Transfer News

Emerson Royal, Ilaix Moriba and Rey Manaj were allowed to leave Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Leicester City were also busy with one in and one out, while a young Frenchman (no, not that one) has joined Real Madrid.

Here is a round-up of some of the deadline-day deals, and what could be coming in the closing hours...
 

A new Royal rocks up in London

Talks had been ongoing over the past few days between Tottenham and Barca for full-back Emerson, who only arrived at Camp Nou earlier in the window after impressing at Real Betis.

The right-back has joined Spurs for a £21.5million (€25m) fee, with his arrival likely to push Serge Aurier closer to the exit door.

Could Aurier end up at a Premier League rival? Everton appear to be in need of a right-back with Ainsley Maitland-Niles set to stay at Arsenal.

Back at Barca, they have sold midfielder Ilaix Moriba to Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, who have paid €16m plus €6m in add-ons for the teenager. Manaj, meanwhile, has joined Italian side Spezia on loan.

Paris Saint-Germain have been at the centre of one of the biggest stories over recent days, but it looks like Kylian Mbappe will be staying put.

Indeed, the France star seems set to have a new team-mate in the capital, with Sporting CP full-back Nuno Mendes said to be nearing a €40m move. Pablo Sarabia may head the other way.

While they may have missed out on Mbappe, Madriddid complete a deal for another France international in Eduardo Camavinga, who has signed a six-year contract following a transfer from Rennes.

Better call Saul?

Chelsea have been chasing Sevilla defender Jules Kounde but the European champions have instead lined up another LaLiga player to boost their squad, with Atletico Madrid's Saul reportedly set to arrive on loan.

One outgoing at Chelsea was Ethan Ampadu, with the youngster signing a new contract before heading out on loan to newly promoted Serie A side Venezia.

Another Premier League club busy as the deadline approached were Leicester, drafting in Ademola Lookman on loan from Leipzig. The winger impressed with Fulham last term. Dennis Praet, meanwhile, has left to return to Serie A, joining Torino on loan for the season.

After the Cristiano Ronaldo deal was confirmed by Manchester United, the Red Devils decreased the logjam for starting spots in the forward line by allowing Dan James to depart for Leeds United - the club he so nearly joined previously, only for the deal to fall through.

Liverpool have been more focused on tying down current members of their squad than bringing in new faces; they have handed young defender Rhys Williams a new deal, with the centre-back then joining Swansea City on loan. Nathaniel Phillips has also extended his contract, though looks set to stay at Anfield for now.

Burnleyhave signed full-back Connor Roberts from the Swans, while Everton are expected to complete the signing of Salomon Rondon as a replacement for Moise Kean, whose move to Juventus was confirmed earlier in the day.

Arsenal have supposedly agreed a deal with Bologna for defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.The move would seemingly offset the loss of Hector Bellerin, who is said to be close to switching to Real Betis. Reiss Nelson has already left the Gunners, heading out to Feyenoordon loan. 

The transfer windows in Italy and Germany have already shut, meaning Juve, Inter, Milan, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all concluded their business.

Messi's future has been the subject of fresh speculation since last week's humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.

Reports in Catalonia suggest the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is still lukewarm over the prospect of remaining at Camp Nou following a meeting with newly installed head coach Ronald Koeman.

Koeman succeeded the ill-fated Quique Setien and Eric Abidal has also moved on from his post as sporting director.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, ex-Porto playmaker Deco urged Barca to get their house in order or face up to an unpalatable reality.

"I don't know [if Messi will leave], but he has a contract," he said.

"He is a player who wants to keep winning and it will depend on what Barca does when it comes to offering him a competitive team. I haven't spoken to him, but I'm sure that's what he thinks.

"I think he has to think about his future at a sporting level. It is very difficult to make a decision because we are talking about the club of his life; it is not that he has been at Barca for three or four years. 

"We are talking about the best player in the history of the club and his family is linked to the city. It's not easy. 

"But it is also clear that he wants to keep winning. We cannot imagine a Barca without Leo, but it can happen."

Whatever Messi decides upon for his next move, Deco does at least feel the under-fire Barcelona board have happened upon a safe pair of hands in Koeman.

"He is a coach who knows the club very well and has a lot of experience," he added.

"He knows the whole Barca environment and I think he can help Barca at this time."

United's interest in taking Sancho to Old Trafford has been no secret, but Dortmund have been steadfast in their refusal to sell him for anything under their reported €120million (£108m) asking price.

Sancho is under contract until 2023 and Reus is delighted at the prospect of another campaign alongisde the former Manchester City youth player at Signal Iduna Park.

"For us it's great. We were all excited that he will stay at least one more year," Dortmund captain Reus told reporters. "Simply because he keeps on delivering goals and assists via which we will collect a lot of points."

Reus does not yet know the extent of Sancho's potential and is unwilling to say whether he has the promise to perform at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"He's a crucial player for us and if he one day will be as big a player as the other two [Ronaldo and Messi] we will see.

"He simply needs time, a lot of experience, and there will be times where everything's not going that well and one will see how he will get through that.

"But I think he has got the necessary confidence and quality to succeed."

Dortmund face Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup on Wednesday, having suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Sancho was extremely influential as Dortmund finished second in the Bundesliga last season.

His 17 league goals trailed only Robert Lewandowski (34) and Timo Werner (28). Thomas Muller (21) was the lone player to have more assists than Sancho's 16 in the Bundesliga in 2019-20.

Haaland has emerged as one of Europe's most sought-after players following his exploits for Dortmund, with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea all apparently interested.

The 20-year-old reportedly has a €75million (£65m) release clause – valid from 2022 – but there is a view that Dortmund could be forced to cash in on their prized asset due to the team's Bundesliga struggles.

Dortmund are fifth in the standings and seven points adrift of Eintracht Frankfurt, who occupy the final Champions League qualification place with six matches remaining.

But Zorc – speaking prior to Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Manchester City – remains adamant Dortmund will not part with their Norway sensation.

"The fact is, nothing works without our signature," Zorc told Sky Germany.

"We plan with him, regardless of whether we qualify for the Champions League or not. We had a conversation with him and Erling's father.

"We have given a clear message that we will continue planning with him. It may be that [agent] Mino [Raiola] sees it differently."

Haaland was kept scoreless by semi-final bound City midweek, though he has still managed 33 goals and nine assists in 35 appearances across all competitions this season.

Among players in Europe's top-five leagues, only Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski, Tottenham's Harry Kane and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe have been directly involved in more goals.

Dortmund team-mate Jadon Sancho has also been linked with an exit after Premier League giants United were tipped to sign the England international at the start of the season.

However, Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke made it clear there will be no cut-price sales amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"When COVID-19 struck, we had no debt. Not one euro," Watzke told BBC Sport. "Because of that, it is a comfortable situation. We do not have to sell a player. That is important.

"The rich clubs in the world, they must know when they want a player from Borussia Dortmund there are two possibilities. The first is that I tell them they have no chance. Other times, I will tell them 'this is the price'.

"Then they must know this is the price. It is not another price. We are very clear. We are very honest."

Inter confirmed the signing of Dumfries shortly after revealing striker Edin Dzeko had completed his switch from domestic rivals Roma.

Dumfries, who was impressive for the Netherlands at Euro 2020, scoring twice during the tournament, is believed to have been purchased for a fee of €12.5million plus add ons.

The 25-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the Nerazzurri.

Dumfries appears set to be the like-for-like replacement for Achraf Hakimi, who was sold to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the transfer window.

Hakimi's sale was required as Inter looked to ease financial difficulties. The club have also seen star striker Romelu Lukaku depart to Chelsea for a reported £97.5m (€115m).

"The feeling is amazing," Dumfries told Inter TV. "I'm very happy to join the champions of Italy. It's a big opportunity for me and I'm happy to be here.

"I'm a wide defender and I like to attack a lot. I think I'll fit in at Inter as they play with five at the back, as I have done with the Netherlands.

"I know which Dutch players have played here before. It's an honour to join them on the list.

"I hope we can have a great season, maybe win another league title and do well in the Champions League. I can't wait to get started."

Dumfries excelled for Frank de Boer's Netherlands team at Euro 2020, despite the Oranje's disappointing exit to the Czech Republic in the round of 16.

Playing as a wing-back, Dumfries started all four of his country's matches, playing 315 minutes in total.

Inter look set to continue with a back three under new boss Simone Inzaghi, who used a similar system at Lazio, meaning Dumfries will likely slot straight into the role that Hakimi occupied last term.

Dumfries has big shoes to fill, though. Hakimi played in 37 league matches in 2020-21, with only Lautaro Martinez (38) featuring more in the top flight under Antonio Conte during the campaign.

Hakimi scored seven times, a total only bettered in Inter's ranks by Martinez (17) and Lukaku (24), while he also provided eight assists.

His crossing was a particular threat, registering an accuracy of 25.52 per cent from 145 crosses from open play. Based on Euro 2020, this is something that Dumfries will need to improve, given none of his six crosses were classed as successful.

However, his presence in the area was often enough to help the Netherlands break down defences, and only Memphis Depay (24) had more touches in the opposition box than Dumfries.

Dumfries also contested (58) and won (28) more duels than any other Dutch player at Euro 2020, recording a success rate of 48.28 per cent, a figure that is not dissimilar to Hakimi's rate of 50.05 per cent from 333 duels in Serie A last season.

Pirlo was appointed as the successor to Maurizio Sarri following Juve's Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Lyon, the former midfielder being promoted to the top job a week after being named the club's Under-23 boss.

Dybala was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United last year and transfer rumours around the Argentina international persist, with Barcelona said to be interested amid uncertainty over the future of Lionel Messi.

However, Pirlo insisted Juve have never been open to offers for Dybala, who will be a key part of his plans for the 2020-21 season.

"He has never been on the market, it is you [the media] who make these rumours," Pirlo said of Dybala when introduced to the media on Tuesday.

"For me, he is as important as the others. As soon as he returns [from the off-season] he will be part of the project."

While Dybala is set to remain in Turin, Pirlo confirmed Higuain will be allowed to leave and a decision on midfielder Sami Khedira will be taken once he returns from a thigh injury.

"I talked to Higuain. He is a person I admire very much. He had an important cycle here, he was a great player but in speaking with him we decided our roads must separate," said Pirlo.

"He was a great champion but cycles end. He was sidelined but as a serious person we spoke to each other to make this decision.

"As for Khedira, he is injured. We'll see when he gets better."

Sarri found it tough to combine Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo effectively during his tenure and Pirlo believes compromise will be required in order for the duo to have the impact expected.

"Not all the boys are available. We are working in small groups. We will soon get on the pitch and prepare things," said Pirlo.

"Quality players can always play together, as long as there is sacrifice. The more quality players there are, the more chances there are to win – but always withing a team structure.

"Sacrifice and desire to work for the team go beyond everything."

Schneiderlin, 30, signed for Everton in January 2017, joining the Toffees from Manchester United in a deal reportedly worth up to £24million.

The former Southampton midfielder initially impressed at Goodison Park under Ronald Koeman, but struggled to keep up that form and found himself a bit-part player under Marco Silva and Carlo Ancelotti.

He will now join Patrick Vieira's Nice, who finished fifth in the shortened Ligue 1 season in 2019-20, following the official opening of the international transfer window.

Reports of a fee being agreed between the two clubs, said to be in the region of €70million potentially rising to €80m, first emerged on Sunday.

De Ligt was pictured heading to an airport in Turin on Monday for a flight expected to take him to Bavaria to finalise personal terms with the Bundesliga champions.

The 22-year-old centre-back's agent was also present and stated to reporters that she does not anticipate any glitches to prevent the transfer from going through.

"Everything is perfect," Pimenta said. "He is going to Bayern and is happy. We have to thank Juventus, who have been very good with Matthijs."

The Netherlands international played 2,675 minutes for Juventus last season – the most of any outfield player – and provides a timely boost for Bayern after they lost Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona.

De Ligt, the first 17-year-old to represent Oranje since 1931 when making his debut five years ago, had spent three seasons at Juve.

He started his career with Ajax and was part of the 2018-19 team that reached the Champions League semi-finals, two years after finishing as runners-up in the Europa League.

De Ligt will become Bayern's fourth arrival of the transfer window, having already brought in Noussair Mazraoui, Ryan Gravenberch and Sadio Mane.

The former England striker joined the Turkish Super Lig club in August 2019 after his release from Liverpool.

Sturridge has scored seven goals in 16 appearances across all competitions this season.

A statement on Trabzonspor's website read: "The professional footballer contract signed between our company and our professional footballer Daniel Andre Sturridge, dated 21.08.2019 and ending 31.05.2021, has been mutually terminated.

"In accordance with the termination agreement, the football player gave up all his forward-looking rights and receivables."

It is unclear what Sturridge's next move will be but he has been linked with a switch to David Beckham's new MLS franchise Inter Miami, who lost their first professional match 1-0 to Los Angeles FC on Sunday.

Sturridge spent six years at Anfield, in which he scored 67 goals in 160 appearances, and has also represented Manchester City, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers and West Brom.

The 30-year-old also has also scored eight goals in 26 England appearances.

The 18-year-old forward joins in a reported €40million (£35.6m) transfer, signing a five-year contract to further expand Wolves' significant Portuguese contingent.

Executive chairman Jeff Shi confirmed his signing had come at the request of head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and it sees Wolves secure a talent strongly linked with Real Madrid and Liverpool in the past.

The deal makes Silva the seventh costliest teenager in history, and he joins illustrious company, as outlined below…

Kylian Mbappe: Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain - €180m

Likely to remain the world's most expensive teenage signing for some time, Kylian Mbappe is already well on the way to justifying the €180m outlay PSG made to prise him away from Monaco three years ago. Mbappe had fired Monaco to a shock Ligue 1 title triumph before departing and his goals have continued to flow in the French capital. Still just 21, Mbappe has arguably eclipsed team-mate Neymar already, while he has won a World Cup with France. Pele has acknowledged comparisons with the forward, who looks a certain Ballon d'Or winner in the near future. It would take a world-record fee to buy Mbappe, but he has hinted he could be open to leaving PSG.

Joao Felix: Benfica to Atletico Madrid - €126m

Potentially rivalling Mbappe for top individual honours in the years to come could be Joao Felix, who was tasked with replacing Antoine Griezmann at Atletico Madrid following his move to Barcelona. Joao Felix hit 20 goals in all competitions for Benfica in 2018-19, three of those strikes coming in the Europa League, to announce himself among the world's top talents. He endured a difficult first season in Spain, as he appeared to struggle with a new position, setup and philosophy under Diego Simeone's tutelage, but some promising flashes towards the end of the campaign suggested the player compared to Kaka could establish himself in 2020-21.

Matthijs de Ligt: Ajax to Juventus - €85.5m

Barcelona were linked with De Ligt, having already sealed a deal for club and country team-mate Frenkie de Jong, but the Ajax captain instead opted for Serie A. Much like Joao Felix at Atletico, De Ligt did not have the most convincing of debut seasons, despite Juve going on to win another Serie A title. Nevertheless, after a year bedding in, 2020-21 might see the Dutchman recapture his best form as he will likely become an even more central figure under Andrea Pirlo.

Anthony Martial: Monaco to Manchester United - €60m

Eyebrows were raised when United parted with €60m for Martial in 2015, with one British newspaper describing the deal as a "waste of money" in a back-page splash. While it might have taken him a while - after a blistering start - to properly establish himself, struggling particularly under Jose Mourinho, the Frenchman is beginning to make good on his potential at 24. With 17 goals in 32 Premier League games in 2019-20, Martial appeared to cement himself as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first-choice centre-forward and formed a dynamic front three with Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. He also earned a recall to the France squad, with 2020-21 looking like a season of endless possibilities for Martial.

Rodrygo Goes: Santos to Real Madrid - €45m

Real Madrid have been signing young talent in recent seasons in a departure from their Galactico-focused days, although the arrival of Eden Hazard did show they are still willing to splash out on ready-made superstars. Rodrygo Goes linked up with Zinedine Zidane's squad for 2019-20 having remained on loan with Santos after completing his initial transfer to the Spanish giants. The tricky forward showed plenty of promise in his first season and seemed to usurp Vinicius Junior in the pecking order at times. Madrid hope he can be their Neymar.

Vinicius Junior: Flamengo to Real Madrid - €45m

Rodrygo followed in the footsteps of fellow Brazilian Vinicius, who was a rare shining light for Madrid in 2018-19, scoring two LaLiga goals. In his second season, Vinicius was in and out of the team, but did enjoy a few stints of regular football. Flashy, flamboyant and difficult to tackle, Vinicius is a classic Brazilian wide player, though concerns about his end product remain despite having been at the club for a while now. Nevertheless, Vinicius could be Madrid's future along with Rodrygo.

Fabio Silva: Porto to Wolves - €40m

Silva became Porto's youngest-ever player in 2019 when he made his debut for the first-team less than a month after his 17th birthday – the previous record-holder was his new Wolves team-mate, Ruben Neves. The technically gifted forward, who has been suggested as the potential long-term heir to Cristiano Ronaldo, helped Porto to UEFA Youth League success in 2018-19 and has regularly caught the eye in Portugal's youth setup. Although he only scored three times in 20 appearances with Porto in 2019-20, Silva appears destined for a future at the top, with his technique and on-the-ball talents seemingly a good fit for Wolves' dynamic attacking options.

Luke Shaw: Southampton to Manchester United - €37.5m

Like Martial, Luke Shaw is another player who seems to have laboured under a large price tag at times. Shaw also had a fractious relationship with Mourinho but made the United left-back spot his own with 29 Premier League starts in 2018-19. The 24-year-old remained a regular last term, despite the emergence of Brandon Williams, and managed to stay relatively injury-free, but one rarely gets the impression his position in the squad is absolutely certain, particularly given his attacking output lacks in comparison to the world's best full-backs.

Wayne Rooney: Everton to Manchester United - €37m

Wayne Rooney certainly repaid his fee – he was British football's most expensive teenager – becoming United's all-time leading goalscorer and winning five Premier League titles at the club, as well as the 2007-08 Champions League. Rooney will go down as a United great despite affairs such as agitating for a move and falling out with Alex Ferguson. Rooney dropped out of favour in the latter years of his time at Old Trafford and was also sidelined for England, with a return to boyhood club Everton failing to spark. But joining MLS strugglers DC United was a clever move and Rooney helped inspire their rise. Now 34, he is back in England with Derby County.

Renato Sanches: Benfica to Bayern Munich - €35m

Bayern thought they were signing a player who would become one of the era's dominant midfielders when they snapped up Renato Sanches from Benfica, but the transfer did not work out at all. Bayern bought Sanches before he won Euro 2016 with Portugal but, four years later, that remains the highlight of his career. Sanches flopped in a loan spell with Swansea City in the Premier League and quickly appeared surplus to requirements at Bayern. He eventually secured a permanent move away last year when Die Roten recouped €25m for him - applaudable given his form - when selling him to Lille. But in France he seems to have found his feet again, enjoying a solid debut season and attracting interest from around Europe.

The 35-year-old left Monaco at the end of his deal with the Ligue 1 outfit, having played just two league games last season due to injury, but insisted he was not about to retire.

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder was presented to the media as a Como player on Monday and said he was looking forward to getting started in a league he believes to be a strong one.

"The quality of the championship is high, as is that of the relegated teams [from Serie A]," Fabregas said. "I can't wait to start, do well, play and win a lot. And then I would like to do some magic here in Como."

Como finished 13th in Serie B last season, but chief executive and Dennis Wise – another former Chelsea player – eventually hopes to get the club into the top flight, and he revealed Fabregas has also become a shareholder.

"Cesc will become a shareholder of the company, that's another reason why he came here," Wise said. "He will be here longer than expected.

"He wanted to join the club for our ambitions, to fix the stadium, open a new sports centre and get to Serie A."

Fabregas explained the conversations he held with Wise as well as club owners' representative Mirwan Suwarso and general and sporting manager Carlalberto Ludi that led him to accept a move to Italy.

"I have been extremely fortunate that my career has allowed me to play at the most wonderful clubs. Como is no exception," he said.

"After lengthy talks with Mirwan, Dennis and Charlie, they explained in detail one of the most exciting and ambitious projects in football.

"This is why I am looking to build a long-term future here, not just on the pitch but also off it, too. I believed in the vision from the first moment, and I have decided to invest personally to be part of the bigger picture.

"I cannot wait to get out on the pitch and play in front of the fans in such a beautiful setting. The tradition, infrastructure and desire that the owners have to take this club to the next level is inspiring. I cannot wait to start."

Fernandez was one of the stars of Argentina's World Cup success in Qatar, earning interest from a host of big clubs.

Chelsea were thought to be close to his signing at one stage this week, but the Blues' reported refusal to meet the 21-year-old's release clause, said to be a huge £106million (€120m), provided a stumbling block.

Schmidt said Chelsea's approach showed "a lack of respect" to his club, suggesting the Premier League side were trying to "drive the player crazy", and Fernandez was missing from his Benfica side against Portimonense.

But with Schmidt also adamant Benfica were not looking to sell Fernandez, the World Cup winner appears set to continue his career in Portugal from Saturday.

Speaking after a 1-0 Benfica win, the coach said: "We have a clean slate today.

"In the news conference yesterday, I clearly said that Enzo had not been well in the last week. That is why he was not in the team.

"But tomorrow I will be very happy to see him back in training. He is our player. I count on him to win games and titles. We need him to be champions. Now we can focus on football."

Fernandez had played in last week's 3-0 defeat to Braga – Benfica's first loss of the season – but missed their first home match since the World Cup.

He therefore did not enjoy the same tribute as Benfica and Argentina team-mate Nicolas Otamendi on Friday.

"[The tribute] was very important for me and my family," said Otamendi, speaking to Benfica TV.

"Enzo couldn't be there, but he will also have his tribute, because he is also part of what we [Argentina] achieved as a team.

"It is a tribute in our stadium, with our fans, who I will remember for the rest of my life, because I won a very important title in my career and obviously they are part of that title."

The new rules were outlined by the governing body on Thursday and will come into effect from the start of the next transfer window should they be ratified by the FIFA Council

Teams will initially be limited to having a maximum of eight players loaned out and eight loaned in at any given time during a season. 

That number will drop to seven ahead of the 2023-24 season, and six from the start of the following campaign and beyond.

While that does not cover domestic loans, national associations have been asked by FIFA to bring their own regulations in line by July 2025 at the latest.

However, players aged 21 and younger and club-trained players will be exempt from these limitations.

In a further development, the number of players loaned in from the same club will be capped at three per season. 

And the minimum length for a loan deal will be between two transfer windows, while the maximum loan period will be one year.

FIFA hopes the new regulatory framework, delayed by two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, will help with player development and promote more competitiveness.

The regulations could have a major impact on the likes of Premier League pair Chelsea and Manchester City, who currently have 21 and 14 players out on loan respectively.

Chiesa is a player in demand following his exploits for Fiorentina – the likes of Juve, Inter, Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly interested.

The 22-year-old Italy international, who emerged from Fiorentina's youth system in 2016, had managed six goals and three assists in 23 Serie A appearances prior to coronavirus halting the season.

Commisso addressed Chiesa's future, while denying the club have offered the Viola star a new contract.

"We had a meeting before Christmas if I'm not mistaken," Commisso told Radio Bruno Toscana.

"If he wants to go then I'm sorry, but we'd accommodate him, providing the offer is fair. We must also see what he's worth.

"[His price] may have dropped since last year. It must suit everyone, although there's a chance that he'll stay.

"I haven't offered Federico anything. There hasn't been a proposal, it's fake news. The important thing is that a player wants to stay.

"Many players have understood that Fiorentina are aiming high. I don't want to put anything in Chiesa’s mouth, he’s a very good lad.

"We have a very good relationship and I want to keep him. I want to do the right thing for Fiorentina and, if he wants to go, we'll accommodate him."

Commisso added: "There's Juventus, but there are also other teams in Europe."

Thiago is contracted until the end of 2020-21 but the Spain international is reportedly on the verge of leaving for Premier League champions Liverpool as Bayern brace for his exit.

The 29-year-old came off the bench with three minutes remaining in Bayern's 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday's DFB-Pokal final.

However, Flick has not given up on keeping star Thiago – who arrived from Barcelona in 2013 and has since won seven successive Bundesliga crowns among other honours.

"The thing is, I always have hope. I'm actually always very positive about things," Flick told reporters following the Berlin triumph.

"I also know, of course, that when you're at a certain age and you've already played in the Spanish league with Barcelona and in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, you feel the need to experience another big league. That is quite normal and that is also human.

"I'm trying my best to make sure Thiago stays here and that you can convince him to stay. But that's one thing that time will show.

"We still have the Champions League ahead of us now and we have a lot of plans, also together with him."

Flick was also asked about Bayern's transfer plans after prising Germany international Leroy Sane from Manchester City.

Bayern have been linked to Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, who scored a late consolidation goal on Saturday.

"We all know that of course the time with coronavirus has changed a lot," Flick added. "This means that many clubs, including FC Bayern Munich, can no longer spend money so easily. That's why we have to proceed cautiously.

"For now, Leroy Sane's commitment was important for the club and also for the team, which are taking the next step. Hasan Salihamidzic did a very good job of staying on the ball. I think a lot is developing and we have to see that we are a bit more broadly based."

Former Tottenham midfielder Eriksen netted a trademark set-piece effort to settle Tuesday's fiery Coppa Italia derby against Milan deep into stoppage time.

The Denmark international was understandably mobbed by his team-mates and Conte said afterwards that the Inter squad "love" a player whose career at San Siro has failed to catch fire since joining from Spurs 12 months ago.

Nevertheless, he struck a more measured tone ahead of Saturday's home game against Benevento.

"In rugby they have players who are kickers and are set-piece specialists. Football is very different," he said, when asked at a pre-match news conference whether Eriksen might start.

"We hope to have him play a part in all areas, not just from free-kicks and set-plays.

"We know that Inter have struggled from free-kicks until recently. It is an extra weapon to have a free-kick specialist."

Conte is also reportedly keen on an extra weapon in attack, although he refused to be drawn too far into discussing speculation that Inter might sign out-of-favour Roma striker Edin Dzeko, with Alexis Sanchez moving in the opposite direction.

"I have not asked for anything from the club, let us start by saying that," he said.

"If someone has said that, then it is not the case. We have this squad and that is the way it is.

"It is not the coach who goes asking for players all the time. I have had little to say so far this season

"Dzeko is a Roma player I have respect for him. I have respect for my players too

"The situation is clear – this is our squad and that is the situation. If someone is unhappy and ask to go then that is different.

"We will make that player happy. Otherwise I cannot foresee changes.

"We know the situation we find ourselves in. We cannot create situations that are not there. We need to focus on working hard.

"We need to look ahead and accept this situation we are in.

"It is not right to talk about things that can distract the side. I do not want distractions from my players."

On Sanchez, he added: "Sanchez is an Inter player and needs to stay focused."

Conte will be absent from the bench against Benevento as he serves a touchline ban, while top scorer Romelu Lukaku is also suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season against Milan.

That followed a heated confrontation with Zlatan Ibrahimovic that continued after the half-time whistle.

The veteran Milan striker was sent off for a second booking when he fouled Aleksandar Kolarov during the second half and has been forced to deny allegations that he racially abused Lukaku.

"It has been spoken about a lot," Conte said.

"I do not know and I'm not interested. My task is to be a coach and I focus on that area."

Manchester United have emerged as a “shock contender” to sign ex-Liverpool star Sadio Mane, the Daily Mail says. The 31-year-old forward only joined Bayern Munich last summer in a £27.4million deal but after a troubled debut season which saw Mane involved in a post-match altercation with Leroy Sane, the Bundesliga club are looking to offload the winger.

The Evening Standard says the Red Devils are also among the clubs to have sent scouts to watch Gent striker Gift Orban. It adds that Chelsea, Tottenham and Fulham are also keen on the 20-year-old.

Gossip surrounding United’s summer transfer plans is also featured in the Daily Mirror, with it reporting that both Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 28, and Napoli’s defender Kim Min-jae, 26, are on Erik ten Hag’s shortlist.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are monitoring Brighton’s Argentina World Cup-winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, 24, Chelsea’s Mason Mount, 24, and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, 21.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Josko Gvardiol: The Daily Mail reports Manchester City are interested in signing the 21-year-old RB Leipzig and Croatia defender with the German club asking for £85m.

Simon Adingra : 90min says Brighton’s 21-year-old winger is wanted by clubs in Germany and France following a successful loan in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 26-year-old forward, who was given his first-team debut by Barca coach Quique Setien, had been identified by the champions as a potential emergency signing in February when injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele left their striker options depleted.

Betis coach Rubi claimed Barca – who were granted special dispensation to sign a free agent or a player already in LaLiga – made an approach for Loren, who has nine goals in 26 league matches this term.

However, with the Blaugrana reportedly restricted to a modest budget at the time, they were unwilling to match Loren's hefty €50million release clause, instead moving for Martin Braithwaite of Leganes.

And now Loren has re-committed to Betis, signing on until 2024 – the news coming after fresh speculation linking the hard-working forward with Premier League clubs Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

A statement read: "Real Betis Balompie and Loren Moron have renewed the contract that unites them. In this regard, he will continue to be linked to the club until 2024."

Loren began the 2019-20 season in lethal form, scoring seven goals in his first eight league matches, though he has only added another two to that tally since.

Betis return to LaLiga action following the coronavirus-enforced hiatus on Thursday, as they go to local rivals Sevilla in the division's first post-suspension fixture.

Mbappe missed the decisive penalty as France sensationally crashed out of Euro 2020 at the hands of Switzerland in the round of 16.

The 22-year-old, who was embroiled in a pre-tournament public war of words with fellow forward Olivier Giroud, ended the European Championships without a goal amid links with Real Madrid.

Following reports of Mbappe being a disruptive figure within the France team, the Paris Saint-Germain sensation felt a lack of support in the aftermath of the country's Euro 2020 exit.

As France prepare for Thursday's Nations League semi-final against Belgium, Varane was asked about Mbappe's comments.

"I think that in the group, it's quite clear and it was immediately clear after the match, that we are together," France and Manchester United defender Varane told reporters.

"When things go well and when they don't go well, we take responsibility together and we don't leave anyone out.

"That's the state of mind of this group and that's our mentality. Our philosophy. We're not going to change that."

Talk of Mbappe moving to LaLiga giants Madrid has intensified after the Frenchman revealed he told PSG of his intention to leave the capital club at the start of the season.

Mbappe, who is out of contract at the end of 2021-22, has made no secret of his desire to join Madrid, where countryman Karim Benzema, head coach Carlo Ancelotti and Los Blancos president Florentino Perez have spoken openly about the PSG target.

Varane, who left Madrid for Premier League powerhouse United before the transfer window closed, added: "For Kylian, it's simply his future, he's the one who decides, he's the one who has the maturity to choose with his family.

"Whether he stays or goes, he knows. I think he is down to earth and he knows clearly what he wants. I think it's not my role to advise him or to make a decision for him. He knows very well on his own."

A host of Europe's elite clubs are reportedly interested in the Netherlands international, who became only second player in World Cup history to open the scoring three times in the same group stage in Qatar.

The 23-year-old boasts 17 goals and eight assists in 31 games this season, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich also said to be interested in Gakpo.

United are suggested to be the frontrunners, having already attempted to sign Gakpo in the past window, though Brands will demand a sizeable sum for the forward.

"When you talk about Cody Gakpo and the price tag, how many clubs are able to buy a player of that calibre?," Brands said on an appearance with the PSV Supporters Association. 

"You are talking about maybe 10 or 12 clubs in Europe. You have to need a player in that position and be able and willing to spend the money in January, which is normally less hectic than the summer.

"We have yet to see if it all happens. He has no clause or anything, and no amounts have been agreed on either. The agreements that were made were there before my time.

"It must be a record transfer for PSV anyway, so then you know in which direction it is going."

With the January transfer window looming and the Netherlands out of the World Cup after a quarter-final defeat to Argentina, Brands insists no decision has been made over Gakpo's future.

"In the media, it seems like all the clubs are lining up, but the reality is that we don't know anything about interest or anything yet. It's quiet," he added.

"I've spoken to Cody, he's going on vacation for ten days. If something happens, it is perhaps known to Cody or his management, but not to us yet."

Ajax convinced United to pay £81.3million (€95m) for Antony in August, though Brands believes that transfer is not an accurate representation of what PSV may be able to demand for Gakpo.

"But that had nothing to do with market conformity, but with a club that is in panic and a trainer who insisted on him," he continued. 

"Many players have left for market value in recent times, such as Gabriel Jesus [to Arsenal] for fifty million or Erling Haaland [to Manchester City] for 75 million."