Transfers

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen says that players who are free agents when the season ends will be coveted more than others as clubs look to rebound from the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Professional football has been suspended across the major European leagues due to the pandemic and questions remain over whether players whose contracts end on June 30 will be allowed to continue playing for clubs if the season is extended. 

Liverpool loanee Loris Karius wants to cut short his time on loan in Turkey with Besiktas, according to the Liverpool Echo.

According to Erdal Torunogullari, a Besiktas board member, Karius has filed a complaint with FIFA as a result of the club's decision not to pay players during the coronavirus shutdown.

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has criticized his club for their recent treatment of him and for trying to force his departure last year. The Croatian has been at Barca since 2014 but has fallen out of contention this campaign due to the arrival of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong and has only started 10 of Barca's 27 LaLiga matches. 

Paul Pogba's stint on the sidelines has made him more determined to succeed on his return from a layoff for a foot injury, the Manchester United midfielder has said. Pogba's injury restricted him to eight appearances so far this season, but he was primed to return before professional football in England was suspended because of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Los Angeles Galaxy assistant coach Dominic Kinnear and former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam are candidates for the FC Cincinnati coaching vacancy, The Athletic reported.

Kinnear, 52, previously served as head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo, leading the Dynamo to MLS Cup wins in 2006 and 2007. He has been with the Galaxy since 2017.

Stam, 47, has managed several clubs in Europe, including Reading in England and PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord in The Netherlands, his home country.

Without knowing how this’ll all play out, it’s tough to speculate or predict much with regards to the 2020 summer transfer window. UEFA insists that the 2019-20 season must be completed, but we have no clear idea as to when that’ll happen with European football still suspended.

After swapping England's South Coast for Hamburg, Leo Östigard and Viktor Gyökeres have become vital to St. Pauli. Arriving at the Millentor within one week of each other, the two Brighton loanees have gained invaluable experience in Germany's second division. 

Tottenham striker Harry Kane said on Sunday that he could leave the Premier League club if the team does not progress in the right direction as he wants to win trophies "sooner rather than later.” 

Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela said the Major League Soccer club prevented him from joining FC Barcelona in January.

The reigning MLS Most Valuable Player made the comments in an interview with GQ Mexico magazine that was published Friday.

Current contracts for players and coaches should be extended until the end of the delayed domestic soccer seasons, according to an internal FIFA document presented to its Coronavirus Working Group. The confidential document, seen by Reuters, also recommends allowing transfer windows to be changed in accordance with new season dates and urges clubs and players to work together to find solutions to salary payments during stoppages.