Versatile Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield.

The England international has been limited by injuries in recent seasons, and his contract was due to expire in 2024.

But Gomez has committed his future to Liverpool, reportedly until 2027, and hopes "the best years are ahead of me".

"It is an unbelievable place to be; in my eyes, probably one of the best – if not the best – clubs in the world at the minute," the 25-year-old said.

"The opportunity to extend my stay here was an easy decision to make, really.

"Obviously, I have been here quite a while now, but in the grand scheme of things, I still feel young, and the best years are ahead of me. I have got more to learn and the time to do that.

"I think I have the platform here to do it, with the manager and the coaching staff around me and my team-mates, to make sure the best years are ahead."

Andreas Christensen hopes he is not the only defender to leave Chelsea for Barcelona this close season, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso both appearing to be targets for the Catalan club.

Christensen was presented as a Barca player on Thursday after departing Stamford Bridge at the end of his contract.

Spain internationals Azpilicueta and Alonso have been linked to the Camp Nou giants, too, and Christensen revealed he had discussed the move with both players.

"I spoke to them and told them I was going to Barca," he said in a news conference. "They are great friends, and hopefully I can play with them.

"I haven't met my team-mates here yet, who have a lot of quality, but I do want to play with [Azpilicueta and Alonso] again next season."

Barca sporting advisor Jordi Cruyff was also asked about the Blues pair and said: "It is true that the change of ownership at Chelsea delays everything a bit.

"We want to reinforce several positions of the team, and we have several names on the table.

"What has struck me the most is that all the players open their eyes when they hear the name of Barca and are willing to lose money to adapt to the salary scale.

"We are proud to see how people are willing to lose money to come to this club. The new wage structure must be fair and stable.

"We don't want to talk about names, because they have a contract with their clubs, but it is true that we are looking to reinforce positions that we consider fundamental."

Leeds United have confirmed the signing of Colombia international Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord, with the 23-year-old penning a five-year deal at Elland Road.

The winger, who is the sixth capture of a busy off-season for the Whites, joins for a reported fee of £21.3million (€25m).

Sinisterra follows United States duo Brendan Aaronson and Tyler Adams, Denmark's Rasmus Kristensen and the pair of Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi through the door at Elland Road.

Leeds have moved to bolster their squad having survived relegation only on the final day last season and then lost Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City, with Brazil winger Raphinha's departure also anticipated.

Sinisterra, who registered 23 goals and 14 assists in 49 games last term for Feyenoord, will add to Jesse Marsch's wide options alongside Aaronson, Daniel James and Jack Harrison.

"I am very happy to be here in this beautiful club," Sinisterra said.

"I know it's a historic club with beautiful fans. I heard a lot of things about the stadium and atmosphere, it's amazing, so I can't wait to feel that in person.

"It was my dream when I was a child [to play in the Premier League], right now I am close to making that. Of course, I will work to bring quality to Leeds.

"This is my feeling, that I want to do the same or even more for this team and for the fans.

"I think it is also one of my characteristics, to enjoy and make the fans happy with my skills, my quality, and hopefully I can do that here at Elland Road."

Manchester United have reportedly tabled a €60million bid for Ajax winger Antony.

Antony's agent has been trying to secure a move to United and the Premier League since the Eredivisie season ended, according to Goal.

The Brazilian is coming off a season where he tallied eight goals and four assists in 23 league games, as well as another two goals and four assists in seven Champions League fixtures, showing he has what it takes at the highest level.

TOP STORY – RED DEVILS MAKE BIG-MONEY MOVE FOR AJAX'S ANTONY

Goal's report says the back-to-back Eredivisie champions are determined to hold onto Antony for another season, and with three years still remaining on his contract, Ajax are in control of the negotiations.

United's offer has fallen well below Ajax's acceptable figure, which is said to be €80m, although the discussions are ongoing.

The Old Trafford club are also linked with Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to The Sun, as well as Napoli striker and hot commodity Victor Osimhen, who ESPN claims is fetching a price north of €100m.

ROUND-UP

– Portuguese publication A Bola claims Chelsea are preparing a £38m for Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes.

– According to The Mirror, Everton have no plans to sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin after cashing in on Richarlison.

– Arsenal are looking to sell seven players, including Nicolas Pepe and Bernd Leno, to fund further moves in this transfer window, per The Sun.

– According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sevilla and Napoli are all competing for Nice's 22-year-old French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Brentford have secured a €22m deal for Bologna's 20-year-old Scottish left-back Aaron Hickey.

Leeds United have confirmed the signing of United States international Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig, with the 23-year-old penning a five-year deal at Elland Road.

Adams, who has 30 caps for his country, joins for a reported fee of around £20million after Leeds sold Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City on Monday.

He represents Leeds' fifth signing of the transfer window, after Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi, as Jesse Marsch's side look to build on securing Premier League survival on the final day of last season.

Speaking to the club's website, Adams said he was excited to link up with several familiar faces at the Yorkshire club, having played under Marsch at Leipzig and New York Red Bulls.

"I am super excited," he said. "So far what I have heard is that it's electric here. 

"Talking to my friends who have played in the Premier League, they say it’s one of the best atmospheres they have ever played in. Now to have those fans supporting me, it's going to be something special.

"Jesse was a huge influence on my career so far, he's given me a lot of experiences as a young player that other players may not have received. 

"So, he was definitely a big influence and so was [director of football] Victor Orta, he played a big role for me. There wasn't much convincing he needed to do for me to come here, but he had a great plan in place for me to develop as a person and a player.

"Then Brenden Aaronson, we play together for the national team; Jack Harrison I've had the opportunity to play against him a bunch of times, and he's a great player, so they made me really comfortable on my first day."

Adams made 24 appearances as Leipzig finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season and will be expected to replace the ball-winning qualities of Phillips, who recovered possession an average of 10.2 times per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, the highest average of any player with 900+ minutes played in the competition.

Manchester City youngster Romeo Lavia has joined Southampton, with the teenager signing a five-year deal at St Mary's Stadium.

The Belgium youth international, who joined the academy set-up at the Etihad Stadium from Anderlecht in 2020, made two senior appearances during his stay with Pep Guardiola's side.

It is not necessarily the end of Lavia's association with the club, however, after City reportedly installed a buy-back clause – thought to be around £40million – into the deal.

"My Manchester City journey has come to an end," Lavia, 18, wrote in a post on Instagram. "I’d like to thank everyone associated with this great club for all you’ve done for me during these two years at the club.

"I’ve developed into an even better player, person and it was also an honour to make my debut for this massive club. I wish the club nothing but the best for the future."

Lavia becomes the second City player to join Ralph Hasenhuttl's side this window, following Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu in making the switch between the two clubs.

"Romeo is an extremely talented young player at the start of his career who is open-minded and wants to learn and develop his game with us," Hasenhuttl told the club's website.

"We are very excited to sign him ahead of many other interested clubs. It proves that we have a positive reputation for improving young players, which we have worked hard to build up over the years.

"Romeo is coming from one of the best teams in the world, learning from the best manager and the best players. Now it is up to him to show us why he deserves to play in the Premier League, as we hope to help take his game to the next level."

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be joining Bayern Munich, according to the club's chief executive Oliver Kahn, who says such a move would go against the Bundesliga champions' philosophy.

Ronaldo has reportedly asked to leave United less than a year after re-joining the Red Devils from Juventus, with the side finishing sixth in the Premier League last season to miss out on Champions League qualification.

The Portuguese legend scored 24 goals in all competitions under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick last term, although the 37-year-old's lack of suitability for the latter's high-pressing style of football saw his future come under question.

United ranked just 12th in the Premier League for possessions won in the final third last term (166 – Liverpool were first with 287), and did likewise for possessions won in the middle third (869), as they struggled to adapt to a new style of play.

Should United allow Ronaldo to leave, only a handful of clubs are expected to be able to afford the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's substantial wages, leading to speculation he could head to Germany.

Although Bayern signed Sadio Mane from Liverpool last month, they could potentially be in the market for another goalscorer after 50-goal marksman Robert Lewandowski expressed his wish to join Barcelona.

The Bavarian giants, however, will not be replacing one striking legend with another, according to Kahn.

"As much as I appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest, a transfer would not fit into our philosophy," Kahn told Kicker.

Bayern won their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title under Julian Nagelsmann last season and have scored a minimum of 90 league goals in six of those successes.

Lukasz Fabianski says he feels "honoured and proud" to continue representing West Ham after signing a one-year contract extension with the Premier League side.

The Poland international has been a regular during his four seasons at the London Stadium, making 139 appearances in all competitions.

His previous contract expired on July 1, but West Ham confirmed on Wednesday that a new deal – which contains an option for a further 12 months – has been agreed.

"I'm obviously pleased and very happy that I can stay for one more year," said Fabianski, who has also played for Swansea City and Arsenal in the Premier League.

"The way the club has developed and started to reach its potential, it's been really nice to be part of it.

"I can see how much attention this club draws when it comes to interacting with the fans or the way it's being presented in the media.

"I think there's a lot of interest into the club, so it feels like this is one of the bigger ones in the country, so I'm just honoured and proud to be part of this club for a few years now."

Fabianski will again face competition from Alphonse Areola for a starting spot next season, with the latter turning his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain into a permanent deal last month. 

Mario Gotze acknowledges he was wrong to reject a move to Liverpool upon leaving Bayern Munich in 2016, when the Reds were at the beginning of their rebuild under Jurgen Klopp.

Gotze returned to the Bundesliga this month, joining Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt after spending two seasons with Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.

The creative midfielder, who scored the only goal of the game as Germany overcame Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, became one of European football's hottest properties during a four-year spell with Klopp's Borussia Dortmund between 2009 and 2013, winning two Bundesliga titles and reaching a Champions League final.

After moving from BVB to rivals Bayern Munich, where he scored 36 goals in 114 appearances, Gotze was targeted by the Reds in 2016, and now admits a move to Anfield would have benefited his career.

"Liverpool had finished eighth in their first season with Jurgen [2015-16] and had not qualified for the Champions League," he recalled in an interview with Bild.

"Even in previous years, it wasn't a club that always played at the top.

"Dortmund had previously played a top season under Thomas Tuchel, BVB was on the up. Jurgen was still building something.

"In retrospect you have to say, Liverpool would have been better."

Reds boss Klopp has won six major trophies during his spell with the Merseyside club, lifting both domestic cups during a marathon 2021-22 season which saw them narrowly miss out on a historic quadruple. 

Barcelona have no intention of selling Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United, according to club president Joan Laporta, although he admitted the club's perilous financial situation could create the "need" for a sale.

Meanwhile, Laporta labelled Cristiano Ronaldo's apparent desire to leave United "interesting" but would not be drawn on whether the Blaugrana would target the Portuguese legend.

De Jong, who starred in Erik ten Hag's Ajax side before moving to Barcelona in 2019, has been touted as United's top transfer target since the Dutchman was announced as the club's new boss in April.

While the midfielder expressed his desire to stay at Barcelona in May, the club's need to reduce their wage bill has led to suggestions a sale could still be possible.

Laporta said last week he would do "what is in my power" to keep De Jong but acknowledged the Netherlands international would need to agree to a salary adjustment to remain at Camp Nou.

The Blaugrana president repeated that stance at Wednesday's unveiling of new signing Franck Kessie, saying of De Jong: "He's a Barca player and if we don't have the need, we won't sell him. We don't want to sell him. 

"We know he has offers, but right now we're not selling this player."

While Ten Hag appears to see De Jong as the ideal candidate to be the fulcrum of his new United side, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will remain at Old Trafford after widespread reports of his desire to leave for a Champions League club emerged last week. 

Ronaldo scored 24 goals in all competitions for United last season, but the club ended the season in sixth place with their lowest-ever Premier League points tally (58).

But Laporta refused to be drawn on whether Barcelona could make a remarkable move for the 37-year-old, who starred in four Champions League triumphs with their historic rivals Real Madrid.

"I had dinner on Monday with [Ronaldo's agent] Jorge Mendes and we talked about the market in general," he added.

"Cristiano? I'm not going to talk about the players who came out of the meeting, but it's always interesting to know how some names are on the market.

"I'm not going to talk about players in one way or another, it could be misunderstood. It doesn't contribute anything to the interests of Barca. We have to respect the players who have contracts with other teams."

Meanwhile, Barcelona's need to adjust their finances in order to strengthen Xavi's squad has led to uncertainty over the future of winger Ousmane Dembele, whose contract with the club expired last month.

Dembele made more assists (13) in all competitions than any other Barca player last season, and while Laporta is keen to keep the 2018 World Cup winner, says the 25-year-old is yet to respond to the club's offer.

"We are in a situation of uncertainty. Right now, we still can't sign [him]," he said.

"We are talking to players we are interested in so they can wait for us. Ousmane is not a Barca player, but we have made him an offer.

"He has not accepted our proposal, but he wants to continue talking. We will continue talking, at least for now. 

"Salary balance is necessary for the team to be competitive. All discussions are framed in this context. We're not in a hurry, although we're aware that we can't delay. Let no one expect us not to act with the utmost prudence".

With his departure from Manchester United on the horizon, Paul Pogba had been free to discuss his future with other clubs since January.

Failing to ever really match his then world-record price tag with performances on the pitch, the World Cup winner's next destination always seemed limited to a few options.

Reports suggest a return to Serie A and Juventus is imminent.

TOP STORY – POGBA SET FOR FOUR-YEAR DEAL AT JUVENTUS

Paul Pogba is expected to complete medical in Turin this weekend to open the path for a free transfer to Juventus, according to Sky Sports.

Leaving Manchester United at the end of June upon the expiry of his contract, the move to Juve would see him return to the club where he spent four years and established his reputation.

Upon completion of his medical, the 29-year-old is reportedly set to sign a four-year deal with the club.

This comes after Pogba turned down what was reported to be a 3.5 per cent increase on his wages at Manchester United.

ROUND-UP

- Bayern Munich have reached a verbal agreement with Juve's Matthijs de Ligt amid interest from Chelsea, according to Sport1.

- Tottenham are keen on signing Villarreal's Pau Torres despite the impending arrival of Clement Lenglet, the Mirror is reporting.

- Newcastle United are willing to meet Bayer Leverkusen's asking price for Moussa Diaby, per the Telegraph.

- New Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier hopes Neymar can stay at the club amid speculation over his future, The Sun is reporting.

Wout Weghorst has joined Turkish giants Besiktas on a season-long loan just six months after joining Burnley, in the aftermath of the club's relegation from the Premier League.

The striker, who has scored three goals in 14 international appearances for the Netherlands, joined Burnley from Wolfsburg in a reported £12million (€14.4m) move in January, as the Clarets battled relegation from the top flight.

That fight ultimately ended in failure, with Weghorst scoring just twice in 20 appearances for the club.

While Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany is hoping to lead Burnley to an immediate Premier League return, he will have to do so without the services of Weghorst, who joins a side which finished a disappointing sixth in the Turkish Super Lig last term.

Burnley confirmed his departure via their social media accounts on Tuesday, wishing the 29-year-old luck at his new club.

Weghorst will be hoping his move to Istanbul allows him to rediscover his Wolfsburg form: In the 2020-21 season, he scored 20 Bundesliga goals, a tally only bettered by Erling Haaland (27), Andre Silva (28) and Robert Lewandowski (41).

Robin van Persie has congratulated Manchester United new boy Tyrell Malacia on his move to Old Trafford, predicting the left-back will build a "great connection" with his new club.

Malacia became the first signing of the Erik ten Hag era on Tuesday, signing a four-year contract after United agreed a deal reportedly worth an initial £13m (€15.1m).

The 22-year-old starred during Feyenoord's run to the Europa Conference League final last season, also showcasing his attacking quality by creating 1.1 open-play chances per 90 minutes in his last Eredivisie campaign.

Van Persie, who scored 26 times during United's most recent Premier League title triumph in 2012-13, believes the Netherlands international, who he played alongside after returning to Feyenoord in 2018, will thrive at Old Trafford. 

In a video posted to his Twitter account, Van Persie said: "Tyrell, I would like to congratulate you on your fantastic move to Manchester United, and this big moment in your career.

"You've shown that with self-belief, talent, and hard work, day in, day out, that dreams come true.

"To all Red Devils fans, you're not only getting a very talented full-back, but as well, a fantastic person.

"Be nice to him, support him in good times and bad, and he will give absolutely everything for you guys. I'm sure it will be a great connection together.

"On behalf of Feyenoord fans and Feyenoord people, thanks Tyrell for what you've done, for all these years from a young kid up until now, this fantastic moment. You are a true example for the next generation."

Upon his unveiling as a United player, Malacia revealed Van Persie's tales of his own time in Manchester had influenced his move, telling the club's website: "I spoke in the past with Robin and I played with him, and spoke with him about his experience in Manchester.

"Everything was good. He says they're the biggest club and the feeling was good, and he loved it here."

Malacia is expected to compete with Luke Shaw for game-time under Ten Hag, and could make his Premier League debut when United host Brighton and Hove Albion on August 7.

A Premier League player has been further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape, and subsequently released on bail.

The player, who is in his late twenties, cannot be named for legal reasons.

He was arrested on Monday on suspicion of raping a woman in her twenties in June this year.

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that while in custody, the man had been further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in 2021.

He has subsequently been released on bail.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "On July 4, an allegation of rape of a woman in her 20s was reported to police.

"It was reported the alleged rape happened in June 2022. On 4 July, a 29-year-old man was arrested at an address in Barnet on suspicion of rape and taken into custody.

"While in custody, he was further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in April and June of 2021 against a different woman in her 20s.

"He has subsequently been released on bail to a date in August. Enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing."

Divock Origi has joined Milan after his contract expired at Liverpool.

Origi signed for Liverpool from Lille after impressing for Belgium at the 2014 World Cup, but immediately rejoined the Ligue 1 side on loan.

He was used sparingly throughout his eight-year stint with the Reds, leaving on loan to Wolfsburg in 2017-18, yet still scored some crucial goals for Jurgen Klopp's team.

His most memorable was a strike in the 2018-19 Champions League final against Tottenham.

Origi will hope to be offered more chances at Milan, who lifted the Scudetto in the 2021-22 campaign, after signing a four-year contract at San Siro.

The 27-year-old developed a reputation as somewhat of a super-sub during his time at Anfield, scoring 22 goals in 107 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, while only starting 34 of those matches.

As well as his goal against Spurs in Madrid, Origi also produced the winner in the iconic semi-final comeback against Barcelona in the same competition.

Stefano Pioli has added both quality and depth to his attacking ranks, which already included Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rafael Leao, as Milan look to defend their Serie A title in the 2022-23 campaign.

Milan reportedly remain in talks with Chelsea over a move for playmaker Hakim Ziyech, though midfielder Franck Kessie has left on a free transfer, joining Barca.