David De Gea, a first choice keeper for Valdes's replacement

Valdes has informed the Barcelona hierarchy of his intention not to sign a new deal when his contract expires next year, and the Spain international could reportedly be transferred this year to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing.

The 31-year-old has been linked with transfers to either Arsenal or Liverpool, while Manchester United No.1 De Gea has been touted as a possible replacement for his compatriot after an impressive season at Old Trafford.

De Gea was named in the PFA team of the season after recovering from an inconsistent start to the campaign and, along with Barcelona, has also been mentioned as a possible recruit for Real Madrid.

The 22-year-old would appear to be a relatively popular target for Barcelona fans, with 32.3 percent of those polled outlining De Gea as their top acquisition for the summer transfer period.

De Gea, however, is not the first choice 'keeper of the Camp Nou faithful, with the club's fans instead preferring the credentials of Hamburg shot-stopper Marc-André ter Stegen, albeit but just two percent.

Mats Hummels, the Borussia Dortmund defender, has been identified as the ideal summer target by Barca supporters, with the Germany international receiving 39 percent of the vote in the Marca poll.

Pato misses an open goal again

The former AC Milan ace somehow managed to get himself in a muddle and poke the ball wide from two yards out despite the absence of a goalkeeper

Manchester United face 25 million Euro fight for Italian international

French publication L’Equipe claims the Ligue 2 champions are ready to continue their big-spending this summer, and are willing to make a serious offer for the Italian international midfielder.

James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Carvalho have already been drafted in at the Stade Louis II, and Colombian hitman Radamel Falcao is tipped to follow in the trio’s footsteps.

Marchisio made his professional debut for Juventus in 2006, and has only spent time away from the club during a season-long loan stint at Empoli the following year.

However, he’s being linked with a move away from the Juventus Stadium, and Manchester United are also thought to be keen on landing the player.

Indeed, The Daily Express claimed that the Red Devils were ready to go ‘full steam’ in a bid to bring the player to Old Trafford at the start of the month.

However, manager David Moyes has since replaced Sir Alex Ferguson at the Manchester United helm, and could have different transfer ideas for the Premier League champions.

Time will tell as to whether Marchisio is on the club’s radar, but the central midfielder would add competition alongside Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick if he were to join Manchester United.

Cesc Fabregas gains interest from both Manchester clubs

The former Arsenal man is yet to truly excel with Barcelona, having left the Premier League to re-join his boyhood club in 2011.

Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for the 26-year-old in recent weeks, but now the Mail report that Manchester City are willing to throw their hat in the ring to secure his services.

The Citizens were reportedly interested in landing a host of Barcelona players last summer including Fabregas, while the arrival of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain at the Etihad Stadium has added fuel to the fire.

According to the Daily Mail, new Manchester United boss David Moyes is considering a bid for the £25 million-rated midfielder, and although Arsenal have first refusal on Fabregas the Scot remains hopeful of luring him to Old Trafford.

The paper report that Moyes tried to take Fabregas on loan at Everton during his younger days at Arsenal, and will now try to sign him for the Red Devils.

Manchester City are on the verge of securing the services of Malaga boss Manuel Pellegrini who will likely have his own transfer plans for the summer, however the Citizens are monitoring Fabregas' situation with a view of making a move when the transfer window opens.

Adding weight to the claims that the former Arsenal captain is disenchanted with life in Spain having failed to hold down a regular starting spot is a report in the Telegraph which claims the midfielder is open to a return to England this summer.

Should Manchester United, Manchester City or even Arsenal want to sign Fabregas this summer, they will have to activate the £30 million release-clause written into his contract.

Mouinho wanted Neymar to be a Chelsea player

According to Mundo Deportivo, Mourinho did initially want Santiago Bernabeu president Florentino Perez to beat Barcelona to Neymar’s signature.

Barcelona eventually won the race as Sandro Rosell had acted more quickly than his rivals and Neymar’s desire was for a switch to Camp Nou.

However, the report claims it was by no means a forgone conclusion and Santos were willing to sell to the highest bidder.

Once Mourinho realised his time at Real Madrid was up, he then indicated to Chelsea he wanted Neymar at Stamford Bridge when he arrived.

The report claims Mourinho saw the 21-year-old as the perfect statement of ambition to return to Chelsea with after a damaging season that saw him finish without a major trophy.

Neymar was linked with a move to Barcelona for some time and there was little surprise when they announced they would be unveiling him as a new signing on Monday.

However, this latest report from Spain suggests it wasn’t so cut and dried a deal that many believed it to be.

Conte cautious to not repeat Inter mistakes

Antonio Conte has stressed that Juventus cannot afford to rest on its laurels after winning back-to-back Serie A titles and if the club wants to avoid the same mistakes as Inter following its treble in 2010.

The coach feels the Giuseppe Meazza side failed to build a team for the future after the successful 2009-10 campaign and has warned that Juve must not allow a similar scenario to happen.

"We must keep growing. It's not just about winning trophies. The objective should be to always keep on improving, because you can also win it all without really building anything for the future," Conte told Corriere dello Sport. "Look at what happened to Inter after they won the treble. They peaked that season, but did not build anything for the future. And this has been a very poor season for them, only three years after their successes.

"Our recent successes seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. Last year we won the Scudetto without losing and this term we won it three matches before the end of the season. You have to look at the past in order to improve in the present and for the future. It's crucial to always remain hungry for more."

Juventus collected 87 points from 38 games this season to finish nine points clear of Napoli.

Cruyff: Reserve role drove Robben to success

Johan Cruyff says Arjen Robben’s role as a reserve for much of the campaign was the perfect recipe for his late-season success.

Cruyff believes the added rest and extra motivation were vital for the 29-year-old Robben, who appeared in just 16 of Bayern’s 34 Bundesliga games this term.


“Although the setting and the footballing ability of Dortmund appeals to me greatly, the experience and the excellent organisation of Bayern Munich prevailed in London, of course thanks to a wonderful performance for Arjen Robben,” Cruyff wrote in his column in De Telegraaf. “Four months ago I indicated that the reserve role he had at the time could well pay off in a positive way later.”

Robben has scored in five in his last seven games, including the Champions League-winning goal against Dortmund.

“First he received criticism Saturday evening for not finishing a couple of chances. Robben was involved in five of the eight chances which Bayern had. Then he did something right.

“It would also show later. Robben was a 100 percent involved, culminating in the decisive goal that he scored in final minute.

"A nice mix of intuition, technology and natural desire [from Robben] led to Bayern’s two goals. It does not matter whether the ball rolls in hard or soft, as long as the goal counts.”

Former Dutch boss Bert van Marwijk was elated for Robben, saying it was his redemption for spurning a glorious chance in the World Cup final defeat to Spain in 2010 and other costly misses.

“It’s meant to be," van Marwijk said. "You could see that losing those finals has played a major role for Arjen. It is a reminder for Arjen of that moment face to face with Casillas.”

Klopp: Dortmund will be back next season

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has insisted that he and his side will bounce back from its heartbreaking 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bundesliga rival Bayern Munich on Saturday evening.
A late strike from Arjen Robben saw Jupp Heynckes' men crowned European Champions after a scintillating clash at Wembley between the German sides, but Klopp has assured everyone that his outfit will be back.
“I've told the players that we will come back,” said Klopp. “Maybe not to Wembley but we will try to come back to another final. That’s what I told them. “
Dortmund has lit up the competition this season with its brand of swashbuckling attacking football, but the final in London was ultimately won by Bundesliga champion Bayern, and the former Mainz boss was quick to praise his rivals.
"First and foremost, congratulations to Bayern Munich because they won so it's not important to speak about what happened in the game.
“Congratulations to Bayern and Jupp. You can’t begrudge him the win. We were right in it but at the end, everything came together for Bayern and they won the game.
Despite offering those congratulations to the Bavarians after the match, the Dortmund coach could not hide his heartache at the result, and struggled to manage his emotions, simply adding:
“The result is so shit."
However, Klopp was defiant in his defense of BVB, insisting that they gave everything after a taxing campaign.
“It was late in the game and it has been a really hard season for us," he said, "I saw it from 75 minutes on, it was hard for us. Bayern Munich had to fight too.
"We deserved to be in the final and we showed this tonight."
The 45-year-old then looked forward to next season, and concluded that he would need to delve into the transfer market if Dortmund were to remain competitive at the highest level
“We have to go on,” said the German. “We have to buy some players because we need some players because other clubs want our players.”
Dortmund ends the season having finished runner-up to Bayern in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League final.

Aguero committed to Manchester City

Manchester City star forward Sergio Aguero insists that he is happy with life in Manchester and expects the Citizens to rebound from a disappointing season.

A year after beating out Manchester United for the top spot in the Premier League, City finished second behind its rival and failed to pick up a single trophy in 2012-13. However, Aguero believes the club is headed in the right direction.

"I'm happy to be part of a club that is growing so fast," Aguero told Goal. "I'm very happy to be at Manchester, it's been two years now but hopefully we are going to do bigger things in the next few years."

Rumored to be upset at how City's season finished, Aguero was linked to Real Madrid during this summer transfer window before putting that speculation to rest by signing a one-year extension with the Blues. A former player for Aletico Madrid, Real's biggest rival, Aguero was adamant that he never had interest in joining Los Blancos.

"No, those were just rumors," Aguero said. "I'm committed to Manchester City, it's a great club."

After setting the Premier League on fire with 23 league goals and leading City to its first title in 44 years in his debut season, Aguero was one of the many players who saw their performances dip last season. City also had a disappointing run in the Champions League, finishing fourth in its group, and lost in the FA Cup to Wigan - a team that was relegated shortly after. It was speculated that head coach Roberto Mancini had lost his team and as a result he was fired after the FA Cup upset.

Aguero explained that there wasn't one particular reason why City disappointed last year and he believes that it was always going to be difficult to live up to the previous season.

"You can't win the title every year but we finished second, made the FA Cup final," Aguero said. "Hopefully next year we can titles again."

Manuel Pellegrini is expected to take over the helm at the Etihad Stadium but at this stage of the year, Aguero only wants to focus on the team's end-of-the season break.

"There's various rumors about Pellegrini but we are going on holiday now," Aguero stated. "When we get back, whoever is the manager, we will be behind him and the club."

After Manchester City revealed its intention to launch Major League Soccer's 20th club, New York City FC, with the New York Yankees, City's players - including Aguero - attended various promotional events throughout New York's five boroughs. Aguero played basketball at the world famous Rucker Park on Wednesday and on Saturday morning, surprised a few children at a pickup soccer game.

Aguero is impressed by soccer's growth in the United States and admits that he would like to play for NYC FC at some point.

"Ah, you never know. At the moment, I'm at City but hopefully one day I would be able to play for NYCFC", Aguero revealed. "For now, I'm at Manchester City and that's all I can think of.

"Soccer is slowly growing in the USA, you are seeing it more in South America and in Europe. As it continues to slowly improve, it will grow and become an exciting sport for Americans to follow."

Rooney still important for England according to Hodgson

England coach Roy Hodgson insists Wayne Rooney remains a key figure for his country ahead of Wednesday's friendly with the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.

Despite reclaiming the Premier League with Manchester United, Rooney enjoyed a miserable end to the season that began when he was dropped for the Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid in March.

Having asked to leave the club for the second time in three years, the 27-year-old was then benched for the final two league matches of Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure and has not completed 90 minutes in almost two months.

Hodgson, however, retains faith in the forward and says his hunger to succeed has never been in doubt when he has joined up with the Three Lions on international duty.

"I know where I think it's best for him to play, and I think there are several candidates to play alongside him," Hodgson told reporters. "I think I have it fairly clear in my mind where I want to see him play. I can talk about Wayne as he is when he joins up with me, and how he behaves in our get-togethers, and I find his desire as strong, if not stronger, than when we first met.

"I have nothing but the greatest faith in him, but good players can have bad games and bad players can have good games. It's not an exact science. My faith has never wavered."

Thiago close to thinking his future

Barcelona midfielder Thiago says he will address his future after this summer's European Under-21 Championship.

New Manchester United manager David Moyes is among those interested in the 22-year-old, who is said to be considering a move away from Camp Nou due to a lack of first-team opportunities.

The Spaniard has the likes of Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song for competition in a star-studded midfield but claimed he continues to enjoy life in Catalunya.

"I just live my life and I am very happy," Thiago told reporters while with Spain's Under-21 side. "I enjoy it in Barcelona because I have lived through some great times but we will see what happens after the Euros.

"Any player is used to living with rumors about him and they just cannot affect you."

Thiago insisted that not too much should be read into his Under-21 teammate David de Gea's desire to see him join him at Old Trafford.

"All players want the best players in their team," he added. "I could say I hope that he comes to Barca in the same way he says things about me.

"I just think he was having a bit of fun and not too much should be read into it."

It would be hard to ignore Barcelona says Reina

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits it would be difficult to refuse a move to Barcelona, though he insists he is happy at Anfield.

The 30-year-old has been a reported target for the Catalan club some time and with Victor Valdes believed to be close to joining AS Monaco, a deal could happen this summer.

Speaking at a press conference to reveal his new website, Reina stressed there had been no official approach from the Liga champions, although he confessed it would be tough to turn them down.

“Barcelona is a great club and it is difficult to say no to a club like Barcelona,” he said. “But we are talking about assumptions and I should not do it. It would be difficult leave Liverpool. If I do it, [it] is [to] improve and grow as player."

He added, “I have no evidence about Barcelona's interest in me. I don't know if the club has spoken with my agent. If he doesn't say something it is because there isn't any serious offer on the table.

“I have a contract with Liverpool and I'm very happy in England. At present, I just have one option: stay at Liverpool. Everything else is just talk. There has been no direct contact.”

Reina, who began his career at Camp Nou, has been with the Anfield club since 2005.

Brazilian keeper confirms talks with english clubs

QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar has confirmed he is in talks with English clubs over a move away from Loftus Road this summer.

Hoops boss Harry Redknapp indicated recently that the Brazil international would be allowed to leave, rather than spend the season prior to the 2014 World Cup playing in the Championship.

Arsenal has been heavily linked with the 33-year-old, and Cesar has now fuelled speculation that the Gunners are among the clubs pursuing his signature.

"There are indeed talks with some teams, but nothing definitive,” he told Globo Esporte. “This is the Confederations Cup moment, I have to focus on doing a good work for the national team.

"I won't name the teams as it would not be ethical since I am under contract with Queens Park Rangers. I let people responsible for my career deal with it."

Cesar is in the Brazil squad for the Confederations Cup and could be in the side to face England in Rio on June 2.

Heynckes is 99 percent going to Madrid according to Bayern Munich's midfielder

Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has revealed that current Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes is "99 percent" certain to return to Real Madrid this summer.

Jose Mourinho will take charge of his last game on Saturday for the Blancos, against Osasuna, while the Bavarians boss will attempt to achieve an unprecedented German treble in the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on the same day.

With Mourinho en route to Chelsea and Pep Guardiola stepping into Heynckes' shoes at the Allianz Arena, Tymoshchuk has suggested that Heynckes will return to the Santiago Bernabeu in the coming weeks rather than consider retirement.

"There is a 99 percent chance that Heynckes will train Real Madrid," he said to Russia 2.

Heynckes spent a single season at Madrid and lifted the Champions League with the Spanish side, but he was fired after failing to perform domestically as the club finished fourth in the table.

Tymoshchuk confirmed that he would be leaving the Allianz Arena this summer but refused to reveal his destination, while insisting that Arjen Robben - who scored the Champions League-winning goal in the final - is set to stay at Bayern.

"Robben told me he's certain to stay in Bayern," the Ukrainian added. "And I'm leaving. I can't say where until Monday. Not Dortmund for sure!"

Higuain's going to be a success at Juventus according to the Argentine legend

Diego Maradona is confident that Gonzalo Higuain has what it takes to succeed at Juventus if he leaves Real Madrid for the Serie A club this summer.

The Argentina international has already agreed terms in principle with the Turin powerhouse ahead of a summer move, and Maradona believes that his compatriot will be challenging for the Serie A scorer's title in 2013-14 should the move go through.

"If Higuain becomes a Juventus player and gets regular first team action, I am convinced that he can win the capocanonniere trophy next season," Maradona was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

The 25-year-old has a contract with Real Madrid until June 2016, but general manager Jose Angel Sanchez admitted earlier this season that Higuain is likely to be on his way out following an inauspicious campaign with los Blancos.

Madrid has set a 25 million euro asking price for Higuain, but Juventus has so far only been willing to go as high as 20 million euros.

Mourinho right to leave madrid according to legendary ex-madrid midfielder

Former Real Madrid midfielder Luis Figo believes that the time was right for Jose Mourinho and the Santiago Bernabeu side to part ways.

Mourinho will depart the Blancos in June after three years in charge, having joined from Inter in the summer of 2010 and taken the club to three Champions League semifinals, one league triumph and one Copa del Rey trophy.

His fall-out with a number of high-profile Madrid players - most notably captain Iker Casillas - has contributed to his exit from the Bernabeu dugout, and Figo believes it is the right time for his compatriot to move on as he nears a return to the Premier League with Chelsea.

"It was to be expected," Figo told reporters at a charity event. "I believe it is right for them to bid farewell to Mourinho.

"Some people will not like it, others will think it's the right thing, but the reality in life is you cannot please all the people. The fans should try to be fair and wait to see what happens next."

Mourinho's benching of Casillas in favor of January signing Diego Lopez has resulted in a lengthy dressing-room dispute, but Figo thinks the facts have been exaggerated and that the coach had legitimate reasons for his actions.

"They are my friends," Figo said of Mourinho and the Spain goalkeeper. "They are of the age to be able to work things out.

"Mourinho's decisions were professionally and technically sound. You might not like it but as a player you have to accept and take it in the best way possible for the good of the club."

Madrid faces Osasuna on Sunday in the final game of the Primera Division season, having already secured second place behind champion Barcelona.

Balotelli warned not to leave the pitch

Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian Referee's Association (AIA) has warned Mario Balotelli that he would receive a red card if he were to walk off the pitch due to racial abuse.

The AC Milan star claimed that he would have no problem in leaving the field if he were to encounter any more racist chanting in Serie A, as teammate Kevin Prince Boateng did in January during a friendly game. And while Nicchi accepts that the authorities need to do more to combat racism in the game, he says enforcement of rules will see the Italy international punished.

"Everyone is free to express their own opinions but there are rules. Whoever leaves the field to make a protest, without warning the referee or without being substituted will be sent off," Nicchi told SkyTG24."Less importance has to be given to this phenomenon as a media event and more importance from what can be done realistically.
"Be tough and uncompromising with the idiots who sing these shameful chants."

Balotelli was subject to racist chants from Roma fans during Sunday's 0-0 draw at San Siro, with the Giallorossi promptly fined 50,000 euros for their supporters' conduct.

Balotelli suspected for drug dealing

Mario Balotelli has ridiculed suggestions from an Italian drug informant on Thursday that he dealt drugs "as a joke" in 2010.

The accusation stems from the AC Milan striker's visit to Naples three years ago, when he was shown around the notorious Scampia neighborhood by people associated with the Mafia - although the 22-year-old has insisted in the past that he was unaware of the criminal connections in the region.

At a court hearing in Italy, Armando De Rosa told prosecutors that Balotelli requested to peddle narcotics and said that the buyer of drugs was unaware of the footballer's identity, claiming, "We asked the client if he recognized Balotelli but he didn't have a clue [who he was]."

In response, the former Manchester City man slammed the media for reporting these suggestions and is of the opinion that his name is being dragged through the dirt to increase interest in the money-laundering case.

"AHAHAHAHA, they said I used prostitutes, next time maybe they'll say I take it up the...," the Italian wrote on his Twitter account, before subsequently deleting the tweet. "Be ashamed. Don't use me to boost your audience."

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli refused to be drawn on the subject, insisting Balotelli's comments would suffice given the "sensitive" nature of the issue.

“It seems to me that Mario has responded, so there’s nothing else to say,” he told a press conference on Thursday.

Prandelli said the subject "does not interest me at all" and that Balotelli will talk at the right time.

“This is a sensitive topic, these are serious matters and here we are talking about a joke," Prandelli said.

“We would always want to talk about football in a critical manner, but when dealing with other topics there is always trouble. These are serious issues and it is unclear if these are allegations or otherwise, but for us, what applies is what Mario has said."

Anti-Mafia investigators originally questioned Balotelli in September 2011 over his visit to Scampia, which he claimed he visited for "cultural reasons." There has never been any suggestion that the ex-Inter player has been involved in criminal activity.

Suarez desires to leave Liverpool

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has confirmed his desire to leave England amid rumors of interest from Real Madrid.

On Wednesday, Goal revealed the Uruguay international has refused to commit his future to Brendan Rodgers' side with the 26-year-old unhappy with his portrayal by the English media.

Liverpool is ready to listen to offers for Suarez, who is keen to play Champions League football, despite the club's public stance that the forward is not for sale.

Suarez insists the English media has created an environment he does not wish to live in and is open to moving elsewhere.

"I have a daughter and a family and I want to take them out of the current atmosphere," he told reporters. "I have feelings and I would like to go to another league.

"The media treated me badly and it would be understandable if one day I leave the club."

The striker was named Liverpool Fans' Player of the Year after scoring 30 goals in all competitions, but he feels he will never be truly appreciated in the Premier League due to the way he is represented.

"In England, I was never going to win any prize because of how they treated me," he said.

Ronaldo not for sale according to Perez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has declared that the club would not be willing to sell Cristiano Ronaldo for any amount of money this summer.

The Blancos attacker has scored 34 times with one game to go in the Liga season and was crucial in seeing the side reach the Champions League semifinal stage for the third consecutive campaign, finishing as the tournament's top scorer.

Having expressed his unhappiness earlier in the season and with compatriot Jose Mourinho leaving the club, Ronaldo has been linked with a summer departure from Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but Perez is adamant that even an offer as large as 1 billion euros would not convince the Spanish club to sell its prized asset.

"I will do everything in my power to renew his contract," Perez told Cadena Cope. "He has two years left on his contract, he is the best player in the world and we would like to give a boost to the team by keeping him as a leader and an emblem.

"I would not sell him for 1 billion euros. We are not a selling club. He is a winner and he wants to win titles and Real Madrid are the right club for it.

"When he said he was sad, he talked to me and I told him I would do everything possible for him to be happy."

Real Madrid has secured the second spot in La Liga and will play the final game of the season - and Jose Mourinho's last as head coach - against Osasuna on Saturday.

"I give him a B+ for his time at Madrid - we have been a bit annoyed by some results. As time goes by, though, we realize that the work of Mourinho has been very positive," Perez said. "People are what they are. He lives all with so much passion and so much demand that sometimes things happen"

Eriksen ready for european giants according to Denmark coach

Ajax attacker Christian Eriksen is ready for a move to a bigger club, according to Denmark coach Morten Olsen.

Speculation has intensified in recent weeks over where the 21-year-old will be plying his trade next season, with some believing he is being lined up by Borussia Dortmund in a bid to replace Bayern Munich-bound Mario Gotze.

Olsen, who coaches the starlet at international level, says Eriksen has come of age and is well-equipped to handle a move to one of Europe's finest clubs.

"This is the right time for him to go," Olsen told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. "There are many players who moved to a top club too early, but Christian is really ready. "He played great against Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, PSV and Feyenoord this season, so maybe that's where Dortmund's interest stems from."

In addition to BVB coach Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is also rumored to be a fond admirer of the Denmark international - whose Ajax deal expires next summer - but last month the Dutch champion denied reports of a deal being struck by the Reds to bring the youngster to Anfield.

Lewandowski future not yet decided

Jurgen Klopp has stressed that Borussia Dortmund has not yet received an official offer from Bayern Munich for Robert Lewandowski, but expects the Poland international's future to be resolved shortly.

One of the 24-year-old's agents, Cezary Kucharski, claimed that Lewandowski will leave BVB for Bayern in the summer transfer window after his other representative, Maik Barthel, previously stated that the striker has already agreed terms with another side.

Nevertheless, Klopp has stressed that a transfer to Bayern is by no means a done deal yet.

"We have not received an official offer from Bayern Munich as of yet, so I still expect Robert to play for Dortmund next season," Klopp was quoted as saying by Bild.

"We will make sure that all the speculation about his future ends in the next few days.

"I will not be angry with him regardless of what happens. I am looking at this professionally. We will see what happens. Everything's possible.

"The funny thing is that everybody acts as if it is already a done deal. Jupp Heynckes said so, his agents say so, yet we have not received an offer. What is that all about really? Regardless of the outcome, this is not exactly a nice thing."

Lewandowski's contract with Dortmund runs until June 2014, but the prolific attacker is desperate to leave the club this summer.

Aside form Bayern, he has also been linked with clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, but the Bundesliga champions are in pole position to sign the attacker.

Mourinho a loss to real madrid according to Lopez

Jose Mourinho will be a great loss to the club once he leaves following the end of the Spanish league season, insists Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez.

Lopez was signed by Mourinho from Sevilla in January following Iker Casillas's hand injury, and he continued to be Los Blancos' No. 1 despite Casilllas's return to fitness, which caused reports of unrest in the Madrid camp. Nevertheless, Lopez believes Mourinho will be missed once he departs, with widespread reports linking him to a return to Chelsea.

“He will be a great loss to Madrid,” Lopez told reporters. “Mourinho is a great coach and he has done big things for my career.

With Mourinho headed elsewhere this summer, there is a likelihood of Casillas regaining the No. 1 spot, but that will not deter Lopez from remaining with the club.

"I think that competition between goalkeepers is positive and I’ve always tried to do things as well as possible," Lopez said. "I’ve already said that every minute at Real Madrid is golden, and that’s what I want to do – take advantage of every opportunity I have to play.”

Carvalho joins Monaco

Ricardo Carvalho is the latest player to sign for Monaco after agreeing on a one-year deal with the promoted Ligue 1 club.

The 35-year-old defender who spent three seasons at Real Madrid before his switch to Claudio Ranieri's side, completed his move on Tuesday. He will join Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez, who recently completed a combined 70 million euro switch from Porto.

"I'm very happy to join Monaco and to be part of the new adventure. This is a new challenge for me," Carvalho told Monaco's official website.

Monaco, backed by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, is also reportedly close to finalizing a deal for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, who passed a medical on Tuesday. Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes is reportedly close to sealing a move as well.

Carvalho was in Jose Mourinho's Champions League-winning Porto side that beat Monaco 3-0 in the 2004 final.

Rafa Benitez to coach Napoli

Napoli has announced the signing of former interim Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez to fill the vacancy left behind by departed manager Walter Mazzarri.

"Rafa Benitez is the new coach of Napoli. An agreement was signed in London," the club wrote in an official statement on its website. "Napoli are happy to welcome a coach so prestigious to our own family."

Benitez won the Europa League this season with Chelsea and stepped in for Roberto Di Matteo to guide the Blues to a Champions League place. He is set to take over for Mazzarri, who left the Partenopei to join Inter Milan after coach Andrea Stramaccioni was sacked for a disappointing ninth-place finish this term.

Benitez' last two games in charge of Chelsea came in the United States, during a pair of high-scoring friendly losses to Manchester City in St. Louis and New York City.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed via Twitter that he was delighted to get the 53-year-old.

"Rafa Benitez is the new coach of Napoli. A man of great international experience. A leader," De Laurentiis wrote.

The Spaniard has coached in Italy before, but had a rather unsuccessful spell at Inter lasting just six months in the job after being successor to Jose Mourinho's treble-winning side.

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Madrid will face off in the first round of the International Champions Cup, one of a number of marquee matchups in the friendly tournament. 

Eight of the world's more recognizable clubs will convene for the tournament. The first round includes Valencia hosting AC Milan in Spain, Everton playing Juventus in San Francisco, Real Madrid against the Galaxy in Phoenix, and Chelsea facing Inter Milan in Indianapolis.

The winners of the quarterfinal matches will face off in the semifinal round, while the losers will also continue on in a consolation bracket.

The matches will take place at the Mestalla in Valencia, Spain, AT&T Park in San Francisco, University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, Met Life Stadium in New York, and Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Neymar loooking forward to facing Christiano Ronaldo

New Barcelona signing Neymar says he is already relishing the chance to come up against Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 21-year-old hailed the ability of the Bernabeu star and said he hopes to come out on top when his new side does battle with its Clasico rival next season.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is a great player," Neymar told reporters.

"He is skillful and it will be an honor to face him. Hopefully I can win."

Neymar will join the newly crowned Liga champions this summer and the Brazil international also claimed his religious beliefs helped him to decide on making the switch to Spain.

“I talked to God to give me wisdom and directed me the right way, so I chose Barcelona," he said. “I chose to join Barcelona because it was a wish that came out of my heart. Change is always difficult, but I hope to be able to adapt as soon as possible."

Madrid was amongst a number of sides who were also chasing Neymar's signature until his transfer from Santos to Camp Nou was officially confirmed last week.

Malaga clode to losing their boss to Manchester City

Malaga boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed he has reached a verbal agreement to become the next Manchester City manager.

The Chilean has long been touted as the replacement to Roberto Mancini, who was sacked earlier in May, and already confirmed he would be leaving the south Spain side at the end of the season.

Pellegrini guided Malaga to fourth in La Liga this season as well as the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and it looks almost certain he will be in charge at the Etihad Stadium next season.

"I have a verbal agreement with them and I hope it is carried out," he told television channel Canal Sur.

The 59-year-old confirmed nothing has been signed yet but it looks to be a matter of time before he puts pen to paper.

"As of today, I [haven't yet] a signed contract," he added.

"It is true that Manchester City have shown a lot of interest that I become their coach and I have had conversations with them.

"Until things have been signed, you cannot say everything is completely done."

Lukaku set for talks about future with chelsea

Romelu Lukaku said he will hold talks with the new Chelsea manager to decide where he plays his football next season.

It has been widely speculated Jose Mourinho has agreed to return to Stamford Bridge and will be that new manager, and one of his first tasks will be to decide the fate of the Belgian who scored 17 Premier League goals last season while on loan at West Brom and starred for his country against the USA in Wednesday's 4-2 victory in Cleveland.

Lukaku insists his dream remains to play for Chelsea, but he admits he may have to go elsewhere once again to fulfil his immediate need for first-team football.

"My future is up to me and the manager," Lukaku told talkSPORT. "First we need to have a conversation about what his plans are and then we'll go from there.

"I'm ready to go there and do my best, because my first ambition is to play at Chelsea, but I have to be realistic.

"I'm 20 years old and I need to play, so we'll see what will happen.

"I'm very proud to be a Chelsea player. I've had a very good season on loan, and I will go back and show my qualities.

"Hopefully I will stay there but in football you never know. We'll have to see what will happen in the future."

Schurrle's close to joining Chelsea

Chelsea has an agreement to sign Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen with Kevin De Bruyne heading in the opposite direction on loan, according to the Bundesliga club's general manager, Wolfgang Holzhauser.

The Blues have been trailing the Germany international for some time, though recent reports have suggested Borussia Dortmund's interest in signing De Bruyne permanently might scupper any potential deal. Earlier this month, De Bruyne, who spent the last season on loan with Werder Bremen, fanned the flames of speculation by admitting he would be open to joining Jurgen Klopp's Champions League finalists, who are looking to replace the departed Mario Gotze.

But Holzhauser insists the terms of the deal with Leverkusen for the transfer of Schurrle have been agreed upon, and he expects Chelsea to honor its word.

"We have an agreement with Chelsea," Holzhauser told RP. "They buy Schurrle for a set transfer fee and we get De Bruyne on loan for free for one season. I expect Chelsea to adhere to what has been agreed."

Following Leverkusen's 1-0 victory over Hamburg on the final day of the Bundesliga season, Schurrle revealed he believed he had played his last game for the club. He'll be part of the German national team contingent that will face the U.S. national team on Sunday. De Bruyne played a large role in Belgium's 4-2 victory over the USA Wednesday, assisting on two goals.

Jupp Heyncks right for madrid coach according to Daniel Carvajal

The former madrid defender Daniel Carvajal feels that current Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes would be a good option for the vacant position of Real Madrid coach.

The Primera Division side is in the market for a new manager following the departure of Jose Mourinho upon the conclusion of 2012-13 campaign and had initially targeted Carlo Ancelotti as the main candidate. PSG is keen to hold on to Ancelotti, though, fuelling speculation that Madrid could turn its attention to Heynckes, who will make way at Champions League-winning Bayern for Pep Guardiola.

"I encountered Heynckes in the Bundesliga. I think that he would fit in very well at Madrid with the way Bayern have been playing this season,” Carvajal told AS. “They are a very intense team who always want to have the ball.”

The 21-year-old then responded to Florentino Perez’s comments that he will return to Real Madrid this summer and stressed that he remains a Leverkusen player for now.

“There's no news. I'm still a Leverkusen player, but I hope that my situation will be resolved soon, so I'll know where I'll play next season," Carvajal said. “I have not spoken to anyone from Madrid yet, but I appreciate what the president said. We will have to wait and see what happens.”

Carvajal left Madrid for Leverkusen in the summer of 2012, but the Bernabeu side have an option to re-purchase the defender for a fee believed to be in the region of 6.5 million euros.

Arjen Robben eyes a historic treble

Bayern Munich’s Champions League hero Arjen Robben has urged his team to focus on the DFB-Pokal final as Jupp Heynckes’ men look to secure an historic treble.

The Bavarians take on Stuttgart on Saturday evening as they attempt to add the domestic cup competition to their European and Bundesliga successes, and Robben has warned his teammates to expect a tough encounter.

“This will not happen automatically. We have to work hard for everything we get,” he said in a press conference. “This is obviously a special game, and of course we now also want the treble as it is something no other German team has managed.

“VfB have made their way to the final, and they are also a strong team. On Saturday we have to give everything.”

The Netherlands international’s 89th-minute strike sealed Bayern’s 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, and the winger revealed he always believed in his own abilities despite suffering criticism for his displays in previous finals – particularly last season’s showpiece when he missed an extra-time penalty against Chelsea.

He added: “I have always believed in myself and have always done everything possible to be in shape. But, I ultimately don’t care who scores the goals if we win.”

Sporting director Matthias Sammer echoed Robben’s sentiments, insisting that the chance for a treble is an opportunity his side cannot afford to let slip.