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Real Madrid deny Pogba bid

The reigning European champions have issued an official statement rejecting reports from Italy that they have tabled a bid for the Juventus star

Real Madrid have issued a statement denying reports they have made a formal offer for Juventus star Paul Pogba.

The France international has been the subject of intense speculation linking him with a move to a host of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer, with the reigning European champions rumoured to be among the current front-runners for the 22-year-old.

Italian newspaper La Stampa claimed this week that a formal offer have been presented to Juventus, but Madrid have moved to categorically deny the reports.

An official club statement read: “Following the reports published in the Italian newspaper La Stampa concerning an alleged offer from Real Madrid for the player Paul Pogba, the club wishes to state the following:

Real Madrid have had no contact either with Juventus or the player’s agent and, as a consequence, the reports published in this newspaper are completely false.”

Former Madrid goalkeeper Francisco Buyo claimed this week that Pogba had informed the club that he was ready to move to the Santiago Bernabeu, though conflicting reports suggested Barcelona would be his preferred destination.

He has also been strongly linked to big-spending Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Pogba joined Juventus in 2012 on a free transfer after failing to agree a new contract with Manchester United.

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'We already have the best players!' – Mourinho on why Chelsea don't need to buy anyone

The Portuguese feels it is virtually impossible to improve his squad, claiming the “big names” are already at Stamford Bridge, and is more concerned with ensuring no one is sold


Jose Mourinho says Chelsea’s priority during the summer transfer window will be to keep his title-winning squad together, not bring in new players, and admits it is hard to improve his side further.

The west Londoners romped to Premier League glory in the 2014-15 campaign, ending the season with an eight-point winning margin over previous champions Manchester City.

And Mourinho is already switching his focus to defending the title, but believes new signings will be less important than retaining the core of his successful team and says it will be nearly impossible to find players who are upgrades to his current starting XI.

“We like the players, we are happy with the players. Two or three are always coming to the club, that’s normal,” said the Portuguese coach ahead of Chelsea’s post-season friendly against Thailand All-Stars.

“But the players I am looking for are my players, the players I want to keep. Last season I had players I wanted to sell. The most important thing in the market is not to lose players

“How can I find a better striker than Diego Costa? A better midfielder than [Nemanja] Matic? A better right-back than [Branislav] Ivanovic?

“Our squad this season was very good. We didn’t have many injuries. We had three players play 38 matches of the Premier League.”

Mourinho also played down the prospect of any big-name signings, adding: “If you come to a champion team you are not a big name. The big names are the champions.”

The Premier League winners are in Bangkok for their post-season tour to take on a select XI of the best players from the Thai league at the Rajamangala Stadium on Saturday.

Ramsey good enough for Barcelona, says Coleman

The Wales head coach believes a similar playing style between the Liga champions and Arsenal would make the 24-year-old a shrewd signing


Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey would not be out of place at Barcelona amid interest from the Spanish champions, according to Wales coach Chris Coleman.

Barcelona have been linked with a move for Ramsey, who is looking to claim back-to-back FA Cup titles when he faces Aston Villa on Saturday, despite the club’s transfer ban until 2016.

Ramsey would join Wales team-mate and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale in La Liga if he left London for Barcelona, and Coleman believes the 24-year-old has the ability to fit in at Camp Nou.

He said: “If you look at the way he plays, and the way Barcelona play with all that imagination, it is not too dissimilar to the way Arsenal play.

“Barca signed [Ivan] Rakitic from Sevilla last year. Some people were scoffing at that, but he’s a good player, and if Barca are looking at ‘Rambo’ then it’s for a reason.

“He’s already playing for Arsenal, who play a similar style. He’s playing at the top of the Premier League and Champions League every season.

“Ability-wise, when you see the best of Aaron Ramsey… at his best, is he good enough for Barcelona? Yes he is, at his best.”

Arsenal & Manchester United target Subotic commits to Dortmund

The Serb had previously spoken of his interest in playing in England but he has signed on for two more years at Signal Iduna Park

Arsenal and Manchester United target Neven Subotic has put paid to rumours surrounding his future by committing himself to Borussia Dortmund until 2018.

The defender’s previous deal with the Bundesliga outfit was set to expire at the end of next season, which resulted in reports in March that his contractual situation was being monitored at both the Emirates and Old Trafford.

Subotic added fuel to the fire by admitting the following month that playing in the Premier League appealed to him, while subsequent confirmation of the imminent departure of coach Jurgen Klopp, whom he followed to Dortmund from Mainz in 2008, only intensified speculation that the centre-back was considering his future at Signal Iduna Park.

However, Subotic confirmed on Wednesday that he has penned a two-year extension with BVB, who will be coached by Thomas Duchel next season.

“I’m extremely happy about my decision,” the Serbian told his club’s official website. “Dortmund has now become my second home.

“I’m now looking forward to a successful future with our team and our fantastic fans behind us.

“We have a great deal to do in the immediate future, and I want to make a big contribution.”

Unsurprisingly, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke was delighted at having persuaded Subotic to extend his stay in Germany.

“Though he’s only 26, Neven is ideal for us due to his many years of experience and continuity with BVB,” he stated.

“Both on a sporting and a human level, he is a perfect fit for Borussia Dortmund.”

BVB sporting director Michael Zorc was just as enthused by the retention of Subotic, who has made 186 Bundesliga appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals in the process.

“Neven came to us as a very young lad,” he added. “In the more than seven-year spell since he joined BVB, he has become a true Black and Yellow both on and off the pitch.

“We’re convinced that he’ll be one of our key players in the years to come.”