Inter Miami expects to sign Lionel Messi in the coming months for him to join the MLS club next season.

Discussions between the two parties have been going on for a couple of years and there is increasing confidence the deal will materialize.

Paris Saint-Germain have hoped to extend Messi's contract, which expires at the end of the current season. Messi has also been linked with a return to Barcelona. 

Jorge and Jose Mas — the brothers who co-own Inter Miami alongside David Beckham — are leading the negotiations and numerous meetings have taken place with the star’s father, Jorge.

Additional conversations aren't expected until after the World Cup.

Inter Miami have always known that a move to their city is a source of attraction for Messi’s family, who already own a property there. 

Barcelona hopes to sign a replacement for Sergio Busquets in January.

Barca, as previously revealed by ESPN, sounded out deals for Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves in the summer as possible options in case Frenkie de Jong moved to the Premier League.

Zubimendi and Neves remain on Barca's radar, sources have confirmed. The former recently signed a new contract with Real Sociedad, although his release clause remained fixed at around €60 million.

Aston Villa have named Unai Emery as manager after paying his €6 million release clause at Villarreal. 

Villa approached Emery as they looked to make a quick appointment following the sacking of Steven Gerrard.

Villarreal had retained hope that Emery would stay on, as he did when he turned down Newcastle’s advances last year.

Aston Villa has fired Steven Gerrard as manager following their 3-0 loss to Fulham.

"We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future," a Villa spokesperson said in a statement.

Gerrard was appointed in November 2021 on a three-year contract.

Gerrard replaced the popular Dean Smith last November after Villa's poor run, having been at Scottish club Rangers since 2018 and leading them to the title.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Old Trafford before the final whistle of Manchester United's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Ronaldo was seen leaving his seat on the bench and walking down the tunnel before the end of the match on Wednesday night.

Erik ten Hag said he would "deal with" Ronaldo on Thursday, saying that he preferred to talk about the performance of his team in the immediate aftermath of the game.

It is the second time Ronaldo has angered Ten Hag with his behaviour. After being substituted at half-time during a preseason friendly against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford in July, Ronaldo was pictured leaving the stadium early along with teammate Diogo Dalot.

Kylian Mbappe has denied reports he is seeking an exit from Paris Saint-Germain this January.

"I never asked for my departure in January," Mbappe told reporters after PSG's 1-0 win over Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

"The information that came out on the day of the [Champions League match against Benfica], I did not understand it. I am not involved in this information neither directly nor indirectly."

Mbappe was linked with a move to Real Madrid before he agreed to a new contract with PSG. Mbappe is reportedly frustrated with unfilled promises by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Phil Foden has signed a long-term contract extension with Manchester City through the 26-27 season.

It represents a five-year contract and a three-year extension to his existing deal, which was due to run until 2024.

"It's hard to put into words how happy I am to have signed this contract, it's a dream come true," Foden said.

"I have been a City fan all my life. I've trained here for so many years and I've even been a ball boy. I love this club so much, so to know I am going to be a part of it until 2027 feels amazing.

"I've improved a lot in recent years and so much of that is down to Pep [Guardiola] and his staff, who guide me every single day on the training field.

"Working with them gives me the best chance of improving even more and becoming the best player I can be."

Kylian Mbappe is pushing for an exit from Paris Saint-Germain during the January window as his relationship with the club has broken down.

Mbappe signed a new contract with PSG this summer after it appeared he would sign with Real Madrid.

Mbappe thinks promises made by sporting director Luis Campos, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and manager Christophe Galtier have not been kept.

Mbappe's  relationship with Neymar has deteriorated and he was promised he would play with a No. 9 next to him in attack who could play as a pivot. 

The Columbus Crew have fired Caleb Porter after they were eliminated from playoff contention.

Porter recorded a 45-43-37 regular season record and helped the club secure an MLS Cup (2020) and the Campeones Cup (2021).

"This is not a decision we took lightly, and I need to first and foremost thank Caleb for his tireless efforts for the Crew during his four seasons with the Club," Crew general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a news release.

"Caleb will forever be a part of Black & Gold history as the second star above our crest from 2020 is a testament to his contributions and what we were able to bring home during a special year."

Pep Guardiola has dismissed reports that Erling Haaland has a clause in his contract that would allow him to join Real Madrid for a lower fee.

Haaland has scored 19 goals in 12 matches in all competitions with Manchester City this season.

Spanish media reported this week that there is a release clause in Haaland's City contract that is exclusive to Real Madrid and gives the LaLiga giants a massive advantage if they want to buy him following the 2023-24 season.

"It is not true," Guardiola added. "He does not have a release clause for Real Madrid or any other team. Rumors, people talk.

"We have to be worried about what we can control. I have the feeling he is very happy here and we will try to make people happy here. He is settled perfectly, incredibly beloved."