Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Manchester United's Player of the Year for a record-equalling fourth time after a productive first season back at the club.

The Portugal international returned to Old Trafford in September and made an instant impact with two goals on his second debut against Newcastle United.

He went on to score 18 goals in the Premier League this season, a tally only Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min – who both played five games more – could better.

Ronaldo scored 24 goals in 38 appearances for United in all competitions, including age-defying hat-tricks against Tottenham and Norwich City in the league.

Having claimed five Player of the Month awards at United last term, the 37-year-old was crowned the club's Player of the Year on Saturday, equalling David de Gea's tally of four wins.

The award is voted for by supporters, whereas the Players' Player of the Year accolade – won by De Gea earlier this week – is decided by United's players.

Ronaldo was previously named United's Player of the Year in 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2007-08, before spending nine years with Real Madrid and three seasons at Juventus.

Harry Kane is playing with a "freer mind" for England following a strong end to his club campaign with Tottenham.

The 28-year-old helped Spurs to topple fierce rivals Arsenal for fourth place in the Premier League, meaning the return of Champions League football next season.

He scored five goals in Tottenham's final five league games to take his tally to 17 for the campaign in the top flight.

That is Kane's joint-lowest tally in the competition in his eight seasons as a regular, alongside 2018-19, and is down on the 23 goals registered in 2020-21.

Kane's lower-than-usual goals return can be put down to a slow start to the campaign when failing to score in his first eight Premier League games of the season.

That came amid a backdrop of uncertainty regarding his future after expressing a desire to leave Spurs, only for the club to block a move to Manchester City.

With Tottenham now thriving under Antonio Conte and Kane seemingly settled once again, the England captain hopes that will be reflected in his performances.

"Whenever you finish strongly with your club there is always a freer mind going into the international stage," he said.

"It was a fantastic summer last year in terms of [Euro 2020]. It ended obviously very disappointingly, but going into these games I feel confident, I feel free.

"We had a good finish as a team towards the end of the season and I had a good season personally, which is always great.

"So I am looking forward to carrying that on into these games. Then, as I touched on earlier, getting a nice break over the summer."

England have four Nations League games in the space of 10 days to round off the 2021-22 campaign, beginning with Saturday's meeting against Hungary in Budapest.

It will be the 25th meeting between the sides in all competitions, with England unbeaten in the past 15 of those in a run stretching back to the 1962 World Cup.

Kane has scored eight goals in his past four international appearances and is now just four short of equalling Wayne Rooney (53) as England's all-time leading goalscorer.

While team honours remain the top priority for Kane, the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner admits overtaking former team-mate Rooney would mean a lot to him.

"Of course I think it would be an incredible achievement," he said. "I was lucky enough to be playing on the pitch and actually scored when Wayne broke the record himself.

"I saw how much it meant to him and his family. I did not really think that far ahead at that stage. 

"But to be where I am now – four goals behind Wayne with plenty of games coming up this year – it would be an incredible achievement.

"Whenever you are in among the names of Rooney and [Gary] Lineker and [Bobby] Charlton and players like that you are doing something worthwhile.

"But I am focused on trying to help the team. I always feel if I am doing my best for the team then the goals will come."

Aston Villa have announced the permanent signing of goalkeeper Robin Olsen from Roma for an undisclosed fee.

Olsen spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Villa Park, making just one appearance, the 3-2 defeat on the final day at Manchester City.

The Sweden international joined Roma from FC Copenhagen in 2018 as the replacement for Alisson, who left for Liverpool, though he was unable to properly establish himself at the Giallorossi, also being loaned out to Cagliari, Everton and Sheffield United.

He becomes the latest signing for Steven Gerrard's Villa, who have also agreed deals to add Boubacar Kamara from Marseille and Diego Carlos from Sevilla in recent weeks, as well as making Philippe Coutinho's loan move from Barcelona permanent.

Jack Grealish has hailed new Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland as "probably the best striker in the world".

The Norwegian has agreed a deal with the Premier League champions to sign from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of £51million (€60m).

Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund in his time in Germany, and Grealish - who himself signed for City for a club-record £100m from Aston Villa last year - is looking forward to linking up with the 21-year old.

Speaking to Mirror Football, Grealish also outlined his desire to improve his own output at the Etihad Stadium, saying: "I wish I had scored and assisted more but at the end of the day, I didn't say that at the start of the season when I came here.

"The one thing I said was that I wanted to win stuff and the main thing I wanted to win was the Premier League. That was my main target and I've done that. I know personally I can push on next year and hopefully I do.

"We've signed a top striker, probably the best striker in the world in Haaland, so I'm sure he will contribute. It will be a season to look forward to.

"I'm looking forward to playing with him. Who wouldn't be? As a number nine, he's definitely in the top two, top one in the world."

Grealish recorded just 10 goal involvements (six goals, four assists) in 39 appearances (31 starts) in all competitions last season, though only Kevin De Bruyne (94) created more than his 76 chances from open play for Pep Guardiola's team.

City won one trophy in 2021-22, pipping Liverpool to the Premier League title on the final day of the season after a 3-2 comeback against Grealish's former team, Villa, and the England international wants to add to that haul next season. 

"You can imagine what the critics would have said; if I would have went for the price tag that I went for and then not won anything in my first season," he said.

"To be able to prove them wrong and even just sit at home with my Premier League medal is a dream come true. I just want to win everything that I play in. We want to win. At the end of your career, you look back on your medals and what you've won.

"I'm not saying I just want to win the Champions League next year. I want to win everything. I want to win the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, the Premier League. That's what I've come here to do.

"I think I will improve next year, I know I will. I know there will be even more pressure on me next year than there was this year."

Sadio Mane will follow the wishes of the Senegalese people when it comes to making a decision over his Liverpool future.

The 30-year-old was strongly linked with a switch to Bayern Munich in the days leading up to Liverpool's 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in last week's Champions League final.

Mane, who has 12 months remaining on his Anfield contract, vowed to provide an update on his future following that showdown at the Stade de France.

And speaking at a news conference on Friday while away on Senegal duty, Mane offered a further indication that his future lies away from the Premier League club.

Asked about a poll run by a local newspaper in which the majority of people wanted him to leave Liverpool, Mane replied: "I'm on social media and I see the comments. 

"Isn't it between 60 to 70 per cent of Senegalese want me to leave Liverpool? I will do what they want. We will see soon. 

"Don't be in a hurry because we will see this together. The future will tell us."

Mane played 51 games for Liverpool in the 2021-22 season – only 10 players across Europe's top five leagues played more – scoring 23 goals and assisting two more.

He has scored 90 Premier League goals for Liverpool since his debut in August 2016, a tally only Jamie Vardy (104), Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (134) can better.

The ex-Southampton man also represented Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and scored the penalty that clinched shoot-out success against Egypt in the final.

Senegal, who beat the same opponents in March's World Cup qualifying play-off, are back in action on Saturday with an AFCON qualifier against Benin.

Louis van Gaal cannot understand why Steven Bergwijn has been used so sparingly by Tottenham, with the forward again highly influential for the Netherlands on Friday.

Bergwijn made only four Premier League starts this season, restricted to 547 minutes across 25 appearances while scoring three times.

It appears as though this could have been Bergwijn's last campaign at Spurs, given Ajax are said to be looking to bring the Oranje front man back to the Eredivisie.

On his form at international level, it is easy to see why Ajax would be interested.

Bergwijn scored the Netherlands' first goal in a 4-1 win in Belgium in the Nations League, having a hand in six of his side's 15 attempts.

The former PSV man has scored five goals and assisted another for his country since Van Gaal returned as coach last year.

And Bergwijn, along with Frenkie de Jong, was picked out for special praise for their roles in a "collective victory".

"You always have players who can excel in the collective," Van Gaal told NOS. "In this match, it was again Frenkie de Jong and Steven Bergwijn.

"Bergwijn played incredibly well. I don't understand why he never plays at Spurs, that's all I can say. Of course, they have a lot of choice there, but for us he is worth his weight in gold.

"Today he played his best game, and with Frenkie, in Oranje, he is always a hit."

This was the Netherlands' first win against Belgium – the world's second-ranked team – since September 1997, before the first of Van Gaal's three stints as coach.

But he is not getting carried away, explaining: "It may have seemed easy, but it wasn't that easy.

"We deserved to win, we created the most chances, but Belgium also had chances – if the first one goes in, you get a completely different game. We must not forget that.

"We are in a process towards the World Cup. I want to see a lot of players at work in the coming matches. A game against Belgium is the best game to judge players."

Tottenham defender Emerson Royal has thanked an off-duty police officer for saving him after being caught up in an attempted armed robbery outside a nightclub in Brazil.

Emerson was reportedly targeted by an armed assailant, who allegedly attempted to steal the player's gold chain and watch when leaving a Sao Paulo club early on Friday morning.

Reports in Brazil said an off-duty police officer, who had earlier been pictured with the former Barcelona man, engaged in a shoot-out with the assailant while Emerson was able to flee.

After speaking to local police, the player was quoted by Globo Esporte as saying: "It was a complicated moment, but now I'm going to rest."

The player's father, who was also present, was quoted by the same publication as stating: "I was celebrating and on the way out, [then] this whole affair happened, which was very bad. A horror scene indeed. I don't wish that on anyone."

Later, Emerson thanked the officer in a story posted on his Instagram account, writing: "God sends angels to earth, this is confirmed every day in my life. This human being, I call him an angel, risked his own life to save mine.

"I will be forever grateful to you, you were fundamental for me to be here today. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Alexandre Lacazette has played his final match for Arsenal, the north London giants confirmed on Thursday.

Arsenal announced the striker's time with the club will come to an end by the end of June, when his contract expires.

Lacazette moved from Lyon to Arsenal in 2017 for an initial €53million (£46.5m) but made his intentions to depart Emirates Stadium clear during the 2021-22 campaign.

The 30-year-old suggested he wanted to play in the Champions League, where he has never featured for Arsenal, but admitted he would be open to re-signing for boyhood club Lyon.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas and director of football Vincent Ponsot responded by outlining their desire to bring the forward to the Groupama Stadium.

The Ligue 1 side, who will not play in Europe next season after finishing eighth in the French top flight, could soon secure the services of Lacazette.

"Laca has been a fantastic player for us," said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. "He's been a real leader on and off the pitch and has been a very important influence to our younger players.

"His commitment with us has been exceptional and we wish him and his family success and happiness."

Lacazette endured a disappointing scoring campaign last season as Arsenal finished fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification to north London rivals Tottenham.

The striker only scored four times across 30 Premier League games, his worst tally since the 2012-13 season when he found the net just three times in Ligue 1 for Lyon.

Nevertheless, Lacazette looks back fondly on his time in England.

"Five years ago, my dream came true.. To sign for Arsenal," he wrote on Instagram. "It's been an honour to wear the jersey, to be a part of this family.

"I won trophies, I met real and nice people, and I fell even more in love with this club. Good luck for the future of the club and the fans, it's been a pleasure. Once a Gunner, Always a Gunner."

Lacazette, speaking to Arsenal's official website, said it was time for "a new experience and a new adventure".

He said: "When I came to Arsenal, I was a bit like a kid with big names, big players, a lot of pressure, and I was not talking so much.

"Year after year I started to talk more, my English got better, my relationships with people at the club got stronger and with the players as well. So I'm happy for who I am now and where I came from.

"I'll keep in contact with my team-mates, with the coaches, with the club. I supported Arsenal since I was young, so obviously I'm going to keep supporting them. I know I will come back to the stadium as well."

Barcelona will not be able to sign wantaway Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski without raising funds via player sales or wage cuts, Blaugrana's economic vice president Eduard Romeu admitted.

Romeu also hinted star talents such as Frenkie de Jong could be allowed to leave if their departures would allow Barca to strengthen Xavi's squad.

Barca have been strongly linked with a move for Lewandowski amid a contract dispute with the Bundesliga champions, declaring on Monday: "My story at Bayern is over".

But Barca's attempts to sign the Poland international, who scored 50 goals in 46 appearances for Bayern in the 2021-22 season, were left in doubt earlier this week when LaLiga president Javier Tebas said the Blaugrana must sell star players to fund such a move.

Tebas said on Tuesday: "They know what they have to do, sell assets. Barca have had many accumulated losses in recent years, some that could have been avoided."

Blaugrana president Joan Laporta responded by hitting out at Tebas for "wanting to harm Barca's interests" in a message shared by the club's social media accounts.

Romeu, though, acknowledges the need to raise funds to fund the high-profile signing, almost a year on from Barca losing club legend Lionel Messi after struggling to meet LaLiga's salary limits.

"Currently the norm is one to three for financial fair play," he told radio station RAC1. "If we are able to get three times more than the cost of the transfer plus amortisation, he can be signed, but first we have to do the job of closing levers.

"If we don't do it, as we are at the moment, by regulation it is not possible to sign him."

Romeu then revealed Barca are to begin talks with players over salary cuts, as they look to trim a bloated wage bill to make room for new arrivals. 

"We have a wage bill of €560million, compared to Bayern it is double, they have €300million and [Real] Madrid €400million," he continued.

"Negotiations with the squad will be individual. With the veterans, it will depend on the technical interests and where there is more interest for the club. The most expensive contracts have to be negotiated beforehand."

Barcelona's continued need to balance the books has led to rumours De Jong could be sold, with the Dutch international linked with a reunion with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, and Romeu did not rule out a sale of the talented midfielder.

"It is the players' own decision, the players have some agreements that someone has signed for them," he added.

"They haven't committed any sin, we can't afford certain situations, but we have to make an assessment, they haven't cheated anyone and Barca has respected their agreements, another thing is that we have to negotiate with them.

"Right now, we don't have a budget for the sale of players. What is being talked about is a technical issue. About Frenkie de Jong, one thing is that you get money, and another that you [can] use [it] for other payments."

Romeu also followed Laporta's lead in hitting out at Tebas, insisting he was partially responsible for the financial crisis that engulfed Barcelona during Josep Maria Bartomeu's tenure as president due to his leniency with the previous Blaugrana regime.

"The situation Barca has is its own fault, but this man [Tebas] is co-responsible for Barca's situation," Romeu claimed.

"He has looked the other way and has allowed the current situation. He said amen to everything, against the interests of Barca."

Following their Champions League exit at the hands of Villarreal, Bayern Munich's squad is set to transform.

With Robert Lewandowski and others looking to follow Niklas Sule out of Sabenerstrasse this off-season, replacements have reportedly long been in mind.

While Sadio Mane's rumoured transfer is viewed with the short-term in mind, options deeper on the pitch evidently represents a longer-term vision.

TOP STORY – GRAVENBERCH SET FOR BAYERN MOVE

Bayern Munich appear set to bolster their midfield stocks with Ryan Gravenberch's upcoming signing, according to Fabrizio Romano.

With Corentin Tolisso effectively confirming his departure in an interview with L'Equipe and Marc Roca also reportedly on the way, Die Roten's midfield is in need of reinforcement.

It is understood the highly rated 20-year-old has already completed a medical, and paperwork between Ajax and Bayern is being prepared to formalise.

Bayern have also reportedly added a seven per cent on-sell clause to sweeten the deal for the Netherlands international. 

ROUND-UP

– Five years after selling him to Arsenal, Lyon want to re-sign France forward Alexandre Lacazette on a free transfer, per L'Equipe.

– The Gunners are also intent on signing Youri Tielemans, who appears set to leave Leicester City this off-season, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Barcelona have identified Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku as an alternative if they are unable to sign Robert Lewandowski, Mundo Deportivo is reporting.

– Manchester City could see both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko leave this off-season, while Raheem Sterling would only join another elite club, the Athletic reports.

Paul Pogba would be welcomed back at Juventus with open arms after leaving Manchester United, according to Bianconeri goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who says the midfielder remains one of the world's finest players.

United announced on Wednesday that Pogba is to depart Old Trafford when his contract expires this month, 10 years after originally leaving the Red Devils to join Juventus.

Since then, Pogba has been strongly linked with another return to a former club, with Juve looking to add dynamism to their midfield after finishing fourth in consecutive Serie A seasons.

Pogba won four league titles with the Turin giants between 2012 and 2016, the latter two under Massimiliano Allegri, excelling alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio in the Juventus engine room.

And Szczesny claims the midfielder, who recorded more assists (38) and created more chances (231) in the Premier League than any other United player during his second spell at the club, remains an elite talent and would be an excellent signing.

"Yes, we'd welcome him back. He did brilliantly in his previous time at Juventus so he would be a great addition to the squad," he said, as reported by the Daily Mirror.

"He is a player with good calibre and experience, and he has good memories from Turin.

"Maybe over the last couple of years the consistency of his game and the injuries didn't help at United. But when he is fit, he is still one of the best in the world."

Having made a strong start to the 2021-22 season by registering four assists in a 6-1 Premier League thrashing of Leeds United, Pogba went on to endure a frustrating campaign as United struggled to a sixth-placed finish under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

Meanwhile, Juve legend Alessandro Del Piero believes Pogba would be the ideal player to spearhead a Bianconeri rebuild under Allegri, insisting the World Cup winner would contribute at both ends of the pitch.

10 Serie A teams scored more than the 57 league goals recorded by Juve this year, with only the departing Paulo Dybala hitting double figures, who have also lost defensive stalwart Giorgio Chiellini.

"Paul is the right player to assist Vlahovic in attack, but also to protect the defence, which will lose a column like Chiellini," Del Piero told ESPN.

"Everything will depend on what Paul wants to do. If he wants to return to a club where he is loved by the fans and the whole environment, Juve is the right choice. If he wants to fight immediately to win the Champions League, he will have to choose another team. 

"The context will be very different, because in the first cycle at Juve he was young and protected by players like Pirlo and Marchisio, this time it would be the opposite and it would be up to Paul to take the responsibility of making his team-mates grow.

"However, I believe that at United he has grown from this point of view, as a man and as a player."

Kevin De Bruyne says he is excited to work with "top striker" Erling Haaland at Manchester City, admitting the arrival of the 21-year-old might enable him to build on his already impressive assist figures.

De Bruyne was named Premier League Player of the Season as City won their fourth top-flight title in five seasons last month, with the midfielder top-scoring for Pep Guardiola's men with 15 league goals during the 2021-22 campaign, also adding eight assists.

Despite his impressive goalscoring return, the Belgian fell some way short of his tally of 20 Premier League assists in the 2019 -20 campaign (a joint single-season record in the competition, along with Thierry Henry in 2002-03) – but De Bruyne's attempts to record similar figures in the future could be aided by the presence of Haaland.

The striker scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Borussia Dortmund after joining from RB Salzburg in January 2020, and is expected to thrive with De Bruyne providing him with service after agreeing a move to the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to Belgian outlet HLN, De Bruyne said City's acquisition of Haaland was good news for both the team and himself.

"Erling Haaland is a top striker. His move should help us to grow as a team," he said.

"Everybody expects a lot. They [the club] have always been looking for a number nine, but I think it'll be good to have that striker that maybe scores 20 to 25 goals a season."

Asked whether the Norwegian's arrival would help him to up his own already outstanding creative numbers, De Bruyne added: "Maybe. There have been years that I have more assists.

"But my chance creation and other things have remained consistent. Numbers are a part of football but they never tell you the full story."

No other City player came close to the 87 chances De Bruyne created in the Premier League in 2021-22, with fellow midfielder Bernardo Silva second on 59.

Meanwhile, De Bruyne, who will turn 31 later this month, was also asked whether the upcoming World Cup in Qatar – at which Belgium will face Canada, Morocco, and Croatia in Group F – could be his last.

The midfielder, who says the Red Devils are "slightly more of an outsider" to win the tournament than they were in 2018 when they reached the semi-finals in Russia, plans on playing international football until at least Euro 2024 but will not give any assurances beyond that date.

"I will continue with the national team," he added. "I don't know how long. In any case, until the European Championship in 2024 – if bad things don't happen. 

"We'll see how I feel. Quality trumps quantity for me. 

"It is also difficult to find the perfect balance between the family and the life we lead. My wife understands that, the children occasionally. They sometimes regret that daddy cannot be there. Later they will understand."

Mohamed Salah says he would sacrifice all the personal awards he has won this season to have another attempt at the Champions League final with Real Madrid.

Vinicius Junior's second-half strike proved the difference as Madrid secured a 1-0 victory in Paris on Saturday, defeating Liverpool to lift their 14th European Cup.

Liverpool were repeatedly thwarted by Thibaut Courtois at the Stade de France, the goalkeeper making nine saves – a record in a Champions League final since Opta began recording data in 2003-04.

That ended Liverpool's season, which saw the Reds come close to an unprecedented quadruple, with a whimper and just the EFL Cup and FA Cup to their name.

Manchester City pipped Jurgen Klopp's side to the Premier League title, but Salah still claimed individual accolades for joint-most English top-flight goals, assists, goal of the season, and both the FWA and PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards.

No Premier League player could match the Egypt international's 36 goal involvements (23 goals, 13 assists), setting him a class above his competitors.

But the 29-year-old insists he will look back on the 2021-22 campaign with regret after failing again to beat Madrid, who also lifted the 2017-18 Champions League trophy with 3-1 victory over Liverpool.

"Being recognised by the fans and by the sports journalists in the same season is something special that I will never forget," Salah posted on Twitter. 

"I would however give all those personal awards up for a chance at replaying that final, but that is not how football works.

"I cannot express in words how much we wanted to bring that trophy back to Liverpool but in the end we couldn't. I cannot thank the fans enough for your support.

"It has been a very long season but a part of me wishes the next one starts again tomorrow."

Hugo Ekitike appears to be nearing a move to Newcastle United after Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot confirmed the club had received a "very concrete" offer from an English club.

Ekitike was one of the breakout stars of the 2021-22 season across Europe's top five leagues.

The 19-year-old scored 10 goals and assisted three more in Ligue 1, contributing a goal involvement every 98 minutes on average.

Attempting only 31 shots, Ekitike's conversion rate of 32.3 per cent was the second-best among players with 20 or more attempts across Europe, far outperforming his expected goals total of 7.0.

This sensational form has attracted attention from a host of clubs, with Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both linked.

But big-spending Newcastle have long been seen as Ekitike's most likely destination, with the player even turning down a move to Tyneside in January.

Reports this week have suggested the forward is now more open to a move with a fee almost agreed; a figure in the region of £30million (€35m) has been mooted in France.

And Caillot hinted at an agreement in an interview with France Bleu, explaining a deal could only be held up by Ekitike again rejecting an unnamed club's advances.

"[The offer] is very concrete," the Reims chief said. "And on the table, there is one that suits us very well.

"[It is] an offer that, in my opinion, is interesting sportingly for the player, and it is now up to him to make his choice; it is not up to me to do it.

"From now on, it is his advisers who must make progress on this issue. And if at the time of speaking it is not done, it is because his advisors have not yet wished to move forward with this club."

Pressed on the identity of the club, with an apparent reference to Newcastle, Caillot added: "We remain discreet but good. It is an English club, so we understood which club we are talking about."

English reports have been less firm on the price Newcastle would pay, but Caillot said: "Let it be clear: for €20m, Hugo Ekitike will not leave."

Reims are set to receive a significant fee for a player who had not started a single Ligue 1 match just a year ago, with the president confident they will cope with his departure.

"[Reims general director] Mathieu Lacour has been telling me for years that we had a nugget in reserve," Caillot said. "Where I was surprised, like all the fans, was the speed with which he stood out.

"It's true, he was helped by the context, because in fact he was the fourth striker in the hierarchy and then injuries made him able to show all his qualities.

"It also makes me smile today, because we sometimes have the impression that it would be the end of Stade de Reims if he were to leave us, when a year ago there were 90 per cent of people who did not know him."

Lautaro Martinez has reiterated his desire to stay at Inter amid speculation of a transfer to Chelsea, stating "my plan is clear".

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed on Monday that Chelsea are no longer subject to UK government sanctions following the club's sale to a consortium led by Todd Boehly.

The new owners are expected invest heavily in the upcoming transfer window to strengthen Thomas Tuchel's squad to be able to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool.

Martinez has been repeatedly linked with a move to Chelsea, with Tuchel attempting to reunite the Inter talisman with Romelu Lukaku after the pair fired the Nerazzurri to Scudetto success last season.

However, Martinez has made his intentions clear as he expressed his hopes to stay at Inter.

"My plan is clear," he told reporters. "I really want to stay at Inter next season.

"I've not received communications from the club as of today, I want to continue at Inter next season."

Inter have already lost Ivan Perisic to former coach Antonio Conte at Tottenham, while Alessandro Bastoni could follow the Croatia international to north London.

Simone Inzaghi's side are expected to bring in Juventus striker Paulo Dybala when his contract expires, offering Martinez the opportunity to link-up with an international team-mate up top.

Martinez was in fine scoring form in Serie A this season, finding the net 21 times in 35 games – only Lazio's Ciro Immobile (27) and Dusan Vlahovic (34) managed more Italian top-flight goals.

Inzaghi will hope to keep his key man with Inter next season as they aim to snatch back the title won by rivals Milan in the 2021-22 campaign.