Mesut Ozil has been confirmed as an Istanbul Basaksehir player after having his contract terminated at fellow Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce.

The former Germany international has signed a one-year deal at the Fatih Terim Stadium with the option of a further 12 months.

Ozil had been under contract with Fenerbahce until the end of the 2023-24 season, but he was banished from the first team in March and new boss Jorge Jesus made it clear the playmaker was not part of his plans either.

Following confirmation of his exit from last season's Turkish top-flight runners-up on Wednesday, Ozil took to Twitter to acknowledge that his "dream" move did not go as expected.

"One of the things that makes life is that it is full of uncertainties. Our plans, desires and wishes may not always go in the direction you want them to," he tweeted.

"I wanted to achieve success by getting more chances to play in the Fenerbahce jersey, which has always been my childhood dream.

"I would like to thank the Fenerbahce community and fans for the great support they have shown me."

Former Arsenal midfielder Ozil, a World Cup 2014 winner with Germany, made 37 appearances across his season and a half with Fenerbahce and scored nine times.

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."

Chelsea have dropped their interest in Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo after completing the signing of Raheem Sterling.

It was claimed the Blues had been approached regarding the 37-year-old Portugal captain who is believed to have told United he wishes to leave Old Trafford.

However, widespread reports say Chelsea have turned down the prospect suggested by agent Jorge Mendes after discussions with Thomas Tuchel, with the head coach favouring a more versatile attack for the coming season.

The Stamford Bridge outfit appear unlikely to add further forward options following the recruitment of England international Sterling from Manchester City, with Romelu Lukaku having been sent on loan to Inter.

Ronaldo, who has also been reportedly offered to Bayern Munich, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, did not return to training last week, reportedly citing family reasons, and is absent from United's pre-season tour, with the team currently in Australia.

Reports in Portugal claimed an unnamed Saudi Arabian outfit have offered the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a lucrative deal, but the attacker's preference remains to stay in Europe for Champions League football.

Arturo Vidal has completed his move to Flamengo after leaving Inter.

Vidal was available as a free agent after the midfielder's contract was terminated by mutual consent on Monday.

Rio de Janeiro club Flamengo have now confirmed the 35-year-old will continue his career in Brazil.

Vidal was at the Maracana for a 2-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro that put his new club into the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich man joined Inter in 2020 and signed a deal until 2022 that included the option for an additional year.

According to reports last month, Inter could pay Vidal a €4million severance fee to cut ties after the first two years of the contract.

The combative enforcer made just two Serie A starts in the 2021-22 campaign, and therefore the Nerazzurri were reportedly eager to move him on.

Vidal returns to South American club football after 15 years of playing in Europe.

He left Colo-Colo for Bayer Leverkusen in 2007 and spent four years in the Bundesliga before moving on to Juventus, where he remained until 2015.

Vidal then returned to Germany with Bayern Munich, before spending two years at Barcelona.

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.

Thomas Tuchel has not ruled out signing another striker but refused to be drawn on whether Chelsea could move for Cristiano Ronaldo or Robert Lewandowski.

The Blues on Wednesday made their first big signing of the Todd Boehly era, landing Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for a fee reported to be in the region of £45million.

Ronaldo has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after he did not travel to Thailand and Australia for Manchester United's pre-season tour.

Lewandowski has informed Bayern Munich he wants a new challenge, although Barcelona are the favourites to sign the prolific striker.

Tuchel says the London club may bring in further firepower, but gave little away when asked about Ronaldo and Lewandowski.

He told Sky Sports: "I will not comment on them, their careers speak for themselves and it's not needed that I give another comment and put rumours out there, which do not help anybody. We will announce when something is to be announced."

Asked about the prospect of signing another striker, he said: "I would not rule it out, but it's not the priority. I think the priority right now is defence, which everybody knows, it's not a secret. We need to see what is possible."

Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly is expected to bolster Chelsea's defence, while Nathan Ake appears set to return to the club from City after sanctions were lifted on the club following a change of ownership.

Tuchel says it is vital more new faces arrive, with Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Romelu Lukaku having departed.

The German said: "The stakes are high and we're competing not only against the best teams who have ever played in the Premier League but also the best coaches,

"We come from sanctions, we come from losing top-quality players, key players, we are a club in transition, in transition of ownership, we were behind in the transfer race and we were behind in the table. So we have things to improve.

"The signing of Raheem shows what we're capable of doing, it shows the ambition of the club and the ownership and it's good because we're all here to win and compete.

"We love to compete and we love the challenge at the very top. For that we need signings of new quality players or otherwise there's no chance."

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.

New D.C. United coach Wayne Rooney hailed Luis Suarez as "incredible" but insists he will only sign "players who are hungry".

Manchester United and England great Rooney left Derby County in June, having overseen a difficult period for the club during his first job as a manager.

Everton were previously linked with their former academy product, but the 36-year-old opted to return to old club D.C. in MLS, where he played in 2018 and 2019.

D.C have been linked with a plethora of potential signings after their big-name appointment, with former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Suarez among those.

Suarez is a free agent after ending a two-season stay at Atletico Madrid, where he won the LaLiga title in the 2020-21 campaign, and reportedly wants to build-up his fitness for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

While Rooney refused to rule out a move for the striker, he suggested he is searching for a specific identity of player that Suarez may not fit.

"I respect Luis Suarez a lot," said Rooney. "I think as a player, he's an incredible player.

"I want players who are hungry, I want players to come to this club to be hungry and want to play for this club but also have a lot to give and are capable of playing every game, training every training session.

"We're working extremely hard to identify the right profile of players we're trying to bring in."

Rooney will take his first game in charge of D.C., who are 13th in the Eastern Conference after just five wins in 17 games, when Columbus Crew visit on Thursday.

Mason Mount labelled new Chelsea signing Raheem Sterling as a "winner" and "experienced" pro, who can fill a leadership void and help the Blues compete for trophies on all fronts.

Sterling arrived from Manchester City for a reported fee in the region of £45million on Wednesday, as Chelsea announced their first signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the club.

The England international joins his new Chelsea team-mates in the United States on their pre-season tour, having signed a five-year deal with Thomas Tuchel's side.

Only Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19) scored mores times in all competitions than Sterling (17) last season for City, but Mount says it is not just the forward's ability that will be vital for Chelsea.

"He's a top guy, such an experienced player, top class pro," Mount told Sky Sports.

"I've obviously been lucky to play with him over the last couple of years with England where he has captained the team at times, and he is someone who has been there for a very long time.

"When did he make his debut, 17, 18? So, he's a top player and I've learnt a lot from him over the last few years.

"For him to be joining us it is only going to bring our levels higher, he's definitely someone who strives for high levels to win and that's what we want.

"We want those players around this group and I'm very excited to see him and for him to be here."

Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger head the outgoings at Chelsea this transfer window, with Romelu Lukaku joining Inter on loan and Barcelona reportedly interested in Cesar Azpilicueta.

With numerous key figures departing Stamford Bridge, Mount believes Sterling can take a leadership role for Tuchel's side as they chase domestic and European glory.

"I think obviously we have lost a few that are leaders, and I think he is coming in and he will be someone that is going to lead, be a big presence," Mount added.

"He'll be a big personality, that's what he's like but he's only going to make us better so I'm very excited.

"He's a winner and us as a team, we want to keep striving for that so hopefully we can win some things together."

Sterling may get his first action in a Chelsea shirt against Club America on Sunday before follow-up fixtures against Charlotte FC and rivals Arsenal.

Tuchel's side then conclude their pre-season preparations with a clash against Udinese, before their Premier League opener at Everton on August 6.

Mesut Ozil acknowledged his "dream" move to Fenerbahce did not go in the "direction" he wanted as he heads for Istanbul Basaksehir.

The 33-year-old had been at odds with interim head coach Ismail Kartal, and Jorge Jesus seemingly made it clear Ozil was not part of his plans following his appointment as boss last month.

Former Germany midfielder Ozil joined Fener on a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2021 following his release from Arsenal.

Ozil's move did not go to plan, though, and the playmaker has been in the wilderness once again since being banished from first-team duties in March.

Media speculation linked him with Basaksehir and the club hinted at an agreement with a tweet in which Ozil was tagged on Wednesday.

That was followed by Ozil bidding farewell to Fenerbahce, recognising his time at the club was a disappointment.

He tweeted: "One of the things that makes life is that it is full of uncertainties. Our plans, desires and wishes may not always go in the direction you want them to.

"I wanted to achieve success by getting more chances to play in the Fenerbahce jersey, which has always been my childhood dream.

"I would like to thank the Fenerbahce community and fans for the great support they have shown me."

However, Ozil's apparent choice of a move to Basaksehir may not come as a huge surprise to many.

The 2019-20 Turkish Super Lig champions have close ties to the country's controversial president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was allowed to score a hat-trick in the exhibition game that inaugurated their Fatih Terim Stadium in 2014. His number 12 jersey was retired.

In 2018, Ozil – and Ilkay Gundogan, who is also of Turkish heritage – courted significant criticism for posing for photographs with Erdogan when he visited London.

Ozil retired from international football after the 2018 World Cup. He felt the backlash and media coverage relating to his meeting with Erdogan were part of a wider racist agenda, which was key in his decision to call it quits.

The following year, Erdogan was Ozil's best man at his wedding on the banks of the Bosphorus.

Raheem Sterling has completed his move to Chelsea from Premier League rivals Manchester City, the Blues have confirmed.

The England forward moves for a reported fee in the region of £45million and is Chelsea's first major signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the club.

Sterling – who had just one year remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium – has signed a five-year deal with Chelsea.

The 27-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team last season, a tally only bettered by Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19), as they conducted a successful defence of their title.

But an exit for the England star always looked possible after City signed Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, with fellow attacker Gabriel Jesus also being allowed to join a Premier League rival in Arsenal earlier this month.

Now, Sterling will link up with Thomas Tuchel's side for their pre-season tour of the United States, as they look to build on a third-placed finish last season.

"First and foremost, it's a pleasure to be here," Sterling told Chelsea's official website.

"I've obviously achieved a lot in my career so far, but there is still so much more to achieve and I'm really looking forward to doing that in a Chelsea shirt, under Thomas's management.

"London is my home and where it all started for me, and it's amazing I now have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family week in, week out at Stamford Bridge. I'm really looking forward to meeting the fans there soon.

"I do want to take the opportunity to thank Todd, Behdad, the ownership group, Thomas, and all involved in the process of getting me here.

"I can't wait to get going now and continue to do my talking on the pitch."

Sterling's move will see him return to London, where he grew up and spent time in QPR's youth system before joining Liverpool as a 15-year-old.

The forward, a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final, will hope a move to Stamford Bridge provides a guarantee of first-team football ahead of the World Cup in Qatar after he started just 23 of City's 38 league games last season.

Sterling won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four EFL Cups in Manchester after joining from Liverpool in 2015.

Kevin De Bruyne led the Manchester City players wishing Raheem Sterling well after the winger completed his move to Chelsea.

With City having bolstered their fearsome attack with the additions of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, Sterling has joined Gabriel Jesus in heading for pastures new – both men moving to London.

Whereas Jesus has gone to Arsenal, Sterling has made for the west side of the capital, joining Chelsea in a deal reportedly worth £45million.

The England forward has signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, who were in need of another attacker after loaning Romelu Lukaku back to Inter less than a year after his return to Stamford Bridge for a club-record fee.

Sterling scored 17 goals in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team last season, a tally only bettered by Riyad Mahrez (24) and De Bruyne (19), who was among those City players to use their social media channels to congratulate the 27-year-old.

"We came seven years ago together to this club to win trophies together and play good football and we achieved that," De Bruyne posted on Instagram.

"Was a pleasure to play with you. Wishing you all the best in future bro @sterling7."

Sterling replied: "Was a pleasure bro."

Jack Grealish, City's record signing, posted a good luck message to his fellow England international to his Instagram story.

Riyad Mahrez wrote "countless memories, will miss you brother" on his Instagram story, while Aymeric Laporte also uploaded a post.

Sterling leaves City having made at least 46 appearances in each of his seven seasons at the club, scoring a total of 91 Premier League goals.

Raheem Sterling has completed his move to Chelsea from Premier League rivals Manchester City, the Blues have confirmed.

The England forward moves for a reported £45million fee and is Chelsea's first major signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the club.

Sterling – who had just one year remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, has signed a five-year deal with Chelsea.

The 27-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team last season, a tally only bettered by Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19), as they conducted a successful defence of their title.

But an exit for the England star always looked possible after City signed Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, with fellow attacker Gabriel Jesus also being allowed to join a Premier League rival in Arsenal earlier this month.

Now, Sterling will link up with Thomas Tuchel's side for their pre-season tour of the United States, as they look to build on a third-placed finish last season.

"First and foremost, it's a pleasure to be here," Sterling told Chelsea's official website.

"I've obviously achieved a lot in my career so far, but there is still so much more to achieve and I'm really looking forward to doing that in a Chelsea shirt, under Thomas's management.

"London is my home and where it all started for me, and it's amazing I now have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family week in, week out at Stamford Bridge. I'm really looking forward to meeting the fans there soon.

"I do want to take the opportunity to thank Todd, Behdad, the ownership group, Thomas, and all involved in the process of getting me here.

"I can't wait to get going now and continue to do my talking on the pitch."

Sterling's move will see him return to London, where he grew up and spent time in QPR's youth system before joining Liverpool as a 15-year-old.

The forward, a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final, will hope a move to Stamford Bridge provides a guarantee of first-team football ahead of the World Cup in Qatar after he started just 23 of City's 38 league games last season.

Sterling won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four EFL Cups in Manchester after joining from Liverpool in 2015.

Transfers between the Premier League's so-called 'big six' have become something of a rarity in recent years, but the trend has re-emerged with Raheem Sterling's switch to Chelsea.

The Blues confirmed on Wednesday that Sterling has moved to Stamford Bridge on a five-year contract, with Manchester City accepting a reported £45million offer for the England international.

He made at least 46 appearances in each of his seven seasons at City, yet it was claimed Pep Guardiola was unable to provide assurances over his playing time next term.

That, apparently, is what led to Sterling seeking an exit, and Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea appear a fine fit stylistically.

With that in mind, it's a deal that will perplex many, given how important Sterling has been for City over the course of his stay in Manchester.

On top of that, City appear to be strengthening a team who would regard themselves direct rivals of the Premier League champions.

Sterling hasn't depreciated this significantly since Brexit, with City taking a sizeable risk wilfully offloading such a player.

A transformed talent

It would be fair to suggest Sterling has been a little inconsistent over the past two years, with his respective goals hauls of 14 and 17 across all competitions a bit of a drop-off.

Yet both of those are respectable figures and only serve to highlight just how good Sterling – very much approaching his peak at 27 years old – can be in the right context.

After modest returns in his first two years at the club, Sterling hit 20-plus goals in three successive campaigns, including 31 in 52 games in the 2019-20 season.

With Chelsea allowing Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter and the underwhelming Timo Werner seemingly available for transfer, the Blues are crying out for a dependable source of goals. Sterling could be that player.

While Guardiola's management style may be what's made Sterling look for pastures new, it was also the Catalan's coaching that helped transform Sterling into the player he is now.

As mentioned, Sterling was nowhere near as decisive at Liverpool or in his first two years at City as he has been over the past five years. Of course, part of that can be explained simply by development and progression. After all, he was 20 when he left the Reds.

But Guardiola's coaching, and how he has utilised Sterling, shouldn't be glossed over. Since he became City coach in 2016, Sterling has scored 27 Premier League goals from inside the six-yard box, which is five more than anyone else (Harry Kane, 22).

He knows how to be in the right place at the right time, and that requires supreme intelligence.

No one-trick pony

The fact Sterling's been able to make himself such a goalmouth threat despite not being regarded as an out-and-out striker is impressive, and it speaks to his well-roundedness as an attacker.

Under Guardiola, he's essentially averaged a goal every other game (one every 179 minutes) in the Premier League, with his haul of 85 bettered by only five players since the start of the 2016-17 season.

But his creativity shouldn't be ignored. Over the same period, he has laid on 296 chances for team-mates. That sees him ranked 10th overall in the Premier League.

Additionally, only three players have a better expected assists (xA) record than Sterling (34) since August 2017 (when Opta started collecting the data), and two of those are regular set-piece takers.

Sterling's strengths don't begin and end there, though. 

He's quick, strong despite his size, a leader and clearly very experienced. On his last Premier League appearance for City, he was aged 27 years and 165 days – only four players have had more Premier League goal involvements at that age than Sterling.

Just 11 players in Premier League history have reached 200 goal involvements, and he's already only 35 off that. In fact, he's potentially just one very good season from reaching the milestone.

Of course, it shouldn't be just blindly accepted that Sterling will be an incredible signing for Chelsea. They've had their fair share of expensive flops over the years, with Lukaku the most recent – few expected him to have such a minimal impact.

But Sterling's tremendous arsenal of attributes may give him greater scope to be influential. Maybe he won't create as much, but he could still be a primary goal threat, and he also appears to be a good fit for the kind of high-tempo football Tuchel likes to play. 

The over-riding feeling is that Sterling's sale suggests a degree of underappreciation for him, particularly given City aren't selling him for anything more than they paid seven years ago.

Chelsea, on the other hand, appear to be getting a bargain.