Benfica, Ajax, Porto the experts: 2000s net-spend table includes no Premier League clubs

Already announcing the arrivals of both Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane in what have been blockbuster moves this summer, many around Old Trafford believe that are not done there.

While it might appear that long-time target Declan Rice will be staying put at West Ham ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, it is no secret that is on the lookout for midfield reinforcements.

Backing their Norweigan boss by handing him a new deal until 2024 last month, last season s Europa League finalists have been linked with a host of European stars.

With it still unclear whether will be extending his stay with the former Premier League champions, we have taken a look at three midfielders who have been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Saul Niguez

While Saul Nigu…

Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke insists there is no way Manchester City s dominant Premier League triumph is a fair reflection of the difference between the teams.

City finished with a record-breaking 100 points in 2017-18, their 19-point gap to second-place United the biggest there has been between champions and runners-up in the Premier League era.

Although the Red Devils fell well short in attempting to catch their neighbours, they did end the campaign on 81 points, one more than their tally from the historic treble-winning season of 1998-99.

And Yorke, who was a key part of that success, believes United s results against their biggest rivals have proved they are a force again under Jose Mourinho.

There is no way Manchester City are 19 poin…

Victor Osimhen will be 100 per cent available for Napoli s crucial Champions League clash with Milan next week, according to Luciano Spalletti.

The striker missed his side s quarter-final first-leg loss on Wednesday, as the Partenopei fell 1-0 at San Siro courtesy of Ismael Bennacer s first-half finish.

Osimhen leads the Serie A scoring charts with 21 goals this season, and has been integral to the club s runaway lead in the race for the Scudetto.

But having sat out this week s game with a groin injury, Spalletti has given assurances he will feature for their home tie next week against the Rossoneri.

Victor Osimhen will 100 per cent be available for the return leg at [Stadio Diego Armando] Maradona on Tuesday, he said. He will be there.

Spallett…

Barcelona old boy Adria de Mesa is hoping to help pull off one of the biggest upsets in Copa del Rey history.

De Mesa played for Barca for two years as a youngster but has plied his senior trade lower down the leagues and now plays for fourth tier Barbastro.

The side from the province of Huesca in Aragon sit ninth in Group Two of the Segunda RFEF division and are preparing for the biggest game in their history when they host Xavi’s side on Sunday.

Vitor Roque is blaugrana!

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

Barbastro have already claimed a LaLiga victim having beaten Almeria 1-0 in the previous round and a place in the last 16 will be at stake against Barca.

Asked about his links to Barca, De Mesa said on fcbarcelona.com: “You maybe fe…

Ligue 1 new boys Monaco continued their close-season squad reinforcement with the loan signing of Sergio Romero from Sampdoria.

The Argentina international goalkeeper joins initially on a temporary basis for the 2013-14 season, with Monaco retaining the option to make the deal permanent.

Romero has spent the last two years playing for the Serie A side, and counts Argentine outfit Racing Club and Eredivisie side AZ among his previous employers.

Monaco have been busy adding to their squad during the transfer window, as they prepare for their first top-flight campaign since suffering relegation in 2011.

Former Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao and ex-Porto pair Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez have all arrived in big-money moves.

Claudio Ranieri s side b…

Portuguese media outlet that Spanish giants Barcelona are hot on the trail of FC Porto full-back Danilo.

With both Dani Alves and Martin Montoya nearing Camp Nou exit and summer recruit Douglas Pereira largely struggling at the start of his career in Spain, the Catalans are on the lookout for a new right-sided defender.

According to A Bola, they are ready to rekindle their interest in long-term target Danilo Luiz da Silva.

The Catalans believe the Brazilian would be a good replacement for Dani Alves and are expected to make a move in the summer transfer window.

Danilo has spent last three years at Estadio do Dragao, having joined from Santos in January 2012.

The highly rated defender, who has started five friendly games for Brazil since Carlos D…

Australia star Aaron Mooy has no plans to use the World Cup as a way to secure a transfer away from Huddersfield Town.

Mooy joined Huddersfield ahead of the 2016-17 Championship season and helped them to promotion in his first campaign.

Town made his stay permanent having initially been on loan from Manchester City and he continued to impress for the club in the Premier League, playing a vital role as they retained their status as a top-flight club in the season just finished.

Mooy was arguably Australia s best player in their World Cup opener on Saturday, a 2-1 defeat to France.

But the 27-year-old is not trying to use his World Cup performances as a way to secure a transfer from Huddersfield, adamant it is a great club for him.

I m just trying …

Carlo Ancelotti has urged James Rodriguez to continue fighting to become a success at Real Madrid.

Ancelotti was head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu when James left Monaco for Madrid after starring at the 2014 World Cup for Colombia.

James proved a hit in his first campaign in the Spanish capital, scoring 13 goals in 29 LaLiga appearances.

However, he struggled for form last term and has regularly found himself out of the team under Zinedine Zidane.

But Ancelotti believes it is not uncommon for a player to lose form and backed the 25-year-old to come good.

I was surprised [James lost his form] a little bit, but he is very young, he told AS. 

Sometimes not everything turns out well. One year you can have problems. The important thing for…

England captain Leah Williamson will miss the World Cup after it was confirmed she has ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament.

Williamson suffered the injury during Arsenal s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Women s Super League on Wednesday after catching her studs in the turf at Leigh Sports Village.

With the World Cup starting on July 20, Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman will need to consider her other options at centre-back without Williamson, who helped lead her country to European Championships glory on home soil last year.

A statement from Arsenal on Friday confirmed the diagnosis, saying: We can confirm that Leah Williamson suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in our Barclays Women s Super League match against Manchester United on Wedn…

Lionel Messi s decision-making at Paris Saint-Germain is not a problem for his team-mates, says Achraf Hakimi, after the Argentine helped seal victory over Brest.

Messi was on hand to assist Neymar s finish for the lone goal of the game, as Christophe Galtier s side edged to a 1-0 win to return to the summit of Ligue 1.

Having made the move from Barcelona last year, Messi frequently struggled to live up his billing during his first campaign at the Parc des Princes, but has looked back to his best this term, tallying three league goals and seven assists.

In a game decided by closer margins than anticipated, it was his vision to set up the in-form Neymar that trumped a PSG blank elsewhere, with Hakimi happy to defer to the forward s expertise.

When I m…