Chelsea are in the market to bolster their defence following the exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Thomas Tuchel's side have already added Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £35million.

The Blues are eager to add another centre-back to their ranks before the closure of the transfer window.

TOP STORY – BLUES TO MAKE WORLD-RECORD BID FOR FOFANA

Chelsea are preparing to make a world-record offer for Leicester City's French defender Wesley Fofana, reports Football London.

The Blues' bid would be the highest fee paid for a defender, having had a previous offer declined by the Foxes.

It is believed Chelsea's previous bid was £70m with Leicester insisting he is not for sale. Harry Maguire, sold by Leicester to Manchester United, holds the record for a defender at £80m.

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– Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, having reached an agreement with the Italian club for an initial £15m fee, according to The Guardian. France international Rabiot is in the final year of his contract with Juventus.

– 90min reports that United target Benjamin Sesko is close to agreeing to a deal with German club RB Leipzig. The report claims that 19-year-old Slovenian forward Sesko will move from Salzburg to Leipzig in 2023.

– United have also reached out to Real Betis on Guido Rodriguez's status according to AS, while the Red Devils are still considering Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, reports The Telegraph.

– Tottenham have reached an agreement with Udinese for winger Destiny Udogie for more than €20m, claims Fabrizio Romano. Udogie, however, will still on loan at Udinese this season.

– Monaco are keen on signing Manchester United defender Eric Bailly on loan, claims L'Equipe. The Ligue 1 club want the Ivorian, who is under contract until 2024, with an option to buy.

– Fiorentina will rival Villarreal for the signature of Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The Argentina international spent time on loan with Villarreal last season.

– Valencia will revive its interest in Tottenham's Bryan Gil following Goncalo Guades' move to Wolves, claims Diario AS.

– The Telegraph claims Milan have re-opened talks with Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech who has been transfer listed.

Chelsea are in the market to bolster their defence following the exits of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Thomas Tuchel's side have already added Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £35million.

The Blues are eager to add another centre-back to their ranks before the closure of the transfer window.

TOP STORY – BLUES TO MAKE WORLD-RECORD BID FOR FOFANA

Chelsea are preparing to make a world-record offer for Leicester City's French defender Wesley Fofana, reports Football London.

The Blues' bid would be the highest fee paid for a defender, having had a previous offer declined by the Foxes.

It is believed Chelsea's previous bid was £70m with Leicester insisting he is not for sale. Harry Maguire, sold by Leicester to Manchester United, holds the record for a defender at £80m.

ROUND-UP

– Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, having reached an agreement with the Italian club for an initial £15m fee, according to The Guardian. France international Rabiot is in the final year of his contract with Juventus.

– 90min reports that United target Benjamin Sesko is close to agreeing to a deal with German club RB Leipzig. The report claims that 19-year-old Slovenian forward Sesko will move from Salzburg to Leipzig in 2023.

– United have also reached out to Real Betis on Guido Rodriguez's status according to AS, while the Red Devils are still considering Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, reports The Telegraph.

– Tottenham have reached an agreement with Udinese for winger Destiny Udogie for more than €20m, claims Fabrizio Romano. Udogie, however, will still on loan at Udinese this season.

– Monaco are keen on signing Manchester United defender Eric Bailly on loan, claims L'Equipe. The Ligue 1 club want the Ivorian, who is under contract until 2024, with an option to buy.

– Fiorentina will rival Villarreal for the signature of Tottenham's Giovani Lo Celso, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The Argentina international spent time on loan with Villarreal last season.

– Valencia will revive its interest in Tottenham's Bryan Gil following Goncalo Guades' move to Wolves, claims Diario AS.

– The Telegraph claims Milan have re-opened talks with Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech who has been transfer listed.

Massimiliano Allegri remained philosophical after Juventus' comprehensive 4-0 friendly loss to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, adamant the rout could benefit his side in the long term.

Juventus' clash with Atletico had originally been set for Tel Aviv but was moved to the Turin giants' training ground on Saturday owing to security concerns following a heightening of conflict in Gaza.

Despite enjoying familiar surroundings, the Serie A club endured a chastening end to their pre-season campaign as Alvaro Morata's treble – as well as a late strike from Matheus Cunha – condemned them to a resounding defeat.

Atletico's win could have been even more comfortable had Joao Felix not seen a first-half penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny, but Allegri believes Juve will draw valuable lessons from the contest.

"Atletico Madrid is certainly one of the strongest teams in Europe, they have an important squad," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"We arrived a little tired to this match, but even in negative things we must find something positive and in this sense, this match must teach us. 

"We only have one week to prepare ourselves in the best way, especially mentally, and to understand that it takes other things to win.

"If we analyse this game and think in a certain way, it will not leave any aftermath. But we know that on August 15 there will be three points up for grabs and the attitude will certainly be different.

"After all, I think it's a defeat that can do us good."

Meanwhile, the Bianconeri boss refused to discuss Morata's future after the former Juventus loanee – who has been linked with a return to Turin – produced a dominant performance.

Morata's future has been subject to debate throughout the transfer window, with Atletico reportedly refusing to sanction another loan move for a player who scored nine Serie A goals and added seven assists for Juventus last season.

Only the since-departed Paulo Dybala (10) outscored the Spaniard among Juve players last term, while no Bianconeri player laid on as many league goals for team-mates.

"I can't say anything about Morata because he is an Atletico player," Allegri added.

"I liked [Gleison] Bremer, even [fellow new signing Federico] Gatti.

"Right now, I have to work with who I have, we have the qualities and the possibilities to start the championship well, but we need to crack down on the attitude and be a little more bad."

Juve begin their Serie A campaign at home to Sassuolo on August 15, with Diego Simeone's Atletico travelling to Getafe on the same day to get their LaLiga season under way.

Bournemouth have announced the free transfer signing of goalkeeper Neto, following the veteran's release from Barcelona.

The 33-year-old, who has also played with Juventus and Valencia, arrives on a year-long deal at Vitality Stadium as the Cherries' fourth signing of the window following their return to the Premier League.

The Brazilian will wear the number 13 jersey for Scott Parker's side and will provide competition for Mark Travers and Will Dennis.

"To be able to attract a player of Neto's calibre is very pleasing," chief executive Neill Blake stated. "This is a real coup for the club and we're delighted he has chosen to join us.

"He has vast experience at the very top level of the game so I'm sure he will be a huge asset for us."

A Serie A, Coppa Italia and Copa del Rey winner across his career, Neto has often played as a back-up option for other keepers, particularly during his time at Juventus and Barcelona.

He made more appearances in two years at Valencia than in five combined between the Bianconeri and Blaugrana, and was capped once by Brazil, in 2018 against El Salvador in a friendly.

Neto follows Joe Rothwell, Ryan Fredericks and Marcus Tavernier through the door on the south coast, as the club look to ensure they stay up following promotion from the Championship last term.

Bournemouth started their attempt to do so with a 2-0 home win against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Juventus and Atletico Madrid will face off at the Serie A giant's training ground on Sunday after security concerns led to the cancellation of a pre-season friendly in Tel Aviv.

The teams had been due to meet at Bloomfield Stadium on Sunday, but heightened tensions in the Gaza Strip raised doubts over whether the match could take place in Israel.

Earlier on Saturday, it was announced that the contest had been cancelled, but Juventus have now revealed the match has been moved to Italy.

"Originally scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv, the game between the two footballing giants will now be played in Turin at the Juventus Training Centre in Continassa," read a statement from Juve.

The friendly, which will serve as both teams' final outing before they begin their respective league campaigns, will take place behind closed doors.

Juve begin their Serie A campaign at home to Sassuolo on August 15, with Diego Simeone's Atleti travelling to Getafe on the same day to get their LaLiga season under way.

A pre-season friendly between Juventus and Atletico Madrid scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv on Sunday has been postponed due to security concerns.

Juve and Atleti were due to meet at Bloomfield Stadium, but the game was called off on Saturday.

Increasing conflict in the Gaza Strip had raised doubts over whether the match will go ahead.

LaLiga club Atleti said in a statement: "Due to the current security situation, Comtec Group (match promoter), Juventus and Atletico de Madrid announce that the friendly game between the two teams that was to take place in Israel this Sunday 7 August at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, has been cancelled."

It was due to be the final match for both clubs before they start their seasons.

Juve begin their Serie A campaign at home to Sassuolo on August 15, with Diego Simeone's Atletico side travelling to Getafe on the same day to get their LaLiga season under way.

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong has had a long-running transfer saga this off-season.

The 25-year-old Dutchman has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou amid Barcelona's financial issues, despite their off-season spending landing Robert Lewandowski among others.

The Catalans need to offload players before they can register new signings and De Jong is surplus to requirements.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO HIJACK MAN UTD MOVE FOR DE JONG

Chelsea have commenced talks with Barcelona in a bid to hijack Manchester United 's move for Frenkie de Jong, reports The Athletic.

Manchester United have actively pursued the Dutch midfielder this off-season but he has been unwilling to leave the Blaugrana for Old Trafford, creating a stand-off.

De Jong, who is still owed deferred wages by Barcelona, is more open to moving to Chelsea than United, according to the report. 

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–  Chelsea are also considering a move for Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang claims Fabrizio Romano. The Blues have already held talks with former Arsenal man's representatives.

– Sky Sports reports that Manchester United's pursuit of 19-year-old Slovenian forward Benjamin Sesko is heating up, having held initial discussions with his club, Austrian champions Salzburg. Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have also spoken to Sesko's agent.

– Chelsea remain keen on Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana and will offer him £200,000 per week according to the Mail. The Foxes want £85million for the Frenchman.

– The Sun reports that West Ham have agreed to a £35m deal with Lille for Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana. The Hammers still need to thrash out a personal agreement with Onana.

– Juventus are interested in signing Udinese left-back Destiny Udogie according to Il Bianconero, while the Daily Mail claims Antonio Conte's Tottenham are also keen on him.

– Diario Sport reports that Rayo Vallecano president Raul Martin Presa has reached a deal with Diego Costa, who wants to return to Spain after time in Brazil.

– Borussia Dortmund could be set to spend €30million to sign Almeria forward Umar Sadiq according to Mundo Deportivo. Dortmund are looking for cover as Sebastian Haller is absent due to a testicular tumour.

Paul Pogba has reportedly opted for therapy over surgery after meeting with a specialist to discuss his knee injury, and may even be back playing in just five weeks.

Having left Manchester United to return to Turin, Pogba was hoping for a fresh start, only to suffer a knee injury in the early weeks of his second spell with Juventus.

The France midfielder complained of his injury while with Juve on their pre-season tour of the United States, and initial checks led the Italian club to announce he had suffered a lesion of the lateral meniscus.

There were fears the 29-year-old could miss the rest of the calendar year if he opted for surgery.

However, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Pogba consulted with world-renowned knee surgeon Professor Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon and it was agreed he would undergo therapy over surgery, meaning he should be back in action in approximately five weeks.

Pogba was a key part of the France team that lifted the World Cup in 2018, and this news will be a boost to his chances of being fully fit to help defend the trophy in Qatar later this year.

Pogba spent four years at Juve between 2012 and 2016, winning four Serie A titles in that period before moving to United for a then world record fee of £89.3million (€105m).

The World Cup begins on November 21 in Qatar, and France boss Didier Deschamps would want 91-cap Pogba to have proven his fitness well in advance of the tournament getting under way.

Timo Werner has only managed 23 goals in his first two seasons with Chelsea after joining from Leipzig in mid-2020.

The new Blues owners are open to allowing Werner, who signed on a five-year contract, to depart on loan.

The 26-year-old scored 95 goals in 159 appearances with Leipzig from 2016 to 2020.

TOP STORY – LEIPZIG LEAD RACE FOR CHELSEA'S WERNER

Leipzig are leading the race to sign Chelsea striker Werner ahead of Juventus, claims Fabrizio Romano.

The Bundesliga club met with Chelsea on Sunday, proposing a swap deal for Werner, who is Leipzig's main target.

Juventus and Newcastle United have also shown an interest in the Germany international. 

ROUND-UP

– Barcelona are considering a move for Leipzig defender Angelino should they miss out on Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso, claims Diario Sport.

– Everton could make a move for forgotten Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi, according to talkSPORT. The Toffees lost Richarlison to Tottenham last month and will turn to Batshuayi, who scored 14 goals on loan at Besiktas last season.

– Portuguese forward Diogo Jota is set to be rewarded for his strong second season at Anfield, with Liverpool to offer him a lucrative pay rise as part of a new deal, despite having three years to run on his contract, claims The Telegraph.

– Napoli and Chelsea are in talks on a loan deal for Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to Sky Sports.

– Football Insider reports that Leicester City have informed Newcastle that midfielder James Maddison will cost them £60million as they circle for his signature.

– Leicester City are set to farewell goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel,  who is on the cusp of joining French Ligue 1 club Nice, reports the Mail.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey has signed for Ligue 1 side Nice after being released by Juventus.

The 31-year-old joins as a free agent less than a week after agreeing to terminate his contract with the Bianconeri, with Nice yet to disclose the length of his deal.

Ramsey spent three years with Juventus, joining in 2019 after his contract at Arsenal expired, but he struggled to establish himself in Italy and made just three Serie A appearances last season before joining Rangers on loan.

He featured seven times for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, but his time in Glasgow will mostly be remembered for his crucial penalty shoot-out miss in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville, which Rangers went on to lose.

Ramsey will be keen to get some minutes under his belt to prepare for the World Cup in Qatar in November.

He becomes the second Wales international in quick succession to move to France's top tier, with centre-back Joe Rodon joining Rennes on loan from Tottenham on Monday.

Nice finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season and have already added Alexis Beka Beka, Rares Ilie and Badredine Bouanani in recent weeks.

The club have also been linked with moves for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and Empoli centre-back Mattia Viti.

Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie must miss the opening weeks of the Serie A season after joining Paul Pogba on the injured list.

The United States international had been relishing the prospect of teaming up with new recruit Pogba in the new campaign, but that may not materialise for a long time.

Pogba could be sidelined for several months after suffering a knee injury, and Juventus have yet to decide whether he should undergo an operation.

They would have hoped to have McKennie available while Pogba recovers, but, like the Frenchman, he returned hurt from the team's pre-season US tour, damaging his left shoulder.

Juventus said in a statement on Monday: "Weston McKennie underwent radiological examinations at J Medical [the club's medical centre] this morning, which revealed a capsular lesion of the left shoulder. The player will begin rehabilitation, three weeks' differentiated work will be required."

McKennie sat out the final game of the Juventus tour, a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday.

The Turin giants begin their Serie A campaign against Sassuolo on August 15, with further games against Sampdoria, Roma and Spezia to come before the end of the month.

If McKennie is to be carrying out rehab and solo fitness work for three weeks, he appears unlikely to feature in any of the August fixtures.

Pogba looks to be a certain absentee too, and reports in Italy have suggested he may not play again until early 2023 should the former Manchester United man require surgery.

Having made just 21 Serie A appearances for Juventus last season, McKennie was touted for a potential move away, with a number of Premier League clubs suggested as possible destinations.

However, head coach Massimiliano Allegri declared in July the club had no intention of selling the 23-year-old former Schalke player.

Sassuolo managing director Giovanni Carnevali says Juventus are still competing with Napoli to try and sign Giacomo Raspadori and "anything can happen" before the transfer window closes.

Napoli are reported to have emerged as the favourites to sign the Italy forward, who has just under two years remaining on his contract.

Juve are said to have cooled their interest in the 22-year-old, who was part of the Azzurri squad that won Euro 2020 last year.

Sassuolo sold striker Gianluca Scamacca to West Ham last week for a fee £30.5million (€36m) plus £5m in add-ons and look set to lose another prized asset.

Carnevali said in an interview with Il Giornale: "For Giacomo there are the eyes of Napoli and Juventus.

"It is clear that the transfer market is still long and anything can still happen, but it is equally true that our idea is to end the negotiations within a few days to concentrate on the championship.

"The goal is to enhance youngsters, just like Gianluca Scamacca and his arrival in the Premier League is a fantastic recognition."

Raspadori scored 10 goals and provided five assists for Sassuolo in Serie A last season.

Roberto Firmino does not want to leave Liverpool, seemingly dispelling any suggestion he could join Juventus.

Serie A giants Juve had been linked with making a move for Firmino, who has just one year remaining on his deal at Anfield.

Previously a guaranteed starter for Jurgen Klopp, Firmino's place in Liverpool's starting XI is no longer assured, with Diogo Jota having excelled since his arrival from Wolves and Darwin Nunez signing from Benfica.

Sadio Mane also filled in centrally for much of last season, with Luis Diaz having taken up a place on the left, but the Senegal forward has now departed for Bayern Munich.

With Jota sidelined through injury, Firmino – who scored just five league goals last season – started in Liverpool's Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Saturday, which the Reds went on to win 3-1.

Afterwards, Firmino told TNT Brazil he has no intention of leaving Liverpool.

"I love this team, city and [the] fans," the 30-year-old said. "I'm here at Liverpool, and I want to stay, of course."

Firmino played 59 minutes against City at the King Power Stadium, having one shot and creating one chance. 

He was replaced by Nunez, who played a pivotal role in Liverpool's victory, winning a penalty that Mohamed Salah converted to put the Reds back in front after Julian Alvarez's equaliser, before scoring late in stoppage time.

Nunez became the fourth player under Klopp to net on his Liverpool debut – after Mane, Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Klopp had previously emphasised Firmino's importance, saying on Thursday that the former Hoffenheim attacker was "the heart and soul of this team".

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri hailed Real Madrid as "the strongest team in Europe" after the Spanish giants beat the Bianconeri 2-0 in a friendly in the United States.

A first-half penalty from Karim Benzema was followed by a second-half Marco Asensio tap-in, which was enough to secure the win for LaLiga and Champions League holders Madrid at the Rose Bowl in California in front of a crowd of 93,702.

It was the final game for both teams on their tours of the USA, and Allegri was left upbeat despite the loss.

Speaking to Juventus' official website, Allegri said: "A good match that concluded a good 10 days' work in the United States. We were up against the strongest team in Europe, and as long as it was possible to play, we did, trying to manage possession and not give the ball away.

"I am satisfied with the effort from the boys. We can still grow a lot, though, and there are players who have still to return. Tonight there were chances for both sides, and we should have managed ours with a little more patience.

"Now we have a couple of days' rest and then back to work because the season is approaching."

Madrid head coach and former Juve boss Carlo Ancelotti was pleased with his own team's work and believes they are ready for the UEFA Super Cup clash with Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt, which takes place on August 10 in Helsinki.

"[The tour] has been very positive because we haven't picked up any injuries, aside from a small sprain for [Dani] Carvajal," Ancelotti told Madrid's official website. 

"The team has worked really well, and we've had no issues. It's been a well-executed pre-season, and now we have the confidence to go and win the European Super Cup".

Real Madrid treated the 93,702 fans at the sold-out Rose Bowl to a strong performance in their 2-0 friendly win against Juventus, thoroughly outplaying the Italian side by every statistical measure.

It was almost the best possible start for the Spanish giants, finding the back of the net just 14 seconds in, but the celebrations were cut short by the offside flag. 

Juventus were the next side to threaten, but Denis Zakaria's hit from the edge of the area found only the woodwork in the 13th minute to keep things tied.

Madrid fans did not have to wait long for the lead, earning a penalty in the 19th minute, and Karim Benzema made no mistake, giving his side a 1-0 advantage.

That score would hold until the 69th minute, when substitutes combined as Jesus Vallejo fired a ball across the six-yard box after some tricky interplay, finding Marco Asensio unmarked for the tap-in.

Madrid did not allow a single shot on target, and controlled 58 per cent of the possession, resulting in an expected goals advantage of 1.7 to 0.47.