Borussia Dortmund are reportedly fighting to keep hold of forward Julian Brandt amid interest from England and Italy's biggest clubs.

Brandt, 26, is enjoying arguably his best season in the yellow and black, with nine goals in all competitions tying his best return since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

The Germany international, with 39 senior caps to his name, has capitalised on the extra eyes pointed towards Dortmund this season, delivering strong performances alongside super prospects Jude Bellingham and Youssoufa Moukoko.

A slew of Champions League clubs are said to have enquired about the availability of Brandt, although Dortmund are reportedly desperate to keep him at the club long-term.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE AND SERIE A LEADERS LOOK TO BRANDT

According to Football Insider, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Napoli and Inter have all been closely monitoring Brandt as he nears the final 12 months of his contract.

The report states Dortmund feel confident they will be able to retain their in-form talent, despite the rising interest, but they could be forced into a move if Brandt does not indicate he will remain with the club beyond next season.

With an enormous windfall on the horizon due to Bellingham's expected sale, the club are likely under no financial pressure to move on from Brandt earlier than they would like.

ROUND-UP

– Fichajes.net is reporting that Real Madrid are surprise suitors for Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku, who is not expected to return to Stamford Bridge when his current loan at Inter ends.

– According to The I, Newcastle will make 26-year-old Leicester City midfielder James Maddison a priority signing at the end of the season, and the interest will be mutual if the Magpies can make the Champions League.

– Barcelona are planning a €100million double move to secure both 25-year-old Villarreal right-back Juan Foyth and 18-year-old Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, per Fichajes.net.

– 90min is reporting Manchester United, City, Newcastle, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Brentford are all scouting breakout 20-year-old Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, who has a £35m (€40m) release clause.

– According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, 24-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen dreams of one day playing in the Premier League, and would be open to a move to either England or Bayern Munich.

Jose Mourinho took aim at Serie A rivals Juventus and Lazio after seeing his Roma side progress to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

Roma earned a 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad in the second leg of their last-16 tie, winning 2-0 on aggregate.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the game, Mourinho could not resist indirectly referring to Juventus, who also went through against Freiburg, claiming they should not have been allowed to move into the Europa League after being eliminated from the Champions League group stage.

He did directly mention Lazio though, who were beaten 2-1 on Thursday by AZ Alkmaar, losing 4-2 on aggregate to crash out of the Europa Conference League.

"I don't care about the draw, there are teams there that in my opinion shouldn't be there, because whoever is eliminated in a competition has to go home," he said. "If a team that has been eliminated from the Champions League wins, it doesn't mean anything to me because we've been here from the beginning. 

"Lazio? They won't have a third competition to play in."

Roma had to soak up pressure against La Real, facing 19 shots to three and only having 24 per cent possession.

"After the 2-0 first leg [win], the home team risks everything and does everything possible," Mourinho said. "They did everything with the support from the stadium, but the boys today had everything, the ambition to score in the first 15-20 minutes where we dominated and pressed, then we controlled the counter-attack well.

"We never stopped looking for the goal, even when [Tammy] Abraham and [Stephan] El Shaarawy came on, congratulations to the boys, it's thanks to them. It's a very strong Europa League, we have eliminated two quality opponents and we are in the quarter-finals with many top-level teams."

Mourinho has enjoyed plenty of success in Europe, winning two Champions League, two UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues and last year's inaugural Europa Conference League.

Roma will enter Friday's last-eight draw along with Juventus, Manchester United, Feyenoord, Sporting CP, Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen and Union Saint-Gilloise.

"We are not the strongest team in the world but we are a group that knows how to stay together," he added.

Martin Odegaard urged Arsenal to "come back stronger" after elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Sporting CP.

Gabriel Martinelli's missed penalty in the shoot-out saw the Gunners suffer defeat in the last-16 second leg at Emirates Stadium, having drawn both legs.

The result means Arsenal have now failed to win any of their last five knockout matches at home in the Europa League (D3 L2) since beating Valencia in May 2019.

All eyes will now be on the Premier League campaign, where Arsenal hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City with 11 games left to play, and Odegaard wants his side to respond against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

"I think we did enough in some periods of the game but most of the game we were not on the level that we should be," he told BT Sport.

"Part of the game we did well but, throughout the whole game, we didn't play our best football. It was a tight game in the end and could have gone both ways.

"They are a good team, we knew that, we knew their qualities, and we were prepared, but I think it was more about us today.

"We didn't play the way we normally do, and we didn't maybe put in the energy that we usually do. That's disappointing but now we have to look forward and be ready for Sunday.

"We have to remember it has been a great season, we've done amazing things this year. Of course, it is a big blow to go out of this competition, it was a big goal for us, but we have to look forward now.

"We have to look at Sunday, come back stronger and make sure we finish well in the league, that's the only thing we can do now.

"We win and lose together. It doesn't matter. When we're winning everyone is happy, when we lose we have to pick up the spirit. We win and lose together."

Jarrod Bowen put the disappointment of missing out on England's latest squad behind him by scoring twice against AEK Larnaca to become West Ham's record European scorer.

David Moyes' men booked their place in Friday's Europa Conference League quarter-final draw with a 6-0 aggregate win over the Cypriot side.

Bowen, who earned all four of his caps last June, was not named in Gareth Southgate's squad earlier on Thursday for England's opening two Euro 2024 qualifying fixtures.

The 26-year-old was clearly not affected by that snub as he struck twice in as many minutes at the start of the second half against Larnaca at the London Stadium.

Gianluca Scamacca had earlier opened the scoring for West Ham and teenager Divin Mubama rounded off a 4-0 win on the day – West Ham's joint-biggest in Europe.

Bowen's tally of eight goals is two more than Johnny Byrne, David Cross and current team-mate Michail Antonio managed for the club in European competitions.

However, despite taking his goals tally for the season in all competitions to double figures, Bowen has no complaints over not being called up by Southgate.

"It's one of those things. These things take care of themselves," he told BT Sport. "I've done nothing to get in there.

"It's not about getting in squads, it's about playing my 'A' game, finishing strongly and going again next season. 

"I always want to score and goals have not been coming this season, but I accept that. I will always give my all for the club."

West Ham will be joined in the last eight by Anderlecht, AZ, Basel, Fiorentina, Gent, Lech Poznan and Nice.

It is the second year running they have reached the quarter-finals of a European competition, having done so in last season's Europa League.

"I'm really pleased," Moyes said. "It's not something that happens every year.

"I'm pleased for the players and the football club and delighted to say I've got to two [European] quarter-finals in two years."

Arsenal crashed out of the Europa League after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sporting CP in the Europa League round-of-16 at Emirates Stadium.

Granit Xhaka handed the Gunners a first-half lead but that advantage was cancelled out in spectacular style by Pote's long-range effort that sent the tie into extra time.

Adan ensured the tie went the full distance with crucial saves to deny Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Magalhaes, though Sporting finished with 10 men after Manuel Ugarte's dismissal.

Adan's heroics came again in the showdown from the spot, denying Gabriel Martinelli's attempt before Nuno Santos scored to send Sporting into the quarter-finals.

The Gunners took the lead after 19 minutes, with Xhaka playing a superb ball over the top for Martinelli to force Adan into a save but the Switzerland international was on hand to smash home the rebound.

Sporting started the second period on the front foot and found the equaliser in stunning fashion shortly after the hour mark, Pote spotting Ramsdale off his line and lobbing the England international from 46 yards out.

The Gunners stopper redeemed himself 10 minutes later, charging off his line to block Marcus Edwards' effort with his face after the former Tottenham youngster was fed through by Ricardo Esgaio.

Trossard was gifted a golden opportunity in extra time when Youssef Chermiti sloppily gave the ball away but Adan denied the Belgian and deflected his effort onto the post.

The Sporting stopper was again on hand to deny Gabriel's powerful header, the Brazilian then seeing another attempt from the following corner cleared off the line before Ugarte saw red after a second booking due to clattering into Bukayo Saka as the game headed to penalties.

With the first seven penalties of the shoot-out scored, Adan thwarted Arsenal again, diving low to his left to deny Martinelli before Nuno Santos comfortably dispatched his attempt to seal a spot in the last-eight.

Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot hailed the "unreal" clinical display from his side after thumping Shakhtar Donetsk 7-1 in their Europa League last-16 second leg.

Thursday's contest at De Kuip was far less evenly contested than last week's 1-1 draw, with Santiago Gimenez getting the ball rolling for the hosts inside nine minutes.

Orkun Kokcu scored twice before half-time and Oussama Idrissi likewise after the restart, before Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Danilo completed the rout by the 66th minute.

Kevin Kelsy pulled a goal back late on, but it was of no real consolation to the Ukrainian visitors as they bowed out of the competition.

It marks the second-biggest win for a Dutch side in a major European competition at this stage or beyond, after Ajax's 10-0 win over Omonia Nicosia in the 1979-80 European Cup.

Reflecting on a memorable result for his side, Slot said: "It was unreal how we put the match to bed so quickly.

"Normally we need more chances to score, so compliments to my players for being so efficient this evening.

"Shakhtar had a good spell in the first half, and you saw how our players blocked their shots in the box. They were so determined to get a good result."

Feyenoord are now unbeaten in 16 matches this calendar year, with their thumping victory against Shakhtar coming three days before facing fierce rivals Ajax.

Slot's side are three points better off than Ajax at the summit ahead of Sunday's Eredivisie showdown at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

"Of course this victory helps for the duel with Ajax," Slot said. "This gives a lot of confidence. 

"But I also see that Ajax have regained the level they had at the start of the season. Ajax have a good team again."

Tottenham wish to keep hold of Harry Kane for the rest of the striker's career, according to Antonio Conte, who reiterated his own commitment to Spurs.

Kane's double against Nottingham Forest last time out moved him onto 20 Premier League goals for the season – the sixth time in his career he has achieved that feat.

The England captain has been in sensational form in what has otherwise been an up-and-down campaign for Spurs, whose sole focus for the remainder of the season is on securing a Champions League place.

Kane will be out of contract at the end of next season, though it has been reported Spurs are desperate not to lose the 29-year-old.

While Conte's own future at Spurs appears far from certain, the Italian is convinced Tottenham will do all they can to keep hold of Kane for the rest of his playing days.

"I think this is a question for the club," Conte said in a press conference on Thursday. "For sure the club wants to involve Harry Kane for the rest of his career, in my opinion.

"When you have this type of player, a world-class striker like him, you want him to stay here for the rest of his life.

"But then, you know football. Sometimes it's unpredictable but it's not in my task to make a decision. This is the decision for the club and for Harry."

Conte was also pressed on his situation, with some disgruntlement having grown within the Tottenham support following meek Champions League and FA Cup exits to Milan and Sheffield United respectively.

"I think that we have to accept every type of situation," Conte said. "The most important thing to know is that you are working very hard every day at the club that you are working for.

"For the manager, it's important to do this and to know that you are giving not [just] 100 per cent, but much more to improve the club that believes in you."

Reflecting on his comments in the wake of Spurs' defeat to Milan, when he said Tottenham might sack him at the end of the season, Conte explained: "I don't think the club is thinking this. I think the club sees every day what me and my staff are doing at this club. It was only an answer about my future.

"I think there is not one club who can tell the manager you are staying here until the end of the season. The future is really strange and you don't know what will happen tomorrow.

"But I repeat, in my opinion, I will try in every moment to do everything. Me and my staff.

"The club appreciates this. If you continue to ask me if I'm going to sign a new contract, it shows the club is appreciating what we [have been] doing in the last year and a half."

Julian Alvarez was backed to become one of the world's most-feared strikers after extending his Manchester City contract on Thursday.

The Argentina World Cup winner committed to a one-year extension, meaning he is signed up to City through to the end of the 2027-28 season.

Former River Plate frontman Alvarez has managed 10 goals in 33 games for City to date, starting 14 times and scoring at a rate of one strike every 160.1 minutes.

He is operating in the shadows of Erling Haaland, as the Norwegian enjoys a record-breaking first season in England.

However, City are confident 23-year-old Alvarez is already capable of causing his own damage at the highest level in the club game, and are optimistic he will only improve over the next five years.

Alvarez said after signing up: "I have been really pleased with my first season here, but I have plenty more I can do. I know I can be better, and City offer me everything I need to fulfil my potential. I am now focused on getting better and helping City win trophies."

Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, described Alvarez as "the ideal blueprint for a young footballer".

"His progress so far has been really good, but we are now fully focused on developing his game even further and turning him into one of the best strikers in world football," said Begiristain, who has completed a decade at City since joining from Barcelona.

Alvarez's four goals at the World Cup underlined his rapid progress, with the striker proving a capable foil for Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi.

Begiristain said: "We saw at the World Cup what a special talent he is. To win that trophy at his age is amazing and we are all very proud of what he achieved."

Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa scored as Juventus saw off 10-man Freiburg to reach the Europa League quarter-finals, winning 2-0 in Germany to claim a 3-0 aggregate triumph.

Having established a slender lead in the Turin first leg, Juventus saw a Vlahovic effort disallowed for offside in Thursday's rematch before Manuel Gulde was dismissed for blocking a shot with an outstretched arm.

Vlahovic stepped up to convert the subsequent 45th-minute penalty and ease any Juventus nerves, before Chiesa came off the bench to add gloss to the scoreline late on.

Juventus were ultimately comfortable as they booked a place in Friday's last-eight draw, keeping hopes alive of European silverware – and qualification for next season's Champions League.

Freiburg penned back Juventus early on as they looked to level the tie, with Matthias Ginter forcing Wojciech Szczesny into a flying save with a downward header 22 minutes in.

The visitors thought they had the lead five minutes later as Vlahovic volleyed in after Gleison Bremer's header rattled the crossbar, but the Serbian's celebrations were cut short when a VAR review ruled him offside.

Juventus had better fortune with another VAR review as half-time approached. Federico Gatti's goal-bound shot struck the arm of Gulde as he attempted to block, earning the defender a second yellow card and allowing Vlahovic to score from the spot.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Freiburg continued to press after half-time, Michael Gregoritsch firing a free-kick wide before Szczesny turned Lucas Holer's volley away.

Chiesa saw a stoppage-time effort tipped onto the crossbar by Mark Flekken as Freiburg tired, and the substitute had his goal less than a minute later as he drilled a low effort in off the left post.

Marcus Rashford's strike earned Manchester United a 1-0 win at Real Betis and a straightforward route into the Europa League quarter-finals as they advanced 5-1 on aggregate.

Erik ten Hag's side did the hard work last week in a crushing 4-1 victory, leaving Betis with a huge mountain to climb in Thursday's second leg at Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Betis edged a first half in which both sides hit the woodwork, but Rashford's 27th goal of the campaign completely killed off the tie shortly after the break.

With their slim hopes punctured, LaLiga's fifth-placed side offered little in response as United comfortably booked their place in the last eight.

The sides managed 11 shots between them in the first half, but just one of those efforts was on target – Juanmi, who had earlier shot wide, failing to get the better of David de Gea from a one-on-one.

Joaquin had previously shaved the post with a bending effort from distance, while Facundo Pellistri's volley pinging the upright at the other end brought a lively first half to a close.

United were far more dominant early in the second period and, after having a shot saved by Rui Silva and blazing one over, Rashford made the breakthrough in the 55th minute, picking the ball up 25 yards from goal and sending an effort swerving past Silva, marking his 25th European goal in the process.

Substitute Marcel Sabitzer had a shot saved by Silva as Ten Hag made the most of the opportunity to rotate his squad ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham on Sunday.

Didier Deschamps has expressed concern about how the coach of the France women's team was ousted from power after a player revolt.

Three players, led by captain Wendie Renard, went public by stating they would not play on for Les Bleus under the then-existing regime.

The French Football Federation (FFF) elected to sack Diacre on March 9 after acknowledging her relationship with players had "reached a point of no return which harms the interests of the national team".

It was a decision that ended a sometimes controversial reign, with the move coming ahead of France competing at this year's Women's World Cup, which takes place in July and August in Australia and New Zealand.

Deschamps has never faced such a situation, but he appears to have reservations about how the saga played out.

"I'm laughing, but I don't want to laugh about it," he said in a France men's team press conference on Thursday. "I have to weigh every word. I don't have the ins and outs.

"After the decision… I don't know if it was a good one or a less bad one or whatever.

"There is the substance and the form. As a coach, trainer, the form [of how it happened] bothers me. I will not say more, but you will have understood me."

Gabriel Jesus was named in Arsenal's starting XI for their Europa League clash with Sporting CP.

Jesus returned from injury as a second-half substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Fulham on Sunday, a victory that moved them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The former Manchester City forward had not featured since sustaining a knee injury while on duty with Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Jesus' last goal came at the start of October, in a 3-1 defeat of Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham.

With the last-16 tie against Sporting level at 2-2 after the first leg in Lisbon, Mikel Arteta selected Jesus to lead Arsenal's line at Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

Reiss Nelson kept his starting place from the first leg, with Gabriel Martinelli completing the front three as Bukayo Saka dropped to the bench.

Matt Turner, Ben White and Jakub Kiwior started in Lisbon, but Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Magalhaes came into the defence for the rematch, with Jorginho, Fabio Vieira and Granit Xhaka keeping their places in midfield.

William Saliba put Arsenal ahead on March 9 before Goncalo Inacio and Paulinho turned matters around, but Hidemasa Morita's own goal ensured the second leg would start on level terms.

Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey were the first-team regulars named alongside Saka on the bench, with Arteta juggling progress in Europe with the Gunners' title charge – they face Crystal Palace at home on Sunday.

Virgil van Dijk highlighted the importance of Champions League football for Liverpool in their bid to improve the squad for next season.

Jurgen Klopp's side suffered elimination from Europe's elite competition with a resounding 6-2 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid in the last 16.

Sitting six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League with a game in hand over the north London side, Liverpool face a fight to secure their spot in next season's competition.

Significant departures may also be on the cards, with Roberto Firmino already announcing he will leave upon the expiration of his contract, and Van Dijk understands being able to offer Champions League football may be crucial in the hunt for new additions.

"Obviously, players are going to leave. That's been announced, so, if we want to be where we have been the last five years, we need quality imports, especially with those players leaving," he told reporters.

"Everyone knows that's going to be very difficult. It is going to be very difficult to find the right players, but the club has to do their job in this case.

"We still have a lot of games to play and we want to be in the Champions League. I think that will also help to attract the best players in the world. Not all the time but it will definitely help."

Due to Fulham's involvement in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Liverpool are not in Premier League action this weekend and have plenty of time to prepare for a crucial run of fixtures.

Following the upcoming international break, Liverpool face back-to-back away matches against Manchester City and Chelsea before welcoming league leaders Arsenal to Anfield in a stretch that could define their season.

"It's going to be very defining and that's something we all know," Van Dijk added.

"It's been a season where we can't find the consistency that we have had for the last few years, but we need to get it back.

"It sounds very simple but it's the most difficult part of football. The most difficult part of being a footballer is to stay consistent in each and every game.

"We will give it absolutely everything because I want to play in the Champions League, we all want to play in the Champions League. The fans want to play in the Champions League.

"We are the players on the pitch, we have to perform, and we have to show it, but we need also our fans. They have stuck with us in the good times, and we need them probably even more in this time. We will fight."

Manchester United great Andrew Cole expects Erik ten Hag to act decisively on Harry Maguire's future at the end of the season, having found a "brilliant" defensive duo in Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.

Maguire has struggled for regular minutes since Ten Hag took charge last year, only making five starts during an encouraging Premier League campaign for the Red Devils.

The defender – who was named in Gareth Southgate's England squad for games against Italy and Ukraine on Thursday – has been linked with an exit after seeing Varane and Martinez establish themselves as regulars.

Ten Hag has taken several big decisions since arriving at Old Trafford – not least to allow Cristiano Ronaldo's departure – and Cole expects him to be similarly firm with Maguire.

Asked about Maguire's future, Cole told Stats Perform: "That's ultimately down to the manager. I think Manchester United for many years have really struggled to find defensive partnerships. 

"If you look at the money they've spent on centre-halves… Maguire, [Victor] Lindelof, [Eric] Bailly, obviously Varane and Martinez now.

"That's five, and if you look at the money they've spent, it's easily over £200million on centre-halves. I think now they've finally got a partnership which looks right. 

"For Maguire, it has been difficult. He struggled at the backend of last season, went to the World Cup and did well, came back and struggled at Manchester United. 

"The manager has made a decision to go with these two, Varane and Martinez, who have been absolutely brilliant."

On Ten Hag's style of management, Cole added: "With the way football is now, it's about managing people.

"You're managing and massaging egos, that's what football is about. 

"It's not like you can treat every individual the same. They're not all the same, some react to things better than others.

"From the outside looking in, it looks like he [Ten Hag] is very disciplined. The players respect him, he respects the players and he is getting the best out of them, that's what you want."

United face Real Betis in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday, before a home Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday.

England manager Gareth Southgate had doubts over his future ahead of the World Cup but is now targeting Euro 2024 success.

The Three Lions reached the quarter-finals in Qatar, losing 2-1 to eventual runners-up France, though had up to that point been one of the most impressive teams in the tournament.

Yet his position had been called into question in some quarters given England's poor form prior to the World Cup.

After starting 2022 with friendly wins over Switzerland and Ivory Coast in March, England failed to win any of their six Nations League matches, with their campaign including a humbling 4-0 home defeat to Hungary.

A 3-3 draw with Germany in September gave Southgate cause for optimism, but he conceded he came close to calling it a day.

"The doubts I had came before the [World Cup], really," Southgate told reporters after naming his squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.

"I spoke about this a couple of months ago so I'm going over old ground, but I never wanted to be a divisive figure, in terms of me doing the job affecting the performance of the team.

"Then there would be a debate where people say 'I'd rather you lose so you're gone'. I did worry before the World Cup whether I should say I was going at the end, to allow the team the freedom to play.

"I decided not to do that, because when we left Wembley after the Germany game there was an uplift with the mood, and we've always known where we stand with the players.

"I also wanted to show that you've got to come through tough spells as a manager, I'm not going to duck a challenge just because there's criticism.

"But if there's not the level of support and it starts to affect the team, that's something I'm conscious of and that was my thought well ahead of Qatar."

Having committed to staying on for the Euros in Germany next year, Southgate is now looking for a fresh start as he set out his aim for England to go a step further than they managed in the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, when they lost to Italy on penalties in the final.

"I think it's right to assess after a tournament," he added. "We have to start from scratch.

"We have some great experiences over the last few years, which mean being European champions is a realistic aim.

"But we're starting from the beginning again, and we've got to find the hunger to qualify.

"We've got two crucial games and we need everybody firing for two really difficult qualifiers."

Southgate stuck with the majority of his World Cup squad for the first fixtures of 2023, though Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben White both missed out, with Conor Coady replaced by March Guehi.

Ivan Toney was included despite an ongoing Football Association (FA) investigation into alleged breaches of gambling rules, while Raheem Sterling was absent due to injury.