Roma demanded a fee of £39m but Liverpool are hopeful of a compromise

Liverpool close to agreeing £35m fee with Roma to sign Mohamed Salah                                                                        Liverpool are closing on an agreement over the £35million transfer of Mohamed Salah from Roma. 

The clubs have been discussing the structure of the transfer with Roma initially demanding £39m. 

Liverpool hope to strike a compromise with around £5million in add-ons being part of the deal. Salah, who turned 25, last week, scored 19 goals for Roma last season and has already privately expressed his desire to join Liverpool.

The Egypt international almost moved to Anfield in January 2014 from Basel but ended up signing for Premier League rivals Chelsea.

He struggled to make a lasting impression at Stamford Bridge and the following January, joined Fiorentina on loan.

Roma then signed him on a season-long loan in the summer of 2015 before taking him on permanent terms a year later.

                                                                                            Roma need to sell players by June 30 to stay within Financial Fair Play parameters and that could play into Liverpool's hands.

Russia cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over New Zealand as the hosts made a confident start to the Confederations Cup.

Russia cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over New Zealand as the hosts made a confident start to the Confederations Cup.                                                               Three of the previous nine Confederations Cups have been won by the host nation and Russia, playing in the tournament for the first time, impressed with victory in Saint Petersburg.

After having two early chances cleared off the line, they took the lead when Michael Boxall scored an own goal after Denis Glushakov had struck the post.

Russia made sure of victory in the second half, with Fyodor Smolov's third goal in four internationals ensuring president Vladimir Putin, who called for improved performances in the event, was applauding happily in the stands.

New Zealand are now without a win in 10 Confederations Cup matches and struggled to make an attacking impression.

Portugal and Mexico, who meet on Sunday, are the other two teams in Group A.

Russia made a rapid start, with Aleksandr Golovin having a drive unconvincingly dealt with by New Zealand goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic, before the hosts were twice denied by goal-line clearances.                                                                                          half, before Marinovic made a key double save at the other end - keeping out Poloz's powerful header and Aleksandr Erokhin's follow-up from close range.

Chile face Cameroon on Sunday in their opening Confederations Cup match

                                                                                         Alexis Sanchez is set to miss Chile's Confederations Cup opener against Cameroon on Sunday, although the Copa America winners will give the Arsenal star every opportunity to recover from an ankle injury.

Sanchez skipped training prior to the clash with the African champions in Moscow and is unlikely to start Chile's first game of the tournament.

Tiote Body finally Arrived Home. ell-wishers pay their respects to the coffin draped with a flag of the Ivory Coast

                                                                                          Cheick Tiote hadn't been in China that long - a few months - so he must have had a medical to complete the transfer. Was nothing picked up in that medical?

'Is anything actually being done? Is it being looked into? We need to nail it down and get to the bottom of why and what it is, because it seems to be happening to more and more professional footballers.

Chelsea have seen a £55.2million bid rejected by Juventus for left back Alex Sandro

Juventus reject Chelsea's £55.2m bid for Alex Sandro.                                                   The Italian champions are reluctant to sell but they recognise the opportunity to make a healthy profit on the 26-year-old who was signed from Porto two years ago for £23m.

Sandro, who has been on international duty with Brazil in Australia, has emerged as one of Antonio Conte's top targets as he tries generate a summer recruitment drive with the Champions League in mind.                                                                                                                                                                          Chelsea have seen a bid of £55.2million for Alex Sandro rejected by Juventus but the Brazilian left back has been told the club will not stand in his way if he makes it clear to them wants to move.

Chelsea's hierarchy are unhappy with Antonio Conte's treatment of Diego Costa

• Chelsea's hierarchy are unhappy with Antonio Conte's treatment of Diego Costa           
  Conte is understood to be frustrated by the club’s apparent hesitancy in pursuing players like Dries Mertens, Virgil van Dijk, Alvaro Morata, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Belotti, the club hierarchy are suspicious that in the background the Italian’s unofficial agent is trying to set up deals without their knowledge.
  Federico Pastorello, the Italian middle-man who represents Conte, is believed to have approached clubs and players wanted by his client in the hope that he can create enough momentum to make something happen. Again, however, this is viewed as unwanted interference by Chelsea and it is creating a power struggle that Conte cannot possibly win.
      Antonio Conte's public fall-out with Diego Costa has put his future as Chelsea manager in serious doubt.
  No firm decision has yet been made but Sportsmail understands senior figures at Stamford Bridge are so unhappy with Conte telling their popular striker by text message he is not wanted that they have discussed the astonishing possibility of sacking the Italian. 
  Even by Chelsea’s standards it would be an extraordinary move. Owner Roman Abramovich dismissed Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti after successful spells at the club, while Chelsea’s only Champions League win was not enough to keep Roberto Di Matteo in a job.                                                                                                                                                                                                     Conte has experienced no such decline in fortunes, the Italian earning the affection of the club’s fans not only by turning a team that finished 10th in the previous Premier League campaign into champions but with the passion he displays on the touchline.
  

Victor Valdes gets married and his ex-Barcelona team-mates Xavi, Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto'o attend

Visitors to the Santuario de Santa Maria de Montserrat de Pedralbes church included the likes of Xavi, Carles Puyol, Seydou Keita and Samuel Eto'o.                                                                                                                    Puyol and Keita took a selfie which the former defender uploaded to his Instagram page on Friday afternoon. 

Should Spain reach the final Bellerin's donation could reach £22,500

Arsenal star Hector Bellerin pledges support to Grenfell Tower victims with £50 for every minute he plays                                                             Bellerin is regular starter at full-back for Spain's Under 21 side and just playing every minute of their group three games at the tournament in Poland would see his donation reach £13,500. Arsenal star Hector Bellerin has shown solidarity with the victims of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire by vowing to donate £50 for every minute he plays at the European Under 21 Championships to help support them.

The death toll caused by the tower block fire in the north Kensington currently stands at 30 with as many as 76 people still missing. The tragedy has moved thousands to donate money and items to help victims. 

As revealed in a post on his Instagram account Bellerin has joined them and called on others to do so too. Posted alongside a picture featuring messages of goodwill to victims of the tragedy, Bellerin wrote: 'For every minute I play in #U21EURO I'll donate £50 to help Grenfell Tower victims. Please support in any way you can'.

The Red Devils are on the verge of agreeing a transfer fee with the European champions for the transfer of the Spanish striker

                                                                                     Manchester United are on the verge of agreeing a deal to sign Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.
The club have had an agreement in principal in place with the player and his representatives for some time, but talks between the clubs have dragged on with the two parties having begun negotiations over a transfer fee some distance apart.United are now confident of finalising a deal with Madrid in the coming days, with the clubs agreeing to compromise on their valuations of Morata in order for a deal to be pushed through.

Cheick Tiote memorial service held in Beijing as former Newcastle United team-mate Papiss Cisse breaks into tears while paying tribute

Cheick Tiote memorial service held in Beijing as former Newcastle United team-mate Papiss Cisse breaks into tears while paying tribute

The 30-year-old's body will be flown back to Ivory Coast on Wednesday before a private funeral service is held.

Members of his family, as well as his agent Emanuele Palladino, flew out to China following the shock announcement of his death after he had collapsed while training.

Cristiano Ronaldo has said 'sometimes the best answer is to be quiet' in the wake of allegations he defrauded the Spanish tax office of £12.9million.

                                                                                                        Cristiano Ronaldo has said 'sometimes the best answer is to be quiet' in the wake of allegations he defrauded the Spanish tax office of £12.9million.The Portugal captain has been accused by Madrid's regional state prosecutor of four counts of tax fraud relating to image rights payments.

Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian marries fiancee Francesca Cormanni in traditional ceremony

                                                                                         Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian marries fiancee Francesca Cormanni in traditional ceremony.                    Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian has married his long-term fiancee Francesca Cormanni in a lavish wedding ceremony in Italy. 

The pair, who have been together since they were teenagers, tied the knot in front of family and friends at a church in Rescaldina, just minutes away from Darmian's home town of Legnano.

Liverpool and Derby have reached an agreement over the permanent transfer of Andre Wisdom, in a deal which could rise to £4.5 million.

                                                                                    Liverpool and Derby have reached an agreement over the permanent transfer of Andre Wisdom, in a deal which could rise to £4.5 million.The 24-year-old will complete the switch to Pride Park subject to a medical and the completion of paperwork.

The Portuguese super agent represented so many players in the Madrid squad in a close working relationship with Jose Mourinho that he was once described as a de facto sporting director for Real.

                                                   The Portuguese super agent represented so many players in the Madrid squad in a close working relationship with Jose Mourinho that he was once described as a de facto sporting director for Real. Along with the current Manchester United boss, his clients included Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe, Fabio Coentrao, Angel Di Maria and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ever since 2010, there have been no fewer than four Gestifute clients at Real Madrid, including this season, and there has been almost complete harmony between the agency and the club in that time. At the presentation of the authorised biography entitled "The key to Mendes", the agent was flanked by Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and also Florentino Perez in January 2015. The connection was all apparent. However, since Mourinho's departure in 2013, the players represented by Mendes have gradually left the club, with the exception of James who arrived the following year. This summer, with the Colombian set to depart along with Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, Cristiano will be left as the sole Gestifute client at the Bernabeu. In the space of a couple of years, the connection between agency and club has all but broken.

Amid all of that, there has been plenty of controversy as well. The exits of both Mourinho and Di Maria, Coentrao's form, the botched David de Gea transfer, the continuous complaints from James, the message sent by Pepe last week due to a lack of support from the club in his problems with tax evasion accusations and even the arduous renewal of Ronaldo in 2013 are all examples.

It would be naive to believe that those cases have not contributed to the loss of feeling between the two parties in recent times. Little by little, the circle of confidence has been weakened as Madrid look elsewhere for new players and Mendes seeks to build his influence at other clubs (such as Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain or Valencia, among others), while his players create conflicts for Real. That is how 'lobbies' work and in this case, the disconnection has been brewing to boiling point between Mendes and Real Madrid, with only Ronaldo maintaining a link that had until recently appeared unbreakable.    

Juventus have expressed their condolences after it was confirmed a fan that was injured during a stampede at a Champions League final fan zone in Turin has died.

The Italian side paid their respects to Erika Pioletti who died following the stampede at the Champions League final fanzone in Turin on June 3

Juventus have expressed their condolences after it was confirmed a fan that was injured during a stampede at a Champions League final fan zone in Turin has died.

It was reported that over 1,500 fans were hurt after a stampede was triggered by a crowd watching the Bianconeri's 4-1 loss to Real Madrid on June 3. 

The releasing of firecrackers sparked panic as supporters watched the showpiece on giant screens in the Piazza San Carlo in the city, and it was confirmed on Thursday that fan Erika Pioletti has passed away.

And Juve paid their respects via a statement on the club's official website.

"Juventus Football Club would like to express its sincere condolences for the death of Erika," the Italian champions said in a statement.

"The events that took place in Turin and the city's victims of the tragedy on 3 June remain in the hearts and minds of all involved with the club."It has been claimed that many became frightened that the loud bangs could have been as a result of a terrorist attack in the square.

It has also been reported that a railing at the top of a stairwell leading to an underground car park gave way, causing people to run to safety.