The Bundesliga champions are eager to keep investing in their squad and have targeted the Germany international winger, the president confirmed

Bayern Munich are working on a deal to sign Manchester City forward Leroy Sane, president Uli Hoeness has revealed.

The 23-year-old has been linked with a departure from City after playing a reduced role in their treble-winning campaign, starting 30 of his 47 appearances in all competitions. 

German champions Bayern have emerged as the top candidates to sign Sane after seeing star attackers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery leave. 

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic was asked about reports suggesting the Bavarian outfit are chasing the former Schalke player and did not dismiss the possibility.

“I don’t comment on names,” he said when quizzed on Sane, but added that a few more signings are expected this summer as Hoeness has given a €200 million transfer budget, according to Sport Bild . 

“We will try to do something for the new season, so we must also clarify how much money we have available for it,” he added.

But Hoeness has since clarified that the Bundesliga champions are already advancing on their interest.

“We are dealing with this player,” Hoeness told Sueddeutsche Zeitung .

Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski encouraged the club to go after Sane as he believes the Germany international would improve the squad.

“I’ve already seen many times how good he is,” he said . “That’s a player who can immediately take us higher, who improves the team.”

But City are not ready to let the winger leave just yet, as coach Pep Guardiola believes he is still a crucial part of the team.

“We are one-and-a-half years trying to sign his [new] contract. We want him,” he told reporters recently .

“If you want to extend his contract, it’s because you want him. You’re not going to extend his contract because you don’t want him.”

He added: “He’s competing with Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva. It’s not easy. If you want to play in for competitions for the quadruple we need Leroy, Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo, we can’t compete for the quadruple with just two wingers.”

Sane’s compatriot and City team-mate Ilkay Gundogan reiterated Guardiola’s message dismissing speculation over a transfer.

“If players in our team at one or another time do not play, it has now become a normal fact that there are automatic rumours,” he told  Sport Bild last week .

“As our coach has already said, the club wants to keep Leroy.”

The France international midfielder is about to become a free agent and could end up making a switch to either Italy or England this summer

Paris Saint-Germain contract rebel Adrien Rabiot has admitted to having held talks with Juventus, while the door has been left open for a potential move to Manchester United.

As things stand, the France international midfielder is due to be available on a free transfer in the summer having refused to commit to fresh terms with the Ligue 1 champions.

That has led to him being frozen out at the Parc des Princes, with no appearances made since December 11, 2018.

Rabiot is, however, a proven performer at the highest level and boasts the potential for future development at just 24 years of age.

He remains an attractive proposition to leading sides across Europe and has seen various landing spots mooted.

It could be that his next move takes him to Italy or England, with Serie A champions Juve and Manchester United being heavily linked with formal approaches.

Rabiot has told Corriere dello Sport of his current situation: “I’ve spoken with Juventus, it’s a great club where everyone would like to play.

“I like Italy so much, it’s wonderful here. A demanding season awaits me. At Juventus? Juve watched me and we talked about it, but I can’t say anything.

“Manchester United? It’s the same as last year, I have to decide. I’m on vacation for now. Soon you will know.”

Rabiot has seen a switch to Old Trafford talked up for some time.

Arsenal have also been credited with an interest in taking him to English football.

The two Premier League rivals may, however, have to move fast if they have any hope of putting an agreement in place.

Juventus hold obvious appeal to any player as the dominant force in the Italian game.

They have already acquired Wales international Aaron Ramsey from Arsenal to bolster their midfield options, but are seemingly in the market for more players of Rabiot’s ability.

He has a big decision to make this summer after seeing his career stall in Paris.

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Rabiot, who took in a brief spell at Manchester City’s academy system while in his teens, has been with PSG since 2010 and taken in 227 competitive appearances for the club.

The Arsenal boss has not yet decided whether the former Chelsea goalkeeper will play in the Europa League final against his former club

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has lauded the retiring Petr Cech, although he refused to confirm whether the veteran goalkeeper will start Wednesday’s Europa League final against Chelsea.

Cech will call time on his playing career following the midweek showpiece against his former club with reports suggesting he will then move back to Stamford Bridge to become the Blues’ sporting director.

The Czech has played in each of Arsenal’s knockout games since the turn of the year but Emery must decide if he will stick with that policy or start with regular number one Bernd Leno in Baku.

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“The most important thing for us is to win the title,” Emery told a news conference.

“Each title is important for Arsenal, and for Chelsea, both in England and in Europe. We want to enjoy this moment.

“The first XI, I will say it to the players first. I can speak about Cech a lot, but above all he is a good man, a good professional, his career has been amazing, both elsewhere and with us.

“It’s going to be his last match because he decided to finish his career. I want to do something important with him in his last moments in his career, whether he is playing or not playing. 

“I respect him a lot. He is amazing, first as a person and a professional goalkeeper. He deserves trust in him, his career says to us he is a gentleman. He can start or cannot start, I am going to decide. How can we not believe in him?”

One player not available to Emery is Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has not travelled with the Arsenal squad due to fears over his safety amid ongoing political tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

UEFA’s decision to host the final in Baku has come in for criticism, and Mkhitaryan’s team-mate Granit Xhaka conceded that Arsenal’s squad have been left frustrated by the situation.

“Of course, we are disappointed he’s not here,” Xhaka said.

“We spoke a lot about Mkhi and politics, it’s time to speak about football. He’s very important on and off the pitch and we want to give him the trophy.

“A club like Arsenal has to be in the Champions League. We want to give the fans the Champions League back. It’s a big game, a final. We can take a trophy and go back to the Champions League.”

The striker only signed a new contract at the Allianz Stadium in April but could be shown the door following Massimiliano Allegri’s departure

Juventus are open to selling striker Mario Mandzukic and Goal understands they will listen to offers this summer for the Croatia international.

Mandzukic only signed a new two-year contract with the Bianconeri in April, but Massimiliano Allegri’s departure from the Allianz Stadium dugout is set to see the club’s original summer transfer plans altered.

A new central defender remains a priority while further midfield reinforcements will be sought despite already securing a deal to sign Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer from Arsenal.

The Serie A champions are also keen to refresh their forward line, though they would need to sell to do so, and as such Mandzukic is seen as being dispensable.

The former Bayern Munich striker scored 10 goals and laid on seven assists in 33 appearances across all competitions in 2018-19, with a series of injuries meaning he missed a hefty chunk of the second half of the campaign.

The 33-year-old was still offered a new deal, but with Maurizio Sarri set to be confirmed as Allegri’s successor in the coming days, he is likely to fall further down the pecking order.

Chelsea boss Sarri has a strong relationship with Gonzalo Higuain having coached the Argentina international to a record-equalling season at Napoli in 2015-16, with his 36 Serie A goals earning him a big-money move to Juventus.

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It seemed as if his time in Turin was over, however, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival forcing Higuain out of the door to AC Milan in a season-long loan deal.

The ex-Real Madrid man struggled at San Siro, however, and in January reunited with Sarri at Stamford Bridge in the hope that he would rediscover his best form in front of goal.

That was not to be the case, with the 31-year-old scoring on just five occasions in 18 appearances for the Blues.

Sarri’s arrival at Juve, though, could offer him a reprieve should the former Empoli coach again turn to a player who played such a huge role in building his reputation at the top of Serie A.

That would likely mean bad news for Mandzukic, whose sale would fund moves for a younger striker to complement Ronaldo and Higuain, with Fiorentina’s Federico Chiesa among one of those to have been linked with the Scudetto winners.

Tata Martino is missing many of his top players ahead of the Gold Cup but still has plenty of options for Wednesday’s friendly in Atlanta

Update: Jimenez leads line in Martino’s XI to face Venezuela, Navarro gets first cap 

Mexico’s summer begins Wednesday night with Tata Martino coaching just his third match in charge of El Tri in a pre-Gold Cup friendly against Venezuela.

The game is taking place in Atlanta, where Martino used to coach. But he may not have had as much time to catch up with old friends as he would’ve hoped. Injuries and withdrawals have left Martino’s squad a bit thin.

Not at the Gold Cup at all? Because of withdrawal: Hector Herrera (preparing transfer), Jesus “Tecatito” Corona (dispute with Martino), Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (birth of child), Carlos Vela (focusing elsewhere) and Javier Aquino (reportedly rejected approaches).

Because of injury: Hirving Lozano (knee) and Miguel Layun (renal issue). Marco Fabian and Ivan Rodriguez are fighting to be fit for the tournament, but ankle injuries are likely to keep both off the final list and definitely have them ruled out of tonight’s game. While center back Carlos Salcedo is likely to make the Gold Cup list, he won’t play Wednesday as he continues to recover from a knee issue suffered in the Liguilla.

All that means it’s a bit of a headache for Martino to put together his starting lineup. As Goal does before each Mexico game, we’re taking a look at three lineups the manager could select.

Check back an hour before kick off for Martino’s starting XI and more coverage of the match on Goal. For now, the projections:

This seems the most likely option for Martino against Venezuela.

Let’s start at the very back. While Guillermo Ochoa is the No. 1 goalkeeper for the foreseeable future, Martino is likely to give a player like Jonathan Orozco a chance to get a some minutes and have a bit of rhythm in case he’s needed during the Gold Cup. 

In the midfield, Andres Guardado may not be ready to go after a long season with Real Betis, but if he’s healthy he would provide a nice counter-balance for Carlos Rodriguez. The Rayados midfielder is essentially filling Herrera’s spot, but he has just one cap in his career. Edson Alvarez, who last Gold Cup ended up playing as El Tri’s right back, can use the time in the midfield. Even though he’s playing there more and more often, the center back/right back/midfielder hybrid player can use time to get accustomed to the position.

That’s more than Leon right back Fernando Navarro, and it would be a deserved Mexico debut Wednesday after a superb Liga MX season. On the back line, Nestor Araujo and Diego Reyes could combine, though Hector Moreno may also slide in at the left center back spot. Martino started the Real Sociedad defender in the first friendly match he coached, and Moreno’s form only has improved since then.

Up front, Raul Jimenez is a lock to start during the Gold Cup. Martino might want to bubble-wrap the Wolves forward to guard against injury, but competitive play will be good for him. That’s even more true with Roberto Alvarado and Rodolfo Pizarro the most likely wing players. Neither is used to putting crosses into the box for a target forward. That’s fine though, as Jimenez showed during the Premier League season he’s far more than a lumbering No. 9. That said, building chemistry as a front three to start understanding what the other will do will help in the long term.

Martino may also consider using a formation that isn’t his preferred 4-3-3. With so many absences in the attack, it could be worth trying out a different formation. While it adds an attacker, paradoxically, it also could help Mexico ease its pain – at least for this game. 

Pizarro could play as a 10, but Luis Montes also could come into the starting lineup. The Leon midfielder had a great season and could be pushing for a roster spot as well. He’d still have some defensive responsibilities, but with Alvarez and Rodriguez behind him could largely focus on making things happen in front of him instead of drifting back.

Martino also could move Alvarado to the other side and push up Gallardo, who came up as a winger and still plays there often. That would bring Jorge Sanchez into the starting lineup for the second time in his young Mexico career.

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It probably doesn’t behoove Martino to use this XI, especially with the manager sweating potential injuries with a squad that is a sprained ankle or two away from being in a real spot of bother during the Gold Cup.

Still, it’s fun to think about what the lineup might look like when Martino prepares for the Gold Cup knockout matches. The center-back pairing of Moreno and Araujo gives El Tri two players who ended the year as starters for their La Liga clubs. Araujo often plays on the left, but the left-footed Moreno would be a better option there. A healthy Salcedo would change things, but with the Tigres defender still nursing an injury it’s unclear how much of a role he can handle.

Up front, Pizarro as a winger will be something the Monterrey player might have to get used to even if he would rather tuck inside. With so many absences out wide, he seems like the top option with Alvarado. The 20-year-old can play as an interior midfielder, but he’s done well in more attacking roles. The Gold Cup can give him a great chance to showcase that.

The Club America midfielder had to leave the match in the first half, leaving the manager with few options heading into the Gold Cup

Tata Martino rarely makes mistakes.  

You can see it in his record. At his previous, he won MLS Cup with Atlanta United. He’s three for three with Mexico after El Tri’s 3-1 victory over Venezuela on Wednesday.  

But sometimes the wiser a man, the more significant his errors. Martino has stepped in it with his choice to name only a 29-man provisional roster rather than the flush 40-man squad. 

Edson Alvarez limped off the field early in Wednesday’s victory, grabbing at the same knee that kept the Club America defender/midfielder from helping Las Agilas during the Liguilla. He tried to stay in the game but eventually made way in the 31st minute.  

Martino now doesn’t have tough cuts to make. He has no cuts to make at all. Alvarez will stay on the roster unless a quick diagnosis is made. Obviously, the hope is the 21-year-old will be fine. He’s a valuable part of the national team, playing at the 2018 World Cup as a right back but now profiling as the defensive midfielder of the future for Martino. The links with teams in the Netherlands and even in the Premier League or La Liga make sense. This is a star on the rise. 

“Apart from what Edson means for the team and for the way the team works, it makes me sad that he could be out after a friendly match and after all the effort he put in to be there,” Martino told Univision. “Training, double sessions with the trainers, because he had a lot of desire to be part of the team. Unfortunately, we’ve taken care of him a lot in every training, even participating in reduced spaces, after when he was playing a really good game an unfortunate play happens and he falls again. 

“We’re going to wait and see. Apart from the football, where it’s obvious he’s not the player you want to lose, it worries me or, better said, it makes me sad that with the effort he made may not be rewarded.” 

If he isn’t fit, though, it’s a simple math problem. 

From the 29-man squad, Hirving Lozano and Miguel Layun were ruled out before the first flight. That makes 27. Marco Fabian and Ivan Rodriguez are unlikely to recover from ankle injuries in time for the tournament. That takes it down to 25. Mexico currently is carrying four goalkeepers. Cut one of them and you’re at 24. Alvarez, or anyone else, getting injured brings you to the 23-man max allowed at the competition. 

The manager did have his logic for calling up a limited group rather than filling out his squad.  

“If we included all the players who are out on the list, surely we would’ve gotten close to 40,” Martino said Tuesday in a pre-match news conference. “If we consider that those players could have been part of the 40 and we’d given the list of 40 like that, we would have run the risk of putting a player on the list that could be the 50th, and I don’t like to generate expectations in a player who normally has just a small chance of coming.  

“Today, including having made the decision we made with Diego Lainez and Jose Juan Macias, who played at the U-20 World Cup, and all the players who went to the U-22, I think it was the exact quantity of players we had to bring in because even with problems we still have, we’re covered in case Ivan or Marco can’t be there. Today, if we don’t have any inconveniences, we wouldn’t have to ask for any permission.”  

But that’s the whole point of the provisional roster.   

Martino was frustrated at the lack of communication from Jesus “Tecatito” Corona in March. The player was called in, then Martino heard from someone else that he wouldn’t be there. The manager is right to be bothered, even upset at the situation. But why can’t he open the same lines of communication.  

Is a player like Omar Govea or Jonathan Gonzalez not able to hear from Martino that the coach has him on the provisional roster but considers him to be a long shot for the Gold Cup? Are Victor Guzman or Isaac Brizuela not mature enough to be told they’re on the cusp but ultimately not in Martino’s plans? Heck, could he not have tossed Giovani dos Santos on the list, making clear to the player he would be called upon only in an absolute emergency? Gio at the Gold Cup may seem crazy, but having an “In case of emergency break glass here for warm-bodied attacker” wouldn’t be the worst option.  

Managers of every other Gold Cup team save Cuba have been having the same conversations with their fringe players. Why would it be any different for someone who has managed egos as large as the ones present at Barcelona?  

The victory Wednesday at least will help alleviate some of the worries heading into the tournament. El Tri now has beaten three quality South American teams in 2019. With Peru topping Costa Rica 1-0 Wednesday and Honduras drawing with a Paraguay team Mexico beat, the results show Mexico still should be the favorite to lift the Gold Cup. 

“Honestly, it helps us a lot, most of all with our confidence,” said Rodolfo Pizarro, who scored Mexico’s second goal. “We know that a lot of important players, unfortunately, have had to leave the national team because of decisions. Those who are here are here, and we have to give everything for the national team.” 

Martino may get a break with Alvarez being fit for the tournament. He may be able to lead Mexico to the Gold Cup title even with a shorthanded squad. If the results keep coming, we won’t remember who was on the provisional or that there seemed to be a depth crisis before the tournament.  

Yet, the veteran manager seems to have made a rookie mistake. He took an unnecessary risk in not putting more names on his list. It’s a risk that didn’t pay off. 

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The Portugal boss hopes his star can fire the side to Nations League glory on Sunday and expects to have him around for some time

Cristiano Ronaldo can continue playing at an elite level for club and country for at least three or four more years, according to Portugal head coach Fernando Santos.

Portugal face the Netherlands in Sunday’s Nations League final in Porto thanks to their star forward’s stunning hat-trick that secured a 3-1 triumph over Switzerland in midweek.

It moved the 34-year-old on to 88 international goals and Santos, who led his country to glory at Euro 2016, expects Ronaldo to still be serving his country with distinction by the time the 2022 World Cup in Qatar rolls around.

“I am not surprised at how he has played,” Santos, who coached the former Manchester United and Real Madrid favourite when his career was in its infancy at Sporting CP, told a pre-match news conference.

“I was surprised he was a great player at Sporting when he was 19 and when he went to Manchester United, I lost him. But from that moment I could see his special qualities.

“He has proved from that moment that he has special qualities. He has proved himself on and off the pitch and he can continue to play at the top level for another three or four years.

“He is very fit. He trains to the limit. It is not normal to reach these performances, but I think he will continue for a while.

“He is the captain. He is a hugely important player. I think he will continue to give people joy at club and international level.”

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Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio spoke in similarly glowing terms and relishes pitting his wits against Ronaldo when the two long-serving internationals get together on Portugal duty.

Patricio, who will become the most capped goalkeeper in his country’s history if he makes an 81st appearance as expected at Estadio do Dragao, said: “For us as athletes, we want to train, we want to face the best in the world and that is what we work towards every day so we can compete and improve.

“To have the opportunity of working with Cristiano across the board in training, he is a fantastic professional that gives us a reason to be proud and we learn a lot.

“We are also lucky to share the dressing room with him and work alongside him. For any player or coach, it gives a reason to be proud.”

Another stalwart of the Santos era, veteran defender Pepe, will be absent from the final after fracturing his right shoulder during the second-half against Switzerland.

Jose Fonte is expected to partner Ruben Dias at centre-back in his absence, having replaced Pepe in midweek.

The Mexico international has revealed how a check-up showed he had a cancerous tumour that has now been removed by surgeons.

Mexico defender Miguel Layun had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour and has been given the all-clear, he has announced.

The 30-year-old, who joined Monterrey from Spanish club Villarreal in January, had a brief spell in England with Watford earlier in his career before moving to La Liga via a stint with Porto.

He revealed that a routine check-up showed he had cancer but that it was caught at a stage where it could be removed by doctors.

In a video interview released by Monterrey, Layun said: “My wife and I decided to have a general health check and there was a small surprise that neither my wife nor I had imagined.

“The first thing that I was told was that they had found a complex cyst.”

He added: “The question began to arise that it wasn’t a cyst and was a tumour, but when you mention the word tumour and that it could be cancer, you see it in a different way.

“It was a malignant tumour – we were talking about cancer – and in the end the entire tumour had to be removed.

“Thank God I can say that I had cancer, but it is already cured.”

Layun, who is sitting out the Gold Cup because of his treatment, said he went for a final check on Friday and was told the cancer had been completely removed.

“So now it’s just a case of checking that it does not come back,” said Layun, who initially was said to have been suffering from a kidney infection.

Layun began his career at Veracruz in Mexico before going on to play for Atalanta, Club America, Watford, Porto, Sevilla and Villarreal before joining Monterrey.

He played for Mexico in the 2014 and 2018 World Cup finals and won the Gold Cup in 2015.

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The Red Devils are set for a transfer market overhaul, but their former star says they should ignore proven names and target the next generation

Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United to resist the temptation to target world superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale because he fears it could prove a huge waste of money.

The Red Devils are in the early stages of a new era under the leadership of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and have been linked with a host of established top-tier players.

They are eager to rival neighbours Manchester City, who have pulled away to become the leading side in the Premier League, while United failed even to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

And with arch-rivals Liverpool becoming European champions only last week, United are longing to bring back their own glory days and improve substantially on their sixth-place finish in the top flight in 2018-19.

Record scorer Rooney says his old club should be patient, however, and build for long-term success at home and in Europe rather than plot a quick and expensive fix.

Speaking on BBC Five Live’s Sportsweek show, Rooney said: “For Ole, the first thing he’s got to do is try and build the squad. I don’t think bringing one or two players in for over £100million is going to really help with the squad and with the players who are there.

“I think he needs to try and look at maybe five or six players who have got potential to be top players but you’re not spending £120-130m on these players.

“I think you’re spending £30-40m and then you’re trying to improve them, which will also give you longevity out of the players and allow you to build a squad around the five or six new players who come in plus a few of the players who are still there.

“You could bring three players in – you could bring in Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and [Lionel] Messi, or Gareth Bale for instance – and it’s going to cost you £300-350m.

“You’d get maybe two years out of Ronaldo, a couple of years out of Ramos and then you’ve written that money off.

“The club needs to rebuild with younger players. But obviously they need to be good enough and allow the managers to improve them.”

Wales winger Daniel James is set to join from Swansea City after the clubs agreed a deal, with the 21-year-old a player United hope will blossom at Old Trafford.

Rooney, now at DC United, added: “I think the Man United fans will understand they’re probably not going to compete for the Premier League next year.

“So, let them have that time, let Ole have that time to build a team for the next two or three years who are going to compete not only at Premier League level but at Champions League level.”

The Dutchman has a word of warning for Chelsea boss in-waiting Frank Lampard, and says his backroom appointments could be crucial

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit believes Frank Lampard possesses all the attributes to be a managerial success at former club Chelsea, providing he doesn’t surround himself with faces that are too familiar.

The current Derby County boss and former Blues midfielder is widely tipped to take over from Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge if the Italian agrees terms to become the new manager of Juventus.

In the event of Sarri’s departure, the ex-West Ham and England man is believed to be Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s number one candidate to take the hot seat.

But Gullit has warned the 40-year-old will need the right kind of people alongside him in the dugout if he is to replicate the kind of success he enjoyed as a player in West London between 2001 and 2014.

Lampard remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, and would be a hugely popular appointment both behind the scenes and in the stands at Stamford Bridge.

Gullit, however, knows a thing or two about taking on the job with little experience in the bank. With his coaching career in its infancy, the former Newcastle United and Feyenoord boss stepped up to become Chelsea’s player-manager when Glenn Hoddle left in 1996.

And with Lampard recently coming to the end of his very first season in management, where he steered Derby to the Championship play-off final, Gullit believes recruiting the right kind of helping hands could be a key factor. 

“He must not make the mistake to get friends there,” he told Sky Sports.

“He has to make sure he gets some people there who have experience in managing and coaching teams.

“(Lampard) has done nothing yet as a coach.

“Chelsea gave me this opportunity as well and we won a lot, so that (inexperience) has nothing to do with it.

“I think it’s important for Chelsea that they have someone in charge they can relate to. I hope also they can get the right people around him who can help him.

“That will be the best thing for him.”

Roberto Di Matteo, another former Chelsea boss, also thinks Lampard would be a good fit at the club, and has dismissed suggestions that the job is too big for someone with minimal experience.

The Italian insists Lampard is “definitely the right man” for the role.

“I followed Derby last year and his team plays very good footbal,” he said. “He’s got all the experience in the world. 

“It’s a great fit. Whether it’s right now or not, only time can tell that.

“You can say it is too early but you have to give people a chance.

“Frank has got all the tools and I think he will make a lot of people happy if he was the next manager.”

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