Transfers

Lionel Messi, who last week played his last game for Paris St Germain, is open to making a return to LaLiga side Barcelona, the Argentine forward's father said on Monday.

Barça were forced to let their talisman leave in 2021 because his high wages coupled with strict LaLiga financial rules could have jeopardized the club's future.

Messi, who joined Barcelona's youth set-up aged 13 and went on to become the club's all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games in all competitions, moved to PSG as a free agent on a two-year contract.

MADRID - Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid as a free agent in the close season after 14 trophy-laden years, the LaLiga club said on Sunday, with the striker set to move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.

Saudi Arabia's state-run Al Ekhbariya television station reported that Al Ittihad had reached an agreement with Benzema on a two-year contract, with club officials in Madrid to hammer out a "record deal" with the striker.

Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr could not resist the temptation to sign five-times Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in January, but although the prolific Portuguese forward scored an impressive number of goals, they finished the season empty-handed.

Ronaldo's hopes of silverware ended on Saturday as Al-Ittihad clinched the league title for the first time since 2009 with one match to spare.

Luton Town are headed to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history after the team, along with U.S. goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, defeated Coventry City 1-1 (6-5 on penalties) in the EFL Championship Play-offs final on Saturday.

Luton have done the unthinkable and have been promoted from Non-League football (outside the top four tiers) to the Premier League. Luton last played in the first division of England back in 1992 before it was rebranded as the Premier League.