Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portugal captain, who joined Rudi Garcia's side on a free transfer after his acrimonious Manchester United departure, netted all four goals as his new club moved top of the Saudi Pro League on goal difference.

Fresh from opening his account for Al Nassr in their 2-2 draw with Al Fateh last time out, Ronaldo's milestone strike came in the 21st minute when he drilled a low shot past Abdulquddus Atiah.

He added a second to double the visitors' lead five minutes before half-time, latching onto a neat throughball before slotting home.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus forward completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute, before getting his fourth and rounding off a commanding victory just after the hour mark.

Ronaldo and Al Nassr are back in action a week on Friday, when they welcome to Al Taawoun to King Saud University Stadium.

Juventus were beaten by Barcelona last time out in the competition, but this time Andrea Pirlo will be able to rely on the services of Cristiano Ronaldo, who will no doubt be licking his lips at the prospect of facing leaky Ferencvaros.

Similarly, Barca will be strong favourites as they face Dynamo Kiev, while Manchester United go to Istanbul Basaksehir and Chelsea host Rennes.

However, Paris Saint-Germain could find themselves in a particularly tricky situation if they lose at an RB Leipzig smarting from their crushing by United.

Here is some of the key data from Wednesday's matchday three match-ups.

Barcelona v Dynamo Kiev: Messi and Griezmann poles apart

Although Barcelona are perhaps no longer the force we expect them to be, there is no doubt they will be firm favourites here, with the Catalans unbeaten in their previous 22 group games, while they could win five first-phase matches in a row for the first time since October 2017.

LionelMessi's form early on this season has led to some criticism, but few have the pedigree he has and he boasts 20 goals in his previous 24 Champions League appearances.

Contrast that with the much-maligned Antoine Griezmann, however. The Frenchman has just two goals in 10 Champions League games for Barca, one every 373 minutes – he netted once every 190 minutes on average for Atletico Madrid.

Ferencvaros v Juventus: Ronaldo licking his lips

Juve were without talismanic forward Ronaldoin their previous two group games against Dynamo and Barca, the latter of whom beat the Old Lady – therefore he will be hoping to make up for lost time against Ferencvaros, whose seven goals conceded is the worst in the competition.

In that game against Barca, Juve failed to muster a single shot on target – aside from the three goals Alvaro Morata had chalked off for offside.

A defeat for Juve in Hungary would be a huge shock, but if it does happen, it will be the first time the Bianconeri have lost successive group games since October 2014. Coach Pirlo played in the second loss back then.

Istanbul Basaksehir v Manchester United: Red Devils on course as Greenwood eyes history

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was asked in his pre-match news conference if United felt more confident travelling to Istanbul knowing they would not be facing a vociferous crowd – after all, the Red Devils have lost on each of their previous two trips to Turkey.

United have struggled domestically of late, losing most recently to Arsenal on Sunday, but Champions League wins over RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain have them in fine shape in Europe – no team has ever failed to qualify after winning their first two group games, an omen they should not ignore here.

Marcus Rashford was the hero against Leipzig, but Mason Greenwood also netted to level his team-mate as the most prolific English teenager in UEFA competition with six goals. The 19-year-old will set a new record with another in Istanbul.

RB Leipzig v Paris Saint-Germain: Germans desperate to bounce back

Leipzig's 5-0 annihilation by United last time was their worst ever European defeat and the heaviest suffered by a German team since 2014 – Wednesday's match gives them the chance to bounce back against the team that beat them in the semi-finals last season.

PSG, of course, have plenty of attacking talents for Leipzig to contend with, though arguably chief among them will be Kylian Mbappe, who has been directly involved in 22 away goals in the competition (14 goals, eight assists), which is more than anyone else since his first trip back in February 2017.

But the omens are not all great for PSG. There has only been one previous instance in the Champions League where a German coach has won away to a side managed by another Germantactician.

Other fixtures:

Chelsea v Rennes

15 - Chelsea have only suffered one defeat in their previous 15 home games in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League (0-1 v Valencia last season), winning nine and drawing the other five games in this run.

3 - Hakim Ziyech scored his first goal for Chelsea in the Champions League on MD2, while he could become just the third player to score on his first two startsfor the club in the competition after Didier Drogba in 2004 and Daniel Sturridge in 2010.

Sevilla v Krasnodar

13 - Including qualifiers, Sevilla are unbeaten in their previous 13 home gamesacross all European competitions (W11 D2), with their last such defeat coming in April 2018 against Bayern Munich (1-2 in a Champions League quarter-final).

1 - Only one Russian side has ever won away at Sevillain European competition, with CSKA Moscow prevailing 2-1 in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in 2009-10.

Zenit v Lazio

4 - Zenit are hoping to avoid losing four consecutive gamesin the European Cup/Champions League for the first time in their history.

1 - Lazio will be aiming for their first away win in the Champions League since September 2003 (2-0 v Besiktas), having failed to win on any of their previous six trips in the competition (D2 L4).

Club Brugge v Borussia Dortmund

12 - Only Robert Lewandowski (15) has scored more Champions League goals than Dortmund's Erling Haaland (12) since the start of last season, with the Norwegian striker converting 12 of his 17 shots on target in the competition so far.

1 - Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolethas only ended on the winning side in one of his 13 appearances in the Champions League, drawing six and losing six of his 12 games since winning on his debut in the competition for Liverpool in September 2014 (2-1 v Ludogorets).

Goals for Romarinho, Abderrazzaq Hamed Allah and Muhannad Al Shanqiti saw Al Ittihad, coached by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, set up a showdown with Al-Fayha in Riyadh.

Ronaldo played the entire match on Thursday, coming close to an equaliser in the first half when he headed straight at Al Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe.

Al Ittihad compounded his frustrations by racing down the other end to make it 2-0, though Talisca pulled one back for Al Nassr after the break.

Ronaldo drilled a free-kick just over prior to Talisca's strike, yet despite piling on the pressure, Al Nassr were opened up again late on, with Al Shanqiti sealing Al Ittihad's progression.

It means Ronaldo's wait for a first official goal in Saudi Arabia will stretch into a third match.

Ronaldo has been self-isolating since testing positive for COVID-19 while on international duty with Portugal and missed Juve's 1-1 draw with Crotone in Serie A last weekend and their 2-0 Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday. 

Pirlo revealed on Saturday that Ronaldo remains unavailable, though Juve were waiting on the result of the 35-year-old's most-recent test to see if he could return to training.

The Bianconeri have only played 13 Serie A matches without the Portugal captain since his arrival prior to the 2018-19 season and their win percentage in those games stands at 54 per cent, while they have been victorious in 73 per cent of league fixtures when he does play.

One forward who will feature on Sunday, however, is Dybala, who made his first appearance of the season against Dynamo and is set to start against Verona. 

Dybala played 33 times in Serie A last season, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists, but a thigh injury limited his game time this term. 

"We had time to rest after the trip to Dynamo Kiev, so apart from Giorgio Chiellini, everyone else is available," Pirlo told a news conference.  

"As of last night [Friday], I had no news on Ronaldo's COVID status. We all had swabs this morning, including Ronaldo at home. He is definitely out of the match against Hellas. 

"I can confirm Dybala will start tomorrow. He had the right progress in training and it's only fair now that he starts the match. 

"I always said it was an issue of time, as he had the injury, then a virus on international duty. The two times he was on the bench without coming on, it was because we'd gone down to 10 men. He played in Kiev as a substitute, it's only right that he starts tomorrow." 

While Dybala and Ronaldo have been absent, Alvaro Morata has performed well, scoring three goals in the past two matches. 

"This is why we signed him," said Pirlo. "We knew he was a great player who provided us with different tactical options, he knows Dybala well and I think they can happily coexist in the same line-up. 

"With Atletico Madrid, he had recently been accustomed to playing largely on the back foot, so there were 80 metres in front of him to go on the counter-attack. 

"We try to keep the ball, work on the position of the body when receiving a pass, pressing to free up a man. We work for each other to ensure we can move the ball quickly." 

Although Juve finished 2019-20 just a point ahead of second-placed Inter, they had wrapped up the title with two games to go – beating Sampdoria 2-0 on July 26.

Cristiano Ronaldo was unsurprisingly key, finishing as his team's top scorer, but for much of the season there were a few sides that looked like they might push Juve all the way.

Inter, Atalanta and Lazio all had their moments where they were able to dream and they each had individuals who impressed.

Following the conclusion on the campaign on Sunday, we teamed up with Opta to outline the Serie A Team of the Season.

OPTA'S SERIE A TEAM OF THE SEASON

GK: Wojciech Szczesny, Juventus

Poland international Szczesny has come a long way since struggling in the latter part of his Arsenal career. He was once again a dependable option between the posts, remaining first choice despite the return of Gianluigi Buffon. He ended the season with a 74.4 per cent save success rate, the best of the Serie A goalkeepers to have played 20 or more times.

RB: Juan Cuadrado, Juventus

Hardly the most convincing of defenders, granted, but Cuadrado boasts the versatility to play in a few roles down the right flank and he became an important figure for Maurizio Sarri – his 28 Serie A starts is just one fewer than he managed in the previous two seasons combined. The Colombian was certainly influential, too, as he was involved in more open-play sequences that ended with a shot made by someone else (132) than any other player this term. He also chipped in with two goals and five assists.

CB: Stefan de Vrij, Inter

No team conceded fewer goals in Serie A this season than an Inter side that Antonio Conte ensured was well-drilled. Netherlands centre-back De Vrij played a major role in that as he featured 34 times – though his efforts were not notable just for his defensive effectiveness. The former Feyenoord man scored three goals and also set up another three, making him the most productive centre-back in the league in this regard.

CB: Francesco Acerbi, Lazio

After Inter, the next-best defensive unit in Serie A was Lazio, who let in 42 (six more than Conte's men). Acerbi missed just two games all season and his form at the start of the season also saw him make three starts for Italy. The 32-year-old has proven himself to be one of Serie A's best stoppers, as evidenced by the fact he was dribbled past just six times this term. No other outfield player with more than 35 appearances did better than that.

LB: Theo Hernandez, Milan

Former France youth international Hernandez has rediscovered the early promise he showed during a fine loan spell at Deportivo Alaves in 2016-17. While question marks remain over his defensive abilities, the Atletico Madrid youth product has excited with his attacking tendencies in 2019-20. No defender completed more dribbles (57) than him, while he also had a hand in nine goals (six goals, three assists).

CM: Luis Alberto, Lazio

Since leaving Liverpool for Rome in 2016, Luis Alberto has arguably developed into one of the world's best creative midfielders. The Spain international sees passes few others can and he has put that to particularly good use in 2019-20, with his 106 chances created being a Serie A high. Similarly, his 15 assists was second only to Alejandro Gomez (16), as he helped Simone Inzaghi's men mount a title challenge. Often linked with a return home to Sevilla, Lazio will surely be doing everything they can to keep Luis Alberto at Stadio Olimpico.

CM: Fabian Ruiz, Napoli

The other half of a Seville-centric midfield, Real Betis product Fabian probably hasn't impressed quite as much as he did in 2018-19, but he has nevertheless continued to show plenty of promise. Still only 24, Fabian attempted the most passes (2,331) of any player in the league this season, while he had a hand in nine goals, the same amount as in the previous campaign.

AM: Alejandro Gomez, Atalanta

Like a fine wine, 'Papu' Gomez just seems to get better with age. Now 32, the Argentinian has enjoyed a fantastic season for the often-exhilarating Atalanta. He scored seven goals for a second successive season, but his haul of 16 assists is five more than 2018-19. That figure is the highest since Opta records began in 2004-05.

FWD: Paulo Dybala, Juventus

The Sarri-Juventus combination continues to puzzle many, but if there's one thing he has got right, it's helping Dybala get back to something resembling his best. He had been strongly linked with a move away last year, but Dybala was involved in 17 Serie A goals this term (11 goals, six assists) and managed to coexist with Ronaldo more effectively. Of his 11 strikes, eight (73 per cent) were the opening goals of matches, the biggest quantity among players with 10 or more.

FWD: Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus

Considering there being murmurs of discontent between himself and Sarri, and suggestions the coach hasn't been able to get the best out of the Portugal great, Ronaldo's had a pretty effective year. With 31 league goals, it's been his best goal-scoring campaign domestically since getting 35 with Real Madrid in 2015-16, while his goals have secured 24 points, more than any other player.

FWD: Ciro Immobile, Lazio

What a season Immobile has had. With 36 league goals, the Italy international equalled Gonzalo Higuain's record for a single campaign, while that haul also won him the coveted European Golden Shoe. On top of that, his record of nine assists was bettered by only Gomez, Luis Alberto and Domenico Berardi. If he can keep it up, Lazio will surely fancy themselves of challenging Juve again next term.

Ronaldo's inclusion was arguably the major surprise after a difficult back half to the year where he was dropped by both Manchester United and Portugal, ultimately parting ways with the Red Devils in November.

The Portuguese star has made the Team of the Year, along with Messi, every year since 2007, but will face stiff competition among the forwards alongside Erling Haaland, Mbappe, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski and reigning Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema.

Last year, four forwards were named in the final XI; Ronaldo, Haaland, Lewandowski and Messi.

World Cup stars Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez are named in the shortlist for the first time in midfield, alongside Casemiro, Kevin de Bruyne, Gavi, Luka Modric, Pedri and Federico Valverde.

The defenders nominated are Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Alphonso Davies, Josko Gvardiol, Achraf Hakimi and Theo Hernandez.

The goalkeepers in contention are Alisson Becker, Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martinez.

Mbappe has established himself as one of the best players in the world after bursting onto the scene with Ligue 1 outfit Monaco in 2016-17.

The coveted 21-year-old has already won a World Cup, three Ligue 1 titles and three other domestic trophies for France, PSG and Monaco.

Continually linked to LaLiga giants Real Madrid, Juventus superstar and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo heaped praise on Mbappe.

"Mbappe is the future and the present," Ronaldo said in a promotional video shared by Marca.

"He's a fantastic player, very fast, and he will be the future."

Seen as the heir to Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Mbappe has flourished for PSG in the French capital.

After scoring 39 goals across all competitions last season, Mbappe has 24 this term – 15 of those coming in Ligue 1.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, is in red-hot form for Serie A champions Juventus in 2019-20.

The 35-year-old forward has scored 20 league goals and 24 in all competitions.

Ronaldo has netted 12 goals in his past eight matches for Maurizio Sarri's Juve, who are a point clear atop the table.

Ronaldo was playing for his country for the first time in 2020, having sat out of last week's 4-1 defeat of Croatia.

That result had prompted suggestions Portugal might be better in the absence of their talisman, but he set the record straight on Tuesday.

Two goals - his 100th and 101st at international level - secured a 2-0 win, adding to a hat-trick at the same stadium as Ronaldo single-handedly defeated Sweden in 2014 World Cup qualifying.

The Juventus forward said afterwards: "I didn't follow the comments. It's an opinion.

"I knew I had left a mark at this stadium and I knew that, if I played, I would leave a mark again. I don't care about provocations.

"What I have done in my career speaks for itself. No, I have to prove nothing to anyone, and when I have to prove it, I show it on the pitch."

On his milestone goal, Ronaldo said: "I am very happy. Firstly, because the team won, which was the goal we had. Then the 100 mark and then the 101, with two goals, makes me very happy.

"Now the future is only for God. I feel good, I feel good for playing with these young players."

Iran legend Ali Daei's record of 109 goals is the next in the striker's sights.

"I beat the 100-goal mark, and now it's the record," Ronaldo added. "It's step by step, without making it an obsession."

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, thought to be one of the most lucrative in football history, following his Manchester United exit.

The Portugal international has yet to make his debut due to a domestic suspension carried over from his time at United, but his impact is already being felt off the pitch.

And in the view of Garcia, the transfer is comparable to the late Pele's move to American club Cosmos in 1975 following a legendary spell with Santos.

"It's a bit like Pele's arrival, especially for the development of football, sport and culture in Saudi Arabia," Garcia was quoted as saying by L'Equipe.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is more than a player. He is one of the best players in the world.

"It's amazing how much it’s put a spotlight on our club. Now everyone knows where our club is around the world.

"We must have gone from 800,000 [Twitter followers] to 10 million in a few hours, or a few days, because of Cristiano's arrival."

Ronaldo missed Friday's 2-0 win over Al Tai and will also sit out Saturday's trip to Al Shabab due to a ban imposed for knocking a phone out of an Everton fan's hand last April.

He is eligible to make his Al Nassr debut against Al Ettifaq on January 22, but Garcia has confirmed Ronaldo may first feature in a prestige friendly against Paris Saint-Germain.

That could mean a clash between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as PSG take on a Saudi All-Star XI made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal, but Garcia is not entirely happy.

"His debut won't be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr," Garcia said.

"As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be pleased with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. 

"But we have a championship game three days later. In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it's not a big deal. 

"We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it."

Ronaldo struggled for playing time prior to his United exit and then lost his place in Portugal's starting line-up in their disappointing World Cup campaign.

Asked what he hopes to see from the 37-year-old when he belatedly makes his debut, Garcia said: "If he finds the pleasure of playing again, that will already be a goal achieved."

Ronaldo's side were 1-0 down and looked to be on their way to a first defeat in five matches against an Al Batin team sat bottom of the league and with just one win all season.

But Abdulrahman Ghareeb levelled in the 93rd minute, before Mohammed Al Fatil dramatically put Al Nassr ahead in the 12th minute of additional time.

The points were made safe two minutes later, as Ghareeb set up Mohammed Maran to add a third and move Al Nassr to the top of the table.

Despite his team's spectacular comeback, Ronaldo failed to register a goal involvement for the first time in five matches.

It was not for the want of trying though, as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had a team-high seven shots, though he hit the target just once.

Ronaldo picked up the league's player of the month award before kick-off, after scoring eight goals and adding two assists during February as his team went unbeaten.

Ronaldo's side were 1-0 down and looked to be on their way to a first defeat in five matches against an Al Batin team sat bottom of the league and with just one win all season.

But Abdulrahman Ghareeb levelled in the 93rd minute, before Mohammed Al Fatil dramatically put Al Nassr ahead in the 12th minute of additional time.

The points were made safe two minutes later, as Ghareeb set up Mohammed Maran to add a third and move Al Nassr to the top of the table.

Despite his team's spectacular comeback, Ronaldo failed to register a goal involvement for the first time in five matches.

It was not for the want of trying though, as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had a team-high seven shots, though he hit the target just once.

Ronaldo picked up the league's player of the month award before kick-off, after scoring eight goals and adding two assists during February as his team went unbeaten.

But that has not been the case against world champions France, who have never conceded to the Juventus superstar.

Ronaldo again drew a blank against Les Bleus in a 1-0 Nations League defeat on Saturday which saw holders Portugal lose the opportunity to reach the Finals and defend their title.

It was the sixth time the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward had played France without netting, which is his worst such goalless record against any single opponent for club or country.

Only once has Ronaldo beaten France and even then he played a mere 25 minutes, although that came in the Euro 2016 final that made the striker and his team-mates European champions.

The latest reverse, which assured France of top spot in Group A3, was certainly not for a want of trying on Ronaldo's part.

The 35-year-old had six shots, more than any other player on the pitch, but only hit the target once and missed a huge headed opportunity just before half-time.

Ronaldo's sole key pass teed up a Joao Moutinho effort which drew a stunning save from Hugo Lloris.

It was not a vintage Ronaldo display and he was the only player flagged offside twice, conceded a joint-high four fouls and won just six of his 14 duels.

Ronaldo hammered home a free-kick from around 30 yards out in the 78th minute of Saturday's Saudi Pro League clash.

The 38-year-old picked out the bottom-left corner with his dipping effort, cancelling out Abdulfattah Adam's 26th-minute opener.

With Abha down to 10 men after Zakaria Al Sudani picked up his second booking, Talisca's penalty completed the turnaround, seeing Al Nassr beat the visitors for the second time in the space of four days after a victory in the Kings Cup in midweek.

Al Nassr are second in the Pro League, a point behind Al Ittihad, who they lost to on March 9.

"Great to get the win and so happy to score here in our stadium with our fans," Ronaldo posted on social media.

Ronaldo saw an extra-time spot-kick saved by Jan Oblak as Portugal played out a goalless draw in Monday's tie, only to scrape through to the quarter-finals on penalties.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored in the shoot-out but is yet to net in regular play at this tournament, despite amassing a competition-high 20 shots worth 2.75 expected goals (xG).

He has failed to score in his last eight appearances at the World Cup or European Championships, having netted 10 times in his previous nine between 2018 and 2022.

When asked about Ronaldo's tears at Thursday's pre-match press conference, Silva said: "We're humans and he felt emotional when he missed a penalty. 

"It's acceptable, isn't it? Sometimes you react in ways you don't expect... he felt he could have done better in that moment.

"He cries for a bit, which is how humans deal with emotions sometimes.

"So I don't see any reason for people to discuss it. Obviously people will, because that's the business."

Though Portugal impressed as they beat Turkiye 3-0 in their second group-stage match, they have disappointed in their other games and been criticised at home over a lack of attacking thrust.

Asked about that criticism, Silva said: "We understand it, it's part of the business, it's the reason why we earn so much money and we are able to give our families and friends a better life.

"We don't complain about the criticism, it's for good and for bad, it's our job. 

"When it comes to June and a World Cup or Euros, everyone thinks they're a manager. We get that and we accept that."

Roma head coach Jose Mourinho had been linked with a possible Ronaldo reunion, having coached the Portuguese at Real Madrid.

Spanish newspaper AS this week claimed Mourinho had been offered a two-year contract worth €100million.

For now at least, Al Nassr have put Jelicic in charge, promoting him from his position in charge of their under-19 team.

The Riyadh-based club said: "Al Nassr can announce that head coach Rudi Garcia has left the club by mutual agreement.

"The board and everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Rudi and his staff for their dedicated work during the past 8 months.

"We can announce that our U19 coach, Mr Dinko Jelicic will be the new head coach for the first team. Good luck, Mr Dinko."

Frenchman Garcia was a Ligue 1 winner as head coach of Lille in 2010-11 and the 59-year-old has also bossed Roma, Marseille and Lyon.

He was appointed in late June last year and departs with Al Nassr sitting second in the Pro League with seven games remaining, three points behind leaders Al Ittihad, to whom they lost last month.

Ronaldo's arrival as a free agent after his release by Manchester United was announced in late December, and the 38-year-old superstar has drawn unprecedented attention to the league.

Real Madrid's record scorer spent three seasons playing under fellow Portuguese Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu from 2010 to 2013, and it remains to be seen whether they are reacquainted in the future.

Jelicic gets the chance to lead the team for now, and he may make the job his own.

Should Al Nassr fall short of overhauling Al Ittihad, however, they may have reason to think again, and it could prove less disruptive to prise away a top coach of Mourinho's ilk during the close season rather than at the business end.

The Ligue 1 leaders squandered a 2-0 aggregate lead with just half an hour of the tie remaining, losing 3-1 in the second leg and 3-2 on aggregate thanks to Karim Benzema's hat-trick.

It means head coach Mauricio Pochettino could already be looking ahead to a change of scenery.

TOP STORY – POCHETTINO SET FOR PSG SACK AND COULD TURN TO MAN UTD

Mauricio Pochettino's job is "hanging by a thread" at PSG, according to the Telegraph.

It is claimed the Argentine can expect to leave the club at the end of the season following their Champions League collapse against Real Madrid.

Pochettino has long been linked with the Manchester United manager job and could now start to prepare for the prospect of taking over at Old Trafford.

ROUND-UP

- Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken with agent Jorge Mendes over his future at Manchester United, claims the Sun. Meanwhile, Bild reports the Red Devils are interested in signing Robert Lewandowski.

- Paul Pogba is another who could be leaving Old Trafford this year, but Juventus are not yet certain whether to try to re-sign him on a free transfer or offer a new contract to Paulo Dybala, Tuttosport claims.

- Barcelona are close to concluding an agreement with Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, according to Sport.

- Arsenal want to sign two new strikers and a midfielder as part of a major squad overhaul, the Standard says. Alexander Isak, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jonathan David and Darwin Nunez are among the forwards being tracked.

- A consortium led by British businessman Nick Candy is working on a £2.5billion bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, the Guardian reports.

Mbappe and Neymar have both been linked with moves away from the Ligue 1 champions, while Ronaldo has reportedly been a target for PSG previously.

PSG seemingly know where their priorities are.

TOP STORY – PSG FOCUS ON MBAPPE, NEYMAR OVER RONALDO

PSG would prefer to extend the contracts of Mbappe and Neymar than chase Juventus star Ronaldo, according to ESPN.

Mbappe and Neymar are both coming to the end of their contracts in 2022 and have been linked to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

ROUND-UP

- Arsenal are reportedly ready to splash the cash. The Sun says the Premier League side are set to spend £100million on Real Madrid's Dani Ceballos, Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey and Lille's Gabriel Magalhaes, but must sell at least three players.

- With Eric Garcia set to leave Manchester City, Barcelona are preparing a move. The Sun reports Barca will make a €15.5m (£14m) bid for the defender.

- Will Chelsea find a way to land West Ham star Declan Rice? The Daily Star says Chelsea are looking to raise £65m to land the midfielder.

- Liverpool continue to be linked with moves. The Liverpool Echo reports Watford attacker Ismaila Sarr is on the Premier League champions' shortlist.

- Staying at Anfield and Yahoo reports Liverpool are tracking Vasco da Gama's 18-year-old forward Talles Magno.

- Ryan Sessegnon continues to be linked with a move from Tottenham. The Guardian reports Ajax are interested in Sessegnon on loan.

Erik ten Hag has guided United to third in the Premier League, perhaps still in title contention, while they will face Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final.

Rivals Manchester City and Liverpool are facing various crises, and United's ambitions moving forward could be boosted by a lucrative takeover.

After making only loan signings in January as the Glazer family consider selling up, the outlook at Old Trafford might be about to change entirely.

TOP STORY – QATARI-BACKED MAN UTD BID DUE IN DAYS

According to the Daily Mail, a group of Qatari investors plan to buy United and give manager Ten Hag "the financial backing to lead the club back to the top".

The Glazers set a deadline of mid-February for bids, and an offer from the group is expected in the coming days.

The report says the group are confident their bid would "blow the competition out of the water".

This interest in United follows on the back of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the investors eager to secure ownership of "the crown jewels" of the footballing world.

ROUND-UP

– The Telegraph is reporting Manchester City's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is at risk of being torpedoed by their potential financial breaches.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Cristiano Ronaldo's team Al Nassr have offered 34-year-old Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets a contract worth €18million per season.

– Manchester United and Liverpoolwill both make a run at Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, who impressed for France at the World Cup, per L'Equipe.

– Calciomercato is reporting Juventus will likely allow striker Dusan Vlahovic to leave at the end of the season if they receive a bid in the range of €90m.

– According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle United have made 26-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison a key target.

Ronaldo swapped LaLiga giants Real Madrid for Serie A champions Juventus in 2018.

But the 35-year-old superstar reportedly wants out of Turin.

TOP STORY – RONALDO EYES JUVE EXIT

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Juventus as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United circle, according to Diario GOL.

The report claims Ronaldo has an offer from Ligue 1 champions PSG, who want to partner the five-time Ballon d'Or winner with Kylian Mbappe.

Ronaldo has also received a proposal from former club United and the 35-year-old wants to restore the glory days at Old Trafford, though it depends on Champions League qualification.

ROUND-UP

- The Star says Barcelona have made a bid for Inter forward Lautaro Martinez as their interest in Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has cooled. Aubameyang has been linked to Barca, PSG and United.

- Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign out-of-favour Barca attacker Philippe Coutinho, reports The Mirror. Barca are looking to offload the Brazilian, who is on loan at Bayern Munich. United, Arsenal and Tottenham have also been mentioned as possible destinations.

- El Pais says Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors are keen on signing PSG forward Edinson Cavani, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

- Declan Rice to return to Stamford Bridge? Sky Sports says Chelsea are hoping to re-sign the West Ham midfielder, who spent most of his youth career with the Blues.

- Gianluigi Donnarumma's future at Milan is uncertain. Calciomercato claims a farewell cannot be ruled out amid contract negotiations. Real Madrid, PSG and Everton are among the reported suitors for the Italy international goalkeeper.

- According to Calciomercato, Napoli are preparing for life without star defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who continues to be linked with the likes of United, Madrid and Bayern. Freiburg's Robin Koch has emerged as an option for Napoli.

- Inter and Juve are interested in former Milan midfielder and current Sassuolo star Manuel Locatelli, reports Calciomercato.

A brace at Sweden secured a 2-0 Nations League win and took Ronaldo past a century of strikes for his country.

The goals came just as questions were being asked of Ronaldo's role within the title holders' team, having sat out last week's dominant 4-1 win over Croatia.

Ronaldo said after the match he paid little attention to provocation and had no need to prove himself.

Coach Santos dismissed the notion entirely, meanwhile.

He told a news conference: "What more can I say? A team that has the best in the world cannot be better without the best in the world.

"[Ronaldo] goes on breaking records and records and then, when everyone thinks he is going to finish, there are even more records to beat. He feeds on it."

Portugal needed Ronaldo to step up, with his first – the milestone goal – a wonderful free-kick, after Sweden had given Santos' side an early scare.

Bernardo Silva was injured midway through the opening period, but Gustav Svensson's red card – which prompted Ronaldo's set-piece – gave Portugal the advantage.

"In the first 20 minutes, we had a lot of difficulties," the coach conceded. "We weren't able to get their game right, with the long balls.

"We had a lot of difficulties, because when we had the ball, we lost it very easily.

"We started to improve, we started to have the ball and the game became easier for us, but then we had Bernardo's issue – a forced substitution – and, from then on, I realised that we were going to have more difficulty.

"The red card was fundamental in the game, although I believed we would win anyway. The victory is just."