England star Lucy Bronze insists too much pressure is placed on the team's captain and is determined to ensure Leah Williamson is supported at Euro 2022.

Barcelona defender Bronze felt the strain on Steph Houghton, who led the national side for eight years, became increasingly difficult to deal with.

Houghton is not in the squad for the continental tournament on home soil and Arsenal's Williamson has been named as the replacement captain for the competition.

Bronze hopes a collaborative approach will mean Williamson does not have to change as a person or player to fulfil the demands of the role.

"As a captain, everybody knows Leah really well," said Bronze. "Sometimes people put too much pressure on the captain, I've seen it with Steph previously. 

"But Leah is still the player that she's always been in this England squad, and she'll remain the same for us - a good person to have around, a good person to have on the pitch. 

"It will be a big moment for her but she's the same as everybody else.

"We have plenty of leaders on the pitch and in the squad who may not even step on the pitch - and it's important that we remember that as a team. 

"It's not just on one person's shoulders, it's falling on 23 players."

Bronze elaborated on the pressure felt by Manchester City's Houghton, who could not suitably prove her recovery from an Achilles injury to be picked for the Euros.

"I spoke to Steph a lot in previous years," said Bronze. "She told me about being given the captaincy so young and what pressures it put on her.

"She didn't know quite who she was as a captain and as a leader. It can be quite difficult to handle that.

"The media especially are the ones that are putting the pressure on captains because from inside the squad and even the coaches, you don't change as a person, people don't see you any differently. 

"You're the captain because you're the person that you are. It's not because you want to become something else or change who you are. It's for that reason only. 

"Steph felt that pressure a lot. Although she probably didn't admit it at the time, I know it was difficult. I was her right-hand-woman for a long time and I could see it. 

"For Leah, it's important that we have other people step up to the plate to take the pressure off her and know what it means to be a leader in this team."

Bronze played the full game as England beat Belgium 3-0 in their first warm-up game for the Euros last week, with friendlies against the Netherlands and Switzerland up next.

The Lionesses then begin their Euro 2022 campaign against Austria on July 6 rated among the favourites to go all the way.

Bronze added: "Really good [preparation so far], the excitement is definitely there.

"There are so many players in their first tournament, people like Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Ella Toone. 

"Just seeing their faces when they found out they were picked and that excitement just brings the buzz back to players like myself and Jill [Scott] who have regularly gone to tournaments." 

A move to take Antoine Griezmann to Athletic Bilbao is "impossible" according to Inaki Arechabaleta, the presidential candidate who has pledged to appoint Marcelo Bielsa if he wins the club's upcoming elections.

Griezmann came through the ranks at Athletic's local rivals Real Sociedad, meaning the 2018 World Cup winner is often spoken about as a potential target for the club, who remain committed to a policy of only recruiting players hailing from the Basque Country.

Having returned to Atletico Madrid on a two-year loan deal from Barcelona last August, Griezmann struggled to tie down a regular starting spot during an injury-hit season.

He made fewer appearances in all competitions (36) than fellow forwards Angel Correa (49), Luis Suarez (45) and Matheus Cunha (37).

The 31-year-old's frustrating campaign in the Spanish capital had fuelled speculation he could be targeted by Athletic, particularly as prospective boss Bielsa attempted to sign the forward during his first spell at the club between 2011 and 2013.

But Arechabaleta says the France star's significant wages make such a move implausible at this stage.

"With Marcelo we have talked about the possibilities of signing players for Athletic and, therefore, we will be attentive to the possibilities we have to strengthen our squad," he told Spanish podcast El Partidazo de Cope.

On a potential move for Griezmann, he said: "He could be [a target] because it's part of the club's philosophy, but I think it's absolutely impossible.

"The problem is not whether Griezmann enters our philosophy. Griezmann is unattainable at the moment for salary and what you have to pay for him."

Meanwhile, Arechabaleta revealed he has been in contract with managerial target Bielsa since the immediate aftermath of his Leeds United dismissal in late February, as he prepares for the elections on June 24. 

"Marcelo is a great professional, one of the best in the world and is an asset, who joins a lot of assets that we have presented these days," he added.

"I had one of the first contacts in the month of March. The first thing he told me is that he really likes the Basque Country and Athletic, but that we should let him analyse the Spanish league and the current Athletic.

"He is a very up-to-date football genius."

Carlos Tevez has expressed an interest in bringing Angel Di Maria back to Rosario Central after being confirmed as their new head coach, as he pledged to emulate former Juventus boss Antonio Conte upon entering the dugout.

Former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juve forward Tevez was appointed as Central's new boss on Tuesday, having ended his illustrious playing career earlier this month.

Speaking at his unveiling after signing a one-year contract with the four-time Argentinian champions, Tevez revealed his interest in coaching his former international team-mate Di Maria. 

Di Maria – who made 39 appearances for Central at the start of his career before heading to Europe with Benfica - is leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer and has attracted interest from the Bianconeri, but Tevez plans on speaking with him soon.

"I haven't spoken to Di Maria", he said. "I barely have time to speak to my wife! I haven't spoken to her. 

"But who wouldn't like to have him? Di Maria means a lot to this club. When the situation calms down, I'll call him and ask him what he wants to do.

"We know him. He would bring a lot. He would bring his experience to young players. In addition to experience, he has great technical quality. He has played in the biggest clubs, it would be easy to be his trainer."

Di Maria is the fourth-most capped player in the history of the Argentina's national team with 122 appearances (after Lionel Messi with 162, Javier Mascherano with 147 and Javier Zanetti with 145), and will hope to appear at his fourth World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Meanwhile, Tevez won a remarkable 26 titles during his playing career, and featured under a host of big-name coaches including Alex Ferguson, Massimiliano Allegri and Roberto Mancini.

But the 38-year-old says Tottenham boss Conte, who signed him for Juventus in 2013, is his foremost coaching inspiration.

"When you stand on the other side of the line, the player dies, that's one way of putting it." He said. "You start to think differently, much colder. Today I am a coach and I like this profession. 

"I have a great reference who was Conte at Juventus, he was one of those who taught me the most as a player.

"I'm going to try to get the team to play at least a little bit, or half the way his team played."

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Sadio Mane as one of Liverpool's greatest ever players following confirmation of his exit to join Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international hinted at his desire to leave Liverpool following the club's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and his €41million (£35.2m) move to the Bundesliga champions was confirmed on Wednesday.

Liverpool have already made moves in the transfer market to prepare for Mane's exit, landing Darwin Nunez from Benfica, but Klopp admitted it was a significant moment for the club in a passionate tribute to the 30-year-old.

"It’s a big moment. There is no point in anyone trying to pretend otherwise," he told the club's website. "One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players is leaving and we must acknowledge how significant this is.

"He leaves with our gratitude and our love. He leaves with his status among the greats guaranteed. And, yes, he leaves in a moment where he is one of the best players in world football.

"But we must not dwell on what we now lose, instead celebrate what we were privileged to have.

"The goals he scored, the trophies he won; a legend, for sure, but also a modern-day Liverpool icon."

Mane won everything he could during his six years on Merseyside, including the Champions League in 2018-19 and the Premier League in 2019-20, forming a formidable attacking trio alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

While the entire squad was pivotal for those triumphs, Klopp hailed Mane for helping to make it all happen after quickly settling into life at Anfield following his arrival from Southampton.

The Liverpool manager said of Mane: "Since he first stepped through the door, he made us better.

"If someone had told us in that moment what he would go on to contribute and achieve for this club, I’m not sure it would have been possible to comprehend in that moment. Not the scale of it at least. Sadio made it all possible.

"To be that good for such a sustained period and continuously improve season on season – no matter how high he set his own bar in the previous one – is an example to any player anywhere on the planet that professionalism and dedication leads to reward."

The German coach also made it clear there was no hard feelings towards Mane for his decision to leave and tipped him to continue to grow as a footballer.

Klopp added: "I respect completely his decision and I’m sure our supporters do also. If you love LFC, you have to love Sadio – non-negotiable. It is possible to do this while accepting our loss is Bayern’s gain.

"We wish him nothing but success in every match he plays in, unless, of course, it’s against us. His star will continue to rise, I have no doubts."

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has shut down suggestions that Robert Lewandowski will be leaving the club after they signed Sadio Mane.

The Poland international has entered the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga champions and has made it clear he is keen for a move, with Barcelona his preferred destination.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have also been attributed with an interest in the 33-year-old but, despite any desire Lewandowski may have for a new venture, Bayern's stance seems clear.

Queried by Sport Bild regarding suggestions that Barcelona are preparing a bid for the forward, he replied: "I don't care about that. I'm expecting to see Robert in training at Sabener Strasse on July 12."

Salihamidzic was then asked if Lewandowski's future had been secured with the signing of Mane but batted away the question once again, adding: "I understand your question, but our position is clear: Robert has a contract until the summer of 2023."

Bayern's capture of Mane from Liverpool on Wednesday stands as one of the headline transfers across Europe so far but the Bayern chief made it clear the signing was not to cover for a potential loss of Lewandowski.

He explained: "We signed Sadio to increase the competition in our team.

"We weren’t happy with our Champions League exit against Villarreal. We want to strengthen the fight for spots in our team.

"The signing of Mane will reshuffle the cards for every attacking player. We have never thought about having to let a player go when we signed Sadio."

Bayern begin the new season with a DFL Supercup clash against RB Leipzig, before commencing the defence of their Bundesliga crown on the road against Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

Sadio Mane says he achieved everything he could at Liverpool and is excited to embark on a new challenge after signing for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Mane has left Liverpool after a hugely successful six-year spell at the club, for whom he scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games, a tally bettered only by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) in that time.

The Senegal international's six major trophy wins at Anfield included the Champions League in 2018-19 and Liverpool's first-ever Premier League title the following year, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mane had made his intention to join Bayern clear after scoring 23 goals in all competitions as Jurgen Klopp's side won both domestic cups in the 2021-22 season, and his €41million move to Germany was confirmed by the Bavarian giants on Wednesday. 

In a farewell interview with the Reds' official media channels, Mane declared himself "Liverpool's number one fan" and said his move to Germany was motivated purely by a desire to prove himself elsewhere.

"Obviously it is strange – really, really strange – to no longer be a Liverpool player after six years," he said. "But of course, I had a great time, an unbelievable time.

"Since my first day I really, really enjoyed training, playing at Anfield especially, and in front of these amazing supporters.

"I think whoever is leaving Liverpool, with those supporters you will always miss them because [they are] the best in the world and I have always said it. Playing at Anfield I think always gives you so much power because of the fans. 

"I still have my house in Liverpool and everything so for sure I will come back, of course, and I would love one day to come back to Anfield to say hi to them and of course to watch Liverpool playing. I am going to be Liverpool's number one fan – after the supporters!"

Asked if he felt he had achieved everything he could with the Reds, Mane added: "Yeah, for sure. Like I said, from the first day I came to the club, I spoke to the boss when I was in Southampton and I think at that time we were not even in the Champions League. 

"He called me and I said, 'For sure.' I just decided in my heart that I am coming to Liverpool because that is where I see myself, and for me it was the right time and the right club to achieve everything. 

"I can say of course we won a lot and I spent a great, great time there. Like I always say, my life is always [about a] challenge and when it came, I said to the club that I want to leave, I want to go somewhere else to see a new challenge. 

"It is not anything else, it is just a challenge because for me I want to always be challenging myself to get better and better.

"There was a lot of speculation but I'm not a confused boy in my head. I know what I want and I know what is professional so for me, I was not even thinking about it [during the season] because I was still a Liverpool player and we had really, really important games.

"I will say that when I was a kid that was my dream, to win everything possible: trophies and individual trophies as well, that was my dream. That is the reason I never stopped working, I am a very hard worker. Of course, for me it was the right time and the right club."

Mane formed part of a fearsome front three alongside Salah and Roberto Firmino at Anfield, which has been refreshed with Liverpool's signings of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez this year.

And 30-year-old Mane thinks the Reds' goalscoring burden remains in good hands despite his exit.

"Bobby and Mo – what players!" he added. "I think there are no other secrets because playing alongside these great players, they make everything easier for me. 

"I think I am just supporting this and especially Bobby, who always dropped and made space for me and Mo, I think it was just incredible. 

"These two players, Liverpool still have great players and you have now Diogo [Jota] and Diaz also – wow, what a player they have! But it's normal, it's the best club in the world, so I wish them all the best."

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future could hinge on Barcelona's attempts to sign Robert Lewandowski, according to former Reds star John Barnes, with the forward linked with a move to Camp Nou next year.

Salah scored 31 goals and added 15 assists across all competitions for Liverpool last season as Jurgen Klopp's team won the EFL and FA Cups but fell just short of the Premier League and Champions League titles.

But the Egypt star's future has been debated for some time, with his contract due to expire in 2023 and no agreement on fresh terms appearing imminent. 

Salah has most recently been linked with a free transfer to Barcelona at the end of his current deal, though the Catalan giants, who have financial difficulties, are also attempting to attract wantaway Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski.

The Poland star is one of just four players in the big five European leagues to register more goal involvements (56) than Salah (46) in all competitions last term (also Kylian Mbappe with 60, Karim Benzema with 59 and Christopher Nkunku with 51).

Lewandowski hit 50 goals and recorded six assists for Bayern last season, and Barnes believes Barca's attempts to acquire him will have repercussions for Salah. 

"Of course you're looking at the money that Barcelona can spend - I can see him at Liverpool for another year, and then maybe going on a free transfer at the end of the season," Barnes told Stats Perform.

"I don't know what the situation is, but at the moment he's at Liverpool. So I don't know. If he stays, he'll still play with the right attitude and commitment. 

"Where can you see him? Who knows in football - have Barcelona got the finances to actually do that? Because of course, there's still talk about Lewandowski going there. 

"I think that at the end of the year, we'll see. I think it really has a lot to do with where Lewandowski goes."  

Liverpool's attack has already undergone a significant shake-up after the club added Benfica striker Darwin Nunez to their ranks and sold Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich this month, having already been boosted by Luis Diaz joining from Porto in January. 

The future of the final member of Klopp's former first-choice front three, Roberto Firmino, is also in doubt with the Brazilian's contract due to expire at the same time as Salah's.

But Barnes believes tying the number nine to fresh terms is not a priority for Liverpool, insisting Firmino is under-rated but noting he has dropped down the pecking order recently.

"Well, it's not necessarily a priority," he said of Firmino's contract situation. "This is football. Bobby's a fantastic player.

"In fact, of the front three, he's been my favourite player of the period because of what he brings to the team, in terms of his hold-up play, his build-up play, his work-rate for the team.

"The reason why Salah and Mane scored those goals is because of Firmino, if we had Lewandowski in the team, Salah and Mane would not have scored that many goals because of course, they would have been creating for him.

"He's very undervalued. I don't necessarily think is a priority because now we've got Nunez, we've got [Diogo] Jota, Salah is still there, you have Diaz, so at his particular age he may not be a priority but I'd love to see him stay. 

"He has to decide whether he's quite happy to come and be a part of the squad rather than playing regularly. But I would love to see him stay, definitely."

Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool after striking a deal worth up to €41million (£35.2m) to sign the Senegal forward.

Mane hinted at his desire to leave Liverpool after their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid last month, at the end of a season in which he scored 23 goals.

With Liverpool signing striker Darwin Nunez in a reported £64million (€75m) deal from Benfica last week and Mane having just 12 months left on his contract, the 30-year-old has been allowed to depart after six successful years at Anfield.

He has played a key role in Liverpool winning their first Premier League title in 2020, reaching three Champions League finals - and winning one of them - and triumphs in the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the 2021-22 season.

Mane has signed a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions.

"I'm really happy to finally be at FC Bayern in Munich," Mane said after the transfer was completed on Wednesday.

"We spoke a lot and I felt big interest from this great club right from the beginning, so for me there were no doubts. 

"It's the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, in Europe too. During my time in Salzburg I watched a lot of Bayern games - I really like this club!"

Stats Perform understands Bayern will pay Liverpool a guaranteed sum of €32million (£27.5m) plus €6m (£5.2m) based on appearances, while a further €3m (£2.5m) is dependent on the Bavarian club and Mane meeting performance-related objectives.

Mane scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games for Liverpool after joining Jurgen Klopp's side from Southampton in 2016.

Only Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) have managed more goals in the competition across that period.

As well as lifting both domestic cups during a successful final season with Liverpool, Mane played a key role as Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations title in February and qualified for the World Cup a month later.

Mane also struck up a brilliant partnership with fellow forward Salah at Liverpool, and his sale marks something akin to the end of an era for the Reds.

It remains to be seen what Mane's arrival means for the future of Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, who has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer said earlier this month he was "confident" Lewandowski will stay at the Allianz Arena, despite the Poland international declaring his time at the club is "over" and pushing for a move ahead of his contract expiring in 2023.

Sadio Mane's illustrious spell at Liverpool has come to a close after the forward completed a move to Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international had just one year remaining on his contract at Anfield and was yet to agree terms on an extension, leading Liverpool to accept a €41million (£35.2m) bid from the Bundesliga champions for his services.

Mane's departure will leave a void within Jurgen Klopp's attacking ranks, although work had already been done to prepare for the changing of the guard with the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto in January and the capture of Darwin Nunez from Benfica in June.

While Diaz has hit the ground running on Merseyside and expectations are high for Nunez, replacing Mane is certainly no easy feat – as displayed by his record over the past six years...

Reliable return

Mane's contributions have been vital to Liverpool's success, with 120 goals across all competitions for the Anfield club. He averaged a goal every 180 minutes – one every two matches.

With an additional 37 assists, Mane chipped in with a goal involvement every 137 minutes.

In the Premier League, only Harry Kane (134), team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy (104) scored more Premier League goals than Mane (90) over the course of his Liverpool career.

Leading the way

As part of a devastating attacking trio alongside Salah and Roberto Firmino that helped fire Liverpool to multiple honours, including ending a 30-year wait for a league title, Mane was often the provider at crucial moments.

Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Mane's Premier League goals were worth 63 points; only Tottenham's Kane ranks higher in that regard, with strikes worth 75 points.

Mane (38) was also only behind Kane (43) for opening goals in Premier League matches, while he scored 29 winning goals – behind Kane (38) and Salah (34).

Crucial role

In six years at Liverpool, Mane made 269 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, starting 248 of those – resulting in a total of 21,577 minutes for Klopp's side.

In that time, only Firmino made more Reds appearances, with 278, but Mane led the way for both starts and minutes.

Mane, Salah (20,697) and Firmino (20,142) were actually the only three Liverpool players to tally more than 20,000 minutes over this period.

Having Mane available so often was key, too, as Liverpool's win rate improved from 58.3 per cent without the former Southampton man to 65.4 per cent when he featured.

Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool after striking a deal worth up to €41million (£35.2m) to sign the Senegal forward.

Mane hinted at his desire to leave Liverpool after their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid last month, at the end of a season in which he scored 23 goals.

With Liverpool signing striker Darwin Nunez in a reported £64million (€75m) deal from Benfica last week and Mane having just 12 months left on his contract, the 30-year-old has been allowed to depart after six successful years at Anfield.

He has played a key role in Liverpool winning their first Premier League title in 2020, reaching three Champions League finals - and winning one of them - and triumphs in the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the 2021-22 season.

Mane has signed a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions. Stats Perform understands Bayern will pay Liverpool a guaranteed sum of €32million (£27.5m) plus €6m (£5.2m) based on appearances, while a further €3m (£2.5m) is dependent on the Bavarian club and Mane meeting performance-related objectives.

Mane scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games for Liverpool after joining Jurgen Klopp's side from Southampton in 2016.

Only Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) have managed more goals in the competition across that period.

As well as lifting both domestic cups during a successful final season with Liverpool, Mane played a key role as Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations title in February and qualified for the World Cup a month later.

Mane also struck up a brilliant partnership with fellow forward Salah at Liverpool, and his sale marks something akin to the end of an era for the Reds.

It remains to be seen what Mane's arrival means for the future of Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, who has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer said earlier this month he was "confident" Lewandowski will stay at the Allianz Arena, despite the Poland international declaring his time at the club is "over" and pushing for a move ahead of his contract expiring in 2023.

Fran Kirby has praised England manager Sarina Wiegman for her honest and "special" communication while the Chelsea star's availability for Euro 2022 was in doubt.

Kirby missed three months of action towards the end of the season due to an illness that was causing extreme fatigue.

But having returned to action and been named in England's squad for the Euros on home soil, the 28-year-old opened up on her conversations with Wiegman while she had stepped away from the game.

"Obviously, it's going to be in the back of my mind. But for me, right now, I want to make sure that I'm feeling confident going into the Euros," said Kirby.

"Leading into it I had loads of conversations with Sarina on the phone in terms of how I was feeling and how I was doing.

"She always made me feel confident in terms of if you get yourself right, then I want you to be part of the squad. 

"And for me, as a player to hear that when you're not playing, it's really nice and it's really special to hear. 

"When I speak about her honesty, I said to her, I need you to be honest, if you don't think I'm ready, then you tell me that. 

"I wouldn't want to be part of the squad if you didn't feel that I was ready to participate or to give something to the team. 

"When she said that I was in the squad, it just reaffirmed the confidence that she has in me to make a difference.

"She's been great. She's really brought this togetherness in the squad, she makes everyone feel like they're respected and that their voices are heard. 

"She's just brought this honest nature, in terms of dealing with difficult conversations when they have to be had. 

"And she also makes people feel good, she makes you feel confident in your ability, she makes you feel like you're valued in the team and that's important when you're going into a tournament." 

Kirby had previously been ruled out for much of the 2019-20 season with pericarditis, a condition affecting the fluid sac around the heart.

England beat Belgium 3-0 in their first warm-up game for the Euros last week, with Kirby coming off the bench in the second half. 

"I'm feeling really good, feeling healthy and I've been able to participate in all the training sessions and be a part of them," added Kirby.

"For me, now, I'm not really thinking about much what has happened previously, because I just want to make sure that I'm focusing on the here and now and focusing on my performance in training. 

"I have to show that I'm ready to go and that I'm ready to play and I've been able to do that in the last few weeks."

Friendlies against the Netherlands and Switzerland are up next before England begin their Euro 2022 campaign against Austria on July 6.

Sadio Mane has confirmed he rejected the interest of "other clubs" to join Bayern Munich and has stated he was "immediately excited" by their proposal.

The Senegal international has undergone a medical with the Bundesliga champions and official confirmation of his move from Liverpool is expected on Wednesday.

Mane had a year remaining on his contract with Liverpool, with whom he has won a plethora of honours, but has chosen a new challenge with Bayern – and made it clear it was not a difficult choice for him to make.

"When my agent first told me about Bayern’s interest, I was immediately excited," he told Bild.

"I saw myself there right away. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world and the team is always fighting for every title. So, for me, it was a very good idea and the right decision to come here.

"My agent told me that there were enquiries from other clubs. That's part of the business.

"But I got the feeling right away when Bayern presented their plan to me. I found myself in Bayern's plan more than anyone else."

Mane refused to get ahead of himself when quizzed about the potential of winning the Champions League with Bayern but admitted it is something he is targeting.

He said: "I don't want to say no. Every kid wants to win the Champions League, every football player in the world. I'm with a very, very competitive team now.

"But it's still a bit early to talk about the Champions League final, we haven't even played a game together yet. Nevertheless, we will give everything to get into the final."

Mane could make his competitive debut for Bayern in the DFL Supercup against RB Leipzig on July 30, while they begin their defence of the Bundesliga title the following week away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Barcelona's much-publicised financial difficulties are creating unwanted kind of leverage in the transfer market.

The Blaugrana have been linked to the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah, but via a free transfer, circumventing the need for an initial outlay.

Reports suggest one of their transfer targets this off-season appears to be unattainable, though.

TOP STORY – SEVILLA STIFLE KOUNDE MOVE TO BARCELONA

Barcelona's reported interest in Jules Kounde will face a stumbling block in the form of Sevilla, according to Marca.

The Andalusian club have set a €60million price for Kounde, reportedly knowing that interest from Premier League clubs will meet that benchmark and effectively price Barcelona out of the market.

In addition, Sevilla would want to close the deal quickly, forcing Barcelona into cash-flow difficulty if they were to meet the demands for Kounde.

Barcelona are unwilling to pay the €60m despite sourcing fresh funds, with a reported need to primarily balance this year's budget.

ROUND-UP

– Arsenal and Newcastle United are keen on Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz, whose contract runs out in 2023, according to Corriere dello Sport.

– Borussia Dortmund are set to sign Ajax striker Sebastian Haller, per ESPN.

– Real Madrid have stepped up their interest in Raheem Sterling with his future in Manchester City uncertain, the Mirror reports.

– Chelsea are considering signing 29-year-old Lens full-back Jonathan Clauss, Goal is reporting.

Vinicius Junior announced his desire to stay at Real Madrid, claiming they are the most "united" since he arrived in 2018.

The 21-year-old Brazilian enjoyed a breakthrough year this past season, providing 17 goals and 13 assists in Real Madrid's LaLiga title triumph, before scoring in the final to claim the club's 14th Champions League.

He has two years left on his contract but is expected to extend until 2026, turning down reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

In anticipation of a contract renewal, Vinicius cited the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu as a critical factor in his growth.

"I will continue in the biggest team in the world," he told Sport TV. "It's the most united team since I arrived. The celebrations were different this year. We all felt something special. 

"Younger people arrived with Rodrygo, [Eder] Militao, [Eduardo] Camavinga and me. Everyone likes each other and that's important.

"It's the best atmosphere in the world. Everybody wants to be there. The most experienced give us peace of mind and freedom to do what they want."

In the meantime, Vinicius has become a more regular figure for the Brazil national team, playing in seven of the Selecao's final 11 World Cup qualifiers and starting in five of them.

Despite his own burgeoning status, the 21-year-old revealed he will still be looking to defer to the talismanic Neymar later in the year in Qatar, as Brazil seek a sixth World Cup title.

"He is our best player," Vinicius said. "The rivals always focus more on him and he asks us to run into space because he has great quality to find us. He does everything for me, he is a great friend.

"The pressure is greater for him being older. He calls it responsibility. He also takes it away from us, from those who are arriving. Playing for the national team is a lot of pressure, but we're getting used to it."

Although he sees a future in coaching, Cesc Fabregas has ruled out immediate plans to retire following his confirmed departure from Monaco over the weekend.

The 35-year-old was only able to make two league appearances this past season, with ankle and hamstring injuries hampering his ability to see sustained time on the pitch.

Effectively without Fabregas, Monaco finished third in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, defeating them both and losing only once in the final 12 games of the season after Niko Kovac's dismissal in December.

Asked on his desire to eventually coach, Fabregas insisted he wants to end his playing career on the right note first.

"First, I still want to play. I don't want to end like this," he told the Ligue 1 website. "It's been too bad a year to end like this. I want to have fun, to finish with good feelings.

"Nothing is decided, I am listening. I am open to everything. Maybe the level of club will have to drop, but there are teams of a lower level in the Champions League. One thing is clear. I'll go to a club where I'll play, where they believe in me."

Fabregas arrived in the principality in January 2019 with the added objective of helping younger players in the squad develop, as Monaco battled relegation under then-boss and former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry.

Making 68 appearances over that period, the World Cup winner is content with his time in Monaco overall but seeks a more suitable punctuation mark to his playing career.

"At the time, I signed with one objective, to save the team, which was then 19th with 13 points," he said. "I took a big risk, because relegation was possible. We can be satisfied to have saved the team's top-flight status. I'm proud of what I contributed in those six months.

"When I came here, Thierry Henry and [former Monaco vice president] Vadim Vasilyev also asked me to help the youngsters develop. That was an important point.

"Today, I have the feeling that I have earned the respect and sympathy of this young generation. I hope I have helped. We like each other. I will continue to follow them, to talk with them.

"For me, these two and a half years have been positive. On the other hand, the past season was very bad, the worst of my career. By far, I've never experienced anything like it."