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The summer transfer window is into its final week for the major European leagues, which means the biggest clubs are looking to make a splash in the market while they still can. Check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.

TOP STORY: Ronaldo agrees deal to join Man City

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Manchester City over a sensational transfer from Juventus to the Premier League champions, according to AS.

The Spanish sports daily reports that Ronaldo has struck a deal with City, who have offered him a two-year contract with a salary of €15 million per season, about half of what he earns Turin.

Sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson that City have not dismissed the possibility of signing Ronaldo after Harry Kane committed his immediate future to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio reported on Tuesday that Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, had flown in to settle Ronaldo’s future, with the Portugal captain wanting to move and Juventus willing to let him go.

However, no deal has yet been struck between City and Juventus, who are seeking a €25 transfer fee for the 36-year-old and would be interested in signing City forward Gabriel Jesus, but City do not want to pay a transfer fee or let their Brazil international leave this summer.

Last week, Ronaldo lashed out over the transfer rumours regarding his future, accusing people of being “disrespectful” yet stopping short of committing his future to Juventus. The ex-Manchester United man has been also linked with a return to Real Madrid as well as a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

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– Laurens: Is PSG’s Mbappe set for a summer move to Real Madrid?

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14.19 BST: Barcelona are still pursuing the option of signing another forward before the transfer window closes, various sources have told ESPN’s Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden.

Due to Barca’s precarious financial situation, sources admit it will be “complicated” to get a deal over the line but the club are assessing their options.

Coach Ronald Koeman has said publicly he wants another attacker. Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero have already arrived this summer but Lionel Messi left for Paris Saint Germain. Barca also have Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite, Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati. However, Aguero, Dembele and Ansu are all currently out with injuries.

Ansu is expected back in September but Barca don’t want to put too much pressure on the 18-year-old after nine months out with a knee problem. Therefore, the club’s recruitment team are looking at cheaper options or players available on loan, which hugely reduces the amount of players available to them.

Barca’s cash crisis, couple with LaLiga’s spending limits, has complicated the registration of their new signings with the league this summer. However, Gerard Pique’s pay cut allowed them to register Memphis and Eric Garcia, while reductions for Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba should allow them to register Aguero and any other potential arrivals this week.

13.53 BST: Serie A champions Inter Milan have signed Argentina international forward Joaquin Correa from Lazio.

Correa has signed a four-year contract with the Nerazzurri, who have brought him in on an initial loan deal with an obligation to make to transfer permanent.

The 27-year-old, who scroed 22 goals in three seasons at Lazio, was part of the Argentina squad that won the Copa America in the summer.

13.33 BST: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has ruled out striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving the club this summer.

Sources have told ESPN’s James Olley that the Gunners are seeking to offload several members of their squad after spending more than £130m on new signings, and there had been speculation that the club were willing to listen to offers for their leading striker.

Aubameyang scored a hat-trick on Wednesday as Arsenal thrashed West Brom 6-0 in their Carabao Cup second-round tie at The Hawthorns (stream the replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.) on the same day Manchester City’s pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane collapsed.

Sources have told ESPN that City are still in the market for a striker, but when asked at a news conference on Thursday whether he was concerned they could move for Aubameyang, Arteta replied: “I don’t know. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is our player and he will remain here.”

12.58 BST: Harry Kane is reportedly “angry” with Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy for refusing to negotiate with Manchester City over a potential transfer, and is now seeking a bigger contract with a release clause from the club.

Kane confirmed in a social media post on Tuesday that he is staying at Spurs “this summer” despite the striker telling them he wanted to leave and the Premier League champions preparing a bid for the England captain. The 28-year-old’s announcement brought to an end a saga which began with the striker believing he had a verbal agreement with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he would be allowed to leave if a suitable bid was received.

Tottenham valued Kane in excess of £150m and were hugely reluctant to enter into negotiations given the striker had three years left on his £200,000-a-week contract and is of central importance to the team. Sources told ESPN’s James Olley and Rob Dawson that City were willing to offer £100m and potentially include players as part of any deal, although sources at both clubs denied a formal offer was ever made.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Kane is “angry” and “deeply upset” with Levy for not allowing the two clubs to negotiate over a potential transfer. The Times, meanwhile, claims that he now wants improved terms on his contract — which expires in 2024 — worth £400,000-a-week and with a release clause inserted.

12.24 BST: Chelsea are hopeful of completing a deal worth in the region of €50m for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde as defender Kurt Zouma closes on a move to West Ham United from Stamford Bridge, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

Talks with Sevilla over Kounde have been ongoing for some time but Chelsea needed to offload a centre-back first before pushing ahead with a move. West Ham agreed a €29.2m (£25m) fee for Zouma earlier this month but personal terms were an issue with the 26-year-old reluctant to leave Stamford Bridge.

Zouma has two years left on his Chelsea contract and has turned down moves in previous years to fight for his place at the club. He was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s lineup for their opening two Premier League games but did start their UEFA Super Cup win over Villarreal.

Sources told ESPN another stumbling block came as Zouma asked for a wage in the region of £120,000-a-week — around double what he currently earns at Chelsea — to even consider moving to West Ham.

However, negotiations have progressed positively and Zouma underwent a medical on Thursday as all parties near an agreement. The deal is not yet finalised but Chelsea are optimistic that Zouma will depart, allowing them to press ahead with their pursuit of Kounde before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

11.41 BST: Donny van de Beek should consider leaving Old Trafford, according to former Manchester star Dimitar Berbatov.

Van de Beek signed for United from Ajax in a £35m transfer last September after being linked with several of Europe’s top clubs, but has started just four Premier League games since arriving at Old Trafford.

The Times reported this week that the 24-year-old’s representatives have been approached by clubs during the summer transfer window, but Van de Beek is not willing to consider any offers as he remains committed to succeeding at United. However, Berbatov believes the Netherlands international needs to move to revive his career.

“I don’t think we’re going to see any more playing time from Donny van de Beek,” Berbatov told Betfair. “It’s a really strange, disappointing and surprising situation. They spent around £35m on him and, to pay that for a player who isn’t starting many games, doesn’t make sense. I’m not blaming the player at all, but for me it’s one of the most disappointing transfers ever.

“He has got a lot of quality. I don’t like it when clubs buy for the sake of buying and this is one of those situations. I’m sure he’s banging on the manager’s door and asking questions.

“I think if he’s not happy, Van de Beek should push to leave. His place in the national team is at risk, especially now with Louis van Gaal in charge. Van Gaal is a disciplinarian who like his players to play football.”

10.56 BST: Barcelona and Ousmane Dembele are close to reaching an agreement over a new contract, according to the Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

The report says there has been a breakthrough in talks with Dembele’s camp and that Barca will focus on closing the deal once the transfer window closes next week.

Dembele, 24, is sidelined until November with a knee injury picked up at Euro 2020 while playing for France. Prior to that, talks over a contract extension had been at a standstill.

Barca believed the forward wanted to run his deal down and leave for free next summer, when his current terms expire, pocketing a huge signing on fee in the process.

However, his latest injury setback has cooled any real interest from elsewhere for now and Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain has increased Barca’s need to keep their best attackers at Camp Nou.

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10.13 BST: Former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere has admitted he is seriously considering retiring at the age of 29 if he is unable to find a new club.

Wilshere made almost 200 first-team appearances for the Gunners during his decade at the club, but a succession of injuries hampered his career.

He joined West Ham in 2018 and spent two-and-a-half seasons there before ending last season with a six-month spell at Championship club Bournemouth.

Wilshere remains a free agent and says he may hang up his boots before his 30th birthday on Jan. 1 next year.

“Yeah, that does cross my mind quite a lot,” he told The Athletic.” “When you’re at a club and training every day, you wake up and if you’re not in a team, or even if you are in the team, you think, ‘Right, I’ve got to train well today. I need to show the manager I’m ready for the weekend’. I don’t have that.

“So I’m waking up in the mornings at the moment and I’m thinking, ‘Right, I need to go and train somewhere’. Normally it’s on my own… OK, I’ve been training with a club in pre-season but that’s finished now. I’m back to waking up, training on my own and finding that motivation. And the question I keep asking myself at the moment is: What am I doing it for?

“When I left West Ham and I was trying to find somewhere I thought, ‘Right, it’s going to come, it’s going to come’. But it’s not coming at the minute. And so now I’m waking up thinking, ‘I need to train today, but why do I need to train today?’ I want to find a club but is it going to happen?”

09.27 BST: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is likely to leave the Premier League champions when his contract expires in 2023 as he wants to take a break before venturing into international football, he said on Wednesday.

Guardiola signed a new deal at City in November 2020, and said it will likely be his last before leaving the Premier League side.

“The next step will be a national team, if there is a possibility,” Guardiola was quoted by Spanish daily Marca. “After seven years at this club, I think I’m going to have a break. I will need to rest after being somewhere so many years and also stop to evaluate what we’ve done and to try to learn from other coaches.

“If, during this process of stopping, there is a chance to coach a national team then I think I’d like that. I’d like to coach at a European Championship or Copa America or World Cup. I’d like to experience that.”

08.44 BST: Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo said that Kylian Mbappe wants to leave the club and confirmed the French giants turned down an offer from Real Madrid for the France international.

Sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez on Tuesday that Madrid saw their €160m offer to sign the 22-year-old rejected, but were hopeful of agreeing to a deal before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31.

“Kylian Mbappe wants to leave, that seems clear,” Leonardo told French outlet RMC on Wednesday. “If he wants to leave, we are not going to keep him, but it will be done under our conditions.

“We have spoken a lot with Kylian and he always tells us the same thing. Kylian has always promised us that he would never leave the club on a free transfer.”

Mbappe has a year left on his PSG contract and has refused multiple offers of a renewal, meaning the Ligue 1 club risk losing him on a free transfer in June 2022.

08.00 BST: Manchester United will not be able to firm up their interest in either Eduardo Camavinga or Saul Niguez until they raise funds through letting some players move on, sources have told ESPN.

Rennes are open to cashing in on Camavinga, who has a year left on his contract, in the final week of the transfer window. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have told Saul he can leave if they receive a suitable offer, and Chelsea are in talks with the LaLiga champions over a season-long loan with an option to sign a permanent deal for the midfielder.

Both remain of interest to United — who have prioritised midfield reinforcements over a right-back ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline — but any move is set to depend on players leaving Old Trafford, something club bosses believe is increasingly unlikely as the window draws to a close.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)

– There is a chance Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo could be reunited with Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore, according to AS. The Portuguese boss made the move from Molineux to North London, where he is already teaming up with former Wolves man Matt Doherty again. However, the issue is in the type of deal they’re looking at, as Spurs want a loan with an obligation to sign the 25-year-old for €46m.

FC Porto and Mexico winger Jesus “Tecatito” Corona is still an option for AC Milan, reports Calciomercato. The move remains complicated, though — partly due to the Portuguese giants’ asking price. Sevilla FC were also previously rumoured to be interested in Corona. If Milan are unable to close the deal, Brest star Romain Faivre could be the man to join the Italian side.

West Ham United are working to sign Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma, but the move is proving complicated and problematic, as has been reported by Sky Sports. Personal terms and the structure of payment have been the biggest causes of resistance, with the clubs negotiating a fee in the region of £25m.

Domenico Berardi wants to make a move to Atalanta, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport. Sassuolo are keen to keep the winger, but having seen Manuel Locatelli join Juventus after featuring in the Italy side that won Euro 2020, Berardi is also looking for a new challenge.

– AC Milan are hoping to sign Bordeaux midfielder Yacine Adli, according to Calciomercato. They are hoping to bring the Frenchman in for below €10m, while the Ligue 1 side want €15m. Even though they’re looking for a cheaper deal, Milan feel the 21-year-old is someone who can be invested in for the future.

– Wolves are seemingly on the lookout for a centre-back, with Sky Sports reporting that they are hoping to bring in Marseille‘s Duje Caleta-Car for a fee in the region of £17m. Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that they also have an eye on Lille‘s Sven Botman, while the Dutchman is also being considered by Sevilla.

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Horns’ Ewers leads ‘new era’ of college football

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Horns' Ewers leads 'new era' of college football

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that quarterback Quinn Ewers, with the emergence of name, image and likeness and the transfer portal, has become the face of this “new era of college football.”

Ewers initially committed to Texas, but he then opted to skip his senior year of high school and reclassify to the 2021 recruiting class before enrolling a year early and joining Ohio State during preseason practice.

Still the nation’s No. 1 ranked overall prospect, Ewers landed one of the first marquee NIL deals worth $1.4 million.

Ewers, who lasted one season with the Buckeyes before transferring to Texas, will square off against Ohio State on Friday night in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl with a trip to the College Football Playoff national championship on the line.

“It’s not been an easy journey for him,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “There’s been ups, there’s been downs, there’s been injuries, there’s been great moments, there’s been tough moments. … But at the end of the day, he’s always stayed true to who he is. The guy’s been a steady sea for us.”

Ewers has been making college football headlines since Ohio State offered him a scholarship when he was just in middle school. This week, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day recalled meeting Ewers for the first time when he was an eighth-grader visiting a Buckeyes football camp.

“He was a boy at the time really, who just had a tremendous release,” Day recalled. “And I remember grabbing him and grabbing his dad and said, ‘Man, you got a bright future ahead of you. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but we’re going to offer you a scholarship to Ohio State.'”

C.J. Stroud, who has since led the Houston Texans to the NFL playoffs, emerged as a star quarterback for the Buckeyes then, prompting Ewers to transfer to Texas.

“Boy, it was strange how it all shook out,” Day said. “He decided he really wanted to play. And it was disappointing for us, but we certainly understood. From afar I’ve watched him. He’s a really good player. He comes from a great family, and he’s had a great career at Texas and a lot of people here still have good relationships with him and think the world of him.”

At Texas, Ewers has started in 27 wins and led the Longhorns to back-to-back playoff appearances. This season, he has thrown for 3,189 yards and 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Ewers noted that the “coolest part” of the NIL era is being able to provide for his parents. He has even hired his mom, making her CFO of his finances while giving her a salary.

“Which is nice just because all the effort and work they put into me growing up,” he said. “I mean, when we were living in South Texas, they both quit their jobs and moved up to Southlake [to support Ewers’ budding athletic career].”

Whatever happens in the playoff — whether it be a loss Friday or a national championship victory against the winner of Notre DamePenn State on Jan. 20 — Ewers’ career at Texas figures to be coming to a close.

Though Ewers still has one season of eligibility remaining, blue-chip quarterback prospect Arch Manning appears primed to finally take over in Austin next season.

Manning, the nephew of NFL quarterback greats Peyton and Eli Manning, who could become the No. 1 overall prospect for the 2026 NFL draft, has backed up Ewers for two seasons waiting for his opportunity. Sarkisian even momentarily benched Ewers in favor of Manning during Texas’ 30-15 loss to Georgia on Oct. 19.

Still, Ewers figures to have options.

ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks him as the No. 6 quarterback prospect eligible for the upcoming draft. Rumors have also emerged recently that Ewers could put off the NFL for another year and transfer to a third school for millions more in NIL money.

Amid those distractions, Ewers has thrived in the playoff bouncing back from oblique and ankle injuries from earlier in the year to complete 69% of his passes with four touchdowns in Texas’ two victories.

In the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Ewers tossed 29- and 25-yard touchdown passes in the overtimes, lifting Texas to the 39-31 win over Arizona State.

“I’ve just been proud of him,” Sarkisian said, “because he’s found a source for him that has been a motivating factor, where he can play free and play loose and play confident.”

Ewers added that, whatever the future holds, even contemplating it now would be “selfish,” with a national title still in reach for him and the Longhorns.

“I owe my teammates the best version of me right now,” he said. “I can’t be looking forward or I’ll trip on the rock that’s sitting right in front of me. I’ve got to be locked in on what’s right here.”

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Texas RT Williams back in lineup for CFP semi

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Texas RT Williams back in lineup for CFP semi

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas starting right tackle Cameron Williams will return for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Ohio State on Friday, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.

Williams suffered a right knee sprain in the playoff opener against Clemson. The injury forced him to miss Texas’ quarterfinal overtime victory over Arizona State.

A junior, Williams has played in 37 games in his career with 16 starts for the Longhorns. Williams is rated as the No. 28 overall prospect and fifth offensive tackle in ESPN’s NFL draft rankings.

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Sources: Georgia QB Beck enters transfer portal

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Sources: Georgia QB Beck enters transfer portal

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has entered the NCAA transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

Beck had declared for the NFL draft on Dec. 28 but is now reversing course and will explore a transfer.

Sources told ESPN that Miami looms as the favorite for Beck and the timeline for his decision is expected to play out within a week.

While Miami is the favorite for Beck, a source said Beck’s camp intends to listen to all potential suitors for the best situation: “It’s a strategic thing, not an emotional thing,” the source said.

Beck, a two-year starter at Georgia, is currently recovering from surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow after suffering the injury during the Bulldogs’ SEC championship victory over Texas.

Beck will not be able to throw until March, sources told ESPN, which would have complicated his NFL draft process and will likely force him to miss spring practice at his next school. Sources said the variety of feedback he got from the draft process led to this decision, as he changed his mind in the past 24 hours. He received advice that if he could return and wanted to, he should probably return and play another season in college.

A source said Beck received feedback that he could end up anywhere between the first and third round, with much of that uncertainty due to the fact that he would not be able to throw for a team in predraft workouts.

Despite that injury setback, Beck will immediately become the most coveted quarterback available as a late entry to the transfer market. While Miami looms as the favorite, there are other big brand teams that could jump out as suitors including Texas Tech and Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior went 24-3 as the Bulldogs’ starter and was viewed as a potential No. 1 draft pick entering the 2024 season. He threw for 3,485 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season and led Georgia back to the SEC title game.

Beck injured his elbow on the final play of the first half against Texas on Dec. 7. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed Beck’s surgery on Dec. 23 in Los Angeles.

“He wants to win,” said the source close to Beck. “He didn’t come back to get knocked out at halftime of a conference championship.”

Entering his fifth college season, Beck was viewed as a potential top-10 draft pick. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently considers Beck the No. 5 quarterback in his draft rankings.

Miami has not added a transfer quarterback this offseason to succeed Cam Ward, the potential No. 1 pick. They’ve quietly been canvassing the transfer market in recent weeks, per sources, as they have been set on bringing in a front-line starter who can produce immediately, much like Ward did.

Ward made a similar decision last January, initially declaring for the NFL draft but changing his mind and transferring to join the Hurricanes after he was unsatisfied with his draft feedback. Ward finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in his lone season in the program after producing 4,313 passing yards and 43 total touchdowns.

On3 first reported Beck’s intentions to enter the portal.

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