Casemiro left out of Real Madrid squad as Man Utd close in on transfer

Yann Sommer seemed to sum up the giddy excitement around Joao Felix being handed a full international debut when the sight of the Portugal youngster scampering towards him, inside the first 30 seconds at Estadio do Dragao, caused the Switzerland goalkeeper to fall over.

Danger was averted on that occasion in the first semi-final of the inaugural Nations League Finals, but this was a match that never fully seemed to regain its balance until the mercurial Cristiano Ronaldo stood the whole thing on its head, inspired a 3-1 win and walked off with the match ball.

Of course, all eyes were on him once more – that s just the 88 international goals and 53 career hat-tricks – even if that was not entirely the case at kick-off.

Joao Felix moves with a lightness across …

Italian newspaper that Inter are set to launch an assault on Anzhi striker Samuel Eto o.

Following what has been a pretty disappointing season, club owner Massimo Moratti is looking to sign a world-class player who would provide a huge boost to the squad.

He has been looking at a number of players, but it appears that Inter will make a move on former player Samuel Eto o.

The Cameroon international left the Nerazzurri to sign a lucrative deal with the Russian club in the summer of 2011, but it appears as though he is not too keen on staying at Anzhi.

Eto o plans to live in Milan in the future, and a return to his former club in the summer is definitely an option.

The 32-year-old has just over a year left on his deal with Anzhi, meaning the Nerazz…

Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues has revealed that the club have rejected an offer from Spanish champions FC Barcelona for Brazil international ace Neymar ahead of the summer transfer window, .

Neymar, 21, is expected to stay at the Estádio Vila Belmiro until at least the 2014 World Cup.

A number of Europe s top clubs have been linked with the Brazilian sensation, including the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, but Barca are viewed as one of the favourites to land the two-time South American Footballer of the Year (2011, 2012).

There is no agreement for Neymar, there are talks, I met [Barcelona s president Sandro] Rosell and [Barcelona s sporting director] Raul Sanllehi last week…

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag should drop Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford for Monday s game with rivals Liverpool, according to Wayne Rooney.

United have made a slow start to life under Ten Hag, losing their first two games of the Premier League season, including a 4-0 humiliation at Brentford last weekend.

Much of the attention around the difficulties at Old Trafford has focused on Ronaldo, who reportedly wants to leave the club in search of Champions League football.

In his column for The Sunday Times, United s all-time top goalscorer Rooney expressed his belief that his former team-mate Ronaldo should be left out of the side, having previously said he thinks the club should agree to sell the Portugal international.

The first priority i…

Jurgen Klopp is hoping to change the way the Club World Cup is viewed in Europe by leading Liverpool to victory over Flamengo in Saturday s final.

The Champions League holders beat Monterrey 2-1 on Wednesday through a late goal from substitute Roberto Firmino to set up a meeting with Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo.

Liverpool prioritised the semi-final with Monterrey over their EFL Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa the day before, which saw an inexperienced Reds side the youngest in their history thrashed 5-0.

Speaking ahead of the Club World Cup final, Klopp pointed out that Liverpool s preparations have been markedly different to Flamengo s due to a fixture pile-up.

The situation is different for us as it is for Flamengo, he said at Friday s pre…

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi dismissed reports the club have already signed Thomas Tuchel as their next coach after a 7-1 win over Monaco secured them the Ligue 1 title.

PSG were in ruthless form on Sunday, as they obliterated the defending champions to regain the title in style.

Unai Emery s men were 4-1 up by half-time thanks to two goals from Giovani Lo Celso and one apiece from Edinson Cavani and Angel Di Maria.

Things only got worse for Monaco after half-time, as Di Maria got another before Radamel Falcao s own goal and Julian Draxler s late strike rounded off an astonishing win.

Although PSG could yet finish the season with a domestic treble, Emery is widely expected to leave the club when his contract ends in June with Tuchel sa…

Former Argentina and Barcelona coach Cesar Luis Menotti believes Lionel Messi will reverse his decision to retire from international football.

Argentina were beaten on penalties by Chile in the final of the Copa America Centenario in the United States last month – Messi tasting defeat in the decider for the fourth time with his country.

Following the match at MetLife Stadium the Barca superstar announced he would not return to the national team, but Menotti is confident he will reconsider.

It s very difficult to give an opinion as Messi said what he said, Argentina s 1978 World Cup-winning coach told Sport.

There comes a time when the motivation to be in the national team is lost, for thousands of reasons I cannot explain.

You would have to d…

Young Arsenal midfielder Kelechi Nwakali has signed a season-long loan deal to join Eerste Divisie side MVV after being granted a work permit.

The 18-year-old, who was part of the Nigeria side that won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile in 2015, signed for Arsenal from the Diamond Football Academy in Nigeria earlier this year.

Nwakali, who won the Player of the Tournament award at the Under-17 World Cup, will have an Arsenal team-mate at MVV, as Stefan O Connor is also on loan with the Dutch outfit.

Arsenal confirmed his exit on Friday and wished the player well for the campaign.

Good luck, Kelechi

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal)

…

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed Pepe Reina will have a medical on Tuesday as he edges closer to a return to the Serie A club.

Reina joined Bayern Munich last August but has only played three games for the German champions  serving as back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the most part.

The Spaniard s lack of action has prompted speculation over his future, with former club Napoli  for whom he made 43 appearances on loan from Liverpool in 2013-14 seemingly in pole position to secure his signature.

Pepe has an appointment with us, we will see him tomorrow in Rome for the medical and then if all goes well he will sign the contract, De Laurentiis confirmed to Radio Kiss Kiss.

Meanwhile, the Napoli owner has backed ne…

West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has admitted that the club may find it difficult to keep hold of on-loan midfielder Alex Song, .

The 27 year old moved to Upton Park on a season-long deal back in August, and he has appeared in the last four league games under manager Sam Allardyce.

However, Liverpool have already expressed an interest in taking the Cameroon international at the end of the season and Sullivan knows that the Hammers simply can’t compete financially.

Song spent seven seasons with Arsenal before securing a big money move to Barcelona, though he failed to make a real impact with the Catalan club.

He was part of the squad that won La Liga in 2012/13, though he started less than half of their league games that season, scoring hi…