Fabio Capello believes that now is the right time for Antonio Conte to return to the role of head coach of the Italy national team, and suggests that the damage was done for Roberto Mancini when he accepted a position in the Saudi Arabia set-up three years ago. 

Capello: Who better to give Italy a bit of a shock than Conte?

Giovanni Malago has recently been elected as the new President of the FIGC and appointing a new head coach of the men’s national team is an immediate priority for the new chief of the Italian FA. 

As things stand, Mancini and Conte are the frontrunners, although there have also been some calls from supporters to give U21s head coach and recent interim Silvio Baldini a chance with the senior side on a full-time basis.

Mancini and Conte, however, remain the two frontrunners, and Capello has made it clear which one he would prefer to see return to the Italy hot seat.  

“We’re talking about a battle between two great coaches, both winners,” Capello said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

But, If he had to make the decision between Conte and Mancini, there are no doubts in his mind as to who he would select: “Antonio.” 

He explained: “Conte is a coach who brings immediate impact, on the players, on the results. He rarely makes mistakes when he’s called upon to start a new adventure. 

“Our football needs something of a shock. I’d say a nice bit of shock therapy, and who better to do it than Conte?” 

Capello believes that Mancini’s decision to leave the Italy set up in order to join the Saudi Arabia national team back in 2023 puts him at a disadvantage in the running for the vacant CT role this time around. 

“A week before mid-August, he was having dinner with the FIGC President Gravina. And, a week later, he tells him that he’s taken the Saudi Arabia option. It was done three summers ago. The facts are too recent to be forgotten about or pushed to one side.” 

Capello refused to label Mancini’s decision to join the Saudi set-up a ‘betrayal’, as La Gazzetta dello Sport has done: “It was an interesting choice, but a sudden choice that nobody would have expected,” he confessed.

Capello does feel encouraged that there is a promising crop of young players coming through, some of whom had opportunities during the round of June international friendlies played under interim head coach Silvio Baldini and his squad of Italy U21 players. 

“Promising youngsters, but they need to be put into a different context: They need to create a good mix where the presence of the senior players is fundamental.” 

One of the benefits of appointing Conte is that he, like Mancini, has been there before and knows how to get results. 

“Leading a national team has very little to do with the day-to-day work you do,” said Capello. “Conte would know how to bring the best out of his boys every time they meet up.” 

Conte also looks back fondly on Conte’s performance with the Italy national team at EURO 2016. 

“I remember that match against Germany. We took them to penalties with an unprecedented midfield due to the various unavailabilities: Parolo, Sturaro and Giaccherini in the middle.

“I back Antonio because it’s his time. You can feel Conte’s desire to return to the national team and complete a job he began a few years ago. And it was him who said it, that he would be the coach again one day.” 

And Mancini? 

“Bravo, very good. He gave us the EURO 2021 dream, the victory at the home of the English in Wembley. I have nothing more to say about that, but I think Conte would be better.” 

And how about the promotion of current U21 head coach Baldini? 

“I like him, and not just a small amount. The work he has done with the Italy U21s is great, the messages he launched during his 10 days in charge of the senior team have made an impact as well.” 

It has been confirmed that Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo has been handed a five-match ban from international fixtures by FIFA after a challenge that left Sassuolo midfielder Ismael Kone with a fractured leg.

Madibo given five-match ban after horror Kone injury

Kone, who had been tipped for a big-money move away from Sassolo this summer, suffered a nasty fracture to his leg during an eventual 6-0 win for the Canada national team in their World Cup group stage match against Qatar. 

The offender, Madibo, was originally shown a yellow card for his challenge, but this was later upgraded to a red after a VAR review. Madibo and Qatar’s Minister for Sport went to visit Kone in hospital shortly after the incident occurred. 

It has since been confirmed that Madibo will be banned for five international matches as a result of the challenge. 

It was a horrible injury for Kone to suffer, but there has still been some criticism over the severity of the punishment handed out to Madibo. 

The Athletic have labelled the five-match ban ‘absurd’, suggesting that “FIFA reacted to the result of (Madibo’s) foul on Kone, not the foul itself.”

It wasn’t the best challenge by any means, but the general consensus is that Madibo was not intentionally trying to endanger his opponent, just that he made a poorly-timed and poorly-judged tackle. The Qatari midfielder had his head in his hands and appeared genuinely distraught upon seeing the extent of Kone’s injury.

Thursday’s reports claim that Juventus could turn to Paris Saint-Germain forward Lee Kang-in if they are unable to strike a deal with Real Madrid for Brahim Diaz, but Atletico Madrid are also interested in a potential deal for the South Korea international.

Lee Kang-in could be Juventus’s Plan B if Diaz stays with Real Madrid

For several weeks, reports in Italy have claimed that Diaz is Luciano Spalletti’s preferred choice to come in and strengthen the Bianconeri attack, in addition to the need for a new centre-forward to replace Dusan Vlahovic. 

Agreeing a deal for Diaz may prove difficult, though, and despite the previous reports that the Morocco international was open to the idea of a return to Serie A, the latest updates from Calciomercato.com claim that he is now minded to stay put in the Spanish capital. 

If Juventus are unable to strike a deal for Diaz, then Lee Kang-in could become a viable ‘Plan B’. 

Juventus are already in discussions with PSG over a potential return for centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani and it is understood that the Parisians could be tempted to listen to offers for Lee this summer given that he made just 18 starts across all competitions in 2025-26. 

Lee is under contract with PSG until the summer of 2028 and earns a reported €4m per season on his current contract, which would not be out of the question for Juventus. PSG paid a fee of €22m to sign the South Korean from Mallorca in the summer of 2023. 

Juventus will face stiff competition from Atletico Madrid if they do proceed in negotiations for Lee. The Spanish side reportedly have an agreement in principle on personal terms with the player, but have not got an agreement in place with PSG.

Inter legend Beppe Bergomi has weighed in on the news that Marco Palestra will be moving to Stamford Bridge instead of San Siro this summer, and the Nerazzurri legend has made it clear that he thinks staying in Serie A would have been a better choice for the 21-year-old: ‘Inter could have had another Hakimi’. 

Palestra is all set to join Premier League side Chelsea in a deal that could be worth up to €60m, with wages reported to be worth €5m-€6m per season over the course of a five or six-year contract. 

This comes as a blow to the Nerazzurri, who had set aside €50m for the signing of the recently-capped Italy international, who had been tipped as the ideal replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Denzel Dumfries. 

Bergomi: ‘I still think Inter would have been the perfect team for Palestra’

Bergomi has shared his thoughts on the matter in an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I followed the whole transfer saga involving Palestra,” Bergomi began. “I understand that it’s a source of pride for a young lad to go and play in such a competitive league, but I still think that Inter would have been the perfect team for him.” 

Many supporters feel that Palestra’s head has been turned by a lucrative set of personal terms from Chelsea, more so than for sporting reasons given that Inter are the reigning league and cup champions in Italy, will be playing in the Champions League next term while Chelsea will sit out of the European competitions altogether after their 10th-place Premier League finish in 2025-26. 

“I don’t want to put it all down to money,” says Bergomi. “At this age, for me, money should never be the deciding factor. A young player wants to measure themself in a new league, to try new challenges. 

“But I do understand that he will earn twice as much at Chelsea than what he would have received here in Italy. But I don’t want to think that it’s just a financial issue for a 21-year-old.” 

For Bergomi, there is no doubt that Inter would have been the perfect fit for Palestra. 

“Yes, it could have been ideal for him given how he plays, how he would fit into that role. Chivu’s team, which will still play in a 3-5-2, brings out the best qualities in its wing-backs. Inter could have had another Hakimi, a player with great speed and brilliant technique, after saying goodbye to Dumfries, who brought more physicality. 

“So, for me, Inter would have been the perfect team for Palestra, both in terms of his enjoyment and for his development.” 

There are concerns that Palestra’s development might stagnate in the Premier League, especially if he has to settle for a spot as an understudy to England international Reece James at right-back at Stamford Bridge. 

“I hope that he will find a place in the starting XI and to find continuity, even if it won’t be easy to fit in or settle immediately in such a competitive league like the English one,” says Bergomi. 

“For him, playing will be fundamental, and that is also the same for the national team. But these days especially with young Italians who go abroad, there is no longer that fear that they might miss out on playing for the Azzurri if they go abroad. Look at where Retegui, Calafiori, Tonali and Donnarumma play.” 

So, what would Bergomi do with the money that Inter had set aside for the signing of Palestra if he were in charge? 

“I’m convinced they’ll be able to find the right solution, but I will repeat that for me, Palestra undoubtedly would have been an ideal choice on the right. 

“As for the rest, Inter have to bring in two players in defence, not just one. (Oumar) Solet is perfect for how Chivu plays. The same also goes for Jones in midfield. 

“But, I wouldn’t panic. Remember that Inter made their best signing, Akanji, on the final day of the transfer window last summer.” 

Inter are still on the lookout for a new right wing-back after missing out on the signing of Marco Palestra, and Thursday’s reports claim that Roma’s Wesley and Fluminense’s Guga are now also included on the list of potential alternatives for the Nerazzurri. 

Nico Paz, Wesley, Cambiaso: Inter transfer rumours in full swing

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that 21-year-old Italy talent Palestra is set to join Premier League side Chelsea in a deal that is expected to exceed €50m, potentially rising as high as €60m including bonuses. The Atalanta-owned youngster is set to pocket €30m over the course of his five or six-year Chelsea contract. 

This comes as a massive blow for Inter, whose owners had set aside €50m for the signing of Palestra this summer. Inter are also set to lose starting right wing-back Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid after seeing the Dutchman’s €20m release clause activated earlier this month. 

It remains to be seen where Inter will turn next after losing Dumfries and missing out on Palestra. 

The encouraging news is that there should still be €70m to spend before any other players are sold, from the €20m Dumfries release clause and the €50m that had been set aside for Palestra. 

There have been suggestions from the Corriere dello Sport that Inter could attempt to sign Nico Paz from Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €60m now that Palestra will not be moving to San Siro. 

However, the Nerazzurri will still be needing a new right wing-back and other outlets suggest that the club are still evaluating potential ‘luxury’ options in that position. 

There have been suggestions that Inter could turn to Juventus’s Andrea Cambiaso or Nottingham Forest’s Dan Ndoye, both valued in the region of €40m. Davide Frattesi could also be used in a player-plus-cash offer to both Juve and Forest. Fiorentina’s Dodo has also been touted as a potential alternative. 

However, according to Thursday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma’s Wesley is also an option for Inter this summer. 

Roma do need to sell players by the end of the month to raise funds to comply with their financial fair play settlement agreement, but Gian Piero Gasperini considers the versatile Brazilian an unsellable asset, especially ahead of his side’s return to the Champions League next season. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that another Brazilian full-back has been offered to the Nerazzurri: 27-year-old Guga from Fluminense. He has a Portuguese passport, so would not count towards the club’s non-EU quota. 

Elsewhere, if Inter are to bring in a new centre-back this summer, Udinese’s Oumar Solet remains the first choice, however, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah could also come back into fashion for Inter, especially if Solet ends up moving to Atletico Madrid. The England international is also of interest to Como.

Newly-elected FIGC President Giovanni Malagò is pushing to appoint both Antonio Conte and Paolo Maldini to leadership roles within the Italy national team set-up, but the appointment of the Milan legend in the role of technical director is currently the bigger priority and the Italian FA are willing to offer him unprecedented powers according to Thursday’s reports. 

Maldini offered full control as technical director of the Italy national team

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Malagò’s ideal plan is to appoint Maldini as technical director of the Italy national team and then Conte as the head coach. This plan is reportedly supported by the Lega Serie A and its representatives, who gave Malagò their support in the recent FIGC Presidential elections.

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that the Italian FA would seek to appoint Maldini as technical director before bringing in Conte as head coach. 

If Maldini were to accept, he would be given unprecedented powers as the leader of the new ‘Club Italia’, which would see him have full control over the technical and youth sectors of the national team set-up. 

It has also been suggested that there could potentially be a more prominent role for Gianfranco Zola in this new set-up: The former Italy international is currently serving as the vice-President of the Lega Pro (Serie C).

These ideas are expected to be discussed at length at the next meeting of the federal council on Wednesday. 

There are some causes for concern, however, as La Gazzetta dello Sport hints that there is not much of a back-up plan at this stage, while SportItalia reported on Wednesday that Maldini is not entirely convinced about taking over as technical director of the Italy national team. 

It was all smiles for Carlo Ancelotti and the Brazil national team in the early hours of Thursday morning as the Selecao beat Scotland 3-0 to top Group C at the 2026 World Cup, but Napoli’s Scott McTominay and his compatriots now face a nervous wait to see if they have done enough to qualify for the knock-out rounds. 

Ancelotti and Brazil into World Cup knock-outs, anxious wait for Scotland and McTominay

A brace from Vinicius Jr. and a 60th-minute strike from Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha handed Brazil a 3-0 victory over a Scotland side featuring several Serie A talents in McTominay, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams. 

There was even an opportunity for Ancelotti to hand the legendary Neymar his first minutes at the 2026 World Cup off the bench in the second half against Scotland.

The result means that Brazil have qualified for the round of 32 as winners of Group C on 7 points, bettering Morocco (also on 7 point) on goal difference. 

Brazil will face the runner-up from Group F in the round of 32. As things stand, that will be Japan, but the Netherlands and Sweden are also among the potential opponents depending on the final group stage results.

McTominay and Scotland have finished Group C in third place with three points from three matches: Their only victory coming in a 1-0 win against Haiti in the opening round. Now, Scotland must wait until the completion of the group stage to see if they have done enough to qualify for the knock-out rounds as one of the best third-place finishers. 

As things stand, Scotland are in the round of 32, but there are still nine groups left to be completed and it remains to be seen whether their tally of three points and a goal difference of -3 will be enough.

In an alarming stat for the Scots, McTominay’s 60th-minute header was the nation’s first shot on target in over 200 minutes at the 2026 World Cup, and their first since John McGinn’s goal in the 1-0 victory over Haiti in the opening round of group stage fixtures.

A new episode of the Football Italia Summer Show is out on YouTube with Lorenzo Bettoni and Richard Hall discussing Marco Palestra’s imminent move to Chelsea.

Click here to subscribe to the Football Italia YouTube channel

Palestra has chosen Chelsea over Inter and is now set to complete a permanent move worth more than €50m to Stamford Bridge.

Read more – How Chelsea convinced Palestra to abandon Inter promise for €60m

For weeks, Inter had been working on a deal with Atalanta and appeared to be leading the race for one of Italy’s brightest young talents. However, Chelsea’s financial power and long-term project have ultimately convinced the player to make the move to the Premier League.

The transfer raises important questions not only for Inter but also for Italian football as a whole. Palestra is regarded as one of the most promising Italian players of his generation, and many fans hoped he would continue his development in Serie A before eventually becoming a cornerstone of the Italian national team.

His departure is another reminder of the growing challenge Italian clubs face when competing with Premier League sides. Chelsea can offer significantly higher transfer fees, salaries, and international exposure, making it increasingly difficult for Serie A clubs to retain elite young talent.

While the move could accelerate Palestra’s development if he earns regular playing time, there is also the risk that he becomes another young player lost in the intense competition of a Premier League squad.

For Inter, the disappointment is significant. The Nerazzurri identified Palestra as a key target and invested considerable time in negotiations. Missing out on him forces the club back into the market, where alternatives may be more expensive or less suited to their long-term plans. Inter’s recruitment team will now have to quickly identify new options to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season.

Watch the full episode below.

Reports in Italy claim that several Saudi Pro League sides are willing to invest €40m on the signing of Matias Soule from Roma, but the Argentine is reportedly unconvinced by the idea of moving away from Europe at this stage of his career. 

Saudi sides willing to spend €40m on Roma’s Soule

It is no secret that Roma are looking to sell players before the end of the month in order to raise funds to comply with their financial fair play settlement agreement with UEFA. 

Several of the Giallorossi’s star players, including the likes of Manu Kone and Evan Ndicka, have previously been linked with a move away from the Stadio Olimpico in order to raise the required funds, but reports over the last few weeks indicate that Soule is increasingly likely to be sold if an appropriate offer comes in. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting on Thursday that several Saudi Arabian sides including Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad have expressed an interest in signing Souule this summer. It has been suggested that Al-Hilal are also among the interested parties. 

Thursday’s report claims that all three sides are willing to give Roma the €40m they will seek for Soule, but the bigger issue is convincing the player himself. 

The Argentine does not wish to leave Europe at the age of 23, even if a move to Saudi Arabia could be beneficial from a financial standpoint.

Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmnd have also been mentioned as possible destinations for Soule this summer.

It is believed that if Roma are able to sell Soule this summer, then a deal for Mason Greenwood from Marseille would be the preferred option for the Giallorossi.

Atalanta continue to stake their claim as the finest selling club in Italy, as La Dea are set to bring in over €100m from sales to Chelsea and Manchester United, before the summer transfer window has even opened. 

Atalanta continue their impressive sales record: €105m secured already this summer

The Serie A transfer window will officially open on June 29, but Atalanta have already secured a total €60m deal for Marco Palestra to join Chelsea this summer, while midfielder Ederson is all set to join Manchester United in a €45m deal – both figures including bonuses. 

There have even been reports over the last 24 hours that Brighton & Hove Albion are interested in a deal for 18-year-old defender Honest Ahanor, which could push the figure of €105m even higher. 

With Palestra’s imminent move to Chelsea, Atalanta have now sold a player for at least €50m in each of the last five summer transfer windows. 

Tottenham Hotspur activated their option to buy Cristian Romero for a reported fee of €50m in the summer of 2022, Rasmus Hojlund became the club’s all-time most expensive sale when he joined Manchester United in the summer of 2023, Teun Koopmeiners was sold to Juventus in a package that exceeded €60m in 2024 and Mateo Retegui was sold to Al-Qadsiah for €65m after just one season with La Dea in 2025. 

It remains to be seen how new head coach Maurizio Sarri will invest these funds, but recent reports indicate that former Juventus and current Nottingham Forest full-back Nicolo Savona could be among the club’s first arrivals of the summer. Atalanta are also said to be interested in Lazio defender Mario Gila. 

Inter were left disappointed by Marco Palestra’s decision to join Chelsea earlier this week, but the latest reports claim that the Nerazzurri could now reinvest the funds they had set aside for the wing-back on Nico Paz from Real Madrid instead. 

Renewed Nico Paz hope for Inter after missing out on Palestra

Denzel Dumfries is set to join Real Madrid from Inter having had his release clause activated earlier this month, and the Nerazzurri had been hoping to replace him with 21-year-old Italy talent Palestra. 

However, the 2025-26 Cagliari loanee has since decided to join Premier League outfit Chelsea in a total €60m deal on a five or six-year contract that will see him earn twice as much as he was offered in Italy in wages. 

Previous reports claimed that Inter’s Oaktree ownership group had set aside €50m for the signing of Palestra this summer, and that any other new arrivals would have to be funded through the sales of current players. 

With Palestra going to Chelsea and Dumfries going to Madrid for a reported fee of €20m, it is believed that Inter will have €70m to play with before any other players are sold, and reports from the Corriere dello Sport suggest that that money could go towards the signing of Nico Paz. 

Paz has spent the last two seasons in Serie A with Como, winning the division’s U23 player of the year award in 2025-26. Real Madrid have an option to buy the Argentina international back for a fee of just €10m-€11m this summer and it has been reported that they will activate this option and look to sell the attacker on for a fee in the region of €60m. 

It appears to be a tug of war between Como and Inter for Paz as things stand. Como’s sporting director Carlalberto Ludi is in the Spanish capital and is due to speak to representatives from Madrid about the possibility of keeping hold of Paz for another season. 

Como hope that they will be able to convince Madrid into leaving Paz at the Stadio Sinigaglia for another season, and that Madrid will then activate their buy-back option next summer instead. The potential appeal for Madrid in that scenario is that Paz’s market value could increase even further than the current €60m if he spends next season playing Champions League football under Cesc Fabregas. 

Inter hope for the opposite: That Madrid will activate their buy-back clause this summer and that they will be open to an immediate sale of the Argentine. There is also a hope that Nerazzurri captain Lautaro Martinez might be able to help convince Paz while the pair are away together in the Argentina national team camp at the 2026 World Cup. 

The Corriere dello Sport warns, however, that if Inter are able to strike a deal for Paz, then the club would likely drop their pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones.

Reports in Italy claim that Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion have registered an interest in signing Atalanta and Azzurrini talent Honest Ahanor this summer. 

Brighton express interest in Italy talent Ahanor

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport in Italy, representatives from Brighton have been in Milan over the last few days for a series of meetings, and in that time, the topic of signing Ahanor from Atalanta has come up in conversations. 

No formal negotiations have taken place as things stand, and Di Marzio suggests that it will not be straightforward to haggle with Atalanta this summer. That is because La Dea are not pressed to sell players to raise funds given that they are set to sell Marco Palestra to Chelsea in a €60m package and Ederson to Manchester United for a total sum of €45m. 

Ahanor has only been with Atalanta for one season and remains under contract until the summer of 2028. 

Atalanta paid €20m to sign a then-17-year-old Ahanor from Genoa last summer, making him the second-most expensive Italian 17-year-old of all time. 

The teenager made 35 appearances in the Atalanta back line across all competitions in 2025-26, including 22 outings in Serie A and nine in the Champions League. 

Christian Pulisic has attracted interest from New York City FC and from several other teams back in his homeland, but the latest reports indicate that Milan are unwilling to sell the USA international this summer. 

Milan unwilling to sell Pulisic to NYCFC

According to Wednesday’s reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, New York City FC are interested in making Pulisic the club’s marquee signing and are willing to pay the USMNT star a salary of €10m per season over a five-year contract. 

This has since been confirmed by The Athletic, which adds that several other MLS sides would step forwards with proposals should Pulisic become available this summer. 

That is unlikely to be the case, however, as The Athletic reports that Milan have no interest in parting company with Pulisic this summer. 

The 26-year-old is technically heading into the final year of his contract this summer, expiring at the end of June in 2027, however the Rossoneri have a club option to extend that agreement by a further 12 months until the summer of 2028. 

Pulisic is currently focusing on his home World Cup campaign with the USMNT and that is unlikely to change before the end of the tournament. 

Milan have been attempting to tie the former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund forward down to a new contract over the last few months but have not reached an agreement yet. Previous reports suggested that Milan do not feel particularly pressed for time given their option to extend the forward’s deal until 2028.

According to reports in Italy, Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte are the frontrunners to become the new Italy coach after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Italy have not participated in the World Cup for 12 years, and their new coach will have qualification for the 2030 tournament as the main goal.

The Azzurri finished their 2026 World Cup qualification group in second behind Norway, so they were forced to play in the play-off qualifier, meeting Northern Ireland in the semis and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final.

Two main candidates for Italy’s head coach

They were naturally the favourites to qualify, but those who feared the Azzurri would feel the pressure after two missed qualifications eventually reaped the rewards on Melbet.

In the wake of Italy’s third consecutive fiasco, coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned, followed by FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, who was replaced a few months later by Giovanni Malagò, elected on June 22, 2026, with nearly 69% of the vote from the various components of Italian football.

The big priority for Malagò will be to appoint Italy’s new coach, and, as things stand, Mancini and Conte, a former Napoli coach, are the main candidates for the job.

Other coaches have been mentioned by Italian media, including Pep Guardiola, but it’s likely that the competition will eventually be reduced to a two-horse race between Mancini and Conte.

Both have already coached the Italy national team. Mancini won the Euros in 2021 but failed to qualify for the World Cup the following year, while Conte reached the quarter-finals at the 2016 Euros.

Malagò is aware that the decision on the new coach is one of the first he has to make, alongside appointing a technical director, identified as Paolo Maldini, with an offer already sent.

In his first press conference after his election as the FIGC President, Malagò said: “If it weren’t for a penalty, I wouldn’t be here now.

“It is incredible that Gravina was re-elected a year ago, practically by unanimous consent, and yet he was unable to push through any of the proposed reforms.

“Objectively, the situation is completely fossilised. I will continue to defend the autonomy of sport, but if we don’t manage to change our ways, then someone will have to put us into a position to change. It is very simple.”

Another big target of Malagò will be to identify the venues for Euro 2032, which Italy will co-host with Turkey.

“EURO 2032 is a challenge within a challenge. I spoke to (UEFA President Aleksandar) Ceferin over the last few days, and already received messages from (FIFA President Gianni) Infantino,” he added.

“Michele Uva is our organisational figure with UEFA, we’ve got to identify these five stadiums,”

England take on Panama in their final Group L game at this summer’s World Cup 2026, and fans will surely be looking into how to buy England tickets for this intriguing encounter.

BUY PANAMA VS. ENGLAND TICKETS HERE

Thomas Tuchel’s side started well with a 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening game, but they’ll be desperate to bounce back after a disappointing 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday night.

See below for our guide on England’s next match and how to buy England World Cup tickets so you don’t miss out…

How to buy England World Cup tickets

The official FIFA page for tickets can be found here, but we’d highly recommend keeping alternatives in mind as well after all the issues with tickets at this World Cup.

Take a look at our tickets hub here, which can provide an easy-to-navigate site with great reviews and competitive prices, as well as the security of a 150% money back guarantee for your peace of mind.

BUY PANAMA VS. ENGLAND TICKETS HERE

How England could line up vs Panama

England manager Tuchel might have some thinking to do about his team selection after the draw against Ghana.

The Three Lions made two changes from the line up that beat Croatia, so could we see one or two tweaks to the team again for this game?

Most fans would probably agree that there’s got to be a case for Marcus Rashford starting over Anthony Gordon, while it could also be worth gambling on Bukayo Saka over Noni Madueke, even if there’s some concern about the fitness of the former.

England predicted line up vs Panama: Pickford; James, O’Reilly, Guehi, Konsa; Rice, Anderson, Bellingham; Rashford, Saka, Kane.

BUY PANAMA VS. ENGLAND TICKETS HERE

England’s last meeting against Panama

England have only played Panama once – a 6-1 thrashing back in 2018, in what was also the country’s first World Cup game in which they scored in.

So, there’s not a lot in terms of a head-to-head record to look back on here, but you’d certainly make England the big favourites to win this one and get through the group with no trouble.

Can England win the World Cup?

England could do with making a real statement in this game after a below-par display against Ghana last time round.

Tuchel’s side are capable of playing some fine football, as they did in the win over Croatia, but so far there are probably a few other countries that look to be ahead of them as World Cup favourites.

Argentina, France, and Germany have made really strong starts, and you can’t ignore the likes of Brazil or the Netherlands either.

It’s early days yet, but England need to improve quickly if they are to finally end 60 years of hurt in this competition.

Juventus are still pursuing a deal for Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani and the latest reports claim that the Frenchman is willing to take a salary cut in order to facilitate a return to Turin. 

Kolo Muani makes pay cut promise to Juventus … again

The Old Lady are on the hunt for a new centre-forward for the 2026-27 season as Dusan Vlahovic is set to walk away from the club on a free transfer once his contract expires later this week. 

Kolo Muani, who scored eight goals from 16 Serie A appearances while on loan with Juventus in the second half of the 2024-25 season, is back in fashion, although negotiating with PSG could still be a complicated task. 

That is because Juventus had also tried to bring Kolo Muani back to Turin last summer: The Bianconeri spent most of the summer locked into negotiations with the Ligue 1 giants only to abandon their pursuit of the striker in the final days of the transfer window, which led to his joining Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the 2025-26 season instead. 

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, the hostile relations between Juventus and PSG have cooled down, but there are still a few bridges that need to be rebuilt. 

More encouraging for Juventus is the fact that Kolo Muani is reportedly willing to lower his salary in order to facilitate a return to Serie A this summer. 

It is believed that Kolo Muani earns between €7m-€8m per season on his current PSG contract, but Di Marzio suggests that he is willing to take a significant cut on that sum. Kolo Muani had also promised the same to Juventus during negotiations last summer.

Alfredo Pedullà adds that Juventus and PSG are still negotiating over a potential price tag and the formula of the deal, but reports that Juventus are willing to go above the €30m they had originally set aside for the Frenchman’s signing. 

PSG insist that there will have to be an obligation to buy rather than an option if Juventus are looking for an initial loan deal.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

A captain is required 

Italy pressing for Maldini 

The former Milan man would have full power over the technical and youth sectors. Conte, a four-year offer on the table to get through to the World Cup 

Vinicius! Ancelotti flies 

Brazil overwhelm Scotland: They’re first 

A brace from Carletto’s star, third from Cunha. Neymar comes on. Morocco beat Haiti, but they’re second. Switzerland ahead of Canada 

Klopp: ‘Too many games, but it’s a show. Norway and Japan the surprises’

Corriere dello Sport 

Paz, a decision is coming 

Marotta wants to make up for the Palestra disappointment | Meeting in Madrid 

Inter advance, Como try 

Oaktree put the 50 million set aside for the Dea full-back on Nico instead. Perez asks for 60. Today, the Como sporting director Ludi will meet with Real: Fabregas hopes for a new loan deal 

What we missed out on 

World Cup: So many regrets for Italy. Switzerland first, Canada through with four points 

Juve, tug of war for Dibu

From Kolo Muani to the Aston Villa goalkeeper, Carnevali pushes 

Aurelio designs the new Napoli 

DeLa is back from the States 

Waiting for the official Allegri announcement. Working on Gila and Khalali. Hope for Vicario 

Jackson and Milan: A clear path 

Leaving Chelsea 

Bayern will not redeem the Senegalese centre-forward and the Blues are open to another path 

Roma say no to 100 million 

Svilar and Wesley 

Two Premier League offers refused for the goalkeeper and the wing-back. Dybala turnaround: Renewal close 

Tuttosport

Juve-Svilar, the opportunity 

The Roma goalkeeper becomes an intriguing alternative to Martinez 

The Giallorossi need to bring in 50 million before June 30: With the right offer … Transfer meeting with Spalletti. The Cambiaso-Frattesi swap is back on the agenda, even if the Bianconeri could challenge Inter for Liverpool’s Curtis Jones. However, none of the ‘surplus’ players want to leave

Croatia, Modric party 

200th game and victory 

The ex ‘Italian’ Budimir sinks Panama but everyone celebrates Luka the icon: Recordman in the national team 

If Adjetey leaves super Kane in the dust 

The ‘painter’ from Ghana 

The incredible story of the Wolfsburg defender, who stopped the English and dreams of playing in Italy 

Switzerland, a blow to Canada 

Bosnia win and hope 

No round of 32 for Marsch’s national team: Vargas and Manzambi settle it 

Kerim Alajbegovic has been linked with potential Serie A moves to Atalanta and Roma, so he showed what he can do with a stunning goal for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup.

The teenager is not set to reach his 19^th birthday until September, but is already a sensation on the global football stage.

Alajbegovic stunner lights up World Cup

He dribbled past two Qatar players and then smashed a screamer into the net from well outside the penalty area, giving Bosnia and Herzegovina the lead in this evening’s Group B game.

Goal of the tournament contender?

Kerim Alajbegović fires Bosnia into the lead with this absolute beauty… pic.twitter.com/bv6mmbbIqK

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 24, 2026

Bayer Leverkusen allowed the player to flourish in their youth academy, then sent him to RB Salzburg, where he scored 13 goals with four assists in 44 competitive games this season.

The Germans activated their buy-back option for €8m, but Alajbegovic is not expected to remain, as he is reportedly eager for a Serie A move.

Roma would be his preferred choice, especially after qualifying for the Champions League, but Atalanta may well get there first with more funds at their disposal.

1 – Kerim Alajbegovic (18 Jahre, 276 Tage) ist der jüngste Spieler mit einem Tor von außerhalb des Strafraums bei einer FIFA-Weltmeisterschaft seit detaillierter Datenerfassung 1966.

Er löste damit Kylian Mbappé ab (19 Jahre, 207 Tage bei der WM 2018).

Furchtlos. pic.twitter.com/5FOC0XEnac

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) June 24, 2026

Fiorentina are in negotiations with Wolverhampton Wanderers for Spanish left-back Hugo Bueno, claims transfer pundit Matteo Moretto.

The 23-year-old has been in the Wolves academy since 2019 and had a loan spell in the Netherlands with Feyenoord in the 2024-25 campaign.

He made 38 competitive appearances for the club this season, contributing a goal and two assists.

Hugo Bueno option for Fiorentina

Transfer expert Moretto, who works with Fabrizio Romano, stated on X that Fiorentina were in talks for the player.

It would not be the first time that Fiorentina have cast their eye over the Premier League for reinforcements, as they brought in Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur and Jack Harrison from Leeds United.

Bueno would be a replacement at left-back for Fabiano Parisi, who is going to be out of action for several months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

They do have others for the role, including Robin Gosens, Niccolò Fortini and the impressive Luis Balbo.

Multiple reports suggest Juventus will sell Fabio Miretti, but Bologna and Villarreal are not close to agreeing a €14m transfer fee for the midfielder.

The player turns 23 in August and came up through their youth academy, so any sale would represent practically pure profit.

The Bianconeri need to make a big sale by June 30 to balance the books, especially after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Miretti on the market for Juventus

According to Sky Sport Italia, Sportitalia and more, Bologna are the club most interested in signing Miretti this summer and are in constant talks to whittle down the differences.

It is proving difficult, as Juventus want circa €12-14m for the player, already lower than the reported €20m, whereas the proposal is nowhere near that yet.

On top of the fee, there is also disagreement over the formula of the transfer, whether a loan with option or obligation to buy if certain conditions are met, or a permanent move.

Another club believed to be interested in the Italy international is Villarreal, but he would prefer to remain in Serie A, while Fiorentina are also keeping a close eye on developments.

Inter defender Stefan de Vrij is reportedly on the verge of joining Panathinaikos as a free agent, so will not be extending his contract.

The 34-year-old had been at San Siro since the summer of 2018, when he also left Lazio as a free agent with his deal running down.

De Vrij to quit Serie A

There had still been some small hope that he would negotiate an extension with the Nerazzurri, but it seems as if his time in Italy has come to a close.

According to transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano, personal terms have been agreed with Panathinaikos and they are just waiting for the final all-clear from the Dutch defender.

He really has been a stalwart of Serie A, first coming to Lazio from Feyenoord in a deal worth €7m in the summer of 2014.

De Vrij went on to make 308 Serie A appearances, scoring 20 goals and providing seven assists.

He won three Serie A titles with Inter, three editions of the Coppa Italia and three Italian Supercups, along with the 2017-18 Supercoppa Italiana for Lazio.

Italy legend Mario Balotelli was the star of New York City today when he threw out the first pitch for the Mets baseball team against the Cubs at Citi Field.

The striker, who is currently playing for Al-Ittifaq in the UAE, was the guest of honour and given the task of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch in today’s game between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Balotelli guest of NY Mets

 

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In his career, Balotelli played for the likes of Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City, Milan, Olympique Marseille and Adana Demirspor.

His most recent Serie A experience with Genoa petered out after a disagreement with coach Patrick Vieira.

SuperMario scored 14 goals in 36 senior caps for Italy, but his most recent appearance for the Azzurri was on September 7, 2018 against Poland in the Nations League.

He turns 36 in August and was accompanied by his brother Enock Barwuah, who also had a brief playing career of his own.

Sassuolo midfielder Ismael Kone insisted on being pitch side with his CANMNT teammates for tonight’s World Cup game against Switzerland, saluting fans from his wheelchair.

The player’s tournament was called to an abrupt and dramatic end during the 6-0 win over Qatar when he fractured his leg.

He was stretchered off and whisked straight to surgery to fuse the leg back together, and it remains to be seen how many months he will be out of action for.

Kone still participating in World Cup

However, Kone remained in good spirits and insisted on attending this evening’s final group game against Switzerland in Vancouver.

He was wheeled out in his chair and saluted the crowd before joining his Canada teammates on the touchline during the warm-up.

While Team Canada hits the field for warmups, Ismael Kone could be seen in a wheelchair saluting the fans.

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/UQuonJE3I6 pic.twitter.com/UgjOuhzZ6V

— CTV News (@CTVNews) June 24, 2026

The 24-year-old already has 42 senior caps for Canada, in which he scored four goals, and was hoping to make a real impression at this tournament co-hosted with the USA and Mexico.

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis won’t be drawn on when he can finally announce Max Allegri as the new coach. ‘We have to stay up there and try to improve in Europe.’

The patron just flew back from Los Angeles, where he spends much of his time thanks to his day job as a Hollywood movie producer, and immediately spoke to reporters.

It was on the superyacht Boardwalk, where they were the guests of American ambassador to Italy Tilman J. Fertitta.

De Laurentiis on Napoli ambition

The first question was about their ambitions for this season, having won the Scudetto in 2025 and then finished runners-up to Inter.

“I have been here for 22 years, we are the only club who kept climbing and climbing. We have to stay up there and must try to improve in Europe,” De Laurentiis told reporters.

De Laurentiis: «Allegri? Non se ne può parlare ancora, ma vogliamo restare in alto»
«Quando annunciamo il prossimo allenatore? Io sono appena atterrato dal Los Angeles, aspettate»#ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/QgCNPCnkGb

— Carlo Alvino (@Carloalvino) June 24, 2026

Antonio Conte walked away by mutual consent at the end of the campaign, and it is commonly known that Allegri has been chosen to replace him.

However, nothing can be done until Allegri has formally terminated his contract with Milan, who fired the coach the day after missing out on Champions League qualification.

“We cannot and must not talk about Allegri until we really have him,” noted De Laurentiis.

“Decisions are made seeking consistency. Seeing as we finally have a Federation President who shares my ideas, which football is an industry, albeit an atypical one, I am convinced all of Italian football must work hard and rebuild with Malagò.

“The difference is that Americans are always going forward, whereas in Italy we remain stagnant. It’s because the men in power do not move.”

Appena sbarcati da Los Angeles, il Presidente Aurelio De Laurentiis e la sig.ra Jacqueline si sono recati a Napoli e sono saliti a bordo del superyacht Boardwalk, ospite dell'ambasciatore americano Tilman J. Fertitta e della sua consorte. pic.twitter.com/MBxHWd0Isf

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) June 24, 2026

Fiorentina right-back Dodo is emerging as the most likely candidate for Inter now that Chelsea beat them to Marco Palestra, but there is also interest from Napoli.

The Nerazzurri were all set to spend €45m plus €5m in add-ons to get Palestra from Atalanta, only to be massively out-bid by Chelsea last night at €60m including bonuses.

Dodo on Inter and Napoli radar

Now they are forced to find alternatives and Sportitalia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà claims that the favourite is to be found within Serie A.

Dodo is only under contract with Fiorentina until June 2027 and negotiations for a renewal have been difficult.

With that in mind, the price-tag is said to be around €15m, which is considerably cheaper than Palestra.

Once again, Inter are not the only club interested in his services, as Dodo is also seen as an option for Max Allegri’s Napoli.

Their first choice would be Anan Khalaili of Union Saint-Gilloise, so the Brazilian is a back-up choice.

The 27-year-old was purchased from Shakhtar Donetsk for €15.4m in 2022 and in the current campaign he notched up two goals with three assists in 47 games for Fiorentina.

There are several Serie A players involved in tonight’s World Cup games, as Group B will be decided with Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar and Switzerland vs. Canada.

They both kick off simultaneously at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST), but in two different countries.

This was set to be the group that Italy were going to be placed in, until losing the World Cup play-off on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

There are quite a few Serie A representatives in that squad, including Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta, Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic, new Venezia signing Ivan Basic and ex-Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko.

Bosnia are still looking for their first 2026 World Cup victory after a 1-1 draw with Canada and 4-1 defeat to Switzerland, where Muharemovic was sent off and is therefore suspended here along with Qatar’s Assim Madibo and Homam Al-Amin.

In the other match, both Canada and Switzerland have four points, so go head-to-head for top spot.

Juventus striker Jonathan David bagged a hat-trick in the 6-0 victory over Qatar, and starts again for the CANMNT.

However, the tournament is over for Sassuolo midfielder Ismael Kone, who fractured his leg in that match.

Inter defender Manuel Akanji, Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler and Pisa’s Michel Aebischer are all familiar faces, but Milan’s Ardon Jashari is on the bench.

World Cup Group B

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vasilj; Radeljic, Katic, Malic, Kolasinac; Bakaktarevic, Sunjic, Basic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko

Qatar: Abunada; Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Laye, Sultan Albrake; Jassem Gaber, Fathy, Boudiaf; Hassan Alhaydos, Akram Afif, Edmilson Junior

24-06-2026 20:00

Matchday 3

Lumen Field

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Qatar

3 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Kerim Alajbegović (Assist: Ivan Basic)		29'
Mahmoud Abunada		34'
		42'		Hasan Al-Haydos (Assist: Edmílson Junior)

2nd half

		78'		Ahmed Fathi
Ermin Mahmic (Assist: Dennis Hadzikadunic)		80'
Ermin Mahmic		82'

Match statistic

55

Possession %

45

14

Total shots

9

5

Shots on target

3

4

Shots off target

6

5

Blocked shots

5

Corners

5

1

Offsides

3

9

Fouls

14

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Qatar

Starting lineups

1

Nikola Vasilj

Goalkeeper

24

Arjan Malic

Defender

46'

18

Nikola Katic

Defender

64'

5

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

21

Stjepan Radeljic

Defender

13

Ivan Basic

Midfielder

14

Ivan Sunjic

Midfielder

46'

11

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

64'

10

Ermedin Demirovic

Attacker

20

Esmir Bajraktarevic

Attacker

19

Kerim Alajbegović

Attacker

82'

1

Mahmoud Abunada

Goalkeeper

16

Boualem Khoukhi

Defender

2

Pedro Miguel

Defender

18

Sultan Al-Brake

Defender

20

Ahmed Fathi

Midfielder

79'

10

Hasan Al-Haydos

Midfielder

56'

4

Issa Laye

Midfielder

5

Jassem Gaber

Midfielder

46'

12

Karim Boudiaf

Midfielder

72'

11

Akram Afif

Attacker

8

Edmílson Junior

Attacker

79'

Substitutes

7

Amar Dedic

Defender

16

Amir Hadziahmetovic

Midfielder

9

Samed Bazdar

Attacker

23

Haris Tabakovic

Attacker

8

Armin Gigovic

Midfielder

2

Nihad Mujakic

Defender

22

Martin Zlomislic

Goalkeeper

12

Mladen Jurkas

Goalkeeper

25

Jovo Lukic

Attacker

6

Benjamin Tahirovic

Midfielder

46'

15

Amar Memic

Attacker

46'

3

Dennis Hadzikadunic

Defender

64'

25

Ermin Mahmic

Midfielder

64'

17

Dzenis Burnic

Midfielder

82'

9

Mohammed Muntari

Attacker

22

Meshaal Barsham

Goalkeeper

21

Salah Zakaria

Goalkeeper

3

Lucas Mendes

Defender

15

Yusuf Abdurisag

Attacker

24

Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid

Attacker

25

Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain

Defender

13

Ayoub Al-Oui

Defender

6

Abdulaziz Hatim

Midfielder

46'

17

Ahmed Al-Ganehi

Attacker

56'

19

Almoez Ali

Attacker

72'

7

Ahmed Alaaeldin

Attacker

79'

26

Mohamed Al-Mannai

Defender

79'

Switzerland vs. Canada

Switzerland: Kobel; Jacquez, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Manzambi, Sow, Vargas; Embolo

Canada: Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Choiniere, Saliba, Ahmed; Jonathan David, Larin

24-06-2026 20:00

Matchday 3

BC Place

Switzerland

Canada

2 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Granit Xhaka		32'
		32'		Cyle Larin

2nd half

Ruben Vargas (Assist: Johan Manzambi)		46'
Johan Manzambi (Assist: Breel Embolo)		57'
		76'		Promise David (Assist: Nathan-Dylan Saliba)
		87'		Liam Millar

Match statistic

55

Possession %

45

6

Total shots

13

4

Shots on target

7

1

Shots off target

3

1

Blocked shots

3

2

Corners

7

1

Offsides

3

19

Fouls

13

Switzerland

Canada

Starting lineups

1

Gregor Kobel

Goalkeeper

25

Luca Jaquez

Defender

75'

5

Manuel Akanji

Defender

4

Nico Elvedi

Defender

13

Ricardo Rodríguez

Defender

15

Djibril Sow

Midfielder

75'

10

Granit Xhaka

Midfielder

9

Johan Manzambi

Midfielder

85'

8

Remo Freuler

Midfielder

7

Breel Embolo

Attacker

85'

17

Ruben Vargas

Attacker

80'

16

Maxime Crépeau

Goalkeeper

2

Alistair Johnston

Defender

13

Derek Cornelius

Defender

4

Luc De Fougerolles

Defender

22

Richie Laryea

Defender

83'

20

Ali Ahmed

Midfielder

59'

6

Mathieu Choinière

Midfielder

59'

25

Nathan-Dylan Saliba

Midfielder

9

Cyle Larin

Attacker

59'

10

Jonathan David

Attacker

17

Tajon Buchanan

Attacker

75'

Substitutes

6

Denis Zakaria

Midfielder

12

Yvon Mvogo

Goalkeeper

18

Eray Cömert

Defender

19

Noah Okafor

Attacker

22

Fabian Rieder

Midfielder

23

Zeki Amdouni

Attacker

14

Ardon Jashari

Midfielder

24

Aurèle Amenda

Defender

21

Marvin Keller

Goalkeeper

2

Miro Muheim

Defender

20

Michel Aebischer

Midfielder

75'

3

Silvan Widmer

Defender

75'

11

Dan Ndoye

Attacker

80'

16

Christian Fassnacht

Midfielder

85'

26

Cedric Itten

Attacker

85'

19

Alphonso Davies

Defender

21

Jonathan Osorio

Midfielder

1

Dayne St. Clair

Goalkeeper

5

Joel Waterman

Defender

15

Moïse Bombito

Defender

3

Alfie Jones

Defender

18

Owen Goodman

Goalkeeper

23

Niko Sigur

Defender

26

Jayden Nelson

Attacker

7

Stephen Eustáquio

Midfielder

59'

11

Liam Millar

Attacker

59'

12

Tani Oluwaseyi

Attacker

59'

24

Promise David

Attacker

75'

14

Jacob Shaffelburg

Attacker

83'

As expected, Alessio Romagnoli will complete his medical tests with Al-Sadd after contracts were signed, but Lazio defender Mario Gila is torn between Napoli and Atalanta.

The Aquile are once again busy largely with exits on the transfer market in the early part of the summer, though some deals had been months in the making.

Lazio exits for Romagnoli and perhaps Gila

Romagnoli had already said goodbye to the fans in January when he assumed that a move to Al-Sadd would be completed, but his club blocked the exit.

He returned to work with the promise that he would be allowed to go to Qatar in the summer, and that is now happening, with multiple sources including Sky Sport Italia and Fabrizio Romano all saying the paperwork has been signed.

All he needs to do now is undergo the medical tests and be presented as their new player at a cost of circa €3m.

Meanwhile, Sportitalia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà warns that the situation is getting complicated for another Lazio defender, Mario Gila.

His contract is due to expire in June 2027 and there seems to be no sign of a renewal, yet the Aquile are also hesitant to accept a bid from Napoli, believed to be worth €15m plus add-ons.

This is also because as part of his original transfer, they owe Real Madrid 50 per cent of the sale, so are tempted to simply keep him on until his contract runs down.

However, Pedullà claims that Atalanta have now made a new approach for Gila and are prepared to pay over €20m, including various performance-related bonuses.

It would enable the Spaniard to reunite with his old Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, now in Bergamo.

Como are not just buying players, but fending off sales too, as Chelsea are reportedly interested in Jacobo Ramon, while Lecce and Brest want Andrea Le Borgne.

The Lariani truly have shaken up the Calcio scene within the space of two years, going from Serie B to qualifying for the Champions League under coach Cesc Fabregas.

They are therefore eager to improve the squad, but there are also some of their players who have caught the eye of other sides.

Ramon made his mark at Como

According to The Athletic, Chelsea have set their sights on defender Jacobo Ramon, the 21-year-old Spanish talent who came up through the Real Madrid youth academy.

Como paid just €2.5m to pick him up last summer, and he played 37 games between Serie A and the Coppa Italia, also scoring two goals from central defence.

While his value has sky-rocketed, Como would owe Real Madrid 50 per cent of his future sale fee, while the Merengues also have a buy-back option.

It was at the Real Madrid youth academy in 2018-19 that new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso first worked with Ramon, so he is eager for a reunion.

Meanwhile, transfer pundit Ben Jacobs claims that Lecce and Brest are both showing interest in Como midfielder Andrea Le Borgne, who spent this season on loan in Serie B with Avellino.

His asking price would be in the region of €4-5m.

There is good and bad news on Roma’s pursuit of Mason Greenwood, as while L’Equipe report he agreed personal terms with Fenerbahce, the club won’t pay more than €30m plus add-ons to Olympique Marseille.

Gian Piero Gasperini is convinced that Greenwood represents the ideal wide player to fit into his 3-4-3 formation, despite the costs and the growing unrest from fans who don’t want him due to his past off the field behaviour.

L’Equipe have given an update on the situation this evening, which contains both some good news for Roma, and some bad.

Greenwood still up for grabs

They report that Fenerbahce have now agreed personal terms with Greenwood’s entourage, offering a lucrative salary package that the Giallorossi would struggle to compete with.

At the same time, Fenerbahce are holding back on the transfer fee, seemingly not prepared to bid more than €30m plus add-ons.

That is significantly lower than the €50m that Olympique Marseille are asking for, and their determination is also forced by the fact Manchester United are owed 40 per cent of the sale.

It all gives Roma time and space to push their way back into the lead for Greenwood, but they are forced to make sales of their own before June 30 to balance the books.

Matias Soulé is on the way out and not part of Gasperini’s plans, but finding a buyer for the Argentine is proving to be difficult.

The Coppa Italia bracket has been drawn up for the 2026-27 season, with the possibility we could get an Inter vs. Milan derby in the semi-finals.

This tournament is scheduled like a tennis competition, with seeding and brackets dictating the way it will flow.

The top seeds are the teams who finished in the top eight of Serie A the previous season, so Inter, Napoli, Roma, Como, Milan, Juventus, Atalanta and Bologna.

Those sides won’t enter until the Round of 16, with their fixtures automatically on home turf.

Inter won the trophy this term, beating Lazio 2-0 in the Final.

Coppa Italia schedule

There are 44 teams going into the Coppa Italia, specifically all 20 from Serie A and Serie B, plus four promoted from Lega Pro.

Looking at the bracket, we could in theory get quarter-finals of Inter-Bologna and Como-Milan on one side, Roma-Juventus and Napoli-Atalanta on the other.

Only the semi-final is played over two legs, home and away, the others are one-off fixtures with the top seeded team given home advantage.

If it is level after 90 minutes, it goes straight to a penalty shoot-out, without extra time.

More details are emerging on how Chelsea managed to stun Inter by swooping in for Marco Palestra, as Xabi Alonso played a key role in convincing the Atalanta man, with Newcastle United involved too.

The Nerazzurri had been working on the final details of the transfer for €45m plus add-ons to reach €50m yesterday, when suddenly the situation was turned on its head in a matter of hours.

Chelsea dived in with a vastly improved offer to both Atalanta at €57m plus at least €3m in bonuses and a 10 per cent cut of the future sale fee, and the player, more than doubling the €2.5m per season salary proposed by Inter.

The Serie A title winners would not be drawn into a bidding war, so backed away after months of negotiations.

Palestra left it to Atalanta

Sky Sport Italia outlined what changed behind the scenes to convince Palestra, who had until then seemingly been determined to join Inter.

It noted that Newcastle United and Chelsea had both tried earlier this month to make an offer, but the Italy international had said no because he had promised himself to the Nerazzurri.

The difference was made by first Xabi Alonso personally calling to convince the player of his project, and of course the massive €5m per season wages over a six-year contract.

Sky Sport Italia claim that Palestra called Atalanta last night and informed them that he would gladly accept either of the two offers from Inter and Chelsea, so was leaving it up to them.

With that in mind, La Dea asked Inter if they were prepared to increase the bid to match Chelsea’s, but they opted to withdraw.

It is also rumoured that the Chelsea approach was in the offing, with agent Alessandro Lucci warning Inter, but owners Oaktree would not give the all-clear.

Lazio have released a statement after losing the landmark case for unfairly terminating the employment of player Maja Gothberg due to her pregnancy, but it only made the fans angrier.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled today that Lazio Women must pay former player Gothberg over €69,000 in compensation.

She had already agreed a new contract in 2024 and was ready to sign it when she informed the club of her pregnancy, but the paperwork was never registered.

When she did not travel for pre-season training due to nausea, Lazio claimed this meant she had withdrawn from the proposed contract and it was no longer binding.

The club released a lengthy statement this afternoon in the wake of the landmark case, the first of its kind in Women’s Football.

Lazio statement on Gothberg case

“S.S. Lazio Women 2015 A.R.L. acknowledges the award rendered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the proceedings brought by player Maja Gothberg.

“While fully respecting the findings of the Arbitral Panel, the Club believes it is important to underline a number of elements within the award that confirm the exceptional and highly specific nature of this case.

“The Panel expressly recognized that the matter was characterized by a unique set of factual circumstances, distinguishing it from ordinary employment-related disputes in professional football. Among these circumstances was the fact that the player disclosed her pregnancy before the commencement of the sporting season, prior to joining the Club, and before the formal execution of the employment agreement.

“In light of these particular circumstances, CAS did not impose the additional sporting sanctions provided under FIFA regulations for cases involving discriminatory conduct or contract termination related to maternity. The award acknowledges that S.S. Lazio Women 2015 A.R.L. did not act in bad faith and that the Club proceeded on the basis of a legal interpretation which, although ultimately not upheld by the Panel, was considered to have been genuinely adopted.

“The award also highlights that all communications between the parties were conducted through the player’s representative. At no stage did S.S. Lazio Women 2015 A.R.L. receive direct communication from the player regarding the continuation of the contractual relationship, nor any request for clarification, nor the return of an executed agreement following the transmission of the contractual documentation prepared by the Club.

“The Panel further observed that no direct contact ever occurred between the Club and the player and noted that the player could have sought direct clarification regarding the Club’s position before initiating formal proceedings.

“Against this background, the factual findings set out in the award indicate that the dispute arose within a particularly complex negotiation process conducted exclusively through intermediaries. This circumstance contributed significantly to the misunderstandings and differing interpretations that ultimately led to the proceedings.

“S.S. Lazio Women 2015 A.R.L. remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights and welfare of its athletes and to promoting the principles of inclusion, respect, equality, and non-discrimination that are fundamental to the continued development of women’s football.

“The Club will continue to review and strengthen its internal procedures to ensure full alignment with the evolving national and international regulatory framework governing professional sport and employment relations.”

This angered many Lazio fans, who wrote in response to the statement on social media that they had ‘learned nothing’ and were still trying to deny there had been any wrongdoing. ‘It’s just embarrassing.’

The ultras have long been protesting against President Claudio Lotito, boycotting the home matches at the Stadio Olimpico, and this was for them further evidence of his difficulties in running the club.

The first Serie A games of the new season will be Inter-Monza and Udinese-Como on August 22, but while the first five rounds are confirmed, a few doubts remain for Week 4.

The Lega Serie A drew up its calendar earlier this month and you can see the full list of fixtures here.

Today, they announced the precise dates and kick-off times of the opening five rounds.

The first matches will kick off on Saturday August 22 at 17.30 UK time (18.30 local), with reigning champions Inter hosting Monza and Udinese against Como.

There are still a few doubts, though, as some fixtures have asterisks because they could change depending on the Champions League and Europa League calendar.

*If Juventus play Europa League MD1 on Wednesday September 16, then Sassuolo-Juventus will be played on Saturday September 12 at 17.00 UK, and Lazio-Milan on Sunday September 13 at 19.45 UK.

If Milan play Europa League MD1 on September 16, then Lazio-Milan will be played on Saturday September 12 at 17.00 UK, and Sassuolo-Juventus on Sunday September 13 at 19.45 UK.

** Como-Parma, Napoli-Bologna and Torino-Roma could change based on the Champions League MD1 fixtures

Serie A fixtures

Week 1

Sat Aug 22

Inter-Monza (17.30 UK, 18.30 local)

Udinese-Como (17.30 UK)

Genoa-Napoli (19.45 UK)

Parma-Cagliari (19.45 UK)

Sun Aug 23

Frosinone-Juventus (17.30 UK)

Venezia-Lecce (17.30 UK)

Atalanta-Sassuolo (19.45 UK)

Torino-Milan (19.45 UK)

Mon Aug 24

Bologna-Lazio (17.30 UK)

Roma-Fiorentina (19.45 UK)

Week 2

Fri Aug 28

Milan-Venezia (19.45 UK)

Sat Aug 29

Fiorentina-Frosinone (17.30 UK)

Monza-Udinese (17.30 UK)

Sassuolo-Torino (17.30 UK)

Juventus-Parma (19.45 UK)

Sun Aug 30

Napoli-Como (17.30 UK)

Cagliari-Inter (19.45 UK)

Lazio-Genoa (19.45 UK)

Mon Aug 31

Lecce-Roma (17.30 UK)

Atalanta-Bologna (19.45 UK)

Week 3

Fri Sep 4

Genoa-Como (19.45 UK)

Sat Sep 5

Fiorentina-Torino (14.00 UK)

Inter-Napoli (17.00 UK)

Roma-Atalanta (19.45 UK)

Sun Sep 6

Frosinone-Venezia (14.00 UK)

Parma-Monza (14.00 UK)

Bologna-Sassuolo (17.00 UK)

Juventus-Milan (19.45 UK)

Mon Sep 7

Cagliari-Lecce (17.30 UK)

Udinese-Lazio (19.45 UK)

Week 4

Fri Sep 11

Venezia-Fiorentina (19.45 UK)

Sat Sep 12

Genoa-Frosinone (14.00 UK)

Lazio-Milan/Sassuolo-Juventus (17.00 UK)*

Atalanta-Cagliari (19.45 UK)

Sun Sep 13

Torino-Roma (11.30 UK)**

Como-Parma (14.00 UK)**

Lecce-Monza (14.00 UK)

Napoli-Bologna (17.00 UK)**

Lazio-Milan/Sassuolo-Juventus (19.45 UK)**

Mon Sep 14

Inter-Udinese (19.45 UK)

Week 5

Fri Sep 18

Monza-Sassuolo (19.45 UK)

Sat Sep 19

Bologna-Torino (14.00 UK)

Udinese-Cagliari (14.00 UK)

Roma-Inter (17.00 UK)

Venezia-Lazio (19.45 UK)

Sun Sep 20

Fiorentina-Napoli (11.30 UK)

Frosinone-Como (14.00 UK)

Parma-Genoa (14.00 UK)

Juventus-Atalanta (17.00 UK)

Milan-Lecce (19.45 UK)

Reports in Brazil claim that Milan sent scouts to view Flamengo midfielder Evertton Araujo, planning a possible offer worth €15m next month.

The Rossoneri are one of several clubs keeping an eye on the situation, but Coluna Do Fla maintain that they are the most active, sending someone to watch him in action against Coritiba at the Maracana on Saturday.

Now that they have a new coach in Ruben Amorim and have decided on a different structure for their transfer team, they can begin planning for the next season.

Milan watching Evertton Araujo

Evertton Araujo is described as a box to box midfielder who came up through the youth academies at Cruzeiro, Botafogo and Redonda before joining Flamengo in January 2024.

The 23-year-old contributed one goal and two assists in 27 competitive games so far this term, and his contract runs to December 2028.

Sport Mediaset note that any proposal would have to be worth at least €15m to buy 70 per cent of his ownership, but that Flamengo are likely to want even more.

No formal or informal offers have yet been made, especially as the Brazilian transfer window doesn’t open until July 20.

There are suggestions Bologna are in negotiations with Glasgow Rangers for Nico Raskin, who is valued at €20m, with Lewis Ferguson potentially as part of an exchange.

According to teamTALK, initial talks have started between the two clubs with regards to Raskin.

Bologna targeting Raskin

The 25-year-old midfielder is currently participating in the 2026 World Cup as part of the Belgium squad, featuring in both their games so far.

He came to Rangers in January 2023 at a cost of just €1.5m from Standard Liege and then flourished, this term scoring seven goals with nine assists in 50 matches.

It is reported that the asking price now is around €20m, a significant investment for the Rossoblu and new coach Domenico Tedesco.

A potential solution to lower the cost would be to involve Scotland international Ferguson as part of an exchange, seeing as Rangers are reportedly eager on the midfielder.

However, Ferguson is captain of Bologna and not necessarily in a rush to leave the Stadio Dall’Ara, where he has been since leaving Aberdeen in 2022.

This would be more a proposal put forward by Rangers than the Italian club or Scottish player.

Inter risk losing another player they thought was under wraps, because there are reports in France that Atletico Madrid will target Udinese defender Oumar Solet.

The Nerazzurri are reeling from being on the verge of finalising details with Atalanta for Marco Palestra, to being blown out of the water by Chelsea’s sudden swoop.

They refused to match the bid of €55m plus €5m add-ons, while Chelsea could also propose double their salary package to the player.

Solet approached by Atletico Madrid

Now they are feeling anxious about another long-term transfer target whose negotiations have dragged on for months.

According to Footmercato and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Atletico Madrid are ready to make an offer for Udinese defender Solet, who has an asking price of circa €25m.

Once again, although basic personal terms were agreed, Inter are taking too long to get the fee worked out with his club, and the situation remains up in the air.

Their bid so far is believed to be just over €20m, hoping to bridge the gap with bonuses.

Because so much depends on player sales first, most notably Yann Bisseck and Stefan de Vrij, the Nerazzurri risk being gazumped yet again on the transfer market.

Atletico Madrid have form, as they had already swooped in for Ademola Lookman from Atalanta after weeks of Inter talks failed to reach a deal.

Jonathan David admits his World Cup form for Canada might be because they ‘have a different playing style’ to Juventus, but is adamant he wants to stay at the club.

The striker struggled badly in his first Serie A season after arriving as a free transfer from LOSC, albeit with at least €12.5m in various costs and commissions.

David struggled at Juventus

He scored eight goals with five assists in 46 competitive games for the Bianconeri, often seeming to look lost under first Igor Tudor and then Luciano Spalletti.

It was therefore shocking to see him score a hat-trick for Canada in their 6-0 World Cup victory over Qatar.

“I think when you play for your club or national team, it is going to be different, because these are two very different teams,” David told RSI Sport.

“Canada have a different playing style, so more or less everything changes.”

Having said that, he seems to have absolutely no intention of interrupting his experience in Turin, even if Juventus might be more eager to part with him and recoup some cash.

“I have a five-year contract, so as far as I am concerned, I will be staying here,” he replied when pressed on his future.

Even with Canada, David had scored in only one of his previous 10 games before that treble in a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.

At Juve this season, he found the net in only eight matches out of 46 played.

Inter used their buy-back clause for Aleksandar Stankovic and it’s reported he rejected both Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, determined to make his name at San Siro.

The Nerazzurri might’ve lost out on Marco Palestra to the Premier League with Chelsea offering over €10m more in transfer fee and double the wages, but some of their players are still eager to remain in Serie A.

Stankovic snubs Premier League

According to Sky Sport Italia, Stankovic received proposals from both Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, but had no intention of even listening to their plans.

The son of club legend Dejan Stankovic and a product of their youth academy, the Serbia international midfielder was a sensation at Club Brugge this season, winning the title with nine goals and five assists in 55 competitive games.

Inter activated their buy-back clause worth €23m, having sold him for €9.5m last summer, but he will not necessarily remain in Cristian Chivu’s squad this term.

There is no shortage of interest from abroad, but so far the 20-year-old is determined to hang on and get his chance with the Serie A and Coppa Italia holders.

Atalanta have agreed personal terms with Nicolò Savona, according to Sportitalia, and can now begin negotiations in earnest with Nottingham Forest.

The 23-year-old only made the move to the Premier League last year for €13 plus add-ons after coming up through the Juventus youth academy to the senior squad.

He managed to contribute two goals and two assists in 20 competitive games for the Premier League side, but his season was cut short by a serious knee injury.

Savona ready for Serie A return

Now it seems as if he is eager for a return to Serie A, as Sportitalia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà claims that Savona has agreed personal terms with Atalanta.

Now the two clubs must reach an agreement on the transfer fee, which could be a loan with option to buy becoming an obligation.

The total cost of the operation is expected to be in the region of €14-15m, with 10 per cent of that going to Juventus.

Able to play as a right-back, wing-back or in central defence, Savona was called up to the senior Italy side without receiving a cap.

His arrival could then allow Raoul Bellanova to leave, with Fulham interested in the Italian at closer to €25m.

Lazio Women must pay former player Maja Gothberg over €69,000 compensation after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled they unlawfully terminated her contract due to pregnancy.

This is considered to be a landmark case in the world of women’s football, and Lazio will therefore have an unfortunate place in the history books.

Gothberg had disclosed her pregnancy in the summer of 2024 and Lazio had negotiated a new contract with her for the 2024-25 season, but it was never signed.

She argued this was because the club backed out due to her pregnancy, and the CAS agreed with them today.

Lazio defeated in landmark case

The 28-year-old had been expected in Rome on July 18 for routine medical tests and pre-season training, but did not travel on the precise date due to nausea, fatigue and vomiting.

Lazio claimed that her failure to travel meant that she had withdrawn from the proposed contract.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their argument that Gothberg’s agent had been in talks with Parma, showing messages telling the Stadio Tardini side that they were not available for transfer.

It was therefore considered to be a binding contract in existence before the pregnancy was disclosed.

FIFPro, the union for all professional football players, said this “groundbreaking” ruling “establishes an important precedent around the confidentiality of pregnancy-related medical information.”

It was the first time ever that the CAS had awarded compensation to a player for unlawfully ending an employment relationship due to pregnancy.

As Kaiki Bruno lands to complete his €15m move from Cruzeiro, there are multiple reports Como start talks with Chelsea for Trevoh Chalobah.

The club had already invested heavily for its move from Serie B to the top flight, and is now preparing for their first ever Champions League campaign.

The first new signing is Kaiki, who arrived on Italian soil this afternoon to undergo medical tests.

It is widely believed the Cruzeiro left-back will make the move on loan with an obligation to buy for a total of €14-15m, with €12m as the fixed fee portion of the deal.

Kaiki arrives, but Como keep spending

“I am happy to be here and be part of this Como project,” Kaiki told Sky Sport Italia and Sportitalia at Malpensa Airport in Milan.

“Cesc Fabregas is a star and I admire him a great deal. Working with him will be an immense pleasure.”

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐨, 𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐨 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐢: “𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐢 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢. 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞“

Le immagini dell’arrivo del terzino sinistro brasiliano all’aeroporto di Malpensa #sportitalia #kaiki #como pic.twitter.com/fIm4xSj3FI

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) June 24, 2026

Como won’t stop there, because both BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella and Sportitalia maintain that they are in talks with Chelsea for Chalobah.

It is suggested that both player and club would be happy to make the deal go through, but the costs are going to be an issue, because Como are now forced to deal with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.

The central defender turns 26 next month and has been linked to various Serie A teams over the last few years, but they all eventually struggle with the price tag.

The Lega Serie A has recently confirmed the kick-off schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season, which will get underway on Friday, August 21. 

When will Serie A matches kick off in 2026-27?

The full fixture list for the 2026-27 Serie A season was confirmed earlier this month. Click here to see the full list of scheduled fixtures.

A typical weekend round of fixtures in 2026-27 will feature one game at 19.45 (BST/GMT) on a Friday evening, three games on a Saturday at 14.00, 17.00 and 19.45 (UK time), four games on a Sunday at 11.30, 14.00, 17.00 and 19.45 and one game on a Monday night at 19.45. 

There will, however, be several exceptions to that rule of thumb. 

The first round of Serie A fixtures will feature four matches on Saturday, two at 17.30 and two at 19.45, there will be four games on the Sunday, again with two at 17.30 and two at 19.45 and there will then be a further two matches at 17.30 and 19.45 on the Monday evening. 

The second round of Serie A fixtures will all be played at either 17.30 or 19.45. The third round of fixtures will also not feature any matches at 11.30 in the summertime sunshine. 

On matchdays five, 11 and 29, preceding the scheduled international breaks, there will be no matches played on a Monday.

Similarly, on matchdays six, 12 and 30, immediately after the international breaks, there will be no games taking place on the Friday night. The same will also be true for matchdays 10 and 19, which come immediately after a full midweek round of fixtures. 

Those midweek rounds on weeks nine and 18 will be played from Tuesday to Thursday and their kick-off times will be confirmed at a later date, and the timing will depend on the games that are selected for live TV coverage. 

There will also be some alterations to the schedule for weeks 17 and 18 of the 2026-27 season, i.e. the games that come immediately after the new-year. 

Chelsea have beaten Inter to the signing of Italy talent Marco Palestra, but the Nerazzurri are still in need of a right wing-back to replace the Real Madrid-bound Denzel Dumfries, and so, reports in Italy claim that the Nerazzurri could now turn to either Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus or Dan Ndoye from Nottingham Forest. 

Could Inter turn to Cambiaso or Ndoye after missing out on Palestra?

Palestra is all set to move to the Premier League in a €60m deal that will see him swap Atalanta for Chelsea on a five or six-year contract worth between €5m and €6m per season in net wages. 

This comes as a blow for Inter, who had been hoping to lock down Palestra to replace Dumfries, who has had his release clause activated by Real Madrid. 

Luis Henrique was often the go-to stand-in option when Dumfries was unavailable during the 2025-26 season and the Brazilian is still on the club’s books, but the feeling is that the Scudetto and Coppa Italia winners still need a specialist wing-back to start week-in week-out in Serie A. 

According to Wednesday’s reports, there are two leading options that Inter could turn to after missing out on Palestra. 

The first is another Italy international: Juventus’s Cambiaso. The Bianconeri are expected to listen to offers for the versatile full-back this summer and reports from Calciomercato.com claim that Inter could look to include midfielder Davide Frattesi in a player-plus-cash exchange. 

Wednesday’s reports claim that Inter could also use Frattesi to lower the asking price for Nottingham Forest’s Ndoye. The Premier League side have expressed an interest in the Italian midfielder, and Inter have had a long-term interest in the Switzerland international dating back to his time with Bologna. 

Calciomercato reports that Frattesi is more keen on the idea of joining Juventus than Nottingham Forest, which makes the Cambiaso option slightly more feasible at this stage. Cambiaso is also of interest to both Barcelona and Como, though.

Elsewhere, there have also been suggestions that Fiorentina’s Dodo could be among the potential alternatives for the Nerazzurri this summer.

Carlo Ancelotti has several options to replace the injured Raphinha for Brazil, has confirmed that Neymar will be available to face Scotland and has reportedly decided where the legendary former Barcelona and PSG star will slot in once he is finally given his 2026 World Cup debut. 

Who replaces Raphinha and where will Ancelotti field Neymar for Brazil?

Brazil are preparing to take on Scott McTominay’s Scotland in their final group stage fixture at the 2026 World Cup at 23.00 BST on Wednesday evening. Ancelotti and his players currently sit at the top of the group with four points after two matches and are aiming to finish the evening at the top of the Group C standings. 

After a slow start in their 1-1 draw with 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, Brazil showed signs of encouragement during their 3-0 victory against Haiti last week, however, an injury to Barcelona winger Raphinha, who will not be fit enough to feature against Scotland, means that Ancelotti is forced into at least one personnel change. 

According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, 19-year-old Bournemouth talent Rayan is the favourite to start on the right wing for Brazil on Wednesday night, but there are still several other options under consideration, including Luiz Henrique, Gabriel Martinelli and Endrick. 

In more encouraging news for the Selecao, Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar is finally ready to feature at the World Cup, having missed the opening two matches through injury. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Neymar is unlikely to start, especially after the success that the team had with Vinicius Jr., Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and Lucas Paqueta against Haiti. Aside from the injured Raphinha, that attacking line-up is likely to remain the same. 

However, Wednesday’s reports claim that once Neymar does appear for Brazil at the World Cup, it will be in a false nine role, which La Gazzetta dello Sport describes as ‘the only role where he can offer a genuine difference in his current condition’.

A new episode of the Football Italia Summer Show is now out on YouTube. Today, we discuss Ruben Amorim’s time at Manchester United, where he failed and which errors he must avoid at San Siro.

Milan confirmed Amorim’s appointment last week. The Portuguese signed a three-year contract just five months after he was sacked by Manchester United.

Latest Football Italia YouTube Show: Amorim’s problems at Man United and what they mean for Milan

In this new episode of the Football Italia Summer Show, Manchester Evening News reporter Jack Flintham explains why and how Amorim failed at Old Trafford and which mistakes he’ll have to avoid in his tenure at Milan.

From transfer to tactical decisions, we break it all down in our new show.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to the Football Italia YouTube channel, you can do it here so you don’t miss any of our content, and you can join our shows with your comments and thoughts.

In one of the most surprising moves of the summer transfer window, former Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho is set to return to Italy to play for Serie C outfit Ravenna and the Brazilian icon has shared footage of himself signing and posing with his new no.10 shirt. 

The 46-year-old had seemingly called it a day on his playing career over a decade ago, his last contract with Fluminses being terminated all the way back in 2015. 

However, the former PSG, Milan and Barcelona star is set to put his boots back on and return to Italy to play for Ravenna in the third tier: ‘I can’t wait to dance with the ball again,” said Ronaldinho when Ravenna confirmed the deal on Tuesday.

While a deal for Ronaldinho brings obvious benefits in terms of exposure and commercial revenue, club owner Ignazio Cipriani insists that this move is not purely for promotional reasons and that the Brazilian icon will definitely play for at least one match in Serie C. 

Ronaldinho will not join the team for their pre-season training camp, though. 

“He will be there for the presentation of the team on August 21,” Cipriani confirmed in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport

“He won’t come on the training camp, but he will definitely take part in at least one league match, maybe even a few more, we’ll see. We still don’t know when he will take to the pitch in the league, it will depend on several things. It will definitely be a home game.

“His goal is to score his final goal in a Ravenna shirt,” Cipriani insists.

Meanwhile, footage of Ronaldinho signing his new Ravenna shirt with his iconic no.10 on the back of it has gone viral across social media. 

Ravenna will be the first club in the world to wear a kit with Ronaldinho’s R10 branding, which Cipriani has compared to the ‘Michael Jordan style’ arrangement with Nike. 

Watch: Ronaldinho completes Ravenna move and signs no.10 shirt

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (@ronaldinho)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ravenna Football Club (@ravennafootballclub)

Marco Palestra is set to join Chelsea in a whopping €60m deal from Atalanta after one full season in Serie A, but we want to know, is a move to the Premier League the right decision for the 21-year-old Italy talent at this stage of his career?

According to reports over the last 24 hours, Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Palestra from Atalanta in a total €60m package including bonuses, at least €55m of which is guaranteed. 

It is believed that Chelsea will pay Palestra a salary of €5m per season plus bonuses over a five or potentially six-year contract. 

• Read more: What Chelsea should expect from Palestra, where he fits in and who he could replace

The 21-year-old, who impressed while on loan with Cagliari in his first full season at Serie A level, has had plenty of interest in the early stages of the summer, particularly from domestic double winners Inter, who are in need of a replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Denzel Dumfries. 

It had also been reported that Manchester City and potentially even Arsenal were keen on the speedy right-back before Chelsea struck an agreement with Atalanta earlier this week. 

So, we want to know: Is a move to join Chelsea the right call for Palestra at this stage of his career, would he have been better off at Inter, was a season under Maurizio Sarri at Atalanta ever a possibility or do you think that there was an alternative option the youngster should have pursued?

Have your say in the poll below and let us know more in the comments.

Is Palestra right to join Chelsea at this stage of his careeer?

Reports in Italy claim that Leon Goretzka is becoming an increasingly enticing option for Juventus again, as PSG have expressed an interest in signing Khephren Thuram while discussing a potential sale of Randal Kolo Muani to the Old Lady. 

Could Juventus sell Thuram to PSG and replace him with Goretzka?

Juventus and newly-appointed CEO Giovanni Carnevali have the challenging task of strengthening a Bianconeri squad without access to the 2026-27 Champions League, which is expected to have a significant impact on the club’s revenues and their ability to attract top-level talent to Turin this summer. 

Juve are desperately attempting to bring in a new attacker with Dusan Vlahovic almost certain to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of his contract this month. 

Several options have been linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium, but reports over the last few weeks indicate that the club are targeting the return of 2025 loanee Kolo Muani, who will return to PSG after spending the 2025-26 campaign with Tottenham Hotspur. 

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Thuram’s name has also come up in conversations while Juventus and PSG have been discussing a potential deal for Kolo Muani. 

It is expected that Juventus would record a significant capital gain if they were to sell Thuram this summer, who came in at a cost of just €20m from OGC Nice in the summer of 2024. 

No formal offers have been made yet, and La Gazzetta dello Sport specifies that Juventus and PSG would look to conduct two separate deals for Thuram and Kolo Muani if they are to proceed, rather than one player-plus-cash exchange. 

If Juventus are to sell Thuram this summer, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Goretzka would be the go-to replacement for the Bianconeri this summer. 

The experienced German midfielder is expected to become available on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract with Bayern Munich later this week and has the ability to cover in a number of deep-lying midfield roles and could allow Spalletti to play either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3. 

Goretzka had also briefly been linked with a move to Milan prior to their failure to qualify for the Champions League, and now it remains to be seen whether Juventus, in a similar position to the Rossoneri, will be able to convince the German to move to Serie A. 

The legendary Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record with his historic brace in an eventual 5-0 victory over Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday and Serie A has sent a message of congratulations to the former Juventus star. 

Serie A congratulates Ronaldo after historic World Cup brace

The 41-year-old netted a brace against Uzbekistan in Houstoun in the second round of group stage fixtures on Tuesday, and in doing so, became the first player in history to score at six different World Cups and also overtook Eusebio to become Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup with 10 goals. 

“We had with us for 98 matches THE FIRST PLAYER EVER TO SCORE AT 6 WORLD CUPS: Cristiano Ronaldo,” read a social media post from the Lega Serie A. 

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner spent three seasons with Juventus, during which time he scored 101 goals from 134 appearances across all competitions and 81 Serie A goals from 98 outings in the league. 

Ronaldo will have an opportunity to improve on his World Cup record when Portugal take on Colombia at 00.30 BST in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Reports in Italy claim that Milan’s Christian Pulisic is ‘tempted’ by a potential offer from MLS side New York City FC, who are reportedly prepared to pay the American €50m over five years to return to his homeland.

New York City FC want to bring Pulisic back to America

Pulisic is one of several Milan players whose future remains unsettled following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026-27 edition of the Champions League. 

The former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund forward is heading into the final year of his contract in San Siro, expiring in 2027, although the club do have an option to extend that agreement by a further 12 months until the summer of 2028. 

There had been discussions over a contract extension for Pulisic at various stages of the 2025-26 campaign, but an agreement over a renewal has not yet arrived. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club had discussed a potential salary offer of around €5m per season, which pales in comparison to the offer that the American has reportedly received from New York City FC. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the MLS side are willing to hand Pulisic a five-year, €10m-per-season contract to bring him back to the United States for the first time in his senior career. Wednesday’s report claims that Pulisic is ‘tempted’. 

An offer has not yet been made to Milan, though, and it remains to be seen how much it will take to convince the Rossoneri into selling one of their star assets this summer. 

Heung-min Son remains the most expensive arrival in MLS history at a reported fee of €22m, and the €20m barrier has only been surpassed twice in the division’s history. It is expected that it would take a league-record offer to convince Milan into selling Pulisic this summer.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

The insult 

Palestra u-turn: No Inter, it’s Chelsea 

The deal with the Nerazzurri had already been at the closing stages, but then the English stepped in: Salary doubled 

Pulisic agitates Milan 

Tempted by New York City, offered 50 million over five years 

Conte is ready 

Serie A is convinced: Antonio is the right CT 

Mission Club Italia: Trying for Maldini

Ronaldo: ‘Who are you calling old?’

Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan 

New record: has scored in six World Cups. England 0-0 Ghana 

Messi: The interview 

‘Another title? I’ve already received so much from God’

Corriere dello Sport

Palestra also goes

Blow to Inter | Total agreement between Marco and the Blues, who are ready to guarantee 55m for Atalanta

Covered in gold: 5m net per season 

Bohely’s club wary of Marotta and deliver the full-back to Xabi Alonso. Five or six-year contract. Marotta and Ausilio at the window for Paz: Tomorrow, Ludi, Como sporting director, flies to Madrid, but Real are asking for 60m cash 

CR6

World Cup: Ronaldo responds to Messi with two goals, becoming the only player to score in six editions 

Portugal overwhelm Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan: Finishes 5-0, Ronaldo involved in all of the first three goals. Leap also unlocks himself. Ancelotti’s Brazil against Scotland and McT at midnight 

Juve until the very end: Sacrifices for Kolo

Objective Muani

New contacts with PSG: A paid loan with an obligation to buy in 2027, but first, Carnevali needs to sell Openda, Di Gregorio, Gatti, Miretti and Cabal

Trincao ends up on Milan’s list

Trequartista, 26 years old, Portuguese, ex-Barcelona. Has a contract with Sporting until 2030: 13 goals and 18 assists last season

Bakayoko, the Viola call Leipzig

Paratici enquiry

Belgian left-winger, born in 2003: could leave the German club. Fiorentina also insisting in Koleosho from Burnley 

Tuttosport

‘Juve, keep Vlahovic and Bremer’

Exclusive Montero interview

The former Bianconeri defender and coach: ‘Gleison is a top player, you’ll understand when he’s gone … I do like Lucumi, though, I would sign him. I have absolutely no doubts about Dusan: He’s world class and has to stay, he’s the one to build around. Yildiz? Let’s give him time and the freedom to make mistakes: That no.10 shirt carries a lot of weight. Martinez: Aston Villa lower their asking price

The world at the feet of the Fantastic 4!

Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Haaland: Crazy

Argentina, Portugal, France and Norway flying thanks to the braces and the stats of their ageless superstars: Players we could only dream of in Italy. Algeria, the fenomeno Maza 

Toro defence, attempt for Nelson 

Centre-back from Leicester 

The request: 7 million. Also following Giorgini (Sudtirol) and Tonoli (Modena). World Cup: Pedersen plays 

Palestra blow: Snubbed for Chelsea. Marotta fury, all in on Paz 

The Blues offer double for the player and around 60 million for Atalanta. Nico, what intrigue 

CT in July, Mancio falls, Serie A backs Conte 

FIGC: The Malago turnaround 

Will the Euro ‘21 winner head to Saudi Arabia? Technical director: Maldini fades away

Reports are growing that Paolo Maldini will reject the chance to become Italy technical director, so other candidates include Claudio Ranieri and the return of Gigi Buffon.

New FIGC President Giovanni Malagò had as part of his platform the plan to revamp the Nazionale by appointing a figure as technical director.

Italy technical director will choose coach

This is someone who the current Azzurri do not have, but his idea is seemingly to choose a technical director first, then allow that person to choose the new coach.

It is therefore hoped that the pair will be on the same page and have a shared vision for the future of the Italy squad.

Maldini had been the first choice, but after Sport Mediaset claimed this afternoon that the Milan legend was leaning towards saying no, now Sky Sport Italia confirm he seems reticent.

Instead, transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio points towards other candidates to be technical director, including former Roma coach and director Ranieri.

Another option would be Buffon, but this might be difficult because he only resigned a couple of months ago following the failure to get through the World Cup play-offs.

He had been team manager, which is more of a morale-boosting role within the locker room than having any decisional power.

If he was to come back, it would be with a very different position in charge of choosing the new coach.

Atalanta have set their sights on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bayer Leverkusen talent Kerim Alajbegovic, claim Sky Sport Italia, after links with Roma.

The left-sided attacking winger has been a sensation with Bosnia, helping them to get through the play-offs and qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and spent this term at RB Salzburg.

He scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 44 competitive games for the Austrian club, so Bayer Leverkusen activated their €8m buy-back option.

Alajbegovic a bright talent

Alajbegovic is not expected to remain in Leverkusen, as there are many clubs lining up with interest for the player who turns 19 in September.

They include Roma, Napoli, Inter, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Benfica.

Now Sky Sport Italia claim that Atalanta have set their sights firmly on the teenager, ready to spend the €55m plus €5m in add-ons that Chelsea are set to pay for Marco Palestra.

Maurizio Sarri tends to play with a 4-3-3 formation, so Alajbegovic would be an ideal fit for that system, able to play on the left or right of a trident attack.

Rafael Leao admits the arrival of Ruben Amorim could change his view of leaving Milan after scoring for Portugal. ‘He is a very good coach, I will make a decision after the World Cup.’

The winger has struggled to make his mark on the World Cup so far, as he was left out of the starting XI for both the opening 1-1 draw with RD Congo, and tonight’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.

He did manage to get his name on the scoresheet this evening, concluding the rout with a ferocious first-time finish into the roof of the net after a roll across was intercepted.

Following the game, Leao spoke to DAZN Italia and was asked about his feelings, including a rapport with Milan that seems to be at breaking point.

Rafael Leao open to staying at Amorim’s Milan

“I have to celebrate this with my family, because it has been a difficult season for me,” said Leao.

“I had injuries and many other things in the mix, including the way Milan’s season went. I have to thank my family, who helped me through it, and this goal is for them.

“I put in so much work with my personal trainer, my teammates, and I have to thank the coach for having faith in me, because Portugal have so many talented players, so I’m very happy to be here.”

Much has been said about the way that Leao plays and his refusal to track back or help, but he hits back at criticism.

“I have to do this for myself, not for anyone else. I work for myself, my teammates and my coach. I’m happy that I was able to help my team, to have minutes on the pitch, it was important.”

Eventually, DAZN Italia asked about his future, seeing as Leao had said at the end of the season that his time with Milan was coming to a natural conclusion.

That was when Max Allegri was still at the helm, but now that he has been replaced by Portuguese boss Amorim, will that change his evaluation?

“At this moment, I need to stay focused on the World Cup. What I do know is that this is a very good coach, he did well in Portugal, it didn’t go the way he wanted at Manchester United, but he remains a great coach.

“I will make a decision after the World Cup.”

It was no secret that Leao was at loggerheads with Allegri, furious that he was used out of position as a centre-forward, then clashing with the coach following early substitutions.

Marco Palestra seems to be heading for Chelsea with a fee of €60m from Atalanta, but it’s reported the Premier League side first tried to get Wesley from Roma.

It had looked as if Inter were down to the details with Palestra this evening, as Atalanta were prepared to accept the €45m plus €5m offer, while the player was presented with personal terms worth €2.5m per season.

However, Chelsea suddenly dived in with a proposal of €55m plus €5m in add-ons, and doubled the wages to the player, giving him somewhere between €5m and €6m per year over five years.

Wesley was also on Chelsea list

According to Fabrizio Romano, new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was looking to Serie A in general for reinforcements on the wings.

He had initially requested Wesley, who had to pull out of the Brazil squad at the 2026 World Cup due to an injury in a friendly match.

Roma only bought Wesley from Flamengo last year for €25m plus €5m in add-ons, and had no intention of letting him leave already, especially after qualifying for the Champions League.

In a shock turnaround, Italian sources claim Marco Palestra has agreed to join Chelsea, who blew Inter away with more than double their wage offer and €55m plus bonuses to Atalanta.

The player had seemingly been on the verge of making his move to San Siro this summer after an impressive spell on loan with Cagliari.

Chelsea swoop in for Palestra

Atalanta were ready to accept the terms of €45m plus €5m in bonuses, and they were down to the details for how those add-ons and clauses would be worked out.

Inter also presented personal terms to the player today, reportedly worth €2.5m per season.

However, Chelsea suddenly dived in after an order from coach Xavi Alonso to get the Italy international in his squad, and they really did pull out all the stops.

Multiple sources state their salary offer was more than double that of Inter, going from €5m for Sky Sport Italia to €6m per season according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Along with how determined they were to sign him, it proved enough to sway Palestra, who had until now seemed determined to take the next step of his career within Serie A at Inter.

They also comfortably swept Inter aside in terms of the transfer fee, offering €55m plus €5m in bonuses, according to Sky Sport Italia and Sportitalia.

That is €10m more than the proposal from the Nerazzurri, yet Atalanta were still prepared to let Palestra make the final decision.

Multiple reports this evening state that Inter are increasingly pessimistic, because they simply cannot compete with the finances of Chelsea.

Milan star Rafael Leao made an impact off the bench for Portugal by scoring a ferocious World Cup goal in the 5-0 thrashing of Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan.

It was a day for history with Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the first player ever to find the net in six different editions of the World Cup, bagging a brace in this one-way match.

Leao had been left out of the starting XI of both the opening 1-1 draw with RD Congo, and this evening’s encounter with Uzbekistan.

Leao scorcher seals 5-0 for Portugal

Rafael Leão places it perfectly in the top corner for Portugal’s FIFTH pic.twitter.com/q1lQNVQGKT

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 23, 2026

He came off the bench for the final 10 minutes and made an immediate impact, smashing his finish into the roof of the net from 14 yards after a Nelson Semedo roll across for Ronaldo was cut out by defenders.

It was just his sixth goal in 46 senior caps for Portugal, yet the third to be scored in a World Cup competition.

The Milan wide man also found the net twice in the 2022 tournament against Ghana and Switzerland.

Lecce have set their sights on Qarabag attacking winger Emmanuel Addai, also linked with Bologna, and Nantes teenager Herba Guirassy, claim Sky Sport Italia.

Transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio maintains that the pair have caught the attention of the Stadio Via del Mare side, who managed to secure their Serie A status for another season.

They confirmed coach Eusebio Di Francesco and are now building the squad for the new campaign.

Addai and Guirassy on Lecce radar

Addai is a particularly intriguing idea for Lecce, because his contract with Qarabag is set to expire on June 30, so he will be available as a free agent.

He turns 25 in August and plays primarily on the left wing, but can also work on the right in an attacking role.

Qarabag participated in the Champions League this term, where Addai scored a goal in one of his 10 appearances for the club.

Overall, he scored eight goals and provided four assists in 49 competitive games.

Another target for Lecce is Guirassy, who turns 20 in August and plays in a similar role, so likely only one would be picked up.

Unlike Addai, Guirassy is under contract and therefore would be a more costly proposition, emerging from the Nantes youth academy and progressing to the senior squad in 2024.

He made 21 appearances this term, scoring three goals with one assist.

England look to Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham again in a head-to-head for the top of World Cup Group L with Ghana’s Kamaldeen Sulemana.

It kicks off in Boston at 21.00 UK time (22.00 CEST).

Both teams won their opening games in the competition, so this is a face-off for the top of the group and early qualification to the next phase.

England had to dig deep for a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia, which was already 2-2 at half-time, and coach Thomas Tuchel sticks with largely the same starting XI.

He is hoping to get the job done tonight and then rotate his squad for the final group game against Panama.

The changes are Marc Guehi in for John Stones and ex-Genoa man Djed Spence preferred to Nico O’Reilly.

Bayern Munich striker Kane scored twice against Croatia and leads the line once more with support from Noni Madueke, Bellingham and Anthony Gordon, as Bukayo Saka is not fully fit.

Ghana also won their opener, squeezing past Panama 1-0 deep into stoppages thanks to a goal from Caleb Yirenkyi.

Veteran Jordan Ayew is upfront, with support from Antoine Semenyo, but Atalanta forward Kamaldeen Sulemana drops to the bench.

Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi had gone off at half-time in that game with injury, so Benjamin Asare takes the gloves this time.

The biggest change is the introduction of Thomas Partey, who was not allowed into Canada for the opening match due to his well-known legal troubles.

England vs. Ghana line-ups

England: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, Spence; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Ghana: Asare; Senaya, Adjetey, Opoku, Mensah; Yirenkyi, Partey; Inaki Williams, Sibo, Semenyo; Ayew

23-06-2026 21:00

Matchday 2

Gillette Stadium

ENG

GHA

0 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Declan Rice

41'

2nd half

60'

Iñaki Williams

Match statistic

79

Possession %

21

19

Total shots

2

4

Shots on target

1

9

Shots off target

0

6

Blocked shots

1

9

Corners

2

2

Offsides

2

14

Fouls

24

ENG

GHA

Starting lineups

1

Jordan Pickford

Goalkeeper

25

Djed Spence

Defender

66'

2

Ezri Konsa

Defender

6

Marc Guehi

Defender

24

Reece James

Defender

4

Declan Rice

Midfielder

8

Elliot Anderson

Midfielder

73'

10

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder

74'

18

Anthony Gordon

Attacker

66'

9

Harry Kane

Attacker

20

Noni Madueke

Attacker

83'

16

Benjamin Asare

Goalkeeper

14

Gideon Mensah

Defender

18

Jerome Opoku

Defender

4

Jonas Adjetey

Defender

26

Marvin Senaya

Defender

87'

3

Caleb Yirenkyi

Midfielder

8

Kwasi Sibo

Midfielder

5

Thomas Partey

Midfielder

11

Antoine Semenyo

Attacker

19

Iñaki Williams

Attacker

66'

9

Jordan Ayew

Attacker

66'

Substitutes

14

Jordan Henderson

Midfielder

5

John Stones

Defender

13

Dean Henderson

Goalkeeper

23

James Trafford

Goalkeeper

19

Ollie Watkins

Attacker

12

Trevoh Chalobah

Defender

22

Ivan Toney

Attacker

16

Kobbie Mainoo

Midfielder

15

Dan Burn

Defender

26

Jarell Quansah

Defender

7

Bukayo Saka

Attacker

66'

3

Nico O’Reilly

Defender

66'

21

Eberechi Eze

Attacker

73'

17

Morgan Rogers

Attacker

74'

11

Marcus Rashford

Attacker

83'

15

Elisha Owusu

Midfielder

1

Lawrence Ati Zigi

Goalkeeper

6

Abdul Mumin

Defender

22

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Midfielder

23

Derrick Luckassen

Defender

2

Alidu Seidu

Defender

12

Joseph Anang

Goalkeeper

13

Christopher Bonsu Baah

Attacker

24

Ernest Nuamah

Attacker

10

Brandon Thomas-Asante

Attacker

20

Augustine Boakye

Midfielder

7

Issahaku Fatawu

Midfielder

66'

21

Kojo Peprah Oppong

Defender

87'

17

Abdul Rahman Baba

Defender

90'

25

Prince Adu

Attacker

Serie C side Ravenna have confirmed that ex-Milan star Ronaldinho has returned to Italian football and signed for them as a player at the age of 46. ‘I can’t wait to dance with the ball again.’

The Brazilian legend had seemingly hung up his boots for good, as his last contract with Fluminense was terminated in September 2015.

It was announced over the last few days that he was going to be signing on with Ravenna, but it wasn’t clear whether this was a purely promotional role or as a player.

Now the club has formally announced that Ronaldinho will be part of their squad, despite the fact he turned 46 in March.

Ronaldinho will play for Ravenna

“New colours, same smile,” said Ronaldinho on the official Ravenna website.

“I can’t wait to dance with the ball again and write a new, wonderful story along with Ignazio Cipriani and the Cipriani family. Football has always been joy for me and I am enthusiastic about bringing this spirit to Ravenna.

“Let the magic begin!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ravenna Football Club (@ravennafootballclub)

There will be a presentation in Miami on June 23 at a VIP dinner for 70 guests, then an after-party of 250 invited figures.

It will also see the unveiling of the new official kit for next season, which is already available to buy with Ronaldinho’s name and Number 10, and a four-year contract with Nike.

The Brazilian won the Ballon d’Or, the World Cup, and had experiences with the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo, playing for Milan from 2008 to 2011.

This move is the brainchild of owner Ignazio Cipriani, who was born in Ravenna and spent over two decades in the USA making his fortune, then returned to revitalise his hometown club.

They are in Serie C, the third division of Italian football, and have former Milan chief Ariedo Braida as one of the directors.

Reports are growing in Italy and England that new Chelsea coach Xabi Alonso is determined to get Atalanta’s Marco Palestra, as Inter race against time to get a deal done before he changes his mind.

The situation has taken a very sudden twist this evening, as it was assumed that Inter were down to the final details with both Atalanta and the player.

The transfer fee would be €45m plus a further €5m in add-ons, while today they made a formal presentation to Palestra’s agent Alessandro Lucci of personal terms.

All that remained was to figure out the precise nature of the add-ons and sell-on clauses.

Chelsea put up a fight for Palestra

However, all of a sudden The Athletic and then Sky Sport Italia announced that it was far from over, because Chelsea were throwing themselves back into the race.

It would not be an issue for the Premier League side to blow Inter’s offer out of the water, both in terms of the fee and wages, so the real issue is whether or not Palestra wants to stick with his original plan.

A decision could be made over the next few hours, as if Chelsea manage to convince the Italy international, then he could turn towards Stamford Bridge instead.

Sky Sport Italia claim Xabi Alonso is personally responsible for the change in attitude and has ordered Chelsea to go all in for Palestra, seeing the right-back as a key figure for his new squad.

A new episode of the Football Italia transfer show is live on YouTube: check out the latest updates from a busy day of negotiations in Italian football.

Marco Palestra and Sandro Tonali have been making headlines in recent days, as both are expected to change clubs this summer.

Palestra is close to joining Inter, with his agent travelling to Milan to finalise talks with the Nerazzurri, while Newcastle will soon receive a new offer from Tottenham for Sandro Tonali.

Serie A transfer round-up: June 23

The Italian midfielder is open to a move to Spurs, but according to a report in the Daily Mail, he’d rather join Arsenal, so timing could be crucial here. Both Palestra and Tonali played under Gennaro Gattuso in Italy’s disgraceful World Cup qualifiers, and the Italian tactician has now been appointed by Serie A side Lazio in a two-year deal.

According to Calciomercato.com, Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham’s central midfielder, was one of the first names mentioned in talks between new Milan coach Amorim and director Almstad.  Watch the full show for our analysis and discussion.

Inter are confident they can get a deal done with Atalanta for Marco Palestra worth €50m, but The Athletic claims Chelsea and another Premier League club are not giving up.

The right-back made a big impact when on loan at Cagliari this season and returned to base ready for the next step in his career.

It has been clear for many months that Inter had him as their top target to replace Denzel Dumfries, who is heading for Real Madrid with a release clause of around €20m.

Inter remain Palestra favourites

His agent has been in Milan since yesterday for intensive negotiations, with Palestra also giving his preference to Inter over a Premier League move.

Sky Sport Italia say that today Inter presented a formal offer of personal terms to his representative.

Atalanta seem prepared to accept the bid worth €45m plus a further €5m in add-ons, but The Athletic insist that it is not done yet.

David Ornstein maintains that Chelsea and another Premier League club are still in the running, and prepared to make an improved offer to challenge Inter.

It had been reported the other English side involved in the race was Manchester City, as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur interest never really intensified.

Following reports of Juventus interest, it is now suggested David De Gea would only leave Fiorentina if it meant a return to Manchester United.

The goalkeeper was mentioned among the potential alternatives for the Juve role, behind Alisson Becker of Liverpool, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and more.

It would not be a first choice position for him, as he turns 36 in November, even if he is still making remarkable saves every week.

De Gea has heart set on Manchester United

According to the Manchester Evening News and Tuttomercatoweb, De Gea has made it clear that he would only be prepared to walk away from the Viola this summer for one destination.

That would be a return to Manchester United, where he had played from 2011 until his contract was allowed to run down in June 2023.

After a year of waiting for the right opportunity, the Spaniard was tempted back to the field by Fiorentina as a free agent in the summer of 2024.

His contract runs to June 2028 and there is an option to extend for a further year, so unless a call comes from Old Trafford, he ought to see out his playing career at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Turkish reports claim that Lazio have made several proposals for Colombia and Al-Nassr striker Jhon Duran, but he is not encouraging.

The 22-year-old has had a rather strange career path, going from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr at a huge fee of €77m, then with loan experiences at Fenerbahce and Zenit St. Petersburg.

He remains under contract with the Saudi side until June 2030, so another loan is entirely possible for Lazio.

Duran not eager for Lazio

According to Fanatik in Turkiye, Lazio made several attempts to contact the player and make their proposal, but his response to all of them was far from positive.

The club just announced today that their new coach is former Italy CT Gennaro Gattuso, who is eager to revamp the side inherited from Maurizio Sarri.

Duran has instead repeatedly been linked with a return to the Turkish Super Lig for Galatasaray.

A major problem for the player might be that Lazio failed to qualify for European football for the second season in a row, so will only be participating in Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

There is also the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four, after they lost the Coppa Italia Final to Inter last term.

Bayern Munich have reportedly contacted Inter to discuss the possibility of signing defender Yann Bisseck, with Kim Min-jae wanted by Serie A sides.

According to Bild reporter Christian Falk and Bayern Insider, there has already been a call to the Nerazzurri asking about the potential price of such a transfer.

It had been rumoured that the cost they were quoted was €40m.

Bisseck open to Bayern Munich

The talks are at an early stage, but Bisseck is certainly on their wish list, particularly because he is German and can bolster the number of Die Mannschaft players in the squad.

It is also noted that the player would love to wear the Bayern Munich jersey in the future, although there is plenty of competition from Premier League clubs too.

Inter paid €7.2m to buy Bisseck from Danish side Aarhus in 2023 and he has flourished, making 36 appearances this season with three goals and three assists on the way to winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia.

Any decision from Bayern Munich will depend first on whether they manage to sell South Korea international Kim Min-jae, who has been linked with a potential return to Italy after making his mark with Napoli.

There could be a reunion with his then-Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti, who is now at Juventus, with Manchester United also in the running.

Milan forward Rafael Leao is on the Portugal bench, but Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo seek the first World Cup win of 2026 against Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan.

It kicks off at the Houston Stadium at 18.00 UK time (19.00 CEST) for Group K.

Both teams had a difficult start to the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada, so are eager to get their first victory this evening.

Portugal stuttered to a surprising 1-1 draw against Congo DR, with Yoane Wissa cancelling out the early Joao Neves goal.

Former Juventus player Cristiano Ronaldo came in for a lot of criticism from some of the Portuguese fans due to his performance, but coach Roberto Martinez sticks with the legend in his starting XI.

Instead, both Milan’s Rafael Leao and Francisco Conceicao of Juventus remain on the bench, but the big shock is former Milan flop Joao Felix stepping in, sending Bernardo Silva to the touchline.

Uzbekistan are in their first ever World Cup and their coach is Italian Cannavaro, who of course lifted this trophy as a player for the Azzurri in 2006.

His opener was a 3-1 defeat to Colombia, but the third goal was only scored deep into stoppages, having temporarily drawn level.

Like Martinez, Cannavaro is also making some changes to the starting XI, with ex-Roma and Genoa striker Eldor Shomurodov still wearing the captain’s armband.

Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov plays in the back three, but there are quite a few other adjustments, including new goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov.

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan line-ups

Portugal: Diogo Costa; Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fernandes; Pedro Neto, Ronaldo, Joao Felix

Uzbekistan: Nematov; Khusanov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov; Karimov, Xamrobekov, Shukurov, Nasrullaev; Fayzullayev, Ganiev; Shomurodov

23-06-2026 18:00

Matchday 2

NRG Stadium

Portugal

Uzbekistan

5 - 0

Player statistic

1st half

Cristiano Ronaldo (Assist: João Cancelo)		6'
		14'		Odildzhon Khamrobekov
Nuno Mendes		17'
Cristiano Ronaldo (Assist: Bruno Fernandes)		39'

2nd half

Abduvokhid Nematov		60'
Renato Veiga		68'
Rafael Leão		87'

Match statistic

66

Possession %

34

17

Total shots

7

9

Shots on target

2

5

Shots off target

2

3

Blocked shots

3

3

Corners

2

2

Offsides

2

14

Fouls

15

Portugal

Uzbekistan

Starting lineups

1

Diogo Costa

Goalkeeper

20

João Cancelo

Defender

46'

25

Nuno Mendes

Defender

3

Rúben Dias

Defender

8

Bruno Fernandes

Midfielder

15

João Neves

Midfielder

76'

13

Renato Veiga

Midfielder

23

Vitinha

Midfielder

83'

7

Cristiano Ronaldo

Attacker

11

João Félix

Attacker

63'

18

Pedro Neto

Attacker

46'

12

Abduvokhid Nematov

Goalkeeper

2

Abdukodir Khusanov

Defender

24

Bekhruz Karimov

Defender

90'

5

Rustam Ashurmatov

Defender

13

Sherzod Nasrullaev

Defender

46'

18

Abdulla Abdullaev

Midfielder

19

Aziz Ganiev

Midfielder

9

Odildzhon Khamrobekov

Midfielder

46'

7

Otabek Shukurov

Midfielder

90'

22

Abbosbek Fayzullaev

Attacker

73'

14

Eldor Shomurodov

Attacker

Substitutes

19

Gonçalo Guedes

Attacker

12

José Sá

Goalkeeper

22

Rui Silva

Goalkeeper

5

Diogo Dalot

Defender

21

Rúben Neves

Midfielder

9

Gonçalo Ramos

Attacker

6

Matheus Nunes

Midfielder

14

Gonçalo Inácio

Defender

4

Tomás Araújo

Defender

24

Samú Costa

Midfielder

2

Nélson Semedo

Defender

46'

26

Francisco Conceição

Attacker

46'

16

Francisco Trincão

Attacker

63'

10

Bernardo Silva

Midfielder

76'

17

Rafael Leão

Attacker

83'

11

Oston Urunov

Midfielder

1

Utkir Yusupov

Goalkeeper

16

Botirali Ergashev

Goalkeeper

15

Umar Eshmurodov

Defender

4

Farrukh Sayfiev

Defender

8

Jamshid Iskanderov

Midfielder

20

Azizbek Amanov

Attacker

17

Dostonbek Khamdamov

Attacker

26

Jakhongir Urozov

Defender

25

Avazbek Ulmasaliyev

Defender

3

Khozhiakbar Alizhonov

Defender

46'

6

Akmal Mozgovoy

Midfielder

46'

21

Igor Sergeev

Attacker

73'

10

Ruslanbek Jiyanov

Attacker

90'

23

Sherzod Esanov

Midfielder

90'

Sport Mediaset claim that Paolo Maldini is leaning towards turning down the role of technical director of the Italy squad, if offered by FIGC President Giovanni Malagò.

There had been multiple reports over the last few days that the new President of the Italian Football Federation identified Maldini as the ideal figure to take control of the Nazionale.

This would be in a role that so far does not exist within the Italian national team, that of technical director, moulding the position around the former Milan legend.

Maldini not eager for Italy role

However, Sport Mediaset report this afternoon that Maldini has taken it into consideration and is leaning towards turning down the proposal.

The ex-player had 126 senior caps for his country and won everything possible at club level for Milan, then went into a directorial role at San Siro in 2018.

He was sacked as technical director in June 2023 amid controversy, and arguably the side has never quite managed to recover any kind of stability.

Maldini refused several other interesting jobs since then, and was most recently ready to help run Fenerbahce if Hakan Safi won the election, but missed out to Aziz Yildirim.

Juventus could use Khephren Thuram as the key to unlocking Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, claim reports in Italy, though he is also a Premier League target.

The Bianconeri are eager to reunite with Kolo Muani, who had already been in Turin on loan for seven months in 2025 at a cost of €3.6m.

They were unable to agree on a permanent transfer, with the same true of Tottenham Hotspur at the end of this season, so Juve are back in for his signature.

Kolo Muani in, Thuram out?

The €35m asking price is still too steep for a club that failed to qualify for the Champions League and needs to tighten their belts, but a partial exchange could be the solution.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, coach Luciano Spalletti is ready to sacrifice France international midfielder Thuram in order to get the centre-forward.

Thuram in turn would be more than open to the switch, as he feels Champions League winners PSG give him a better chance of getting into the France squad more regularly.

He had been purchased from OGC Nice for €20.6m in the summer of 2024 and his value on the transfer market has practically doubled in that time.

There is also interest from the Premier League, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland all linked.

Paris Saint-Germain could see Thuram as the heir to former Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz, whose contract is due to expire in June 2027.

New Milan coach Ruben Amorim is expected to arrive in Italy on July 6 to begin work, with the first training session of pre-season on July 13.

The 41-year-old tactician was formally appointed last week with a contract to June 2028, his first experience since he was sacked as manager of Manchester United on January 5.

Amorim reboots career at Milan

Precisely seven months on from that date is when he will formally start work in his new club, as La Gazzetta dello Sport and MilanNews claim that the schedule is set for him to arrive at Milanello on July 6.

It will be an opportunity to inspect the facilities at the training camp and meet the directors in person, although he is expected to return to Portugal for a few days to finalise the paperwork for this big move.

Players are due to arrive at the ground for pre-season tests on July 12, followed by the first training session a day later.

The transfer strategy is seemingly in no rush, because it’s reported that Amorim wants to fully evaluate all the players in the squad before making any decisions.

That includes those returning from loan spells, such as Yunus Musah, Francesco Camarda, Kevin Zeroli, and Samuel Chukwueze.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto feels that it is ‘practically impossible’ to see Dusan Vlahovic remain at Juventus beyond June 30, as the striker hasn’t lowered his demands to sign a new deal.

Juventus striker Vlahovic is expected to leave the Allianz Stadium as a free agent at the end of the month as his contract with the Old Lady runs out on June 30.

Vlahovic transfer latest: Juventus and Besiktas offers

The Serbian international already rejected a contract proposal from Juventus’ ex-CEO Damien Comolli, and, according to some Italian sources, including Gazzetta, Comolli’s replacement, Giovanni Carnevali, has made a final proposal to the Juventus star.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto has given his verdict on the negotiation, claiming that an agreement between the two parties is a remote possibility.

“Right now, Dusan Vlahovic’s focus is on the economic aspect; this is why I believe that the chance of reopening talks with Juventus is practically impossible,” Moretto said on YouTube.

“As of today, he hasn’t changed his demands, even though there are currently no clubs ready to pay that sum for salary, bonus and signing bonus.”

Moretto confirmed Besiktas have approached Vlahovic in recent hours, yet the Turkish giants have not met the striker’s demands.

It remains to be seen whether any team will manage to reach an agreement with the Juventus star before the end of the month; otherwise, Vlahovic will officially be without a club on July 1.