Serie A

AC MILAN are reportedly chasing Nikola Vlasic for a £26million summer transfer.Manchester United knocked the Serie A side out of the Europa League on Thursday, cutting off one route to next year’s Champions League.
Nikola Vlasic is a rumoured £26million target for AC MilanCredit: Reuters
If Stefano Pioli can guide Milan back to the premier club competition after seven years away, a spending spree could be green-lit.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Croatian forward Vlasic and Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic are being eyed by the Rossoneri if they qualify.
Vlasic has excelled at CSKA Moscow following a short spell with Everton.
The 23-year-old cost £10m when signed from Hajduk Split in 2017 but didn’t score a league goal in a quiet year on Merseyside.
Sent out on loan to CSKA, Everton actually turned a profit on the winger when he left permanently for £14m in 2019.
This season has seen Vlasic hit 11 goals for the Russian club and he will likely line up versus England in the Euro 2020 group stage.
Latest reports also outline plans for Milan to sign Fikayo Tomori from Chelsea if they reach the Champions League.
The loanee centre-back has impressed at the San Siro and can be signed for £26m.
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Vlasic hit just two Europa League goals during a year at EvertonCredit: PA:Press Association
Fikayo Tomori is also wanted for a permanent stay at the San SiroCredit: Getty

Talks are also underway to extend the contracts of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Rival clubs are reportedly circling for the Italian goalkeeper with Udinese’s Juan Musso and Emil Audero of Sampdoria said to be the favoured alternatives if Milan wave goodbye to their academy product.
Pioli’s side face Fiorentina on Sunday knowing a defeat could leave them teetering on the brink of losing their Champions League spot.
A recent dip in form has seen Milan’s title bid fade and fifth-placed Napoli are just six points behind, with a game in hand.
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Some clubs still splashed out despite Covid-19
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CRISTIANO RONALDO faces a  £17million tax hit if he rejoins Real Madrid – unless on just a one-year contract.The £345,000-a-week Juventus attacker, 36, has also been linked with another old club in Manchester United.
Ex-Real Madrid and Man Utd frontman Cristiano Ronaldo has much more advantageous tax laws in Italy than he would have in SpainCredit: Reuters
But despite Bernabedu chief Zinedine Zidane admitting a switch back to Real was possible, the move would be tricky financially for both Real and Ronaldo.
Marca quote Himnus Football Lawyers CEO Toni Roca as saying: “Ronaldo enjoys a special tax regime.
“He did not go to Italy by chance, since the transalpine country has the most favourable tax treatment of the five major leagues on the continent.”
Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club
Roca believes Italy receives only around £200k a year in tax from Ronaldo’s annual £35million wages.
But in 2015 Spain scrapped the Beckham Law, which gave wealthy foreigners a large tax allowance.
And tax rates are also higher in Spain than in Italy.
Roca added: “For those 40 million euros £35m that [Ronaldo] receives per year for image rights, Cristiano would have paid 100 times more taxes in Spain.
“This means [an increase] from those 225,000 (£200k) euros that he now pays in Italy to a whopping 20 million euros a year in our country, and that’s without counting the salary.” 
Ronaldo has just been named 2020 Serie A player of the year but has been criticised recently amid Juve’s Champions League last-16 exit against Porto.
And asked on Sky Sports last week about a Ronaldo reunion, Zidane said: “Yes, it may be.
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“We know Cristiano, we know the person he is and everything he has done here.
“But now he’s a Juventus player and we must respect this.
“Now, let’s see what the future will be. I was lucky enough to coach him and he is very impressive. Right now, he’s helping Juventus.”
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CRISTIANO RONALDO was named Serie A player of the year for 2020 after scoring 31 goals in 33 games for Juventus. The Portugal forward, who helped the club to a ninth consecutive league title, got the nod following a vote by players, referees and coaches. 
Cristiano Ronaldo was named Serie A player of the year for 2020Credit: https://www.instagram.com/juventus/
Ronaldo, 35, said: “I would like to thank my teammates, who made this award possible. And to all the players who voted for me.
“Consistency, confidence in my strength, hard work and passion for the game are the secrets to enjoying football, as well as motivation and discipline.
“Without which you can’t think about carrying on playing when you’re 35, 36 or 40.”
Ronaldo was named to the team of 2020 too, which was also made up of: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Robin Gosens, Stefan de Vrij, Lenardo Bonucci, Theo Hernandez; Luis Alberto, Nicolo Barella, Papu Gomez; Paulo Dybala, Ciro Immobile.
He said on his second season in Italy: “It was positive and strange at the same time. At the team level we won the Scudetto, so we did well.”
The forward revealed his header in Juve’s 2-1 away win against Sampdoria was his favourite of the season.
Ronaldo leaped an incredible 8ft 5in to connect with the ball, scoring the winner in the process.
He said: “That was the best header of my career, there’s no doubt about that.”

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Despite Ronaldo and Juve’s achievements last season, under new boss Andrea Pirlo this term, things are not going so well.
The champions currently sit third, ten points behind leaders Inter Milan, despite having a game in hand.
Antonio Conte’s Inter are running away with in, nine points ahead of second-placed rivals AC Milan.
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AC MILAN winger Ante Rebic has been banned for two games for allegedly telling a referee: “I saw your mother being a prostitute in Naples”.The Croatia star was sent off after verbally abusing ref  Fabrizio Pasqua in stoppage time as Milan fell nine points behind Serie A leaders Inter with Sunday’s 1-0 home loss to Napoli.
Ref Fabrizio Pasqua responds to Ante Rebic’s outburst by sending him off in stoppage time of last Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat to Napoli in Serie ACredit: Getty
Ante Rebic won little sympathy after seeing red at the San Siro for his outburstCredit: Getty
The 27-year-old will now miss his second-placed team’s games against mid-table clubs Fiorentina and Sampdoria, following what informazione.it claim were personal comments about the official’s mum.
But it comes just a month after Rebic showed the other side to his personality – off the field.
Having already paid off the debts of 500 villagers in his hometown Donji Vinjani in 2018, he donated £8,000 to help autistic children in Slavonski Brod.
Meanwhile, the Disciplinary Commission also fined Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma 10,000 euros (approx £8,558)  fine for “threatening and offensive attitude” towards Napoli players.  
The Italy ace, 22, has been linked with Manchester United and especially Chelsea over the past year.
And earlier this month Italian website Libero claimed the Blues were willing to pay Donnarumma £9million a YEAR – after his Milan contract expires this summer.
So unless Donnarumma agrees a new deal he could be one of the most sought-after free transfer recruits in the next window.
DALOT FORTUNES REVIVED
But there has been little to suggest the 22-cap stopper is unhappy in Serie A.
And although neighbours Inter look poised to break Juventus’ nine-season title stronghold, Milan boss Stefano Pioli has turned the giants around in his second term in charge.
Milan have also helped revive the fortunes of United right-back Diogo Dalot.
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The Portugal Under-21 man’s impressive loan spell in Italy has prompted Old Trafford boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to insist Dalot will back in Manchester next season.
Solskjaer said: “Now he’s kept fit all season; he’s been available for them. He’s playing at a big club, big expectations, great history… so it’s been a good year for him.
“So of course I’ve been very pleased with his development this season, and he’s our player and we’re looking forward to having him back.”
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CHELSEA loanee Fikayo Tomori revealed he speaks to AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini before and every game.The 23-year-old centre-back swapped Stamford Bridge for the San Siro in January to gain more game time after being overlooked by former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
Fikayo Tomori has impressed onlookers in Serie ACredit: Getty
The Chelsea loanee revealed he is in regular contact with Milan legend Paolo MaldiniCredit: Getty
Tomori previously revealed he felt his axing by club legend Lampard was ‘personal’ but he has hit the ground running in Serie A and could make the move permanent with a purchase option worth £25million agreed between the sides.
And Tomori has lifted the lid on the extent of the dialogue he has with Milan icon and technical director Maldini, 52, after the Italian revealed he had been tracking the defender since last summer.
Tomori told The Times: “If I had gone on loan somewhere during the summer I wouldn’t be here.
“Now, I have the chance to play for AC Milan, play in Serie A, learning something new and having the likes of [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, [Mario] Mandzukic, and Paolo Maldini, to learn from.
“You feel his [Maldini’s] presence.
“As much as I’m playing for myself and for the team and the manager, I want to impress him.
“It’s like if you were an attacker and one day Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was your sporting director and saying these words for you. It’s crazy.
“Before every game, he talks and says come on and says well done after. If I haven’t played well he’s still there saying well done.”
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Tomori has made ten appearances for Milan, including the 1-1 draw in the Europa League last 16 first leg against Manchester United last week.
He picked up plaudits for an incredible display against Roma where a last-ditch tackle saved his side.
Maldini previously hinted he wants to make Tomori’s stay permanent after being impressed by his pace – but at less than the pre-agreed ‘expensive’ price.
At the start of the month, he told Sky Sport Italia: “As for Fikayo, he has unique assets of speed, intensity, for us he was a possible reinforcement for the rest of the season.
“There is a very high price of purchase, we will evaluate whether to exercise it or not.”
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INTER MILAN have been forced into lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak at the club.Four players have tested positive for Covid-19 – keeper Samir Handanovic, defenders Danilo D’Ambrosio and Stefan de Vrij, and midfielder Matias Vecino.
Inter have been forced to suspend their Serie A match this SaturdayCredit: Getty
As a result, all first team activities have been suspended and they will not be able to play their match scheduled for Saturday against Sassuolo.
It has not yet been confirmed whether Serie A will formally postpone the game.
According to ESPN, all Inter players will also not be allowed to join up with their national teams during the international break.
D’Ambrosio and Handanovic received their positive coronavirus tests on Wednesday.
And that was shortly followed by De Vrij and Vecino also testing positive on Thursday.
First team activities are scheduled to resume on Monday, but all players will have to take a coronavirus test before they are able to do so.
This is the not the first time this season that Inter have suffered an outbreak.
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Back in October, former Manchester United defender Ashley Young was forced to self-isolate after testing positive.
And earlier this season when Napoli could not fulfill their fixture away against Juventus due to travel restrictions, Juve were initially awarded a victory by the league.
But a successful appeal from Napoli eventually led to the match being re-scheduled.
Inter currently sit top of Serie A, four points clear of local rivals AC Milan.
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