Daily#Sports#Updates.

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish is close to joining champions Manchester City for a five-year contract. Talks are in their final stages and, barring an unexpected hitch, the playmaker will move for about £100m.

Villa have tried hard in the pass days and weeks to keep their star man Grealish, by offering him an improved deal, but a transfer for a record fee between English clubs is poised to be completed. The 25-year-old English player has spent his whole career with his boyhood team.

Grealish had returned to training with Villa on Monday after his holidays in Mykonos and Dubrovnik. In respect of his boyhood club, he maintained a professional manner as the squad went through their paces. He held discussions with sporting director Johan Lange and was clear in taking the next step up in his career.

City, Villa and Grealish’s representatives are involved in the last stages of negotiations after Villa added to their attacking options by signing Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen for about £30m.

Villa want to build a side to challenge the top six in the Premier League as They look forward to adding Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse, Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, Todd Cantwell of Norwich City and Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe from the cash received from the Grealish deal.

Sportsmail revealed in March that City had become favourites to sign the exciting Villa midfielder and they have maintained a dogged pursuit, opening talks over their bid last week and offering his £100m clause last Friday.

Grealish will now get the chance to play on the Champions League stage and cement his place as one of the best midfielders in Europe.

City are also maintaining their pursuit of his England teammate Harry Kane from Tottenham though that deal will not be as straightforward despite Kane staying away from training this week.

It is a signing of huge intent from the Premier League champions as Pep Guardiola looks to retain the domestic title and go one further in the Champions League.

Arsenal have proposed a player-plus-cash deal for Leicester City and England midfielder James Maddison. The Gunners are said to be reluctant to pay the £60m asking price for the 24-year-old, so will offer a player as part of the bid. (football.london)

Manchester City are willing to pay £130m for Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane, 27, and remain confident they can get the deal done. (Athletic, subscription required)

Inter Milan will reluctantly accept a bid of about £100m from Chelsea for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 28, after officials at the club privately admitted they need to sanction one more high-profile departure this summer to balance the books. (Metro)

Lukaku is said to want to return to Chelsea as he feels he has unfinished business at Stamford Bridge. (Sun)

Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has made it clear to Manchester City that he wants to move to La Liga this summer, with Barcelona and Real Madrid keen to sign the 27-year-old. (90min)

Southampton and West Ham are interested in Nice and Austria Under-21s defender Flavius Daniliuc, 20. (Mail)

Liverpool, along with a number of unnamed Premier League clubs, are interested in signing Bournemouth’s Dutch forward Arnaut Danjuma, 24, who has already attracted a bid from Villarreal. The Cherries are said to be seeking a fee in the region of £21.5m. (Marca – in Spanish)

Aston Villa are hoping to tie up deals for Chelsea and England striker Tammy Abraham, 23, and former England Under-21s and Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe, 23. Both spent time on loan at Villa Park and helped the club achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2018-19. (Telegraph – subscription required)

Chelsea have offered 25-year-old Brazilian winger Kenedy to Sevilla as part of a deal to sign 22-year-old Jules Kounde after fellow France defender Kurt Zouma, 26, was initially offered in part exchange by the Blues. (Sun)

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo still wants to leave Juventus for Real Madrid, but the 36-year-old knows his chances of a return to the Bernabeu rely on whether the Spanish club are successful in their pursuit of Paris St-Germain’s 22-year-old France forward Kylian Mbappe. (AS – in Spanish)

Premier League newcomers Brentford are closing in on a deal for Midtjylland’s 21-year-old Sweden midfielder Jens Cajuste, who has been linked with a move to Rennes. (Sportbladet – in Swedish)

Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 39, “tested the waters” about a potential return to Paris St-Germain before he agreed a new one-year deal with AC Milan. (Le Parisien – in French)

Leeds United have competition in their bid to sign Netherlands Under-21 international Noa Lang. According to reports Spanish side Sevilla are also interested in the 22-year-old Club Bruges winger. (El Desmarque – in Spanish)

West Ham believe they only have a 10% chance of re-signing England international and former loanee Jesse Lingard from Manchester United. The 28-year-old, whose Old Trafford contract runs out next summer, is back in pre-season training with the Red Devils. (Sky Sports)

West Brom are weighing up a move for Derby County’s 27-year-old Wales forward Tom Lawrence. (Mail)

Players from all 20 Premier League clubs have accepted to continue taking a knee ahead of matches this coming season to highlight their opposition to racism. Says premier reports via Twitter.
The decision to do so is wholeheartedly supported by the Premier League.

Players and match officials will also continue to wear a No Room For Racism sleeve badge on their shirts. This acts as a constant reminder of the commitment by the Premier League, its clubs, players and the referees’ body PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) to eradicate racism.

The players said: “We feel now, more than ever, it is important for us to continue to take the knee as a symbol of our unity against all forms of racism.

“We remain resolutely committed to our singular objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists, to bring about a global society of inclusion, respect and equal opportunities for all.”

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “The Premier League, our clubs, players and match officials have a long-standing commitment to tackle racism and all forms of discrimination.

“Following our club captains’ meeting, that collective commitment was reaffirmed and the Premier League will continue to support the players’ strong voice on this important issue.

“Racism in any form is unacceptable and No Room For Racism makes our zero-tolerance stance clear. The Premier League will continue to work with our clubs, players and football partners to bring about tangible change to remove inequality from our game.”

Since launching in March 2019, No Room For Racism has brought together the Premier League’s wide-ranging work promoting equality and inclusion and tackling discrimination across all areas of football.

Spain will face Brazil in the Olympics Men’s football final after penalty and extra time drama in the semi-finals.

La Roja booked their spot by beating tournament hosts Japan 1-0 on Tuesday as Marco Asensio scored the only goal of the game in extra time to set up a final meeting with Brazil at the International Yokohama Stadium this weekend.

Meanwhile, Brazil saw off Mexico after winning 4-1 on penalties in Saitama to ensure their third consecutive Olympics men’s finals

The game finished 0-0 and an extra 30 minutes couldn’t spank a winner but it was Brazil who came out on top in the spot kicks.

Japan gave a great account of themselves in their last-four clash with Spain, sticking to a disciplined defensive shape while looking for opportunities to hit their opponents on the break.

La Roja were denied a penalty after a VAR review, but neither side really looked like breaking the deadlock in the first 90 minutes, and extra time was needed to find a victor.

Asensio proved to be the matchwinner in the 116th minute, picking the ball up in the box before curling a beautiful strike into the far corner of the net.

Just under one month on from their Confederations Cup final defeat to Argentina, Brazil are in another final, this time at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games.

The Selecao, led by the now 38-year-old Dani Alves, were unable to find a way past semi-final opponents Mexico in either normal time or extra time, but recorded a comfortable 4-1 win in the penalty shoot-out.

Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, Borussia Dortmund striker Reiner, Dani Alves and Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes all converted their spot-kicks, while only Carlos Rodriguez was able to find the back of the net for Mexico, in a disappointing end to a stellar Olympic campaign.

Dani Alves shows Brilliance and strength.

The most decorated man in football history With a final at hand, former Barcelona man Dani Alves has a chance to extend his record as the most decorated player in the history of men’s football. Currently on 42, he is four clear of former team-mate Lionel Messi, but the Argentine is likely to add to his current tally going forwards.

Alves, on the other hand, is not. Now 38, this could well be his last chance for silverware, something which will be sure to spur both he and his team on.

🏆 Champions League
🏆 Copa America
🏆 UEFA Cup
🏆 La Liga
🏆 Serie A
🏆 Ligue 1
🏆 Campeonato Paulista
🏆 Copa del Rey
🏆 Coppa Italia
🏆 Coupe de France
🏆 Supercopa de Espana
🏆 UEFA Super Cup
🏆 Club World Cup

@DaniAlvesD2 has all this and more… #OlympicGames Gold next?

🔎 | FOCUS
Dani Alves produced yet another impressive display at the Olympics, this time against Mexico:

⏱️ 120′ played
👌 111 touches (most)
🔑 4 key passes (most)
👟 63/78 acc. passes
💨 4/6 succ. dribbles (most)
🔫 1 penalty shootout goal
📈 7.8 SofaScore rating

#Tokyo2020

Brazil vs Spain for Gold in Men’s Soccer

Japan will play Mexico for Bronze.

Stand a chance to win a prize for the right predictions by leaving it at the comment section below. Goodluck

Manchester City are £40m short of Tottenham’s £160m asking price for England striker Harry Kane, 27. (Star)

Chelsea have not given up hope of re-signing 28-year-old Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku from Italian champions Inter Milan. (Athletic, subscription required)

Barcelona are set to officially announce 34-year-old Argentina forward Lionel Messi’s new five-year deal in the coming days. (Sport)

Newcastle United have enquired about a possible move for Juventus’ 30-year-old Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey. (Goal)

Manchester United have 12 months to convince Borussia Dortmund’s Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland that they are the right club for him. The 21-year-old, who is also wanted by Chelsea and a host of other clubs, is expected to make a move in the summer of 2022 when clubs can trigger a release clause of about £75m in his Dortmund contract. (Manchester Evening News)

Aston Villa have made a second bid for Southampton’s 26-year-old England midfielder James Ward-Prowse after their initial £25m offer was rejected. (Mail)

Leicester City, Leeds United and Everton are competing for the signature of Real Madrid’s Spanish winger Marco Asensio, 25. (Fichajes – in Spanish)

Atletico Madrid are preparing for 30-year-old defender Kieran Trippier’s potential move to Manchester United by lining up Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi, 30, as a replacement for the England international. (AS – in Spanish)

Sheffield United are in talks to sign former England Under-21 midfielder Ronaldo Vieira, 23, from Sampdoria. (Mail)

Newcastle United are looking to sign 21-year-old French midfielder Boubacar Kamara from Marseille for about £10m. (Mail)

Roma boss Jose Mourinho is keen to sign Borussia Dortmund’s 29-year-old Denmark midfielder Thomas Delaney after failing to sign Switzerland international Granit Xhaka, 28, from Arsenal. (Sun)

Tottenham are in preliminary talks with Wolves about signing Conor Coady, with Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo keen to be reunited with the 28-year-old England defender in north London. (Football Insider)

Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is determined to keep pursuing Chelsea’s 30-year-old Spanish left-back Marcos Alonso. (Calciomercato – in Italian)

Arsenal and Everton have been linked with a move for Schalke’s 20-year-old American striker Matthew Hoppe. (Star)

Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero is being linked with a return to Spanish side Malaga after he was released by Chelsea this summer. (Marca – in Spanish)

Norwich City have commenced talks with Bournemouth about signing Danish midfielder Philip Billing, 25. (Football Insider)

Manchester City will end their pursuit of Tottenham striker Harry Kane, 27, if they sign England team-mate Jack Grealish, 25, from Aston Villa. (Manchester Evening News)

Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez, 30, has been told he does not feature in manager Rafael Benitez’s plans at Everton and is free to leave if the club receives a suitable offer. (Liverpool Echo)

Atletico Madrid have moved ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Inter Milan’s 23-year-old Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, who is valued at around 90m euros (£76.8m). (Tuttosport – in Italian)

Tottenham have had a £43m bid for 23-year-old Argentina defender Cristian Romero accepted by Atalanta. (Talksport)

Leeds are interested in signing Spain winger Adama Troare from Wolves, with the 25-year-old valued at about £30m. (Goal)

Tottenham, managed by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, are also considering a move for Traore. (Mail)

West Ham remain in talks with Chelsea over 26-year-old France defender Kurt Zouma but are struggling to reach an agreement, with Fiorentina’s Serbia international Nikola Milenkovic an alternative option. (Sky Sports)

Crystal Palace want to sign English forward Ademola Lookman from RB Leipzig on loan, but will likely face competition from Burnley and Watford for the 23-year-old. (Sun)

The agent of Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez has held talks with Sevilla, with the 25-year-old Colombian seen as a potential replacement for France international Jules Kounde, 22, who has been linked with Chelsea. (Caracol Radio via Mail)

Wolves have expressed an interest in signing Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey from Juventus, although the 30-year-old is not convinced by a move to Molineux. (Calciomercato – Italian)

Wolves’ Spanish striker Rafa Mir has been offered to Barcelona. The 24-year-old has made just four appearances for the Black Country club since joining from Valencia in 2018 and has been sent out on loan three times. (Sport)

Sheffield United are interested in signing Manchester United’s English midfielder James Garner, 20, on loan. (Sun)

Burnley and Watford are going head-to-head in the race to sign Hibernian’s 19-year-old Scottish left-back Josh Doig, who is valued at £4m. (Mail)

Southampton are demanding a fee of £6m for Ireland striker Michael Obafemi, 21, who is attracting interest from Blackburn. (Sun)

French Champions Lille are the Trophee Des Champions winners! A Xeka’s wonder strike in the 1️⃣st half was enough to give ‘Les Dogues’ the victory against PSG in a 1:0 defeat.

That defeat against defending Trophee Des Champions means Lille are champions for the first time in their history, ending PSG’s eight year reign.

🏆 PSG (2013)
🏆 PSG (2014)
🏆 PSG (2015)
🏆 PSG (2016)
🏆 PSG (2017)
🏆 PSG (2018)
🏆 PSG (2019)
🏆 PSG (2020)
🏆 Lille (2021)

Arsenal are considering using 26-year-old Spain full-back Hector Bellerin as a potential makeweight in a deal for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, 23, with Tottenham also in the running for the Argentine should they sell England captain Harry Kane, 28. (Athletic – subscription required)

Aston Villa are ready to accept Manchester City’s £100m bid for England midfielder Jack Grealish, 25. (Sky Sports)

Dean Smith’s side will make a move for Norwich’s English midfielder Todd Cantwell, 23, if Grealish leaves Villa Park. (Express)

Villa are also expected to make a second offer for Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse after a £25m bid for the England midfielder, 26, was rejected last week. (Mail)

Manchester United hope to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, 21, next summer and believe manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s relationship with his fellow Norwegian will prove decisive. (Star)

Chelsea face competition from Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund for the signature of St-Etienne’s France Under-17 midfielder Lucas Gourna-Douath, who turns 18 next week. (RMC Sport – in French)

Representatives of Atletico Madrid and Spain midfielder Saul Niguez will fly to England on Monday to discuss a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Liverpool leading the chase for the 26-year-old. (Mirror)

Manchester United are preparing to offer Luke Shaw a new contract after the 26-year-old defender’s impressive performances for England at Euro 2020. (Mail)

Tottenham’s efforts to sign 23-year-old Argentina defender Cristian Romero from Atalanta have stalled after the latest round of talks between the two clubs ended without an agreement. (Gianluca Di Marzio – in Italian)

Manchester City defender John Stones, 27, is close to agreeing a new deal, but contract talks with winger and fellow England international Raheem Sterling, 26, have failed to progress. (Mirror)

Fenerbahce are considering a move for Arsenal’s Portugal full-back Cedric Soares, 29. (Fotomac – in Turkish)

Crystal Palace are keen on signing Arsenal’s England Under-21 winger Reiss Nelson, 21, on loan. (Sun)

Juventus are struggling to meet Sassuolo’s asking price of £34m for 23-year-old Italy international Manuel Locatelli, with Liverpool and Arsenal ready to make a move for the midfielder. (Sky Sport Italia via Mail)

Everton and Arsenal are monitoring the progress of 20-year-old Schalke forward Matthew Hoppe, who is currently starring for the USA at the Gold Cup. (Journalist Grant Wahl via Sun)

Fulham are in talks with Flamengo over a £6.8m deal for 20-year-old Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz. (Mail)

About 20 JCCI football Club players are reported dead according to LeoBarca on via Twitter after an explosion hits their team bus in Kismayo town, Somalia. May the souls of those lost rest in perfect peace 🇸🇴 🚌 🙏

More to follow……