Barcelona
Speaking to Spain's Cadena Cope radio station, Barcelona board member Jordi Mestre says "the door is open" for the club to make more additions this summer – in reference to questions about Paul Pogba – but that the squad is likely "finished".
Mestre cryptically says “If Luis Enrique asks for some reinforcement somewhere, the door is open.
“If the coaching team ask for Pogba, we will study it.”
But he also downplays the possibility of 22-year-old Pogba making the move from Juventus to La Liga, saying, "In principle, the squad for next season is finished."
Read more: The National's Transfer Talk page
Pogba has been most intensely linked this summer with either Barca or Manchester City, though the former have mostly maintained a quiet and measured summer approach and the latter have appeared to mostly settle their midfield with a major outlay to bring Raheem Sterling from Liverpool as well as a secondary move for Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph.
Pogba was an instrumental part of Juve's Champions League final reaching side last season, making 26 Serie A appearances and scoring eight goals. He added another goal and three asssists in 10 Champions League matches.
Manchester United
Wayne Rooney, in Seattle for Manchester United's tour of the US, has downplayed a future move to MLS, where he would join recent English arrivals Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
Rooney told the Seattle Times, "I'm obviously concentrating on Manchester United," when asked if a similar Stateside move would be a possibility for him in the future.
“When that time comes, that’ll be something I’d think about,” he did add, indicating in a few years’ time it very well could be an option. “(I’ll) sit down with my wife and children and decide if it would be right for me.”
England striker Rooney, at just 29, is a bit younger yet than either 35-year-old Gerrard, who recently completed a move to the LA Galaxy, or 37-year-old Lampard, now playing for Manchester City affiliate New York City FC.
Rooney supplied United with 12 goals last season in 33 Premier League appearances, with five assists, as the club finished fourth in manager Louis van Gaal's first season at the helm.
Paris Saint-Germain
French giants Paris Saint-Germain have offered Turkish club Galatasaray €10 million (Dh39.8m) for Brazilian defender Alex Telles, Turkish media reported on Sunday.
The 22-year-old left back joined the Istanbul team last year from top Brazilian club Gremio in return for €6.1m.
Three years running Ligue 1 champions PSG had initially offered €8m but then raised it to €10m, making a deal possible in principle although no contract has yet been signed, the Haberturk newspaper reported.
Galatasaray themselves have reportedly been keeping an eye on PSG’s 33-year-old Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
*Agence France-Presse
Manchester City
Former England youth international Patrick Roberts became the latest signing for big-spending Premier League side Manchester City on Sunday, costing them a reported £5million (Dh28.6m).
The 18-year-old – whose fee could rise according to Press Association Sport to £11m – joins forward Raheem Sterling, England international midfielder Fabian Delph and Turkish striker Enes Unal as City’s new recruits since Uefa freed them from the financial contraints imposed under their Financial Fair Play rules.
City announced the signing via Twitter with a picture of Roberts – who has played for England up to Under 19 level and was an integral part of the U17 side that won the European Championship in 2014 – signing his contract but revealed no details of the deal.
Fulham, who had hoped to retain his services but whose hand was forced when he handed in a transfer request, simultaneously announced the deal for Roberts, who was described by former Fulham manager Felix Magath as an “extraordinary talent”.
“The club can confirm that Patrick Roberts has joined Manchester City for an undisclosed fee. We wish him the best of luck in the future,” read Fulham’s statement.
Roberts played 22 times for the London club since making his senior debut last year ... in a 5-0 thrashing by City in the Premier League.
*Agence France-Presse
Liverpool
Liverpool have agreed to sign striker Christian Benteke from Premier League rivals Aston Villa for £32.5 million, the BBC and other British media organisations reported Sunday.
The 24-year-old Belgium international is now due to have a medical, with Liverpool’s club doctor set to return home from the team’s pre-season tour of Australia to conduct proceedings.
It is not expected, however, that Benteke himself will join the tour.
The forward arrived at Villa from Genk in a £7m move in 2012 and has since scored 49 goals in 101 appearances for the Birmingham club.
His 12 goals in as many games last season played a key role in helping Villa avoid relegation from the lucrative top flight of English football.
Liverpool went to sign Benteke, who still has two years left on his Villa contract, after off-loading forward Raheem Sterling to Manchester City for a record fee between Premier League clubs that could rise to as much as £49m.
*Agence France-Presse
Newcastle United
Newcastle United are expected to make Anderlecht striker Aleksandar Mitrovic their next summer signing.
Following the deal to bring Georginio Wijnaldum to St James’ Park from PSV Eindhoven, manager Steve McClaren has turned to 20-year-old Serbian Mitrovic to strengthen his attack.
McClaren, quoted by the Chronicle while on Newcastle's United States tour, said of transfer dealings: "We are very close to something. There is a lot of speculation and pre-empting of decisions.
“But certainly from the feedback back home they are working very hard to bring one or two players back in.”
Mitrovic was pictured by Sky Sports News arriving on Tyneside on Sunday.
On Saturday, Mitrovic wrote on his Facebook page: “It’s over! Again in black and white :)) Thank you RSC Anderlecht ! Thank you for everything!”
The reference to black and white reflects the colours of Partizan Belgrade, his former club, and Newcastle.
*Press Association
Greece
Former Liverpool striker Anthony Le Tallec has opted to continue his career in Greece, agreeing a two-year deal with Atromitos, the club announced on Sunday.
The 30-year-old former France U21 international was latterly playing in the French second tier with Valenciennes.
Now he has agreed to move to the club from the Athens suburbs after being tempted by the prospect of playing in this season’s Europa League.
“It is important to me that I play once again in Europe. There are many who say that I’m in the best phase of my career. I feel good, I showed it last season and I am now with Atromitos to take the team higher,” he told the club’s official website.
Le Tallec first emerged as a teenager at Le Havre and joined Liverpool along with Florent Sinama-Pongolle in 2002.
After being loaned out to numerous clubs, including Sunderland, he eventually left permanently to return to France with Le Mans in 2008 and was part of the Auxerre squad that featured in the Champions League in 2010.
After a spell in Major League Soccer with Chicago Fire, Sinama-Pongolle joined Swiss second-division side Lausanne earlier this year but suffered a serious knee injury shortly after signing.
*Agence France-Presse
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