Barca line up Alves replacement

Catalan daily newspaper that Barcelona are hot on the trail of FC Porto full-back Danilo Luiz da Silva.

The Catalans look set to stay without Dani Alves, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the current campaign and they are actively searching for his replacement.

And after Chelsea completed the signing of long-term target Juan Cuadrado, Barcelona officials have turned their attention towards FC Porto starlet Danilo.

The 23-year-old appear to be the number one name on club s hit list and the Catalans are expected to submit an official proposal when their transfer ban gets lifted in January 2016.

Danilo s current release clause stands at €50 million, but the good news is his contract is due to expire in …

Luciano Spalletti insisted Napoli will be ready and must not change anything ahead of their rescheduled Serie A clash – and potential Scudetto-clinching showdown – with Salernitana.

The Partenopei had been set to play on Saturday but will now take to the pitch at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday instead.

It means Napoli now play after second-placed Lazio, meaning the title will be theirs if they win after their nearest rivals fail to beat Inter at San Siro earlier the same day.

Nevertheless, Spalletti says his players remain focused on the task in hand, also urging them not to take anything for granted against in-form Salernitana, who are unbeaten in eight matches.

Eyes looking to the stars with feet planted firmly on the ground

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Daniel James repaid Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s faith with another goal in Manchester United s 3-1 Premier League win at home to Newcastle United.

James had netted in United s victories against Southampton and Real Sociedad his most recent two appearances and kept his place in the XI for Sunday s game.

It was a decision that worked for Solskjaer, who needed someone to step up in a stuttering second half at Old Trafford after Allan Saint-Maximin had cancelled out Marcus Rashford s strike.

James lashed in just before the hour mark and set the stage for a more straightforward finale in which Bruno Fernandes added a third from the penalty spot to ensure United would lose no more ground on Manchester City, who are still 10 points ahead as clear title favourites.

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Serie A champions Juventus have been the latest club to be added to the increasing list of suitors for the talented 21-year-old Porto starlet Otavio.

Alerted by his most recent formidable form, Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City are believed to be closely monitoring Otavio over the last couple of weeks, but Portugal media outlet are now reporting that the Old Lady has joined in the race.

Attack-oriented Porto midfielder has been in impressive shape this season, but the potential buyers need to be aware that the Brazilian international is unlikely to be sold on the cheap.

Otavio has a whopping £53.3 million release clause in his contract with the Portugal giants, and given the fact that he still has five years left in his contract with Porto, his…

Sunderland have signed IFK Gothenburg striker David Moberg Karlsson on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 19-year-old arrives at the Premier League side having already played for Sweden, as well as being capped 11 times at Under-19 level.

Karlsson began his youth career with Swedish side IFK Mariestad before making the move to Gothenburg in 2010 as a 16-year-old.

The forward becomes Paolo Di Canio s fourth addition at the Stadium of Light as the club look to improve on last season s disappointing campaign, which ended with an anxious relegation battle.

Karlsson joins Modibo Diakite, Duncan Watmore, Valentin Roberge and Cabral in putting pen to paper with Sunderland in the last month.

The club will face Fulham at home in their first game of the…

Chelsea have been warned by Joe Hart they face a challenge for the Premier League title, with champions Manchester City preparing a late resurgence.

City fourth in the table ahead of Monday s trip to Crystal Palace face an uphill battle in their bid to retain their crown after falling nine points behind leaders Chelsea with eight matches remaining.

Manuel Pellegrini s men have lost two of their last four league matches against Liverpool and Burnley.

But City goalkeeper Hart has not given up hopes of lifting back-to-back titles, pointing to City s late surge last term, which saw the club edge Liverpool for top spot after winning their five remaining fixtures.

We will never give up. It s kind of how we do it. We like to do it a different way, Hart sai…

Kylian Mbappe will succeed Lionel Messi and become the best player in the world, according to Cesc Fabregas.

Mbappe hit 33 Ligue 1 goals last term, topping the scoring charts as he fired Paris Saint-Germain to a sixth title in seven seasons.

The 20-year-old struck four times for France in their 2018 World Cup triumph in Russia, finishing fourth in that year s Ballon d Or voting.

Barcelona captain Messi came fifth, missing out on the chance to win the individual award for a record sixth time, after Argentina lost to France in the last 16.

Asked if there could be a player like his former Barca team-mate Messi in the future, Fabregas told AS: I think that s probably impossible.

We ve seen the likes of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, amazing players, but Mes…

Liverpool have been dealt a blow with the news Lucas Leiva is set to be out for a few months with a knee ligament injury.

The Brazil international lasted just 20 minutes as a second-half substitute in Liverpool s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.

Lucas described hearing a click in his knee and reportedly left Anfield on crutches.

In a press conference at Melwood on Thursday, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said: First of all, personally, I am disappointed for Lucas because he s been very, very important for our squad this season.

It was something that was innocuous really and has put him out for a few months.

Hopefully he ll get back sooner rather than later. He d been in good form this season and had worked his way back into the Brazil sq…

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc has told his players to shrug off the disappointment of their League Cup final defeat and focus on Tuesday s Champions League quarter-final first leg at Lyon.

Holders Bordeaux were defeated 3-1 by Marseille in Saturday s final in Paris and have also seen a nine-point lead in the French first division whittled down to goal difference by Montpellier.

Defeat in a physical match to Marseille was far from ideal preparation for their trip to domestic rivals Lyon and Blanc says the reigning French champions must get the loss out of their system as quickly as possible.

We re lucky in a way because we have an important match on Tuesday in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, said Blanc, whose side have not reached this stage of Europe…

Italian Serie A outfit Fiorentina have completed the signing of midfielder Mario Bolatti from FC Porto. The fee La Viola have paid for the Argentine s services was not revealed, but reports have it to somewhere near the 7-8 million euro mark.

Bolatti began his career with Belgrano de Cordoba and spent four years with the club before joining Porto. He however struggled to settle at Porto and after making only 15 odd league appearances over a period of two years, was loaned out to Huracan in the summer of 2009. He was a revelation at Huracan and was named the best player of the 2009 Clausura by Argentine sports newspaper Ole.

Bolatti s loan spell expired at the end of December, but he made it very clear that he did not want to stay in Portugal. Barcelona, Boca Juniors and…