What does the future hold for Sergio Aguero?
With his Manchester City contract expiring at the end of the season, Aguero is no closer to re-signing.
Premier League rivals Chelsea could be ready to pounce…
TOP STORY – CHELSEA KEEPING TABS ON AGUERO
Chelsea are tracking Manchester City star and soon-to-be free agent Sergio Aguero, according to the Daily Mail.
Aguero is out of contract at the end of the season and the City forward has been tipped to join LaLiga giants Barcelona.
But Premier League rivals Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for City's all-time leading goalscorer.
ROUND-UP
- The Daily Mail reports City and Chelsea are both interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. Tottenham and Everton have also been linked with the Germany international.
- Juventus are eyeing a move for star Atalanta wing-back Robin Gosens, claims Calciomercato. Gosens has starred for Atalanta, who value him between €35-€40million.
- FootMercato says Paris Saint-Germain want Tottenham full-back Serge Aurier as former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino seeks a reunion.
- Fabrizio Romano reports Manchester United have not made a bid for Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic. United have also been linked with RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate, Sevilla's Jules Kounde, Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and team-mate Raphael Varane, as well as Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White.
- In-demand Dortmund star Erling Haaland has a "crush" on Madrid but El Chiringuito insists no club is close to signing the Norwegian. Haaland has been linked with Madrid, Barca, United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool, PSG and Juventus.
Mauricio Pochettino was delighted with the spirit his Paris Saint-Germain team showed to defeat Lille in the Coupe de France after a difficult few days.
PSG were 3-0 winners against the Ligue 1 leaders as they were in action for the first time since a weekend defeat to Nantes that was disrupted by burglaries at the family homes of Angel Di Maria and Marquinhos.
Di Maria was substituted in that loss to attend to the matter, but both players were in the XI as goals from Mauro Icardi and Kylian Mbappe secured a quarter-final berth on Wednesday.
It was not an entirely convincing PSG display, as Lille had 18 shots to their 11 and Keylor Navas was required to save a penalty for the third time this season.
Pochettino was only interested in praise for his players and their families, however.
"Of course I'm so happy with the performance and the spirit of the team," the coach told the club's official channel.
"They deserve massive credit and I want to congratulate them but most of all the families because the last few days were very tough for everyone.
"We all feel what happened to Marqui and Angel. It really touched the group and that's why I want to congratulate the team, the players and the families suffering around them.
"I'm so happy. I think we fully deserved to go through to the quarter-finals and, in this difficult circumstance, I'm happy for the 3-0."
Di Maria had two shots and created a single chance, while Marquinhos contributed four tackles, five clearances and a block.
Navas was the star of the show, though, denying Yusuf Yazici from 12 yards with 12 minutes remaining.
Only Rui Silva and Oliver Baumann (both four) have kept out more penalties than Navas in all competitions this season among goalkeepers across Europe's 'top five' leagues.
"He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world," Pochettino said of Navas, who finished with five saves in all. "His level is incredible."
Several regular players will be missing from the Jamaica Reggae Boyz line-up when they face regional powerhouse the United States, in a friendly international, in Austria, next Thursday.
When the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) released a final 18-man squad on Tuesday, the likes of regular team captain and custodian Andre Blake, defender Damion Lowe, and Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey were a few missing from the line-up.
At present, some members of the national squad have been locked in tense negotiations with the JFF, and according to reports, have yet to sign contracts ensuring their availability to represent the national team.
The squad will in the meantime see the return of defender Adrian Mariappa (Bristol Rovers), Michael Hector (Fulham) with potential debuts for English-based talents Leon Moore, Ethan Pinnock (Brentford), and Watford striker Andre Gray. Also making a return to the squad will be former Manchester United youth player Ravel Morrison.
The United States have been in top form in recent friendly internationals, handing Trinidad and Tobago a 7-0 thrashing in their previous match Prior to that, they registered a 6-0 win over another CONCACAF team El Salvador and a 6-2 win over Panama.
The match will take place at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt at 12:00pm (Jamaica time).
Full squad
Joan Laporta has promised to do everything he can to persuade Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona, as well as offering an assurance to head coach Ronald Koeman amid speculation over his future.
Laporta was officially unveiled as Barca's new president at a ceremony on Wednesday, having seen off competition from Victor Font and Toni Freixa during an election staged on March 7.
It will be his second time in the role at Camp Nou; his previous stint from 2003 and 2010 saw the club win LaLiga on four occasions, as well as the Champions League twice.
However, he returns now with Barcelona dealing with financial issues off the field and great uncertainty over the future of their best player, the talismanic Messi.
The club's all-time leading scorer is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, though Laporta is determined to retain the "best player in history".
"I'll do everything I can to try to convince Leo to stay," he said in a speech that covered a wide range of topics, including the importance of the club's academy system.
"We will try because he's the best player in history and, sorry for telling you here, but you know how much I love you, and Barca also loves you."
Messi has scored 27 goals in all competitions this season under Koeman, who has Barca in contention for the league title in Spain following a shaky start to his debut campaign in charge.
They are also through to the Copa del Rey final – Athletic Bilbao will be their opponents on April 17 – but hopes of Champions League glory were dashed by PSG at the last-16 stage.
Still, with the team on a 17-game unbeaten streak in LaLiga, Laporta made clear his confidence in Koeman, who – like Messi – was present inside the ground for the event.
"Ronald, you have our confidence," he said.
"We want to go back to that success story between Barca and the Champions League. This year we have to go for LaLiga and for the cup."
Laporta described Barca as an "engine for optimism" despite their current financial plight, something he will be prioritising at the start of his new reign.
"The economic situation is a priority for us," Laporta announced. "We have the priority of making the club economically sustainable.
"We have a shock plan for it. The situation does not scare us. The people who accompany us are not scared by these things.
"If we have to make decisions in the interest of Barca, we will make them."
Paris Saint-Germain began a season-defining three-game stretch by beating Ligue 1 leaders Lille 3-0 to continue their Coupe de France defence.
PSG have successfully negotiated a Champions League tie with Barcelona but have work to do either side of this month's international break to maintain their domestic challenge.
Mauricio Pochettino's men, second in the league, visit third-placed Lyon on Sunday and then host Lille at the start of April, but they first took care of the pace-setters in the cup on Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals.
Mauro Icardi had the holders in front before hobbling off and Kylian Mbappe, on in his place, made sure of PSG's progress with a brace either side of Keylor Navas' latest penalty save.
Memphis Depay may be convinced to stay at Lyon especially if they can dethrone Paris Saint-Germain as Ligue 1 champions, president Jean-Michel Aulas believes.
The Dutch forward was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona prior to the 2020-21 season, speculation that mounted as Los Cules are coached by his ex-Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman.
With Depay out of contract at the end of June, rumours continue to circle that Barca may reignite their interest in the former Manchester United man.
Depay has been influential for Lyon this season, contributing 15 goals and nine assists from 30 appearances in all competitions.
He has a big-chance conversion rate of 61.11 per cent, while he has created 77 chances for team-mates – 16 of which are Opta-defined big chances.
Lyon sit third in Ligue 1, level on 60 points with PSG and three adrift of leaders Lille. Aulas hopes that domestic success may convince Depay to reject overtures from elsewhere.
"For Memphis, I dream that he accepts our proposal, which is still relevant," he told AFP.
"He brings so much, he has been directly involved in 23 league goals this season. The offer will stay there and, if we are champions, why not?"
Robert Lewandowski revealed it would mean "a lot" to break Gerd Muller's long-standing record for most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season.
The Poland striker has registered 32 goals from 25 matchdays in Germany's top flight this season, meaning he needs nine more to overhaul the benchmark of 40 set by fellow Bayern Munich legend Muller in the 1971-72 season.
Last season, Lewandowski netted in his opening 11 league matches but ultimately fell six shy of Muller's tally, even though his form propelled Bayern to a Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League treble and helped him to win the best men's player at the Best FIFA Football Awards.
Asked by Sport Bild what it would mean to break the record, Lewandowski replied: "A lot.
"[But the target of] this unique club legend is far away, I don't want to worry too much.
"[If I get] one or two goals behind the 40 goals topic would be intense in my head.
"It would fill me with incredible pride. But Gerd Muller will always be Gerd Muller – [he is] unmatched.
"I might have a bit of mental stress: reaching this mark after almost 50 years would mean a lot to me."
Lewandowski's 32 league goals this season is far clear of the 19 scored by Erling Haaland and Andre Silva, who are next on the list.
The Poland striker also tops the rankings for shots on target (51) and 'big chances' scored (23), while his goal in Saturday's 3-1 win over Werder Bremen was his 268th in the Bundesliga moving him joint-second on the all-time list with Klaus Fischer.
Nowadays, Lewandowski is the man young strikers are aspiring to be like, but the 32-year-old said Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Thierry Henry were among those he looked up to when trying to hone his talents.
"When I was six years old, there was only one idol for me: Roberto Baggio," he added.
"Alessandro Del Piero later became my role model in football, and I admired him. However, I was not yet able to judge exactly what characterises his style of play, I was just too young for that.
"It later became Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. His movements, the runs in depth, the finishes – as a young footballer these were the qualities I wanted to have. I wanted to imitate everything Henry did."
Cristiano Ronaldo is more likely to return to Manchester United than Real Madrid, while Chelsea are desperate to land Erling Haaland.
Ronaldo, 36, is out of contract at Juventus in 2022 and his future has again become a talking point.
Two of his former clubs, United and Madrid, have been linked with the Portugal star.
TOP STORY – MAN UTD RETURN MORE LIKELY THAN MADRID FOR RONALDO
A return to Manchester United is more likely than Real Madrid for Juventus star Ronaldo, according to Tuttosport.
The report says Madrid president Florentino Perez has not opened the door for a Ronaldo return, due to the club's interest in Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe.
Ronaldo starred at United between 2003 and 2009 before shining in Madrid for nine seasons.
ROUND-UP
- Chelsea look desperate to land Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland. The Daily Star reports Chelsea are prepared to again do business with Haaland's agent, Mino Raiola, in a bid to sign the forward. Chelsea fell out with Raiola after Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United over them in 2017.
- Could Paulo Dybala and Antoine Griezmann be set to swap places? CalcioMercato reports there is an idea for Dybala to leave Juventus and join Barcelona, with Griezmann heading to Turin.
- Liverpool seem set to strengthen ahead of next season. Eurosport reports the Premier League champions are thinking about a move for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge.
- Manchester United have reportedly received a transfer boost. The Sun reports Sevilla have lowered their asking price for defender Jules Kounde to around £50million (€58.4m).
Cristiano Ronaldo's club future may be unclear but Portugal coach Fernando Santos insists the 36-year-old is dreaming about playing at and winning next year's World Cup.
Ronaldo has been linked with a move away from Juventus this close season, including speculation linking him with MLS, along with a possible return to Real Madrid.
Amid that, Santos moved to clarify that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was committed to playing for Portugal at the World Cup as they chase their maiden Jules Rimet Trophy.
"[Cristiano] has a big dream, that one I know," Santos said.
"He has this big dream of participating in what we are setting out to do, that is the goal of playing in a World Cup and winning it.
"That is the main goal, the rest has to stay away from the national team."
Ronaldo has played at four World Cups, with Portugal's best result during his time being in 2006 when they came fourth in Germany, while they were knocked out in the last 16 in both 2010 and 2018.
Portugal finished third at the 1966 World Cup before failing to qualify again for the tournament for another 20 years.
They won Euro 2016 with Ronaldo scoring three goals in the campaign, although he went off injured early in the final.
Portugal will return to competitive action later this month with World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan, Serbia and Luxembourg.
The local contingent of the Jamaica national football team was forced to hastily depart the island on Tuesday, hastily scrapping a camp that was to be held at the UWI/JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre over the next few weeks.
According to a release, the issue was caused by the fact the Austrian Embassy, in Washington, would not accept digital applications. As such all players and officials who wished to secure the relevant documentation for the trip were required to be present at the embassy by 9:00 am on Wednesday, March 17.
Originally, the 14-man all locally-based players were to take part in the camp at the academy before departing for Austria this weekend to meet up with the rest of the squad, which consists of overseas-based players. The JFF expressed disappointment with the unexpected turn of events.
“The JFF was indeed disappointed that an environment that would have allowed our players to once again begin to practice their craft could not be fully utilised at this time,” the organisation said via its release.
“The Federation sincerely thanks the Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, as well as officers at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and the Ministry of Health and Wellness for their extraordinary support in establishing protocols and procedures for the camp. We remain very grateful for the work done and the cooperative spirit that has developed on both sides,” it added.
“These protocols will still be utilised going forward as the national team prepares for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and the World Cup Qualifiers.”
The match against the USA is scheduled for the Stadion Wiener Neustadt, in Austria, next Thursday.
Matteo Guendouzi insists his Arsenal career is not over and he wants to fight his way back into Mikel Arteta's plans next season.
Guendouzi, 21, has been on loan with Hertha Berlin since last October where he has made 19 appearances for the Bundesliga club.
The French midfielder was a regular starter with the Gunners under previous boss Unai Emery but failed to make an appearance for Arteta's side in the opening weeks of the season prior to securing a temporary move away.
When asked if his Arsenal career was over due to an apparently strained relationship with Arteta, Guendouzi was emphatic in his response.
"No, not at all," he told France Football.
"I am focused on my season at Hertha Berlin. Then, we will make a point with my agent and the people of the club to sit down and discuss the future. I am still an Arsenal player."
Guendouzi joined Arsenal from Lorient in 2018 and has made 57 Premier League appearances for the Gunners, registering just one assist and no goals in the competition.
In those games he attempted a total of 75 tackles, the third-most among Arsenal players across 2018-19 and 2019-20, while his 263 duel wins over the same period was only bettered by four of his team-mates.
His contract with Arsenal expires at the end of next season and he acknowledged his long-term future will be at stake when he returns to the Gunners.
"This summer will be a decisive moment," he added.
"Could I come back to the club with Mikel Arteta on the bench as coach? Yes, of course. I will be with Arsenal for another year.
"I am here to move forward. When I played for Arsenal, I have always given everything for this club, for these fans, for the team, for the staff. I will work hard for the jersey as usual."
Juan Bernat has signed a new four-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
The left-back is nearing the end of his third season with PSG having signed from Bayern Munich in 2018.
Bernat, 28, was due to be out of contract at the end of 2020-21 but will now be tied to PSG until June 2025.
He has not played since last September due to an ACL injury.
PSG sporting director Leonardo had publicly stated he was targeting four big contract renewals for the French champions – Angel Di Maria, Bernat, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Di Maria and Bernat are done, meaning the attention moves fully to the two star forwards, particularly with huge speculation the club will pursue Lionel Messi when his Barcelona contract expires at the end of the season.
"I am very happy to have been able to extend my contract with Paris, I have always said that I feel good here," Bernat said after his new deal was announced on Tuesday.
"I really wanted to continue my adventure with the club, it's now happened and I am very happy about it.
"It's a bit of everything, it's the club, it's the affection that everyone shows me here, the supporters, my team-mates.
"There is a really exciting project here and I am happy to be a part of it.
"I think that we can achieve great things together, that's one of the reasons that I wanted to continue my time here at the club, and I hope to be able to play here for several more years."
Bernat is hoping to return before the end of the season, with PSG three points behind Lille at the top of Ligue 1 and in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Valencia youth product added: "The league is very tight this year, we are just three points behind the leaders and I hope we will make up these points.
"I also hope to be available for the final games and to help the team. For the moment, we can only think about working hard and winning each match."
Joachim Low has dropped a heavy hint that Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz will earn their maiden Germany call-ups for this month's World Cup qualifiers.
Musiala has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Bayern Munich and last month the 18-year-old attacking midfielder pledged his allegiance to Germany, having also represented England at youth level.
Having become the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history when he netted for Bayer Leverkusen in June last year, Wirtz has scored seven times in 30 appearances across all competitions this season.
His participation in Germany's games against Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia will depend upon him recovering from a positive coronavirus test at the start of this month, but Low is keen to involve both highly rated youngsters.
"I think it is safe to say already that both players are in our plans," he told ntv.
"[It will be] good that I can see them for a few days with us, [to see how] they appear in our group."
Low will step down after Euro 2020 after 15 years at the helm.
The 2014 World Cup winner believes the overhaul of Germany's football system – ultimately leading an environment for the likes of Wirtz and Musiala to develop and thrive in – is the achievement he will look back upon most fondly.
"The greatest achievement was the development over the entire period," he said.
"Our football had technical and tactical problems. We've gotten a lot better when it comes to football culture and play, and that makes me very happy."
Wirtz and Musiala's addition could bolster a Germany squad without Premier League stars such as Ilkay Gundogan, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.
Quarantine requirements for travellers from the United Kingdom to Germany could hinder the capacity for players from England's top-flight to play a full part in the international break.
Regulations in Romania, where Germany have an away game, are more lenient, but Low said naming a different squad for different games "is not the solution we want".
A resurgent Leroy Sane has his sights set on achieving his "huge" career goal of experiencing the Champions League glory his Bayern Munich team-mates enjoyed last season.
The winger joined Bayern from Manchester City after they had tasted European success by defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Sane had a mixed start at Bayern, in and out the line up as he worked his way back from a long-term injury that restricted him to two appearances in his final season at City.
The 25-year-old has looked like his old self of late, registering either a goal or assist in four of his last five matches, including a strike in Bayern's emphatic 4-1 away win in the last-16 first leg away to Lazio.
Bayern were four goals up after 47 minutes of that game, but ahead of Wednesday's home second leg against Lazio, Sane wants his team-mates to take nothing for granted, which would jeopardise his Champions League dream.
"[Winning the Champions League is] a huge goal of mine," said Sane.
"That is why I place so much value on delivering a good match on Wednesday and for the rest of the season.
"When we have Champions League matches, we need to always be well prepared and up for it.
"All of us know that a lot can still happen. Just because we scored a few goals in the first leg doesn't mean that we are through.
"Lazio have a strong team and things could backfire if we don't take it seriously.
"I'm feeling better and better, and have had time to get to know the team and how we play. We get along very well off the pitch as well. Everyone is prepared to work hard, which benefits us all.
"At first, you need to get to know the workings of a team. For me it was even harder, because I didn't have a rhythm after a long injury.
"So I needed to find my own rhythm back at first. Now I feel a lot better and I have got to know the team better. That is one of the reasons why things have gone uphill for me lately."
Bayern are hosting Lazio for the first time in European competition.
None of the last 21 sides facing them away from home for the first time in the European Cup or Champions League have won (W20 D1) since Bordeaux triumphed 2-0 back in November 2009.
Head coach Hansi Flick hopes to have fitness doubts Manuel Neuer and Kingsley Coman available.
"Manu has a slight cold, and Kingsley is dealing with some muscle issues," he said. "We will have to wait and see, but we are hoping that both will be able to feature on Wednesday.
"We want to win this game [the second leg] as well. We're in the midst of a good run and want to continue it.
"Especially since we're at home, we really want to win to further build our self-confidence.
"We've delivered strong performances in the Champions League, as well as in the Bundesliga. Our current aim is to continue on in this manner."
Flick was not keen to discuss the Germany job, which will become vacant when Joachim Low leaves after Euro 2020, any further.
"I have said everything about this topic, but nothing has changed for me," he said. "I do not comment on the topic."
Since Flick took charge of the club, Bayern have won their six home games in the Champions League by an aggregate score of 18-3.
However, only one of the previous six have come in the knockout stages of the competition – beating Chelsea 4-1 in the second leg of last season’s round of 16.
Lazio, meanwhile, have only won one of their last 15 away games in the Champions League (D5 L9).
The Serie A side are winless in the last eight matches of that run (D4 L4) and have not one away in the competition was back in September 2003.
President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Michael Ricketts, has admitted that the team’s preparation ahead of the upcoming friendly against the United States is less than ideal, as the team will be without some of its best players for the encounter.
With the JFF and some national representatives yet to agree to terms on player contracts, several players will not suit up for the friendly. President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts, however, believes the situation is an opportunity.
“The show must go on,” he said. “We will be missing some of our best players, but this game provides a perfect opportunity for coach Whitmore to see other players who could possibly help to bolster his squad going forward. It is not a perfect situation, but it could be useful.”
At least one member of a 15-man local squad, called by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to prepare for the upcoming friendly against the United States, tested positive for the coronavirus and is now isolating at home.
The rest of the contingent, including head coach Theodore Whitmore, ancillary staff, and administrative staff, tested negative for the virus and are now in camp at the UWI/JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre.
The local unit will train at the venue for the next few days before leaving on the weekend of the 20th to join the overseas-based players, who will fly directly to Austria by March 22. The match will take place on March 25th at the SC Wiener Neustadt. The match will be Jamaica’s first international friendly since they faced Saudi Arabia over two legs, in November of last year.
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