Barcelona have announced the appointment of former player Rafael Marquez as the new head coach of their B team.

The 43-year-old won LaLiga four times and the Champions League twice during his seven years at Camp Nou during his playing days.

Barca president Joan Laporta revealed earlier this month an agreement was in place for Marquez to return in a coaching capacity, and that was officially confirmed on Thursday.

The Catalan giants tweeted "Welcome back home, Rafa" when announcing the appointment on their Twitter account.

Marquez, who appeared at five consecutive World Cups with Mexico between 2002 and 2018, follows in the steps of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique in managing Barca B.

He will begin his new job on Friday and has agreed a contract that runs through until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Sergi Barjuan was in charge of the Blaugrana's second side last season, but a failure to earn promotion from the third tier of Spanish football led to his departure in June.

Ousmane Dembele believes Barcelona can challenge to win the Champions League after the France winger signed his new two-year contract.

Former Borussia Dortmund star Dembele looked to be heading out of Barcelona in January when acrimonious wrangling over his future led to him being ordered to find a new club.

At the time, Dembele had refused an extension to his deal, which ran through to the end of June, and Barcelona wanted to recoup some of his value rather than see him leave on a free transfer.

Yet it was all hugs and good will on Thursday as 25-year-old Dembele completed the formalities of the contract that will keep him at Barcelona until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Hampered by hamstring and knee trouble during his first five years at the club, Dembele hopes better times lie ahead.

He said: "It's a very happy day. Barca have been my club since I was little, and I hope to help them.

"These have been very difficult years due to injuries, but now it is another time. Staying was always my first option. I told this to the president and coach. It has taken a long time, but we are all happy. I'm looking forward to the season starting.

"The goal is to win titles, the dream is the Champions League, and I'm going to give everything to win this title. I'm going to work hard, and I hope it's a very good year for me and for Barca."

Dembele believes Barcelona are well placed, with Xavi as head coach and Joan Laporta pulling the strings as president, to bring the glory days back to Camp Nou.

He said there were "many people who have helped me a lot" at Barcelona, adding: "Now I have the confidence of everyone, and I am much better."

Laporta will be hoping Dembele delivers on his word as he looks to put the promise into practice, having been a key performer over the second half of last season.

Dembele has made 150 appearances for Barca and came to the fore when setting up 13 goals in the 2021-22 LaLiga campaign – more than any other player in the Spanish top flight.

He was particularly impressive after Xavi summoned him to help the team once it was clear he would not be moving on. Across the LaLiga campaign he made just 15 starts, plus six substitute appearances, so Dembele will be looking to play a fuller role in future.

Laporta, who hopes to close out the signing of Raphinha from Leeds United this week, said the signing of Dembele to new terms marked "a very important day for Barca".

"He has always wanted to stay and the truth is that he has made an effort to enter the new salary scale," Laporta said.

"Dembele has an incomparable talent, very specific. He brings us a lot. Xavi has loved him from the first moment.

"This year is very important, we have to win trophies. I am convinced that we will achieve it. Today is a very emotional day for me. The coach loves you, but so does the club."

Barcelona have confirmed that Ousmane Dembele has agreed a new two-year contract to stay at Camp Nou.

The five-year contract that Dembele signed when he joined Barca from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 expired at the end of June.

Talks have continued over a new deal and the France international has now agreed terms on a fresh contract, keeping him at Barca until the end of the 2023-24 season.

That Dembele remains a Barca player at all is a complete turnaround from the situation in January, when the club insisted the winger would be sold or leave on a free transfer at the end of the campaign after the 25-year-old turned down a contract offer.

Yet Barca on Thursday confirmed Dembele will remain with the Catalan giants.

The LaLiga club revealed he will sign his new deal at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Thursday afternoon.

Barca president Joan Laporta had revealed on Wednesday that Dembele's new contract will be confirmed this week.

Dembele has made 150 appearances for Barca and came to the fore last season, setting up 13 goals in LaLiga - more than any other player in the Spanish top flight.

The Blaugrana also reached an agreement to sign Brazil winger Raphinha from Leeds United for a reported fee of €67million (£56.57m).

Raphinha arrived in Spain for a medical on Wednesday.

Barcelona have confirmed that Ousmane Dembele has agreed a new two-year contract to stay at Camp Nou.

The five-year contract that Dembele signed after joining Barca from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 expired at the end of June.

Talks have continued over a new deal and the France international has now agreed terms on a fresh contract, keeping him at Barca until the end of the 2023-24 season.

That Dembele remains a Barca player at all is a complete turnaround from the situation in January, when the club insisted the winger would be sold or leave on a free transfer at the end of the campaign after the 25-year-old turned down a contract offer.

Yet Barca on Thursday confirmed Dembele will remain with the Catalan giants.

Brazil international Raphinha hopes to follow fellow Selecao stars Ronaldinho and Neymar in enshrining his name into Barcelona history after agreeing his long-awaited transfer this week.

The Blaugrana confirmed an agreement had finally been struck with Leeds United for the winger, pending a medical, to complete one of the window's more protracted sagas, in a deal reportedly worth up to €67million (£56.57m).

Raphinha had preferred a move to Camp Nou since before the transfer window opened, but higher bids from Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, stalled a switch, particularly with Barcelona's financial struggles.

Barca have played host to some of the greatest names in Brazilian football over the years, including World Cup winner Ronaldinho, and Neymar, who became the most-expensive player in history when he left for Paris Saint-Germain.

Both stars left an indelible mark upon the fabric of the club, and now Raphinha is determined to follow in their footsteps.

"I saw Ronaldinho come here and achieve so much and after that Neymar as well," he told Barca TV.

"For me as a Brazilian to come here, it’s an honour. I hope to reach the same objectives that those two players achieved.

"This is a dream come true for me, not just for me also my friends and family.

"They’ve seen me playing since I was a kid. They knew this was a dream of mine to come here. All I can do now is give my best and try to help Barca be what it’s always been."

Originally arriving at Leeds from Rennes following the former's promotion to the Premier League, Raphinha became a standout performer for Marcelo Bielsa, and then Jesse Marsch, over his two seasons at Elland Road.

With 17 goals in 67 appearances for Leeds, the Brazilian says fans can expect him to showcase that drive at Camp Nou too.

"What I can say about myself is that I'm very excited to win," he added. "I like to win, any time I lose it's very difficult to accept.

"So, you can expect a player who will always be fighting, always try to win, in training sessions as well. I will fight to become a better player."

After last season's disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Villarreal, Bayern Munich are on the verge of transforming their team in one transfer window.

Sadio Mane and Ryan Gravenberch are potentially transformative signings for Bayern, and they apparently are not done just yet.

According to reports, Gravenberch's international team-mate is doing to what he can to force a move to Sabener Strasse.

TOP STORY – DE LIGT BAYERN'S TOP TARGET

Bayern Munich are reportedly edging closer to securing the signature of wantaway Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt, according to Bild.

De Ligt is reportedly willing to lower his wage demands in order to help force through a move, after a gap in expectations between the two clubs over the initial offer.

Bayern's proposal to the Bianconeri was reportedly €70million with an extra €10m in bonuses, with the latter looking at €80m as a base to any package.

De Ligt's move to lower wage expectations gives the reigning Bundesliga champions added leverage over Juventus, who after Paulo Dybala's departure, would not want to see another star run down their contract.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea are now targeting PSG centre-back Presnel Kimpembe after almost securing Kalidou Koulibaly's signature, The Guardian reports.

– Meanwhile, Mason Mount is seeking to begin negotiations with the Blues over a new long-term deal, per The Athletic

– Ousmane Dembele is set to sign a new two-year contract with Barcelona after his previous deal expired, Sport is reporting.

– Charles de Ketelaere prefers a move to Milan despite interest from Leeds United for the Club Brugge striker, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Joan Laporta says Ousmane Dembele's new contract will be confirmed this week after Barcelona agreed a deal to sign Raphinha from Leeds United.

Raphinha arrived in Spain for a medical on Wednesday after Barca revealed an agreement in principle had been reached for the winger to sign for a reported fee of €67million (£56.57m).

Dembele became a free agent at the end of last month after his contract with the Catalan giants expired, but Laporta says the France winger will be staying at Camp Nou in another big boost for head coach Xavi.

Ahead of Barca's friendly against Olot, Laporta told reporters: "This week we will present Dembele and Raphinha."

Laporta added: "We are doing everything we can, it is not easy, but we are working very well. I congratulate how the football department is working, with Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff to the front."

He added: "We have come to Olot to hold a meeting of the board of directors. There will be time to talk about that."

Laporta refused to comment on a potential move for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, however.

Francisco Trincao left Barca on Wednesday to join Sporting CP on a season-long loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent.   

Barcelona have loaned out winger Trincao to Sporting CP for the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

Trincao, a Portugal international, spent last season on loan at Wolves, scoring three times in 30 appearances across all competitions.

He will now spend the coming season back in his homeland with Sporting, who finished second in Primeira Liga last term.

Barca have confirmed the loan deal includes an option to buy the 22-year-old, who signed from Braga in 2020.

Trincao managed 42 appearances in all competitions for Barca in the 2020-21 season, yet only 10 of these were starts. He scored three times and provided two assists.

The news of his switch to Lisbon comes after Barca confirmed they had agreed a deal to sign Brazil winger Raphinha from Leeds United.

Ousmane Dembele, meanwhile, has reportedly agreed to stay at Barca, with confirmation of his new contract expected in the coming days.

Barcelona have confirmed they have agreed a deal with Leeds United to sign Raphinha.

The deal is reportedly worth up to €67million (£56.57m). Raphinha's move is subject to a medical being completed.

Chelsea and Arsenal were both heavily linked with the former Sporting CP attacker, with the Blues striking a deal with Leeds in late June to bring the winger to Stamford Bridge.

However, reports suggested that Raphinha was prioritising a move to Barca, with Blaugrana president Joan Laporta announcing "he wants to come".

Xavi's side are contending with well-documented financial issues, with Laporta revealing new signings Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen could only be registered after salary adjustments. 

But Barca have seemingly made further alterations to secure the services of Raphinha, who is set to sign a five-year deal.

Raphinha scored 11 times in the Premier League for Leeds in his last season, after netting six goals in the 2020-21 season following his arrival from Rennes.

That marked his best return in front of goal since he struck 15 times in the 2017-18 campaign Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes.

Indeed, since making his Leeds debut, he has directly contributed to 29 Premier League goals, scoring 17 times and managing 12 assists, at least five more than any team-mates in the period.

Xavi will hope Raphinha can continue his scoring form when Barca open their LaLiga campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano on August 13.

Leon Goretzka hopes Robert Lewandowski and Bayern Munich can find "a fair solution" amid uncertainty over the striker's future.

The Poland captain has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona after revealing he is eager for a new challenge.

Lewandowski reported for pre-season medical tests with Bayern on Tuesday, but it remains to be seen if he will play for the Bundesliga champions again.

Bayern midfielder Goretzka wants a resolution that suits both Lewandowski and the club.

He told Sport Bild; "I can only say that I would be happy if Bayern and Robert found a fair solution for both parties.

"The last time I was asked and answered this question, it immediately made headlines."

Goretzka believes the Bavarian giants are fortunate to have such an array of attacking talent.

He added: "Bayern is a team that is usually in the opposition box. Players with qualities in tight spaces also help.

"When I see the names we have in attack, it is absolutely first class."

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United remains unclear after stepping away from their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.

The 37-year-old Portuguese has reportedly told United he wants to leave this off-season, although new boss Erik ten Hag said the Portuguese is in their plans for the upcoming campaign.

Ronaldo is one season into a two-year deal at Old Trafford, having re-joined United in August last year.

TOP STORY – RONALDO OFFERED TO PSG IN MESSI LINK-UP

Le Parisien claims that Manchester United's Ronaldo has been offered to French champions Paris Saint-Germain by his agent Jorge Mendes.

PSG, however, were not interested in the 37-year-old as they felt he was not the right fit and would put strain on their bulging wage bill, headlined by Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Mendes has also held talks with Bayern Munich and Chelsea as he seeks a move away from Old Trafford for Ronaldo.

ROUND-UP

–  Chelsea are homing in on a €40 million (£34m) deal for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly with the two parties in talks on a five-year deal, claims Sky Sport Italia. The Blues are looking for defensive reinforcements after Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger's departures.

–  Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Ajax's Lisandro Martinez with negotiations entering key stages reports Fabrizio Romano. The two clubs will meet on Wednesday, with Ajax having turned down United's previous approach, but the Argentinian is keen to move to the Premier League.

– The Telegraph claims that Newcastle United have held discussions with Real Sociedad about a deal for Swedish striker Alexander Isak with the fee believed to be a club record.

– Barcelona have agreed to a five-year deal with Raphinha, with the move from Leeds United worth €67m (£55m) according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Marca reports that Real Madrid will beat Barcelona to the signature of 17-year-old Algeciras winger Alvaro Leiva.

Barcelona have sold striker Rey Manaj to Championship side Watford, with the Catalan giants retaining the right of first refusal on any future move for the Albania striker.

Manaj, who has 30 senior international caps, will join Rob Edwards' side on a three-year deal as they bid for an immediate Premier League return after suffering relegation last season.

The 25-year-old impressed when linking up with Barca's first team for pre-season last year and has Serie A experience with the likes of Inter, Pescara and Spezia.

While Watford did not disclose the fee paid for Manaj, an official statement from Barcelona revealed the club retained first refusal on the striker and will also pocket 50 per cent of any future transfer fee.

Manaj joins the likes of Clement Lenglet and Philippe Coutinho in securing moves away from Camp Nou during the transfer window, while Adama Traore and Luuk de Jong left after their loans ended.

Dani Alves and Ousmane Dembele are both unattached after their contracts expired, though the latter is expected to sign a new deal.

Robert Lewandowski was back on Bayern Munich duty as the Barcelona target showed up for pre-season fitness tests on Tuesday.

The Polish striker would hope to make his Bayern exit as painless as possible, after making it clear to the club he is determined to move on before the new campaign starts.

That meant he obliged a commitment to undergo physical checks at the Barmherzige Bruder hospital in Munich, arriving just after 09:00 local time, according to reports.

Newspaper Bild said Lewandowski arrived back in Germany from his holidays on Monday evening, before showing up to the hospital in a green Bentley.

He is said to have spent around an hour there, before departing. It remained to be seen whether, or when, Lewandowski would follow the hospital visit with a trip to Bayern's Sabener Strasse training ground.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last week said his club had made an offer for Lewandowski and were awaiting a response.

German media reports said a further bid was expected this week, with Germany's Sky Sport saying a final offer of €50million, plus add-ons, was set to be submitted.

Lewandowski, who turns 34 in August, scored 50 goals in all competitions last season to lead all players across Europe's top five leagues.

Bundesliga champions Bayern have signed Sadio Mane from Liverpool since the end of last season, but they have also indicated they hope to keep Lewandowski.

If Lewandowski remains a Bayern player come the weekend, it could mean he faces an awkward appearance in front of the club's supporters.

Bayern will stage their team presentation event at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, which includes a welcome for new signings and an open training session for Julian Nagelsmann's squad.

That is followed by a pre-season trip to the United States for Bayern, who are due to play against DC United and Manchester City on that trip.

Lewandowski has entered the final year of his Bayern contract and would be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of that deal.

Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention to Bayern Munich winger and Germany international Serge Gnabry.

The decision was made to pivot away from Leeds United winger Raphinha after Barcelona seemingly moved into pole position for the Brazil international, with Chelsea then deciding to test the waters for former Arsenal forward Gnabry.

He is coming off his highest-scoring Bundesliga season, having netted 14 goals and contributed six assists in 34 league fixtures, scoring another three goals in the Champions League.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA GEAR UP FOR GNABRY BID

Despite it being widely reported that Chelsea have secured Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for fee of around £45million, the Blues are clearly not satisfied with their winger stocks. 

This was further fuelled by reports the club tried to include Christian Pulisic or Hakim Ziyech along with cash in a deal for Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, with Ziyech now appearing likely to land a move to Milan.

The Daily Mail claims Chelsea have enquired about Gnabry, 26, who debuted with Arsenal as a 17-year-old in 2012, but his time at the Gunners fizzled out with injuries before a loan move to West Brom, resulting in Werder Bremen scooping him up in a bargain £5m move.

He scored 11 goals in his first season in the Bundesliga to earn a move to Bayern, where he has tallied 171 games and 63 goals across four Bundesliga campaigns, winning four consecutive league titles.

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting that Barcelona's top priority is to sell Frenkie de Jong to fund their move for Leeds' Raphinha, while the Manchester Evening News claims top Manchester United officials are in Spain ironing out the details for the Dutch international's switch to Old Trafford.

– TalkSPORT claims that if United's chase of De Jong falls through, they are prepared to target Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves or Leicester City's Youri Tielemans.

– Wolves have rejected an offer worth over £20m from Everton for 22-year-old midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, according to The Telegraph.

– According to the Irish Independent, 21-year-old Nathan Collins will become the most expensive Irish player ever when he completes his £20.3m move from Burnley to Wolves this week.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Ousmane Dembele has decided to stay on at Barcelona, shunning interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Dani Alves says Barcelona "do not care about the people who made history for the club" following his release by the LaLiga giants last month.

The Brazil international returned to Camp Nou last November and made 17 appearances after being officially registered in January, but his short-term contract was not renewed.

Alves spent eight years with Barca in his previous spell in Catalonia and won 23 trophies in arguably the most successful period in the club's decorated history.

During that past stint, the 377 chances created by Alves were bettered by only five others from Europe's top five leagues, two of them being Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

While grateful to have had the chance to return, the veteran full-back is upset at the manner of his latest exit and has taken aim at those in charge of running the club.

"I didn't leave sad. I left happy to have returned to Barcelona. I dreamed for five years wanting to live this second moment," he told The Guardian. 

"The only thing I didn't like was how my departure was handled. 

"Since I arrived, I made it very clear that I wasn't any more a 20-year-old guy and that I wanted things to be done head-on, without hiding things. 

"But this club has sinned in recent years. Barcelona don't care about the people who made history for the club.

"As a [Barca fan], I would like Barcelona to do things differently. I’m not talking about myself because my situation was another scenario. 

"I am eternally grateful to Xavi and the president for bringing me back. I found a club full of young people with incredible ideas on the pitch. 

"But it needs to improve the work outside the field. The mindset is totally opposite to what we built a few years ago. 

"Everything that happens on the field is a reflection of what happens outside.

"I'm supporting for Barcelona to come back to the top, but it's super-complicated. Football is more balanced, it's a collective game. And that has been left out at the club."

Alves scored one goal and set up four more between his second debut on January 5 and the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

That is a tally bettered only by Ferran Torres (six), Jordi Alba (seven) and Ousmane Dembele (11) among Barca players over that period.

Despite recently turning 39, Alves has made clear he intends to find a new club in order to remain part of Tite's Brazil plans for the 2022 World Cup, which begins in November.

"I know that everyone is talking about my age, that I am old, that 20 years ago everyone wanted me and today not," he said. 

"But I completely disagree because I have an experience today that I didn't have 20 years ago. When there's a big game, 20-year-olds get nervous and worried, but I don't.

"Age has its pros and cons. There are many things you do when you're 20, but you don't do it when you're older. 

"Maturity comes from just living. I also have the experience of having lived almost everything in the sport."

Alves, capped 124 times by Brazil, added: "The last dance is when you're going to retire, but I think I’ll keep dancing. 

"A dance is always welcome, regardless of the place and which dance. I do not think like that. 

"And the last dance has already been done. It's better to create a new chapter, a new series. It's another chapter of my life."