The winter transfer window is closed, but now it's time to look ahead to the summer! Here are the new rumours floating around Europe's big leagues and beyond.
TOP STORY: Real Madrid and Barcelona to fight for Alaba
Bayern Munich are more to used to buying top players from other clubs than selling to them, but their hand might be forced by full-back David Alaba's desire to leave Germany, says Sport Bild.
Alaba, 27, is arguably one of the best left-sided defenders in the world and has been at Bayern since 2008, but now he wants to try a new challenge.
Clearly many of Europe's top clubs are going to be interested in the Austria international if he becomes available for a reported €70m, but Sport states that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are leading the way. Though Chelsea also showed an interest in the January transfer window.
As luck would have it, Alaba went on record about his future destination when he told Bild last year about the countries he wants to play in: "Spain, England. In Spain, it would be the two big clubs, I guess, Real or Barcelona. Also the big clubs in England."
There we go then.
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21.37 GMT: In addition to Eduardo Camavinga, there are two more French midfielders Barcelona are monitoring, Sport writes. Ibrahim Sangare's contract at Toulouse expires in the summer of 2021, and that could make the 21-year-old's price palatable for the Catalans, while they will have to compete with Liverpool if they're to recruit Lille's Boubakary Soumare, who was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in January.
20.20 GMT: Had Chelsea been able to find a replacement, it seems fairly certain that Olivier Giroud would already be with Inter. A free agent in the summer, the 33-year-old and his representatives have remained in contact with the Nerazzurri, who hold an interest in bringing the France World Cup winner to the San Siro, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
19.03 GMT: Fiorentina are in need of an upgrade in defence, and Corriere dello Sport writes that Juventus centre-back Daniele Rugani is La Viola's No. 1 priority to improve the back line this summer, with the 25-year-old likely to be available having fallen down the pecking order in Turin.
17.46 GMT: Barcelona reportedly will attempt to strengthen their midfield this summer by recruiting a player capable of operating both as a No. 6 and a No. 8, according to Catalan outlet Sport, which adds that 17-year-old Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is among the top of the Blaugrana's wish list. However, there will be still competition for the €50m-rated France U21 international, with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Tottenham all also said to be interested.
16.29 GMT: Inter's desire to reshape their midfield continues, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that Corentin Tolisso is among the top names on Antonio Conte's wish list, and that Bayern Munich could be ready to cash in on the 25-year-old France international.
15.12 GMT: Also from our European notebook: It's probably not a coincidence that Gianluigi Donnarumma posted an Instagram story suggesting he was studying English while on lockdown.
The Milan goalkeeper, who has already made nearly 200 appearances for the Rossoneri despite only turning 21 at the end of February, becomes a free agent at the end of next season, and according to multiple sources, it's going to be extremely difficult for the club to hang on to him.
If Donnarumma doesn't renew his deal, Milan will face a difficult choice: sell when the transfer market opens for a cut-rate fee, or risk losing him for nothing in a year's time. Hence why Raiola has been shopping him around discreetly, and why he's letting the world know about his English lessons, the latter somewhat less discreetly.
It would look like another Raiola masterstroke, but as one veteran intermediary told ESPN, it's not quite that straightforward.
"Everything points to him leaving either this summer or next," he said. "But the market for keepers is a funny one. Even at his current salary, there are no more than eight or 10 clubs that can afford him. And if he moves, it's guaranteed he'll get a further raise. Especially if it's as a free agent. The very few clubs who can afford him are generally happy with their keepers."
14.30 GMT: Despite the suspension of football across Europe, clubs are hard at work on next season, in particular their recruitment plans. Manchester United are planning and hoping for summer of world-class signings and sources told ESPN they've begun meeting with agents. One name stood out: Thomas Lemar, whose representatives met with United in the past week.
The France international wants to leave Atletico Madrid where the style of football is not suited to his qualities and where he is not playing much.
Lemar, 24, was on United's shortlist of targets after a stellar 2016-2017 season with Monaco, when he was linked to Liverpool and Arsenal only to end up in Spain for €70m a year later. He still has a bit more than three years left on his contract, meaning he won't be cheap, but United believe his left foot and creativity could be an asset next season.
13.59 GMT: It seemed like a done deal that Leroy Sane would join Bayern Munich from Manchester City in the summer, but now Real Madrid and Barcelona are keen, says Bild.
Sane, 24, almost moved back to the Bundesliga last summer before suffering a serious knee injury that ruled him out for the season.
And now the Germany winger, who could cost around €100m, is on the radar of some other top clubs too.
12.45 GMT: The president of Serbia has said Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic faces arrest if he fails to observe his coronavirus self-isolation again.
Jovic, 22, has been the subject of fierce criticism in Serbia after flying home last Thursday, with the permission of Real Madrid's medical department, and then being seen out in Belgrade.
But what will the club do with him this summer?
11.59 GMT: Barcelona have agreed to pay €1m to secure the first refusal on Sao Paulo's teenage forward Gustavo Maia this summer, the Brazilian club's director of football, Alexandre Passaro, has confirmed to ESPN.
The Blaugrana will have to pay an additional €4m at the end of June to complete the deal.
Maia, 19, was one of a number of players spotted by Barca scouts on a trip to South America last year, sources said. Another player picked out was Coritiba right-back Yan Couto, who Barca eventually lost out on to Manchester City.
11.15 GMT: Swiss club FC Sion have evidently sacked NINE players after they refused to take an unemployment settlement.
Goal reports that the squad were told to accept a deal of around 9600 Swiss francs, with former Arsenal duo Johan Djourou and Alexandre Song, as well as ex-Fulham midfielder Pajtim Kasami, among those to be let go when they did not.
Expect legal action to follow on this one...
11.03 GMT: Gazzetta dello Sport reports that PSG are planning to spend at least €100m in order to sign Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
With Neymar and Edinson Cavani set to leave in the summer and Kylian Mbappe's future unclear too, you'd think the French champions would be more bothered about their strikeforce, but the 25-year-old Milinkovic-Savic would certainly do a good job in midfield if they can land him.
10.10 GMT: Reports had been linking Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho with a transfer to Chelsea once his loan to Bayern Munich expires. One FC TV pundit with a strong Chelsea history doesn't think it's the right move though.
09.01 GMT: Barcelona want to sell Ivan Rakitic, we know this, but Sport says the club will demand at least €20m for the Croatia midfielder.
Rakitic, 32, has been linked with a return to Sevilla, while Inter Milan have also shown an interest. At least everyone knows how much money it will take to land him now.
08.26 GMT: Daily Pog-date ...
The Sun claims that Manchester United are willing to accept offers of £100m for midfielder Paul Pogba in the summer.
Obviously Juventus and Real Madrid are very keen on signing the Frenchman and now they have a more realistic figure to aim at.
08.00 GMT: Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is a man in demand, with Barcelona set to spend his €111m release clause to sign him this summer.
But Sport reports that Inter won't accept anything less than the full cash amount. No players, no extra incentives. Nothing.
PAPER TALK (by Nick Judd)
Milan to offer €40m for ex-Liverpool target Fekir
Nabil Fekir's curious career finds him at Spanish side Real Betis, but Italian side AC Milan are said to be preparing a €40m bid, according to Calciomercato.
The report states that Milan are preparing a serious bid for the enigmatic attacking midfielder, who was seemingly set to join Liverpool last year before a failed medical scuppered the deal.
The France international and World Cup winner has impressed, having scored seven goals and adding six assists in 22 La Liga appearances this season.
The only potential sticking point could be Fekir's sell-on fee, with Betis having to give French side Lyon 20% of any money raised. There is also the small matter of Fekir's seemingly ludicrous buyout clause, which is rumoured to be as high as €100m.
PSG to also go for Aubameyang
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with a move to Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Manchester United, but Tuttosport suggests Paris Saint-Germain are also in the hunt.
The French champions-elect are already preparing for life after Inter loanee Mauro Icardi, who is looking increasingly likely to return to Italy rather than stay at PSG.
And if that's the case, Tuttopsort says PSG sporting director Leonardo will turn his attentions to the Gunners' Gabonese striker. In fact, PSG are rumoured to have already made contact with Arsenal in the winter transfer window as they prepared themselves for Edinson Cavani's possible exit, and so have a head start on United and others.
If Icardi does return to Italy as predicted in the summer, expect PSG to ramp up their interest in Aubameyang, and to offer more than United's reported £50m, namely somewhere close to £70m.
Barca target upstart Upamecano
Barcelona are preparing to strengthen their back line this summer and French outlet Le10 Sport reports that RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano is at the top of Quique Setien's wishlist.
Upamecano has become one of the best defenders in the German top flight in the last three seasons and as such he's developed a growing list of admirers that includes Arsenal as well as Barca. His performance against Robert Lewandowski in Leipzig's goalless draw with Bayern Munich in February only served to further enhance his reputation.
However, Le10 Sport believe Barca are in a stronger position to sign Upamecano. Arsenal had a bid for the 21-year-old Frenchman rejected last summer, but Barca have more chance of meeting the player's £72m release clause.
Tap-ins
- Everton are spending the enforced break plotting their summer transfer moves and the Liverpool Echo suggests that Carlo Ancelotti and director of football Marcel Brands are targeting Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The 22-year-old has been a key player for the French side as they chase Champions League qualification for next season.
- Juventus and Napoli are in the race to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso. The France international is contracted to the Bavarian club until 2022 but is believed to be on his way out of the club this summer. Le10 Sport says that the Serie A rivals are both interested in the former Lyon man, and are both prepared to pay €35m to get him.