Leonardo Bonucci has claimed that he turned down a move to Manchester United in order to return home to Juventus during the transfer window.

The Italy centre-back controversially swapped the Serie A champions for AC Milan ahead of the 2017-18 season but completed a move back to Turin after a disappointing campaign at San Siro.

Bonucci – who is likely to face United in the Champions League on Tuesday – has now said that he turned down an approach from Jose Mourinho s side, as well as one from their local rivals Manchester City, before his Juve homecoming.

Asked by The Telegraph if he received an offer from United at the end of last season, the 31-year-old said: Yes.

The decision was not made until June but it s true that I had this feeling inside me […

Ajax duo Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt would like to play for Barcelona, according to fellow Netherlands international Jasper Cillessen.

Midfielder De Jong, 21, has been heavily linked with Barca, Tottenham and Manchester City after impressing in his breakout season last term.

Despite being two years younger, defender De Ligt has established himself as a key member of the first team and started their Europa League final defeat to Manchester United in May 2017.

Cillessen believes the pair would be delighted to make the switch to Camp Nou and revealed he has spoken to De Ligt about the club.

Everybody in the national team would like to play for Barcelona because it s one of the best teams in the world, the Barca goalkeeper told Sport.

I di…

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak could not remember what happened and will be kept under observation after being slightly concussed in Saturday s 1-0 LaLiga win over Athletic Bilbao.

Oblak was taken off in the 69th minute as part of a triple substitution due to an apparent shoulder issue, with his replacement Ivo Grbic making some key late saves at San Mames.

Atletico confirmed after the game that the Slovakian goalkeeper had been substituted because he was slightly concussed, having also suffered direct trauma to his right shoulder .

Atleti head coach Diego Simeone added: Jan didn t remember much of what had happened. I haven t talked to him, but the doctor told me that he didn t remember.

The club said Oblak underwent a neurological examination aft…

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is just getting started and has the quality to make Napoli dream this season , according to team-mate Victor Osimhen.

Kvaratskhelia, who joined from Dinamo Batumi in July, has played an instrumental role in the Partenopei s blistering start to the season.

The Georgia international has scored seven goals and provided eight assists in all competitions as Luciano Spalletti s side have raced to the Serie A summit, while qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages with two matches to spare.

The 21-year-old registered his eighth direct goal involvement of the Serie A campaign by setting up substitute Osimhen for the winner as Napoli defeated Bologna 3-2 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday.

I am really happy for him, he…

Atletico in talks for Pastore

Atletico Madrid are in advanced talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore, .

Los Colchoneros plan to sign more creative players after Diego Ribas and Adrian Lopez left the club and it appears Diego Simeone is hot on the trail of his compatriot.

Atletico Madrid have been trying to work out a deal with the player s employers that would see the 25-year-old move to Vicente Calderon, but it remains to be seen if they will succeed in their quest.

Having struggled for playing time at Parc des Princes, chances are Pastore would be interested in joining the La Liga champions, but his €4million yearly wage and high asking price could prove to be the problem.

Despite cashing in on Diego Costa, Fi…

Arturo Vidal was named in Chile s 30-man provisional FIFA World Cup squad despite undergoing knee surgery last week.

The Juventus midfielder had arthroscopic surgery on the lateral meniscus of his right knee in Barcelona in a bid to be fit for the upcoming showpiece in Brazil.

And despite his return date being unknown, Vidal was picked in coach Jorge Sampaoli s squad on Tuesday, alongside fellow star Alexis Sanchez.

The pair will be expected to inspire Chile as they battle 2010 finalists Spain, the Netherlands and Australia in a difficult Group B.

Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, also captain of his country, and Valencia forward Eduardo Vargas will also have a key role to play.

Vargas scored five goals in qualifying as Chile finished third in the South American se…

Watford are keen to sign out-of-favour Arsenal full back Kieran Gibbs, according to the Mirror.

New Hornets boss Marco Silva is looking to strengthen his squad, after they finished just one place above the Premier League relegation zone last season.

Gibbs is high on the former Hull City manager’s list of targets though he is hoping that the Gunners lower their asking price of £15m.

The twenty-seven year old, who only has one year remaining on his current deal, started only eight league games last season while he made just twenty-two appearances in all competitions.

In total, he has played two hundred and thirty times for the North London club, with his only other game time coming at a loan spell with Norwich City in the 2016/17 campaign.

…

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura insists Mario Balotelli s future with the national team is in the forward s hands.

Balotelli last featured for Italy at the 2014 World Cup despite a much-improved 2016-17 campaign during which he scored 17 goals for Ligue 1 side Nice.

Speaking ahead of his side s friendly against Uruguay, Ventura said the 33-time international, who is linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund, was aware what was needed from him.

It s not a technical quality problem, but otherwise, he said on Tuesday.

I ve never coached him, and when I met him I told him what his problem was with absolute clarity.

I tried to make him understand his road back to be a major player in the national team.

He cannot come back to be another number. …

Didier Deschamps has hailed Antoine Griezmann as one of the greatest players of all time  ahead of France s Euro 2020 encounter with Hungary on Saturday.

Griezmann is fourth on the list of Les Bleus all-time leading goalscorers with 37 from 92 appearances.

The Barcelona forward was the leading scorer with six goals in the last European Championship and only Harry Kane bettered his tally of four when France won the World Cup in Russia three years ago.

Griezmann will have played in a record-extending 50 consecutive France games when he features in Budapest, where France can secure their place in the last 16 after beating Germany 1-0 in their opening match.

France boss Deschamps lavished praise on the former Atletico Madrid man for the all-round contribut…

Premier League and Serie A heavyweights Chelsea and AC Milan, respectively, are said to be both interested in signing the PSV and Mexico star Hirving Lozano.

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of the hottest prospects in European football this year with many a continent’s giant keeping close tabs on him.

Mexican international made 27 appearances for PSV this season during which time he bagged 15 goals and registered further 8 assists.

Both Chelsea and AC Milan have been monitoring Lozano for a while now and appear to be prepared to go head to head for his signature this winter. Lozano only joined PSV from Pachuca in the summer of 2017 for €8 million. His stock went through a stellar rise over a year’s time and the Mexico international is sure to fill up th…