Como have accepted an offer from Udinese for Kosovo international Mergim Vojvoda, claim Sportitalia, so now he will discuss personal terms.

The right-back is 31 years old and his current contract at the Stadio Sinigaglia runs to June 2028.

He joined Como in February 2025 from Torino at a cost of €2m, before that playing for Standard Liege.

Vojvoda heading to Udinese

There had been reports of interest from the likes of Cagliari, Venezia and Monza, but it would seem as if Udinese have the upper hand.

Sportitalia transfer pundit Gianluigi Longari claims that Udinese made a proposal for Vojvoda and Como have accepted.

Sky Sport Italia give the figures as €1.3m plus €0.3m in add-ons.

Now it is up to the Friulani to agree personal terms with the versatile defender, who can also play in central defence, or in a more advanced position down the right flank.

He made 34 appearances for Como last season between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, scoring two goals with three assists.

Como President Mirwan Suwarso has confirmed the report he called Inter to offer a pact of non-aggression over Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. ‘This is a win-win relationship.’

The two Serie A teams were reportedly about to spark a bidding war for the England international, with an asking price of €35m from Stamford Bridge.

Just as it looked as if they were going to go head-to-head, La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that Suwarso had called Inter to propose a pact, where they would back out to ensure they weren’t both fleeced.

To the general astonishment of the Business of Sport podcast crew, the Como President confirmed all of that was entirely accurate.

Como take modern approach to transfer market

“There was a story in the media that we were in competition with another Italian team for a British player, they were saying we might want to buy him,” Suwarso told Business of Sport.

“So you know what, why don’t I just call the President of the other club and say, do you want him? If you want him, you go for it, we’ll back out. But if you buy him, then give me one of yours.

“He said, thanks for calling, I appreciate this, I’ll let you know. So we said these are the other targets we’re going after, we’re happy to share with you.

“So for me this is a win-win relationship with other clubs, we are open, it helps all of us to grow. I have a lunch next week with another chairman of another club, who can start managing their clothing brand together.”

There are some Serie A sides who produce their own kits and lifestyle products, specifically Napoli and Venezia, so it is likely one of these is his lunch dates.

Como do things very differently to other clubs, and part of that is because they were so small before the Indonesian decided to take them from Serie C to the Champions League.

“We spent a quite significant amount, but we do believe that we can break even and start no longer requiring injections from the owners at the end of next season,” said Suwarso.

“I met with UEFA, there’s no precedent of where we are, because UEFA look at the last few years. In comparison with Juventus and Aston Villa, the start-up level and growth level is different. Even they say they would have to evaluate how they look at Financial Fair Play.

“We want to become good members of the Association, so if you have to fine us, then fine us, that can be an objective we need to overcome. We don’t want to be treated differently.”

Suwarso confirmed purchased Como for €850,000 plus €150,000 in debt, but then poured money into the club, including the construction of a training ground that previously didn’t exist.

David Ornstein says there could be a “great market opportunity” for Manchester United and other clubs to sign Roma midfielder Manu Kone this summer.

The France international has been in superb form in Serie A and also put in some “excellent” displays for Les Bleus at the 2026 World Cup.

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Kone has been linked with a number of top clubs in recent times, and it seems Ornstein is aware of Man Utd’s interest in him, with the Athletic journalist describing him as a good cheap option on the market this summer…

A lot of reports suggest that Manchester United are looking at him, and I think that would be excellent.

“It's, from what we hear, a great market opportunity, the value that you could get him from Roma.”

France’s Manu Kone was one of the World Cup’s breakout stars – and… pic.twitter.com/xi1fA5gZJE

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 15, 2026

“It’s, from what we hear, a great market opportunity, the value that you could get him from Roma,” Ornstein said of Kone.

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Manu Kone transfer: What we know so far

Kone previously made a name for himself at Borussia Monchengladbach before moving to Roma in 2024, in an initial loan move that later became permanent.

The 25-year-old now clearly seems to be on United’s radar, following updates from both Ornstein in the video above, as well as a recent YouTube post from Fabrizio Romano.

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MUFC have already confirmed the signings of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos in midfield, but it seems they’re keen on a third new addition in that position.

Do Man United need Manu Kone?

Some fans might feel a third new midfielder is a bit excessive, but there could be a case for completely revamping that position.

Casemiro has just left Old Trafford after coming to the end of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte is out with a long-term injury and hadn’t particularly impressed enough to be a regular starter for the club anyway.

There’s also Kobbie Mainoo, but if Michael Carrick can rotate between him, Kone, Tielemans, and Santos, that should cover the team well for the season ahead, with the team now set to have more games due to being back in the Champions League.

The post “Great market opportunity” – Ornstein’s Man United transfer update on “excellent” World Cup star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

After Paulo Dybala, Roma have reportedly agreed new contracts with Zeki Celik, Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante, with talks on for Lorenzo Pellegrini too.

The Giallorossi have been going down the list of priorities this summer, and much of that revolves around keeping the group intact that qualified for the Champions League.

Roma keeping core of squad

Dybala was the most urgent, as his contract had already expired on June 30 and he had offers from Boca Juniors, but this week he signed a new deal to June 2027 at a reduced salary.

It is widely reported that Celik has also agreed a new contract after becoming a free agent.

Now SportMediaset claim that both defender Mancini and midfielder Cristante have shaken hands on agreements holding them to the Giallorossi.

Mancini will be to June 2029, and Cristante only to June 2028.

Transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano also confirms that talks are in progress with Pellegrini to extend his stay, as he too is a free agent as of July 1.

Venezia unveiled their home jersey for the 2026/27 season upon their return to Serie A, designed by club co-owner Drake’s NOCTA label, with promise of further streetwear options.

The Lagunari have been promoted back to the top flight after winning the 2025-26 Serie B title.

Venezia release home shirt for new season

They are celebrating the comeback with a mainly black shirt that showcases the club’s unusual and iconic orange and green bands across the chest.

There are also orange and green accents along the collar, and on the sleeves.

This is designed by NOCTA, the clothing company run by rapper Drake, who is a minority shareholder of Venezia FC.

As part of this collaboration, the club and NOCTA will also release a series of training, travel, fanwear and streetwear items throughout the course of the campaign.

Kappa had been the kit designers for the Stadio Penzo side until the announcement in February that NOCTA were taking over.

Como have officially signed Italy Under-20 international Mattia Liberali from Catanzaro, activating the €6m release clause after he turned down a return to Milan.

“It’s a real thrill to be able to start my journey at Como,” Liberali told the club website.

“I’m really keen to develop and improve, and I’ve found we share a lot of common ground with the club in this regard. I’ve also spoken to the manager, and I think the playing philosophy is perfect for me. I can’t wait to take to the pitch at the Sinigaglia and meet the fans.”

Liberali ready to take off at Como

The creative midfielder only turned 19 in April and has represented Italy at various youth levels throughout his career.

He was a product of the Milan youth academy, but left amid frustration last summer when he realised there would be no playing time or imminent promotion to the senior squad.

Liberali joined Catanzaro effectively for nothing, but with Milan still owed 50 per cent of the future sale fee.

It was widely reported that the Rossoneri had tried to talk him into returning to San Siro this season, where he would cost them just €3m rather than the full €6m release clause.

However, he was convinced that Como and working with Cesc Fabregas would be the correct next step in his career.

He has signed a contract with Como until June 2031.

“Mattia is a creative player with excellent technical ability and confidence in possession,” coach Fabregas told the club website.

“He can operate in tight spaces, create chances and contribute in the final third. We believe his qualities fit our style and look forward to helping him continue his development.”

Last season, Liberali scored four goals with four assists in 30 games for Serie B side Catanzaro.

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli is reportedly attracting transfer interest from as many as five clubs as he could be on the move this summer.

The Brazil international has perhaps not developed quite as well as many at Arsenal will have expected, scoring only one league goal for the entire 2025/26 campaign.

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Martinelli fared better in Europe, scoring six goals in 14 Champions League games as the Gunners reached the final of the competition.

According to Ekrem Konur, it now seems Martinelli could leave Arsenal, and he has interest from big clubs such as Manchester United, Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Roma…

?#Arsenal Gabriel Martinelli could leave Arsenal this summer.

? Man United, Newcastle and Bayern Munich are interested.

? Roma and Juventus have also contacted Arsenal for the Brazilian winger. https://t.co/IQREY7Thwc pic.twitter.com/IMcERmFXhq

— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) July 15, 2026

Konur posted: “Gabriel Martinelli could leave Arsenal this summer. Man United, Newcastle and Bayern Munich are interested. Roma and Juventus have also contacted Arsenal for the Brazilian winger.”

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Arsenal need an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli

It’s surely time for Arsenal to move on from Martinelli, who is just not consistent enough to start regularly for a club with the ambition to win major titles like the Premier League and the Champions League.

The 25-year-old has been at the Emirates Stadium since 2019 and perhaps he’d now benefit from a change of scene.

Arsenal could also do well to try something different on that side of their front three, and they’ve been strongly linked with Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis by Ben Jacobs and others.

Could Gabriel Martinelli still have a good Premier League career?

Martinelli has still shown enough during his time at AFC that could make him tempting to other English clubs, so the links with Man Utd and Newcastle aren’t too surprising.

We’ve previously been informed of Newcastle asking about Martinelli, though this has not yet progressed as far as we’re aware.

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The Magpies could do well to land Martinelli as a replacement for Anthony Gordon, who left for Barcelona earlier this summer.

United, meanwhile, might do well to bring in Martinelli to give them more depth behind their first choice front three of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, as he can fill in on the left, right, or as a central striker.

The post Update: Contacts held as clubs queue up to sign Arsenal star, including Man Utd & Newcastle appeared first on CaughtOffside.

There are reports Besiktas have set a deadline for Dusan Vlahovic to accept their offer, but the striker continues to wait for bigger European clubs, with Juventus in the background.

The forward is a free agent after letting his contract with Juve run down on June 30, and rejected the proposal to extend for €6m per season, approximately half the salary he was on before, plus performance-related bonuses.

Vlahovic not getting offers he expected

He had expected numerous bids to flood in from sides like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal, but so far the only genuine offer on the table is from Besiktas.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, that is a three-year contract worth around €8m per season, but without the big signing-on fee and commission that he is looking for.

Besiktas are losing patience, and it’s reported they have set a deadline of Thursday evening for Vlahovic to either accept, or they will turn towards other targets.

The Serbia international does not seem inclined to take the contract, as he still believes that better offers will come in during the summer.

Juventus are also increasingly confident that Vlahovic might come crawling back to Turin when he sees the lack of alternatives.

Former Arsenal, Ajax and Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu could return to Serie A as a free agent, with Sassuolo and Venezia in talks.

The versatile Japan international is out of contract after his experience with Ajax, having joined them for free last summer when leaving Arsenal.

Able to play in central defence, as a right-back or a left-back, he is still only 27 years old.

Tomiyasu could return to Serie A

According to Tuttomercatoweb, there have been negotiations with his entourage for a possible return to Italy with Sassuolo and newly-promoted Venezia.

Tomiyasu wore the Bologna jersey from 2019 to 2021, when he earned an €18.6m transfer to Arsenal.

He amassed 61 Serie A appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists playing for the Rossoblu.

His career was most recently thrown off track by a serious knee injury, which kept him out from July 2024 to October 2025, but he did participate in the 2026 World Cup with Japan.

Venezia made the move for the Japanese player after discovering Marin Sverko requires surgery that could keep him out of action for several months.

Genoa have revealed their new home jersey for the 2026/27 season, which is inspired by the 35^th anniversary of beating Liverpool at Anfield.

The Grifone launched their kit with a special video titled ‘you’ll never run alone,’ a play on the iconic Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Genoa remember Anfield coup

Kombat designed the jersey and the advertising campaign reunited some of the stars who were part of that game, including Tomas Skuhravy, Mario Bortolazzi, Armando Ferroni, Vincenzo Torrente and Gennaro Ruotolo.

The 2-1 result in March 1992 allowed the Grifone to become the first ever Italian side to beat Liverpool on their home turf, and secure a 4-1 aggregate victory to reach the UEFA Cup semi-final.

Unfortunately, some of the legendary players from that season, captain Gianluca Signorini and defender Andrea Fortunato, are no longer with us, but are referenced in the video.

Carlos Aguilera scored both goals in the game, which is remembered in the clip with the original commentary from Bruno Pizzul.

Danilho Doekhi has spoken for the first time as a Lazio player, with the Dutch defender completing the final stage of his medical before joining up with his new teammates.

Speaking to the club’s official channels, the former Union Berlin man made clear his satisfaction at the move.

“I’m very happy to be here. Lazio are a very important club, so I’m glad to have arrived,” he said. “I’ve spoken with coach Gattuso. We had a good chat. Now we just have to work. There are already two Dutch lads here and that helps me a lot, it’s nice that they’re here.”

Asked to describe himself, Doekhi offered a clear self-portrait.

“I’m a defender who tries to read the game, who likes defending, taking on strikers and stopping them from scoring,” he said. “But I also like to be dangerous in the opposition box from set-pieces and score with my head.”

New Lazio star Doekhi reveals Varane inspiration and Bogarde family ties

Football runs in the family: his uncle is former Ajax, Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea defender Winston Bogarde.

“I speak with him often, about this transfer too. He told me Lazio are a great club and Italy is a beautiful country to live in, and that the league is very competitive,” Doekhi said.

His compass, though, points to a more recent great. “My idol has always been Varane. He’s stopped playing but I always liked him enormously, partly because we have a similar style. For me he’s a reference point.”

The 28-year-old has taken the number five shirt, which he wore in Berlin, and signed off with a message for his new supporters, and a choice of nickname.

“You can call me Dani, or Duki, whatever you prefer! To the fans I want to say I’m delighted to be here, I can’t wait to meet them and I hope to give them plenty of satisfaction.”

Doekhi’s arrival continues the reshaping of Gennaro Gattuso’s defence following Mario Gila’s sale to Milan, giving the Biancocelesti an experienced, physical presence at the back.

Aleksandar Stankovic will be part of Inter’s squad next season, and Cristian Chivu has made no secret of his enthusiasm for a player he first coached in the club’s youth ranks.

According to Calciomercato.com, the Serbian midfielder, youngest son of Nerazzurri great Dejan, has been bought back from Club Brugge for a total of €23 million after a breakout campaign in Belgium, a net outlay of €13 million once the €10 million Brugge paid a year earlier is factored in.

Asked at his season-opening press conference whether Stankovic could replicate Pio Esposito’s explosion into the first team, Chivu replied: “I hope so for him and for myself. He worked in our youth sector, he made a brave choice going abroad and had two important seasons. He has matured, I can’t wait to see him on the pitch.”

Where Stankovic fits in Chivu’s Inter midfield

The 2005-born midfielder is a slightly atypical profile. He came through as a deep-lying organiser, screening the defence and dictating tempo with the vertical passing Chivu prizes, but at Brugge he evolved into something more advanced, arriving behind the strikers and into shooting range from one of the two deeper berths in a midfield triangle.

That versatility could reshape Inter’s engine room.

Stankovic offers a genuine alternative to Hakan Calhanoglu as the central pivot, sparing Petar Sucic from being dragged into the regista role and freeing the Croatian to fight Piotr Zielinski for the mezzala space vacated by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Alternatively, with Davide Frattesi’s departure long mooted, Stankovic could deputise for Nicolò Barella on the right of the three, where his shooting from range, a family trait, would be an asset.

His integration will be gradual, as it was for Sucic before him, with no rush to throw him in prematurely. But for a boy who has often said that wearing this shirt was his childhood dream, the season ahead is his chance to prove he belongs.

Udinese defender Oumar Solet was linked with Inter and Juventus, but now there are reports Leeds United are coming in with an offer worth €25m.

The centre-back impressed last season in Friuli and is still considered hot property on the transfer market.

However, the Serie A sides showing firm interest like Inter and Juve are forced to deal with other priorities first, so let the negotiations slide rather than pay the €25m asking price.

Solet snapped up by Leeds United?

That could prove costly, because Il Messaggero Veneto newspaper via FCInterNews claim that Leeds United are making no such qualms, so are ready to swoop with the full fee.

It would be the second time in a few days that Leeds United have dived in to pick up a Serie A talent, as they already agreed a €40m deal with Sassuolo for Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic.

When Inter did come forward with proposals for Solet, they were believed to be worth €20m including add-ons, which is not enough to tempt Udinese into a sale.

It is a big profit for Udinese, who picked up the Frenchman as a free agent in January 2025 after he left RB Salzburg in a contract dispute in September 2024.

Napoli’s new season is under way, with a first group of players reporting back for duty, among them two men whose summers have been anything but quiet.

According to IlNapolista, eleven players gathered at the SSC Napoli Training Center for the customary medicals and athletic tests: Beukema, Contini, Giovane, Gutierrez, Rafa Marin, Lindstrom, Mazzocchi, Lucca, Meret, Milinkovic-Savic and Vergara.

Vergara and Milinkovic-Savic report amid Napoli transfer talk

The last two names carry the most intrigue.

Antonio Vergara returns as the young midfielder the club refused to sell, having rebuffed offers approaching €30 million while moving to extend his contract, with Massimiliano Allegri planning a role for him in the senior side.

Goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s situation points the other way: he is among the sizeable group of players tipped for possible exits as the club works to slim down a squad Aurelio De Laurentiis has said must shed some of.

Pasquale Mazzocchi and Jesper Lindstrom, both also linked with moves away, were in the group too.

The Milan Public Prosecutor has announced the dismissal of the case against ex-referee designator Gianluca Rocchi, his deputy Andrea Gervasoni and Inter, who had come under scrutiny over alleged attempts to influence the appointment of referees.

An investigation into Rocchi, Gervasoni, and other referees regarding alleged sporting fraud has been dismissed by the Milan Public Prosecutor.

No player or coach from any Italian team was known to be under investigation, but Inter had been under scrutiny, with suspicions that some of Rocchi’s referee appointments were made to please the Nerazzurri and to avoid match officials they didn’t like.

As reported by Gazzetta, Inter simultaneously entered into the register of suspects, but the proceedings against the club were immediately dismissed.

The main allegation against Rocchi, however, was that he put external pressure to influence VAR decisions during some Serie A matches.

Rocchi voluntarily stepped down during the investigation and was first replaced by Dino Tommasi and then by Daniele Orsato.

In an official statement, quoted by Gazzetta, the Public Prosecutor’s Office said it had “requested that the Preliminary Investigations Judge dismiss the criminal proceedings concerning the offence under Articles 81 (continued offence) and 110 of the Italian Criminal Code, and Article 1, paragraph 1, of Law No. 401/1989, in relation to the alleged attempts to influence the selection or exclusion of match officials.”

With the same statement, the Milan Prosecutor’s Office said it had transferred the case file to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Monza regarding allegations relating to incidents that occurred in the VAR operations room.

Copies of the case file were also sent to both the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI).

The investigation did not identify any structured scheme designed to influence the referee appointments.

The criminal investigation has been closed, but the review of the evidence relating to alleged influence on VAR will continue with the Monza Prosecutor’s Office examining the conduct of Luigi Nasca and Stefano Di Vuono, while Daniele Paterna’s position will continue to be examined in Milan.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has received the case files to determine whether the facts may constitute violations of sporting regulations, although that appears unlikely given that no sporting investigation had previously been opened.

Reports in Italy claim that Tottenham defender Djed Spence would be more expensive than Anan Khalaili for Inter, but the Nerazzurri are still willing to open talks with Spurs.

Inter are looking for a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid after the Merengues agreed to match his €20m release clause.

Inter ready to enter talks with Tottenham for Spence

Inter’s primary target, Marco Palestra, joined Chelsea instead, while Khalaili failed his medical tests this week, leaving the Serie A title holders still in need of a new right wing-back.

Gazzetta, Sky Sport Italia and Corriere dello Sport claim that Spence is quickly becoming Inter’s favourite target, although the Nerazzurri are still assessing and have a long shortlist, which includes Strasbourg’s Guela Doué, among others.

These sources claim that Spence would be more expensive than €25m-30m, the fee that the Nerazzurri were ready to invest to sign Khalaili, who was ready to complete a permanent €25m deal plus €5m add-ons.

Despite that, according to Sky, the Nerazzurri are still determined to enter talks with Tottenham.

Informal contacts have already taken place and even involved Cristian Romero, but the Argentine centre-back would be even more expensive than Spence as Spurs have demanded €50m.

Leeds are advancing strongly to pick up one of the World Cup’s breakout young players for a hefty fee.

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Leeds United’s big move of the summer so far was signing Harry Wilson on a free transfer, but the Whites are closing in on a far higher priced deal.

MOTLeeds says that Tarik Muharemovic is close to joining for £34m. Half of that fee will go to his current club Sassuolo, and the other half to Juventus.

The young centre back impressed with Bosnia at the World Cup, and will be one of the big transfer winners of this summer’s tournament. Sunderland and Bournemouth are also linked, but it seems Leeds are further ahead in their arrangements.

Shea Charles wanted by Leeds despite big bids for Bosnia man

The piece stresses that any deal for Muharemovic won’t affect Daniel Farke’s team’s long standing interest in Shea Charles of Southampton.

Their bidding is up to £30m for the midfielder, but they are able to buy both if their offers are accepted. The sale of Pascal Struijk to Brighton has freed up some liquid spending money which will allow them to continue to reshape their squad.

Get both deals over the line and Leeds will be looking a very interesting prospect for next season.

In other news…

Newcastle have locked in on a Fiorentina full back who is available at a bargain price this summer.

Trevoh Chalobah and Maxence Lacroix could end up swapping clubs this summer, with rumour about both moving in opposite directions.

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Aston Villa target Pervis Estupiñán isn’t the only player expected to leave Milan this summer, as the Rossoneri are preparing for more sales, hoping to raise €150m this summer, reports Gazzetta.

After securing the signatures of Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila for a combined fee of around €50m, Milan are now working on exits.

Aston Villa in advanced talks for Estupinan

The more advanced situation concerns Estupinan with the Rossoneri in advanced talks with Aston Villa.

There have been mixed reports on the Rossoneri’s asking price, with SportMediset claiming that the ex-Brighton defender can leave for €18m, while Gazzetta insists that the price is €20m.

The pink paper, however, adds that Milan might eventually be satisfied with selling the 28-year-old for €15m, the same fee they are expected to demand for Fikayo Tomori.

Other players are not part of Ruben Amorim’s plans, especially in central midfield.

Milan will listen to offers for Youssouf Fofana, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Warren Bondo, while winger Rafael Leao is on the market for €60m, but hasn’t yet received formal offers from any club, especially from Europe’s top five leagues.

According to Gazzetta, Milan aim to raise around €150m from player sales this summer in order to improve their financial situation after failing to qualify for the Champions League, but also to boost their budget for new signings.

Paolo Maldini’s appointment as Italy’s technical director has generated positive reactions nationwide, with fans and Azzurri legends alike expressing confidence and excitement.

Italy’s football federation (FIGC) confirmed Maldini’s appointment on Saturday night, announcing that the ex-defender will be joined by Leonardo, who has been hired as an advisor.

Italy turned the World Cup into a TV event for the third consecutive time; meanwhile, MelBet Tanzania kept football fans entertained with a thrilling tournament, which has seen France, Spain, Argentina and England qualify for the semi-finals.

Italy were desperate to rebuild, and Maldini’s appointment marks the start of a new project that will see the Azzurri legend take on a commanding role.

Along with Leonardo, Maldini will identify the ideal candidate to coach the Italian national team. Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini are seen as the frontrunners, but other names are starting to emerge in the Italian media, even some intriguing ones like Pep Guardiola and Didier Deschamps.

While waiting for a new coach, the first big decision by the new FIGC President, Giovanni Malagò, has undoubtedly garnered significant approval.

Dino Zoff, who coached Maldini during Euro 2000, which the Azzurri lost in the Final to France, said: “Paolo has given so much for our football, to Milan in particular but also for the national team. He was also one of my players when I was in charge and I can’t forget his father Cesare either, who was Bearzot’s assistant when I won the World Cup in 1982.

“Maldini is a perfect appointment in terms of character, charisma and competence. I also understand the choice of Leonardo as an advisor. It’s right that a leader surrounds himself with people he trusts.”

A 1982 Italy World Cup winner, Zoff is confident Maldini will make a wise decision regarding the new Italy head coach: “Maldini has to be free to follow his beliefs, without external interference,” he said.

Zoff was echoed by ex-Milan star Alessandro Costacurta, who spent many years with Maldini and won numerous trophies at San Siro.

“This is great news for Italian football, because we have brought in one of the most illuminated and sincere people in the sport,” said the former defender.

“Malagò made the best possible choice. In fact, picking Maldini is perhaps more important than choosing the new coach.

Leonardo is more of a dreamer, a visionary, whereas Paolo is more practical, looks to his knowledge and instinct,” Costacurta concluded.

“The best thing about them is that they listen to each other, despite starting from different ideas, and always manage to find a common solution.”

Antonio Conte refuses to comment on speculation regarding his possible appointment as Italy coach, but praises two of his ex-strikers, Harry Kane and Lautaro Martinez, who will meet in the World Cup semifinal tonight.

Conte left Napoli in May after spending two seasons at the Stadio Maradona.

One of the most successful Italian coaches of the last decade, Conte has long been linked with the Italy job this summer, but, following Paolo Maldini’s appointment as technical director, Conte no longer seems one of the top options for the Azzurri.

Conte gave an interview to Gazzetta dello Sport while on holiday with his family. The pink paper said that Conte agreed to talk to their reporter as long as the conversation did not concern his future.

“Now, I’m happy like this,” he said.

Conte did talk about the World Cup, also focusing on two of his ex-strikers, Kane and Lautaro Martinez.

Conte: Kane is almost a No.10

The Bayern Munich and Inter stars will meet tonight in the World Cup semifinal. The winner will face Spain in the Final next Sunday.

“Harry [Kane] is a great No.9, but he’s almost a No.10 too,” Conte said.

“He understands the movements; he knows when to drop deep and play as a playmaker. He’s a fantastic player, with great quality and technique. It was unfair that he had never won anything, and at Bayern Munich, he’s getting the satisfaction he deserves. Who knows, maybe he can do the same with the national team. Kane is a leader in his own way. Perhaps not with words, but inside the game. His teammates look for him because they trust him, and he never lets them down.”

Conte coached Kane at Tottenham and had previously won the Serie A title at Inter, coaching Lautaro Martinez.

Conte said he was impressed with the Argentine’s “continuous growth, as well as charisma and personality.”

“There’s an Inter with Lautaro and an Inter without Lautaro. His presence shifts the balance,” continued the Italian tactician.

“Lautaro’s contribution to Argentina’s third goal against Egypt went somewhat unnoticed, but it was incredible. He carried the ball up the pitch, protected it, gave Enzo Fernandez enough time to arrive and delivered a perfect cross. You don’t expect that kind of play from a No.9.

“Lautaro, like Julian Alvarez, understood that he could still be important even if only for a few minutes. They accepted the situation by putting their egos aside and prioritising the team’s needs. Credit to both of them, and to Scaloni for convincing them.

Inevitably, however, the brightest Argentine star is once again Leo Messi.

“He’s gone beyond expectations, once more,” noted Conte.

“He has arrived in incredible shape, which once again proves his incredible professionalism and desire. Leo has the brainpower to always be in the right place because he predicts what will happen.”

At the end of the interview, the journalist still tried to know more about Conte’s potential return as Italy coach.

“Too many things have been said. It’s time for action, not for talk and politics,” the ex-Napoli, Juventus and Inter boss replied.

“We cannot miss three World Cups in a row. A feat has been accomplished, but in reverse.”

Robin Gosens has agreed a transfer to Schalke 04 after he was frozen out of the Fiorentina squad in pre-season training, claim reports in Germany.

The player was informed he was not part of the plans in Florence and not even invited to join the team at Viola Park to work with new coach Fabio Grosso.

Gosens turned 32 earlier this month and his contract with the Viola was meant to run until June 2028.

Schalke 04 next destination for Gosens

German transfer expert Florian Plettenberg claims on Sky Sports Deutschland that a full agreement has now been reached, both between the two clubs, and on personal terms.

Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, Fabrizio Romano and Sportitalia all claim it will be a loan with obligation to buy for €2.5m plus bonus.

Fiorentina had excluded him, so were content to take a minimal transfer fee to get his wages off their books.

It is no ordinary move for Gosens, who grew up supporting Schalke 04 and has never played for them before.

He spent most of his career in Italy, first arriving for Atalanta in 2017, then earning a €27.4m move to Inter in 2022.

There was a brief return to Germany for Union Berlin in 2023-24, before coming back to Serie A for Fiorentina.

Manchester United have reportedly had recent contact with the agents of Roma midfielder Manu Kone as they look for a third signing in that position this summer.

The Red Devils have already officially confirmed the arrivals of both Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos in midfield, but it seems they’re surprisingly still looking for more in that area of their squad.

A replacement for the departing Casemiro was undoubtedly needed, while Manuel Ugarte is also injured after generally struggling for form, so two new signings looked sensible.

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A third perhaps looks like a bit too much, however, when other positions also surely need strengthening.

Still, Romano says United have had contact over Kone as they continue to look for new additions in that department.

Fabrizio Romano on Manchester United’s Manu Kone pursuit

Speaking in his latest post on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “Manchester United are still looking at midfielders. (There are) many names among the defensive midfielders.

“Many of you asking me, can you give us some names? It’s still early to indicate who is going to be the wanted player for Manchester United. I will tell you in the next days was going to develop there.

“I can tell you, for example, that Manchester United made a call to the agents of Manu Kone from Roma – (he) is one of the players they appreciate. There was a call over the recent days. Let’s see if it’s going to develop.

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“They have more targets at defensive midfielders. But Man United are looking for that kind of player.”

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MUFC are clearly determined to make sure they have plenty of quality and depth in midfield, and Kone looks like he could be a good option.

Still, it will be interesting to see what this means for Kobbie Mainoo’s playing time after such impressive form at Old Trafford last season.

The post Fabrizio Romano reveals Manchester United “made a call” to star’s agent over surprise transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Fiorentina talent Luis Balbo, who is already a Venezuela international, has been approached for a possible move to Sturm Graz.

The 20-year-old left-back has four senior caps for Venezuela, despite only making his Serie A debut in April 2026.

Balbo has impressed at Fiorentina

Coming up through the youth academies of FC Porto and Famalicao, he joined Fiorentina in January 2024 and was promoted to the senior squad in January 2026.

According to Argentine transfer pundit Cesar Luis Merlo, there has been a strong proposal from Sturm Graz.

The Austrian side want Balbo on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

He has made 10 senior appearances for the Viola and it remains to be seen if Fiorentina want to release him yet.

Now that Juventus are pocketing €20m from the €40m sale of Tarik Muharemovic to Leeds United, they will reportedly use it to get Jhon Lucumi from Bologna.

Multiple sources report his evening that the agreement has been reached for Sassuolo to sell Muharemovic to Leeds for €40m.

As part of the original €2m move to the Neroverdi, Juve are owed 50 per cent of the future sale fee, so are going to bring in €20m this summer.

Juventus reinvest Muharemovic cash in Lucumi

According to Sportitalia, that will be immediately reinvested in signing a new central defender, with Lucumi the first choice.

His release clause was set at €28m, but that expires tomorrow, so Juve are going to ask for a small discount in negotiations.

Juve had the opportunity to bring Muharemovic back to Turin at half-price, at a cost of just €18m, but had instead preferred someone with Lucumi’s experience and characteristics.

The Colombia international turned 28 last month and is down to the final few months of his contract at the Stadio Dall’Ara, set to expire in June 2027.

Bologna had paid €8m to buy him from KRC Genk in the summer of 2022.

Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero is leaving the club this summer, with Inter Milan and Barcelona interested, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Argentina international has had a mixed spell at Spurs, while the club have also endured mixed fortunes in the last few years.

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Overall, it perhaps makes sense that Romero is keen on a new challenge, and that Tottenham might perhaps also be content to part ways with him.

See below for details as Romano has posted on X to confirm that the plan is for Romero to leave Spurs this summer…

??? EXCLUSIVE: Cuti Romero to leave Tottenham this summer, Inter held talks with Spurs over recent days.

Romero has been offered as option during talks for Djed Spence.

Inter keen but costs very high.

?? Barça also like Cuti Romero.

? https://t.co/kTNiTHRWTl pic.twitter.com/0jripDDK9R

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2026

“EXCLUSIVE: Cuti Romero to leave Tottenham this summer, Inter held talks with Spurs over recent days. Romero has been offered as option during talks for Djed Spence. Inter keen but costs very high. Barça also like Cuti Romero,” Romano posted.

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What next for Cristian Romero?

Romero could be a decent signing for someone like Barcelona, while Inter also makes sense for him, even if that currently looks complicated due to how expensive the deal would be.

For now, it seems there isn’t much possibility of Romero staying in the Premier League, and that makes sense given that he hasn’t always appeared that settled here.

Despite some moments of quality, Romero hasn’t always looked that well suited to the physical demands of English football.

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Still, it’s easy to imagine the 28-year-old still having the quality to perform at a high level in a different league, and perhaps in a more settled environment than he’s had at Tottenham.

Spurs have been poor in the last two seasons, finishing 17th in 2024/25 and 2025/26, so even if Romero could have done better at various points, he’s far from the only one under-performing, and the frequent managerial changes and poor decisions in the transfer market won’t have helped.

The post Fabrizio Romano confirms Cristian Romero is leaving Tottenham, names two transfer suitors appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Multiple sources in Italy confirm Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic is ready to join Leeds United after the clubs agreed a €40m fee, with half going to Juventus.

Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, Fabrizio Romano and more all confirm the same details.

Muharemovic has chosen Leeds United

The centre-back had participated in the 2026 World Cup with Bosnia and Herzegovina this summer, and was widely expected to move on after two years at Sassuolo.

He made his way up from the Juventus youth academy and was sold to Sassuolo for just €2m in 2025 following the initial loan spell, but with the Bianconeri promised 50 per cent of the future sale fee.

It had been reported Juve considered bringing him back to base, as it would only cost them €18m instead of the €40m fee, but they preferred to just cash in on the sale.

Bournemouth and Sunderland were also strongly interested in Muharemovic, but the 23-year-old appears to be heading to Leeds United.

The central defender is expected in England over the next 48 hours to undergo a medical and sign the contract, once the final details have been ironed out.

Nicolò Zaniolo is refusing to train with Udinese after failing to agree a new contract, so there are reports he was offered to Milan over the last 24 hours.

The Italy international is in a rather odd situation, as he joined Udinese last summer on loan for €2.5m with option to buy for a further €5m, plus Galatasaray getting a 50 per cent cut of the future sale fee.

However, as it was a rushed job, it was done with the promise to re-evaluate his salary once the campaign was over.

That process is still happening, as Zaniolo has not been able to agree on a wage package with the Friulani.

Zaniolo pushing for Udinese exit

This week he was expected at pre-season training, but instead sent a medical certificate to excuse him from attending, a well-worn technique by players who are trying to force an exit.

Now Milan transfer expert Daniele Longo claims on his YouTube channel that Zaniolo’s entourage offered him to the Rossoneri for a summer swoop.

It remains to be seen if they are interested in a player who did have a good season, but also has a terrible injury record and hasn’t been able to find any consistency in recent years.

Since forcing the exit from Roma in February 2023, he has played for Galatasaray, Aston Villa, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Udinese.

The contract with Udinese technically runs to June 2029, so this could get ugly if a solution is not found soon for the 27-year-old.

He has also been linked with a return to the Stadio Olimpico, this time for Lazio.

Check out today’s Serie A transfer updates with Roma directors reportedly meeting the agents of Crysencio Summerville and Aston Villa’s warning to Juventus that Emiliano Martinez won’t leave.

It’s been another rather busy day for Serie A clubs, which are working to strengthen their teams for the 2026-27 campaign.

Serie A transfer news July 14, 2026

Roma are looking for new attackers and have already sent offers for both Alejandro Garnacho and Diego Moreira, according to Sky Sport Italia. The Giallorossi are also interested in West Ham’s Summerville and, according to Sportitalia, met the winger’s agent on Tuesday morning. Gazzetta claims that Brazilian talent Endrick is also among those monitored by Roma.

Juventus were previously linked with Roma’s Mile Svilar, although the Bianconeri’s main target in goal has always been Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

The Premier League club, however, have clearly stated today by their director, Damian Vidagany, that the Argentine is not for sale.

According to Gazzetta, the Bianconeri are preparing an offer to sign Franck Kessié as a free agent and have identified Folarin Balogun as a potential reinforcement in attack as they are struggling to reach an agreement with PSG for Randal Kolo Muani.

Multiple sources claim that Noussair Mazraoui is Milan’s main target to replace Pervis Estupinan, who has received an offer from Aston Villa. According to SportMediaset, Milan have demanded €18m for the Ecuador international.

According to Gazzetta, Milan remain interested in Antonio Silva, who has rejected a contract extension offer from Benfica. The Portuguese centre-back has attracted interest from Bournemouth as well.

Inter are still chasing a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, with Djed Spence and Nahuel Molina among their targets. Guela Doué is another right-back on their shortlist, but his club, Strasbourg, has requested over €35m.

Ederson, Napoli chasing Fiorentina defender and more news

Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli spoke for the first time about the collapsed Manchester United transfer for Ederson: “We were stunned,” he admitted. “He is happy to remain, and we are working on a new contract.”

According to Gazzetta, Sassuolo are interested in Daniel Maldini, who has returned to Atalanta after a six-month loan spell at Lazio.

Hamed Traoré has undergone his medical tests with Genoa today.

Ex-Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer has joined Club Brugge on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal.

The start of a new chapter.

Yann Sommer tekent tot 2029 bij Club! pic.twitter.com/MoHlQi2gA2

— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) July 14, 2026

Fiorentina have a verbal agreement to sign Real Madrid defender Víctor Valdepeñas, according to multiple sources, including Sky.

Napoli are interested in Fiorentina full-back Niccolò Fortini, according to Gazzetta.

Domenico Tedesco, Bologna’s coach, has said the club is “confident” that Riccardo Orsolini will sign a contract extension.

New Como signing Luis Milla: “Fabregas was very important in the choice to go to Como. I was glad he called me because of what he conveyed and his ambition to grow. I have high expectations. I could have arrived in January, but Getafe were not doing well, and it wasn’t the right time.”

Frosinone are close to signing Sebastiano Desplanches on loan from Palermo.

Serie A – Official done deals on July 14, 2026

Danilho Doekhi joins Lazio as a free agent

Felipe Jack from Como to Cremonese (Serie B) on loan

Lorenzo Gori from Frosinone to Grosseto (Serie C) on loan.

Matteo Agrimi from Lecce to Flaminia (Serie D) on a free transfer

Giuseppe Battimelli from Bologna to Lecco (Serie C) as a free agent

Maat Daniel Caprini from Fiorentina to Cesena (Serie B) on loan)

The bad news has already started for Roma before the season even kicks off, as Robinio Vaz has been ruled out for several weeks by a knee ligament injury.

The pre-season training only began this week at Trigoria under the guidance of coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Last term was ruined by a series of injuries, almost all of them to the attacking players, and 2026-27 is starting on the same foot.

Robinio Vaz already injured for Roma

Multiple reports including Sky Sport Italia state that Robinio Vaz sustained a right knee injury during training today and has been diagnosed with a lesion to the collateral ligament.

It is not a very serious issue, but still enough to keep the Brazilian out of action for several weeks while Roma staff evaluate the development of his recovery.

The 19-year-old was purchased from Olympique Marseille in the January transfer window at a cost of €22m plus add-ons.

Vaz made 14 competitive appearances in the Giallorossi jersey, contributing one goal and two assists.

Luka Modric is increasingly likely to commit to a new one-year contract with Milan, claim reports, and could join their pre-season tour of Australia.

The midfielder turns 41 in September, and his contract with the Rossoneri expired on June 30.

He was focused on Croatia’s performance at the 2026 World Cup and is only now getting over the disappointment of their early exit.

Milan have won Modric over

According to Sky Sport Italia, the intensive courtship of directors and new coach Ruben Amorim helped convince Modric that he should continue this experience at San Siro for another year.

The player has never disguised his desire to one day play for the Rossoneri, who he grew up supporting when Zvonimir Boban was in the squad.

He is still on vacation, but would seem to be heavily leaning towards giving the all-clear to one more season.

If confirmed, Modric will join up with the squad during their pre-season tour of Australia, which begins on July 26.

Despite his age, the Ballon d’Or winner played 37 games for Milan last season, scoring two goals and providing three assists in 2,864 minutes of football.

It would’ve been more, but he was ruled out for two matches by a fractured cheekbone in April.

Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli has admitted to being left “stunned” by Manchester United’s decision to pull the plug on the Ederson transfer.

The Red Devils had everything more or less done to sign Ederson from the Serie A club, before pulling out of the deal late on.

BBC Sport were among the outlets to report that this was due to an injury concern that came up during Ederson’s medical, though Atalanta have denied that there’s any problem with the player’s fitness.

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The Brazilian midfielder has been a star player for Atalanta, so they’ll surely be glad to keep him, with Giuntoli adding that they’re now working on tying him down to a new contract.

See below for Giuntoli’s response to Man Utd deciding against signing Ederson, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano on his X page…

??? Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli: “We were stunned [by Man United calling Ederson deall off]”.

“Now we are working on a new contract for him”. pic.twitter.com/mrTforgvsl

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2026

Romano posted: “Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli: “We were stunned [by Man United calling Ederson deall off]”. “Now we are working on a new contract for him”.”

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Will Manchester United live to regret Ederson transfer decision?

United clearly decided that signing Ederson wasn’t quite worth the gamble for one reason or another, and of course it would have been a big waste of money if they’d brought him in only to find that he wasn’t up to scratch fitness-wise, or ended up missing a lot of games through injury.

Still, Ederson looks like a top player and this surely won’t be the end of this summer’s saga, with other top clubs surely likely to also take a look at the 27-year-old.

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MUFC, meanwhile, have turned to other options, so they’ll hope that new signing Andrey Santos can prove a success, while Youri Tielemans looks like being next, according to the Athletic and others.

Santos and Tielemans are both Premier League-proven, which is a nice bonus to have when signing a player, but Ederson would have arrived more at ‘peak age’ than either of those two, and might arguably have acted as more of a level-raiser for this team.

The post Club director “stunned” by Manchester United transfer decision appeared first on CaughtOffside.

There are some free agents eager to remain in Serie A for new clubs, as Lecce have made an offer to ex-Lazio defender Elseid Hysaj, while Juan Jesus could join Venezia from Napoli.

The contracts expired on June 30 and now quite a few players are waiting to see where they will be involved in pre-season training.

Hysaj and Juan Jesus want Serie A

Hysaj is an Albania international, but spent practically his entire career in Italy for Empoli, Napoli and since 2021 at Lazio.

Sky Sport Italia report that the 32-year-old has received a formal proposal to join Lecce, but has not yet made a decision, which should be expected over the next 24 hours.

As for Juan Jesus, his contract was not renewed at Napoli, but he has been linked with newly promoted Venezia for a new Serie A adventure.

The Brazilian centre-back just turned 35 last month and is not ready to hang up his boots, nor leave Italy, where he has been since 2012 for Inter, Roma and Napoli.

Como have been very active, but also need to whittle down their squad, as Felipe Jack joins Cremonese, Southampton want Ivan Azon, while Club Brugge and Freiburg target Yannik Engelhardt.

The Lariani qualified for the Champions League after finishing fourth in Serie A and reaching the Coppa Italia semi-final, so are going to raise the bar even more this summer.

Cesc Fabregas has already received reinforcements like Luis Milla from Getafe, Kaiki from Cruzeiro and Barcelona youth product Andres Cuenca.

The focus therefore now has to be on whittling down those who won’t get playing time.

Como seek Jack, Engelhardt and Azon buyers

A transfer was already made official today, as defender Felipe Jack joined Serie B side Cremonese on loan for the rest of the season.

Fabrizio Romano claims that Southampton have started formal talks with Como for Azon, the 23-year-old Spanish striker who spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town.

The aim is to get a permanent sale for €9-10m, which is a big profit considering Como paid €2m to get him from Real Zaragoza in February 2025 and he never made a single appearance for the club.

The same pundit also states that both Club Brugge and SC Freiburg have made offers for German midfielder Engelhardt.

The Belgians have the upper hand with circa €10m on the table compared to the €8m for Freiburg, but the decision will be made soon.

Engelhardt also spent last season on loan, at Borussia Monchengladbach, and was bought from Fortuna Dusseldorf for €8m in 2024.

Cristiano Giuntoli assures Marco Carnesecchi and Honest Ahanor will stay with Atalanta under new coach Maurizio Sarri, is quiet on Kerim Alajbegovic, and hits back at Inter over Marco Palestra’s Chelsea move.

The former Napoli and Juventus director was appointed by Atalanta this summer, and held his presentation press conference this afternoon.

You can read the rest of his comments on the failed Ederson transfer to Manchester United here.

Atalanta resist interest in crown jewels

There are plenty of other players who have attracted interest from the Premier League and more Serie A sides, but La Dea are adamant they won’t dismantle their squad.

“We want to keep our jewels,” assured Giuntoli when asked about the Ahanor offers from England.

“There are many rumours around, but we do not want to sell anyone. Carnesecchi will remain with Atalanta, and we are certain this group can do well.”

There have already been some sales, most notably wing-back Palestra to Chelsea after his successful loan spell with Cagliari.

That €50m plus add-ons move was shrouded in controversy, as Inter accused Atalanta and the player’s agent of breaking an agreement.

“Everyone was fully aware of everything that went on. Palestra went to a big club and will represent Italy abroad. We were perfectly fair and correct with all parties,” insisted Giuntoli.

“On the right side we have Raoul Bellanova and Davide Zappacosta, so we’re pleased to have them. We believe that we have a strong squad all over the park, and we’re satisfied with the arrival of Gianluca Gaetano. Atalanta have always been alert for opportunities on the market.”

There have been multiple reports over the last few days that they are pushing hard to sign Bosnia and Herzegovina talent Alajbegovic, beating Roma and Milan to the punch.

“You read many things, we are focused on the pitch,” was Giuntoli’s only response.

The director of sport is not the only new face, because Sarri was hired as the Atalanta coach after his Lazio adventure.

“Sarri has a very clear identity and style of play, so we are convinced this squad has a lot of quality he can draw on, including in the youth academy.

“When you see Atalanta from the outside, you can’t help but fall in love with this project. It has a youth academy that is the envy of the world, there are people here who truly understand football. I accepted in a second when they approached me.”

Juventus are still trying to find a new club for Jonathan David, but there are reports he is more excited by the idea of Paris FC than Trabzonspor.

The centre-forward was a free agent when joining Juve last summer, albeit far from low cost because of the €12.5m in various commissions and signing-on fees, plus the salary at €6m plus €2m bonus net per season.

He struggled with eight goals and five assists in 46 competitive games, and is not suited to coach Luciano Spalletti’s football, so the club is eager to move him on.

David on the market for Juventus

According to Tuttosport and Calciomercato, the first real approach has come from Trabzonspor, but David is not particularly excited by the idea of the Turkish Super Lig.

Instead, a proposal from Paris FC might be more intriguing, considering he impressed in Ligue 1 with LOSC before coming to Juve.

The Canada international scored 109 goals in 232 appearances for LOSC, so feels he could revitalise his career in France.

While Juventus are hoping to get €20-30m from a sale, they know a loan with option to buy might also be feasible.

Lazio have officially signed Danilho Doekhi as a free agent after his contract with Union Berlin ran down, penning a three-year deal.

The defender turned 28 just a couple of weeks ago and his previous clubs include Ajax and Vitesse, before joining Union Berlin in the summer of 2022.

You can keep up to date with the latest done deals on our transfer liveblog.

Doekhi is a new Lazio player

He landed in Rome yesterday to undergo his medical tests and put pen to paper on a contract at the Stadio Olimpico until June 2029.

There is some Serie A link for the player, because he is the nephew of former Milan man Winston Bogarde.

A central defender, he will go into the squad now coached by Gennaro Gattuso.

Doekhi is the second free agent to join Lazio this summer, after Alfonso Pedraza.

New centre-backs were required after Mario Gila was sold to Milan, while Alessio Romagnoli is heading to Al-Sadd, although the latter has not yet been completed weeks after the clubs reached an agreement.

Arsenal have reportedly missed out on the transfer of Real Madrid defender Victor Valdepenas, who is set to join Fiorentina instead.

The talented young Spaniard is closing in on an €8m move from Real Madrid to Fiorentina, according to Fabrizio Romano in a post on his official X page today.

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See below as Romano claims Valdepenas will have a 50% sell-on clause and some form of first refusal option with his new club, putting Real Madrid in control over his long-term future…

?? Fiorentina reach verbal agreement to sign Víctor Valdepeñas from Real Madrid, here we go! ??

€8m transfer fee, contract until June 2031, Real Madrid mantain 50% sell-on clause and future control in case of any bids.

Clubs started exchanging documents today. pic.twitter.com/1HrErsjgM6

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2026

“Fiorentina reach verbal agreement to sign Víctor Valdepeñas from Real Madrid, here we go!” Romano posted. “€8m transfer fee, contract until June 2031, Real Madrid mantain (sic) 50% sell-on clause and future control in case of any bids. Clubs started exchanging documents today.”

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How Arsenal missed out on Victor Valdepenas transfer

Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Valdepenas, so there’ll likely be some disappointment that they missed out on the 19-year-old.

However, when you look at the terms of this deal with Fiorentina, they’re very favourable towards Los Blancos, and it’s hard to imagine Arsenal would’ve agreed to anything like that.

In truth, this looks like a sale that is very much set up for Valdepenas to come back to Madrid at some point in the future.

Otherwise, even if he leaves Fiorentina for big money, that should be profitable for Real, whereas a club like Arsenal would not generally be in the business of selling star names in that way.

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Chelsea launch talks with 18-year-old attacker on Arsenal radar

Jul 14 2026, 16:30

What it could mean, however, is that the Gunners can come back in for Valdepenas in the future if he impresses at Fiorentina, and whatever fee they pay would be split evenly between La Viola and Los Merengues.

Either that, or it could force Real into re-signing Valdepenas themselves.

The post Fabrizio Romano drops “here we go” for long-term Arsenal transfer target appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Massimiliano Allegri says that Scott McTominay and Noa Lang will be the first players to return to Napoli training after the World Cup, while Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne will be back on August 5.

Allegri was unveiled as the new Napoli coach at an event in Naples on Tuesday morning.

The Italian tactician was asked his thoughts on Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, who had a tough 2025-26 campaign under Antonio Conte.

Allegri: ‘De Bruyne and Lukaku return on August 5’

“I learned from an old coach. Until I see and coach players, making judgments from outside is always very difficult,” Allegri replied, via TuttoNapoli.

“I’m taking it with me. Starting tomorrow, we’ll get to know each other. Values are important. They’ll arrive on August 5. McTominay and Lang will arrive before.

“We’ll leave with whoever is available to start the work.”

Napoli had five of their players at the World Cup: Mathias Olivera, McTominay, Lang, Lukaku and De Bruyne.

However, Olivera, McTominay and Lang were eliminated in the opening stages, while Lukaku and De Bruyne’s Belgium progressed until the quarter-finals.

Napoli will start the pre-season tomorrow, Wednesday, July 15.

The Partenopei finished second in 2025-26, but during Conte’s two-year spell, they won a Scudetto and a Supercoppa Italiana.

Massimiliano Allegri insists he was never in talks for the Italy job before accepting the Napoli offer, refuses to reply to Milan owner Gerry Cardinale, but notes: ‘I’m happy to coach Rasmus Hojlund.” Last season, I dodged him…’

New Napoli coach Allegri was unveiled at a big event at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on Tuesday.

The Tuscan tactician has signed a three-year contract at the Stadio Maradona.

Allegri was joined by President Aurelio De Laurentiis and directors Giovanni Manna and Andrea Chiavelli, answering questions from reporters.

Allegri’s first Napoli press conference

“For me, this unveiling is too much. It’s the first time it has happened to me, and I thank the president,” Allegri said, smiling (via TuttoNapoli).

“Antonio Conte has shown all his worth in his career. I’m lucky; this is already the second time I’ve inherited Antonio’s team. Let’s hope it bodes well. Luck is important in life.”

During his two-year spell at Napoli, Conte won both the Scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiana.

“It will be important to work seriously and professionally, especially to find the foundations to get to March, as I always say, seasons are decided there,” Allegri continued.

“Staying in contention for the Scudetto, Champions League, and Coppa Italia would be important.”

Napoli will start their pre-season tomorrow.

“We’ll begin a wonderful adventure for me; it’s a crazy city,” Allegri continued.

“I immediately felt the affection, a passionate city, and I’m very happy.”

Allegri was reported to be on the Italian FA’s radar to replace Gennaro Gattuso, but the newly appointed Napoli coach said he was never in talks with any representative of the FIGC.

It’s worth mentioning that Allegri reached an agreement with Napoli way before Giovanni Malagò was elected as the new FIGC President on June 22.

“I haven’t had any contact about the [Italian] federation,” insisted Allegri.

“I’ve spoken to the [Napoli] president, and I was already close a few years ago. I’m happy to work with him, with all of Napoli.

“I have players who can play with multiple systems; the important thing is to have enthusiasm and a desire to achieve goals through sacrifice and hard work, and, as I said, I believe I inherit a team that has these qualities,” Allegri added.

“Football is debatable; everyone talks about it. It’s the most beautiful sport in the world, and it’s unpredictable. The modules, the systems, we have an important team, it has had successes in recent years, and it is important to continue the work.”

Milan sacked Allegri at the end of the 2025-26 season after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

“It’s not a matter of revenge; some seasons end a certain way. I’m sorry about how last season ended,” he said.

“I’ll take a moment to thank those who collaborated with me in Milan; it’s been an intense season. Winning or achieving goals is not easy, so we start from the understanding that nothing is a given, despite recent successes. Tomorrow is another season.”

Milan have replaced Allegri with Ruben Amorim, and at the Portuguese coach’s unveiling, Milan owner Cardinale noted that he wanted a team that “doesn’t play not to lose, but plays to win.”

“I absolutely do not comment on the ownership’s words. Again, I can only thank those who have supported me all season,” insisted Allegri.

“Then, unfortunately, we are sorry for the missed goal, but another year begins, beautiful to experience. We have three competitions, and we start with great enthusiasm.”

Talking about Napoli’s transfer strategy, Allegri noted: “The club takes care of the transfer market. We work closely together. Once I’ve seen the whole team, I’ll give some evaluations, and we’ll see what’s missing.

“With the director and the president, we will talk about how we can improve. An important collaboration, in today’s football, the challenge is to be competitive and sustainable. The team is already strong, then we’ll see what to do.”

Last summer, Allegri’s Milan failed to secure an agreement with Hojlund, who instead joined Napoli from Manchester United. When asked about the Denmark international, Allegri replied with a smile: “I’m happy to coach him. Last season, I dodged him; this year I took him.”

Lastly, the Italian tactician discussed the goalkeeper situation with Alex Meret and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic often rotating under Conte in 2025-26.

“Napoli have two excellent goalkeepers; they are important. Surely there will be hierarchies; there will be a first and a second choice. But I’ll see this during the pre-season.”

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus are interested in USMNT striker Folarin Balogun and are preparing the first offer to sign Franck Kessié as a free agent.

Juventus have made just one summer signing so far, welcoming Italian winger Jeff Ekhator from Genoa, but new directors Giovanni Carnevali and Frederic Massara are working to give coach Luciano Spalletti more reinforcements.

Kessié agent’s demands for Juventus revealed

According to Gazzetta, the Serie A giants are ready to send an offer to sign ex-Milan and Atalanta star Franck Kessié as a free agent.

The 29-year-old refused to sign a contract extension with Al-Ahli and is open to returning to Serie A, but his agent has demanded over €5m in signing bonus, Gazzetta claims.

PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani remains Juventus’ top target, but the Bianconeri have been in talks with the Ligue 1 giants for weeks and have threatened that they’ll walk away from negotiations if PSG don’t lower their demands.

According to Gazzetta, Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has emerged as an option for the Bianconeri, who are also keeping a close eye on Parma’s Mateo Pellegrino.

The Athletic reported in June that Balogun is considering leaving Monaco this summer, with the French club’s asking price being €50m, making the USMNT star no cheaper than Kolo Muani.

Sky Sport Italia reports that Crysencio Summerville’s agents are already in Rome and are likely to meet Roma directors in the coming days, while the Giallorossi have sent offers for both Diego Moreira and Alejandro Garnacho, which are being evaluated by Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

Roma have already made moves to bring attacking reinforcements, focusing mostly on three players: Garnacho (Chelsea), Moreira (Strasbourg) and Summerville (West Ham).

Sky Sport transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio notes that Summerville’s agents are already in Rome, as they are the same representatives as Danilo Doekhi, who is undergoing medical tests with Lazio before completing a free transfer.

According to the report, it’s likely that they’ll meet Roma directors in the coming days.

Roma have already sounded out West Ham about the availability of the Netherlands international this summer.

According to the same source, the Giallorossi have also made offers for Garnacho and Moreira.

Chelsea and Strasbourg are owned by the same group, so, according to Di Marzio, Roma’s proposals are being evaluated by Behdad Eghbali, the co-owner of both clubs.

According to Di Marzio, Garnacho and Moreira’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is now in talks with Eghbali to convince him to accept the Giallorossi’s proposals.

Italy legend Roberto Baggio feels Lionel Messi is better than Pelé and Diego Armando Maradona ‘for what he’s been doing for 20 years’, while Marco Materazzi picks ‘the real’ Ronaldo.

Baggio and Materazzi joined other football legends for a debate on football, including the best player of all time.

Baggio picks Messi over Maradona and Pelé

The former Azzurri stars were joined by other legends, including Gabriel Omar Batistuta, Ronaldo, and Romario.

When the debate focused on the best player of all time, with Messi, Pelé and Maradona in contention, Baggio said: “It’s very hard; it’s even ugly to rank, as we are talking about the absolute essence of football. These three have been above the others.

“As of today, I’d say Messi for what he’s been doing for 20 years, in terms of quality and quantity. If I have to pick one, I’ll say his name, but we are talking about three incredible players.”

Materazzi, on the other hand, picked another player sitting at the same table: “I always say this, for me, it’s him [Ronaldo]. Because what he did without two knees, going 150 km/h, nobody has done it. I’m a boomer, but when I watch YouTube, and I see what he used to do, at a time when defenders hit hard, you feel he was Martian, and he really was a Martian.

“Sorry, Diego, Pelé and Messi. To me, it was him, the Phenomenon. The Real Ronaldo, but respect to Cristiano.”

Materazzi won the 2006 World Cup with the Italy national team, scoring two goals during that tournament, including the equaliser in the Final against France. That was the only World Cup Materazzi played.

Baggio, on the other hand, took part in three editions of the World Cup in 1990, 1994 and 1998 and famously missed a penalty in the 1994 Final against Brazil.

• READ MORE: Messi gifts Baggio Argentina shirt after World Cup quarter-final

Gazzetta

Pirlo gamble: Maldini and Leonardo consider a surprise coach

Ex-coach of Juve and Samp, now he works in Dubai. Malagò: ‘Guardiola? You need to be compatible.’

Inter: Khalaili deal falls through, now they chase Spence

Milan, there’s Ramos with the No.9, Amorim at full speed

Juve, offer made for Kessié, Roma want Garnacho and Moreira

Final assault

France favourite, but Spain await Yamal

Corriere dello Sport

Inter, now Doué

Khalaili deal falls through.

CONI denies the eligibility of the Israeli wing-back. Dumfries’ heir still missing, relaunch for the Ivorian

Pressing on Strasbourg. Chivu: ‘We have no limits.’

Tug of war for the full-back, brother of PSG winger. Spence, Belghali, Ndoye and Molina sounded out too. Cristian: ‘After Scudetto and Coppa, we want to improve.’

Juve, Pellegrino advances

Cardinale, like Berlusconi, arrives at Milanello by helicopter.

Allegri hugs Napoli

Roma: Garnacho and Moreira

Dinner with Mbappé and Yamal

World Cup: The first semi-final France-Spain at 21:00

Tuttosport

Juve against everything

Not just refusals on the market: Yildiz and Thuram’s knees concern Spalletti and the fans

Patellofemoral syndrome for the Frenchman, as well as tendinopathy for the Turkishman, the season resumes with Douglas Luiz, the ‘star’ of the first day of pre-season. Carnevali’s ultimatum to PSG for Kolo Muani, then he gathers the players and staff members, highlighting the responsibility of being Bianconeri. David offered to Paris FC.

National team: Pirlo is on the rise

The new Italy technical director and his right-hand man want to rely on one of the Berlin heroes. Malagò is favourable to the idea of building a coach in-house.

Toro, Perri goes uphill too

Khalaili deal collapses: Inter ‘broken’

Golden World Cup with the Fantastic seven

Cagliari have officially signed Jacopo Fazzini from Fiorentina, on loan with an option to buy for a total €8m, with Harry Winks set to follow from Leicester City.

The Sardinians are very active on the transfer market this summer after securing their coach Fabio Pisacane to a new and improved contract.

Both Fazzini and Winks landed at the airport today, where they were greeted by media and supporters, then went to complete their medical tests.

Fazzini and Winks to Cagliari

The club released a statement this evening confirming that Fazzini has signed on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season from Fiorentina.

It is widely reported that the total cost of the transfer will be around €8m.

The Italian midfielder started out in the Empoli youth academy, then was sold to Fiorentina in the summer of 2025 for €9.3m.

However, he dropped down the pecking order once Paolo Vanoli replaced Stefano Pioli and was not wanted by new coach Fabio Grosso either.

As for Winks, he was eager to leave Leicester City following their latest relegation to the English equivalent of Serie C.

Milan had their first training session under new coach Ruben Amorim today and there were already some surprises, including Samuel Chukwueze following in Amad Diallo’s Manchester United footsteps.

The Rossoneri began their pre-season training today at the Milanello ground, complete with RedBird patron Gerry Cardinale flying in and out by helicopter.

Fans were present to watch the game between ranks and get their first idea of how they will play under Amorim.

Chukwueze given new role by Amorim

It was already known that a 3-4-2-1 formation was likely, but the big surprise was seeing striker Chukwueze instead used wide right of the four-man midfield.

This is not entirely out of character for the coach, who had after all used Amad Diallo there for Manchester United during his ill-fated experience at Old Trafford.

Chukwueze is usually an attacking winger on the right flank, so could’ve been one of the support strikers in this system, but is instead placed in a deeper role.

He returned to Milan after a loan spell at Fulham last season, where he scored three goals and provided four assists in 25 games.

The first Milan goal of pre-season was scored by youngster Andrej Kostic.

Anan Khalaili has not passed his medical tests with Inter, while Roma have confirmed that Paulo Dybala signed a contract extension until 2027. Check out today’s transfer news from Serie A and Italian football.

Paulo Dybala has officially signed a new contract at Roma, extending his stay in the capital until June 2027.

The Giallorossi coach Gian Piero Gasperini released an interview with Radio Anch’io lo Sport, providing updates on Manu Koné, among other things, and admitting that the club might be forced to listen to offers for some of their top players.

Inter, Milan and Juventus

Inter President Beppe Marotta announced at a press conference on the first day of pre-season that Anan Khalaili had failed his medical tests, so he would not be joining the club. According to Gazzetta, the Nerazzurri will now focus on Guela Doué, 23, currently under contract with Strasbourg.

Milan are waiting for offers for Rafael Leao and Santiago Gimenez. Neither has formal proposals on the table. However, according to Gazzetta, Aston Villa have enquired about another Milan player, Pervis Estupinan, who joined the Rossoneri a year ago from Brighton.

New signing Gonçalo Ramos paid a surprise visit to his new teammates at Milanello today, on the first day of pre-season.

Juventus’ General Manager Giovanni Carnevali has spoken about negotiations with PSG for Randal Kolo Muani, warning: “The demands are too high, so either we reach an agreement, or we will turn to a different player.”

Regarding transfer speculation on Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi, Carnevali added: “He is an extraordinary lad who would do well at all big clubs, but we do not need a player of his characteristics.”

Elsewhere at the Allianz Stadium, according to Gazzetta, Leeds are the favourites to sign Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo, followed by Newcastle, Sunderland and Bournemouth. The Neroverdi’s asking price is €40m, which would be just €20m for Juventus, who hold a 50% sell-on clause.

The Bianconeri, however, have reportedly dropped out of the race after both the player and Sassuolo increased their financial demands. The Bianconeri would still be entitled to €20m if Muharemovic is sold for €40m.

Lazio and Cagliari done deals

Napoli will sell either Noa Lang or David Neres if they secure Ezequiel Zeballos’s signature this summer, according to Gazzetta.

Danilho Doekhi has arrived in Rome to undergo medical tests for Lazio before completing a free transfer. His contract with Union Berlin expired on June 30.

According to Sky, Lazio are also close to Dinamo Zagreb’s defender Sergi Dominguez, while Gazzetta maintains that the Biancocelesti won’t match the €15m asking price.

Gazzetta adds that Bologna are interested in Carlos Espì, Levante centre-forward with a €25m release clause, while Fiorentina’s next target is Ivory Coast international Christ Inao Oulai, a central midfielder for Trabzonspor.

The Tuscans have also reached an agreement with Basel to sell Italian midfielder Jonas Harder, according to Sky.

Italy international Diego Coppola will land in Paris today to complete a permanent €20m transfer to Paris FC, where he spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan (via Gazzetta).

Harry Winks and Jacopo Fazzini have arrived to undergo medical tests with Cagliari.

Atalanta are preparing an opening offer for Kerim Alajbegovic, with the Bayer Leverkusen talent open to joining La Dea, reports Sportitalia.

Genoa will take legal action against Elliot Stroud’s agents, as the Mjällby winger had reportedly signed a pre-contract agreement with the Grifone before making a late decision to join Hull City instead, according to Sky.

The Rossoblu are also preparing to welcome Hamed Traorè, a former Sassuolo and Bournemouth midfielder, who will undergo medical tests tomorrow.

Transfer round-up July 13 – official transfers

Valentino Lazaro from Torino to Al-Ain (free agent)

Alex Jimenez to Fiorentina from Bournemouth (loan)

Napoli are finally beginning to progress in pre-season, as new coach Max Allegri arrived ahead of tomorrow’s press conference, while Antonio Vergara has agreed an improved contract.

The Partenopei have been fairly static compared to many of the other Serie A sides so far this summer, as they are forced to sell players before they can bring any more in.

Allegri lands for Napoli presentation

Massimiliano Allegri è arrivato a #Napoli

A Napoli è tutto pronto per l’era #Allegri: domani alle ore 11:30 l’allenatore toscano verrà presentato al Teatro San Carlo. La conferenza sarà visibile in diretta su #Sportitalia

@Vincicrede pic.twitter.com/caltYRAfBP

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) July 13, 2026

They were also urged to wait until recently to finally announce Allegri as their coach, as first he had to terminate his existing contract with Milan after his sudden dismissal.

The tactician arrived in Naples this evening and he will be presented to the media at the historic Teatro San Carlo on Tuesday at 11.30 local time.

Meanwhile, multiple sources including Sky Sport Italia and Fabrizio Romano all confirm that today Napoli agreed a contract extension with Vergara.

It will be an improved salary for the youth academy product, starting at €1m per season and rising, and run to June 2031.

The 23-year-old creative midfielder and winger had been on the verge of an exit on loan last season, but ended up having a starring role due to the injury crisis reducing other options.

Danilho Doekhi has arrived in Rome to join Lazio as a free agent after his contract with Union Berlin expires, ready to sign until June 2029.

The defender was filmed this afternoon landing in the airport in the Eternal City, where he was whisked to a meeting where he finalised the details of the agreement.

He is already having his medical tests and can now put pen to paper on a three-year contract.

Doekhi lands for Lazio

Doekhi celebrated his 28^th birthday a couple of weeks ago and is a free agent after his contract with Union Berlin was allowed to expire on June 30.

His previous clubs include Ajax and Vitesse, moving to Germany for free in the summer of 2022.

There is a family connection to Serie A, as he is the nephew of former Milan player Winston Bogarde.

Lazio are in need of new defenders after selling Mario Gila to Milan and agreeing the transfer of Alessio Romagnoli to Al-Sadd, although the latter has not been finalised yet.

Lecce are the favourites to snap up Scotland Under-21 international striker Robbie Ure, currently at IK Sirius, but seem a long way off the €4m asking price.

According to Sportitalia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà, the Salentini are in active pursuit of the 22-year-old centre-forward.

However, their proposal so far is believed to be just €1.8m plus a 20-25 per cent cut of his future sale fee.

That is nowhere near the asking price set by Swedish club Sirius, which is of €4m plus add-ons and a percentage of the sell-on fee.

Lecce face tough fight for Ure

While Ure is open to the idea of playing in Serie A at the Stadio Via del Mare, getting a deal over the line could be another matter.

There is no shortage of interest, with the likes of Celtic, OGC Nice, TSG Hoffenheim, FC Lorient and RC Strasbourg all sniffing around the forward.

Originally coming through the Glasgow Rangers academy, he moved to Belgium for RSCA Futures in 2023, then to Sweden in March 2025.

Harry Winks and Jacopo Fazzini have arrived in Cagliari to complete their transfers from Leicester City and Fiorentina respectively. ‘I’m really happy to be back in Italy,’ said the England midfielder.

The Sardinians have done the double deal and both landed this afternoon at the airport, greeted by media and supporters.

Parma had also been interested in Fazzini, who was struggling for playing time at Fiorentina.

It’s reported he has made the move to Cagliari on loan with an option to buy for circa €8m.

Winks and Fazzini join Cagliari

 

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As for Winks, his contract with Leicester City was due to expire at the end of the season, and he was eager to move on following their relegation.

This represents a return to Italy for the 30-year-old, who already had a loan experience from Tottenham Hotspur to Sampdoria in the 2022-23 campaign.

“I’m really happy to be back in Italy and I can’t wait to meet my new teammates,” Winks told the reporters.

“I learned a lot at Sampdoria.”

The pair will have their medical tests today and then sign the contracts, ready to begin pre-season training under coach Fabio Pisacane.

“It is the right moment to come here for my career,” said Fazzini.

“I spoke to the coach and he convinced me too.”

Paulo Dybala assures signing a new contract with Roma was ‘what we all wanted’ and is looking forward to continuing his career at the Stadio Olimpico.

The decision had been in the air for many weeks, even though his contract had technically already expired on June 30.

He had plenty of other proposals, including from his beloved Boca Juniors, and lucrative salaries on offer in the Saudi Pro League.

However, he opted to sign a new contract at Roma on a reduced wage of circa €3m per season, with an expiry of June 2027.

Dybala glad to continue at Roma

“This story continues, which is what we all wanted,” Dybala told the official club website.

“That’s the club, me, and I hope the fans too. I am happy to have another season here, in this city and this country, and to be able to defend the Roma jersey, which is a privilege.”

Something that inevitably affected his decision to remain was the fact that Roma qualified for the Champions League, earning their place back in the top competition after a seven-year absence.

“Roma means many things for me, responsibility, honour, beauty. On a personal level too, these elements all kept me here, and it is a real honour to wear this shirt.”

Dybala was asked if he had a message for the fans, especially after season tickets were snapped up in their thousands on the first day alone.

“I am happy to be here with you again for next year too, and to see you at the Olimpico and in away games, especially when the wonderful music plays that we were all waiting to hear, so we can make you proud on European nights.”

The 32-year-old Argentina international had arrived as a free agent from Juventus in 2022, having first come to Italy for Palermo in 2012.

Ci vediamo all'Olimpico #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/TFVsRj6XKT

— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) July 13, 2026

Goncalo Ramos is showing just how eager he is to start his new Milan adventure, arriving at the training camp today despite still being on vacation after the World Cup with Portugal.

The striker completed his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain at a cost of anywhere from €74m to €90m, depending on various reports and bonuses.

He was participating in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico with Portugal, and as that experience just concluded in the quarter-final, he is due several more weeks of vacation time.

Goncalo Ramos pays surprise Milan visit

𝐕𝐎𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐃𝐈 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐍

Sorpresa a Milanello: Gonçalo Ramos nonostante sia ancora in ferie è venuto a fare un primo salto e parlare con Ruben Amorim

Valeria Lippera per https://t.co/jlTDBgF49e#ramos #milanello #milanpress pic.twitter.com/C3Cr7nticv

— MilanPress.it (@MilanPress_it) July 13, 2026

However, Ramos proved his enthusiasm by arriving at the Milanello training camp today for a surprise visit accompanied by his family.

The striker was greeted by coach Ruben Amorim and club owner Gerry Cardinale, then taken to meet his new teammates.

It’s believed he wanted to get a good idea of the training facilities before coming to work in earnest over the summer, and will now return to Lisbon for more vacation time.

This was no ordinary day, as it was the first of pre-season training with the whole squad coming together.

 

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Reports in Italy claim that Atalanta have stepped forwards with a proposal for Bosnia and Herzegovina talent Kerim Alajbegovic, who has also been linked with a move to Milan and Roma, and the latest updates claim that the teenager has given his approval to Bergamo as a potential destination. 

Atalanta preparing €20m bid for Alajbegovic after receiving player approval

Alajbegovic has attracted the interest from a number of top-flight clubs in Italy including Roma, Milan and according to the latest reports from Alfredo Pedullà, Atalanta as well. 

The exciting 18-year-old winger scored nine goals from 28 appearances for RB Salzburg in 2025-26, which was enough for Bayer Leverkusen to immediately activate their buy-back clause for the teenage talent. 

Alajbegovic was born in Germany, spent eight years with the academy of 1. FC Köln before joining the youth ranks in Leverkusen in 2021. 

Bayer Leverkusen are expected to listen to offers for Alajbegovic this summer, and according to Pedullà’s report, Atalanta are expected to step forwards with an offer of €20m plus bonuses. 

Already, this is not expected to be enough to convince Leverkusen into selling, but Pedullà insists that La Dea have made their intentions clear. Monday’s report adds that Atalanta have already received a ‘yes’ from Alajbegovic and his representatives. 

Cristian Chivu insists Inter ‘do not fear anybody’ in Serie A or Europe, will wipe the slate clean after winning the Double, and has fresh ideas for Benjamin Pavard and Andy Diouf.

Last season was his first full campaign in Serie A, yet he finished it with the Serie A and Coppa Italia trophies, so now the pressure is on to continue that extraordinary start.

Pre-season training begins today at the Appiano Gentile ground, so the coach sat down with Inter President Beppe Marotta for a press conference.

Chivu and Inter won’t stop at the Double

“The most important thing right now is motivation, because it’s never enough in terms of ambition and what we want to do next. It was a strong season, but we don’t want to stop here,” said Chivu.

“I have 50 games under my belt now, no longer 13. I’ll do my best, we want to be competitive on every front, and have the ambition to do even better than last year.”

Inter are revitalising the squad, as veterans like Yann Sommer, Stefan de Vrij, Francesco Acerbi and Denzel Dumfries have left.

“We lost players who wrote the history books here, and we want to thank them. We have a mixture of youth and experience, our squad is competitive. We want to have intensity and courage, without complaining.”

While last year so many coaches insisted the target was a top four finish, Chivu stood out by never hiding the depth of his ambition to win the Scudetto.

So he has a similar approach this time around when going in as reigning Champions of Italy.

“We do not fear anybody,” assured the Inter coach.

“I have nothing to prove, if not to myself. I still have a lot of responsibilities, doubts and duties towards these lads, even if I lifted two trophies last season, we always start from scratch.”

Whereas they excelled domestically in Serie A and the Coppa Italia, Chivu’s Inter did not go far in the Champions League, crashing out in the play-offs.

“You cannot have everything in life. We got two games wrong, but I take the positives from the experience. We lost at the last second to both Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, I took responsibility for my mistakes in the play-offs, but we overall played on level terms with everyone.

“I’d like us to improve in our courage, being more determined and going for the victory, not resting on our laurels. We can always be the best version of ourselves.

“I don’t think about what we won, but about what we need to do.”

When it comes to the transfer market, Chivu gave an update on the Benjamin Pavard situation after his failed loan at Olympique Marseille.

“He is our player, we all know the choices he made last year. He’s back now, we’ll see him at work, and then make a decision.”

The search for a Dumfries replacement has been tortuous, as first Chelsea poached Marco Palestra, then Anan Khalaili failed his medical, ending the move from Union Saint-Gilloise.

Instead, Chivu revealed he has a cunning plan to revitalise his squad.

“I have this crazy idea to use Andy Diouf as a wing-back, and at times in games he really does have the right courage to take men on. He changed some games like that, for example against Como.

“There will be matches where he is used in midfield, but I like him as a wing-back, he has characteristics we are lacking.”

Sky Sport Italia reports that Genoa will take legal action against Elliot Stroud’s agents, as the Mjällby winger had reportedly signed a pre-contract agreement with the Grifone before making a late decision to join Hull City instead.

Elliot Stroud’s imminent move to Premier League side Hull City is likely to lead to a legal dispute between Genoa and the winger’s representatives.

Stroud’s transfer decision infuriates Genoa

According to Sky Sport Italia, Genoa had an agreement in place with Stroud and his club Mjällby, with the 24-year-old having already signed a pre-contract agreement with the Serie A side.

Stroud later made a surprise decision to join Hull City instead, with Genoa believing the move breached the pre-contract agreement he had already signed.

Hull City haven’t announced Stroud’s transfer yet.

The 24-year-old Sweden international scored seven goals and provided two assists in his last 15 appearances with his club.

He featured in the 2026 World Cup with the Swedish national team, making four appearances, two as a starter.

Inter President Beppe Marotta feels retaining the Scudetto would be ‘an historic achievement,’ but they also ‘must do better in the Champions League’ while competing with financial powerhouses.

Their pre-season training started today at the Appiano Gentile complex, where they are going into the new season as the reigning Champions of Italy, having won both the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia.

Marotta raises the bar for Inter

“We are privileged to be here starting the new season as reigning holders of the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles,” said Marotta in his press conference.

“We’re very proud of two hard-fought victories, won thanks to our work ethic, sense of belonging, and the abilities of the coach, players and support of the club.

“Now we start by wiping the slate clean. We have fresh objectives, we are the only team participating in four competitions: Serie A, Champions League, Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia. The Supercoppa will be just a one-off game with Lazio.”

It was a largely unexpected success story considering the change of coach from Simone Inzaghi to Cristian Chivu, but the trade-off was a poor Champions League showing this time around.

“These are all prestigious targets, but we must do better in the Champions League,” continued Marotta.

“Last season we went out to Bodo/Glimt, but that’s part of what makes this sport so wonderful.”

The attempts to revitalise the squad this summer have been hit hard by failed bidding wars, most notably losing Marco Palestra to Chelsea.

“We are well aware that we have difficulties and are up against European powerhouses, also in terms of their investment capabilities, but we participate with our work ethic that has always helped us stand out.

“It’s not guaranteed that whoever spends the most money will then win, but we can substitute money with a winning project thanks to consistency, quality, value of players and many other situations,” insisted the Inter President.

While the Champions League remains a target, Marotta warns that domestically the bar keeps getting raised too.

“Since 2020, no team has been able to win two Serie A titles in a row, so this can be an historic achievement. Our enemy within is the risk of feeling sated, so we must resist that at all costs, maintain the hunger that got us to these results.

“We must also do that via a sustainable modus operandi. The football world often sees clubs go bankrupt, and we know that our owners Oaktree arrived during a moment of difficulty. Now we are out of the Settlement Agreement with UEFA, they invested and accepted our needs to improve the infrastructure with €100,000 of investment in the Interello camp.

“Sustainability also means using our youth academy, as we have easily four players who can be used in Europe, whereas other clubs are struggling to meet those criteria. We also have the Under-23 team, the women’s team, all this make us a successful club.

“We’re missing something big lately, but we will try to achieve it, aware of our capabilities, and keep raising the bar.”

Roma have officially announced that Paulo Dybala has put pen to paper on a new contract extension that ties him to the club until the end of the 2026-27 season. 

La Joya had technically been a free agent for the first fortnight in July as his previous deal with Roma had expired on June 30. 

The Giallorossi have confirmed on Monday that Dybala will remain with the club for the 2026-27 season and reports from various outlets indicate that the 32-year-old has also agreed to take a significant cut in wages in order to extend his stay. 

Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio confirms that this is a one-year contract, without an option to extend, and that Dybala will earn a base salary slightly under €3m per season, not including bonuses.

Dybala was Roma’s highest earner last season on a net wage reported to be worth €8m. 

Roma confirm Dybala’s contract extension

“AS Roma is delighted to announce that Paulo Dybala has signed a contract extension with the club until 30 June 2027,” read a statement on the club website.

“Since arriving in the capital in the summer of 2022, Dybala immediately ignited the passion of the Giallorossi faithful. Over the course of 139 appearances and 45 goals, he has established himself as a key figure on the pitch and a leader both on and off the field.

“The story between Roma and La Joya continues, with many more chapters left to write. Forward together, Paulo!”

Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has weighed in with his opinions on the general state of football in Italy, the need for reforms across the board and the state of affairs in the capital as Roma get back to work at the beginning of pre-season. 

The Giallorossi are back at Trigoria for their first day of pre-season training on Monday, and head coach Gasperini stopped to give an interview to Radio Rai 1 before stepping back onto the training pitch. 

He assured supporters that the ‘real’ work on the transfer market will begin from today, and that most clubs at the top level have had a slow start to the window on account of the ongoing 2026 World Cup in the United States. 

Gasperini also insists that Roma must become regulars in the Champions League before they start dreaming of the Serie A title, that consistent qualification into Europe’s premier competition will help them financially, which will then in turn push them on to fight for trophies.  

Gasperini also spoke about the recent appointment of Paolo Maldini to the position of technical director with the FIGC and the changes that he would like to see brought in across Italy, beginning with a review of how youth systems operate across the board. 

Gasperini on Roma’s ‘sleepy’ transfer window long-term goals

Beginning with his assessment of the transfer window thus far, Gasperini said: “Apart from a few teams, it’s been a fairly sleepy window up until now because of the World Cup, so many players are involved in the United States, their agents as well. 

“The clubs haven’t armoured themselves yet. The ‘real’ window will begin this week for most teams. All teams seem very keen to strengthen.” 

He also gave his opinions on the World Cup and the controversial hydration breaks that many argue are fundamentally changing the way the sport is played. 

“I think there are two types of football,” Gasperini hypothesised. “The one that is played in August and the one that is played in normal weather conditions. Playing football at certain temperatures is not the same type of sport. 

“I think it’s been a great World Cup with full stadiums, it’s been a great success in the United States. But from an aesthetics point of view, playing in these conditions isn’t ideal. I believe that the pauses are only because of these factors.”

Returning to the topic of Roma and the transfer window, his aims for the 2026-27 season and his long-term ambitions, Gasperini added: “Lots of teams want to strengthen in July, but we’ll have to see what happens in the window. 

“Inter are always the favourites, then there are another five or six teams who want to do well. Milan and Juve are out of the Champions League and will want to improve, they all have potential. 

“Roma must continue on its own journey: We shouldn’t think about results, we have to try and stabilise at the top, to stay in the Champions League, which then guarantees the possibility of strengthening from an economic point of view. 

“If we manage to stay in those positions for multiple years, then we can aspire to even more and also aim for the Scudetto.”

Gasperini: ‘Most Serie A sides struggle to field Italians, it’s a cultural fact’

Gasperini was asked if he thinks there will be a bigger presence of Italian players in Serie A this season. 

He replied: “It’s a speech that applies to everyone, not just to Roma. There are quotas in the Serie A and UEFA lists, such as the 4+4 rule. Hardly anyone, including Roma, can tick those boxes, it’s a cultural fact. Even with the players from our own youth teams, those four players are almost never actually part of the team. 

“This has to become a fundamental talking point. Even if the clubs are made up of mostly foreign players, it has to be a focal point that we have to fight for.”

Gasperini was then asked for his opinion on the appointment of Paolo Maldini as the new technical director of the FIGC and what this means for the ‘rebirth’ of football in Italy.

“There will be a rebirth, but not just because of one or two individuals, nor with the new coach,” he replied. “It has to be a system, which evidently hasn’t been working until now, it hasn’t been able to bring through players of the required level. 

“Aside from good people, there will have to be bigger reforms. There are lots of kids in the academies. If none of them come through, the problem is with the adults, not with the children. I believe that there is more quality in our football than what has been achieved with the national team in recent years. 

“It won’t be easy, but I think we’ll be able to put a competitive national team out onto the pitch. But, the system has to be reviewed, particularly the youth sector.”

Gasperini on Kone and Dybala

Gasperini was also asked if he thinks Roma will have to sell a key player like Manu Kone in order to help with the club’s financial fair play situation. 

He said: “The financial fair play conditions are never exactly precise or defined, they vary from team to team. It’s undeniable that Roma know that we have to balance the budgets, which has been tough in recent years. 

“I’d hoped that entry into the Champions League would have been enough, but budgets are important for clubs and must be respected. I think there will be more clarity in the coming weeks.”

And on Kone specifically, he added: “Kone had a great first half of the season, and then was out of action due to injury for a bit during the second half. He’s having a great World Cup. He didn’t play with the France national team last year, but now he’s been able to claim a starting spot. It shows his potential and the work he’s put in.”

Lastly, Gasperini hinted that a contract extension may be close when asked for an update on Paulo Dybala. 

He said: “We’ve been stuck in the starting blocks for a little while. Partly because of holidays, partly because of the strong end to the season. We’ve enjoyed that this summer. From today onwards, there will be important steps forward. The work begins now, the 2026-27 season starts now, last year is over.”

The Juventus squad are in for their first full day of pre-season training on Monday, and reports indicate that Luciano Spalletti has a squad of 28 players available to him, made up of 22 first-team players and six who have been called up from the Next Gen squad. 

The Bianconeri are getting their pre-season preparations underway on Monday, but do not yet have their full squad of players available, as six first-team stars are still on holiday after their involvement at the 2026 World Cup. 

Those players who were called up to the tournament in the USA are: Bremer (Brazil), Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands), Weston McKennie (USA), Francisco Conceicao (Portugal), Jonathan David (Canada) and Kenan Yildiz (Turkey).

This leaves Juventus with 22 first-team players available for the first day of pre-season training on Monday. 

That list includes a range of players and situations, from those who are expected to be part of the first-team group in 2026-27 such as Pierre Kalulu, Manuel Locatelli, and new signing Jeff Ekhator, to those whose futures with the Bianconeri remain in doubt, including Michele Di Gregorio, Lois Openda and Edon Zhegrova. 

There is also a list of players that Juventus are expected to shift this summer, whether that be on loan or on permanent transfers, such as Arthur Melo, Douglas Luiz and Daniele Rugani. 

The six players that have been called up from the Juventus Next Gen squad, according to Tuttosport, are Pedro Felipe, Javier Gil Puche, Shane van Aarle, Augusto Owusu, Arman Durmisi and Justin Odoavwoduo.

Juventus squad on first day of pre-season

Goalkeepers: Di Gregorio, Perin, Pinsoglio

Defenders: J.Cabal, Cambiaso, Gatti, Kalulu, Kelly, Rugani, J.Mario, Rouhi, P.Felipe, Gil Puche, van Aarle.

Midfielders: Locatelli, Miretti, Thuram, D.Luiz, Arthur, Owusu.

Forwards: Ekhator, Boga, Milik, Openda, Zhegrova, Owusu, Oboavwoduo, Durmisi.

Still on holiday: Bremer, Koopmeiners, McKennie, Conceicao, David, Yildiz.

Sandro Tonali has recently joined Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that has made him the most expensive Italy international of all time, and the former Milan man also sits comfortably at the top of the list of Italian players with the highest cumulative transfer fees, leading Al-Qadsiah’s Mateo Retegui in second place. 

Tonali has recently joined Tottenham in a deal believed to be worth around €115m (just shy of £100m) including bonuses and add-ons, making him the most expensive Italy international of all-time. 

Tonali had already cost Newcastle a package worth a potential €70m when he moved to St James’s Park from Milan in the summer of 2023, and had cost the Rossoneri a double-figure fee when he joined them from Brescia. That means he has raked in just shy of €200m in total transfer fees across his career already. 

Tonali is one of three Italy internationals past and present whose combined transfer fees exceed the €100m mark. 

Second on the list is Al-Qadsiah’s Retegui, who held the Italian transfer record when he joined the Saudi Pro League outfit from Atalanta last summer. La Dea earned in excess of €65m from that particular transfer. 

Leonardo Bonucci completes the top three for most expensive Italy players by cumulative transfer fees. His most expensive move came when he joined Milan for €42m in 2017, but was signed back by the Bianconeri the following season in a deal reported to be worth €35m. 

Below is the full list of the top 10 Italy players by their cumulative transfer fees. 

Top 10 Italy players by cumulative transfer fees 

1. Sandro Tonali – €194.4m
2. Mateo Retegui – €109.9m
3. Leonardo Bonucci – €107m
4. Christian Vieri – €99m
5. Moise Kean – €79m
6. Riccardo Calafiori – €78.1m
7. Jorginho – €77.8m
8. Giacomo Raspadori – €77m
9. Mario Balotelli – €72.5m
10. Gianluca Scamacca – €71m

* Fees according to Sky Sport Italia.

Ederson will not be joining Manchester United this summer, and the latest reports claim that Atalanta will instead offer the Brazilian a new contract in an attempt to keep him in Bergamo. 

What next for Ederson after failed Manchester United move?

Manchester United and Atalanta had shaken hands over a €45m package for Ederson, who was set to move to the Premier League after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. 

However, reports over the last few days have made it clear that the move will no longer be happening after concerns that emerged during the player’s medical. 

Ederson had the first stage of his tests done while in the United States during the World Cup, but this did not satisfy United, who brought the player over to the UK for further checks before deciding against proceeding with the deal.

Ederson is currently into the final year of his contract with Atalanta, expiring in the summer of 2027, and according to the latest updates from Fabrizio Romano, La Dea will seek to offer the Brazilian a new contract now that his move to Manchester United is off. 

Atalanta remain clear in their stance that there are no major fitness or medical issues hampering the midfielder and they are keen to sit down and discuss the player’s future with his agents and representatives in the coming weeks. 

Atalanta are reportedly ‘prepared’ to welcome Ederson back into the squad, but offering him a new contract could also help strengthen the club’s position if the player is to seek another move away this summer or in January.

Ederson is currently on holiday after his involvement with the Brazil squad at the World Cup.

As expected, Fiorentina have left Robin Gosens and Jacopo Fazzini out of pre-season training, but quite a few others are frozen out too by new coach Fabio Grosso.

The Viola had a dismal campaign, spending most of it in the relegation zone and only surging at the end to secure their Serie A status.

They intend to completely revamp the side under Grosso, and have already been very active on the transfer market.

That is far from over, as today the club announced the list of 29 players called up for pre-season training at the Viola Park complex in Florence on Monday.

It had already been widely reported that Gosens was informed he wasn’t part of their plans, and indeed he has been excluded from the group.

So has Fazzini, who is on the verge of a move to Cagliari, while impressive teenager striker Riccardo Braschi is heading to Padova on loan.

More players left out include those who are returning to Fiorentina after loans, and who evidently are not expected to remain.

They are Riccardo Sottil, M’Bala Nzola, Amir Richardson, Antonin Barak and Paolo Bianco.

Fabiano Parisi will continue working separately following the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, while Marin Pongracic has extra vacation time after the World Cup with Croatia.

Alex Jimenez has not yet completed his transfer, but will be added to the group once that is done with Bournemouth.

Fiorentina squad for pre-season training

Christensen, De Gea, Fei, Lezzerini; Balbo, Beldenti, Comuzzo, Dodo, Dragusin, Viery, Fortini, Moreno, Ranieri, Melani, Perrotti; Atta, Brescianini, Croci, Deli, Fabbian, Fagioli, Mandragora, Ndour, Sohm, Pirrò; Egharevba, Gudmundsson, Kean, Piccoli

Udinese are in a bidding war for Partizan Belgrade midfielder Ognjen Ugresic at €6m, competing with Sassuolo, Bologna, Club Brugge, Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco.

According to Tuttomercatoweb transfer pundit Marco Conterio, the Friulani have made a proposal worth €6m to the Serbian side.

That would be enough to out-bid fellow Serie A club Sassuolo, who had previously been prepared to offer €5m, while Bologna are also known to be tracking his progress.

Udinese targeting Ugresic

It is reported that Udinese see Ugresic as the ideal replacement for Arthur Atta, who has just completed his transfer to Fiorentina.

There is also interest from the likes of Club Brugge, Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco.

Ugresic will celebrate his 20^th birthday next week and earned his first senior cap for Serbia in October 2025.

He is a product of the Partizan Belgrade youth academy and progressed to the senior squad in January 2025.

The player is primarily an attacking midfielder, but has been known to play in a more advanced role too.

Pervis Estupinan is on the market for Milan and transfer pundit Matteo Moretto claims that Aston Villa have asked for his availability.

The left-back was considered one of the less successful investments from last summer, as he was purchased from Brighton and Hove Albion for €17m plus up to €2m in add-ons.

He made only 22 competitive appearances for the Rossoneri last season, contributing one goal and one assist, but also getting sent off once.

Milan don’t want to keep Estupinan

Estupinan is not believed to be part of Milan’s plans under new coach Ruben Amorim, so his agents are looking around for alternative solutions.

According to transfer pundit Moretto on Fabrizio Romano’s Italian-language YouTube channel, Aston Villa have made contact with Milan to ask about the Ecuador international.

They want to know the asking price as well as his fitness status before deciding whether to progress with negotiations.

Estupinan’s previous clubs include Villarreal, Watford, Osasuna and briefly Udinese.

He turned 28 in January and has a contract valid at San Siro until June 2030, with the asking price believed to be €14m.

Newly-promoted Frosinone have announced that Gabriele Calvani, Seydou Fini and Giorgio Cittadini have renewed their loans from Genoa and Atalanta.

The Canarini finished second in the Serie B table last season, securing automatic promotion back to the top flight.

They did it largely thanks to a squad packed with young talent on loan from Serie A sides.

Now those are allowed to continue the project at the Stadio Benito Stirpe, as they renewed their loan agreements for one more season.

Fini, Calvani and Cittadini stay

Genoa have formally loaned defender Calvani and striker Fini for the 2026-27 campaign.

Atalanta also sealed the loan of defender Cittadini for another season.

All of those are temporary moves without options to make them permanent.

An Italy Under-21 international who just turned 20 last month, Fini scored one goal with two assists in eight appearances during his six-month loan at Frosinone.

Calvani is a 22-year-old centre-back who made 37 appearances with the Canarini last term.

Cittadini is a 24-year-old central defender who first came to Frosinone on loan in 2024, meaning this will be his third consecutive season with the club.

Coach Ruben Amorim has named a 26-man squad for the first part of Milan pre-season training, including new buy Mario Gila, while some young and loan players will get a chance to impress him.

The Rossoneri come together at the Milanello training camp on Monday July 13, where the work really begins for the new tactician.

Gila is thrown straight into the mix after completing his transfer from Lazio, but Goncalo Ramos is still on vacation after Portugal’s World Cup campaign.

Amorim has said he wants to evaluate the squad at his disposal before making any further decisions on who Milan should buy or sell this summer.

Players returning from loan who are eager to impress him include Samuel Chukwueze, Francesco Camarda and Yunus Musah.

Youngsters trying to keep a spot at Milan include 18-year-old winger Aurelien Guernier, who just joined from Birmingham City, and striker Andrej Kostic.

Christian Comotto is fresh from Italy’s participation in the European Under-19 Championship.

Kevin Zeroli is not included, as he finished the season late with Juve Stabia in the Serie B promotion play-offs, but is not expected to remain with the Rossoneri.

Warren Bondo is not part of their plans and will work separately with a trainer until he can find a new club.

Milan squad for pre-season:

Bouyer, Pittarella, P Terracciano, Torriani; Athekame, Bartesaghi, Gabbia, Gila, Karaca, Odogu, Pavlovic, F Terracciano, Tomori; A Cisse, Comotto, Fofana, Loftus-Cheek, Musah, Ricci; Camarda, Chukwueze, Guernier, Idrissi, Kostic, Nkunku, Ossola

Nicolo Zaniolo is not currently training with Udinese and has presented a medical certificate to explain his absence, but reports on Sunday claim that his ongoing salary dispute has not yet been fully settled either. 

Zaniolo not in training with Udinese and has not yet settled salary dispute

Zaniolo spent the 2025-26 season at Udinese, on loan from Galatasaray with an option to buy which has since been activated. The Bianconeri reportedly paid a fee of €5m to secure his signing on a permanent basis, and Galatasaray have kept hold of a 50% sell-on clause.

However, Zaniolo’s agent has recently explained that his client accepted a lower salary offer from Udinese last summer in order to push through a move in a race against time at the end of the summer transfer window. The feeling on the player’s side is that this salary does not reflect Zaniolo’s true value now that the transfer has been made permanent. 

The agent claimed that Udinese had agreed to sit down and discuss a new set of personal terms before making Zaniolo’s transfer permanent, but this has not happened and the player has been left feeling ‘bitterly disappointed’. 

Recent reports claimed that Zaniolo was earning an annual net salary of around €3m while he was still with Galatasaray, but that he accepted a cut to €1.2m per year in order to join Udinese last summer. 

Reports earlier this week claimed that a verbal agreement had been found with Udinese for an increase to €1.8m per season, but updates from Corriere dello Sport suggest that the new deal has not been entirely close and that Zaniolo is still open to moves elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, the player is not currently in pre-season training and has presented a medical certificate from his doctors in order to justify his absence.

The quarter-final stage of the 2026 World Cup is complete, and a total of six Serie A players will be progressing through to the tournament’s semi-finals, which will kick off with France vs. Spain on Tuesday evening. 

France eliminated Morocco 2-0 in their quarter-final on Tuesday, Spain overcame Belgium 2-1, England defeated Norway 2-1 in extra-time on Saturday night and Argentina needed the full 120 minutes again to get past Switzerland in the early hours of Sunday morning, eventually finishing at 3-1.

Now, only six Serie A players are left heading into the World Cup semi-finals. Four of them represent France and two represent Argentina. 

The France squad boasts Milan pair Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot, along with Roma midfielder Manu Kone and Inter forward Marcus Thuram. Argentina have Thuram’s regular strike partner Lautaro Martinez as well as Como superstar Nico Paz in their ranks.

A total of 15 Serie A players were eliminated at the quarter-final stage, including Norway’s quintet of Italian-based players: Morten Thorsby, Leo Ostigard, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Torbjorn Heggem and Kristian Thorstvedt. 

Belgium also had five Serie A players in their ranks, namely Napoli pair Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, Milan duo Koni De Winter and Alexis Saelemaekers and Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere.

Roma’s Neil El-Aynaoui (Morocco) and Switzerland quartet Manuel Akani (Inter), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Ardon Jashari (Milan) and Michel Aebischer (Pisa) were the other Italian-based players to be eliminated during the World Cup quarter-finals.

Which Serie A players are left standing at the 2026 World Cup?

France: Manu Kone (Roma), Marcus Thuram (Inter), Adrien Rabiot (Milan), Mike Maignan (Milan).

Spain: None.

England: None.

Argentina: Nico Paz (Como), Lautaro Martinez (Inter).

Adrien Rabiot has sat down for a meeting with his mother-agent Veronique in the United States as he weighs up his next steps at club level, with Napoli and former Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri said to be keen on a reunion with the France international. 

Rabiot meets with agent while weighing up Milan future

Rabiot is currently away in the United States with the France national team, who will be taking on Spain in the 2026 World Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening. 

Back at club level, Rabiot remains under contract with Milan until the summer of 2028, but his future remains in doubt after just one season in San Siro following a disappointing end to the 2025-26 season, which saw the Rossoneri miss out on Champions League qualification and also led to the departure of Allegri, who brought Rabiot to the club from Marseille.

Since Allegri was appointed as the head coach of Napoli, there have been reports that he is keen to bring Rabiot with him. The pair have a long-standing relationship dating back to their time together at Juventus.

While the Frenchman is not expected to make any definitive decisions about his club career until his World Cup campaign is complete, reports from various outlets in Italy confirm that the midfielder sat down for a meeting with his mother-agent Veronique in the United States over the weekend to start discussing potential options for the 2026-27 season.

Milan’s stance is clear: They and new head coach Ruben Amorim are keen to keep hold of Rabiot, who was credited as being one of Milan’s most consistent performers in 2025-26 with five goals and six assists to his name in the league.

La Gazzetta dello Sport indicates that Rabiot, at this stage, is not intending to leave Milan either, aware of the fact that he has two years remaining on a lucrative contract in San Siro. However, nothing can be ruled out in the time being and much depends on whether Napoli step forwards with an enticing offer for Rabiot and for Milan.

Sunday’s reports claim that Inter could challenge their city-rivals Milan to the signing of right-back Guela Doué following the concerns that cropped up during Anan Khalaili’s medical. 

Inter and Milan both keen on Strasbourg’s Doué

Inter are on the hunt for a new starting right wing-back after losing Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid. The Nerazzurri had initially target a deal for Marco Palestra from Atalanta, but he has since joined Chelsea in a big-money move instead. 

Khalaili was the next target and a deal had been agreed with Union Saint-Gilloise, but the Israel international now needs further medical checks, with reports on Sunday indicating that there were concerns over potential heart issues during those tests with the doctors. 

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, if Inter are unable to get Khalaili over the line, then their next alternative will be Strasbourg right-back Doué, who has also been linked with a move to Milan this summer.

Doué, an Ivory Coast international and older brother of France star Désiré, has been linked with a move to Serie A on several occasions in the past, including to Milan in the summer of 2025. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport indicates that it will probably cost Inter more to secure a deal for Doué than it did for Khalaili: An agreement for Khalaili was found at €25m plus bonuses. 

Alternative options reportedly include Dodo from Fiorentina, Genoa’s Brook Norton-Cuffy and Hellas Verona’s Rafik Belghali.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Maldini yes 

The reconstruction of the national team begins 

Malago lands his first target. The Azzurri legend will be the new technical director, will be accompanied by Leonardo. Signed a four-year contract, will nominate the new CT within the next week 

Sinner, make history 

Jannik looking for a fantastic double 

Wimbledon final against Zverev, whom he has beaten in his last nine matches. The Italian could earn his place among the Wimbledon greats 

Bellingham fairytale 

England in the semi-finals, Norway knocked out 

Khalaili stop

Problem with the medicals in Milan 

The winger needs more heart tests, Inter on Guela Doue 

Corriere dello Sport 

Milan, Italia 

The national team turnaround: Malago calls Paolo, Leonardo is his advisor 

Maldini as new technical director | The Azzurri relaunch, full powers to two former Rossoneri

The FIGC President’s relaunch begins: Four-year contract signed. The surprise is the inclusion of the Brazilian. Now the choice for CT: Mancini is the favourite 

Turn it on, it’s Sinner 

Wimbledon at 16.00 (Sky and TV 8), Jannik for the double 

He could win his first slam of the season and replicate his 2025 triumph against Alcaraz. Now it’s Zverev, transformed from his success in Paris 

Inter, Khalaili at risk 

Announcement postponed: CONI asks for further checks 

Amorim, doubts about Rabiot 

Future in question 

The Mother Veronique talks to Milan: Decision postponed 

Viola boom: Jimenez 

Fourth signing 

The Spanish full-back arrives on loan from Bournemouth

Juve-Kolo obstacle course 

Also difficulties for Dibu

An extra-large squad: Selling is Carnevali’s priority 

Gattuso: ‘Putting on my hard hat’

Lazio, Rino’s battle 

‘I know what the problems are’

Tuttosport 

Sinner, our World Cup 

Wimbledon on TV 8 at 16.00, Jannik looking for the second title in a row against Zverev. With him, Italy hopes to make up for the World Cup flop 

Juve goal, Hope for Suzuki now. Pellegrino maybe, here’s Ederson again 

The Dibu stall could open a double deal with Parma 

Carnevali doesn’t want to spend more than 8 million on the Argentine goalkeeper, the Japanese is champing at the bit. The first offer for the centre-forward is turned down, but there’s hope. The Brazilian intrigues Spalletti after United’s no because of physical doubts. Muharemovic, Ekhator the key

Maldinin Azzurri technical director with Leonardo 

Malago has convinced the former Milan captain: The Brazilian as his advisor 

Four-year contract: A symbol of the national team ever since he was a boy, Paolo will also be President of Club Italia. He also worked with his former teammate as a director with the Rossoneri. Now one week to make a decision on the CT

The fans’ test for Toro 

The first open training session under Abate, then setting off for the pre-season retreat. In goal: Perri the closest option 

Inter freeze on Khalaili 

Stop after the visits 

New heart tests have been requested for the Israeli. Guela Doue is the Plan B: Battle with Milan 

Zaniolo case, isn’t training with UDinese 

Asking for more money

Kevin De Bruyne has reassured Napoli supporters that he will come back stronger next season, hours after Belgium’s World Cup ended in quarter-final heartbreak.

The Red Devils bowed out following a tight 2-1 defeat to Spain, undone late on by Mikel Merino’s winner.

De Bruyne was among Belgium’s key men across the tournament, and he was stopped by DAZN in the mixed zone afterwards and asked whether he had a message for the Napoli faithful.

“Let me take a break, I’ve just finished the last game of the season. It’s been a tough year, I worked hard and I’ve shown I can return in top condition after a very serious injury,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Let me take a break and then I’ll be back.”

De Bruyne eyes strong Napoli return after injury-hit year

The comments speak to what has been a testing first campaign in Naples for the former Manchester City playmaker, whose debut season was disrupted by a significant injury.

That he was able to recover in time to play a leading role for Belgium at the World Cup underlines the point he was keen to make.

Now the focus shifts to next season under Massimiliano Allegri, with De Bruyne set for a short rest before returning to build on his first year at the club.

For Napoli, keeping their marquee signing fit and firing will be central to their bid to wrestle back the ground ceded to the division’s front-runners.

Fiorentina have completed the signing of Arthur Atta, with the midfielder joining on a permanent deal from Udinese.

According to the club’s official announcement, the Viola have acquired the Frenchman outright, handing Fabio Grosso another new face as his squad takes shape.

Born in Rennes on 14 January 2003, Atta arrived in Italian football via Metz and broke through in Friuli, where his final season announced him as one of Serie A’s most promising young midfielders.

Fiorentina win race for Udinese midfielder Atta

The 23-year-old made 36 appearances across Serie A and the Coppa Italia last season, scoring six goals and providing four assists, production that did not go unnoticed.

The midfielder had been tracked by some of the division’s biggest clubs, with Juventus, Inter and Milan all credited with interest in recent weeks, making Fiorentina’s swoop a notable statement of intent.

It caps a productive spell in the market for the Viola, who have moved quickly on several fronts this window: Radu Dragusin has arrived from Tottenham, Alex Jimenez is set to join from Bournemouth, and the club have pursued reinforcements across the pitch as they prepare for a European campaign under Grosso.

In Atta, they add a young, physically mature midfielder with top-flight pedigree and room to grow, precisely the profile ambitious sides build around.

Mario Balotelli has made Inter the team to beat in Serie A next season, but the striker named Roma as his surprise pick to gatecrash the title race.

According to Sport Mediaset, via TuttoMercatoWeb, Balotelli, now with Al-Ittifaq in Dubai, predicted champions Inter to remain at the summit while singling out an outsider.

Asked whether Napoli, Milan and Juventus were genuine contenders, he replied: “Yes, but I want to add a surprise: Roma.” On the reigning champions, he was unequivocal: “Inter remain the team to beat.”

That verdict chimed with his admiration for former Inter teammate Cristian Chivu, now in the San Siro dugout.

“He was always switched on, even as a player, already a coach on the pitch, tactically ready and intelligent,” Balotelli said of the man he won the 2010 treble alongside.

Balotelli reveals near-Juventus move and backs Allegri at Napoli

The former Manchester City man also lifted the lid on a transfer that never materialised.

“Yes, after Manchester City. Then I ended up at Milan, so no regrets, it was a choice,” he said. “Of course, that Juventus side was strong.”

He had warm words, too, for Massimiliano Allegri as the coach starts afresh at Napoli. “Recently I’ve read a lot of criticism of him, but when I had him at Milan I liked him a great deal,” Balotelli said. “If he’s still that man, he’ll do well.”

There was a more sombre note when talk turned to the national side. Balotelli remains Italy’s last World Cup scorer, a mark unbroken since 2014, with the Azzurri absent from a third straight tournament this summer, and he took no pride in it.

“It’s nothing to be proud of, quite the opposite, it’s a sad thing,” he said. “Too many years have passed.”

Ciro Immobile has installed Inter as the team to beat in Serie A next season, pointing to the upheaval among their closest rivals as the champions’ biggest edge.

According to Noi Biancocelesti, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the former Italy striker, for now at Paris FC, sees continuity as the decisive factor.

“I think Inter are favourites. I’ve seen a lot of managerial changes and therefore a need to settle, whereas they’re already well-drilled,” he said. “Milan, Napoli and Juventus have to gear up to trouble them.”

That churn is hard to argue with. Milan are starting afresh under Ruben Amorim, Napoli have replaced Antonio Conte with Massimiliano Allegri, and Juventus continue to build around Luciano Spalletti.

Inter, by contrast, keep faith with Cristian Chivu and the spine that carried them to the Scudetto, a stability their pursuers cannot currently match.

Immobile weighs in on Italy’s Conte-or-Mancini call

Immobile also turned to the vacant Italy job, with the succession appearing to come down to Conte or Mancini. On that, he refused to split them.

“They’ve both done well. I remember we did well at the Euros with Conte too, after ending up in a group with Spain and Germany,” he said. “Mancini’s was the last winning Italy side, one that left a nice memory for the children of today too.”

Having played under both men with the Azzurri, Immobile is well placed to judge, and his verdict offers little to separate two of the frontrunners now being weighed to lead Italy’s rebuild.

Paulo Dybala is set to put pen to paper on a new Roma contract today, ending any uncertainty over the Argentine’s future in the capital.

The playmaker had reached the end of his previous deal, and his signature will formally restore his status as a Roma player after a spell as a free agent.

The agreement runs for a single season, with no option for a further year attached, according to the Corriere dello Sport.

Dybala had initially hoped for a longer commitment, but an improved salary, worth close to €3 million net plus bonuses, bridged the gap and left both parties satisfied.

Dybala turns down Boca Juniors to stay at Roma

His decision was far from inevitable.

Boca Juniors pushed to bring him back to Argentina, with his friend Leandro Paredes reportedly trying to talk him into a homecoming, but Dybala never wavered in his preference for staying put.

He is due back in the capital on Sunday with the contract signed, before reporting to the Trigoria training base on Monday to link up with Gian Piero Gasperini for pre-season.

Roma have every reason to want him tied down. Dybala remains a technical leader in the dressing room and one of the players Gasperini intends to build around.

His influence was clear at the tail end of last season: in his first three starts back from injury, he supplied four assists to help steer Roma to third place and Champions League qualification.

Juventus have revived their interest in Fikayo Tomori, roughly 18 months after a move for the Milan defender collapsed when the player turned it down.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via CalcioMercato, the Bianconeri are once again weighing up the centre-back, drawn to his experience and Serie A grounding, a profile that fits Luciano Spalletti’s wishes.

Any deal, however, depends on outgoings. Giovanni Carnevali’s hierarchy want to lighten the squad before adding to it, and Federico Gatti is among those who could make way.

Squeezed out by Bremer and seeking more regular minutes, Gatti would command a fee that generates a healthy profit, with Napoli and moves to Turkey lingering in the background as possible routes out.

Juventus ready to move for Tomori if Gatti departs

Should Gatti go, Juventus are prepared to press ahead for Tomori.

The England international, whose Milan contract expires in 2027, looks set for a reduced role following the arrival of Gila, and this time may be more open to a switch than he was previously.

For Milan, a sale would raise funds; for Juventus, it represents a market opportunity, but only once space has been cleared.

Tomori has been a mainstay at San Siro since joining in 2021, racking up 214 appearances and seven goals, and helping the club to the 2022 Scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiana.

Whether his Milan chapter now nears its end may hinge, in the first instance, on what Juventus can do at the other end of their own defence.

Mario Gila has spoken for the first time since completing his move to Milan, crediting the club’s standing and Ruben Amorim’s vision as the factors that swayed him.

The Spanish defender, who signed a contract through to 2031 upon sealing his €30m transfer from Lazio, gave his first interview to the club’s official channels.

“I chose Milan because it’s one of the strongest teams in the world. The history it has and everything around it was exactly what I needed to reach a certain level,” Gila said.

“We can do many great things, there are lots of objectives and I promise to help the team by giving everything I have. It’s a wonderful challenge for me. The coach’s ideas and everything that Milan represents led me to choose the Rossoneri.”

Gila eager to get started under Amorim at Milanello

The centre-back made no secret of his excitement at joining the club, and at the prospect of getting to work under his new coach.

“I was very emotional about arriving at such an important club. These have been days full of positive emotions and I’m very happy,” he added.

“I’m someone who feels comfortable anywhere, and I’m sure I’ll settle in well with my teammates. I’m really curious to see Milanello, the fans will be there on Monday. I can’t wait to meet the coach and see how he works.”

Gila becomes Milan’s second major arrival of the summer, following the club-record capture of Gonçalo Ramos, and forms part of the defensive overhaul Amorim has prioritised since taking charge.

Adrien Rabiot has played down speculation about his Milan future for now, insisting talks with new head coach Ruben Amorim can wait until after the World Cup.

The midfielder, a key figure in an impressive France campaign, was approached by Rai outside Didier Deschamps’ squad base.

Asked whether Amorim had been in contact with him in recent days, with quotes via CalcioMercato, Rabiot kept it brief: “We’ll speak later on.”

The midfielder is evidently keen to stay locked in on the tournament, with France facing Spain in the semi-final on Tuesday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Rabiot’s mother hints at Milan stay

Present alongside him was his mother and agent, Veronique, who manages her son’s affairs.

She rarely gives interviews, but according to the Rai reporter she left the impression that she still sees Rabiot’s future in the red and black.

Once the World Cup concludes, the player is expected to speak again with Amorim, who is said to be intent on making Rabiot a central part of his Milan project.

The France international’s name had been linked in recent weeks with Napoli, now coached by his great admirer Massimiliano Allegri.

However, without first offloading Frank Anguissa, the Partenopei are unable to make new additions in midfield, a constraint that, for now, keeps the door at San Siro looking the more likely one.

Corriere dello Sport confirms that Napoli have an agreement in place with Boca Juniors talent Exequiel Zeballos, whose agent met Giovanni Manna in Naples earlier this week.

Boca Juniors winger Zeballos, 24, is ready to join Napoli and has already agreed to personal terms with the Serie A giants.

Details behind Zeballos’ agreement with Napoli

The news was first reported by Alfredo Pedullà earlier this week, and Corriere dello Sport adds more details about the agreement between Napoli and the Argentine.

According to the report, Zeballos has agreed to sign a four-year deal worth €1.3m per season. Zeballos’ agent reportedly met Napoli director Manna in Naples on Wednesday, confirming his client’s desire to move to the Stadio Maradona.

The 24-year-old only wants to join Napoli and is eager to wait for an agreement between the Partenopei and his club, Boca Juniors.

The player has a €20m clause, which Napoli won’t match given that Zeballos’ contract runs out on December 31, 2026.

Boca have frozen him out of the team as he’s refused to sign a new deal, and Napoli hope to secure a deal with the Argentinian club for around €10m.

Pedullà reported that the Partenopei had already offered €10m, while Tuttosport reported that the Serie A side is preparing an opening bid of €9m.

Inter hoped to announce Anan Khalaili’s transfer on Friday, but according to Italian sources, including Gazzetta, the 21-year-old must undergo further medical tests, which are expected to be completed by Tuesday next week.

Israel international Khalaili requires further medical checks before completing a permanent transfer to Inter from Union Saint-Gilloise.

Khalaili needs more Inter medical tests

The 21-year-old arrived in Milan on Friday to undergo medical examinations and sign his contract with the defending Serie A champions.

However, according to reports in Italy, including Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport, the defender was not allowed to complete his move to Inter yesterday because the Institute of Sports Medicine of CONI demanded further, specific medical examinations to be carried out on Monday and Tuesday.

Therefore, until that day, the Nerazzurri won’t be allowed to confirm the purchase of the 21-year-old.

The Serie A giants have an agreement with Union SG for a €25m deal plus add-ons.

The Nerazzurri need a new starter in the right wing-back position following Denzel Dumfries’ move to Real Madrid for €20m.

Marco Palestra was their main target, but the Italy international eventually joined Chelsea instead.

According to Il Corriere dello Sport, Juventus have ‘booked’ Parma’s Mateo Pellegrino as talks with PSG for Randal Kolo Muani are stalling, with the Ligue 1 giants demanding €55m.

Juventus risk missing out on PSG forward Kolo Muani, as the French club’s asking price appears unaffordable for the Bianconeri.

Juventus turn to Pellegrino

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Ligue 1 giants have further increased their demands for the French striker to €55m, while Juventus’ latest offer was only worth €35m.

Therefore, Juventus have reportedly asked Parma to block any potential transfer for Argentine striker Pellegrino, who is valued at €30m and can leave the Stadio Tardini on loan with an obligation to buy.

According to the report, Juventus want to continue talks with PSG over the next 10 days, until Pellegrino’s agents arrive in Italy to discuss the striker’s future.

If, by then, Juve and PSG have reached no agreement, then the Bianconeri will focus on the Parma centre-forward.

Corriere dello Sport confirms that Luciano Spalletti has demanded two strikers and that neither Lois Openda nor Jonathan David is part of his plans.

The Bianconeri remain interested in Alexander Sorloth as well, while Atletico Madrid want to bring Nico Gonzalez back to the Wanda Metropolitano this summer.

Transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri reports that Milan star Rafael Leao has decided to drop his agent and rely on a group of lawyers for his future, while a local agency will represent him for a potential transfer in the Saudi Pro League.

Milan star Leao has decided to ‘stop using a dedicated agent’ and has started working with ‘several lawyers’, according to transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri.

Rafael Leao drops his agent ahead of potential Milan exit

Leao has a €175m release clause at Milan, but the Rossoneri are reportedly looking to sell for at least €60m.

Earlier this summer, Leao admitted that he’d seek a new challenge during the summer transfer window, but no formal offer has yet arrived from any club in Europe’s top-five leagues.

Other sources have reported that Leao has been offered to a number of English clubs, including Tottenham, who don’t appear to be interested in the Portuguese.

According to Tavolieri, initial interest from the Saudi Pro League has already emerged, with Leao now represented by a local agency for a potential transfer to Saudi Arabia.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Chivu can’t wait, it will be a different Inter

Sinner in the Wimbledon Final

The King is back

Always Merino, Spain ahead

The midfielder is introduced and scores again. La Roja in the semis against France on Tuesday.

Haaland and Kane, giants of goals; a Premier challenge.

Argentine chants for Messi (with Maradona) for the assault to Switzerland

Corriere dello Sport

Clásico Mundial

Like Real-Barça

Lamine beats Belgium 2-1, semi-final against Kylian

Mbappé meets Yamal again: France-Spain on Tuesday

Sinner dreams of the double

Kolo moves away

Juve, gap with PSG. Pellegrino booked

The French club wants €55m plus add-ons. Carnevali has offered €35m. Two alternatives: the Argentine of Parma and Sorloth of Atletico. Dibu Martinez is uphill; Aston Villa value him at €15m.

Inter pounce on Lucumi

Milan choose: Alajbegovic or Karetsas

Ibra likes the Bosnian, new contact with Leverkusen. The Greek on target, Genk starlet, Gila has signed until 2031.

Roma attraction: Dybala 5 arrives

Fifth season in the Friedkin club: one-year contract without options. From Monday on the pitch in Trigoria under Gasperini.

Napoli, Zeballos waits for the breakthrough

He already has a four-year agreement but is waiting for sales. Vergara’s renewal: on Monday, the meeting between the agent and DeLa.

Ederson deal off, Atalanta tricked

Deal collapsed: he won’t go to Man United. Giuntoli had an agreement for €45m.

Tuttosport

I want the grass

Juve again: Vlahovic believes

Dusan doesn’t empty his locker at Continassa: Massara in action with Carnevali to set the contract renewal talks on more sustainable bases. The director: ‘Brahim and Kessié are not within reach.’ Midfield: Palinha emerges. Ahead for Kolo and Dibu Martinez.

Abate: ‘Toro courage, nobody scares me and I’ll open the Fila.’

Spain, Merino is the man of destiny

Haaland vs. Kane in the night of hitmen

On Messi’s shoulders, Messi against Yakin the fox

Lazio risk seeing their €19m sponsorship deal fall apart after news Polymarket will be banned in Italy for being considered illegal gambling.

The Serie A side has struggled in recent years to secure main sponsors for their jerseys, but had managed to sign the deal worth €19m in April.

It is meant to run for two seasons, with an option for the 2028-29 campaign too.

However, the agreement might be doomed before it even really begins.

Lazio struggle to get shirt sponsors

Polymarket are back on the list of blocked websites for the Customs and Monopolies Agency in Italy (ADM).

The prediction market platform is not authorised to offer services related to public gambling in Italy.

This had been a legal battle already last year, when the company argued it was not a traditional betting site, but rather a prediction market based on an exchange of odds between users.

Polymarket had initially managed to keep going during the appeal, but over the last 24 hours was blocked again by the Italian authorities.

It’s not just Lazio who could be affected, because Polymarket also signed a multi-year agreement with the Lega Serie A for the US market, using official Serie A logos and trademarks on its American platform.

Mario Gila believes he can ‘reach my full potential’ at Milan and recognises the ‘weight’ of the pressure here, then sends a farewell message to Lazio through tears.

The defender completed his transfer today for a reported fee of €25m plus €5m in add-ons, though half of that will go to his previous club Real Madrid as part of the arrangement made in 2022.

He put pen to paper on a contract at San Siro until June 2031 and will wear the Number 34 jersey.

Gila eager to get started with Milan

“We can do great things together. I feel like I can reach my full potential here,” Gila told the official club social media channels.

“I think that I can help the team in every phase,” added the Spaniard.

“I’m a real perfectionist; I never give up, and I always aim as high as I can in every aspect of my life, whether that’s on or off the pitch.”

Although he came up through the Real Madrid youth academy, Gila recognises that Milan represent a different kind of pressure to playing for Lazio.

“This shirt has a really special weight to it, which I’m aware of. I’m here to learn and give my all on the pitch in order to reach the levels that have made AC Milan great.”

 

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Gila then recorded a video message that was published on the official Lazio website to salute his old fans after four years at the Stadio Olimpico.

“Hey guys, how are you? I think this is a goodbye. I want to thank all of you, it’s been emotional since the first moment I arrived here. I was a little kid who just got the first sensation of being a professional football player, but over time I found people and situations to make me who I am today.

“Thank you to the fans, my teammates, to the staff who work inside and outside the dressing room, to my family, those who always believed in me. I thank you all for what you gave me.

“Lazio believe that you can do better things and I too am sure of that. You deserve everything, you are an incredible club. You gave me so much love, made me feel important. I don’t know if I’ll feel that kind of love elsewhere, because this city is incredible and will always remain in my heart.

“I say goodbye to you with an immense pain in my heart. Forza Lazio always,” he added through tears.

Rafael Leao was proposed to Tottenham Hotspur, claims transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano, but Roberto De Zerbi’s club are so far not interested in making an offer to Milan.

The Portugal international put himself on the market this summer when giving several interviews assuring that he had given his all to the Rossoneri, so was ready for the next adventure.

He stated that the Premier League and LaLiga might be more suited to his style of football, but getting clubs ready to pay even the reduced asking price of €60m is proving very difficult indeed.

Truth about Tottenham and Leao

There have been suggestions that Tottenham Hotspur are interested, but transfer pundit Romano claims on his YouTube channel that this is the wrong way round.

Instead, Leao’s intermediaries proposed him to Spurs, who were not particularly excited by the idea of signing the winger.

The desire to separate goes two ways, because Leao is only under contract until June 2028 and Milan have no intention of offering an extension, eager to get his wages off the books.

That is effectively confirmed by new coach Ruben Amorim, who said that the ‘ideal’ position for Christian Pulisic is on the left side of a trident attack.

That is the position currently held by Leao, forcing the USMNT star to shift over onto the right.

So far, the only genuine interest in him has come from Benfica and Galatasaray.

Roma will push Chelsea for Alejandro Garnacho, who is good friends with Paulo Dybala, but there are different reports on whether it could be a loan or permanent buy.

Garnacho had already been very close to Serie A football last year when in advanced negotiations with Napoli, but ultimately preferred to make the move from Manchester United to Chelsea for €46.2m.

His career stalled at Stamford Bridge with eight goals and four assists in 43 competitive appearances, though only 22 of those were in the starting XI.

Garnacho back on Serie A radar

Multiple sources are confident that Chelsea have put him on the market this summer and do not see him as part of their future plans.

The issue now is the formula, as Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea would only be ready to sell Garnacho on a permanent deal, so not on loan with an option to buy.

He insists that Roma are not prepared to accept those terms at those costs.

Sportitalia transfer pundit Alfredo Pedullà instead maintains that the Giallorossi are prepared to use the €40m that were set aside for Olympique Marseille winger Mason Greenwood, instead putting that to the purchase of the Argentine.

Garnacho only turned 22 last week and is also still on the Napoli radar, although their finances do not stretch to a permanent buy.

Where Roma might have an advantage, according to Pedullà, is that the player is good friends with Roma star Dybala, who has just agreed a new contract at the Stadio Olimpico.

Mario Gila has officially completed his transfer to Milan, leaving Lazio for €25m plus €5m add-ons, though 50 per cent of that goes to his former club Real Madrid.

The defender is a product of the Real Madrid youth academy and was sold to Lazio for just €6m in the summer of 2022.

As part of that arrangement, the Merengues retained a 50 per cent cut of the future sale fee, which is now coming back to them.

New Serie A adventure for Gila

Gila turns 26 next month and had also been in talks with Napoli, Juventus and Atalanta, but preferred the project put forward to him by the Rossoneri and their new coach Ruben Amorim.

Multiple sources report the cost of the operation was €25m plus €5m in add-ons, while the player has put pen to paper on a five-year contract.

Strengthening the wall pic.twitter.com/dQwFChlVTs

— AC Milan (@acmilan) July 10, 2026

His salary at San Siro is believed to be worth €5m per season net and he will wear the Number 34 jersey.

Gila’s contract with Lazio was running down at the end of this season, so a departure was inevitable after 120 competitive appearances for the club.

The centre-back flew in last night and underwent all his medical tests in Milan today.

Serie A side Torino have announced they will play Burnley in a pre-season friendly at Turf Moor on August 2.

There are several Italian clubs who are scheduled to play summer warm-up matches on English soil.

Torino to visit Burnley

Toro are the latest, having organised a trip to the historic Turf Moor stadium on Sunday August 2.

Kick-off time will be at 15.00 local time (16.00 CEST).

It will be final pre-season test for Burnley before they begin their campaign in earnest with the first round Carabao Cup tie against Notts County on Saturday August 8.

Tickets for Burnley vs. Torino are on sale now from the Burnley website.

The Granata finished mid-table in Serie A last season, but have now appointed new coach Ignazio Abate and are hoping to rebuild.

Juventus director Giovanni Carnevali warns Franck Kessie, Brahim Diaz and Theo Hernandez ‘cannot be part of the plan at this moment,’ but they’re ‘waiting’ for Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.

The Bianconeri are rebuilding after a traumatic season that saw them finish sixth in Serie A, missing out on the Champions League to qualify for the Europa League.

That hit their finances hard and affects the strategy going forward, so new director Carnevali urged fans not to listen to the media rumours of big names returning to Serie A for them.

Juventus shrug off big name rumours

Sport Mediaset asked specifically about the reports of approaches for Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz, ex-Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, and free agent Kessie.

“There is no truth to them, because these are very important players, but if we analyse their costs and values, they cannot be part of the plan at this moment for the construction of this squad,” replied Carnevali.

While Kessie would be a free agent, he still commands significant commission fees for his entourage, as well as a high salary demand.

“We have various negotiations in progress, it takes time to reflect, because we don’t want to be frenetic, the market changes every day,” added Carnevali.

“Just look at Dibu Martinez, who is playing at the World Cup, so we need to wait for that to play out. There are many situations, a club like Juventus has to be open on various different fronts and pay attention to what can happen.”

It has been reported by multiple sources that Martinez is eager to come to Juventus after a meeting where the club plans were presented, but agreeing a transfer fee with Aston Villa is proving to be more difficult.

There can be no real progress until his World Cup campaign has concluded, and Argentina are preparing to face Switzerland in the quarter-final this weekend.

Juventus and Turkiye star Kenan Yildiz is still struggling with a chronic tendon condition and could require surgery, claim reports in Italy.

The forward is the figure around whom the Bianconeri intend to build their squad, having given him a lucrative new contract and the iconic Number 10 jersey.

However, his performances in recent months have been visibly below par due to a recurring injury problem that has still not been resolved.

Kenan Yildiz struggling with knee issue

According to Tuttosport, this has become a chronic tendonitis that becomes inflamed every time he tries to step up the physical strain on the knee.

Playing for Turkiye at the World Cup further exacerbated the problem, where he played with the aid of heavy strapping and painkillers, and it remains to be seen if conservative treatment can fully resolve the issue.

If it isn’t, then Juventus and the player could decide to opt for surgery in the summer to clean up the tendon and then begin the rehabilitation process.

Yildiz is currently resting after the tournament and is expected back in Turin for pre-season training from July 20.

Serie A players have contributed to Norway’s World Cup quarter-final qualification, with Torbjorn Heggem featuring regularly in the starting lineup and Marcus Pedersen and Leo Ostigard both on the scoresheet.

Erling Haaland has deservedly made headlines as his Norway side has qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history. The Manchester City striker has netted seven World Cup goals so far, just one fewer than Kylian Mbappé, who has already played in the quarter-finals, scoring one goal in a 2-0 win over Morocco.

Two Serie A goals for Norway at the 2026 World Cup

As Gazzetta highlights, however, Norway’s World Cup run has also been inspired by the performances of some Serie A players.

Four footballers from Italy’s top-flight, plus Morten Thorsby, who was relegated to Serie B with Cremonese last season, are part of the Norway team at the World Cup: Marcus Pedersen (Torino), Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna), Leo Ostigard (Genoa) and Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo).

Bologna’s Heggem has started every match except against France and has received no yellow cards so far, despite playing as a centre-back. Torino right-back Pedersen scored against Senegal and has collected three appearances, two as a starter.

Thorstvedt has made two appearances as a substitute. Ostigard played four matches, one as a starter against France, and scored against Iraq on the debut game, becoming the first Serie A player to score a goal at the 2026 World Cup.

Thorsby was introduced as a substitute against France in the third group stage game.

Italy are fully aware of Norway’s strength, having lost to them twice in the qualifying group stage. Norway won all ten of their games, and by the time they met Italy in the final round, winning 4-1, their goal difference was already far superior to the Azzurri’s.

Reports in Italy suggest that Pietro Comuzzo could be heading towards the exit doors at Fiorentina and that Torino are interested in offering a new home to the 21-year-old centre-back this summer. 

Italy international Comuzzo of interest to Torino

Fiorentina have had a busy start to the summer transfer window and have already secured the signings of two new centre-backs in Radu Dragusin from Tottenham on loan with a €19m obligation to buy and Viery from Gremio at a cost of around €15m including bonuses. 

With Luca Ranieri and Marin Pongracic still on Fiorentina’s books as well, it appears that Comuzzo may struggle for regular and consistent game-time in Serie A heading into the 2026-27 season. 

This could pave the way for his exit, and according to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Comuzzo is of interest to Torino, who, like Fiorentina, are hoping to add two new centre-backs to their ranks this summer.

Di Marzio has clarified that no formal negotiations have taken place at this stage, but that the interest from Torino is genuine.

Comuzzo already has 91 first team appearances for Fiorentina under his belt at the age of 21, including 64 outings in Serie A. 

He earned his first two caps for the Italy national team under interim head coach Silvio Baldini at the beginning of June, but had also been included in multiple ‘full-strength’ squads under Luciano Spalletti from November 2024 onwards.

Torino director Gianluca Petrachi admits he’ll sit down with Ché Adams to discuss the striker’s future at the club, but the Granata are confident of retaining both Giovanni Simeone and Nikola Vlasic.

Torino unveiled their new coach, Ignazio Abate, at a press conference today, during which sporting director Petrachi provided some transfer updates.

One of the questions was on Scotland international Ché Adams, who has reportedly attracted interest from Wolves and Venezia.

“Currently, he’s on holiday, lucky him,” Petrachi said, smiling (via TMW).

Torino: Ché Adams had an offer to leave in January

“When he returns, we’ll talk and see what he wants to do. He received a request in January, and he made himself available to stay, but to talk about it again in the summer.”

Adams, 29, has less than a year left in his contract with Torino, where he has just completed his second season after a free transfer from Sunderland in 2024.

While Adam’s future in Turin is far from certain, Duvan Zapata has just signed a new contract, agreeing to a pay cut in exchange for a longer deal.

“He proved to be a silent leader; he doesn’t talk much, but he has an impact and says wise things,” Petrachi said.

“He’s spread his salary, making an important gesture. The Zapata we saw in January can give us a lot.”

Petrachi is confident that both Simeone and Vlasic will remain at Torino in 2026-27, even if the Argentine striker had previously pushed to join River Plate.

“There was a situation for which he wanted to return home, but there are moments when a footballer is tired and thinks about the family; everyone has weaknesses,” Petrachi explained.

“But we’ve made him understand that it’s not yet the time to return home. He has understood and is committed. Abate spoke to him for 30 minutes, and he resumed with grit.

“I also asked Vlasic to stay,” Petrachi concluded.

“He is a player worthy of Toro, I’m in love with him on footballing terms.”

Fiorentina have announced that they will face Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in a prestigious pre-season friendly on August 1.

The match is scheduled to take place at the Wörthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt, where both teams are set to have their summer training camps in Austria seeking cooler temperatures.

The kick-off time is 18.00 local, so 17.00 in the UK, and tickets go on sale from July 15.

Fiorentina to play Real Madrid

It is the second time that the Tuscans have played Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly, as they had visited the Bernabeu in the summer of 2017.

Fiorentina are keeping busy as they prepare for the new campaign under coach Fabio Grosso, as they have organised a series of friendly matches.

They’ll visit QPR at Loftus Road on July 25, then Watford at Vicarage Road on July 29.

The encounter with Real Madrid in Austria is on August 1, then Deportivo La Coruna are hosted at the Viola Park complex on August 6.

Ruben Amorim officially began his reign as Milan head coach earlier this week, addressing the media for the first time alongside club owner Gerry Cardinale.

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Amorim outlined his ambitions for the Rossoneri, while Cardinale reiterated the club’s commitment to building a competitive side capable of challenging both domestically and in Europe.

The summer transfer window has already seen Milan make an early statement with the arrivals of Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila, strengthening both the attack and the defence ahead of the new campaign.

However, the club’s business is far from complete, with several areas of the squad still expected to be reinforced before the window closes.

In today’s episode of the Football Italia Summer Show, Lorenzo Bettoni is joined by SempreMilan’s Ben Dixon to analyse Amorim’s first press conference, discuss the significance of Milan’s early signings, and examine the club’s transfer strategy under Cardinale’s ownership.

Watch the full episode below.

Como are preparing for their first ever season competing in the Champions League and Cesc Fabregas’s side have already committed over €100m on new players ahead of their maiden voyage into Europe’s most prestigious competition. 

Como’s summer spending doesn’t stop at Nico Paz

Como have the wealthiest ownership group in Serie A and have proved across the last few seasons that they are not afraid to spend significantly in order to jump start their lakeside project. 

The summer of 2026 has been no different and has been headlined by the €60m deal that Como have arranged with Real Madrid to keep Nico Paz at the club for at least another season. 

The Nico Paz saga had gone on for months across the 2025-26 season: Real Madrid had a low-cost buy-back option set at €9m this summer, which the Spaniards eventually decided to activate before selling Paz back to Como at a cost of €60m. The new deal includes another buy-back option in favour of Real Madrid, but now at €80m and only for the summer of 2027. 

• Read more: Why Como are able to spend €60m on Nico Paz despite expected FFP breach

Additionally, Como are set to welcome Yan Couto from Borussia Dortmund at a cost of around €20m. That comes after a deal for Brazilian full-back Kaiki, who has arrived on loan with an obligation to buy €14m. 

That brings us close to the €100m mark already, and that is before the signing of midfielder Luis Milla at a cost of around €6m is taken into account. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that a deal for Mattia Liberali is expected to happen, which again, should cost around €6m. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Como’s summer spending won’t stop there, either. Fabregas and his team are still looking to strengthen in defence with at least one, if not two new signings at the back, plus an alternative option to Tasos Douvikas at centre-forward.

This could bring the eventual bill to €150m for the summer of 2026.

Juventus have officially announced that Francois Modesto has left his position as technical director, just shy of a year after he was brought to the club by former CEO Damien Comolli.

Official: Modesto is no longer Juventus’s technical director

Modesto was appointed on July 15 in 2025 and has had his departure confirmed 360 days later following a restructuring of the Juventus senior management team. 

Giovanni Carnevali has replaced Modesto as CEO, Frederic Massara has recently been appointed as the club’s Chief Football Officer, while Marco Ottolini continues in the role of sporting director. Giorgio Chiellini has also recently been promoted to the role of Chief Club Affairs Officer, signalling an all-Italian leadership team on the sporting side of the club. 

This means that there is no longer any room for Modesto, who has followed Comolli out of the club after one disappointing season at the helm. 

“Juventus announces that a mutual agreement has been reached with Francois Modesto for the termination of his position as the Club’s Technical Director, effective immediately,” read a statement on the club website.

“The Club would like to thank Francois for the dedication and professionalism he showed during his time in the role, and wish him the very best in his professional future and personal endeavours.”

Before his time with Juventus, Modesto had served as the technical director at Monza between 2022 and 2025, as the technical director at Nottingham Forest between 2019 and 2022, and in various scouting roles with Olympiacos between 2016 and 2022.

Anan Khalaili has been spotted at the airport in Milan on Friday, having flown to Italy to complete the final details of his potential €30m transfer to Inter. 

Khalaili in Italy to complete Inter transfer

Reports on Thursday claimed that Inter had struck an agreement with Union Saint-Gilloise to sign right-winger Khalaili for a guaranteed fee of €25m, plus bonuses that could take the total cost up to the €30m mark. 

The Nerazzurri had initially seen bids of €20m plus bonuses and then €23m plus bonuses turned down by the Belgian side. 

However, an agreement has now been reached at €25m in guaranteed fees, plus bonuses and a 15% sell-on clause in favour of Union SG.

Khalaili has since been filmed arriving in Milan, and the Israel international is now expected to complete his medical tests and to sign his contract at the Inter headquarters in the city by the end of Friday. 

Khalaili è arrivato a Milano: oggi le visite mediche e poi la firma con l’@Inter pic.twitter.com/i2HoebBZXR

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) July 10, 2026

Khalaili looks set to be the replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who has left Inter after five successful seasons to join Real Madrid. The Nerazzurri had initially targeted a move for Italy international Marco Palestra, who has since joined Chelsea in a big-money move. 

Khalaili was next on Inter’s list, and despite the fact that he had been of interest to Napoli earlier this window, his next destination will be San Siro.

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti thought the Bianconeri would sign a new centre-forward and a new goalkeeper by the start of the pre-season, but talks for Randal Kolo Muani and Emiliano Martinez are stalling.

Juventus have not progressed in negotiations for PSG forward Kolo Muani and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Juventus transfers: latest updates on Kolo Muani and Dibu Martinez as Spalletti waits

According to Gazzetta, the time required to complete the transfers has surprised Spalletti, who expected to welcome a new striker and a new goalkeeper by the start of the pre-season on July 13.

Juventus are struggling to reach an agreement with both PSG and Aston Villa, so most likely, Jeff Ekhator will be the only new Bianconeri summer signing to begin pre-season training with the team next week.

Gazzetta reports that Juventus don’t want to spend more than €6m/7m for Martinez, who is currently on Argentina international duty at the World Cup.

At the same time, PSG have raised their demands for Kolo Muani, asking for circa €50m, while Juventus don’t want to spend more than €40m for a loan deal with an obligation to buy.

Kolo Muani has long been Spalletti’s top target for the Juventus attack, but it remains uncertain whether the Italian tactician will work with the French forward anytime soon.

Lazio defender Mario Gila has arrived for his medical tests with Milan before completing a €30m deal.

Spanish centre-back Gila arrived at the La Madonnina clinic in Milan this morning to undergo medical tests with the Rossoneri.

Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio shared the video of Gila’s arrival at the private clinic, which you can see below.

Multiple sources claim that the deal is worth €30m, including add-ons. Gila had only a year left on his contract with Lazio.

A former Real Madrid Castilla player, Gila, 26, will sign his contract with Milan later today.

Video: Gila begins Milan medical

Gila è arrivato alla Casa di Cura La Madonnina per le visite mediche con il @acmilan. Nel pomeriggio è prevista la firma del contratto pic.twitter.com/TqvS7JgpwV

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) July 10, 2026

Gazzetta dello Sport

Mbappé Messi-style

He missed a penalty and then invented the 8th magic, like Leo. Marocco beaten, Dembélé scores too. Today, Yamal guides Spain against Belgium.

Beat of a wing: Inter choose Khalaili

First signing of the champions after the Palestra disappointment. Dumfries’ replacement signed: a 25m deal, now all-in on Chalobah.

Corriere dello Sport

Mbappé like Messi. Yamal, there’s big Rom.

Dumfries’ replacement

The first is Khalaili

A new starter for Inter: 25m to Union SG

An Israeli to play for the Nerazzurri for the first time: Five-year contract

He’s 21, six goals and six assists in the last season. Medical tests today. 2.2m salary. Now the priority is Chalobah: meeting with Chelsea.

Grosso: ‘Atta is a big coup.’

Pellegrino, Juventus pave the way

Contacts with Parma for the Argentine. A new meeting with PSG and Aston Villa for Muani and Martinez

Napoli, Anguissa starts the pre-season

He has one year left in his contract and the coach likes him. Talks are ongoing with Hull City for Milinkovic. Falcone on target, Zeballos booked, the agent in tow.

Tuttosport

Juve, Matic offered for now

Carnevali proposes to Spalletti the 37-year-old from Sassuolo

The experienced Serbian midfielder, ex-United, intrigues as a backup, but the coach expects something different, starting with the attack. Yildiz will start slowly to manage his knee; surgery is not ruled out.

Fantastique

Mbappé-Dembélé, France in the semis

Inter: Khalaili, now Chalobah

25m to Union for the Israeli winger. Medical tests today. The Chelsea centre-back is the next target

Jakic breaks for Torino

Atta too! Viola dreams

Paratici unleashed, many teams of Europe’s top sides beaten for 25m. Grosso: ‘Great coup.’

Romario goes off track: ‘Kick Ancelotti out!’

Malagò: ‘Italy technical director, possible surprise.’

Fiorentina have completed their third summer signing by welcoming Arthur Atta from Udinese, while Inter have secured a deal with Union Saint-Gilloise for Anan Khalaili. Check out today’s most important transfer news in the latest Football Italia transfer show.

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Juventus are keen to strengthen between the posts ahead of the new season, with talks ongoing as they explore the financial details of a move for Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

Top Serie A transfer news: July 9

Fiorentina have completed their third signing of the summer, securing the arrival of promising midfielder Arthur Atta from Udinese. The Viola continue to reinforce their squad as they prepare for the upcoming campaign, with the club showing no signs of slowing down in the transfer market.

Elsewhere in Serie A, Milan are preparing to welcome Mario Gila, who has left Rome today.

Roma, on the other hand, are being forced to consider alternative attacking targets after Mason Greenwood moved closer to joining Fenerbahce.

With the English forward now expected to continue his career in Turkey, the Giallorossi have shifted their focus to other options as they aim to strengthen their forward line before the transfer window closes.

From Juventus’ pursuit of a world-class goalkeeper to Fiorentina’s latest addition, as well as the latest developments involving Milan and Roma, there is plenty happening across Serie A.

Check out today’s transfer update video for all the latest news, rumours and analysis from the Italian transfer market.

Reports are growing that Romelu Lukaku is a genuine target for Vincenzo Italiano’s Besiktas, but the Turkish club wants to offer just half the Napoli asking price.

The striker probably does not have a place in the squad under new coach Max Allegri at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, having already broken off his relationship with Napoli directors and staff last season.

His decision to go back to Belgium for treatment ahead of the World Cup infuriated the club, so with only one year left on his contract, an exit seems likely.

Lukaku open to Besiktas move

According to Fanatik, Besiktas first asked to view the latest Napoli and Belgium fitness reports on Lukaku, then decided it was worth progressing with negotiations.

It is claimed that they have started talks with both Napoli and the player’s entourage, with the striker open to making the move.

A major issue might be that Napoli are hoping to get €10m for the sale, whereas Besiktas are aiming for closer to €5m.

The 33-year-old was injured for most of last season, but still scored 15 goals with 11 assists in his 45 competitive appearances for Napoli.

Atalanta have completed the purchase of creative midfielder Gianluca Gaetano from Cagliari for a reported fee of €14m including add-ons.

The 26-year-old was requested by new coach Maurizio Sarri to bring different characteristics to the squad, especially with Ederson on his way to Manchester United.

Gaetano is a new Atalanta player

An agreement was struck this week for a reported €12m plus another €2m in performance-related bonuses.

Gaetano underwent medical tests over the last 24 hours and has now been formally announced as a new Atalanta player.

He is a product of the Napoli youth academy, but barely played for his hometown club, instead going on loan to Cremonese and Cagliari.

The Sardinians bought him outright last summer for €6.2m and have more than doubled that price tag in the space of one year.

Gaetano has 93 Serie A appearances under his belt, scoring 10 goals and assisting another 11, plus five Champions League games.

La Dea begun their pre-season training today in Bergamo under the guidance of their new coach.

Torino agreed a €2m deal for Spezia goalkeeper Diego Mascardi, but are reportedly still tracking others including Paraguay’s Orlando Gill, Lucas Perri at Leeds United, and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale.

The Granata are revamping their squad this summer to fit the vision of new coach Ignazio Abate, and the role undergoing the biggest transformation is that of goalkeeper.

Mascardi ready for Torino, but not only new buy

Sky Sport Italia, Sportitalia and more all confirm an agreement has been reached with Spezia for Mascardi, the 19-year-old who already has two Under-21 caps for Italy.

A product of the Spezia youth academy, the sale is said to be worth around €2m.

However, Sky Sport Italia transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio warns he is more of an investment for the future than right now, so Torino are also actively seeking a more experienced shot-stopper.

Their preferred candidate remains Gill, who impressed so much for Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup, and is playing for San Lorenzo at club level.

With a growing list of interested clubs and a ballooning asking price, the Granata could also turn towards the Premier League.

Di Marzio maintains other alternatives include Lucas Perri of Leeds United, and Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Fiorentina are moving fast, as Arthur Atta underwent his medicals today for a €40m move from Udinese, but Schalke 04 target Robin Gosens was frozen out and is digging his heels in.

The Viola are already beginning pre-season preparations at their Viola Park complex and today new coach Fabio Grosso held his presentation press conference.

Atta arrives for Fiorentina, but Gosens pushed out

It had already been reported that a lightning fast deal was struck with Udinese for midfielder Atta, arriving for €25-30m, but leaving Udinese a 30 per cent cut of his future sale fee.

That means they expect the ultimate valuation for the player to be €40m.

Within hours, Atta was pictured arriving at the Fiorentina camp for his medical tests.

He is set to sign a four-year contract with wages worth around €1.3m per season.

Meanwhile, Sportitalia and Sky Sport Italia both report that Gosens has been informed he is not part of the Fiorentina project, so will not even participate in pre-season training.

It is their attempt to freeze him out and force a transfer to get his wages off the books before his contract expires in June 2028.

They are so determined that Bild claim he could be sold for a nominal fee of just €1m.

Schalke 04 are known to be interested, but Sky Sport Italia warn that getting Gosens to agree to the move might be difficult, as he feels let down by the Viola.

It isn’t entirely a new issue, as Gosens had been on the verge of a move to Nottingham Forest in January when he pumped the brakes.

Anan Khalaili’s father reveals Cristian Chivu ‘took the initiative’ to secure a deal with Inter, after ‘Ipswich Town offered €30m, but Napoli were a long way’ from satisfying Union Saint-Gilloise.

The Israel international seems all set to take his place on the right side of the Inter midfield, replacing Real Madrid bound Denzel Dumfries, after intensive negotiations.

Multiple sources this afternoon report that the deal is done for €25m plus add-ons to reach the €30m asking price, including a 15 per cent cut of the sell on fee to his first club Maccabi Haifa.

Father Madji Khalaili, who himself was a professional football player, spoke to 103FM about the entire situation.

Khalaili all set for Inter medical

“I said that I wouldn’t talk until it was all decided. Well, he will sign and the day after tomorrow fly from Brussels to Milan in a private plane they put at his disposal,” said the player’s father.

“What we experienced over the last two or three weeks has been surreal. Yet I’ve never seen someone so calm. I called him after the negotiations were finalised and he was asleep. I told him it was all done and he just replied: ‘Really? Wow.’ That’s what my son is like.”

There had been reports weeks ago that Napoli had agreed personal terms, but not with Union Saint-Gilloise, while the father confirmed there were numerous other clubs involved.

“We received requests from Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town who made an offer worth €30m, as well as Cagliari, Atalanta and Napoli.

“It’s true that the first formal offer came from Napoli, but it was a long way off satisfying the requests in Belgium.”

Khalaili was convinced that Inter was the right club for him after speaking directly with coach Chivu.

“We had a terrible week, Anan almost missed some training sessions, and the negotiations were so close to collapsing. Cristian Chivu took the initiative by calling personally from Miami, telling him he would be the first choice for that role.

“What convinced Inter to really go for him were his Champions League statistics. I am convinced this won’t be the final big move of his career, his strength and aggressive play are what got him to this point.”

Khalaili turns 22 in September and Union Saint-Gilloise had paid €6.5m to buy him from Maccabi Haifa in 2024.

Last season, he scored three goals in just eight Champions League appearances for the Belgian club.

Multiple sources in Italy and Argentina claim Bologna are very close to securing Estudiantes creative midfielder Mikel Amondarain for circa €9m.

The 21-year-old is considered a real talent in his homeland and is a product of the Estudiantes youth academy, graduating to the senior squad last year.

So far this season, he has contributed four goals and three assists in 23 appearances for his club.

Amondarain on Bologna list

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Tuttomercatoweb, Sportitalia and more, the initial bid of €8m was rejected, but negotiations are whittling down the differences to reach the €9m asking price.

Amondarain can play in a variety of tactical positions, including in a three-man midfield, in front of the defence, or on the right wing.

Considered a box to box player, he can surge forward, but also protect the defence when required, and had been a striker in his youth.

His current contract with Estudiantes is set to run until December 2028.

Alessandro Del Piero has looked back on Italy’s 2006 World Cup victory, the Azzurri’s most recent triumph on the game’s biggest stage, reflecting on both the joy of that summer and the turmoil that swirled around it.

Speaking to Sky Sport to mark 20 years since the success, the former Juventus forward described a campaign coloured by emotion.

“That goal against Germany has a special flavour, it was everyone’s World Cup,” Del Piero said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Of those who lived it, dreamed it and wanted it: there’s always so much emotion. Now that I no longer play, it’s much easier to celebrate trophies, this one in particular. We keep the chat of that World Cup group alive.”

His reflections carried a note of realism about the present, too.

“Watching these World Cups, you understand that certain national teams have made great strides forward, and qualifying today is no longer so guaranteed,” he added, a pointed acknowledgement, given Italy have now missed three tournaments in a row.

Del Piero recalls staying ‘isolated’ from Juventus turmoil

The context in which Italy triumphed in 2006 was anything but straightforward. The Calciopoli scandal was engulfing Italian football that summer, with Juventus, Del Piero’s club and that of several teammates, at its centre, ultimately stripped of titles and relegated to Serie B in its aftermath.

“What was happening in the Juventus world was inexplicable, even for us inside it,” Del Piero recalled.

“Back then it was essential to stay focused. Within the group we lived very well, we were all focused and we didn’t want external news to harm our serenity. There was enormous tension, that World Cup was at times disarming for everything that was going on. But we were good at staying isolated from it, yes.”

That ability to compartmentalise, as Del Piero tells it, was central to one of the most remarkable triumphs in the country’s footballing history, a feat that looks all the more distant against the backdrop of the Azzurri’s current struggles.

Mario Gila is set to undergo his Milan medical tests on Friday, completing the transfer from Lazio for €30m, with half of that going to Real Madrid.

The defender turns 26 next month and has been at the Stadio Olimpico since 2022, but was down to the final year of his contract.

With no renewal in sight, the Biancocelesti accepted the proposal worth €30m from Milan, having also been in talks with Inter, Napoli, Juventus and Atalanta.

Gila medical scheduled for July 10

Multiple sources this evening state that Gila will be in Milan tonight, so he can undergo the necessary medical tests on Friday.

He is then ready to sign a five-year contract worth €5m net per season, while his agent is expected to pocket €5m in commission.

Lazio are only getting 50 per cent of the €30m fee, thanks to the arrangement they had agreed with Real Madrid when buying the defender for just €6m in 2022.

As part of the deal, La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Milan will also buy Lazio youth team left-back Lorenzo Calvani for €2.5m.

This is €30m for the total, specifically €27m plus some easy to achieve add-ons.

Italian sources are confident Inter have a deal with Union Saint-Gilloise for Anan Khalaili worth €25m plus add-ons, including a bonus for Maccabi Haifa, and could have his medical this weekend.

The Nerazzurri dived onto the Israel international for the right wing to replace Real Madrid-bound Denzel Dumfries after missing out on first choice Marco Palestra to Chelsea.

Negotiations had been tricky and there were two previous proposals rejected by Union Saint-Gilloise, worth €20m plus add-ons, then €23m.

Khalaili to Inter gets over the line

However, Sportitalia, Tuttomercatoweb, Sky Sport Italia and Fabrizio Romano now believe an agreement has been reached worth €25m plus add-ons to reach the €30m asking price.

Above all, it includes a 15 per cent cut of the future sale fee for his previous club Maccabi Haifa, who had sold him to the Belgians in 2024 for €6.5m.

The right-back turns 22 in September and last season he was a key figure for USG, contributing six goals and six assists in 42 competitive games.

Italian reports believe Khalaili will be in Milan for his medical tests either tomorrow or Saturday.

Napoli had been close to an agreement earlier in the summer, but could not progress until first making sales, while Como also showed interest.

Milan and USMNT star Christian Pulisic will be out of action for circa six weeks after scans confirmed he suffered a microfracture during the World Cup.

The forward struggled with several injury problems and poor form in recent months for both club and country, which did not improve by much at the tournament where USA were hosting with Canada and Mexico.

He limped off during the Round of 16 defeat to Belgium, 4-1 on the day, and there were immediately concerns it could be a serious setback.

Pulisic scans show extent of injury

Now multiple reports in America and Italy confirm that Pulisic has been diagnosed with bone bruising and a microfracture of the tibia/fibula.

He was spotted on crutches the next day at the team hotel, raising worries that this could be a long-term absence.

However, The Athletic and Calciomercato both cite sources reassuring that Pulisic is likely to be out of action for three to six weeks.

This could enable him to be back in training for the start of the new Serie A season on August 23, where Milan begin the tournament against Torino.

The former Chelsea man had scored 10 goals with four assists in 34 competitive games for Milan last season, but notably none of those goals were in 2026.

He hasn’t found the net for his club since the 3-0 win over Verona on December 28, firing blanks in the successive 19 matches.

Serie A is set for a notable refereeing change in 2026/27, with VAR to be used to correct wrongly awarded corners.

Each national federation can decide whether to adopt the measure, and Italy’s top flight will do so, while Serie B and C are still weighing it up, partly due to having fewer cameras available.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Referees will be able to overturn a corner given in error, provided the review causes no disruption to the game in progress.

VAR to review second yellow cards in Serie A

A second, more significant change is also coming: VAR will be able to review second yellow cards that have been shown, though not ones that were missed.

Unlike the corner protocol, this is an IFAB directive and mandatory for all competitions. It follows a string of controversies last season, most notably the Kalulu-Bastoni incident, where the resulting dismissal would have been overturned after an on-field review had the measure already been in place.

Italian officiating is also moving towards a more UEFA-style approach elsewhere: covering the mouth during a dispute with an opponent will not bring an automatic red, with a yellow deemed sufficient, and the same leniency will apply to players who briefly leave the pitch in protest.

Schalke 04 have started negotiations with Fiorentina for Germany international Robin Gosens, claim Sky Sports Deutschland, as the price-tag could be as little as €1m.

The left-back just turned 32 last week and is widely expected to leave the Viola this summer, even with the arrival of new coach Fabio Grosso meaning a 4-3-3 formation is likely to be adopted.

His contract at the Stadio Artemio Franchi runs to June 2028.

Gosens eager for Schalke

According to German transfer pundit Florian Plettenburg, the talks have begun in earnest between the two clubs and the Gosens entourage to discuss terms.

In order to make the move go through, Gosens would need to take a pay cut, but it would be a chance to play for the club he has always supported.

However, Bild maintain that Fiorentina would help by only requesting a symbolic fee of €1m.

The player has spent most of his career in Italian football, first coming to Atalanta in the summer of 2017, then moving on to Inter in 2022.

There was a brief return to Germany for Union Berlin in the 2023-24 campaign, but he rushed back to Serie A for Fiorentina at a cost of €7.1m.

There were some injury problems last season and he made only 36 appearances in all competition, still contributing an impressive four goals and three assists.

Fabio Grosso is well aware that Fiorentina ‘want to rebuild’ after a difficult campaign and make a team that is ‘competitive and lasting’ with new stars in a 4-3-3 formation.

It was remarkable timing for the Viola to organise this presentation press conference, on the 20^th anniversary of Grosso converting the decisive penalty in the 2006 World Cup Final against France.

He has gone on to make a strong career for himself as a coach, most recently at Sassuolo, and signed a contract with Fiorentina to June 2028 plus an option to extend for another year.

Grosso begins new Fiorentina adventure

“I want to thank Fiorentina for this opportunity. It is an historic club and being here makes me very proud,” said Grosso. “I also thank Sassuolo for two wonderful years.

“You asked me about 2006, well the years go by, but what we did will remain in history and we can only be proud about that. I do a different job now, I know my responsibilities, we’ll do everything to achieve something good here too.”

Fiorentina had a disastrous campaign that saw them escape from the relegation zone in only the final weeks, so are eager to turn things around.

“I am aware of what has been asked of me. The club wants to rebuild something wonderful, and I keep that in mind. We’re trying to put the pieces in place to help rebuild a Fiorentina side that is competitive and lasting.

“Obviously, the dream in everyone’s mind is to win a trophy. I feel the hunger and ambition to keep raising the bar, so that is our objective. We want to make Fiorentina a protagonist of this league, and thinking about where we want to go can make the path seem clearer, but we also know that we need action more than words right now.”

Grosso traditionally likes to play with a 4-3-3 formation, whereas Fiorentina have varied between different systems in recent years, so does he have a clear idea of how he wants to set them up?

“I always liked to have a team with courage and an attacking approach. The idea is to play 4-3-3, it’s what I’ve always done, and I want to continue doing it, although clearly there are some situations that could warrant adjustments.”

Fiorentina secured several new signings over the last few days, including defender Radu Dragusin from Tottenham Hotspur, and only today Udinese midfielder Arthur Atta.

“I have to compliment director Fabio Paratici. Atta is a very strong player with great potential, I imagine him on the left side of a three-man midfield,” continued Grosso.

“I trust the director in his choices. Viery is young with a lot of potential, I want to get to know him and understand his characteristics. We know Dragusin better, he is coming from a top club and is an important signing.”

There are some already in the Fiorentina squad who are familiar faces for Grosso thanks to his time as coach of the Juventus youth team.

“We brought Moise Kean into the youth side earlier than expected, he always had this ambition to become a world class player. I can’t wait to speak with him again, he is an important player in this squad for me.

“The same goes for Nicolò Fagioli, he too has great quality and can improve so much in the build-up play.”

There are others who perhaps don’t quite fit into the 4-3-3 vision, such as Albert Gudmundsson.

“Freedom of movement in football is important, and characteristics affect the way you play. I want to speak to Albert and see how he feels about things. I want players in my squad who are ready to work hard.

“He’s not a winger, but not a striker either, and I don’t see him in midfield, especially with the arrival of Atta. When working with him in training, I might get a better idea of his strengths and weaknesses,” added Grosso.

Lorenzo Insigne has paid an emotional tribute to Sampdoria icon Gianluca Vialli, days after completing his move to the Serie B club.

Taking to social media on what would have been Vialli’s birthday, the newly-arrived forward honoured one of the most beloved figures in the Blucerchiati’s history.

Insigne, the former Napoli captain and Euro 2020 winner, joined Sampdoria this week on a permanent deal, and his first gesture in the club’s colours was a heartfelt one, a nod to the man who helped make the shirt he now wears so revered.

Insigne salutes Sampdoria legend Vialli on his birthday

“Today my thoughts go to Gianluca Vialli on the day of his birthday,” Insigne wrote.

“Having just arrived at this magnificent club, I feel even more the privilege and the responsibility of being part of the history you made immortal. You taught that courage, heart and love for this shirt are worth more than any trophy. Happy birthday, Legend. Your example will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone.”

Vialli remains an enduring symbol of Sampdoria’s greatest era, a talismanic striker who, alongside Roberto Mancini, fired the club to their historic Scudetto in 1990/91.

His death in January 2023, after a battle with illness, was mourned across the game, and his legacy in Genoa endures.

For Insigne, the words underline his awareness of what he has walked into, a proud club with a storied past, and a chance to write a new chapter of his own as he begins life in Serie B.

Reports in Italy confirm that Fiorentina have moved quickly to secure a deal with Udinese for midfielder Arthur Atta, who is valued at €40m but will cost the Viola an initial fee in the region of €25m-€30m. 

Done deal: Atta all set to join Fiorentina from Udinese

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, an agreement between Fiorentina and Udinese was agreed in the early hours of the morning.

Viola director Fabio Paratici has been credited with getting the deal over the line. The former Juventus man had reportedly expressed an interest in signing Atta during his time in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur as well.

Atta comes with a significant €40m valuation, however, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, Fiorentina have agreed to let Udinese keep a hefty 30% sell-on clause in order to reduce the initial transfer fee that they will have to pay.

There are still some conflicting reports on the exact amount that Fiorentina will pay, as Di Marzio claims that it is an initial fee of €25m, while other outlets cite a figure closer to €30m. 

The 23-year-old is expected to sign a four-year contract with wages worth around €1.3m per season in Tuscany. 

He is expected to have his medical with Fiorentina on Thursday.

Thursday’s reports claim that Juventus are open to the idea of welcoming Dusan Vlahovic back to the club after the expiry of his contract on June 30, but only on the conditions laid out by the club’s new CEO Giovanni Carnevali. 

Vlahovic open to Juventus return and vice-versa, but only on certain conditions

Vlahovic is currently a free agent after seeing his contract with Juventus expire at the end of June. 

The Bianconeri had tried for over a year to get the Serbia international to commit to a new deal, but they were ultimately unsuccessful under the reign of former CEO Damien Comolli. 

During the final year of his Juventus contract, Vlahovic was the highest-paid player in Serie A with a net salary of around €12m. The Old Lady were always aware of the fact that they would need to convince the striker into taking a pay cut if a renewal were to go ahead. 

Despite months of back and forth, an agreement was never reached and Vlahovic is now available on a free transfer. 

However, despite previous links to the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, Vlahovic has only had one concrete offer as things stand, and that is from Vincenzo Italiano’s Besiktas. Recent reports indicate that Vlahovic is unwilling to move to Turkey at this stage of his career, though. 

And so, Vlahovic is now opening up to the idea of going back to Juventus, and according to reports on Wednesday, he has personally called his former employers in Turin to discuss the possibility of a return. 

According to Thursday’s updates from Tuttosport, Juventus have also ‘left the door open’ for Vlahovic, but the club are adamant that if the striker is to return, it will be on the club’s terms. 

That means that Vlahovic would need to accept a significant cut in wages, potentially to a figure around €6m per season to bring him back in line with the club’s current highest earners, Kenan Yildiz and Jonathan David. Juventus are also unwilling to hand out any major bonuses or commission fees to Vlahovic’s father, who acts as his agent. 

Tuttosport writes that the Juventus management also want to see a change in attitude from Vlahovic, who has been accused of showing too much ‘bravado’ during his final year with the Bianconeri.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

Make us dream again 

20 years since the Azzurri triumph in Berlin 

From Italy’s World Cup celebrations to Malagoo’s mission, the yes from Maldini, then Conte to return to being one of the greats 

Seeing the star 

Amorim, what a presentation

The Milan coach: ‘We want to win the 20th Scudetto’

Mbappe without limits 

Onto the Morocco-France quarter-final 

Hakimi stands between him, the semi-final and the top scorer status

Corriere dello Sport 

Amorim, off to a good start 

‘A dominant Milan, I am different to Allegri’ 

Ruben’s battles | From comparisons to Mou and Max (42 trophies between them) and the promises

He wants to make up for his sacking at United: ‘We’re aiming for the second star. Modric? I hope he stays’. Cardinale: ‘A new era, results and exciting football’

Mbappe commanding, Norway nervous 

World Cup: The Morocco trap for France. Olise on a booking

Kylian reserves a spot in the semi-final: The Hakimi obstacle. Deschamps joke about the referee: ‘I hope we’re as strong as Letexier’. Virus alarms in Haaland’s national team camp: Fever and coughs

Juve surprise, Solet attempt 

The meeting with Udinese 

The Frenchman is the new idea in defence. Interest in the Dane Kristensen as well. Distance for Dibu Martinez

Vergara alarms, renewal blocked 

There is no agreement with Napoli 

Breaks slammed on during negotiations: There is no agreement on salary. 25 million from Atalanta refused 

Inter, it’s Doue if not Khalaili 

The heir to Dumfries 

Ivorian, 23 years old, plays for Strasbourg: He’s the alternative to the Israeli, who will cost 30 million from Union SG 

Greenwood and Roma, the snub is near 

Fenerbahce overtaken 

All in from the Turks: 50 million to Marseille and 11 net per season for Mason. Friedkins frozen: No relaunch 

Tuttosport 

Lucumi, Juve-Inter tease 

Marotta steps aside for Solet, but now challenges the Bianconeri for the Colombian 

The hottest rivalry in Italian football reignites on the transfer market. The conditions to keep Vlahovic: A Yildiz-style salary for two seasons. Meanwhile, Carnevali asks Divu Martinez to convince Aston Villa to lower their demands. The first meeting between Spalletti and Massara takes place today

‘Toro, offers no, but interest yes’

Cairo’s admission: ‘There are some looking at the club’s accounts’

The President: ‘I haven’t received any binding offers yet, though some American funds are hovering in the background. It’s a problem with no fans: I am still willing to step aside. A meeting is set for the 19th at Filadelfia: The Maratona will continue to protest. Zapata’s renewal made official

Referee inquest, more troubles for Inter 

Alleged interference: The last game against Toro is also on the prosecutor’s mind

‘Milan, here to dominate. Modric, second star …’

Amorim’s ambitions 

The new coach: ‘I have different ideas to Allegri, we will display beautiful football’

Brahim and his brothers, eyes on France 

Morocco try again 

‘Strength and courage for another Berlin’

20 years since the World Cup triumph 

Radu Dragusin admits he ‘couldn’t wait to get here’ and join Fiorentina, but his experience at Tottenham Hotspur ‘helped me grow a great deal.’

The defender completed the transfer to the Viola this afternoon, on loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season if certain conditions are met.

Dragusin back in Serie A

“I feel really good, I am so happy to be here and can’t wait to get started with the lads on the pitch,” Dragusin told the official Fiorentina website.

The Romania international already speaks fluent Italian, as he spent much of his career in the peninsula.

He first came to Italy with the Juventus youth academy in 2018, then after loans at Sampdoria and Salernitana, he flourished at Genoa from 2022.

This earned him a €28m sale to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2024, but now he is back on loan for €1.5m with an obligation to buy for a further €17.5m to be activated at his 22^nd appearance for the Viola.

“I had already come to Florence a few times when playing for Genoa, just as a tourist to visit this beautiful city and its amiable people. There is a big season ahead of us and we certainly want to do well,” continued Dragusin.

“The experience at Tottenham helped me grow a great deal, both as a player and a man. I carry with me the many tough duels I had with opposition strikers, the quality of the players I faced. It helped me to mature and I hope to bring that experience with me in this new team.”

There are some familiar faces for Dragusin in the current Fiorentina squad too.

“I already played with Albert Gudmundsson at Genoa and we have a great rapport. I also know Fagioli, Kean and Ranieri, so we exchanged some messages over the last few days. I couldn’t wait to get here.”

Dragusin’s Tottenham career was somewhat derailed by a very serious injury, as he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in January 2025 and that kept him out for practically a whole year.

Coventry City have reportedly asked Milan for the availability of Fikayo Tomori, but the defender has rejected the idea of a reunion with Frank Lampard.

The 28-year-old is on the market this summer, as he is not part of new coach Ruben Amorim’s plans, and his contract is set to expire in June 2027.

Tomori set for Milan exit

That makes a sale inevitable this summer, trying to recoup some of the €36m spent to sign him from Chelsea in 2021.

The asking price has been set at around €15-20m for the defender, a figure that Coventry City would be able to cover following their promotion to the Premier League.

However, Sportmediaset in Italy insist that Tomori has already ruled out the possibility of joining Coventry, even if it would mean a reunion with his Lampard, who he had worked with at Chelsea.

He considers this too big a step down from San Siro, and is prepared to wait for more appetising offers to come along.

It is hardly new behaviour, as Tomori tanked a transfer that had been agreed with Tottenham Hotspur in 2025.

Ivan Provedel has officially joined Inter as their new goalkeeper after completing the €3m transfer from Lazio, but it’s not clear when he’ll be ready to play.

The shot-stopper underwent his medical tests today and was given the all-clear to sign the contract that runs to June 2029.

He jumped at the opportunity to make this move, as he was a self-confessed Inter supporter since childhood.

Provedel new Inter goalkeeper

The 32-year-old is expected to compete with Josep Martinez for the gloves at San Siro this season, following the departure of Yann Sommer.

Coming up through the Udinese and Chievo youth academies, Provedel played for the likes of Perugia, Pisa, Modena, Juve Stabia, Pro Vercelli and Empoli before making his mark at Spezia.

This was where he earned the €2.55m move to Lazio in the summer of 2022.

His season was ended prematurely when suffering a serious shoulder injury in March, forcing him to undergo delicate surgery.

It was reported at the time that Provedel would not be back on the field until the end of August, so Inter might have to wait a while before seeing him make his debut.

Although regularly called up for the senior Italy squad, he is yet to make his first appearance.

Thank you for all the memories, Ivan. Wishing you all the best for the future #AvantiLazio pic.twitter.com/Rtq1FX6AZV

— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) July 8, 2026

Roma have seen a club record 11,000 season tickets renewed on the first day of sales, including 4,500 in the opening 90 minutes, as enthusiasm is sky high after Champions League qualification.

The Giallorossi regularly had a full house at the Stadio Olimpico in recent months, boosted by the arrival of coach Gian Piero Gasperini and the march to third place in the Serie A table.

Roma set for sold out games

Expecting even better from his second season in charge, the fans crashed the Roma website when the opportunity arose to renew their season tickets for the 2026-27 campaign.

Sky Sport Italia report that 4,500 were snapped up in the first 90 minutes of sales alone, eventually seeing 11,000 sold in a single day.

That is an improvement of circa 31 per cent on the average uptake for the Giallorossi in recent years, which had been around 7,500 on the opening day.

They are back in the Champions League after a seven-year absence, so the rush for those tickets will also put the website to the test.

Inter have reportedly lodged a new offer worth €23m plus add-ons for Union Saint-Gilloise wing-back Anan Khalaili, according to Sky Sport Italia.

The Israel international has agreed personal terms for a five-year contract worth €1.7m per season, but reaching an agreement with his club is proving trickier.

Sky Sport Italia transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio claims that the Nerazzurri have formulated a new proposal worth €23m plus performance-related bonuses.

It comes after the opening bid of €20m was rejected.

Inter edge closer to Khalaili asking price

The asking price for the player is €30m, as he impressed with six goals and as many assists in 52 competitive games for USG last season.

It remains to be seen if this will be sufficient, but Inter did receive a boost today with the Gazzetta dello Sport suggestion that Como agreed a transfer pact not to get into a bidding war over Khalaili or Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.

There are also alternatives for the Nerazzurri in that role on the right, including Guela Doué, who plays for Strasbourg.

Khalaili is already quite far down the list, as Inter missed out on Marco Palestra to Chelsea.

The 21-year-old had originally been close to Napoli, but they cannot make new signings until first selling, so their strategy is stalled.

Bologna and Colombia defender Jhon Lucumi continues to attract interest, as after Juventus, Besiktas and Bournemouth, now Inter have reportedly asked for information.

The centre-back just celebrated his 28^th birthday a couple of weeks ago and his contract with the Rossoblu only runs to the end of the current campaign.

Nonetheless, Bologna seem unwilling to let him leave for much less than the €28m release clause in his contract.

Lucumi appetising for Serie A sides

Juventus are showing a very strong interest in Lucumi, but now Sportitalia pundit Alfredo Pedulla claims that Inter have made contact to request information on his availability.

They need experienced figures in defence after letting both Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij leave at the end of their contracts on June 30.

Bologna bought Lucumi from KRC Genk for €8m in the summer of 2022 and he has been close to an exit several times, most notably to Sunderland last season.

Even if that €28m fee was confirmed, it would still be considerably lower than the €35m Inter were quoted for their other target Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea.

He knows the league well, having played 123 Serie A matches in three seasons.

Fiorentina have officially signed defender Radu Dragusin from Tottenham Hotspur on loan with an option to buy that could become an obligation for a reported €19m.

The deal was worked out by Viola director Fabio Paratici, who until February had been working for Spurs.

pic.twitter.com/CuJHaUQ7MO

— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) July 8, 2026

This is a loan with obligation to make the move permanent if specific performance-based criteria is met.

The player arrived in Florence yesterday to undergo medical tests and completed the transfer this evening.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, this is a loan worth €1.5m with obligation to buy for a further €17.5m that is activated at his 22^nd appearance for Fiorentina.

There should also be a 10 per cent cut of the future sale fee going to Tottenham.

Dragusin returns to Serie A

This represents a return to Serie A for Dragusin, who had spent time in the Juventus youth academy, going on loan to Sampdoria, Salernitana and Genoa.

He was sold to the Grifone for €9.7m in the summer of 2023, then just six months later moved to Tottenham Hotspur for €28m plus add-ons.

A devastating knee injury saw him tear the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in January 2025, keeping him out for practically an entire year.

Dragusin made only 48 competitive appearances in the Spurs jersey during that time, barely 11 last season, of which just six were from the start.

Now the Romania international has returned to Italy, where he will play for Fiorentina.

After clashing on so many transfer targets, including Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and Anan Khalaili of Union SG, it’s reported Inter and Como have worked out a pact to avoid bidding wars.

The two clubs faced off in the Coppa Italia semi-final last season, but with both qualifying for the Champions League, they have found themselves chasing very similar targets on the market.

It was reported that they were both battling for Chelsea defender Chalobah, then Como showed an interest in Nerazzurri pick Khalaili, who was also in talks with Napoli.

Como and Inter make pact

Now La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that yesterday Como President Mirwan Suwarso and Inter President Beppe Marotta spoke on the telephone to discuss a pact of non-belligerence.

Effectively, if they are both chasing the same player on the transfer market, they promise not to spark a bidding war that pushes the price up for them both.

If Inter decide to step up their pursuit of Chalobah, then Como pledge to walk away and go for other targets, for example Galatasaray defender Davinson Sanchez.

The same goes for Khalaili, who is the Inter priority after selling Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid, then missing out on Marco Palestra to Chelsea.

Gianluca Gaetano will undergo his medical with Atalanta on Thursday to complete the transfer for €14m including add-ons from Cagliari.

The 26-year-old was a specific request of new Dea coach Maurizio Sarri and the negotiations started several months ago.

Gaetano all set for Atalanta

Multiple sources including Sportitalia, Sky Sport Italia, and transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano all confirm the deal is done.

The cost of the operation according to Sky Sport Italia is €12m plus another €2m in add-ons.

Gaetano is expected in Bergamo tomorrow for his medical tests, after which he can then put pen to paper on a contract.

A product of the Napoli youth academy, the creative midfielder had loan experiences with Cremonese and Cagliari before making the move permanent at a cost of €6.2m in June 2025.

Last season, he made 35 appearances for the Sardinians between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, scoring two goals and assisting another four for his teammates.

Dusan Vlahovic is reportedly willing to sit down with Juventus to negotiate a new contract after his previous deal expired last month, but should the Bianconeri bring him back?

Officially, ex-Juventus star Vlahovic is without a club as his contract in Turin expired this past June.

The Serbia international was linked with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, but none of these clubs has made a formal contract offer for the 26-year-old, prompting him, according to Tuttosport, to reconsider his future in Turin.

Juventus failed to match Vlahovic’s contract demands and signing bonus under Damien Comolli, while new CEO and General Manager Giovanni Carnevali didn’t resume contract talks with the Serbian.

“Personally, I have never spoken to Vlahovic. Anything is possible in football; there can be possibilities tomorrow that do not exist today,” Carnevali said at the end of June.

Should Juventus bring Vlahovic back?

“He is an important player, but today is not in our thoughts.”

According to Tuttosport, Vlahovic has remained in touch with some of his former teammates and has directly called Juventus to potentially negotiate a new contract, given that the only proposal he has received has come from his ex-Fiorentina coach, Vincenzo Italiano, at Besiktas.

No clubs from Europe’s top five leagues have progressed talks with the Serbia international, who remains the highest-valued free agent on the market.

Juventus are still struggling to reach an agreement with PSG for Randal Kolo Muani and, according to Sportitalia, have made initial contact with Parma about Matteo Pellegrino.

The Bianconeri are also waiting for offers for Lois Openda and Jonathan David, who are not part of Spalletti’s plans.

Vlahovic scored 68 goals in 168 matches with Juventus over the last four and a half years, but should the Bianconeri bring him back, or look for a fresh start?

Let us know in the poll below and in the comment section.

Ruben Amorim explains why he is ‘sorry’ for Manchester United fans, warns he is ‘nothing like’ Jose Mourinho, and refuses to be drawn into an attack on Milan predecessor Max Allegri.

The Portuguese coach was fired at Old Trafford in January, but is back in business on the bench of Serie A side Milan.

He was presented to the media with his first press conference this afternoon, and you can read everything he said here.

As it is the first experience since his ill-fated spell at Manchester United, the 41-year-old was asked what he had learned from that tenure and which lessons he would take with him at this next job.

Amorim on Manchester United lessons

“It’s hard to explain the mistakes, because I would have to explain the context of the last adventure, and I am a Milan coach, so I talk about Milan. All I can say is that I learned a lot, and I did make some mistakes,” said Amorim.

“I didn’t have the opportunity, and I’m sorry for that, to say something to the Manchester United fans. I was very proud to be their coach for a year, but this is a different history. There are a lot of things I could’ve done better in that experience, but sometimes like is like that, you need to learn and find the right spot to reach a different level. That is my thinking here.

“Everyone learns from experiences, there are some things you can never change, but I think I will be a better coach for it. That’s all.”

Amorim is taking over from Allegri, who was fired the day after failing to secure a Champions League spot for Milan last season.

RedBird patron Gerry Cardinale has not been shy of attacking the Italian’s style of football, repeatedly stating he chose Amorim because he wanted to ‘win and not just try not to lose’ in future.

So when asked about that, the new man knew he had to tread very carefully.

“I can say the way I want to play. I know where you want to go, but I have huge respect for Mister Allegri, none more than me, he’s so experienced. I will not talk about the past, the way Milan played. I can say the way I want us to play,” replied Amorim.

“We want the ball, we want to dominate the opponent. I know that this team can defend really well, we have different ideas and that is normal, every coach has different ideas. I can change when I see my players up close, they can give me ideas, but I can talk about the principles.

“The principles are that we want to recover the ball really fast, we want to entertain the fans, we want to be exciting to watch. When you want to win the game, when you have that responsibility coaching big teams, you cannot run away from the fact that you need to win, that a draw is like losing, and that’s what we are going to do, try to score goals and be dominant.”

There were other Portuguese coaches at Milan in recent years, Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao, but both struggled to get their ideas across.

The most successful from this school was Mourinho, who won the Treble at Inter in 2010, so is Amorim going to follow the Special One’s approach to communication?

“No, I’m completely different to Jose Mourinho. I’m a different person, I learn a lot from him of course, but as a coach you have to follow your personality, you cannot copy anyone else. I have a different style of playing, I hope to win like he won in Italy, that’s the only thing I want to be the same!

“I have a lot of respect for Mourinho, I can call him a friend, but I am completely different. Don’t expect that from me. You know guys that sometimes I’m upset with a loss and say a lot of things I shouldn’t say.

“I learn with all the mistakes that I made in Manchester. I learned a lot. I will try to improve on the small details, to help my players to be better, and also I expect to win more games than draw. I will not talk about losing games, because that communication is going to be easy if we’re winning games.”

Juventus risk missing out on Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani for €40m, as Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are reportedly ready to out-bid them.

The Bianconeri already had the centre-forward on loan for seven months in 2025 and failed to agree terms to renew the arrangement, so he joined Tottenham Hotspur instead.

That loan petered out too, so Juve are trying to get him on loan with obligation to buy for a total fee of around €40m.

Kolo Muani saga drags on for Juventus

Juventus are hampered by failing to qualify for the Champions League, further damaging their financial capabilities, and are struggling to get a deal over the line.

Now Footmercato in France claim that two Premier League clubs are ready to swoop in with their economic largesse, as the Old Lady risk being out-bid by Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

Borussia Dortmund are also showing interest in Kolo Muani, whose contract with Paris Saint-Germain only runs to June 2028.

PSG had until now been prepared to wait it out for Juve, considering the player’s intentions, but are fast losing patience.

Ruben Amorim assures ‘perfect’ Christian Pulisic and Luka Modric will be key players in his Milan squad, but his description of the USMNT player’s role suggests Rafael Leao is on the way out.

The new coach held his first press conference this afternoon, sat alongside RedBird owner Gerry Cardinale, and you can read everything the tactician said here.

Although he tried not to discuss individual players, insisting that he would prefer to speak about the team as a whole, he was drawn on two who are reconsidering their futures after the World Cup.

Pulisic and Modric key for Amorim’s Milan

“Pulisic is a really talented player, of course he had an injury again in the World Cup that we need to assess,” said Amorim.

“He is perfect for the way I think about football, especially here in Italy where sometimes the teams defend so well there is less space between the lines, he is a player who can make the difference in that kind of space.”

When it came to describing where Pulisic could play in his team, Amorim’s small laugh and shrug suggested he knew full well what message this comment would send.

“I have a clear idea of where I want him to play, especially with the right foot on the left side, is the perfect position for him, he can play the other side also, inside too and not on the line.”

Pulisic has almost exclusively played on the right for Milan because the left flank is taken up by Rafael Leao, so might no longer be sacrificed to make room for the Portugal international.

“I know the strengths of Pulisic, I believe in him, he will be supported in our clubs, I know he had some criticism after the World Cup elimination, but I am here to say we believe a lot in him, have a clear plan to use all the qualities that he has, so I can say to you that Pulisic is really important for us,” added Amorim.

Another player who is still trying to decide his Milan future is Modric, who has not ruled out retirement or a move to MLS after the World Cup elimination for Croatia.

“Modric is a player we want to keep for his experience. I spoke with him two times, if he needs, I will come and get the guy,” confessed Amorim.

“He played really well, he is a key point for us, especially at the beginning to have more possession. I’m not saying he will play every game, but we really want to count with Modric for next season.

“I know the board spoke with Modric, I spoke with Modric, so I hope to have Modric in some days with us. I will give him some days to rest.”

Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has introduced new head coach Ruben Amorim in front of the press, says that he ‘couldn’t be more thrilled’ to be working with the former Manchester United and Sporting CP tactician and that the Rossoneri had to cram six months’ worth of meetings into just a few weeks in order to be ready for the start of the 2026-27 season. 

It has been a busy off-season for Milan, who parted company with their entire senior management team the day after the 2025-26 season ended. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri, sporting director Igli Tare, technical director Geoffrey Moncada and CEO Giorgio Furlani were all let go in one fell swoop, all confirmed in one singular club statement. 

Since then, Milan have agreed a deal for Amorim to take over as head coach. He will be supported by Massimo Calvelli, Hendrik Almstadt and Bobby Gardiner in a newly-restructured senior management team. 

Amorim was spotted arriving at Milan’s training ground on Tuesday, along with owner Cardinale, and the two sat down in front of the media for the introductory press conference on Wednesday. 

Cardinale introduces Amorim as Milan embark on a new chapter

“When I set everything in motion that you’ve seen over the last month or so, the day after our season ended, was towards re-looking at our football organisation,” began Cardinale.

“For the first time in my ownership, my jumping in to be a much more hands-on owner, the first thing I decided to do was to really look at the coaching position.

“When I look at football organisations, the relationship between coach, ownership and management is absolutely critical. In normal circumstances, you go for head of football, sporting director, and then a coach.

“We packed six months’ worth of meetings into a month. Very important to this whole process, we fundamentally want to bring AC Milan back to its football heritage. We’re gonna play to win. We’re not going to play not to lose, but play to win.

“That means we want a football style that fits that objective. And that is a high press, high possession, attacking style of football. It’ll be an exciting style of football, fun to watch, and high scoring.

“I also want to create a culture here. I’ve been hands off in my ownership, so a wake up call for everybody is those days are over. I’m here, I’m now, I’m responsible, but I have a great team around me. That team worked with me very closely over the last month and a half to get to the point where we have Ruben as the foundation stone for our football organisation.

“Our team has depth, just so we’re all clear. I’ve taken one of my best guys, Massimo Calvelli, and moved him into AC Milan as the CEO. We’re putting our money where our mouth is, we’re letting our actions speak for themselves, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to start this with you and Ruben.”

Como have asked Galatasaray for the availability of Davinson Sanchez, claims Sportitalia transfer pundit Alfredo Pedullà, as Trevoh Chalobah is considered too expensive at Chelsea.

The centre-back will turn 31 this weekend, although he is in no mood for celebrating after missing a penalty in Colombia’s Round of 16 World Cup shoot-out defeat to Switzerland.

It is no secret that Como are seeking a strong new central defender, and were in a bidding war with Inter over Chelsea’s Chalobah, but the €35m asking price was considered too steep.

Davinson Sanchez on Como radar

Another candidate has now emerged, so Sportitalia expert Pedullà maintains that Como contacted Galatasaray to ask for the availability of Davinson Sanchez.

Galatasaray only bought him from Tottenham Hotspur two years ago at a cost of €9.5m, after he had earned a €42m move from Ajax to Spurs in 2017.

Last season, he made 45 competitive appearances for the Turkish club, scoring two goals, including one in the 5-2 Champions League victory over Juventus.

The investigation into referees and VAR that saw designator Gianluca Rocchi accused of sporting fraud looks like it will be shelved due to a lack of evidence.

The scandal erupted on April 25 when Rocchi was placed under formal investigation for participation in sports fraud by Milan Prosecutor Maurizio Ascione.

It was focused primarily on incidents in the 2024-25 season, including the decision to assign some referees rather than others who were ‘not appreciated’ by certain clubs.

Another accusation was that Rocchi knocked on the glass window of the VAR booth at the centre in Lissone, near Milan, to in real time influence the decisions of the officials.

Referee investigation fizzles out

However, after months of interviews, it is reported that the case has provided insufficient evidence to proceed further, and will most likely be shelved.

La Gazzetta dello Sport note that Rocchi had initially used his rights not to answer questions, but when called in again a few days ago, he did speak to investigators for four hours.

As a result, the charges have changed, removing the accusation of the knocks on the VAR booth window, which would’ve been a violation of the protocol.

What remains is the suggestion that Rocchi avoided assigning certain referees because Inter ‘did not appreciate’ their performances, and preferred other candidates.

This continued into the 2025-26 season, assigning Maurizio Mariani to a Torino-Inter match in April 2026 because the Scudetto was already locked down.

Rocchi had also assigned Gianluca Manganiello to Inter-Verona in May 2025 because the club was not fond of the alternative, Simone Sozza.

The problem here is that the phone calls were not with representatives of Inter, but with other figures within the refereeing world who expressed Inter’s concerns with those officials.

If there was no direct collusion with the club, then it becomes difficult to go further, especially as neither Inter, nor any of their representatives were under investigation.

Jonathan David’s home World Cup campaign is over and he is now expected to report back for pre-season training with Juventus in mid-July, but whilst the Canada international wants to stay on with the Bianconeri in 2026-27, he faces an uphill battle in convincing head coach Luciano Spalletti. 

Where Juventus stand with Jonathan David

David joined Juventus on a free transfer ahead of the 2025-26 season, but failed to impress during his first season in Italy, coming up with just six goals from 35 Serie A outings. This was the first season in David’s career where he failed to reach double figures in the league.

Aside from his goalscoring record, there were also concerns that the Canadian did not fit into Juve’s system and that he did not have the physical qualities to lead the line as a lone centre-forward.

There were even suggestions in the Italian press midway through the season that David had not settled into life with the Old Lady, which led to Spalletti having to defend the striker and his social skills in a pre-match press conference back in December.

Despite his struggles, recent reports claim that David does not want to give up on his Juventus career after just one season and that he is keen to prove what he has to offer heading into 2026-27. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that this is still the case, however, convincing head coach Spalletti is not going to be a straightforward task. 

That is largely because Juventus are looking to bring in a new starting centre-forward, potentially Randal Kolo Muani from PSG. And, the club have already brought in a new, young alternative in the form of Jeff Ekhator from Genoa. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport also maintains the stance that Spalletti wants a more physical profile at centre-forward.

However, David’s current salary, believed to be around €6m per season net, is a bit of an issue. There have not yet been any concrete offers for the Canadian, but without a sale, La Gazzetta dello Sport predicts that it will be increasingly complicated for the Bianconeri to bring in another striker this summer.

That means that there is still a possibility that David gets his way and ends up with a second chance to impress at the Allianz Stadium in 2026-27.

The 2026 World Cup round of 16 is now complete, and heading into the quarter-finals, Milan’s five remaining players mean that they are the best represented Serie A side at the tournament in North America. 

France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina and Switzerland are the eight sides that will compete in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, which will kick off on Thursday evening: France vs. Morocco the first game on the schedule.

In terms of Serie A representation, Milan have provided the most quarter-finalists of any Italian team with France duo Adrien Rabiot and Mike Maignan, Belgian pair Koni De Winter and Alexis Saelemaekers and Switzerland midfielder Ardon Jashari. 

Inter are the second-most represented Serie A side in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals with three representatives in the form of France’s Marcus Thuram, Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez and Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji.

Roma, Napoli and Bologna each have two representatives: The Giallorossi with Neil El-Aynaoui (Morocco) and Manu Kone (France), the Partenopei with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku of Belgium and The Rossoblu with Norway’s Torbjorn Heggem and Switzerland’s Remo Freuler. 

Atalanta, Como, Genoa, Torino, Sassuolo, Cremonese and Pisa all have one player each left at the 2026 World Cup.

Which Serie A players are left at the 2026 World Cup?

Milan: Adrien Rabiot (France), Mike Maignan (France), Koni De Winter (Belgium), Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium), Ardon Jashari (Switzerland).

Inter: Marcus Thuram (France), Lautaro Martinez (Argentina), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland).

Roma: Manu Kone (France), Neil El-Aynaoui (Morocco).

Napoli: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).

Bologna: Torbjorn Heggem (Norway), Remo Freuler (Switzerland). 

Atalanta: Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium).

Como: Nico Paz (Argentina).

Genoa: Leo Ostigard (Norway).

Torino: Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Norway). 

Sassuolo: Kristian Thorstvedt (Norway).

Cremonese: Morten Thorsby (Norway).

Pisa: Michel Aebischer (Switzerland).

Milan have already committed over €100m in funds on the signings of two players at the start of the summer transfer window, but Wednesday’s reports claim that the Rossoneri will not stop there and that they are already plotting their next steps on the market. 

Milan want at least three more signings after committing over €100m on Gila and Ramos

According to reports from various outlets on Tuesday, Milan have a full agreement in place to sign centre-back Mario Gila from Lazio in a package worth €30m including bonuses. 

This comes after a club-record agreement for Portugal international Goncalo Ramos, who has joined the Rossoneri in a deal believed to be worth over €80m with all bonuses and add-ons included, which has already taken Milan’s summer spending to around €110m. 

Ramos’s arrival has already been confirmed and he has put pen to paper on a five-year deal running until the summer of 2031. It is expected that Gila will do the same with wages of around €5m per season. 

It is expected that Milan will part company with some of their current first-team stars this window, Rafael Leao among them, but according to Wednesday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that the Rossoneri are already thinking about potential new attacking midfielders to bring in. 

Wednesday’s report claims that Genk’s Konstantinos Karetsas is the current favourite, but it will take another considerable investment to bring the teenage Greece international to San Siro. 

That is because Genk value the youngster at €40m and Borussia Dortmund are also said to be interested. 

Among the alternative options to have been mentioned by La Gazzetta dello Sport are Kerim Alajbegovic and Can Uzun.

Milan are also reportedly interested in signing another left-sided full-back and potentially another centre-back this summer. 

Christian Pulisic had a disappointing end to his home World Cup, but Milan are not overly concerned about the attacker’s physical condition after being taken off with an injury during his nation’s round of 16 loss against Belgium. 

Milan not expecting a ‘serious’ Pulisic injury

Pulisic was visibly distressed when he was taken off the field with an injury while his teammates lost 4-1 to Belgium in a round of 16 tie at the 2026 World Cup. There had been concerns surrounding the American’s fitness ever since the USA’s opening game at the tournament, when he was forced off at half-time with a calf issue. 

After being forced off again against Belgium, Pulisic is expected to report for medical examinations within the next few days, before he jets off on his summer holidays. 

According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are not particularly concerned and are not preparing for a ‘serious’ injury. 

Milan doctors are in contact with ‘Captain America’, and as things stand, they expect that he will be able to join in with pre-season training as normal when he returns from his time off. 

Reports in Italy claim that Bologna have shown an interest in signing Napoli midfielder Michael Folorunsho, who has returned to the Stadio Maradona following his loan spell with Cagliari in 2025-26. 

Bologna request information for Napoli’s Folorunsho

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Bologna have requested information around Folorunsho, who made 28 Serie A appearances last term while Cagliari finished relatively comfortably in 14th place. 

Folorunsho has been on Napoli’s books since 2019, but has only made six league appearances for the Partenopei and has been sent out on loan eight different times, turning out for Cagliari, Fiorentina and Hellas Verona in the top flight.

Folorunsho was part of the Italy national team squad for EURO 2024 under Luciano Spalletti and has two caps to his name from matches in and around that tournament. 

Bologna are yet to make any new signings under new head coach Domenico Tedesco, who was appointed as the replacement for Vincenzo Italiano on June 2.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Messi ecstasy 

Argentina comeback: Into the quarters

Egypt ahead by two goals, Leo misses a penalty, but comes up with a goal and an assist at the end, the third is set-up by Lautaro

Gila’s yes 

Milan, new signing in defence, done deal at 30 million

Cardinale with Amorim at Milanello

Corriere dello Sport 

Oh My God 

MaraLeo lights up the world at 39

Messi, you are an icon | Comeback against Egypt in 13 minutes (from 0-2 to 3-2) and lifts Argentina into the quarters

A legendary game. Yasser scores, La Pulce misses a penalty, Zico doubles. Then the captain makes the difference: Assist for Romero’s goal for 2-1 and scores the equalising goal. Fernandez settles it in the 92nd minute: Cross from Lautaro. The number 10 between tears and an ovation

Now go on to meet Switzerland: Colombia beaten on penalties (4-3)

Juve becoming Signora Italia 

A staff with no foreigners

Carnevali chooses Massara as technical director: Supporting Spalletti along with sporting director Ottoliini

Khalaili to Inter, agreement close 

By the weekend 

Final straight for the winger. A final push for Chalobah after the World Cup

Rocchi, will the case be shelved?

The inquest in Milan 

The former referee designator heard by the Prosecutor’s Office: ‘Pressure or max-fitching? No.’

Sinner in the semi-finals, Cobolli tries today 

Wimbledon: Jannik overcomes Struff. Paolini and Flavio on the court at 13.30