Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund have started transfer talks with Bayern Munich over attacking midfielder Mario Gotze's possible return to Westfalenstadion, according to a media report.
Gotze won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before joining Bayern in 2013 but failed to secure a starting place in three seasons under coach Pep Guardiola, who has since joined Premier League side Manchester City.
The 24-year-old attacker has also been linked in British media with a move to former Dortmund manager Juergen Klopp at Liverpool.
“I can confirm that talks with Borussia Dortmund have taken place. There have also been talks with his agent, but the deal is not done just yet. Both clubs will have to reach an agreement over a transfer fee first,” Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sport1.
The Germany international scored three goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances last season having only returned to fitness in February following a five-month injury break after suffering an adductor muscle injury in October.
“Gotze has been at Bayern for three years and it did not work out for him. I am not surprised that Gotze wants to leave. He is 24 years old and needs to play regularly,” Rummenigge added.
Gotze, who scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final, played four times for Germany at the European Championship in France, where they were eliminated by the hosts in the semi-finals.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United are yet to receive an acceptable bid for midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum despite speculation he is close to joining Liverpool.
Press Association Sport reported Tuesday that there has been contact between the two clubs and that a fee for the Dutchman has been discussed.
However, sources on Tyneside have indicated that the terms proposed to date do not meet the club’s requirements and as such, no deal is in place.
Newcastle do not want to sell Wijnaldum, who joined them in a £14.5million (Dh70m) switch from PSV Eindhoven last summer, and have no need to do so despite suffering relegation from the Premier League.
But there is also an acceptance that every player has his price, and that a disgruntled player could be more trouble than he is worth and should Liverpool come up with the right money on the right terms, they may well do business. It is thought Newcastle value their play at around the £25m mark.
Torino
Torino have signed striker Adem Ljajic from AS Roma for 8.5 million (Dh34m) and brought his teammate Iago Falque in on loan, the Serie A club said.
The Serbia international joined the Rome-based club in 2013 but had a one-year loan spell at Inter Milan last season, during which he scored three goals in 25 league appearances.
Spaniard Falque joined Roma in 2015 after a one-year stint at Genoa. He scored twice in 22 appearances last season.
“After discussions with our coach we spared no effort to buy Ljajic from Roma,” Torino president Urbano Cairo said in a statement on the club’s website. “He was one of our first objectives, so we’re pleased to add him to [Sinisa] Mihajlovic’s squad.”
Burnley
Burnley have signed Iceland midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson from Charlton Athletic, the newly promoted Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday.
Gudmundsson agreed a three-year contract with the option of a further year and becomes Burnley’s first signing since winning promotion back to the English top flight last season.
The 25-year-old midfielder started every game for Iceland during their fairy-tale run to the Euro 2016 quarter-final, which included a stunning last-16 upset of England.
Gudmundsson had spent two seasons with Charlton, who were relegated from the Championship last term.
Despite Charlton’s demotion, Gudmundsson had the joint most assists in the Championship and fits the bill for Burnley manager Sean Dyche, who has been looking to add more creativity to his midfield.
“Johann, we feel, is a quality player who we saw last season playing at Charlton in a tough time and we liked the quality he showed,” Dyche told Burnley’s website.
“It helps to see a player in the European Championships with that kind of company and he did well there.”
Gudmundsson, reported to have cost £2.5 million (Dh12m), added: “It’s fantastic to be here, it’s a club that’s shown a lot of interest in me.
“It was a good season for myself, unfortunately not for Charlton, and then we had a good Euros for Iceland.”
Manchester United
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss Manchester United's pre-season tour of China as the Sweden striker takes an extended break following Euro 2016.
Ibrahimovic joined Jose Mourinho’s side on a free transfer after leaving French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, but the Premier League club’s legion of fans in China won’t get a first glimpse of the marquee signing in a United shirt.
Although United’s 25-man squad for the trip includes Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford, Chris Smalling, David de Gea and Paddy McNair, who all exited Euro 2016 later than Ibrahimovic, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward was granted extra time off by Mourinho and is currently sunning himself in Los Angeles.
Ibrahimovic’s first United appearance is likely to come against Galatasaray in Gothenburg on July 30.
The 35-year-old Swede’s absence won’t slow the clamour to see United’s glamour friendlies against Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai on Friday and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in Beijing on Monday.
Ibrahimovic’s fellow summer arrivals Eric Bailly, an Ivory Coast defender signed from Villarreal, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, a former Borussia Dortmund midfielder, are on the plane to Asia for the week-long trip.
Also included is England left-back Luke Shaw, who will continue to step up his fitness after making his return from long-term injury in the 2-0 friendly win at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Youngsters Axel Tuanzebe, Will Keane and Andreas Pereira will get a chance to impress after being named in the group.
France internationals Anthony Martial and Morgan Schneiderlin, Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger and Italy’s Matteo Darmian are not going to the Far East following their Euro 2016 campaigns.
Striker James Wilson started against Wigan but is not included, nor are Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Tyler Blackett and Guillermo Varela.
Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to come back stronger for the coming season after suffering a knee injury in Portugal's triumphant Euro 2016 final earlier this month.
The Real Madrid forward, who is in this year's Best Player in Europe shortlist, was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after 25 minutes in the final against hosts France.
“I just wanted to thank all my fans,” Ronaldo said in a video on his Instagram account.
“I wanted to tell them that all is well and that I will come back much stronger. Thank you, long live Portugal.”
The 31-year-old forward, who racked up 51 goals in 48 games last season, scored the decisive penalty to seal Real’s second Uefa Champions League final success over local rivals Atletico Madrid in three years.
La Liga runners-up Real begin their 2016/17 campaign, in what will be manager Zinedine Zidane’s first full season in charge, away to Real Sociedad on Aug. 21.
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