Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri says he has not seen Paul Pogba since allegations of an extortion plot targeting the France international came to light.

Pogba returned to Turin in July following six frustrating years at Manchester United, having originally left Juventus to head back to Old Trafford, where he started his career.

The early stages of the World Cup winner's second Juventus spell have been blighted first by a knee injury and now by claims of an attempt to extort money from him.

Pogba's lawyers have alleged he has been targeted by an organised gang. ESPN reported the matter is being investigated by French police, with threats received by Pogba said to be serious.

Speaking ahead of his team welcoming Spezia for a Serie A game on Wednesday, Allegri said he has not caught up with the Frenchman, having stayed away from him during his injury recovery.

"I haven't seen him because Injured players work train at different times," Allegri said on Tuesday, when asked about the midfielder.

He explained: "At the moment Paul Pogba isn't available, if everything goes well, from next week he'll start running again, he is a very important player for us."

Allegri confirmed Angel Di Maria would return to the fold for the Spezia game after an adductor injury, but declined to say whether the Argentine playmaker would start.

"I haven't decided on the line-up yet," Allegri said. "Angel Di Maria [is] available, [but] tomorrow, I will decide on the formation. The match will be a difficult and important one. Spezia are doing good things in the league and they are a team that scores goals."

Christophe Galtier has not given up hope of signing Milan Skriniar before the transfer window closes and confirmed Fabian Ruiz is "very close" to joining Paris Saint-Germain.

Skriniar has been high on PSG's list of targets, but the Ligue 1 champions have been unable to agree a deal for the Inter centre-back.

PSG head coach Galtier knows it will be difficult to lure Skriniar away from San Siro, but says "anything is possible".

"I can't tell you it's completely over," Galtier said when asked about PSG's chances of signing the Slovakia international. 

"In a transfer window, there are always surprises. Milan has been a target for a long time. Negotiations with Inter are very difficult. 

"You have to respect his position. But with two days to go, anything is possible."

Galtier expects a deal to sign midfielder Ruiz from Napoli to go through before long in what is shaping up to be a busy end to the window.

"There are just over 48 hours left before the transfer window closes," he said ahead of Wednesday's Ligue 1 encounter at Toulouse. "Some information comes out. 

"Fabian Ruiz is very close to PSG, but there will also be departures from our side. 

"It would have been better to have the recruits as soon as possible. We have been targeting the sectors we wanted to strengthen for a long time. 

"Fabian Ruiz, we had targeted him for a long time. But for now, he is still a Napoli player."

Galtier confirmed Leandro Paredes is on his way to Juventus, but gave little away about Napoli target Keylor Navas' future.

He said: "Leandro will not be part of the group [to face Toulouse]. I spoke with him after the [training] session. We know that he has reached an agreement with Juventus.

"He is currently a PSG player, but his mind is elsewhere. I made the decision not to put him in the group so that he could prepare for his departure and that I don't have a player who, perhaps, will leave the club [within] 24 hours. 

"With Keylor, we talk very often. He is a PSG goalkeeper and he will be in the squad."

Tottenham have announced the permanent signing of Cristian Romero from Atalanta on a five-year deal following the defender's successful spell on loan.

The 24-year-old joined Tottenham 12 months ago on an initial season-long loan with the option to make the move permanent.

Argentina international Romero featured 30 times in all competitions last season and started Spurs' opening two Premier League games this campaign prior to sustaining an injury.

Tottenham confirmed on their official website on Tuesday that Romero has now agreed a deal that will run through until the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

Romero, who is in contention to be part of Argentina's World Cup squad later this year, has also previously represented Genoa and Juventus in Serie A.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has been open about his desire for more signings ahead of the closure of the transfer window.

The London club have been one of the big spenders during this transfer window but Tuchel believes they need more reinforcements to be competitive in the title race.

The Blues have lost Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Emerson Palmieri and Timo Werner, while Romelu Lukaku departed on loan and Marcos Alonso is expected to join Barcelona.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA PLOTTING AUBA SWOOP

Chelsea are plotting a deadline day move to land ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona, reports The Guardian.

Blues boss Tuchel has asked owner Todd Boehly to free up £200million with three targets in mind before Thursday's deadline, headlined by the Gabon international.

Chelsea are set to close out a deal for Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana for £70m, while Everton's Anthony Gordon is also on their wish list.

Aubameyang has only been used once for eight minutes off the bench this LaLiga season, with Robert Lewandowski starring up front for the Blaugrana.

ROUND-UP

–  Liverpool are pondering a late £42m bid for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo,  according to The Sun. Brighton, however, believe that the Ecuador international is worth almost double that price.

– Metro reports  Cristiano Ronaldo could seal a move from Manchester United to Napoli this week. Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes is working on a swap deal, possibly involving Victor Osimhen .

– La Gazzetta dello Sport claims  Paris Saint-Germain 's €23m offer with add-ons for Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz has been accepted and he will undergo a medical on Tuesday. The Spaniard has been frozen out after refusing to extend his contract, which has less than 12 months to run.

– Tottenham have revived their interest in Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco,  according to the Telegraph. The 28-year-old Belgian has two years to run on his contract.

– The Sun claims  Wolves have rejected a bid worth £8.5m from Everton for midfielder Leander Dendoncker .

– Barcelona and Manchester United have not reached an agreement on a deal for USA international Sergino Dest , reports Cadena COPE.

French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet has professed his hope Paul Pogba will remain in the France squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, amid the midfielder's ongoing off-field issues.

The playmaker, a World Cup winner under Didier Deschamps at Russia 2018, is sidelined through injury at Juventus, following his return to the Bianconeri after six frustrating years with Manchester United.

But Pogba also has significant concerns away from the pitch, with his lawyers stating he has been the target of an extortion attempt by an organised gang.

The statement came amid claims by the player's reportedly estranged brother Mathias promising to publish "great revelations" about Pogba's character.

The affair has overshadowed the build-up to Deschamps announcing his squad for France's Nations League matches next month, in their final major test ahead of their title defence in Qatar.

Now, FFF president Le Graet has weighed in on the matter, erring on the side of caution as to the claims of extortion, while adding that he hopes for the matter to not sway Deschamps against including Pogba.

"For now, we're at the start of an affair," he stated. "Nobody has gone to court for the time being, to the best of my knowledge.

"At this stage, it is only rumours. I love Paul. I hope it doesn't call into question his place in the France team."

Inter have confirmed Romelu Lukaku will be absent for at least a week with a thigh injury.

The Belgian forward sustained the issue in a training session on Sunday and will be reassessed next week, though his absence means he will miss two crucial games for the Nerazzurri.

Lukaku will be forced to watch on in Tuesday's Serie A clash against Cremonese and will remain absent for the derby against defending champions Milan this weekend.

It is also likely that the Chelsea loanee will not be able to feature when Inter commence their Champions League campaign against Bayern Munich next week.

A statement on Inter's website confirmed Lukaku had suffered an injury to the flexor of his left thigh and said his condition will be re-evaluated next week.

Reports in Italy have suggested Lukaku could be out for a longer period of 20 days, which would mean missing further clashes against Torino and Udinese in Serie A and Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.

Inter have picked up six points from their opening three league matches, beating Lecce and Spezia before defeat to Lazio on Friday.

Napoli would find it difficult to say no to a €100million (£85m) offer should Manchester United make a move for Victor Osimhen, head coach Luciano Spalletti has said.

United have reportedly been weighing up a big-money bid for the Nigeria forward, though those rumours have quietened since their focus switched to signing Antony from Ajax.

Osimhen has also attracted interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Bayern Munich this window, but he remains a Napoli player ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline.

However, speaking after Napoli's goalless draw with Fiorentina on Sunday, Spalletti admitted his side would struggle to turn down a mammoth sum for the 22-year-old.

"The club thinks of any situation that is of interest to our players," he told DAZN. "I say that if a club offers you €100m, it is not easy to say no. 

"Since I arrived here, all the players have been on the market for the right price."

Osimhen directly contributed to 24 goals in all competitions for Napoli last term and has two goals and an assist in his first three Serie A appearances this campaign.

The former Lille attacker has also been touted as a possible makeweight in a swap deal involving Cristiano Ronaldo, who is seeking Champions League football.

Asked if Osimhen is open to joining a new club, Spalletti said: "He gave his response before, saying he wants to play in the Champions League with this team.

"He cares about his team-mates, he chases down opposition players to help out and is a very strong focal point in attack. 

"Having him at our disposal with that mentality is the best we could ask for."

Chelsea have reportedly locked in on Everton's Anthony Gordon and are desperate to get a deal done before the deadline, going as far as including both Armando Broja and Conor Gallagher in their latest offer.

Gordon - who scored his first goal of the season in his side's 1-1 draw against Brentford at the weekend - has seen his stature rise meteorically, with the 21-year-old now considered a real chance to represent England at the World Cup later this year.

Chelsea have already had an offer of £50million plus add-ons rejected, and after previous rumours hinted that Everton wanted one of Gallagher or Broja on loan to make it happen, a stunning new report claims the Stamford Bridge side are willing to take it a step further.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA WILLING TO PART WAYS WITH GALLAGHER AND BROJA IN GORDON DEAL

The report from Football Insider states Chelsea are willing to send Gallagher and Broja to Everton on permanent moves, as well as adding £25m in cash, making the total offer value in the range of £85m.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has been clear about how highly he values 20-year-old Broja and 22-year-old Gallagher, with both players coming on as substitutes in the first two Premier League fixtures.

However, Broja has been left on the bench the past two games, and Gallagher's two starts have resulted in a 3-0 loss to Leeds United and a red card against Leicester City just 28 minutes into the action.

So far this season, only Raheem Sterling against Leicester has registered more than one shot on target in a single game, while Gordon has had at least two shots on target in each of his past three outings, including five against Nottingham Forest and four against Brentford.

ROUND-UP

– Sky Sports Italia is reporting Juventus have interest in Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz if they can not secure Leandro Paredes from Paris Saint-Germain.

– In their search for strikers, Chelsea are said to be considering Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha, although Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains the priority, according to the Guardian.

– The Daily Mail claims that after reportedly accepting a deal in the range of £80m (€95m) from Manchester United for Antony, Ajax are hoping to bring Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech back to the Eredivisie.

– Liverpool's midfielder hunt has brought them to Sheffield United's 24-year-old Norwegian international Sander Berge, per the Yorkshire Post.

–The Evening Standard is reporting Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is finalising a move to Sampdoria after initially holding out hope of a Premier League club swooping in.

Sampdoria director Carlo Osti has confirmed the club are set to sign Harry Winks on loan from Tottenham.

The Spurs academy graduate has fallen down the pecking order under Antonio Conte, leading the 26-year-old to seek further playing opportunities.

Capped 10 times by England, most recently in 2020, Winks started only nine Premier League matches last season and the signing of Yves Bissouma from Brighton and Hove Albion has provided further competition in midfield.

Winks was reportedly holding out for a loan move to a Premier League side but suitors had not come forward, which appears to have resulted in him taking the opportunity to move to Italy.

Speaking following Sampdoria's 4-0 defeat to Salernitana, which left the side with just one point from their opening three Serie A matches, Osti confirmed Winks is due to arrive imminently.

"We have an agreement with Tottenham, we are defining the last details with the agents, we hope to conclude as soon as possible," he Sky Sport Italia.

Winks will join a growing British contingent in Serie A which includes Fikayo Tomori at Milan and both Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling with Roma.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been the target of an extortion attempt by an organised gang, according to his lawyers.

Pogba's brother Mathias posted videos online promising to publish "great revelations" about the France international, his agent and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Mathias added that "the whole world, as well as my brother's fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, deserve to know certain things".

Pogba's representatives responded in a widely released statement later on Sunday.

"The recent declarations of Mathias Pogba on social media are unfortunately not a surprise," read the statement.

"They are coming after threats and attempts of extortion by an organised gang against Paul Pogba.

"The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation."

ESPN has reported that the matter is still being investigated by French police, with the threats received by Pogba said to be very serious.

Mathias is a free agent after a spell with French fourth-tier side Belfort came to an end in April. That was the 13th club he has represented across a well-travelled career.

Roma have completed the signing of free agent Andrea Belotti on a one-year deal.

The Italy international is the Giallorossi's sixth arrival of the transfer window after Nemanja Matic, Mile Svilar, Zeki Celik, Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Striker Belotti could sign a two-year contract extension with the Eternal City giants, dependent on performance-related criteria.

Belotti, who departed Torino when his contract expired in June, arrives off the back of a successful seven-year stint with Il Toro, for whom he scored 113 goals in 251 appearances across all competitions.

The 28-year-old will bolster Jose Mourinho's attacking options, providing competition for the likes of Dybala, Tammy Abraham and Eldor Shomurodov.

And the Euro 2020 winner is excited to get down to work in the Italian capital.

"The ambitions and growth of Roma are there for all to see, and have exerted an incredible fascination in me," he told the club's official website.

"At this point in my career, I want to continue to improve, day after day, and I am happy to be able to do it with this new shirt.

"Now, I can't wait to hear the anthem at the stadium, in front of our fans."

Belotti could make his Roma debut when the Giallorossi welcome Monza to Stadio Olimpico in Serie A on Tuesday.

Liverpool's hunt for midfield reinforcements is heating up, with the club reportedly investigating the possibility of bringing in Borussia Dortmund's England star Jude Bellingham in the January window.

As well as a Bellingham deal – which would likely have to exceed £100million – the Reds are also weighing up potential moves for Wolves' Ruben Neves and RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer.

Football Insider is reporting Liverpool and Dortmund have reached a "verbal agreement" on a price for Bellingham, although the Bundesliga club has been consistent with their stance that they want to hold onto him for this season.

Laimer, on the other hand, only has one more year on his contract, and has told Leipzig he will not sign an extension, making him the most likely of the three to be on the move.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL LOOK AT LAIMER AND NEVES

Laimer, 25, is coming off a season with four goals and four assists in 26 Bundesliga games, and has shown he can produce against quality opposition, with a goal and two assists from his home and away fixtures against Bayern Munich.

The 90min report believes Laimer may be angling for a move to the Bundesliga champions after proving himself against them, but Liverpool could try and take him to Anfield.

Meanwhile, Wolves have been able to fend off interest for Neves from fellow Premier League clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal, but with two years left on his deal, now would be the time to cash in if his long-term future is not at Molineux.

ROUND UP

– The Mirror are reporting if Antony leaves Ajax , the Eredivisie champions will try to land Aston Villa's Anwar El Ghazi as a replacement.

– According to Sky Sports, Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has told the club he wants to be sold to Manchester   United .

– The Sun claims Chelsea are considering terminating Ross Barkley's contract, which pays him £200,000 per week.

– Barcelona are working on moves for Bernardo Silva and Marcos Alonso , according to the Daily Mail. 

– talkSPORT report  West Ham are in talks with Adnan Januzaj to bring the 27-year-old back to the Premier League, as he is available on a free transfer after leaving Real Sociedad.

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti would love to see Cristiano Ronaldo move to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

He doubts it will happen before the transfer deadline on Thursday, but Spalletti made it clear he believes Ronaldo could make a big impact on his team.

Ronaldo is no stranger to Serie A after spending three seasons at Juventus, and Napoli have been linked with a move for the 37-year-old in recent days.

He continues to be linked with an exit after starting just once this season under new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, having joined the Red Devils when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was boss 12 months ago.

Dutchman Ten Hag said on Saturday, after Ronaldo played as a substitute in the 1-0 win at Southampton: "We want him to stay."

There is time for movement, however, before the exit door closes, with Ronaldo reportedly keen to play Champions League football in the new season, which is something United cannot offer.

Talk of a swap deal involving Napoli's Victor Osimhen was brushed aside by Osimhen's agent this week, with Roberto Calenda writing on Twitter: "No negotiations in progress, no exchanges."

Now Spalletti has offered his personal view on Ronaldo, saying on Saturday: "Anyone would like to coach him, but as Osimhen's agent said there is no negotiation. [Napoli owner Aurelio] De Laurentiis also confirmed this."

With the window closing, Spalletti added: "I see it as difficult."

Ronaldo has had little to say about his future. He has been tipped for moves to the likes of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid in recent weeks, but nothing has materialised. Last season, he was United's 24-goal leading scorer across all competitions.

Spalletti is one of the first significant figures to openly enthuse about the prospect of signing the veteran former Real Madrid forward during this twilight phase of his rightly lauded career.

He sees no problem with integrating Ronaldo, should he ever become available to Napoli.

"We are talking about someone who has won more championships, scored more goals, has the quality to be anywhere on the pitch," said Spalletti, quoted by Corriere dello Sport, ahead of his team's match at Fiorentina on Sunday.

"He is someone who resolves things on his own. The problem would not exist in one way or another."

Rafael Leao scored one goal and assisted another as Milan downed Bologna 2-0 on Saturday, with Stefano Pioli hailing his talented winger.

The Portugal international wrong-footed goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski in the first half to open the scoring – his eighth Serie A goal at home since the start of 2022.

No Serie A player has managed more strikes on their home ground in that period, and Leao turned creator after the interval as he teed up Olivier Giroud, who acrobatically volleyed home to double Milan's lead.

Another dazzling performance from Leao, who played a large part in Milan's Scudetto triumph last season, came just days after reports in Italy claimed Chelsea want to sign the 23-year-old.

Milan are reportedly attempting to tie the forward down to a contract renewal and Pioli will be desperate to keep his star attacker, who he feels is beginning to fulfil his talent.

"A player with such potential must continue to think he can improve," Pioli told Sky Sport Italia.

"He has never made a mistake in his attitude, he has never missed a training session and wants to grow.

"He has body language that can fool people, but he's really smart. He must never stop trying to improve."

Charles De Ketelaere was another to impress against the Rossoblu, with the midfielder creating the opener for Leao after regaining possession inside his own half before powering forward to find his team-mate.

The former Club Brugge man also laid on a game-high four chances, and Pioli is delighted to see the new arrival settling in already after his reported €36million move earlier in August.

"There is no doubt that Charles is a great talent," the Milan head coach said. "It's normal that he has to grow and get to know his team-mates, but they are processes that take some time.

"He is already showing important qualities and he will only grow."

Milan remain undefeated after three Serie A games this term, extending a run that began last season to 19 unbeaten top-flight matches – the longest such streak in Europe's top five leagues.

The Rossoneri will hope to carry on their fine run of form when they head to Sassuolo on Tuesday, before a derby clash with Inter next weekend.

Rafael Leao scored one and assisted another as Milan continued their unbeaten Serie A start with a dominant 2-0 victory over Bologna.

Stefano Pioli's side had to recover from a goal down in each of their opening two league games, winning one and drawing the other, but did not need another rescue act on Saturday.

Leao was a constant threat down the left flank and grabbed a deserved goal in the first half, before setting up a smart Olivier Giroud finish in the second half to cap an impressive performance.

Victory at least temporarily moved Milan to the top of the embryonic Serie A table, while the Rossoneri are now unbeaten in 19 top-flight games – the longest ongoing undefeated streak in Europe's top five leagues.

Pioli's men started slowly but kicked into gear after 21 minutes as Charles de Ketelaere dispossessed Jerdy Schouten and powered forward to tee up Leao, who rolled his finish into the bottom-left corner.

De Ketelaere continued to be Milan's chief creative force, chipping a delicate pass through for Pierre Kalulu, only for the defender to waste a glorious one-on-one chance up against Lukasz Skorupski.

Junior Messias was the next to be thwarted by Skorupski, before Leao blazed over the rebound, and Giroud dragged just wide of the target prior to the break.

The Rossoneri deservedly doubled their lead after 58 minutes when Leao lofted in a cross from the left for Giroud to acrobatically volley into the bottom-right corner.

Nicola Sansone almost hit back for Bologna, but his driven effort cannoned against Mike Maignan's right-hand post as Milan preserved their first clean sheet of the campaign.

What does it mean? Milan continue Bologna dominance

Milan had only lost one of their previous 25 Serie A meetings with Bologna, with that defeat coming in January 2016 when Rossoblu coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was with the Rossoneri.

Given their recent dominance in this fixture and last season's Scudetto-winning exploits, it came as little surprise to see Milan control most of proceedings – not allowing a single Bologna shot on target.

With Inter to come next weekend, Milan have thrown down an early marker as they look to defend their title this season.

Home comforts for Leao

Leao was a pivotal factor for Pioli last season as Milan edged out fierce rivals Inter to lift the Scudetto, and the Portugal international proved his worth once more here.

The 23-year-old has scored eight times in the league at home since the start of 2022, with no Serie A player finding the net on more occasions at their own stadium in that time.

Awful Arnautovic

Marko Arnautovic was in the headlines earlier in the month after being linked to Manchester United, only for backlash from Red Devils fans to seemingly end any talk of a move.

The forward subsequently became the first player to score in both of Bologna's first two games in a Serie A season since Roberto Baggio in 1997-98, but he failed to deliver up against Milan's well-regimented defence.

What's next?

Milan will look to maintain their unbeaten run when they travel to Sassuolo on Tuesday ahead of the derby against Inter. Bologna host Salernitana on Thursday.