Tottenham are reportedly looking to swoop in with an offer for Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, who has been a key target this transfer period for rivals Arsenal.

Just days ago stories were written about Arsenal feeling "cautiously optimistic" about their chances of landing the 25-year-old Brazilian, despite their reported bid of £30million falling well below City's £50m asking price.

That move is now in jeopardy thanks to Tottenham's involvement, with the club able to offer Champions League football to the striker who has scored 20 Champions League goals across City's past five European campaigns (38 games).

TOP STORY – SPURS SWOOP IN WITH OFFER OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL

There is no doubt about Jesus' ability to perform at the highest level, scoring at least seven goals in each of his Premier League seasons since arriving as a 19-year-old. He has also added more creativity to his game, with 21 Premier League assists in his past three campaigns compared to 10 from his first three with City.

The Mirror reports another aspect of his game that Spurs boss Antonio Conte values is his willingness to play out wide on a wing, which means he could still complement star Harry Kane if their formation only calls for one striker.

It is not mentioned whether Tottenham are willing to meet City's asking price, but a second serious bidder will mean Arsenal's desire to land him for a much smaller figure is likely no longer possible.

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– Chelsea will loan striker Romelu Lukaku back to Inter for a fee of at least £8.5m, according to the Daily Mail.

– The Athletic is reporting that Raheem Sterling has been asking friends about life in west London after Fabrizio Romano revealed Chelsea had a £21.5m bid turned down for the City winger.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Manchester United are preparing another bid for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but if Barcelona will not bring their asking price down, the Old Trafford club are prepared to pivot to Wolves' Ruben Neves.

– According to Sport, Bayern Munich are demanding €50m from Barcelona for Robert Lewandowski, while the Spanish club are currently offering €40m plus performance bonuses.

– Newcastle United have been told by Bayer Leverkusen that 22-year-old French winger Moussa Diaby will cost €50m, according to The Sun.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly assessing his options for next season as he does not feel he fits in the aggressive press-from-the-front system expected to be implemented by incoming manager Erik ten Hag.

The 37-year-old showed he is still more than capable of contributing at the highest level in 2021-22, scoring 18 goals in 30 Premier League appearances and six in seven in the Champions League.

With one year remaining on his contract, the Portugal icon would demand a fee, but there are reportedly some familiar faces interested in acquiring his services.

TOP STORY – RONALDO SHUNS TEN HAG, WANTS OUT OF OLD TRAFFORD

Jose Mourinho is said to be enquiring about the possibility of bringing Ronaldo to Roma, with the Italian club hoping the legendary coach can move the needle and convince him to return to Serie A, according to La Repubblica.

Mourinho will reportedly have to compete with the nostalgia factor as Sporting CP have also thrown their hat in the ring, with the thought Ronaldo may want to finish his career where it began at the Primeira Liga club he called home before he was first picked up by United in 2003.

If the five-time Ballon d'Or winner truly decides his time with United is up, as the report from the Italian outlet claims, there will undoubtedly be a bevy of suitors willing to bring in one of the game's most marketable superstars.

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– Arsenal are said to be "cautiously optimistic" of signing Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, although Sky Sports is reporting the club are hoping to pay closer to £30million, rather than the £50m asking price.

– According to The Athletic, Arsenal are also targeting Leeds United winger Raphinha and Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.

– ESPN is reporting Chelsea are investigating whether it is possible to replace Romelu Lukaku with Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski. 

– United are expecting Barcelona to lower their asking price for Frenkie de Jong due to their financial problems, according to the Guardian.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Everton view Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis as a potential replacement for Richarlison if he leaves during this transfer window.

Arsenal are set to make their first big splash of this transfer period with the signing of 22-year-old Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira.

The Gunners have been linked with various big names – including Raheem Sterling, Youri Tielemans and Christopher Nkunku – but have struggled to get deals over the line for players that could be considered key signings.

Vieira, who has made 20 appearances for Portugal Under-21s, was a move that came out of left-field, but those that call the Emirates Stadium home will hope it proves to be a masterstroke.

TOP STORY – VIEIRA'S MOVE TO ARSENAL REACHES FINAL STAGES

According to ESPN, a deal in the range of €40million is said to be in place, with Vieira said to be heading to London for his medical on Friday before finalising a five-year deal.

The talented attacking midfielder – who played in both the number-10 role and as a second striker – finished the Primeira Liga season with six goals and 14 assists from 27 appearances. Nobody in Portugal's top division had more assists.

Vieira reportedly had a €50m release clause with Porto, but the club were happy to accept the reduced figure.

It could be the start of a big week for Arsenal, with ESPN also mentioning they are leading the race for Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus in a deal that could be worth up to £50 million.

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– According to The Sun, Liverpool remain interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, but they will remain patient and not pursue him in this transfer period.

– Inter have turned down a €50m bid from Paris Saint-Germain for Milan Skriniar, holding firm at an asking price of €80m, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Newcastle United target Sven Botman is reportedly favouring Milan if he is to leave Lille, per Football Insider.

– The Telegraph is reporting Southampton have agreed to a deal worth up to £15m for 20-year-old City goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, while The Athletic claims they are also interested in 18-year-old City midfielder Romeo Lavia.

– Fulham and Wolves will reportedly compete for the signature of Sporting midfielder Joao Palhinha, according to 90min.

The midfield appears to be the primary business agenda for Manchester United this off-season amid Erik ten Hag's rebuild.

With Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata already leaving Old Trafford this off-season, incoming transfers in the centre of the park appear a certainty.

As such, Ten Hag reportedly has his eyes on midfielders who are known quantities to him.

TOP STORY – MAN UTD NOT VEERING FROM DE JONG PLANS

Frenkie de Jong appears to be Manchester United's primary transfer target, according to the Daily Mail.

While Donny van de Beek is set to return and others are linked to Old Trafford, it is understood talks are continuing between the Red Devils and Barcelona.

Though no formal bid has placed for the 25-year-old, he is rated at £70million (€80.4m) despite failing to provide a return on investment at the Camp Nou.

While De Jong appears intent to stay in Barcelona, he might have to be sacrificed to allow the cash-strapped club room to manoeuvre.

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– Meanwhile, the Red Devils have made an offer to sign Christian Eriksen, according to the Athletic.

– Bayern Munich are preparing another offer for Sadio Mane after Liverpool rejected their previous two, Bild reports.

– Richarlison has turned down an approach from Arsenal, with Tottenham and Chelsea his preferred destinations, per UOL Esporte.

– Real Madrid are close to agreeing a new contract with Vinicius Junior, Goal is reporting.

Manchester City are looking to make a big midfield signing in this transfer window, with Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips reportedly at the top of their wish-list.

Phillips, 26, has been with Leeds his entire senior career, and excelled on the world stage when he started every game in England's run to the Euro 2020 final.

He was rewarded for his excellent international play with England's 2020-21 Senior Men's Player of the Year award, and may have the opportunity to parlay that into Champions League football at the Etihad Stadium.

TOP STORY – CITY SETS SIGHTS ON LEEDS' PHILLIPS

Phillips' stats of one goal and three assists in his past two Premier League campaigns do not tell the story of his impact, as he is arguably England's best defensive midfielder.

After 12 years with Leeds, Phillips has reportedly played his last game for the club, with The Sun claiming City have prepared a £60million bid.

ESPN mentions a factor working in Phillips' favour with City is that he will count as a homegrown player for Champions League purposes, and that Pep Guardiola views him as a strong fit for both the number-six and number-eight roles in his set-up.

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– The Manchester Evening News is reporting Manchester United remain in discussions with Barcelona for Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but they are not willing to pay the current £85m price-tag.

– Liverpool and City are both monitoring 17-year-old Barcelona midfielder Gavi, despite his release clause reportedly coming in at £85m, according to Marca.

– RB Leipzig have set a price of £100m for teams chasing Christopher Nkunku due to the Frenchman not desiring a move away this transfer period, with the Independent reporting interest remains from Arsenal, United and Paris Saint-Germain.

– According to the Telegraph, Newcastle United are moving on from Lille defender Sven Botman after the asking price was raised from £30m to £36m.

– The Telegraph is reporting that Tottenham have joined the race for Everton's Richarlison, with the asking price set at £50m.

Arsenal are preparing to make a move for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with his price tag believed to be in the region of £45million.

Milinkovic-Savic is coming off arguably the best season of his career, scoring 11 goals and dishing 11 assists in 37 Serie A contests this campaign.

He has been with Lazio since arriving from Belgian side Genk in 2015, but he appears to be headed to the Premier League – with a second English club also reportedly competing for his signature.

TOP STORY – SERBIAN STAR SETS SIGHTS ON PREMIER LEAGUE

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport called Lazio management delusional if they believe teams will pay a figure of over €70m, and instead believe Arsenal will come calling with a lesser bid of "at least £42m" in the hope it will be enough.

Also mentioned in the report as an interested party are Newcastle United, who are still searching for a marquee signing this offseason.

The Serbian is not the only expensive target on the Gunners' list, as the Telegraph named them as one of five teams considering a move for Leeds United's Raphinha, as well as being linked with Leicester City's Youri Tielemans.

If there is to be a spending spree at Arsenal, the Express is reporting Granit Xhaka could be heading the other way, with strong interest said to be coming from Jose Mourinho's Roma.

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– The Liverpool Echo are reporting Benfica striker Darwin Nunez has told friends and family he will be heading to Liverpool in a deal believed to be in the range of €100million.

– According to The Mirror, Barcelona have rejected Manchester United's £60m offer for Frenkie de Jong, but are still interested in moving him for a higher fee.

– Inter have slapped a €100m price-tag on centre-back Milan Skriniar after Paris Saint-Germain came calling about his availability, per Calciomercato.

– The Guardian are reporting Tottenham have agreed to a £20m deal for England Under-21 right-back Djed Spence after he impressed last season on loan from Middlesbrough at Nottingham Forest. 

– According to Sport Witness, Jules Kounde has told Sevilla he wishes to leave the club, with Chelsea expected to be the beneficiaries.

The 2021-22 season may still be ongoing at international level, but Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs can officially register new signings for the next campaign following the opening of the transfer window on Friday.

Teams in LaLiga, Serie A and the Bundesliga must wait until July 1 for their business to go through – though that is not to say preparations are not already in full swing behind the scenes.

Indeed, a number of big deals are already in place and waiting to get the seal of approval, with Antonio Rudiger heading to Real Madrid and Karim Adeyemi brought in by Borussia Dortmund to replace Manchester City-bound Erling Haaland, while others – Darwin Nunez to Liverpool and Aurelien Tchouameni to Madrid – appear to be all-but complete.

One transfer saga came to an end before the window even officially opened, meanwhile, with Kylian Mbappe confirming that he is staying put at Paris Saint-Germain, despite strong interest from Madrid.

For others, there are weeks of uncertainty ahead. Having already picked out the big-name free agents up for grabs this window, Stats Perform looks at the transfer sagas that are likely to rumble on for a little while longer yet.

Player: Robert Lewandowski
Current club: Bayern Munich
Rumoured suitors: Barcelona, Real Madrid

While the futures of Mbappe and Haaland have already been resolved, arguably the world's best striker in Lewandowski is seeking pastures new after recently declaring that his time at Bayern "has come to an end" – even if the German champions do not quite see it that way.

The Poland international still has 12 months to run on his contract and Bayern are understandably reluctant to sell, even if that means forgoing a transfer fee in a year's time, making things particularly difficult for Barcelona, who are the rumoured frontrunners for his signature.

He was once again the hottest striker across Europe's top five leagues in 2021-22 when taking all competitions into account, the 33-year-old scoring 50 goals in 46 games for Bayern in what was his second-best goalscoring campaign across eight years in Bavaria, behind only the 55 netted in 2019-20.

Player: Sadio Mane
Current club: Liverpool
Rumoured suitors: Real Madrid

Whether it is to replace wantaway Lewandowski or to play alongside the prolific striker, Bayern are seemingly intent on bringing Liverpool and Senegal forward Mane to the Allianz Arena.

Bayern are reported to have had a second bid of €35.3million (£30m) turned down by Liverpool earlier this week, with the ball very much in the Reds' court – just like it is with the Bavarians and Lewandowski.

Mane would be a huge loss to Liverpool, having scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League appearances since joining at the start of 2016-17 – only Jamie Vardy (104), team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (134) have more – explaining their desire to snap up Nunez from Benfica.

Player: Gabriel Jesus
Current club: Manchester City
Rumoured suitors: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Real Madrid

Manchester City striker Jesus may just about be the most in-demand player up for grabs this window, with his agent confirming as many as seven clubs are interested in signing the Brazil international.

Arsenal are the only known team to be in discussions with Jesus' camp, though they are expected to face interest from the likes of rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, as well as reigning European and Spanish champions Madrid.

The stats reflect exactly why Jesus is so highly regarded – albeit not by City following the arrival of Haaland – as he has scored or assisted in 57 per cent of matches he has started in the Premier League, a figure bettered only by Salah (62 per cent), Thierry Henry (61 per cent) and City legend Sergio Aguero (60 per cent) among those to have started at least 10 games.

Player: Frenkie de Jong
Current club: Barcelona
Rumoured suitors: Manchester United

De Jong has not quite been able to match expectations at Barcelona since arriving from Ajax in a big-money deal two years ago, which the midfielder has regularly put down to being used out of position in central midfield.

The arrival of the Netherlands international's former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at United has only intensified speculation that he could be on his way out of Camp Nou, with Barca themselves needing to offload players if they are to seriously strengthen elsewhere.

De Jong will leave a void to be filled if he does move on, though, as Sergio Busquets (51) was the only Barca outfielder to feature in more games in the 2021-22 campaign than the 25-year-old (47 apps).

Player: Christopher Nkunku
Current club: RB Leipzig
Rumoured suitors: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid

Nkunku well and truly burst onto the scene in the 2021-22 campaign with a combined 51 goals and assists in 52 games for Leipzig across all competitions, meaning he near enough directly contributed to a goal per game.

Only Europe's absolute elite players, Lewandowski (56 goal involvements), Benzema (59) and Mbappe (60), outperformed Nkunku in that regard, making links with Europe's top clubs unsurprising.

Still aged only 24, the four-cap France international may well be a Ballon d'Or winner in waiting if his trajectory over the past couple of seasons is anything to go by. But with two years to run on his Leipzig contract, it will take a huge sum for the Bundesliga side to even consider cashing in. 

Alexandre Lacazette has urged Corentin Tolisso to follow his lead by returning to Lyon.

Lacazette, 31, was presented as a Lyon player on Thursday after the club confirmed he is re-joining from Arsenal when his Gunners contract expires at the end of June.

The France striker spent five years in north London after leaving Lyon in 2017 in a deal the Ligue 1 club claim was worth €60million (£51.3m).

It was confirmed on Thursday that he has signed a three-year deal with his former club, though it would seem he may not be the only Lyon youth product to return to the Groupama Stadium.

Tolisso left for Bayern Munich the same year Lacazette departed, and while he won a host of titles, including five Bundesliga crowns and the Champions League, his spell in Germany was an injury-interrupted disappointment.

Only once did he manage to appear in more than half of Bayern's league games, and it was confirmed at the end of May that Tolisso, 27, was to depart at the end of June once his contract had finished.

And, speaking during his presentation, Lacazette told the midfielder where he should head next.

He said: "Above all, I want to help the club get back to the top of the pile. I spoke with the coach, he called me last week. He told me what he expected of me. I don't need the armband to talk in the locker room.

"There have been many changes since I left. The club is progressing well. Anthony [Lopes], he's been writing to me every week for six months to find out if I've made my decision. I also push for Corentin Tolisso to come back."

Lacazette's return means he could yet become Lyon's all-time leading goalscorer.

During his first spell at the club, he netted 129 times – the record, set by Fleury Di Nallo in 1974, is 222.

He could not hide that the record is at the back of his mind but stressed it is not his main objective.

"I thank the president, Vincent [Ponsot, director of football] and Bruno [Cheyrou, technical director], but above all for the welcome and the love you have shown me in recent weeks. It was obvious to me [to return]," he said.

"Despite the absence of the Champions League, the project was more important than anything else.

"I felt I could be useful in the locker room and on the pitch in this project, so it was the best decision.

"It's exciting to come back. I can't wait to start the season. I have progressed in my leadership, I gained experience.

"The ranking of goalscorers in OL's history is in the back of my head, but it's not the priority."

Alexandre Lacazette will rejoin Lyon on a free transfer from Arsenal, despite the Ligue 1 side not qualifying for European football next season.

Lacazette moved from Lyon to Arsenal in 2017 for an initial €60million (£51.3m) fee on a five-year contract, which comes to its end in June.

The 31-year-old previously suggested he would be open to re-signing for Lyon, adding in April he was in discussion with "many clubs".

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas responded by stating "if we need to make compromises to get [Lacazette], we will", while director of football Vincent Ponsot outlined his desire to bring the forward back home.

And Peter Bosz's team, who finished eighth in Ligue 1 this season, have managed to seal the France international's return to his boyhood club, announcing on Thursday that Lacazette has signed three-year deal.

Lacazette endured a frustrating campaign in front of goal this season as Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualification to fierce rivals Tottenham.

The striker played 30 Premier League games but only scored four times, his worst return since the 2012-13 term when he managed only league three goals for Lyon.

However, Lacazette provided a creative force for Mikel Arteta's team, sitting joint-top of the assists chart with Bukayo Saka on seven.

Lacazette also ranked sixth for chances created at Arsenal, with his 29 placing him behind Emile Smith Rowe (30), Granit Xhaka (32), Gabriel Martinelli (34), Saka (68) and Martin Odegaard (77).

Bosz will hope Lacazette can deliver that creativity for Lyon next season and find his feet in front of goal, given he was the last non-Paris Saint-Germain player to finish as Ligue 1's outright top scorer (27 goals in 2014-15).

Richarlison has reportedly informed Everton of his desire to leave the club, naming a top side from each of England, Spain and France as his preferred landing spots.

The Brazil striker arrived from Watford in 2018 and, after scoring 10 Premier League goals this campaign, he has now scored at least 10 league goals in three of the past four seasons.

He closed this term with six goals in his last nine appearances, helping Everton avoid relegation, but he now has his sights set on Champions League football.

TOP STORY – RICHARLISON DESIRES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MOVE 

The 25-year-old has reportedly narrowed his list down to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and he is expected to command a fee of around £65million.

Also mentioned in The Sun's report is Everton majority owner Farhad Moshiri's plan to balance the books after recording losses significant enough to jeopardise the club's financial fair play status, which will likely see both Richarlison and fellow striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin leave Goodison Park for more than a combined £100m.

Once considered a front-runner to land the star forward, Arsenal are no longer said to be in play after finishing fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification.

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– The Mirror claims in-demand Benfica striker Darwin Nunez is hesitant to join Manchester United due to his desire for Champions League football, while the Daily Star insists Liverpool are now his preferred English club.

– According to RMC Sport, United and Chelsea will compete for Leicester City's 21-year-old defender Wesley Fofana.

– La Repubblica is reporting that Chelsea are not against allowing Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter, but they want either Lautaro Martinez or Alessandro Bastoni in return.

– West Ham are open to the idea of selling Said Benrahma, with hopes of bringing Jesse Lingard to the club after a successful loan stint in 2020-21, according to The Sun.

– The Times is reporting Manchester City have offered Gabriel Jesus to Tottenham, after strong interest was shown by Arsenal.

William Saliba has said he wants to show Arsenal his "true face" next season.

The France international has still not played for the Gunners since his transfer from Saint-Etienne in 2019, reportedly worth around £27million (€31.5m).

Loan moves with Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille have followed, but now the 21-year-old centre back is eager to finally show his parent club what they bought three years ago, although he admits he does not know if the Premier League club still want him.

Speaking to Telefoot, Saliba said: "I belong to Arsenal, I still have two years left [on my contract].

"I will be back with Arsenal. I have played zero matches and I still want to show them my true face and have the chance to play for these fans and this great club.

"But it doesn't just depend on me. In any case, to leave like this, would be a shame."

Saliba enjoyed a strong 2021-22 season at Marseille, finishing second in Ligue 1 and reaching the semi-finals of the inaugural Europa Conference League.

He played 36 games in Ligue 1, keeping 13 clean sheets, and attempted 490 passes more than any other player in the French top flight (3,044), completing 599 more than anyone else (2,834).

Asked to describe his campaign in one word, he said: "Surprising, or magical. It's my first full season. I was keen to show who I really am. It's a very positive assessment and really I'm very happy with my season.

"And that's why I had this little lump in my stomach saying to myself: 'Here you go to a club and you mustn't laugh, you mustn't have fun, you must play every game thoroughly.'

"It's as if I stayed at least two or three years, it's really special. Even if I don't come back to Marseille, I'll never forget. Thanks to OM, I spent a great course in my career and it was they who boosted me."

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."

Joshua Kimmich has expressed his hope Serge Gnabry stays at Bayern Munich, as the winger continues to be linked with a return to Arsenal.

Gnabry hinted at a move away from the Allianz Arena on Thursday as he asked: "Should I leave my comfort zone?", with just a year left on his contract with the Bundesliga champions.

The winger finished the season with 14 league goals: Only team-mate Robert Lewandowski (35) scored more for Bayern, while just Thomas Muller (84), Kimmich (80), and Leroy Sane (50) created more chances for the side than Gnabry's 48.

That has led to interest from Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who allowed Gnabry to leave for Werder Bremen in 2016 before he joined Bayern the following year.

However, Kimmich hopes his club-mate and international team-mate Gnabry stays with the Bavarian giants for at least another season.

"It's also a difficult topic for me. Serge is my best friend and that's why I hope he stays," Kimmich told reporters at a Friday news conference ahead of Germany's UEFA Nations League clash with Italy.

"We understand each other not only on but also off the pitch. But in the end, it's also important that he makes the right decision.

"Every day he joins a squad where it's fun to play football, he has the chance to play for every title with us every year and an environment where he feels comfortable, [but] he has to decide what's right for him."

Lewandowski also appears set to leave Bayern in the upcoming transfer window, declaring his "story was over" with Julian Nagelsmann's side amid interest from Barcelona.

The Poland international, like Gnabry, has a contract until June 2023, but has made his disgruntlement clear and his preference to join Xavi's side has become more than apparent.

Kimmich, though, kept his cards closer to his chest on the Lewandowski debate, with the striker suggesting he has not been offered a new deal, while Bayern have claimed a "concrete offer" is on the table.

"The question has been very popular in the last few days. Everything has been said there. I'll leave it uncommented. The players and the club have to make up their own minds," Kimmich continued.

Kimmich lifted yet another Bundesliga title with Bayern this campaign, but Nagelsmann's side crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Villarreal.

The Germany international expressed his frustrations with the 2021-22 season as he looked ahead to the Nations League campaign with his country, which starts in Bologna on Saturday.

"I'm always a player who expects a lot from himself. We certainly conceded too many goals this season. Not only do I have to improve, but the whole team. We have to stretch us next season," he added.

"Unfortunately, I haven't been with the national team too often in the last six months. We certainly haven't achieved enough with Bayern.

"We have to present ourselves differently next season. The national team now has important tournaments with the Nations League, World Cup and then the European Championship.

"The games that are coming up now are special again. These are not friendly games either. The Nations League is already good because it's about something. Then you'll see where we stand."

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. 

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– 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.

After keeping Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain's transfer activity can turn their attention to adding to their squad.

From the likes of Mauro Icardi to Edinson Cavani, playing as a complementary forward to Mbappe and Neymar is not a simple task.

While other clubs are reportedly interested, their target for a forward has reportedly been identified.

TOP STORY – PSG TURN TO RICHARLISON

Richarlison is facing an uncertain future with Everton as interest from Paris Saint-Germain grows, according to the Daily Mail.

The Brazil international was one of the survival heroes for the Toffees, scoring six in nine games to help them secure Premier League safety.

Reports suggest the 25-year-old is seeking a move away from Goodison Park and with the club's financial situation, he could be allowed to move on despite having two years left on his deal.

While Tottenham and Real Madrid are though to be eyeing Richarlison, PSG have emerged as the likeliest destination. 

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich are close to agreeing a deal for 30-year-old attacker Sadio Mane , according to Matteo Moretto.

– Meanwhile, Liverpool have made contact with the representatives of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, per Sport.

– The Manchester Evening News is reporting Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus will resolve his future after returning from Brazil duty, amid interest from Arsenal .

– Pau Torres is nearing a move from Villarreal with talks between his representatives and Manchester United developing, per Cadena Ser.