitors.

Kevin De Bruyne was widely expected to be the frontrunner alongside Salah for the PFA Players' Player of the Year title, but the latter has pipped the Belgium international to yet another personal accolade.

Salah becomes the seventh men's player to win the PFA award twice, along with Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and De Bruyne.

De Bruyne, Harry Kane, Ronaldo and Salah's club-mates Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane were also in the running to land the award, with Tottenham's Son surprisingly overlooked.

"It's a great honour to win a trophy, individual or collective and this one is big so, very happy and very proud of that," Salah said after winning the award.

"This one is a really good one to win, especially because it's voted by the players. It show you that you've worked really hard and you get what you have worked for.

"I have my room with trophies in a cabinet and I made sure that I had another space for one more. I always keep space and just try to imagine that the trophies are going to come."

Foden became the fifth men's player to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons, meanwhile, joining a list that includes Ryan Giggs, Robbie Fowler, Wayne Rooney and Dele Alli.

The City midfielder played an integral role as Pep Guardiola's side lifted their fourth Premier League title in five seasons under the Catalan coach.

The 22-year-old ended the league campaign with nine goals and five assists from his 28 outings.

"I'm really honoured to be honest, especially to win it back-to-back, it shows that I've come a long way this year with the consistency of my game, and I'm really pleased to win it again," Foden said. 

"All the best players in the world have got to show consistency and keep performing at a higher level, and this year I've just tried to do that and try and help my team as much as possible.

"I've been really happy with my performances this year. Hopefully, I can win the main award in the future, but it's all about taking small steps and improving.

"I always love winning individual awards, it's just nice to look at and how far you've come."

Paris police chief Didier Lallement has apologised to Liverpool fans for using tear gas at the Champions League final and his wrong estimation of the number of fake tickets that were in circulation.

The European showpiece in Paris was twice delayed due to what UEFA initially described as "security reasons" outside the Stade de France due to crowd congestion.

Real Madrid went on to lift the trophy by defeating Liverpool 1-0 after the match started 36 minutes late at 21:36 local time, but it was events outside the ground that dominated the headlines.

Liverpool fans had complained of heavy-handed policing outside the stadium, with video footage showing tear gas being used on supporters.

UEFA blamed ticketless fans trying to force entry and fake tickets, but Liverpool demanded an investigation and European football's governing body apologised to spectators and opened an inquiry.

The UK's culture secretary Nadine Dorries suggested fans had been "treated like animals" at the match, contrary to the suggestions by French ministers that had pinned the blame on supporters.

Lallement, speaking at the French Senate on Thursday, admitted to making mistakes and acknowledged the overuse of tear gas was not necessary.

"It is obviously a failure. It was a failure because people were pushed around and attacked. It was a failure because the image of the country was undermined," he said.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin also said that much of the blame lay with Liverpool fans and that 30,000 to 40,000 arrived without valid tickets.

Darmanin's claims were met with widespread backlash, with Reds' supporters group Spirit of Shankly questioning the "incompetence" of the organisation around the final.

Lallement has acknowledged that the basis for the ticket estimation was unfounded.

"The figure has no scientific virtue but it came from feedback from police and public transport officials," Lallement added. "Maybe I was wrong, but it was constructed from all the information harvested.

"Whether there are 30,000 or 40,000 people, it doesn't change anything. What matters is that there were people, in large numbers, likely to disrupt the proper organisation of the filtering.

"But that we count them precisely to within 5000, it doesn't change much."

Arnaut Danjuma acknowledged he has "unfinished business in England" but assured he is happy at Villarreal amid speculation over a move to Liverpool.

Danjuma spent two years with Bournemouth before joining Villarreal last August.

The winger was an integral part of Unai Emery's side that reached the Champions League semi-finals, while finishing seventh in LaLiga to qualify for next season's Europa Conference League.

Danjuma led the Villarreal scoring charts in all competitions (16), while only Gerard Moreno can match his 20 direct goal involvements for the Yellow Submarine in the 2021-22 campaign.

Only Samuel Chukwueze (73) and Etienne Capoue (50) completed more dribbles than the Netherlands international, who has starred on the flanks or in a more central role for Emery.

That has led to interest from Liverpool, who could be looking to replace Sadio Mane if the forward joins Bayern Munich, but Danjuma insists he has heard nothing from the Premier League club.

"We've all read what has been said in the press, but I am a quick learner," he told Sky Sports News. "I did an interview in Holland saying I'm aware of the interest.

"They asked me if I was aware of it and I am, as everyone is. I'm aware of it, you are aware of it because it has been in the press. My phone literally went off all the time.

"In that sense, I am aware of it because of the media but I never actually confirmed the interest from Liverpool because the only one that confirms it to me is my team.

"I haven't heard anything from my team and as it stands now, I am enjoying my football at Villarreal. I am really happy there. We had a fantastic season.

"Unai Emery has been fantastic to me. The striking coach has been fantastic to me. The entire club has been unbelievable to me so I'd never in that way downgrade the club I’m playing for."

As for returning to England with a point to prove, Danjuma would like to put the record straight in the Premier League.

"There is definitely unfinished business for me in England," he added. "If you look back to the reasons why I joined Bournemouth initially it was for me to play Premier League football."

Liverpool have confirmed Divock Origi will leave Anfield when his contract expires as the striker reportedly closes in on a move to Milan.

Origi moved to Anfield from Lille in 2014 but was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 1 side.

That set the precedent for an eight-year stay with the Reds in which the Belgium international was used sparingly, but he scored some crucial goals for Jurgen Klopp's side.

"He [Origi] is a legend on and off the pitch. Fantastic footballer, a world-class striker and is our best finisher," Reds manager Klopp said of Origi after he scored in a Merseyside derby win over Everton in April. 

"Everyone would say the same. You see this in training. It is a really hard decision to make to leave him out. Everyone loves Divock here."

Origi scored 22 goals in 107 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, only starting 34 of those matches.

He developed a reputation of being a super-sub, popping up with late strikes against Everton and in the iconic 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final.

Origi also scored the game-clinching second in the 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham, securing his legendary status among the Reds faithful.

The 27-year-old has reportedly agreed to join Serie A champions Milan when his Liverpool contract expires at the end of this month.

Richarlison has reportedly informed Everton of his desire to leave the club, naming a top side from each of England, Spain and France as his preferred landing spots.

The Brazil striker arrived from Watford in 2018 and, after scoring 10 Premier League goals this campaign, he has now scored at least 10 league goals in three of the past four seasons.

He closed this term with six goals in his last nine appearances, helping Everton avoid relegation, but he now has his sights set on Champions League football.

TOP STORY – RICHARLISON DESIRES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MOVE 

The 25-year-old has reportedly narrowed his list down to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and he is expected to command a fee of around £65million.

Also mentioned in The Sun's report is Everton majority owner Farhad Moshiri's plan to balance the books after recording losses significant enough to jeopardise the club's financial fair play status, which will likely see both Richarlison and fellow striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin leave Goodison Park for more than a combined £100m.

Once considered a front-runner to land the star forward, Arsenal are no longer said to be in play after finishing fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification.

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror claims in-demand Benfica striker Darwin Nunez is hesitant to join Manchester United due to his desire for Champions League football, while the Daily Star insists Liverpool are now his preferred English club.

– According to RMC Sport, United and Chelsea will compete for Leicester City's 21-year-old defender Wesley Fofana.

– La Repubblica is reporting that Chelsea are not against allowing Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter, but they want either Lautaro Martinez or Alessandro Bastoni in return.

– West Ham are open to the idea of selling Said Benrahma, with hopes of bringing Jesse Lingard to the club after a successful loan stint in 2020-21, according to The Sun.

– The Times is reporting Manchester City have offered Gabriel Jesus to Tottenham, after strong interest was shown by Arsenal.

With Marcus Rashford reportedly drawing interest from Italy, Spain and even Tottenham, Manchester United are trying to keep him at Old Trafford by placing a price-tag on him "between £70million and £80m".

In a disappointing campaign, the 24-year-old scored just five goals from 32 games in all club competition, and he did not play a full 90 minutes in any of the five Champions League fixtures he was healthy for (subbed on twice, subbed off three times).

His Premier League season also did not go to plan, missing the first seven games due to a shoulder injury, and finishing with 12 of his 25 appearances coming off the bench.

TOP STORY – RED DEVILS LOOK TO KEEP RIVALS AWAY FROM RASHFORD

The exact figures of "between £70m and £80m" came from Italian super-agent Roberto De Fanti during an exclusive interview with CaughtOffside, where he said he expected United to ask for "around £40m, maybe £50m."

De Fanti mentioned he was aware of interest from "all the top sides in Spain and Italy" and that Rashford's management had met with Tottenham about a potential deal, but Spurs "feel negotiating a deal for Rashford is virtually impossible" due to the asking price.

Emphasising that it is not a case of United trying to scrounge every possible dollar out of a sale, De Fanti said "United are confident a club is unlikely to pay that [figure]", and that he is not on the list of players Erik ten Hag is planning on selling to fund up to six new signings.

ROUND-UP

– According to The Sun, Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has been contacting Inter since Christmas in an attempt to expedite a transfer away from Stamford Bridge.

– Todofichajes is reporting Liverpool view Chelsea's Christian Pulisic as a potential replacement for Sadio Mane, with the American's price-tag said to be in the range of £42m.

– West Ham United sent scouts to watch Denmark's recent Nations League fixture, with the Daily Star reporting they are interested in both Christian Eriksen and Atalanta right-back Joakim Maehle.

– According to De Telegraaf, Barcelona are willing to part ways with Frenkie de Jong if they receive what they perceive to be a fair offer, with Manchester United leading the race.

– The Express is reporting that Newcastle United have set their sights on Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin after missing out on Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby.

Liverpool's Champions League final loss seemingly signalled the end for Sadio Mane at Anfield.

Luis Diaz's January transfer and fresh links to further potential signings at Anfield may all lead to Mane's eventual departure. 

And he might not be the only Reds superstar looking to the exit.

TOP STORY – SALAH WEIGHS UP BARCELONA MOVE

Mohamed Salah has reconsidered his future at Liverpool after an offer from Barcelona, according to the Mirror.

The 29-year-old had reportedly informed close friends he was willing to commit his playing future to Liverpool, with his contract expiring at the end of next season and talks over a renewal ongoing.

But reports suggested Barca's subsequent promise to sign him on a free transfer at the end of next season has prompted the Egypt international to reconsider his options at Anfield.

If Salah does not confirm an extension this off-season, it brings a number of other clubs into play, opening the possibility of him leaving as a free agent after what would be six years. 

ROUND-UP

– Sadio Mane has already asked Reds team-mate Thiago Alcantara if he can move into his house in the event he signs for Bayern Munich, the Daily Mail reports.

– Manchester United have yet to lodge an official bid for Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, but the Catalan club are open to selling him, per Sport.

– United are also keen on signing Inter right-back Denzel Dumfries, Calciomercato claims.

– Thomas Tuchel's primary defensive target for Chelsea remains Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde, according to talkSPORT.

Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Erling Haaland are the three most valuable players in world football, according to research group CIES Football Observatory.

Mbappe comes in as the most valuable having had a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain, with 60 goal involvements (39 goals, 21 assists) in 46 games in all competitions.

Vinicius won the LaLiga and Champions League double with Real Madrid, while Haaland is soon to make a lucrative move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City after scoring 86 goals in 89 games during his time in Germany.

Mbappe turned down a move to Madrid to sign a new three-year deal with PSG last month, and the France international and World Cup winner is valued at an estimated €205.6million (£175.7m) by the CIES.

Vinicius is second at €185.5m (£158.3m), while Haaland supposedly has a value of €152.9m (£130.4m) despite costing City just €60m (£51m) thanks to a release clause.

The rest of the top 10 includes Barcelona trio Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres, City's Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and Liverpool's Luis Diaz.

CIES' research is based on a range of measures such as age, value of club, level of player performance and inflation.

The CIES report states: "The statistical model to estimate the transfer values for players from teams of the five major European leagues was built from a sample of 1,790 paid transfers carried out between July 2012 and January 2020.

"The correlation between the sums paid and estimated is greater than 80 per cent. This shows that the variables taken into account explain more than four-fifths of the gaps in the level of fees paid for transfers included in the model."

Top 10 valued players in world football (according to CIES Football Observatory)
1. Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - €205.6m (£175.7m)
2. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) - €185.5m (£158.3m)
3. Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - €152.9m (£130.4m)
4. Pedri (Barcelona) - €135.1m (£115.4m)
5. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) - €133.7m (£114.2m)
6. Phil Foden (Man City) - €124.0m (£105.9m)
7. Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona) - €112.5m (£96.1m)
8. Luis Diaz (Liverpool) - €110.1m (£94.0m)
9. Ruben Dias (Man City) - €109.6m (£93.6m)
10. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) - €109.5m (£93.5m)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has labelled James Milner's contract extension as "important to all of us" as he hailed the "benchmark" the midfielder sets at Anfield.

Milner joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2015 and has been integral to the Reds' success, lifting the Premier League, Champions League, EFL Cup and FA Cup.

Doubts remained over the future of Milner, whose contract was due to expire in June, but the former England international agreed a one-year extension with Liverpool on Monday.

The 36-year-old appeared 39 times in all competitions for the Reds this season, starting 14 games for his 1,380 minutes of action.

Klopp, speaking to Liverpool's website, expressed his delight to keep the experienced campaigner on Merseyside for another season.

"I am delighted by this news. It's important for us – all of us," Klopp said.

"A lot is often made of James' leadership skills and his influence in the dressing room, and of course that's correct and justified, but nobody should overlook his quality on the pitch, where he continues to perform to a level that meant we simply couldn't afford to lose him.

"His professionalism is the benchmark for any athlete and it's why he sets the tone for this team with his ability and attitude.

"We had the longest campaign possible last season and Millie only got stronger and better and more influential as it went on.

"Typically, the discussions we had around extending his contract were centred on: what kind of contribution do we see him making as a player?

"My answer to him was the same I'll share with supporters: we don't limit it. We just want the same from him again, because that's not possible to replace. He can still do it and we still need it.

"So I'm grateful he answered the call and agreed to give us the extra year of his extraordinary career. More to come."

James Milner says he will never take playing for Liverpool "for granted" after he signed a new one-year contract extension at Anfield.

The former England international, who joined the Reds on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2015, has been an integral part of the club's success under Jurgen Klopp.

With 289 games and 26 goals since his arrival on Merseyside, the vice-captain has won a plethora of honours at Anfield.

That experience as something of an elder statesman within the Liverpool squad has seen him persuaded to remain for another term and Milner says he would not have stayed had he not believed he had a role to play.

"I’m very pleased to be staying for another season," the 36-year-old stated. "I have never taken playing for this club for granted and I never will.

"An overriding feeling for me – and a vitally important one in the process – was the belief I can still contribute to the team.

"The gaffer was clear what he thought and that was a big factor in me extending my contract.

"Ultimately it was a decision I made, with the support of my family, on the basis of the quality of people at the club; team-mates first and foremost, along with the manager and coaches.

"As long as I can still play my part, that's not something easy to walk away from.

"Last season was extraordinary, even though it didn't have the ending we hoped it would. But I think that will only make us all even hungrier for more success, to be honest.

"I felt that after the parade and that played a part in my decision-making also. It's a unique club.

"Now this is signed, I'm already looking forward to getting back with everyone, refocusing and going again. It's a brilliant dressing room to be part of."

Milner made 39 appearances across all competitions this term.

Egypt manager Ehab Galal claimed Liverpool star Mohamed Salah played through an injury during his country's 1-0 win against Guinea on Sunday.

Salah played the whole of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, which saw The Pharaohs win with a late Mostafa Mohamed strike.

Galal said after his first game in charge of Egypt since taking over from Carlos Queiroz that Liverpool asked for Salah to have an x-ray beforehand, but the player refused.

"Salah was suffering from an injury and played through it," Galal said, according to KingFut. "He rejected Liverpool’s request for an x-ray before the game and will now undergo it."

Egypt play away to Ethiopia on Thursday in another AFCON qualifier, before a friendly next Tuesday against South Korea.

Salah had a productive season for Liverpool, jointly winning the Premier League's golden boot with Son Heung-min of Tottenham on 23 goals, while also claiming the Football Writers' Association and PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards.

He also won the EFL Cup and FA Cup with the Reds, though Jurgen Klopp's side narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City before losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.

Salah - who also recorded the most assists in the Premier League during the campaign with 13 - is out of contract at the end of next season, and has been linked with a free transfer to Barcelona should he be unable to agree a new deal at Anfield.

Liverpool's Champions League final loss seemingly signalled the end for Sadio Mane at Anfield.

Luis Diaz's January transfer, along with fresh links for Raphinha to Anfield, all lead to Mane's eventual departure. 

However, the Reds are not willing to let him go for the wrong price, in what is becoming a tricky leverage play.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL REJECT BAYERN BID FOR MANE

Liverpool have rejected Bayern Munich's opening €29.1million (£25m) bid for  Sadio Mane, according to the Times.

The offer was reportedly submitted at the end of last week and the sum is inclusive of add-ons, which depend on Bayern's performances next season, such as winning the Champions League.

Liverpool officials did not consider the offer, which is perceived a gross undervaluing of the 30-year-old attacker.

Although Bayern want to move quickly on securing the Senegal international, Liverpool have yet to relay a price at which they would be willing to sell. 

ROUND-UP

– Meanwhile, the Reds will not look to further pursue Barcelona midfielder Gavi, according to Sport.

– Nemanja Matic will join Roma once his contract at Manchester United expires at the end of the month, per Sky Sports.

– Benfica are hoping to reach an agreement with PSV over Mario Gotze, Fabrizio Romano reports.

– Talks are in progress for Inter's Stefano Sensi to join newly promoted Monza on a €15m permanent deal, per Nicolo Schira.