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José Mourinho admitted he’ll miss watching Lionel Messi after the Argentina star announced his international retirement this week. Messi, 39, confirmed his retirement on Monday, after captaining his country to the World Cup final this summer, having previously won the tournament in 2022. Mourinho — who is now back at Real Madrid for his second spell in charge — faced Messi’s Barcelona for three seasons in LaLiga between 2010 and…

Lautaro Martínez has confirmed reports that Barcelona were interested in his services this summer but has indicated that he could end up staying the rest of his career at Inter Milan. Barça explored alternatives after their pursuit of Julián Álvarez failed to materialise in this transfer window, and Martínez re-emerged as one of the forwards considered by the club. “The rumors that were circulating were true,” Martínez told Sky Italia…

Luka Modric has said he is not considering retiring at the end of this season and is simply enjoying playing football. The Croatian midfielder extended his contract with AC Milan until June 2027 after returning from his fifth World Cup. Modric, who will turn 41 on Sept. 9, told Diario AS: “There seems to be this idea floating about that when you reach a certain age, it’s better to retire…

OSNABRÜCK, Germany — Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said Wednesday that Jamal Musiala could be available to play soon, but added he wouldn’t pressure the Germany star to return to the field until he was ready. Musiala was not included in Bayern’s squad for a 4-1 German Cup win over second-tier Osnabrück and has not played a role for Kompany since collapsing in two preseason games because of a neurological…

Enzo Fernández said he had always dreamed of playing for “a club as big as Manchester City” in his first interview since completing his big-money transfer from Chelsea. The Argentina midfielder left Stamford Bridge to join City in a British record-equalling £125 million ($169m) deal late on deadline day. – Fernández Chelsea farewell: ‘We suffered, cried’ – Ranked: The 11 transfers from this summer most likely to fail – Men’s…

Barcelona‘s Dani Olmo says he doesn’t understand Atlético Madrid‘s refusal to negotiate a deal for Julián Álvarez with the Spanish champions. Barça bid north of €100 million ($116m) for Álvarez — who told ESPN in June of his desire to move clubs — earlier this summer but Atlético knocked the offer back and refused to engage in talks with the Catalan side. – Casadó joins Depor in Barça academy exodus…

Folarin Balogun could be forced to consider a move to a Turkey or Saudi Pro League club this week after AS Monaco said they are still looking to offload the contract of the United States men’s national team forward following the collapse of his $45 million transfer to Everton. Balogun, 25, pulled the plug on a move to the Premier League team in the early hours of Wednesday after Everton…

The Premier League set a new record for transfer spending as the window closed with a flurry of deals. More than half of the top flight’s clubs broke their transfer records in a summer window featuring four of the most expensive ever signings. The final two days of the window pushed summer spending significantly beyond last season’s record of £3.14 billion ($4.23bn,) with confirmed figures exceeding £3.3b ($4.4bn.) First Liverpool…

Midfielder Marc Casadó led an exodus of academy players on Tuesday as Barcelona trimmed their first team squad following six summer signings, including the deadline day arrival of Gabriel Jesus. Casadó joined LaLiga side Deportivo A Coruña on loan until the end of the season, with Álvaro Cortés and the Fernández twins, Guille and Toni, also departing. Defender Cortés moved to Antwerp, Toni Fernández signed for Venezia and Guille Fernández…

Arsenal emerged from the transfer window without a “10 out of 10” attacking signing, Jamie Carragher said. Ambitious moves for Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Atletico Madrid’s Julián Álvarez came to nothing for the Premier League champions. Christos Tzolis, a £34m ($45m) arrival from Club Brugge, was their only attacking signing while Leandro Trossard (Beskitas), Gabriel Jesus (Barcelona) and Ethan Nwaneri (Borussia Dortmund) departed and Gabriel Martinelli remains in talks…