Frenkie de Jong says president Joan Laporta put him under pressure to leave Barcelona but he had no intention of moving.

De Jong was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United during the last transfer window as Barca tried to offload players after splashing out on the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde.

The Netherlands midfielder, who was also said to be a target for Paris Saint-Germain, made it clear he wanted to remain at Camp Nou.

De Jong knew the Catalan giants were eager for him to depart, but he was not affected by so much talk about his future.

He told Ziggo Sport: "I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this entire period. I stayed calm.

"But then you know the pressure would start to come...from the newspapers, from the president, from everywhere. But I wanted to stay at Barca so it never bothered me."

Former Ajax man De Jong has made only four starts for Barca this season, but hopes to be included in the side for the Clasico clash at Real Madrid on Sunday. 

He added: "I knew that he [Xavi] would play fewer minutes at the beginning of the season. I want to be a starter again. I hope to be against Real Madrid.

"Maybe he [Xavi] has already decided, but normally we don't know until the day of the game.

"Of course we are disappointed after the game against Inter, but we have to change our state of mind. We have to show that we are still a good team."

Reports have surfaced that Joao Felix is unhappy at Atletico Madrid having fallen out of favour in recent games.

Atletico have reportedly moved to reiterate that they do not want to sell the Portuguese, who it is claimed has requested a January move.

Joao Felix joined the Colchoneros on a seven-year deal in 2019 from Benfica for a fee of €126 million.

TOP STORY – PSG AND BARCA KEEN ON JOAO FELIX

Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are both considering moves to sign wantaway Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

AS claims PSG are weighing up a move for the 22-year-old as they make plans for the potential departure of Lionel Messi at the end of this season.

El Nacional reports that Barcelona are in the race for the Portuguese too, as they fear Ousmane Dembele will exit. A Bola has also linked Manchester United with Joao Felix.

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– Barcelona want to sell Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong in the near future to raise funds to invest in the squad according to Sport. De Jong was linked with Manchester United over the off-season.

– The same Sport report claims that Barcelona are set to release long-term duo Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba to free up funds too.

– Real Madrid are targeting Bayern Munich's Canada international Alphonso Davies, claims Marca. Los Blancos are eager to bolster their left-back options and are monitoring Davies.

– Inter are looking to sign on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku permanently, while the Nerazzurri are also interested in Everton's Yerry Mina claims Calciomercato.

–​ Barcelona will rival Real Madrid in pursuit of Inter's Italy international forward Nicolo Barella, reports Calciomercatoweb.

–​ Newcastle United are keen to lock down Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes on a new long-term deal before the end of this season, reports 90min.

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz has signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League club.

Arsenal were said to have made two bids for the Brazil international during the last transfer window, with reports suggesting the Gunners' second offer of £23million fell some way short of Villa's £40m valuation.

Luiz's previous contract with Steven Gerrard's side was set to expire at the end of this season, and the 24-year-old was also linked with Serie A champions Milan.

However, Luiz has agreed a new deal to remain Villa Park, where he arrived in 2019 following a two-year spell at Manchester City.

He told the club's official website: "I love this club. This club opened the door for me when I came to England to play in the Premier League. I'm so happy because I’m staying here and my choice is here."

Luiz is set to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, with boss Gerrard under pressure following a poor start to the season.

Joao Felix is increasingly frustrated with life at Atletico Madrid after dropping out of the starting XI in recent games.

The 22-year-old Portuguese is yet to score for the side in LaLiga or the Champions League this season and was an unused substitute in the midweek 0-0 draw with Club Brugge.

Atleti boss Diego Simeone has preferred Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata, Matheus Cunha and Angel Correa in attack recently.

TOP STORY – JOAO FELIX WANTS ATLETICO EXIT

Joao Felix has requested to leave Atletico Madrid in January, reports Fichajes.

The forward is frustrated that he has been used sparingly, largely outside the starting XI this term.

Joao Felix's contract runs until 2026 and it will likely require a hefty fee to sign him from Atleti, who paid €126 million for him in 2019.

Relevo claims that Atleti are not considering selling the Portuguese any time soon.

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– ​ Frenkie de Jong is growing frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities at Barcelona and will look to exit the club in January should the situation not improve, claims SPORT. De Jong was at the centre of a drawn-out off-season saga, amid links to Manchester United.

– Granit Xhaka will earn a contract extension at Arsenal, reports Football Insider. Xhaka, who is out of contract in 2024, has been in top form this term and will be rewarded after the World Cup.

– Chelsea have an interest in RB Leipzig's Austria international midfielder Konrad Laimer, reports Bild. Laimer is out of contract at the end of this season and the Blues will look to sign him for free if he is not sold in January.

– Chelsea along with Arsenal are now also keen on pursuing Rennes winger Jeremy Doku, claims Fichajes. The 20-year-old is already being chased by Liverpool, Napoli and Juventus.

– Bild also claims Chelsea are monitoring versatile Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard.

– The Telegraph reports Thomas Tuchel is interested in the England managerial role should Gareth Southgate depart after this year's World Cup. The German has reportedly declined two Premier League jobs since leaving Chelsea last month.

Real Madrid had a drawn-out pursuit of Kylian Mbappe earlier this year but ultimately missed out on the France forward.

Mbappe opted to sign a lucrative contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain in May, tying him to the Parisians until 2025.

But earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano reported the situation between PSG and Mbappe had got tense, with the player keen to depart.

TOP STORY – MADRID MOVE ON FROM MBAPPE AMID TRANSFER TWIST

Marca claims that Real Madrid are no longer have interest in signing Mbappe amid reports that he is unsettled at PSG and wants to leave.

The report claims that Los Blancos are observing the situation from afar with no desire to participate in the latest drama.

Romano also said PSG had no intention of selling Mbappe in January amid the speculation he wanted out. PSG director Luis Campos denied the report on Tuesday.

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– Bayern Munich will turn to Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram should they fail to land Tottenham's Harry Kane , reports TZ. Thuram's Gladbach deal ends at the end of this season.

– Sky Sport's Florian Plettenberg reports that Toni Kroos and Real Madrid are set to commence talks on a new deal running until 2024, with his currently deal expiring at season's end.

– Barcelona will try to lure Chelsea pair N'Golo Kante and Jorginho to Camp Nou as free agents at the end of this season, claims the Evening Standard. The Blues are currently trying to convince both to re-sign.

– 90min claims Manchester City have told Bayern Munich and Inter that defender Nathan Ake is not for sale in January, following speculation about their interest.

– West Ham have joined Roma and Manchester United in pursuing a deal for Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, according to Calciomercato.

– Football Insider reports Brentford have commenced discussions with England international striker Ivan Toney on a new deal, with Tottenham linked to him.

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says the club have "no interest" in a move for Kylian Mbappe amid reports the World Cup-winning forward wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Europe's top clubs have been put on alert by reports Mbappe is seeking a PSG exit just five months after he penned a bumper three-year contract extension with the club.

Mbappe is reportedly unhappy with his role in Christophe Galtier's team, while it has also been suggested he feels the club have broken promises they made when he signed his new deal.

But the France international will not find an exit route in Atletico, with Cerezo stating on Tuesday: "We have no interest in him, even if he'd have a place in every team."

Meanwhile, despite Atletico struggling to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Cerezo moved to defend head coach Diego Simeone, saying: "God willing, Cholo will be our coach for a long time." 

With Atletico six points off the pace in LaLiga and struggling to evolve their style of play under Simeone, some have questioned the position of the long-serving Colchoneros boss.

Cerezo, however, remains steadfast in his support of Simeone, adding: "All seasons are not the same, he has had 10 magnificent seasons and he will finish this one magnificently well. 

"I do not see the end of his stage. The confidence he has from the team and from us is enough for him to not think he has to go because journalists say so. God willing, Cholo will be our coach for a long time."

Cerezo was also asked about Joao Felix, who has yet to score in eight league appearances for Atletico this season, and reaffirmed his belief the Portugal international would soon show his quality.

"He's a terrific player and he has yet to really show what he is, but in time he will show it," Cerezo said. "We don't fear anything, he's an Atletico player, a magnificent player with a very long contract. 

"We're delighted with him, and we have to keep in mind that there are people who adapt right away and others who take longer, but I think he'll succeed here with the quality he has."

Maurizio Sarri has aired his frustration over the consistent speculation on Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and his future, amid frequent links with a move to Serie A rivals Juventus.

The Serbia international has been one of the form players of the campaign in the Italian top flight, with three goals and six assists for a total of nine involvements so far this term.

That form has not gone unnoticed, and Milinkovic-Savic has been subsequently mooted as a major transfer target, with La Gazetto dello Sport running a splash page on a potential Bianconeri switch.

It is not the first time the playmaker has been the subject of intense speculation, but the feverish nature has irked Sarri now, who believes too much hyperbole is being spun about his player.

"I think there is too much noise around him," he stated ahead of his side's UEFA Europe League clash with Sturm Graz.

"The day after our 4-0 win [over Fiorentina] a paper put his name on their front page [about] transfers.

"Milinkovic-Savic, he has room for improvement. You can see that from how many balls he loses."

Lazio's president Claudio Lotito previously warned potential suitors that  Milinkovic-Savic would cost a minimum of €120million for any interested party to pry him away from the capital.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has not agreed a January move to Juventus, according to Lazio owner Claudio Lotito.

The Serbian midfielder has impressed this season with three goals and seven assists in his nine Serie A games, helping Maurizio Sarri's side climb to third. 

Such form is said to have piqued the interest of Juventus, with reports suggesting the Bianconeri will plan to offer up to €60million, including bonuses.

But Lotito told Il Messaggero: "I have no agreement with his agent [Mateja] Kezman to sell him to Juventus or anyone else in the winter.

"On the contrary, he is now worth €120m, not €100m. Every month the price goes up."

The transfer talk emerged after Lazio's convincing 4-0 win against Fiorentina on Tuesday, with Milinkovic-Savic adding to his tally with two more assists.

When asked about the performance, Lotito said: "I am satisfied with the spirit I saw again. As I have already said, if we continue with this attitude, we will not set ourselves limits and we can go far."
 
Lazio face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday before Sunday's league fixture against fourth-place Udinese.

Manchester United are joining Milan in the chase for midfielder Davide Frattesi, with Sassuolo reportedly willing to cash in on him if their asking price is met.

Frattesi, 23, burst onto the scene this past season after returning from three consecutive loan stints in Serie B, earning 35 league starts before taking a step forward this term with three goals in nine games.

His rapid ascension earned him his first senior international cap for Italy in June, and he has since started in big Nations League fixtures against Germany and England.

There was a belief he could leave the club this past transfer window, when Sassuolo also sold Gianluca Scamacca to West Ham, but his continued improvement means he could be gone in January.

TOP STORY – UNITED PONDER MOVE FOR SASSUOLO'S FRATTESI

According to Calciomercato, United sent scouts to Sassuolo to get a closer look at the six-foot tall midfielder, and were told he could be available for a price of €35million.

United may find that a bit rich after recent reports their financial position will only allow them to make a move for one of Jude Bellingham or Frenkie de Jong, but they could receive a cash injection of their own if they are to part ways with 23-year-old defender Diogo Dalot. Calciomercato also claims Dalot wishes to leave the club, and Juventus have a strong interest in him. 

Frattesi's contract ties him to the Serie A side until 2026, giving them all the leverage in the negotiation, and with Milan's interest already established, that price tag may not be an unreasonable demand.

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– Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting Juventus are preparing a January move for Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who will only have 18 months remaining on his contract.

– After reportedly turning down a bid of €60m from Paris Saint-Germain in the most recent transfer window, Tuttosport now claims Inter will accept a bid in the range of €25m for centre-back Milan Skriniar in January, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

– Sky Sport's Florian Plettenberg believes PSV forward Cody Gakpo has no interest in joining Leeds United, who are said to have launched a move for him on deadline day, and will instead hold out for a bigger move.

– According to Record, Tottenham are keen on signing 21-year-old Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte, although his price is believed to be set at €80m.

– The Athletic are reporting Erling Haaland has a €200m release clause in his Manchester City contract that can be activated by any team outside of England as soon as 2024.

Christophe Galtier hailed the performance and focus of Kylian Mbappe against Benfica after "very surprising" reports emerged that the forward again wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe gave PSG the lead at Parc des Princes on Tuesday, converting from the penalty spot in the first half to become the club's leading scorer in the Champions League.

Joao Mario subsequently responded with a spot-kick of his own after the interval, though the result seemingly paled insignificance after reports suggested Mbappe had demanded an exit from PSG.

The World Cup-winning 23-year-old only signed a new three-year extension in May but has reportedly become unsettled once more after a failure to meet his demands both tactically and in recruitment.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports by claiming Mbappe had not informed the club of such intentions, while head coach Galtier also expressed confusion over the speculation.

"We talked a lot about him this afternoon. I didn't talk about it with him, the objective is to stay focused on the match," Galtier told RMC Sport after PSG were held to a 1-1 draw in the Group H encounter.

"He gave a lot, he showed that he is a great player, focused on the game and the competition. We were all focused on the goal and on the match.

"From the rumour, we make information and from information, we make a statement. I find that very surprising a few hours before a very important match..."

Mbappe's goal was not enough to secure progression to the Champions League knockout stages, though Benfica and PSG sit four points clear of Juventus and Maccabi Haifa at the Group H summit.

PSG will aim to secure qualification with two games left to play, sitting level on eight points with Roger Schmidt's side, though Galtier may be concerned after having to withdraw Mbappe in the closing stages.

"He took a nasty tackle, he has a knock. I preferred to make sure to bring on a fresh player," Galtier added.

"We can regret the penalty we conceded because the action was not dangerous. We lacked verticality in the final third.

"We have played high-intensity matches, obviously that generates tiredness, but fatigue is in everyone, it's not an excuse."

The stalemate left Benfica winless in away six Champions League games against French sides (D3 L3), scoring just two goals in these six games, though the Portuguese side deserve credit.

Schmidt's men are the first team to avoid defeat in both group stage games in the competition against PSG since the Ligue 1 side were twice held by Napoli in the 2018-19 season.

"It makes me proud, of course. The way the players are playing in these difficult games, we never gave up, we always believed in ourselves," Schmidt told Eleven Sport.

"When you can't win, you have to take a point. I said it after the first game and I repeat it now. I think it was a fair result, again. Playing two games like this against Paris says a lot about the quality and attitude of the players."

Sergio Ramos refuted speculation Kylian Mbappe wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain as he claimed the forward is "happy every day".

Mbappe started in the Champions League against Benfica on Tuesday after reports emerged the France international wants to depart the club in January, despite turning down Real Madrid to sign a new, lucrative three-year contract with PSG in May.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos insisted the 23-year-old has not expressed such intentions to the club, and Mbappe was in the thick of the action on the pitch in Paris.

Mbappe became PSG's all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a first-half penalty before Joao Mario's spot-kick restored parity, with the match petering out to a draw, with both sides sitting on eight points at the top of Group H.

After the game, former Madrid centre-back Ramos echoed Campos' sentiment, telling Canal Plus: "The only thing I can say is that Kylian is a friend and very happy here every day.

"He didn't leave last season, I don't believe the rumours."

As for PSG's performance, Ramos was far from impressed.

"We lacked a bit of determination. It's the little details that make the difference," he explained.

"Physically, [Benfica are] a very strong team, which worked well tactically and we couldn't find a space.

"The Champions League is a complicated competition. The objective is to finish first in the group, there are two games left and we must continue to work to show the best face of the team."

Thierry Henry has warned Kylian Mbappe that no player is bigger than the club, urging the Paris Paris Saint-Germain star to conform to tactical demands amid reports he may seek an exit.

World Cup-winning forward Mbappe signed a bumper three-year extension in Paris ahead of the 2022-23 season, seemingly ending speculation over a move to Real Madrid.

On Tuesday, however, PSG advisor Luis Campos was forced to address reports that Mbappe wants to leave in January, stating the France international has never expressed such intentions to the club.

The 23-year-old responded with a first-half penalty at the Parc des Princes against Benfica, becoming PSG's top scorer in the Champions League as he surpassed Edinson Cavani's 30-goal benchmark.

Reports suggest Mbappe has become unsettled for numerous reasons, including being unwilling to operate out wide, but Henry says his fellow Frenchman must play where he is instructed.

"Nobody likes to be exposed to what you are not good at," Henry said on CBS Sports. "You just don't like it. But there is something that is bigger than anything else and that is the club.

"Did they make him feel like the club was the most important thing or did they make him feel like he was more important than the club?

"I will use my own story. I didn't like to play out high and wide for Barcelona. I hated it, but I did it for the team.

"I didn't like it. After a hundred caps and I don't know how many goals I scored for France, I had to play on the left.

"I didn't hear anyone say, 'Oh, what a nice gesture!' to go on the left instead of players who had fewer goals and fewer caps.

"There is only one rule. If the boss asks you to do something, you do it; if it's good for the team. If it's bad for the team, I would get the argument."

PSG sit level on eight points with Benfica at the Group H summit after Joao Mario cancelled out Mbappe's opener with a spot-kick of his own, earning a point for Roger Schmidt's side.

Kylian Mbappe has "never" told Paris Saint-Germain he wants to leave in January, says Luis Campos, despite continued reports of the forward's discontent.

World Cup winner Mbappe signed a new three-year deal with the Ligue 1 champions ahead of the 2022-23 season, seemingly ending speculation around a potential move to Real Madrid.

However, new reports have claimed the France international wants to leave Paris in January, with Madrid again said to be his preferred destination.

Ahead of a crucial Champions League clash with Benfica on Wednesday, PSG football advisor Campos refuted the suggestions Mbappe wants to depart.

"It's information. We have rumours every day, and we can't come and talk about them every day," Campos told Canal+.

"In this case, it's special, because we are a few hours away from a very important match; it is serious. It is serious because my name is also mentioned. And especially because I am with Kylian every day, [and] he never spoke to me about leaving in January.

"I was with the president, and to the president, Kylian never talked about leaving in January, too. That means it's not a statement from the player, it's information.

"Before a match like this, it's very serious and that's why I'm here: it's to deny and say clearly that Kylian never spoke, neither to me nor to the president, about leaving PSG in January. This question never came up."

Reports suggested Mbappe had become unsettled in the French capital, citing his role within the PSG attack, a failure to bolster their defensive options and a breakdown in his relationship with team-mate Neymar.

"Compared to me, I have a three-year contract with PSG, I am very happy to be here in this house, and I work every day so that PSG, at the end of my contract, have something special," Campos added.

"We speak with Kylian daily, as with Neymar, [Lionel] Messi, Danilo [Pereira], Vitinha, [Marco] Verratti, all the players. We discuss.

"Regarding recruitment, I have already said what I had to say last month [about a disappointing transfer window], I was very clear.

"The most important thing is to let people know that we work very hard every day, we are very happy to be here, and we are giving our all to satisfy PSG."

Harry Kane says Manchester City attacker Erling Haaland is a "fantastic" player but the Tottenham forward is not getting caught up in comparisons or speculation over his own future amid links with Bayern Munich.

The England captain was linked to Pep Guardiola's side last year in a high-profile transfer saga, with a move from north London ultimately failing to materialise after Spurs refused to let him go.

Since then, former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland has arrived at the Etihad Stadium, ripping up the record books in the Premier League and making his presence felt in Europe too.

Ahead of Wednesday's home Champions League encounter with Eintracht Frankfurt, Kane did not wish to focus on his rivals or what might have been for his own career.

Instead, he would prefer to solve his own continental drought as he still awaits is first goal of the European campaign, though he admits Haaland is in superlative form.

"I'm not someone who likes to think or talk about other players too much," Kane said. 

"He's had a fantastic start to the season, full credit to him, but I can't control that, so I'm concentrating on what I can do.

"I'm helping the team in any way possible, it has been going well so far in the Premier League and I want to score a few more goals in the Champions League for sure.

"People are talking about him [Haaland] and rightly so, he's had a fantastic start. But we've got a long way to go, and there's a lot of games coming up, so I'm concentrating on what I can do."

A clash with a Bundesliga foe has reignited talk of Kane's other heavily linked suitor, in German champions Bayern, but the forward brushed off any discussion of a move, though he was complimentary of the Bavarians. 

"I’m focused on Tottenham Hotspur and trying to do my best for us," he added.

"Bayern are a top, top club - but all my concentration is on Tottenham and trying to win on [Wednesday] night."

Kane's lacklustre form in Europe has left boss Antonio Conte unconcerned, with the Italian noting that the forward continues to build upon his promise with every match.

"You know his form, Harry has started the season really well," Conte said. 

"For us, he is a really important player. He has to continue to work in the way he is working. Every day we have this possibility to improve ourselves and my demands are very high."

Kylian Mbappe has been told to "grow up" and be more of a team player, with former France star Emmanuel Petit saying the Paris Saint-Germain striker's behaviour "annoys everyone".

France international Mbappe was linked with a move away from PSG on Tuesday, as Spanish newspaper Marca claimed his relationship with the Ligue 1 club has broken down.

It was reported Mbappe would be keen to move in January, despite only signing a new contract at the end of last season.

The deal came amid strong interest from Real Madrid, with Mbappe agreeing hugely lucrative terms to remain at PSG rather than depart as a free agent at the end of his contract.

He deleted an Instagram post recently that appeared to be critical of his role in coach Christophe Galtier's team, with Mbappe giving the impression he is displeased at being used as a lone out-and-out striker.

Speaking to RMC Sport, former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Petit said: "In recent weeks, I find him off-topic in his communication. I find that he is moving more and more from the central subject, which is the game and the pitch. He is making it more and more a personal business.

"Of course, I hear rumours that promises have not been kept, but I want to tell him: 'Kylian, grow up, that's life.'

"It's the same every day. You are made promises that no one keeps most of the time, does that mean you have to stop working and question everything? Of course not.

"It's called everyday life, the life of grown-ups, that of adults. Kylian, the sooner you have solved your problems with yourself, the sooner your performance will be felt on the pitch and your relationships with the public and your team-mates will find a certain appeasement."

There remains a clamour in Madrid for Mbappe to join Los Blancos, but there would need to be a huge shift in PSG's position for that to be an option before the end of next season.

At the same time, any sign of a dispirited Mbappe could have serious consequences for team morale.

Mbappe had 60 goals involvements in 46 games for PSG last season, with 39 goals and 21 assists.

This term, he has 11 goals from 12 games but has yet to have an assist, and he has often been outperformed by team-mate Neymar, who has managed 11 goals and nine assists in 14 appearances, while Lionel Messi also has eight goals and eight assists.

Mbappe, perhaps thinking he was going to be the main man this season, has been frequently overshadowed by others, making just about as many headlines for his perceived unhappiness as for his football.

He was due to be in action for PSG against Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League, ahead of a Ligue 1 'Classique' against Marseille on Sunday.

"He annoys everyone today," said Petit. "He constantly makes it a personal matter.

"He even puts himself above the institution. Has everything that happened in recent months gone to his head?"