What the papers say

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are reportedly considering a second attempt to poach Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes. The Daily Mail, citing Portuguese outlet Record, says the Saudi side could make another run at luring the 29-year-old in the summer after failing to sign him in January.

Elsewhere, The Guardian reports Roy Hodgson is nearing the Crystal Palace exit following his side’s 4-1 loss to Brighton on Saturday. Chairman Steve Parish is said to be sounding out replacements to take over as manager, but is struggling to find a replacement willing to take over at this stage of the season.

The Liverpool Echo reports Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is the clear frontrunner to take over as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Michael Olise: The Daily Mirror says Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag views the Crystal Palace midfielder as the club’s next marquee signing.

Benjamin Sesko: According to footballtransfers.com, Chelsea and AC Milan could target the RB Leipzig and Slovenia forward in the summer.

Neymar’s move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is set to be completed in the next 48 hours, the PA news agency understands.

Sources close to Paris St Germain say the club are set to receive up to 100 million euros (£86.3m) from Al Hilal for the 31-year-old Brazilian as they rebuild their squad around younger, up-and-coming players.

The deal has been sanctioned by PSG because Spanish coach Luis Enrique was open to letting Neymar leave. Selling Neymar would also shift his 25m euro annual wage off the club’s books, with his existing contract due to run until the summer of 2025.

News of Neymar’s imminent exit comes less than 24 hours after the club confirmed striker Kylian Mbappe had been reinstated to first-team training.

Mbappe is understood to have indicated his commitment to the club, who have offered him a contract with a “guaranteed sale” clause in it allowing him to seal a move to Real Madrid next summer for a fee.

The club had been convinced Mbappe was preparing to let his current deal run out, which would have allowed him to leave Paris and join Real on a free transfer next year.

The club acted by omitting the player from the pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea and forcing him to train away from the main first-team group, until the thaw in relations confirmed on Sunday.

They had also granted Mbappe permission to talk to Al Hilal after receiving a world record £259m bid for the player in July, but it was reported the 24-year-old refused to even meet with a delegation from the Saudi club.

The imminent exit for big money of Neymar and the news on Mbappe marks a major and positive turnaround for PSG.

The French champions are consciously moving away from what their president Nasser Al Khelaifi has called their “bling bling” era, with Argentina playmaker Lionel Messi also exiting the club earlier this summer.

Neymar’s signing for a world record £200m fee in 2017 arguably marked the start of that era, but the club’s incomings this summer indicate a difference in approach, with the likes of 22-year-old Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos changing the profile of the team.

Kylian Mbappe and his representatives refused to meet with Al Hilal officials in Paris on Wednesday to discuss a possible world-record transfer to Saudi Arabia, it has been reported.

Mbappe’s club Paris St Germain are understood to have given the Saudi Pro League side permission to speak with the France striker over personal terms after receiving a £259million bid for the player in writing.

An Al Hilal delegation was reported to have been hoping to sell their project to Mbappe in Paris while finalising the signing of Brazil striker Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg.

But, according to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Mbappe and his team have refused to enter into any discussions with the Saudi club and he has never considered the option.

Mbappe’s PSG future has been in serious doubt since it emerged in June that he would not extend his existing deal through to 2025, meaning he would become a free agent next summer and be able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club as early as January.

PSG have not confirmed the reports that Mbappe has snubbed Al Hilal’s approach, but are understood to be convinced that Mbappe has already agreed a free transfer to Real Madrid next summer.

Parisian sources have said the 24-year-old would benefit from a 160m euro (£138m) signing-on fee if he wound down his existing contract and moved to the Spanish capital in 2024.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is “not too concerned” for now about Saudi Arabia’s ascendancy in football as he reasoned it takes time to become a dominant force.

Al Hilal submitted a world-record £259million offer for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 12 months left on his current deal and been given permission to speak to the Saudi club.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already joined the country’s Pro League while Liverpool have agreed a deal with Al-Ettifaq – managed by Steven Gerrard – to sell their captain Jordan Henderson.

“Something new is obviously happening,” Masters told BBC Sport. “The Saudi Pro League have stated they want to be a top 10 league by 2030.

“They are investing in players and managers to try to raise the profile of the league and clubs.

“It has taken us 30 years to get to the position that we have in terms of profile, competitiveness and the revenue streams that we have.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned at the moment but, obviously, Saudi Arabian clubs have as much right to purchase players as any other league does.

“In the end, the Premier League is a £6billion-a-year operation in terms of revenue and that money is spent reinvested into the pitch. All good competitions have to have revenue streams to back them up.”

Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal have submitted a world record 300 million euro (£259m) bid for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, the PA news agency understands.

Mbappe’s future in Paris is in serious doubt after the 24-year-old was left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Japan.

PA understands Al Hilal have submitted a bid in writing for the player, who is out of contract next summer.

Sources close to the French club say there has also been interest in the player from other clubs in recent days, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Barcelona.

The current world record transfer fee was paid by PSG, when they signed Neymar from Barcelona for a deal reported at the time as £200m.

Lionel Messi showed "he doesn't care about money" by turning down a hugely lucrative offer from Al Hilal to sign for Inter Miami, according to Hristo Stoichkov.

Messi confirmed his intention to join Miami in June, after it was announced he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

The 36-year-old was officially unveiled as a Miami player on Sunday, and trained with his new team-mates – including Sergio Busquets – for the first time on Tuesday.

Al Hilal, one of the four Saudi Arabian clubs bankrolled by the Gulf state's Public Investment Fund (PIF), wanted to sign Messi, but former Barcelona star Stoichkov thinks the Argentine proved his priority is football, not cash.

"We didn't play for money, we played for love," Stoichkov, who was one of Barca's greatest players in the 1990s, told Stats Perform.

"This shows greatness. It didn't matter to me to know my salary or the bonuses, for me it was more important to play and that people value me.

"The agents take care of the other things. Messi comes to compete and play and he doesn't care about money because he loves football."

Messi confirmed he could have returned to Barcelona, though ultimately decided against the move as the Catalan giants continue to tussle with financial difficulties.

Stoichkov, who played in MLS in the early 2000s, was not sad to see Messi turn down his former club, with the Blaugrana legend suggesting a deal was never feasible.

"I knew that he was not going to return because of the way and the impact of what happened when he left Barcelona," he said.

"He wanted to stay at all costs to finish his career at Barcelona, but he couldn't.

"I didn't believe it, even though I had the opportunity to talk with him, with his father and his brothers. I, as a former Barcelona player and partner, have always liked having the best players and Messi did not deserve that exit [in 2021].

"Many people criticise him because he did not want to return, but they do not think about how he left. 

"Messi has done something that few people would do, say that he was not going to return so that his team-mates do not suffer. This shows his greatness, because he could return but surely the president was going to have to lower the salaries of the players and cut other costs for this to happen.

"Messi never wanted a team-mate to experience those things. The claims that he did not want to return are not true."

Kalidou Koulibaly has left Chelsea after only one season to join Saudi Professional League side Al-Hilal.

Senegal captain Koulibaly moved to England last summer from Napoli on a four-year deal in a transfer reported to be worth £34million.

The centre-back went on to make 32 appearances for Chelsea during a difficult season, but has now departed Stamford Bridge

A club statement read: “We would like to thank Kalidou for his contributions on and off the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge and wish him well for the next stage of his career.”

Koulibaly is not the first Chelsea player to make the move to Saudi Arabia. N’Golo Kante agreed to join Al-Ittihad on a free transfer following the expiration of his deal with the Blues.

A number of high-profile names have moved to the Saudi Professional League during the past six months.

Karim Benzema has already agreed to join Al-Ittihad after 14 seasons at Real Madrid, following Cristiano Ronaldo who moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United in December.

Wolves captain Ruben Neves has also agreed a £47m move to Al-Hilal.

After Koulibaly and Kante, Chelsea outcasts Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with moves to the Gulf state.

Wolves captain Ruben Neves is close to a £47million move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

The 26-year-old midfielder has been expected to leave Molineux this summer and is poised to become the latest high-profile player to move to the Middle East, the PA news agency understands.

Barcelona had held a long-term interest in the Portugal international but have not been able to get a deal over the line.

Wolves are now in talks with Al Hilal for Neves, who only had a year left on his contract, with a move – which will be a club-record sale – likely to be completed this week.

Karim Benzema completed a free transfer to Al Ittihad this month and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is linked with joining him, while Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in December.

A huge offer for Wolves would ease the financial pressures the club will be working under in the transfer window this summer.

They have been under pressure to sell to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules after splashing out £200m this term.

It led to doubts over Julen Lopetegui’s future but the former Real Madrid boss will stay at Molineux having received assurances.

Yet he will lose Neves, who has been central to Wolves’ success since joining from Porto in 2017.

He helped them win the Championship a year later and then to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League.

The club also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020 – where they were knocked out by Lopetegui’s Sevilla – but have struggled to replicate that success and finished 13th last season having been bottom at Christmas.

Neves has made 253 appearances for Wolves in all competitions, scoring 30 goals.

Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.

The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.

The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION

With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.

Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.

Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.

– Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.

– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.

There is uncertainty at Paris Saint-Germain due to fears over further financial fair play sanctions, leading to speculation of numerous players being sold or offloaded.

L'Equipe claimed earlier this week that PSG had put on hold contract negotiations with Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi.

Messi is contracted with PSG until the end of this season, although he reportedly had come to a verbal agreement with the club in December.

Back in September, the Ligue 1 leaders were hit with a €10million fine for FFP violations after the 2020-21 season with a further €45m suspended for any future infringements.

TOP STORY – MESSI'S OFFER TO ECLIPSE RONALDO'S RECORD

Marca reports Lionel Messi is set to receive a world-record €220million (£193m) per year offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club.

Messi's contemporary rival Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in January in a deal worth €200m, the highest football salary in history.

The Mirror claims the unnamed club is Al Hilal. The Argentinian has constantly been linked with the MLS too.

ROUND-UP

–  Barcelona head coach Xavi has been in touch with Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan about a move, with his contract running out at the end of this season, claims AS.

– Calciomercato claims Marco Verratti is weighing up a move away from Paris Saint-Germain following recent criticism. Verratti penned a contract extension until 2026 recently.

– Manchester United are pondering tabling a £105m offer for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani, per Sport Bild.

– Mundo Deportivo claims Manchester United are interested in Barcelona's Franck Kessie as a midfield partner for Casemiro, while Tottenham and Chelsea are also circling for him.

– Arsenal are interested in Real Madrid midfielder Eden Hazard who may be available for a cut price with his current deal due to expire in 2024, reports Fichajes.

– Paul Pogba is eager to remain at Juventus despite battling injuries throughout this season, claims 90min.

Carlo Ancelotti joked he is grateful he does not have to retire at the end of the season after Federico Valverde struck his 10th goal of the campaign in Real Madrid's Club World Cup final win.

Valverde netted twice at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Morocco as Madrid defeated Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal 5-3 to win the competition for a record-extending fifth time.

Ancelotti said in September, when Valverde had three goals to his name, that he would rip up his coaching licence if the versatile right-sided attacker failed to reach double figures in a single campaign for the first time in his career.

That milestone was reached on Saturday in emphatic style, with the pair embracing on the sidelines after Valverde's second goal of the game.

"I'm grateful because I don't want to retire," quipped Ancelotti, who has now won the competition three times, in his post-match press conference.

"He has gone through a very difficult period. Valverde offers us a lot playing on the right."

Vinicius Junior also scored twice for Madrid, while there was a welcome goal for Karim Benzema on his return from an injury lay-off.

Brazil winger Vinicius was also on the scoresheet in the semi-final win over Al Ahly and won the Golden Ball, awarded to the best player of the tournament.

Vinicius has faced appalling racist abuse in Spain this season, but he once again let his football do the talking on the pitch in Rabat.

"We are delighted for him because we can see he's still improving," Ancelotti said. "He's much more effective now. He scores and makes a difference in every game we play.

"He was hurt by our loss against Real Mallorca last week but was ready to play in this tournament. We'll now go back to Madrid hoping the way he's played in this tournament will give him a boost.

"We know he won't play on Wednesday [against Elche] because he's suspended, so I'll give him a couple of days off which will do him good, even though he isn't showing any signs of fatigue. The opposite is true."

Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid won the Club World Cup for a fifth time by beating Al Hilal 5-3 in Saturday's chaotic final.

The Brazilian winger, who has faced appalling racist abuse in Spain this season, let his football do the talking in Rabat as Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid lifted the trophy.

Federico Valverde also hit a double and there was a welcome goal for Karim Benzema on his return from a minor injury, with Madrid never seriously troubled by the champions of Saudi Arabia.

Al Hilal beat Flamengo in the semi-finals, but taking down the UEFA Champions League holders was a step too far, although they rattled Madrid at times.

Vinicius put Madrid ahead in the 13th minute when Benzema played him through to the left of goal. The Brazilian's right-footed strike was not the most convincing of finishes but sneaked through the defences of goalkeeper Abdullah Al Muaiouf.

Argentinian Luciano Vietto almost levelled barely a minute later when his low strike from 20 yards went inches wide of the left post. Yet Madrid moved 2-0 up in the 18th minute after a soft goal for Al Hilal to concede.

Luka Modric's whipped cross from the right was too hot for Al Muaiouf, with the ball bouncing out to Valverde whose 15-yard skidding volley went through defender Ali Al Bulayhi and the goalkeeper. Al Muaiouf did better moments later when repelling a strike by Benzema.

Any thought Los Blancos might be on easy street evaporated when Moussa Marega dashed through to fire past Andriy Lunin in the 26th minute, with Benzema missing a good chance late in the half to restore the two-goal cushion.

Benzema made no such mistake in the 54th minute, meeting a cross from Vinicius on the left with a powerful close-range finish. The ball from Vinicius, struck with the outside of his right boot, was read perfectly by Benzema whose sharp movement left three markers standing.

Dani Carvajal and Valverde combined expertly down the Madrid right in the 58th minute, working a path into the Al Hilal penalty area, with Valverde clipping in his second goal of the game.

Five minutes later, Antonio Rudiger was caught asleep on the job as Vietto sprinted behind him before chipping past Lunin to cut Madrid's lead to 4-2, but Vinicius soon restored the three-goal cushion with a sweeping finish into the right corner.

Vietto scored again in the 79th minute, but Madrid avoided any more costly defensive wobbles to get their hands on the trophy.

Carlo Ancelotti believes winning the Club World Cup this weekend could be the impetus Real Madrid need, as he backed Karim Benzema to roar back to his best.

Benzema has flown in late to Morocco, along with Eder Militao, in the hope they can play some part in Saturday's final against Al Hilal after recovering from minor injuries.

Madrid are having a sticky time of it, with a defeat to Real Mallorca in LaLiga last weekend seeing them slip eight points behind leaders Barcelona.

A Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool awaits them in the coming weeks, a reunion after last year's final that Madrid won to conquer Europe for a 14th time.

These, then, are important days for Madrid, and landing a trophy would only help strengthen morale.

Asked whether the Al Hilal game was one where there was little to gain but a lot to lose for Madrid, Ancelotti said: "I don't see it that way, because it's an important title, the end of a long road.

"This final can give us a boost. The team have confidence and the important thing is not to lose it."

He added: "Evaluating Real Madrid's season is not easy. We started well with the European Super Cup and we did well up until the World Cup.

"Then the World Cup arrived and we said we didn't know what was going to happen. It took us a while to recover the players who went to the World Cup. January has cost us in terms of points and injuries. The month of January is over, February is here and I think we are doing well.

"We reached the important moment of the season with players coming back and with the idea of giving the maximum. Tomorrow is a final and Madrid respects finals very much. We will play to the maximum physically, technically and tactically."

After a spectacular season last term saw Benzema hit 44 goals in 46 games, earning him the Ballon d'Or award, injuries have blighted his follow-up campaign.

He has still managed 13 goals in 21 appearances, but the strike rate is down at one goal every 138.08 minutes, where last season he scored on average every 88.91 minutes.

His shot conversion rate has dipped from 24.18 to 15.48 per cent, but Ancelotti says the 35-year-old captain will remain his main striker this season and into 2023-24.

The ex-Everton and Milan boss spoke in defence of the former France striker when the question of Madrid possibly signing another number nine was raised in Friday's pre-match press conference.

"It is a subject that must be discussed calmly. Karim's age and Karim's performance must be taken into account," Ancelotti said. "Benzema is our number nine. After the World Cup he is doing very well and I think next season, too, he will do very well.

Ancelotti said there was no certainty Benzema or centre-back Militao would feature against Saudi giants Al Hilal, who beat Flamengo 3-2 in the semi-finals, while Madrid swept to a 4-1 victory against Al Ahly.

"Today's training is important," Ancelotti said. "If they are here it is because they have the chance to play. Today they will train and then I will decide."

Amid continuing reports Ancelotti is fancied by Brazil to be their next manager, the man himself again declined to state any interest in that role.

He said: "My situation is very clear, I have a contract until 2024."

Carlo Ancelotti resolved to help Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior through the strife affecting him on and off the pitch.

Vinicius has been become a regular target for racist abuse from fans this season, with footage on social media appearing to show discriminatory remarks being directed at him during Madrid's 1-0 defeat to Real Mallorca last Sunday.

Athletic Bilbao midfielder Dani Garcia said in an interview released by Spanish news outlet Durangaldeko Telebista on Friday that he believed Mallorca players had "gone too far" in winding up Vinicius during that game.

Garcia said Vinicius "sometimes makes gestures that he should not do, but then I think that he is also provoked too much", and that by becoming rattled by opponents "he gets hot and honestly it doesn't do him any good".

None of that excuses or serves to explain the racism Vinicius has encountered from the stands, but working through the on-pitch battles he encounters is an area Madrid may be able to influence as they look to get the best out of the Brazil international.

Garcia said he had chided Vinicius more than he would other players in the past, and Madrid head coach Ancelotti is eager to find ways to make life easier for the 22-year-old.

"If you think there is a problem, you have to find a solution," Ancelotti said, speaking ahead of Saturday's Club World Cup final against Al Hilal in Rabat.

"We are not stupid. We are going to find a solution."

Team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni also wants to support Vinicius and hopes LaLiga will take firm action to allow the former Flamengo player to flourish, no longer fearful of facing vile abuse from the stands.

"Vini is fine. We know that there are difficult moments in football, against opponents, the public," Tchouameni said. "We are with him. The important thing is that he focuses on football and shows his level."

Tchouameni, who is also black, said this episode of racism was not an isolated problem.

"Against racism, there should be zero tolerance and it is something that must be eradicated as much as possible," France international Tchouameni said.

"It doesn't matter if they are white, black or red. LaLiga can also take measures, and we hope that the situation will change."

Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful Karim Benzema will be fit to feature for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup final.

Last year's Ballon d'Or winner Benzema did not travel to Morocco earlier this week for the tournament, having sustained a hamstring injury.

However, Ancelotti confirmed after Madrid beat Al Ahly 4-1 in Wednesday's semi-final that the 35-year-old will travel out to train with his team-mates on Friday.

Benzema will be joined by Eder Militao, though Ancelotti – who confirmed Marco Asensio and Dani Carvajal were kept on the bench against Al Ahly due to issues with their fitness – harbours more doubts over the defender's possible contention for Saturday's clash with Al-Hilal.

"They are not fully recovered," Ancelotti told reporters of Benzema and Militao.

"Karim is doing pretty well and there are more doubts about Militao.

"They will train on Friday and then we will see.

"Carvajal had a fever and Asensio a little overload. I think he will be ready for Saturday."

Madrid are going for a record-extending fifth Club World Cup title, with their first success coming under Ancelotti in Morocco in December 2014.

"Preparing it well, giving clear instructions to the players and introducing a good strategy," Ancelotti replied when asked how he managed preparations for the mini-tournament.

"And then, it's the confidence that we have players who handle this type of pressure very well."

Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal stunned Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo 3-2 on Tuesday, and Ancelotti acknowledged he was shocked by that result.

He said: "I was surprised. At an individual level [Flamengo] had an advantage, but they are in pre-season and their physical level is not top, like the rest of the teams. They paid for it."