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.

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.

Matteo Ruggeri remains firmly on Fiorentina’s radar as the Viola continue their search for reinforcements out wide, and the full-back’s own inclinations may work in their favour.

According to La Nazione, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the Atletico Madrid defender is strongly tempted by the idea of returning to Serie A, where he made his name and where he believes his development can best continue.

That openness could prove a decisive card for Fiorentina, who have identified the Italian as one of the ideal profiles for their flank and are weighing a concrete move in the coming weeks.

Ruggeri fits Fiorentina’s full-back rebuild

Atletico rate Ruggeri and the strides he has made in Spain, but the pull of Italian football appears real.

The full-back built his reputation at Atalanta, where he developed into one of Serie A’s most reliable wing-backs before earning his move to Madrid, and a return would come with none of the adaptation risk attached to a foreign signing.

For Fiorentina, the interest forms part of a wider reshaping of their defensive flanks.

Dodo’s expected departure has left a gap on one side, Alex Jimenez has arrived from Bournemouth on the other, and Fabio Grosso’s squad is being rebuilt at pace ahead of a European campaign. In Ruggeri, the Viola see a Serie A-proven operator entering his prime years, and, crucially, one who appears willing to come back.

Andrea Pirlo’s presence on the shortlist to become Italy’s next head coach has drawn a note of caution from Antonello Valentini, with the former FIGC director general insisting the Azzurri are in no position to take risks.

Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb radio, Valentini addressed the four-man list reportedly outlined by federation president Giovanni Malagò: Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte, Pirlo and Pep Guardiola.

“For me Pirlo is a gamble, and we cannot afford gambles. Mancini and Conte are two certainties,” he said. “Guardiola is a great coach, but not one suited to a national team, because he needs time, intense daily work. A national side gathers on average every 45 to 50 days.”

The calendar, he argued, leaves no margin for error. “We can no longer gamble, we have to go with certainty,” he added, pointing to six Nations League fixtures against Belgium, Turkey and France in the autumn, ahead of December’s Euro 2028 qualifying draw.

Valentini backs Mancini and Conte for Italy job after Pirlo doubts

On the two frontrunners, Valentini addressed the reservations attached to each.

“Conte is certainly a winning coach, but he has to make peace with himself, the Federation doesn’t need a coach for two years or eighteen months, it needs to open a new technical era,” he said.

As for Mancini’s 2023 walkout for Saudi Arabia: “Enough with this ethical life sentence. He understood he made a mistake, he repented, he apologised. He won a European Championship and had 37 consecutive results without defeat.”

The decision now rests with Malagò and new technical director Paolo Maldini, whose appointment alongside advisor Leonardo last week marked the first step of the federation’s rebuild after a third straight World Cup missed. Valentini, for his part, has made his order of preference plain.

Juventus have added Folarin Balogun to their list of centre-forward options, with the former Arsenal striker under internal discussion as the club’s pursuit of Randal Kolo Muani reaches a critical stage.

According to Tuttosport, Kolo Muani remains Luciano Spalletti’s first choice, but prising him from PSG will require an improved offer: Juventus can get close to €40 million in total, without quite reaching it, and guaranteeing the bonus portion may be the signal needed to convince Luis Campos that the Bianconeri mean business.

The sales-driven windfall from the Muharemovic situation has loosened the purse strings, and the directive is clear, a goalkeeper or a striker must be closed within days.

Balogun gives Juventus alternatives to Kolo Muani

Balogun fits the profile Spalletti has drawn up: physical, sharp in space and, above all, a finisher.

The American scored 19 goals in 43 games for Monaco last season, including a Champions League brace against PSG, and boasts an excellent availability record, missing just one match through injury.

Monaco, however, intend to fund their own market with his sale and have set a minimum price of €50 million, hoping interest builds into an auction.

Norway vs England takes place on Saturday evening, for a place in the World Cup semi-finals, in a quarter-final pitting the tournament’s most feared striker against the Three Lions’ title ambitions.

The two sides arrived by contrasting routes. England survived a 3-2 thriller against hosts Mexico at the Azteca, holding on with ten men to progress, while Norway followed up Erling Haaland’s late winner against Ivory Coast by dumping out five-time champions Brazil, the win that carried them to a first World Cup quarter-final.

Haaland has been the driving force, scoring five goals in his first three appearances at the finals.

There is a strong Serie A flavour to the Scandinavian squad.

Alexander Sorloth, linked with Juventus this window as a possible Dusan Vlahovic replacement, supports Haaland in attack, while Sassuolo midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt provides an option on the bench.

Bologna’s Tobjorn Heggem starts in central defence for Norway.

In the England camp, Trevoh Chalobah, the subject of Inter interest and a rebuffed €25 million bid from Como this summer, is among the defensive contingent, as is John Stones, who starts for the Three Lions amid interest from the likes of Inter.

World Cup 2026: Norway vs England Lineups

Norway XI: Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Berg, Odegaard, Berge; Schjelderup, Haaland, Sorloth
England XI: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson, Bellingham; Madueke, Kane, Gordon

Paolo Maldini has agreed to become the Italian federation’s new technical director, taking on a role created specifically for him as the FIGC begins the task of rebuilding the national team.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Milan and Italy legend has accepted the proposal of new federation president Giovanni Malagò after a long wait, signing a four-year contract on terms described as favourable to the FIGC.

Maldini will serve as technical director and president of Club Italia, a position without precedent in the federation, with sweeping responsibility that extends beyond appointing the next head coach to overseeing the entire national-team pathway.

In a surprise addition, Leonardo, his former Milan teammate and colleague, joins him in an advisory capacity.

Maldini and Leonardo to lead search for new Italy coach

The pair’s first task is the most pressing: identifying the man to lead the Azzurri into the next cycle. The names favoured by Malagò have been circulating for some time, Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini foremost among them, and it now remains to be seen whether they meet with the approval of the new technical leadership.

The appointment lands at the lowest ebb in the national team’s modern history. Italy have missed three consecutive World Cups, watching this summer’s tournament from home while former internationals queue up to lament the decline.

The project, as framed by the federation, is to relaunch the Azzurri with the next World Cup as the horizon, and in turning to Maldini, a man who lifted five European Cups and embodied Italian defending for a quarter of a century, the FIGC has reached for the most respected figure available.

For Maldini, it marks a return to the front line three years on from his acrimonious exit as Milan’s technical director, this time with the weight of a footballing nation’s expectations on his shoulders.

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.

Roma have found a willing target in their search for attacking reinforcements, with Nicolò Tresoldi keen to make the move to the capital, and the Giallorossi may have an unlikely ally working in their favour.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via RomaPress, momentum behind a deal is growing, with Tresoldi himself pushing to join.

One of Roma’s own players could prove decisive: the Club Brugge striker has spoken by phone in recent days with midfielder Nicolò Pisilli, the pair having struck up a friendship at youth level.

Tresoldi lined up as Roma’s backup to Malen

The interest is rooted in Roma’s need for a deputy to Donyell Malen, the Dutchman having become central to Gian Piero Gasperini’s attack.

Tresoldi fits the profile they want: a Cagliari-born forward with German and Italian roots off the back of a prolific campaign in Belgium, scoring more than 20 goals across all competitions as Club Brugge claimed the title.

That form has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, with Atlético Madrid and Arsenal also credited with an interest.

Club Brugge, for their part, have set an asking price of around €30 million, and the Giallorossi’s recruitment team will spend the coming days working out how to persuade the Belgian side to soften that valuation, mindful, too, that outgoings may be needed before any bid can be finalised.

Milan have turned their attention to Guéla Doué, opening talks with the defender’s representatives over a possible move to San Siro.

According to Tuttosport, via MilanNews.it, the Rossoneri have made contact with the entourage of the Strasbourg defender, who is said to be enthusiastic about the prospect of joining.

The Ivory Coast international racked up 34 appearances for the Ligue 1 club last season.

Milan ready to offer Doue five-year deal

Milan are prepared to hand the defender a five-year contract worth €2.5 million per season plus bonuses, though an agreement with Strasbourg still needs to be struck before the deal can move forward.

The Rossoneri were previously linked with the Ivorian last summer, although a move failed to materialise.

The interest fits the defensive overhaul Ruben Amorim has prioritised since taking charge.

Milan have already brought in Mario Gila, and with Fikayo Tomori’s future uncertain amid interest from Juventus, the club regard a further defender as a priority.

Doué, young and fresh off a full campaign in France, offers exactly the profile they are chasing.

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.”

Chelsea have opened talks with the representatives of Bologna winger Jonathan Rowe as they look to add attacking width this summer.

According to Il Resto del Carlino, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the Blues have again placed the England Under-21 international on their shortlist in recent weeks, with fresh contact between the London club and Rowe’s camp said to have taken place in the past few days.

No formal bid has yet been made, and the Englishman is one of several wingers under consideration, alongside West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville and Francisco Trincão.

Chelsea eye Bologna’s Rowe for left flank

Rowe, 23, finished last season strongly, scoring and creating goals across Serie A and Bologna’s European and cup runs.

Bologna would prefer to keep him and have not put him up for sale, though a significant offer would likely force a decision.

It is not only Chelsea interested, however, with Aston Villa also linked with a move for the Bologna man recently.

Indeed, a familiar position for a club that has sold Riccardo Calafiori and Dan Ndoye to Premier League sides in recent seasons.

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.

Fiorentina are on the verge of a surprise signing, with Alex Jimenez set to join from Bournemouth and return to Serie A.

According to Sky Sport and Gianluca Di Marzio, via FirenzeViola, the Viola have wrapped up a loan deal with an option to buy set at €20 million.

The move is at an advanced stage, with the Spaniard already in Florence and undergoing his medical after completing the first round of tests earlier in the day.

Fiorentina to land ex-Milan full-back Jimenez on loan

The 2005-born right-back arrives to bolster Fabio Grosso’s options down the flank, and the switch reunites him with Italian football after a brief spell in the Premier League.

Jimenez is a familiar name in Serie A, having previously impressed at Milan, and Bournemouth only made his move permanent from the Rossoneri in January for around €19 million.

The Cherries have opted to cash in barely six months later, moving him on this window after an off-the-pitch scandal involving supposed online messages with a teenage girl.

For Fiorentina, it represents an opportunistic piece of business: a young, Serie A-proven defender secured on a loan that hands them the choice, rather than the obligation, of a permanent deal further down the line.

Fiorentina have been knocked back in their attempt to sign Tolu Arokodare, with Wolves rejecting an approach for the forward.

According to Fabrizio Romano, via FirenzeViola, the Viola tabled a proposal for the striker, only for the Premier League club to turn it down.

The move is part of Fiorentina’s search for a wide attacker to hand straight to Fabio Grosso, with the club looking at options while they wait on Luca Koleosho.

Arokodare, though, looks a difficult target on more than one front.

Arokodare reluctance a stumbling block for Fiorentina

Wolves’ rejection is not the only obstacle.

Trabzonspor have also shown interest in the 2000-born Nigeria international and made their own unsuccessful move for him, but the bigger issue for any suitor may be the player’s own stance: Arokodare is reported to have little appetite for a transfer at this stage.

For Fiorentina, then, attention is likely to turn back to alternatives as they seek to reinforce Grosso’s attack, with Koleosho among the names still in the frame.

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.

Dodo appears to be on his way out of Fiorentina this summer, and Nottingham Forest have become the latest club to register an interest in the Brazilian full-back.

According to reports from FirenzeViola, the right-back has made no secret of his wish to move on, and the Viola, working alongside his representatives, are now trying to find him a new home.

A quick sale is far from guaranteed, though: with his contract ticking down to 2027, Fiorentina are still holding out for around €15 million, a fee that complicates any swift departure.

Napoli push hardest for Dodo as Nottingham Forest enquire

Napoli have been the most persistent of his admirers, returning to the 1998-born defender repeatedly in recent weeks.

A route to a deal may lie in an exchange: Fiorentina are keen on Napoli winger Noa Lang, raising the possibility of a swap with a cash element tilted in the Partenopei’s favour.

Forest, for their part, have made contact from the Premier League as they search for a wide defender of Dodo’s type.

They are not the only ones circling.

Como look, for now, the likeliest to firm up their interest with a concrete offer, while Inter had made earlier soundings and could yet come back into it. Roma’s interest, keen at the start of the month, has since faded. What seems settled is Dodo’s determination to leave the Viola.

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.

Alejandro Garnacho could be on his way out of Chelsea this summer, and the Argentine’s situation has caught the attention of Serie A, with Roma his preferred destination and Napoli the latest club to make enquiries.

Barely a year on from his move from Manchester United, the Argentine has slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues are now open to cashing in.

According to Fabrizio Romano, via CalcioMercato, Garnacho is expected to leave in the coming weeks, with Chelsea holding firm, for now, on a permanent sale rather than a loan. That resolve could ease if no firm bids arrive, potentially opening the door to a loan-with-obligation or option-to-buy structure that would suit the Italian sides far better.

Roma lead race for Chelsea’s Garnacho as Napoli enquire

Roma have had Garnacho on their radar for some weeks, and Alfredo Pedullà reports their interest remains strong and very much alive, with the player himself keen on the move.

The Giallorossi are seeking attacking reinforcements for Gian Piero Gasperini, and with their pursuit of Mason Greenwood having grown complicated, the budget earmarked for that deal could be redirected.

Roma are weighing alternatives too, among them Nottingham Forest’s Dan Ndoye, valued at around €30m and familiar with Serie A from his Bologna days, as well as Noa Lang, Assane Diao and, further afield, West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville.

Napoli, meanwhile, have entered the frame. Pedullà reports the Partenopei made an enquiry in the last few hours, though Garnacho is no new name for a club that tracked him for months.

For now, though, Aurelio De Laurentiis’s side cannot move for incomings until they first trim Massimiliano Allegri’s squad.

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.

With Mario Gila’s move to Milan now agreed, Lazio have wasted no time in lining up his successor, turning their attention to Sergi Dominguez.

According to Sky Sport, sporting director Angelo Fabiani has travelled to Croatia to meet Dinamo Zagreb in a bid to get the deal over the line.

Lazio target Dinamo Zagreb’s Dominguez to fill Gila void

Dinamo value the young defender at €12 million, a figure Lazio are hoping to reach through the inclusion of bonuses.

Fabiani’s personal trip underlines how seriously the Biancocelesti are pursuing the centre-back, whom new head coach Gennaro Gattuso has earmarked as a priority reinforcement for his backline.

Dominguez, 21, is a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy who left the Catalan club for Dinamo Zagreb last summer.

He announced himself immediately in Croatia, playing a central role in the side that swept the domestic double, and his performances quickly drew attention from across Europe. Barcelona, for their part, stand to benefit from a sell-on clause included in that transfer.

For Lazio, the Spaniard represents a younger, long-term profile to inherit the shirt vacated by his compatriot Gila.

Should Fabiani succeed in bridging the gap to Dinamo’s valuation, Lazio will have moved swiftly to turn the proceeds of one Spanish centre-back’s sale into the arrival of another.

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.

Zion Suzuki could be set for a Premier League move, with Leeds United poised to step up their interest in the Parma goalkeeper after losing Illan Meslier to Arsenal.

The Gunners have officially confirmed the signing of Meslier, the 26-year-old France goalkeeper departing after seven seasons at Elland Road, during which he racked up 215 appearances and kept 70 clean sheets.

He will wear the number 30 shirt at his new club.

Leeds ready to move for Parma’s Suzuki

Meslier’s exit leaves a vacancy between the posts at Leeds, and the club are reportedly ready to act quickly to fill it.

Suzuki has been identified as the man to do so, with Leeds preparing to lodge a fresh offer for the Parma stopper shortly.

The Japan international has caught the eye during his time in Serie A, and his situation has been closely watched, Juventus were among the Italian clubs credited with contacts over the goalkeeper earlier in the window.

A concrete Leeds bid would now test Parma’s resolve, and potentially open the door to a Premier League switch for one of the division’s more coveted young goalkeepers.

Franck Kessie wants to join Juventus, with the midfielder keen on a return to Serie A now that his time at Al-Ahli has come to an end.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, via CalcioMercato.it, the Ivory Coast international regards the Bianconeri as his first choice for the next stage of his career.

Kessie is a free agent after Al-Ahli opted not to renew his contract, which expired at the end of June, making him available at no cost, an appealing prospect for any suitor.

Kessie makes Juventus his priority for Serie A return

A former Milan man who spent the bulk of his career in the Italian top flight, Kessie knows the league intimately and would face little adaptation on a return.

Juventus, for their part, are in the market for midfield reinforcements and would reportedly be glad to welcome the 29-year-old into their squad.

The free-transfer nature of any deal only strengthens its logic for a Juventus side mindful of their spending under the UEFA settlement agreement confirmed this window.

Fresh from featuring at the World Cup, Kessie offers proven Serie A pedigree and midfield energy, and, crucially, at no transfer outlay.

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.

Thomas Berenbruch looks set to leave Inter this summer, with a move to Serie A off the table.

According to transfer reporter Giorgio Musso, of CalcioMercato.it, the young midfielder is on the verge of joining Dutch side Utrecht, ruling out a switch to Cagliari or a stay in the Italian top flight.

The 2005-born midfielder had been linked with a move within Serie A, but it is Utrecht who appear poised to land him.

The Eredivisie club are no strangers to his situation, having also pursued the youngster last summer before missing out, and are now closing in on their target at the second attempt.

Berenbruch to leave Inter on loan

The deal is reported to be structured as a loan, allowing Berenbruch to gain regular senior minutes away from the San Siro.

For a talented youngster in need of game time, a spell in the Eredivisie, a league with a strong record of developing young players, represents a logical next step, with Utrecht having clearly kept tabs on him since their initial interest a year ago.

Yerry Mina could be on the move this summer, with Fenerbahce showing an interest in the Cagliari defender.

According to Turkish outlet Habergo, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the Super Lig side have stepped up contacts with the Sardinians in recent hours as they look to secure the experienced centre-back.

Mina has been a mainstay for Cagliari of late, one of the key figures around whom the club built their survival in each of the last two Serie A campaigns.

Any suggestion of his departure is therefore likely to unsettle the Rossoblù faithful, given the influence the Colombia international has had at the heart of the defence.

Fenerbahce weigh up move for Cagliari’s Mina

The report indicates that Fenerbahce have identified the 31-year-old as an ideal addition to bolster their backline.

However, the Turkish club are said to be weighing up the move carefully before committing, with particular attention being paid to Mina’s physical condition, a nod to the fitness issues that have punctuated his career.

For now, then, this remains at the exploratory stage: concrete interest and intensifying dialogue, but with Fenerbahce doing their due diligence before deciding whether to press ahead.

Should they move, Cagliari would face the challenge of replacing a defender who has been central to their recent top-flight stability.

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.

Luka Modric looks likely to remain at Milan, according to Fabrizio Romano, and meanwhile, a defender the Rossoneri had previously considered completed a move elsewhere.

Romano reports, via MilanNews.it, that left-back Fran Garcia has joined Real Betis from Real Madrid for €3 million plus bonuses, with Madrid retaining a 50% sell-on.

Intriguingly, the influencer suggests the Spaniard could easily have ended up at San Siro under different circumstances.

Had the Rossoneri’s previous hierarchy stayed in place, sporting director Igli Tare, chief executive Giorgio Furlani and coach Massimiliano Allegri, and had the club reached the Champions League, Romano believes Fran Garcia would likely have signed for them, with discussions between the club and his representatives having reached a concrete, fairly advanced stage without ever being formally concluded.

Modric to stay at Milan despite summer of change

The change of management and direction shifted those plans, but one strand of Milan’s thinking has not altered.

Romano is clear that Modric’s situation stands apart: the veteran is regarded as a champion who transcends any single coach or set of executives, and his affection for the club is expected to see him continue in the red and black.

It offers a note of continuity amid a period of upheaval at Milan, with new leadership in place, Ruben Amorim now installed as coach and the squad being reshaped after a campaign that ended outside the Champions League places.

Juventus’ pursuit of two centre-backs is getting crowded, with both Sunderland and Inter now muscling in on Jhon Lucumí and Tarik Muharemovic.

The Bianconeri have long been working on deals for Bologna’s Lucumí, who carries a €28 million release clause valid until mid-July, and Sassuolo’s Muharemovic, on whom Juventus hold a 50% sell-on.

Sunderland and Inter threaten Juventus move for Lucumí and Muharemovic

Sunderland, back in European competition for the first time in over half a century after finishing seventh in the Premier League, are reportedly armed with a budget north of €100m.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Black Cats could comfortably cover Lucumí’s clause and Sassuolo’s €40m asking price for Muharemovic, as well as the wages, including the €3-4m a year that stalled the Bosnian’s talks with Juventus. The Bosnian international is Sunderland’s priority, with the Colombian an alternative.

Inter have entered the picture too.

Having lost Acerbi, De Vrij and Darmian, Cristian Chivu’s side need a defender, and Tuttosport report they have launched a move for Lucumí, a pointed dig at their rivals, with Muharemovic also a long-standing Inter target.

Yet the scenario need not spell disaster for Juventus. Should Sunderland sign Muharemovic, Giovanni Carnevali would bank around €20m from the sell-on to reinvest in Lucumí; if they turn to the Colombian instead, the Bianconeri could be left with a clear run at Muharemovic.