Real boss Zidane ‘loves’ Kylian Mbappe

Matthijs de Ligt leaving Juventus would be a great loss for Massimiliano Allegri s side, according to former Bianconeri defender Andrea Barzagli.

Barzagli formed a formidable centre-back trio with Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci during his time in Turin, with the latter pair still playing for Juve when De Ligt arrived for €85.5million from Ajax in 2019.

The Netherlands international has fallen short of expectations during his first three years, leading to transfer speculation with Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich apparently interested.

De Ligt played more minutes (2,675) than any other Juve outfield player in the 2021-22 Serie A season as Allegri s side finished fourth after a poor start to the campaign.

While questions remain over t…

Liverpool are keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund winger John McGinn, according to . However, the report has claimed that the former Premier League champions will move for the England international only if one of their current front-three leaves.

Sancho is one of of the best young wingers in Europe and will be a big player for England at the upcoming Euro 2020 finals. The 21-year-old left City for Dortmund in 2017 and has developed well in Germany. The winger scores goals and creates chances for his teammates.

Liverpool would be a better team with Sancho in it. However, it is hard to see the Reds splash out the cash that Dortmund would want for the winger if Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah or Roberto Firmino does not leave.

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Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Italy international left-back Luca Pellegrini from Juventus on a season-long loan.

The Rome-born 23-year-old, who has one Italy cap from 2020, debuted for Juventus last season, going on to make 21 appearances in all competitions.

Pellegrini s move coincides with left wing-back Filip Kostic s arrival at the Bianconeri from Eintracht this week.

The former Italy youth international, who was loaned out to Cagliari and Genoa in 2019 and 2020 respectively, would also have faced competition for the left-back role with Alex Sandro.

Europa League winners Eintracht have made a raft of personnel changes this off-season in preparation for their participation in the Champions League.

Jens Petter Hauge, Lucas Alario, Hrvoje Smolc…

Gary Neville s in-depth analysis of Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sky Sports Monday Night Football gained plenty of traction.

It might have been mistaken for criticism, had the former Manchester United defender not put so much onus on making it clear just how highly he rates Liverpool s right-back.

No full-back that I ve ever seen in this country can do what he can do, said Neville, after animatedly laying out where he believes Alexander-Arnold, who has been questioned amid Liverpool s underwhelming start to the season and was left out of Gareth Southgate s matchday squad for England s Nations League match against Germany last month, can improve.

If he can get those consistency elements, we won t just have one of the best attacking right-backs this country has ever…

Barcelona have sold striker Luis Suarez to LaLiga rivals Atletico Madrid for €6million in variables , the Blaugrana have confirmed.

The 33-year-old was in the final year of his deal at Camp Nou and has faced an uncertain future since the end of last season.

On Wednesday, Atletico agreed to send Alvaro Morata back to Juventus on loan, paving the way for Suarez to be added to Diego Simeone s squad.

The 22 league starts and 16 top-flight goals scored by Suarez in 2019-20 were his lowest totals since signing for the club from Liverpool in 2014.

A largely successful spell saw the Uruguay international win four league titles and the Champions League as part of 13 trophies claimed with Barca across his six seasons.

, Barça legend

— F…

More than 80 per cent of EFL players feel not enough is being done to keep them safe from physical harm and discrimination on the pitch, while more than half are opposed to new rules on added time.

Over 50 per cent of the 100 players in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two surveyed by the Professional Footballers’ Association over the October international break said they had been part of a game where a pitch invasion had resulted in a player being attacked or harassed.

Under 20 per cent felt enough was being done to identify those responsible for pitch invasions, harassment of players and discriminatory chanting.

Almost 60 per cent of players said they did not support new rules on added time introduced at the start of this season.

Refere…

Harry Kane savoured the magical moment of becoming England s outright record goalscorer in a 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Italy.

Kane made history in the Three Lions Group C opener at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Thursday, breaking a record he had shared with Wayne Rooney by converting a penalty just before half-time.

The captain s 54th goal for his country doubled England s lead after Declan Rice had opened the scoring in a repeat of a Euro 2020 final that Italy won at Wembley in July 2021.

Argentina-born Mateo Retegui pulled a goal back on his Azzurri debut, and although Luke Shaw was sent off in the 80th minute for a second bookable offence, Gareth Southgate s side held on for their first victory away to Italy since May 1961.

Kane told Cha…

It is a long time since the winners of a Klassiker may not be sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga at the end of the game.

But even a ninth successive victory for Bayern Munich over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday may not be enough for the champions to be at the summit.

Bayern head into the first showdown with Dortmund this season in third place, level on points with Edin Terzic s fourth-place side as Union Berlin surprisingly lead the way ahead of Freiburg after eight matches.

It is the first time in 13 years that neither side have been in the top two when this fixture has kicked off.

Dortmund have already suffered three Bundesliga defeats this season, but they come into the game buoyed by a 4-1 Champions League victory at Sevil…

Christopher Nkunku s first-half penalty was enought to send Chelsea through to Friday s Europa Conference League draw despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat against Servette, going through 3-2 on aggregate.

Nkunku s 14th minute opener was cancelled out with goals either side of half-time from Jeremy Guillemenot and Enzo Crivelli, but the Blues were able to hold on to progress.

After a nervy start in Switzerland, Chelsea were awarded a spot-kick when Keigo Tsunemoto fouled Mykhailo Mudryk inside the box, with Nkunku stepping up to score from 12 yards as he did in the first leg.

But the hosts would draw level in the 32nd minute when Guillemenot was picked out by Dereck Kutesa before firing past Filip Jorgensen to level the game on the night.

Servette, though, won…

Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with a number of top clubs across Europe, even with the post of long-term successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. But speaking to the press ahead of his team s Premier League clash with Brentford on Wednesday, the Italian tactician has revealed that there are ongoing talks ongoing about a new contract to keep him at the Amex.

I feel very well in Brighton , De Zerbi said.

I have a great relationship with the players, with the club, with Tony [Bloom], with Paul Barber, David Weir and everybody who works in Brighton.

Yes, we are speaking about the new contract, but at the moment we are speaking, it s not done yet.

In September 2022, Brighton appointed De Zerbi to replace Graham Potte…