Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona, having had a frustrating 2022-23 season.

The Dutchman has only made a handful of appearances for the Blaugrana, following an off-season of busy transfer activity at Camp Nou.

Depay had been linked with several clubs, including Premier League outfits Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

TOP STORY – MEMPHIS TO EXIT BARCELONA FOR ATLETICO

Depay will leave Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid with an agreement reached on a fee of approximately €3-4million, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch forward is set to travel to Madrid to complete the formalities and medicals soon.

According to Romano, the 28-year-old will sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Atleti.

 

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer will undergo medical tests with Bayern Munich on Thursday, before signing his contract with the Bavarians with the deal done between the clubs.

– Sky Sport Italia claims Roma are willing to sell Nicolo Zaniolo in January at the right price, approximately €40m, as the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham United  and Borussia Dortmund circle.

Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but the Red Devils have made an improved contract offer for the Argentinian, reports The Independent.

– Arsenal are happy to wait until the end of the season to pursue West Ham's Declan Rice, after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, claims The Sun.

Tottenham have made a first bid for Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, which included a player plus guaranteed money, but the Portuguese club have turned this down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Sporting want €45m (£39m) with talks ongoing.

Chris Wood is on the cusp of joining Nottingham Forest on loan from Newcastle United, reports The Athletic. The deal would include an option to make the move permanent.

– West Ham tabled an offer for Aston Villa forward Danny Ings, reports The Telegraph.

Julian Nagelsmann is anxious to see Bayern Munich's pursuit of Yann Sommer reach a conclusion as the Bundesliga champions prepare to return to action at RB Leipzig on Friday.

Bayern have been strongly linked with Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Sommer since Manuel Neuer broke his leg during a skiing trip last month.

With Sven Ulreich the only other senior goalkeeper in Bayern's squad and Alexander Nubel reportedly reluctant to return from a loan spell at Monaco, Nagelsmann said the club has "a duty" to sign another shot-stopper last week.

Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn has revealed discussions are ongoing regarding a move for Sommer, and Nagelsmann is eager for the transfer saga to reach a resolution. 

"I've been a coach long enough to know it's never easy. There are always more than two parties that need to be satisfied," Nagelsmann said at Wednesday's pre-match press conference.

"We need a decision to happen. I'd like to change the transfer window so it doesn't affect the ongoing matches as much.

"It's normal that at some point you want to have a certain amount of peace and quiet in this position.

"Integrating a new goalkeeper is not rocket science. This usually takes about 15 minutes, it works quickly. It depends on the goalkeeper, generally the behaviour is very similar."

With Sommer having 272 Bundesliga appearances to his name, some have suggested his arrival could mark the end of Neuer's time as Bayern's number one, but Nagelsmann remains focused on the immediate need for reinforcements.

"It's more a matter for the people further up," Nagelsmann said. "I might have some things to say on that, but my business is day-to-day business, winning games.

"I assume that Manuel Neuer, a great goalkeeper, will come back in the summer. We're looking forward to a player of his quality returning."

Meanwhile, Nagelsmann is yet to decide whether Thomas Muller will see off competition from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to start as Bayern's striker against Leipzig, saying he is comfortable using the 33-year-old in a variety of positions.

"Thomas had an injury where he couldn't play as much in the first part of the season. Thomas is an extremely important player for me, I'm always exchanging with him," Nagelsmann said.

"He's aware that Choupo-Moting is doing very well, but he's also intelligent enough to know that he is world-class in several positions.

"It's important that all the players are in top condition and that we see that on Friday. The same goes for Thomas, he's very flexible. He likes to play in attacking midfield but can play in different areas, so he's going to be important for Bayern going forward. 

"I've already decided on six positions out of 11. I won't reveal whether Choupo-Moting is among the six. I'll sleep on it for two more nights."

Chelsea may not be finished with their January signings, reportedly joining Tottenham in the pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard.

Trossard, 28, is in his fourth season with the Seagulls, and after never scoring more than eight Premier League goals in each of his previous three campaigns, he is on pace to set a new personal-best with seven in his first 16 appearances.

His exploits this season have included a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool, as well as goals against Manchester City and Chelsea, but he recently butted heads with head coach Roberto De Zerbi and has been left out of Brighton's last two matchday squads.

The Belgium international with 24 senior caps has also had his agent announce his intention to leave the club this month, triggering plenty of interest from fellow Premier League sides.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA WANT TROSSARD TO RECREATE MAGIC WITH POTTER

According to The Mirror, Chelsea are understood to now be a main player along with Tottenham and also Arsenal as the three clubs compete for Trossard's services.

Trossard had only six months remaining on his contract on the south coast, before Brighton reportedly activated a 12-month extension to ensure he would not be able to leave the club on a free transfer.

It is believed Chelsea have the most spending power of the trio, even after their £88.5million purchase of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Trossard remains a favourite of his former boss Graham Potter.

His asking price has been set at £25m, while the report adds any potential deal for fellow Brighton talent 21-year-old Moises Caicedo – also of interest to Chelsea as well as Liverpool – would cost "more than double" that £25m figure.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting West Ham would like to bring in 29-year-old Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire on loan.

– According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have enquired about 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, but have been told he will not be available this month and will cost €100m (£88.5m) at the end of the season.

Barcelona are hoping to secure 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer at the end of the season, per the Telegraph.

– Fichajes is reporting Arsenal will attempt to sign Chelsea's Raheem Sterling after failing to land the 28-year-old England international prior to his move to Stamford Bridge last year.

– According to The Independent, Real Madrid and Juventus are monitoring United 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho after he rejected the club's most recent contract extension.

Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United are reportedly preparing to target Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who may leave the Serie A leaders at the end of the season.

Osimhen, 24, became Napoli's club-record signing when he arrived at the club for €70million in July 2020, and he has met all expectations.

After scoring 14 goals in 27 league appearances last season, Osimhen has raised the bar, finding the back of the net 12 times with four assists during his 14 league fixtures in 2022-23.

With Napoli nine points clear at the Serie A summit and seeking their first title since the 1989-90 season, a January sale is off the table, but talks are expected to heat up at the end of the campaign.

 

TOP STORY – NAPOLI SLAP €150M PRICE TAG ON PREMIER LEAGUE TARGET OSIMHEN

According to Il Mattino, Napoli believe that if Chelsea new-boy Mykhaylo Mudryk is worth €100m (£88.5m), then Osimhen is worth €150m (£133m).

The Nigerian international's contract ties him to the Italian side until 2025, giving I Partenopei enough leverage to hold firm at what they believe is a fair valuation, but they will be forced to listen to offers at the end of the season if he shows no indication of signing an extension.

The report states Arsenal, United and Newcastle have already made their interest clear, although Arsenal specifically appear to be weighing up a number of expensive options after opting against meeting Mudryk's asking price.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Times is reporting Arsenal have made 24-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice their top priority in the post-season transfer window, and the England international could cost £80m.

– According to The Telegraph, Newcastle have enquired about Chelsea trio Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech.

Newcastle have also reportedly joined Leicester City in the pursuit of 24-year-old Fiorentina forward Nico Gonzalez, who will cost at least €45m (£40m), per TuttoMercatoWeb.

– 90min is reporting Leeds United have increased their bid for 22-year-old Angers midfielder and Morocco standout Azzedine Ounahi to £22.2m (€25m).

– The agent of 25-year-old Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has reached out to Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham in an effort to organise a move to the Premier League this month, per Relevo.

Borussia Dortmund have told Youssoufa Moukoko to finalise his future plans "this week" with the Bundesliga club wanting the draw a line under contract negotiations.

The 18-year-old striker's deal expires at the end of the season and Dortmund say they have presented him with a "very attractive offer" to renew.

According to sporting director Sebastian Kehl, the club have now issued Moukoko and his advisor with an ultimatum so the player can "devote himself entirely to the sporting challenges" before the Bundesliga resumes this weekend.

Speaking to Kicker Magazine, Kehl said: "We have put together a very attractive offer that gives him a lot of room for development. That should lead to a decision. He has to make it with his environment and his advisor.

"Youssoufa can now accept this offer and commit to Borussia Dortmund, or we will go our separate ways. I would like him to choose us because he is not yet at the end of his development and I see huge potential in him. But there are limits for us as a club. And we have shown these limits. Now it's up to him to decide.

“Youssoufa and his advisors know that we are expecting a decision this week because we want to have this clarified before the first game back [after the World Cup break] so that the boy can devote himself entirely to the sporting challenges."

Moukoko – who was part of the Germany squad at the World Cup in Qatar – became the Bundesliga's youngest ever player when he replaced Erling Haaland just a day after his 16th birthday in the 5-2 win against Hertha Berlin in November 2020.

He has scored six goals in 14 games (eight starts) in the Bundesliga this season, but Kehl believes there is plenty more to come from him.

"Youssoufa is a great boy," he said. "He's been with us for almost seven years, we trained and developed him. He became a professional and a national player with us. He received an incredible amount of support from us and worked hard to achieve success himself." 

Kehl also said Dortmund are "very relaxed" about Marco Reus and Mats Hummels, who are both also out of contract at the end of the campaign.

"From the conversations with both of them I can say that we are very relaxed about the situation," he added. "Both have already made public statements about this in the past few weeks. Mats has decided that he wants to wait and see how things develop for him. He said that publicly himself.

"Of course the players are concerned about their future. That's normal. I'm convinced that we'll find a way to progress together in talks."

Arsenal have reportedly made an effort to assess the availability of Barcelona forwards Ferran Torres and Raphinha.

Raphinha arrived at the club in July in a €55million move from Leeds United, but he has struggled to break into Xavi's best side, making only seven starts in his 15 appearances.

Torres is in a similar situation after Barcelona signed him from Manchester City for €55m just over 12 months ago, making six starts from his 16 LaLiga outings this season.

With Arsenal's pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk getting hijacked by Chelsea, the duo are now being considered as alternatives, but the asking price may not be much lower.

 

TOP STORY – ARSENAL TURN TO BARCELONA AFTER MUDRYK DISAPPOINTMENT

According to 90min, Arsenal director Edu reached out to Barcelona and engaged in "exploratory talks" about what it would take to secure Torres or Raphinha before the end of the month.

The report also says that Arsenal have enquired about Brighton and Hove Albion duo Leandro Trossard and Kaoru Mitoma, as well as breakout Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is believed to be unavailable.

Meanwhile, Sport is reporting Barcelona have demanded €100m (£88m) as a starting point for any discussions about Raphinha, but there is no indication about what Torres could cost.

 

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider is reporting Chelsea will listen to offers for 28-year-old England international Raheem Sterling.

– According to Foot Mercato, West Ham have submitted a £26.5m (€30m) offer for 23-year-old Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who would prefer to move to fellow Ligue 1 side Nice, but their bid remains insufficient.

Arsenal are interested in 18-year-old Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, per the Telegraph, while Tuttomercatoweb adds Juventus have also enquired and been informed of a €15m asking price.

– According to Fichajes, Manchester United and Arsenal are both pursuing 22-year-old Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique.

– Calciomercato is reporting Arsenal are preparing a £71m (€80m) bid for 22-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Lothar Matthaus has urged Julian Nagelsmann to think again and ditch the idea of veteran Thomas Muller playing as a striker for Bayern Munich.

Muller featured as Bayern's furthest man forward in a 4-4 friendly draw against Salzburg on Friday, as the German champions prepare for the resumption of the Bundesliga season.

It remains to be seen who leads the line when Bayern return to competitive action against RB Leipzig on Friday, but Muller is an option for that role.

According to Matthaus, Germany's most-capped player and a long-standing former Bayern player, Muller simply is not suited to the role.

He has mostly operated in midfield, on the flanks, or behind a striker, proving to be an accomplished support act to the Robert Lewandowski goals show in recent seasons.

Now that Lewandowski has departed for Barcelona, and with injuries affecting Nagelsmann's options, Muller might have to fill the stop-gap role.

Yet Matthaus told German magazine Kicker: "You're not doing Thomas any favours, he's in the wrong place up front.

"Let him play where he has his strengths. Thomas belongs behind the striker, like in the past with Robert Lewandowski."

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is among the Bayern forwards sidelined by injury at present, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting another option as a starting striker for Bayern in the second half of the season.

Muller has just three goals in 15 games for Bayern this term, having hit 14, 15 and most recently 13 in the past three seasons. His shot conversion rate is also down, compared to those seasons, at a disappointing 12 per cent.

Muller, who has 121 caps for Germany, has elected to remain available to his country in the wake of their miserable World Cup group-stage exit.

He is 29 caps behind Matthaus' caps record, and the man in possession of that mark thinks 33-year-old Muller should only stay involved if he is going to play a significant role for national coach Hansi Flick.

Pointing to a case from recent history, Matthaus said: "I don't want to see him in the role of Lukas Podolski: to be there and play as a joker for the statistics in the 90th minute."

Premier League leaders Arsenal appear destined to miss out on their long-term target Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The Gunners had reportedly made several bids for the Shakhtar Donetsk winger, but he now seems set to join Chelsea after they began talks on a fee with the Ukrainian club.

As a result, Arsenal will need to turn their attention elsewhere during the January transfer window to bolster their squad.

TOP STORY – GUNNERS SWITCH ATTENTION TO BARCELONA'S RAPHINHA

Arsenal have turned to Barcelona's Brazilian winger Raphinha having missed out on Mudryk, claims Sportitalia.

The former Leeds United winger only joined Barcelona in July on a five-year contract, but has made only 12 starts from 22 overall appearances for the Blaugrana.

The Gunners hope that Raphinha would be a suitable candidate to return to England, given his previous Premier League experience.

 

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Mykhaylo Mudryk will be at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's game with Crystal Palace on Sunday after medical tests, having signed pre-contracts on a move to the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk, warding off Arsenal's interest.

Chelsea have also lodged a €30million (£26.5m) offer for PSV winger Noni Madueke, according to ESPN. The 20-year-old England youth international moved to the Eredivisie from Tottenham in 2018.

Crystal Palace are set to launch a new bid to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, claims The Sun on Sunday. Gallagher enjoyed a bright loan spell at Selhurst Park last season and has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Memphis Depay will exit Barcelona in January, according to Fabrizio Romano. Talks are ongoing with Atletico Madrid, whom the Dutchman is open to joining.

Tottenham are readying a £20m (€22.5m) move for Bayer Leverkusen's Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie, reports The Sun on Sunday.

– Football Insider has suggested that Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita will leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of this season.

Georginio Rutter was thrilled to get his dream move to Leeds United as the Premier League club brought in the striker from Hoffenheim on a club-record deal.

Leeds confirmed the 20-year-old French player has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract at Elland Road, committing to the end of the 2027-28 season.

Former Rennes forward Rutter spent two years at Hoffenheim, who signed him as a hot prospect and have now cashed in on a player who scored 11 goals in 57 Bundesliga games.

The France Under-21 international could make his debut against Brentford next weekend, Leeds said.

His signing shows the club's support for American coach Jesse Marsch, who has also been able to bring in Max Wober from his former club Salzburg during this transfer window.

Leeds are precariously placed in the Premier League, sitting 14th in the 20-team division after 18 games but just two points ahead of bottom-placed Southampton.

Neither club has announced the fee involved, but it is widely reported the deal could eventually cost Leeds around £35million.

As well as posting a goodbye note to Hoffenheim, Rutter wrote on Instagram: "Happy to join @leedsunited, I am excited to play in such a great club."

Hoffenheim director of football Alexander Rosen explained the rationale for the sale, saying on the club's website: "Transfers like Georginio Rutter's to TSG Hoffenheim are only possible because of transfers like Georginio Rutter's to Leeds United."

Rosen said Hoffenheim "regret" choosing to sell but added: "In light of the third-highest transfer fee in the club's history, as well as the clearly communicated desire to move, it would not have made sense to block a young player like Georgi from the path he is pursuing. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will miss him."

Tottenham and Newcastle United are both keeping a close eye on forward Nicolo Zaniolo despite a mediocre stretch of form with Roma.

The 23-year-old has 11 Italy caps to his name, but he has struggled to show his quality this season.

From 13 Serie A appearances this term, including 12 starts, Zaniolo has only scored one goal with zero assists, after a 2021-22 season where he contributed only two goals in 28 league games.

Despite his disappointing goal tally, Zaniolo is reportedly demanding a significant pay increase to re-sign in Italy's capital, forcing Roma into a difficult decision.

 

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS CIRCLE FOR ZANIOLO

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte is a fan of Zaniolo, while the "increasingly ambitious" Newcastle are "waiting for new developments".

For Tottenham, their top priority remains retaining the services of Conte, and that could mean taking a leap of faith to secure one of his targets.

The report states the most recent negotiations between Roma and Zaniolo's agents ended with no progress, and with 18 months remaining on his contract, his transfer value will likely not get any higher than it is right now.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Times is reporting Newcastle also have strong interest in 25-year-old Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

– According to Caught Offside, Chelsea could sign 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram for €10million this month as his contract expires at the end of the season.

Tottenham, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are among the teams scouting impressive 18-year-old Oscar Gloukh from Maccabi Tel Aviv, who could be purchased for €9m, per The Sun.

– The Daily Mail is reporting 29-year-old Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could leave the club this month, with six months remaining on his contract.

Liverpool are trying to convince 26-year-old Fiorentina midfielder and Morocco standout Sofyan Amrabat to head to Anfield, but he prefers Atletico Madrid, per The Mirror.

Sebastian Haller intends to hand Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic selection issues in the second half of the season after hitting a hat-trick in only his second appearance.

The Ivory Coast international joined the Bundesliga side from Ajax ahead of the season but is yet to feature competitively, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Haller has now recovered, making his long-awaited debut on Tuesday in a friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf, and followed that with a superb performance against Basel on Friday with a hat-trick in a dominant 6-0 win.

The 28-year-old is now looking to build upon that when the season resumes, having waited over six months for his chance.

Asked by Sport1 what his objective was for Dortmund, he replied: "Many more goals. I'm expected to score goals, so I'll do it! I want to help the team. I feel better every day. It's nice that I'm back.

"I feel naturally tired after these hard sessions, but it's easier to train with the guys than alone. I want to make it as difficult as possible for the coach. He now has another striker."

Terzic hailed the performance of his striker after the game, telling reporters: "The penalty was really good for him. The boys were very happy for him. After his experience, everything is easier."

Sat sixth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund return to league action on January 22 at home against Augsburg.

Bayern Munich "have a duty to get another goalkeeper" in the current transfer window, according to head coach Julian Nagelsmann.

The German giants have been put in a tricky situation after Manuel Neuer suffered a broken leg during a skiing trip, leaving 34-year-old back-up Sven Ulreich as their only experienced option between the sticks.

Behind Ulreich is 19-year-old Johannes Schenk, and Nagelsmann made it clear he is looking for a more established veteran to challenge Ulreich for the number one spot in Neuer's absence.

However, he highlighted to reporters on Thursday why it is such a difficult proposition mid-season.

"In winter it is very, very difficult," he said. "The market situation is complex because other clubs are also looking for certain positions. 

"The goalkeeping market is generally complex – there aren't that many players out there. The situation is not easy.

"We're trying to do something. We have a duty to get another goalkeeper, regardless of whether he becomes number one or number two, because behind [Ulreich] we only have very young players. 

"If [Ulreich] were to get injured, it would be a complex situation for a young player with no professional experience to be between the posts. I'm a friend of always keeping your eyes and ears open."

When asked about Bayern's links to 34-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, Nagelsmann suggested there has been little progress.

"It's like I said before, it's kind of normal the way things are going," he said. "There is no club that likes to give away their goalkeeper. 

"There are few goalkeepers on the market that make sense for us and improve us. Nothing new at the moment."

Jude Bellingham has got over the disappointment of England's World Cup quarter-final defeat to France but still wonders what might have been.

The 19-year-old midfielder had an impressive tournament in Qatar before England's 2-1 defeat at the hands of the eventual runners-up, with Three Lions captain Harry Kane both scoring and missing a penalty.

Ahead of his return to domestic action with Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham spoke to the Bundesliga club's media and opened up on his feelings following the World Cup.

"You come to terms with it pretty quickly, to be honest, but I still think about the game at times," he said. "There was an instance in training where I had a shot and I thought: 'That was just like the one that I had in the France game', and if I put it more to the left, would we have gone through?

"I was involved in the first penalty where I flicked it to Bukayo [Saka], and the second one, when I put the pass behind to Mason [Mount] and I always think: 'What if I'd just put it on Mason's toe and he went and scored?' And then there would have been no second penalty.

"You overthink things, but I think you come to terms with it quickly because you can't change it, whether you like it or not. Then you're on the plane home and think: 'We gave everything.'

"We had a tournament that the country can be proud of. We put up a really strong fight against one of the best teams in the world. We went out narrowly and you learn to kind of use it as ammunition for the next ones, and I think that's how I've taken it."

Despite ultimate disappointment at the last-eight stage, Bellingham was pleased with his first World Cup experience, which helped secure his inclusion in the 14-man shortlist for 2022's The Best FIFA Men's Player award.

"I think it was really good. I was really proud of it," he added.

"But you can't be satisfied because you go with the intention of winning it, and I really did feel like we had the chance to, especially after we got through against Senegal [in the last 16] and you realise there's only three more games. Had we beaten France and gone through, who knows what can happen?

"I personally enjoyed the kind of pressure of the games and the responsibility that the manager [Gareth Southgate] gave me... I think you create the pressure yourself through lack of preparation and confidence.

"Luckily, I don't lack confidence and I always try and stay prepared. I'm always quite confident that I can achieve the things I want to achieve."

Dortmund's season does not resume until January 22, over a month after the World Cup ended, and Bellingham is grateful for the rest.

"After the World Cup I was just drained physically, and I said to myself: 'I want to have a nice long rest'," he said. "But then about two weeks into it, I thought: 'Nah, nah, I need to go back in and get to work and finally be back,' and I can't wait to get going again."

Julian Nagelsmann expects to be without Sadio Mane for the first leg of Bayern Munich's Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain but says there is a chance he could feature in the second.

Mane was ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar after suffering a fibula injury in November.

The Senegal forward, who joined Bundesliga champions Bayern from Liverpool last June, underwent surgery and is on the road to recovery.

Bayern head coach Nagelsmann does not envisage Mane playing a part in the clash against PSG at the Parc des Princes on February 14.

However, if Mane does not suffer any setbacks, Nagelsmann hopes he may be able to call upon the 30-year-old for the showdown with the Ligue 1 champions at the Allianz Arena on March 8.

Nagelsmann said during a press conference in Doha on Thursday: "He's [Mane] an important player. If everything goes well, then it could be the case that he returns in time for PSG.

"We will see how he reacts to the workload. Personally, I'm not yet considering him for the first leg."

Bayern will face Salzburg on Friday in a friendly before resuming the Bundesliga season with a trip to RB Leipzig next Friday.

Matthijs de Ligt will not face the Austrian side due to an ankle injury, but new signing Daley Blind will be included after joining the Bavarian giants following his release by Ajax.

Nagelsmann said of the Netherlands full-back: "He will play tomorrow. He still needs some time, because the intensity in training is a bit higher.

"You can tell that he has a lot of experience and he looks confident on the ball. He will be the player that we imagined he'd be."

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