Klopp: Top French players too expensive for Liverpool

Real Madrid are interested in signing Ivan Toney from Brentford, according to . The report has claimed that former La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners Madrid are keeping tabs on the England international striker.

Madrid, though, will face competition for the England international striker, who is serving a ban at the moment and will be available to play from January 2024. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing the striker to the Emirates Stadium in the middle of the season. Chelsea are also interested in Toney

Toney has made 68 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career. The striker has scored 32 goals and given nine assists in those games. Brentford are 12th in the Premier League table at the moment with 19 points from 17 matches. Meanwhile, …

Mauro Icardi and Radja Nainggolan are not part of Inter s project for next season, says the club s chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.

Icardi was stripped of the club s captaincy last season and subsequently left out by then head coach Luciano Spalletti, although he returned to action before the end of the season.

Spalletti has been replaced by Antonio Conte and Icardi, who has been linked with clubs including Serie A champions Juventus, has indicated he wants to stay.

Nainggolan, meanwhile, struggled to make an impact in an injury-affected first season with the Nerazzurri after he joined from Serie A rivals Roma.

And Marotta has confirmed both Icardi and Nainggolan will be allowed to leave the club.

They are not part of our plans, he told Sky Spor…

Manchester City reportedly believe they lead the race for Lionel Messi if the star leaves Barcelona.

Messi, 33, is out of contract at Barca at the end of the season and is linked with a move from the LaLiga giants.

The forward stayed at Camp Nou after sensationally requesting a transfer ahead of 2020-21, but it may have just delayed his exit.

TOP STORY – MAN CITY LEAD MESSI RACE IF STAR LEAVES

Manchester City believe they lead the race for Messi if he leaves Barcelona, according to The Telegraph.

Manchester City on alert for Lionel Messi as Barcelona presidential candidate says star forward likely to leave this summer /

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball)

City, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter have been most strongl…

Market: Villarreal win

Odds: 1/2 @

Looking to make it four La Liga victories on the spin this weekend, Villarreal will welcome Real Valladolid to the Estadio de la Ceramica on Saturday lunchtime.

Starting with the hosts, claiming what was a stunning 3-2 victory away at Real Madrid last weekend, Villarreal are enjoying what has been a real domestic purple patch. While Quique Setien’s men might have come under real scrutiny for their European collapse at the hands of Anderlecht last month, the one-time Barcelona boss has seen his side come roaring back in some style. Likewise, marking their return from the international break on April 2nd with another stellar display as they picked up a 2-0 win at home against Real Sociedad, the Yellow Submarine have won each of…

Debutants Cape Verde made history when they came from a goal down to beat Angola 2-1 on Sunday in their last Group A fixture.

Cape Verde were trailing the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations hosts in the first half due to a Nando Neves own goal, but late strikes from Toni Varela and substitute Heldon Ramos ensured the minnows progressed to the knockout stages for the first time in their football history.

The Blue Sharks had hosts South Africa to thank for drawing 2-2 with Morocco in the other group fixture.

The debutants conceded in the first half when captain Neves slotted in an own goal. He will never forget this game for being a bittersweet moment as he deflected a teasing low cross from Djalma towards Amaro, who mounted pressure on the guardsman on the left, and even…

France midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia looks set to join Monaco, after Sevilla confirmed they had terminated his contract.

A statement on Sevilla s website revealed the 20-year-old failed to report for training on Tuesday, and he has said another club is willing to pay his €20 million release clause.

It has been widely reported that the club in question is Monaco, with the big-spending Ligue 1 outfit having already splashed the cash to lure Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho.

French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is already history at Sevilla FC, the Spanish side said.

Kondogbia played 31 La Liga games for Sevilla last season after switching from French club Lens.

Monaco s spending has prompted complaints from their Ligue 1 rivals in recent mo…

Manchester United winger Memphis Depay is being heavily linked with a move to Everton

I have to say when Dutch youngster Memphis Depay rocked up at Manchester United in the summer of 2015 I was expecting big things. The season prior to his big-money move to Old Trafford Depay was hot property at PSV Eindhoven.

The youngster had helped PSV to the Eredivisie title and was seen as one of the most exciting young players in world football. The move to a richer club in a bigger league was not surprising.

To say he has been a flop at United would not be harsh. His failure could be down to many factors.

It could be a lack of playing time, the step-up into a tougher league or a lack of determination on his part to succeed. Whatever the reasons for his failure at …

Verdict: Both teams to score – yes

Odds:

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The Netherlands begin their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a difficult trip to face Sweden, looking to avoid another embarrassing qualification cycle. Sweden are at the beginning of a new chapter without head coach Eric Hamren and the host of first-team players led by the most prominent of them all – Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Sweden

Only one point in three group games at the 2016 European Championship finals in France was considered a disappointing result for the Swedish national team this summer. Swedish kicked of the Euro 2016 campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Ireland, but succumbed to consecutive 1-0 defeats to Italy and Belgium to conclude their ‘group of death’ per…

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has paid tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II following her death aged 96, with a minute s silence held across the body s competition matches on Thursday.

Britain s longest-reigning monarch passed away at her home in Balmoral, just months on from her Platinum Jubilee.

News broke amid Arsenal s early Europa League kick-off against Zurich, with the Gunners returning to the field for the second half in black armbands and a minute s silence held before play resumed.

Manchester United and West Ham s subsequent European commitments were prefaced by a minute of silence and tributes to the Queen too, and Ceferin offered his condolences.

UEFA and European football are truly saddened by the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth…

Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid s next two games, but could return for the derby with Atletico Madrid, according to Carlo Ancelotti.

Benzema came off with a knee injury during Madrid s 3-0 win at Celtic in the opening group game of the Champions League on Tuesday, and it had been feared he would miss a significant period as a result.

However, Ancelotti appeared to allay those fears at a press conference on Saturday ahead of Los Blancos game with Real Mallorca, saying the France international might even be back in just over a week.

After Mallorca, Madrid host RB Leipzig in the Champions League before making the short trip to face rivals Atletico next Sunday.

We will not force Benzema, Madrid coach Ancelotti said. He will certainly not play agai…