Dortmund's Dembele misses training amid Barca transfer talk
Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Bosz said Ousmane Dembele missed training on Thursday, as speculation mounted that the forward could move to Barcelona.
The 20-year-old France international is seen as a potential successor to Neymar at Barcelona, after the Brazilian's record 222-million euro ($260 million) move to Paris St Germain earlier this month.
German media have reported that Dembele could join Barca for more than 100 million euros.
"Dembele was not at training today," Bosz told reporters. "We tried reaching him and hopefully nothing bad has happened."
Dembele joined Dortmund, who will compete in the Champions League group stage, a year ago on a five-year contract.
Brighton agree club record fee for Colombia's Izquierdo
Premier League newcomers Brighton and Hove Albion are poised to break their transfer record for the third time since June after announcing they have agreed a fee for winger Jose Izquierdo from Belgian side Club Brugge.
Media reports indicated that Brighton would pay Brugge an initial 13.5 million pounds ($17.54 million) for 25-year-old Izquierdo, with adds-ons potentially taking the total value up to 16 million.
Brighton said on Thursday that the deal for the Colombia international would be a new record for the club, but did not give the exact amount.
It said Izquierdo has also agreed personal terms with the club, although the deal is subject to a medical and him getting international clearances and a work permit.
The club broke their transfer record in June when they signed Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan for a reported 5.2 million pounds from Valencia.
And on Monday, the club announced the signing of Dutch international Davy Propper from PSV Eindhoven for a fee reported by British media to be between 6 million and 10 million pounds.
Liverpool will not sell Coutinho: Juergen Klopp
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said midfielder Philippe Coutinho would not be sold at any price, as British media reported the club had rejected a second bid worth 100 million euros ($117 million) from Barcelona. Barcelona had already been rebuffed last month in an 80 million euro bid for the 25-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Inter Milan for 8.5 million pounds ($11 million) in 2013. The 24-time Spanish league champions increased the offer to 85 million euros plus 15 million in add-ons but Liverpool have rejected the second bid, maintaining their stance that the player is not for sale, according to the reports. "Liverpool is not a club that has to sell players. That is set in stone. So what they offer in the end doesn’t matter," Sky Germany quoted Klopp as saying. "From a financial standpoint, there is no price limit to let him go. No price at which we are ready to give in. Our goal is to have the best possible team. So we want to keep our guys and add new ones. That is our plan." The Merseyside club's position on the Brazil international, who was a key player in Klopp's squad last campaign, is boosted by Coutinho's signing of a new five-year contract last season. Media reports indicate that Barcelona are targeting Coutinho and Borussia Dortmund's Ousmane Dembele as replacements for Brazil forward Neymar, who joined Paris St Germain last week for a world record transfer fee of 222 million euros. While Spanish media have suggested that a deal for Coutinho's move to Barcelona was close to completion, British media say Liverpool have not and will not make any plans to discuss the player's future with the Catalan club.(Reuters)
