The Seattle Sounders will be "flying" if they can beat Los Angeles FC on Saturday.

That was the message from coach Brian Schmetzer, who is relishing a huge occasion at Lumen Field, where the Sounders have been outstanding.

Seattle are on a five-game winning run in MLS, with four of those matches coming at home. They have lost in Seattle only once this year, back in April.

After a slow start, there are now only five teams above them in the Western Conference, but one of those are LAFC.

It was a defeat in Los Angeles that set in motion the Sounders' five-game winless run to start the campaign, while their 2023 season ended with a defeat to LAFC at Lumen Field.

Seattle should not be short of motivation then, and Schmetzer is now shying away from the significance of this game.

"Saturday is such a big game against LAFC," Schmetzer said. "Everyone needs to come out and show up.

"This is a massive game for us. We've only lost twice in 18 games. That's pretty darn good if you ask me.

"We come out with a result on Saturday, and we're flying."

A win would close the gap between sixth-placed Seattle and second-placed LAFC to just four points, with this weekend's visitors wobbling in recent weeks against elite opposition.

The performance in the midweek draw with Real Salt Lake was merely "a little better" than in the prior humbling 5-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew, according to coach Steve Cherundolo.

"No, I was not happy with the performance [against RSL]," he said.

LAFC had won nine of their previous 10 ahead of the Columbus game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

Rusnak assisted Jon Bell's first Seattle goal in the midweek win over St Louis City, continuing his fine form. That was his sixth consecutive home match in which he had registered a goal contribution.

Obafemi Martins is the only Sounders player with a longer such streak in a single regular season, with a seven-game run in 2014.

Los Angeles FC – Mateusz Bogusz

Olivier Giroud officially became an LAFC player this week, but Bogusz has contributed handily while the team have waited for the World Cup winner to arrive.

Bogusz has contributed to goals in each of his past five away matches, the longest active streak in MLS. Only Carlos Vela has had goal contributions in more consecutive road games in the regular season for LAFC (six matches in 2018).

MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN

Across MLS and the US Open Cup, the Sounders have won six games in a row, their longest winning run since a streak of the same length ended in MLS Cup glory in 2019.

But LAFC are the Sounders' bogey side right now. They have won three in a row against Seattle and are unbeaten in seven in this fixture.

The Rave Green have not beaten LAFC since May 2021, and Saturday's visitors will hope to provide another reality check.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Seattle Sounders – 32.1%
Los Angeles FC – 42.5%
Draw – 25.4%

Graham Potter says he feels "really ready, really excited" to return to football management, but would not comment on speculation linking him with the vacant England job.

The former Chelsea boss has not been out of work since leaving the Blues in April 2023 after just seven months in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Potter began his professional management career with Swedish side Ostersund, who he guided from the fourth tier into the top flight and Europa League during his seven-year spell.

The former defender then spent a season with Swansea City, before a successful three-year stint with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Speaking at Leeds Beckett University, where he was receiving an honorary doctorate, Potter revealed his desire to get back in the dugout.

"Now, I'm in that good place where I'm happy to be ready and looking forward to the next challenge," he told Sky Sports.

"I've had a great break. The journey from where I started to where I finished doesn't come for free. It involves moving to three countries, with a young family, and all that comes with being a football manager.

"It was important for me to take a break, reflect and re-energise. It's been a good time to look at other things, other sports, other teams and visit places.

"I feel really ready, really excited to be back when the right opportunity comes."

Potter is one of several names linked with replacing Gareth Southgate, who resigned as England's head coach following their Euro 2024 final heartbreak against Spain.

While the 49-year-old refused to discuss the possibility of him taking over the reins, he paid tribute to the outgoing Three Lions boss, who led them to successive European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final during his eight-year spell.

"Today is not the day to speak about [the England vacancy]," he added. "I'm proud of the job Gareth Southgate did.

"As an Englishman in football, I don't think there's anybody who has more respect than he has; how he conducted himself, him and his staff, qualifying for tournaments, going deep into tournaments, getting the country behind the team.

"He's done an amazing job. I'd like to wish him well. I hope he has a nice break, and wish him well for whatever he decides to do next."

Manchester United have announced the signing of highly rated 18-year-old centre-back Leny Yoro from Lille.

United are reported to have paid the French club an initial £52.2million (€62m), a fee that could rise to £58.9m (€70m).

The move, which is subject to registration, sees Yoro sign a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option for a further year.

"Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour," Yoro said.

"Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project and showed a lot of care for me and my family.

"I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started."

Yoro made just 46 appearances in Ligue 1, 38 as a starter, and had only a year remaining on his Lille contract, but Real Madrid were said to be keen on the exciting young defender.

So United, who have been looking to sign at least one centre-back in this transfer window, have made their move, pipping Madrid and other potential suitors.

Erik ten Hag's side have also been linked with moves for Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs de Ligt and could yet return to the market to further bolster their defence.

For now, United manager Ten Hag can look forward to pairing Yoro with Lisandro Martinez, who missed a large part of last season due to injury.

What will Yoro bring?

Martinez's absence impacted United's ability to play out from the back, having replaced long-standing goalkeeper David de Gea with Andre Onana in a bid to improve their build-up play.

Despite his inexperience, Yoro should be able to have an immediate impact in that regard, showing his ability on the ball last season as he completed 92.1% of his passes in Ligue 1.

Among United players to attempt multiple passes in the Premier League in 2023-24, only Martinez himself (92.2%) could top that mark.

Harry Maguire, who made more starts than any other centre-back (18) for an injury-ravaged team, trailed considerably in that metric, completing just 83.1% of his passes.

Yoro does not yet dominate physically like Maguire or Raphael Varane in a defensive sense, but he has been compared to the France World Cup winner by Lille's academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme.

Dan Ashworth, United's sporting director, said on Thursday: "He possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class centre-back."

Strasbourg have announced the departure of head coach Patrick Vieira by mutual consent.

Vieira was in charge of the Ligue 1 side for just a single season, having signed a three-year deal at Stade de la Meinau last July.

The 2023-24 campaign was one of transition for Le Racing, who finished 13th in the French top flight, with Vieira introducing several younger players into the side.

Strasbourg, who begin their 2024-25 season against Montpellier on August 18, will now seek a successor to the former New York City, Nice and Crystal Palace boss.

"We would like to express our gratitude and thank Patrick for the work he has accomplished during this first phase of the project, and we wish him much success in the future," club president Marc Keller on the club's official website. "He will always be welcome at the club."

Manchester City have completed the signing of Savinho from Troyes on a five-year deal.

The Brazil international is Pep Guardiola's first arrival ahead of the 2024-25 season, in which City will look to extend their unprecedented four-year hold on the Premier League trophy.

Savinho played a key role during a loan spell with Girona last term, his 11 goals and 10 assists helping them to a third-place finish in LaLiga and qualification to the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The 20-year-old, who was part of Brazil's recent Copa America campaign, will wear the number 26 shirt at the Etihad Stadium, and could make his debut in the Community Shield clash with Manchester United on August 10.

"I'm so happy to be joining Manchester City, the Premier League champions and Club World Cup winners," he told the club's official website. "Everyone knows they are the best team in the world right now, so to be here is very exciting for me. 

"I'm excited about the chance to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest coaches ever, and someone I know will help me improve even more.

"I had an amazing time in Spain, and I'm looking forward to a new challenge of playing in the Premier League and alongside some of the best players in the world.

"I can't wait to meet the fans and my new team-mates and hopefully be a part of bringing more success to City."

Manchester United have confirmed Mason Greenwood's departure to Marseille.

Greenwood, who has not featured for United since January 2022, has joined the French club for a reported €31.6million (£26.6m).

The 22-year-old has signed a five-year deal with Marseille, who are now coached by former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.

Greenwood spent last season on loan at Getafe, scoring eight times across 33 LaLiga appearances.

The attacker was suspended by United in 2022 after he was arrested and charged with alleged assault, attempted rape and coercive control.

The case against Greenwood, who denied the allegations, was subsequently dropped.

Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja praised his side’s “seriousness” of returning to winning ways ahead of welcoming New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium this weekend.

The Lions recorded a fourth straight MLS triumph against Nashville SC last time out having won just one of their previous seven league encounters.

Orlando’s upturn in form has seen them bridge clear daylight between the sides below them and currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference table, just five points behind New York Red Bulls.

Pareja is hoping to continue their upward trajectory on home soil this weekend, with his players’ maintaining their responsibilities highlighted as a key component to their recent success.

"We are really happy, indeed with the result, but most importantly with the seriousness of the team, the discipline, the responsibility that the boys have had on bouncing back from those difficult moments,” Pareja said.

“And not just bounce back, but just keeping the level and the feeling and the plays against a [Nashville] team that is very difficult. I thought we played a very serious game.

“I see that group just playing the way we are and keeping our responsibilities, but at the same time being productive for the group. Very complete game for us and we're happy and ready to move toward the next one.”

For NYCFC, they are now without a win in their last three league fixtures following their 2-2 draw with Atlanta United in midweek.

But the draw at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium did come with its positives. Daniel Rios and Saba Lobzhanidze had given the hosts a comfortable two-goal advantage heading into half-time.

However, Nick Cushing’s side showed their powers of recovery to score twice after the interval, with Talles Magno’s late penalty securing what could prove to be a very important point.

NYCFC are currently in fifth in the Eastern Conference table, and know a win is a must ahead of the Leagues Cup break next week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando City – Martin Ojeda

The Lions have been among the goals in their recent MLS fixtures, with Martin Ojeda key to their goal-scoring output.

Ojeda has registered four goal contributions in his last five league games (two goals, two assists), with one of those assists coming in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in June.  

NYCFC – Talles Magno

Having suffered a knee injury in NYCFC’s opening game against Charlotte, Talles Magno had to bide his time for a return to first-team action, but he took that opportunity with both hands upon his return.

Magno scored a penalty in their draw with Atlanta and boasts an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents.

In his four games against Orlando, the Brazilian has scored two goals and provided two assists, losing just once against the Lions.

MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN

Orlando came into the contest with their confidence sky-high following their fourth consecutive league victory. Their last longer winning streak came between October – November 2023 when they won six on the bounce.

The Lions have scored 22 goals in their last eight league games, the most they have managed this season, as they continue to climb the Eastern Conference table.

NYCFC are enduring another period without a victory and have now gone three games without a win. However, they boast an impressive record over this weekend’s opponents and are unbeaten in their four meetings (W3, D1), with their last defeat coming in August 2022.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City – 46.5%

Draw – 26.5%

NYCFC – 27%

Serhou Guirassy enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Stuttgart last season, and the forward has now joined Borussia Dortmund.

The 28-year-old scored 28 Bundesliga goals last season, making him the second-highest scorer in the league, after Harry Kane.

Guirassy has cost Dortmund a reported $20million, and has penned a four-year deal with the club.

"Every child interested in football in the world knows this club, knows the black and yellow jerseys, knows the yellow wall. I'm very excited about all this," Guirassy said.

"I came here to win titles, that's what drives me."

He is the second Stuttgart player to join Dortmund after defender Waldemar Anton.

Guirassy averaged a goal every 78 minutes in the Bundesliga last term, while outperforming his 20.85 expected goals.

FC Cincinnati defender DeAndre Yedlin is hoping his team-mates can rediscover their competitive edge as they travel to the Red Bull Arena to face New York Red Bulls this weekend.

The Orange and Blue were forced to relinquish top spot in the Eastern Conference table as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Chicago Fire courtesy of Brian Gutierrez’s second half winner.

Cincinnati are now two points behind Inter Miami, who overcame their 6-1 defeat to Pat Noonan’s side last week with a convincing triumph over Toronto FC in midweek.

With Columbus Crew breathing down their necks and going to within five points of them with two games in hand, Yedlin insisted that his squad must rally together to rekindle that winning formula.

"We expect to win every game. It doesn't matter who we have on the field," Yedlin said.

"Since I've been at this club, I've noticed that the foundation of the club is hard work, is competing, is effort and then the little things sprinkled on top of that − the stuff that 'Lucho' can do, pulling stuff out of the hat.

“For whatever reason, the last few games it feels like that's a little off. There's nobody from the outside that can fix that. It's on us. It's on us to look deep within the team and find that competitiveness again."

For the Red Bulls, they extended their unbeaten run in the MLS to seven matches with their draw against CF Montreal last time out.

Sandro Schwarz’s side have drawn six of those games, however, and find themselves losing touch to the sides above them in the division.

The Red Bulls are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference, 10 points behind this weekend’s opponents with the possibility of dropping out of the top four should they fail to find a win on home soil.

Schwarz bemoaned his side’s lack of clinical nature in the final third, admitting the draw with Montreal left a bad feeling among his squad heading into their next encounter.

"It was a good game," Schwarz said. "But at the end, it's 2-2, and it's two less than if we play like the first 60, 65 minutes.

“Then you want to win. Then you want to go home with three points and that's it. And today, it's a bad feeling for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NYRB – Wikelman Carmona

Having registered just two goal contributions in his first 10 MLS games this season, Wikelman Carmona now has two goals and an assist in his last six league outings.

Carmona scored the Red Bulls’ opener against Montreal last time out, and has lost just one of his four previous encounters with Cincinnati (W2, D1).

FC Cincinnati – Yuya Kubo                                      

In the absence of talisman Luciano Acosta, Yuya Kubo will take on the responsibility of providing an attacking threat for Cincinnati in the final third.

Kubo has scored nine goals in 22 appearances for Noonan’s side this season, scoring in the reverse fixture between the two sides. However, the 30-year-old has won just one of his previous eight meetings with the Red Bulls (D3, L4).

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Cincinnati will be hopeful of returning to winning ways having lost back-to-back home games but have found comfort playing away from home.

Noonan’s side have won their last seven games away from the TQL Stadium, having taken just six points from their last five home fixtures.

The Red Bulls have won two of their last five encounters against Cincinnati (D1, L2), hoping to equal their last unbeaten streak which was eight matches between September – October 2021.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYRB – 38.6%

Draw – 26.5%

FC Cincinnati – 34.9%

Wilfried Nancy has insisted that his full focus remains with Columbus Crew amid links to the vacant United States managerial position ahead of their meeting with Atlanta United this weekend.

The Crew extended their unbeaten run to six matches in the MLS following their 1-1 draw with Charlotte FC in midweek as they aim to keep pace with the top two in the Eastern Conference.

Nancy’s side sit third in the standings, five points behind FC Cincinnati following their defeat to Chicago Fire last time out, with Inter Miami now at the summit of the table.

Despite their recent form, Nancy is hungry for more success with Columbus, going on to rubbish the rumours linking him with a move to the international stage following Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal last week.

"I don't talk about rumours, simple as that,” Nancy said.  

“Like I said, I am limitless. I want to be limitless, so the idea is to push myself, to challenge myself, but at the moment I'm here. I'm happy here. We'll see in the future."

“I’m really happy because the task that we had was very difficult, knowing the context, knowing the situations.

"But my players found a way to be ourselves and to play the way we wanted to play and to play really good sequences, but also to be disgusting to play against."

Meanwhile, Atlanta halted their three-game pointless run in the league with a draw against New York City FC, despite squandering their two-goal advantage in the second half.

The Five Stripes sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference table and are among a cluster of teams tightly packed at the wrong end of the division.

Interim head coach Rob Valentino is looking for a much-improved performance from his players, picking out his side’s individual errors that have cost them in recent weeks.

"We were under some pressure, and we tried to make adjustments at half-time about being better and just more brave," said Valentino.

"There were individual errors. So, it is about eliminating those moments."

"We were braver, more direct and playing in there. The goal came right away. The big thing is that we have to find out why we dropped off."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Atlanta United – Daniel Rios

While the Five Stripes may have forgotten how to win in the MLS, Daniel Rios has had no such trouble in finding the back of the net, scoring his third goal in his last four matches.

Rios’ strike against NYCFC was clocked at just 21 seconds, the fastest goal in Atlanta’s history, and they will be hoping for another quick start at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Cucho Hernandez continues to be the attacking spark for the Crew, with his strike against Charlotte FC his 13th of the season, scoring in each of his last three appearances.

Hernandez's goals saw him become the first player in the club's history to record 60 goal contributions over a three-year span, notching 38 goals and 22 assists in that time.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus come into the contest as the hot favourites following their impressive recent run, with their draw against Charlotte meaning they are undefeated in their last six games in the MLS. Their last longer unbeaten streak was from 13th November 2023 to 16th March 2024, a run of eight games.

Hernandez's strike for the Crew was also the 12th consecutive time they have found the back of the net, scoring 34 times during that run. 

Atlanta have failed to win in their last two games against Columbus Crew, but their last triumph against them came back in November 2023, last losing at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Crew in May 2022. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Atlanta United – 23.7%

Draw – 22.6%

Columbus Crew – 53.7%

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have fallen six places in the latest FIFA global rankings, following a dismal performance in the 2024 Copa America. The recent rankings, released on Wednesday, also saw drops for other CONCACAF teams, with the USA and Mexico slipping down the order.

The Reggae Boyz, now ranked 59th globally after slipping six places, faced a string of defeats in the tournament, losing 1-0 to Mexico, 3-0 to Venezuela, and 3-1 to Mexico, finishing at the bottom of Group B. This poor showing prompted immediate repercussions, with Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson resigning post-tournament. Hallgrímsson has since accepted a new role as the head coach of the Republic of Ireland.

The Jamaica Football Federation are currently in an advanced stage of hiring a new head coach, who is expected to reverse the team's flagging fortunes.

Mexico, now ranked 17th, experienced a downturn as well, falling two places in the rankings after their struggles. They were defeated 1-0 by Venezuela and held to a goalless draw by Ecuador. The USA, previously the highest-ranked CONCACAF team, slipped five places to 16th. Their Copa America campaign started promisingly with a 2-0 victory over Bolivia, but subsequent losses to Panama (2-1) and Uruguay (1-0) saw them finish third in Group C, leading to the dismissal of Head Coach Gregg Berhalter.

In contrast, Canada saw a significant boost, climbing eight places to 40th after an impressive run that saw them finish fourth in the Copa America. Coached by Jesse Marsch, Canada's journey in the tournament included a second-place finish in Group A, with a win, a loss, and a draw. They advanced to the knockout stages and eliminated Venezuela 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation. Although they lost 2-0 to Argentina in the semi-finals and succumbed to Uruguay in the third-place playoff, their performance was enough to propel them up the rankings

Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has confirmed midfielder Adrien Rabiot has left the club ahead of the 2024-25 Serie A season. 

Rabiot, who featured for France in their semi-final run at Euro 2024, made 212 appearances for Juventus since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. 

The 29-year-old featured in 35 matches for the Old Lady under Massimiliano Allegri last season, helping them to a 15th Coppa Italia title. 

Rabiot became the fifth Frenchman to reach 200 appearances for Juventus, leaving him third in the list of the club's all-time French appearance makers alongside Zinedine Zidane. 

Only Michel Platini (224) and David Trezeguet (320) have completed more outings for the 36-time Serie A champions. 

"I want to thank Adrien Rabiot and wish him well for the future," Giuntoli said during Thiago Motta's first press conference as the new Juventus head coach. 

Motta was announced as Juventus' new head coach last month after leading Bologna to a club record 68 points in Serie A, securing Champions League qualification for the first time in the process. 

The 41-year-old, who addressed the media for the first time since being appointed, believes success is forthcoming for Juventus, who have failed to win a league title since the 2019-20 season. 

"I was convinced that Juventus has a great environment and I'm happy to have the best facilities at my disposal," Motta said. 

"Then we hope to play as many games as possible. The goal is always to win and I know I have a big responsibility.

"I would never change my coaching position here for anyone else.

"The past was a pleasure, but we don't have to think about it any more. Now I am focused on what lies ahead, with the desire to prove that we are capable of challenging anyone.

"We don't want alibis linked to our many commitments, but we will have a positive approach to the season and the many games we will play.

"The next gen will give us a big hand. There will be 23-24 starters in the first team, there will be healthy competition for starting places."

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Dennis Chung welcomed the addition of two new sponsors to their coffers, which he says reaffirms the Michael Ricketts-led administration’s efforts to raise the profile of the country’s governing football body.

Though the contributions of five laptops and two tents from Smart Mobile Solutions (SMS) and Awnings, Windows, Doors, and Shower Enclosurers (AWDS) by Bernie Limited, may not seem like much, Chung pointed out that they should not be understated, as every bit of sponsorship is very much valued by the JFF.

In fact, he revealed that the laptops donated by SMS are said to be worth $800,000, while AWDS’ two tents, also boast significant value.

“A lot of times what we talk about is the large sponsorships that come in right, but we certainly at the JFF want to assure everyone that we treasure every single contribution that comes in here because, as I said, they say every mickle, make a muckle. People who don't organize a game don't understand how important, for example, a tent is. The tents are extremely important to ensure that we have proper security and coverage just in case the weather changes,” Chung said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“So we're very appreciative of this, Mr. [Mark Anthony] Bernard; it definitely will enhance our capabilities and ensure that we don't have to rent everything that we want, and that's what helps us from a cash flow perspective. Certainly, Mr. [Dane] Spencer and his team were really appreciative of this; it couldn't have come at a better time, a time that we were actually looking at how we could acquire some laptops, and definitely they've come in at the right time. So we really appreciate the support,” he added.

These sponsorships come on the heels of a recent $200 million deal between the JFF and Wray & Nephew, as well as another partnership with marketing company 876Stream.

For President Michael Ricketts, it represents a positive step in the right direction that the JFF is finding favour with both large and small corporate companies.

“One-one cocoa full basket, and we’re just very appreciative of small companies coming on and making significant contributions. We got five computers and we got tents, which are something we really do need, and if every small company could come on and make a small contribution, then it would touch the lives of some boy or girl in some disenfranchised community,” Ricketts noted.

SMS Managing Director Dane Spencer explained that their partnership with the JFF is one that he hopes will have a far-reaching impact.

“This collaboration where we are providing technology is actually very important because now we can showcase not just that we contribute and give back in this way, but naturally we're also trying to show that we can foster sustainable partnerships and something that will actually bring some value to the Jamaican populace.

“Because football, for us, is a little bit more than just a sport or a game. We know that it is something that actually helps with social development and the upliftment of our youth. So, the laptops that we're donating are equipped with the latest technology and essential tools for the JFF administration, and we think that they will help facilitate better communication for the federation and its day-to-day operations,” Spencer shared.

Meanwhile, AWDS Chief Executive Officer Mark Anthony Bernard expressed optimism that his partnership with the JFF will also blossom into something bigger in the near future.

“We at AWDS would like to thank the JFF family for this opportunity to be a part of contributing to the national football program.  We donated two tents, which is just a small contribution, but it's a start in the right direction. Hopefully, in the future, we can build on that and eventually become a part of this growing JFF family, where we'll be more present and be able to offer more tangible donations,” Bernard declared.

Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has confirmed midfielder Adrien Rabiot has left the club ahead of the 2024-25 Serie A season. 

Rabiot, who featured for France in their semi-final run at Euro 2024, made 212 appearances for Juventus since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. 

The 29-year-old featured in 35 matches for the Old Lady under Massimiliano Allegri last season, helping them to a 15th Coppa Italia title. 

Rabiot became the fifth Frenchman to reach 200 appearances for Juventus, leaving him third in the list of the club's all-time French appearance makers alongside Zinedine Zidane. 

Only Michel Platini (224) and David Trezeguet (320) have completed more outings for the 36-time Serie A champions. 

"I want to thank Adrien Rabiot and wish him well for the future," Giuntoli said during Thiago Motta's first press conference as the new Juventus head coach. 

Motta was announced as Juventus' new head coach last month after leading Bologna to a club record 68 points in Serie A, securing Champions League qualification for the first time in the process. 

The 41-year-old, who addressed the media for the first time since being appointed, believes success is forthcoming for Juventus, who have failed to win a league title since the 2019-20 season. 

"I was convinced that Juventus has a great environment and I'm happy to have the best facilities at my disposal," Motta said. 

"Then we hope to play as many games as possible. The goal is always to win and I know I have a big responsibility.

"I would never change my coaching position here for anyone else.

"The past was a pleasure, but we don't have to think about it any more. Now I am focused on what lies ahead, with the desire to prove that we are capable of challenging anyone.

"We don't want alibis linked to our many commitments, but we will have a positive approach to the season and the many games we will play.

"The next gen will give us a big hand. There will be 23-24 starters in the first team, there will be healthy competition for starting places."

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the arrival of Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina in a deal worth a reported £12million. 

Milenkovic, who featured in all three of Serbia's fixtures at Euro 2024, has signed a five-year deal with Nuno Espirito Santo's side ahead of the new Premier League season. 

The 26-year-old ends a seven-year stay with the Italian side having made 264 appearances in that time, scoring 17 goals in all competitions. 

Since his senior debut for Serbia in 2018, Milenkovic has represented his country on 57 occasions, featuring in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. 

Milenkovic will bring an aerial threat to the City Ground, having won 112 of 141 contested duels in the air, but also has the ability to play out from the back. 

He ranked only behind Lucas Martínez Quarta (1358) and Arthur (1350) for the most successful passes for Fiorentina in Serie A last season (1338). 

Chief football officer Ross Wilson said of Milenkovic: "He is a key part of our squad planning this summer and I know how enthusiastic he has been to join the club.

"We have long admired his performances with the Serbia national team and in Serie A and European competitions for Fiorentina.

"We are delighted he will bring his experience and qualities to Nottingham Forest."

Milenkovic becomes Forest's fifth signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of Carlos Miguel, Elliot Anderson, Eric da Silva Moreira and Marko Stamenic.

Forest started their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 win over Chesterfield last week and will play Championship side Sunderland in Spain this Saturday.