MAN CITY MAKE RONALDO CONTACT

Manchester City have been in contact with Cristiano Ronaldo after learning that he is looking to leave Real Madrid, reports Don Balon.

The Portuguese forward has strong ties to City's arch-rivals Manchester United, and has been linked with a return to Old Trafford, but Pep Guardiola is eager to sound out a move.

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BARCA OPEN VERRATTI TALKS

Barcelona have opened talks with Paris Saint-Germain regarding a possible deal for Marco Verratti, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Italy international has long been linked with a move away from the French capital, with Barca seemingly leading the likes of Juventus and Inter in the race for his signature.

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PSG HOLD RONALDO TALKS

Paris Saint-Germain have already held talks with Cristiano Ronaldo's agent regarding a possible summer transfer, claims the Daily Mail.

The Portuguese forward has informed Real Madrid of his desire to move on and PSG met with Jorge Mendes to discuss a deal while Madrid were in Cardiff for the Champions League final.

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CHELSEA TO BACK CONTE WITH £250M

Chelsea are ready to back Antonio Conte with £250 million worth of transfers this summer, according to the Mirror.

Despite reports that Conte is unhappy with the Blues, plans to sign a host of big-names will continue, though there has been no progress in inking the manager to a new deal that would make him the highest-paid manager in club history.

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MENDES TELLS REAL: RONALDO HAS PL OFFERS

Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes has told Real Madrid that the attacker has offers from Premier League clubs, according to Cope.

The Portuguese forward has suddenly and unexpectedly been launched into a summer transfer saga following accusations in Spain that he avoided paying €14.7 million in tax between 2011 and 2014.

Ronaldo's release clause at Madrid is a lofty €1 billion and, although any sale would likely be considerably lower, only a few clubs are likely to be able to afford the former Manchester United forward.

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Cristiano Ronaldo want to leave Real Madrid

Los Blancos would have a difficult time replacing the superstar but would be able to field a strong lineup without him

How might Real Madrid line up without Cristiano Ronaldo?

A week ago that seemed like a question that would not be asked for some time. But now with rumours of the Portugal star demanding his exit from the Bernabeu, it’s something that has to be considered.

While replacing a player like Ronaldo, who alongside Lionel Messi has an argument to be considered the best in the world, would be near impossible, you would be hard-pressed to find a side more capable of it than Real Madrid.

The team’s base would likely remain intact, with the midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro providing indispensable support for the attacking trio.

Up top, Karim Benzema would likely retain his place. Despite questions about his role on the side, he continued to perform well as the centre-forward this season.

Meanwhile, Isco, who came into the side for an injured Gareth Bale toward the end of the year, impressed with his ability to drive play for Benzema and Ronaldo. At the same time, Ronaldo, whose role involved him playing further inside rather than on the wings, could see his spot taken by Bale.

At the very least, that would help solve the issue of what to do with Isco, who proved himself worthy of a place in the lineup with his performance at the end of the year for Madrid.

As for who from outside the club could step in for Ronaldo, the possibilities are endless. The money Madrid would bring in from the transfer itself — his release clause reportedly stands at €1 billion — and freeing up Ronaldo’s wages would be astronomical, and could probably entice most players into joining if the club so chose.

But one intriguing option could be French teenage prodigy Kylian Mbappe. Could he slot into Ronaldo's old position, forcing either Bale or Isco back to the bench? Here is one possibility:

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Cheick Tiote dies after collapsing during training

The former Newcastle United player was rushed to hospital in Beijing, but emergency services failed to revive him, his agent confirmed

Former Newcastle United player Cheick Tiote has died after collapsing during a training session on Monday. 

The Ivorian was training with second-tier Chinese side Beijing Enterprises, who he joined in February, when he passed out and was rushed to hospital. 

But emergency treatment failed to revive him, and it was later confirmed that he had passed away.

Tiote's representative Emanuele Palladino said: "It is with deep sadness that I confirm that my client Cheick Tiote sadly passed away earlier today after collapsing in training with his club Beijing Enterprises.

"We cannot say any more at the moment and we request that his family's privacy be respected at this difficult time.

"We ask for all your prayers."

A statement from Beijing Enterprises also confirmed the news of Tiote’s death.

It read: “At 6pm on June 5th, Mr Cheick Tiote fell unconscious to the ground during training.

“He was immediately taken to hospital, but unfortunately died at 7pm on June 5th. We have informed his relatives of his death.

“After joining Beijing Enterprises Group FC on February 5th 2017, Mr Tiote has made a great contribution to the club and has received plaudits from the coaching staff and team-mates for his superb ability and professionalism.

“We hereby express our sincere condolences following Mr Tiote’s unfortunate death.” 

Tiote had been a mainstay for Beijing Enterprises, starting all 11 matches to date this season.

On Saturday, the 30-year-old helped his team secure a 4-2 victory against Baoding Ronda. 

The midfielder started his career in Belgium with Anderlecht and also represented Twente and Roda JC in the Netherlands, as well as making 52 international appearances for Ivory Coast. 

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