Francesco Totti was close to joining Real Madrid in 2003 but he decided to stay with Roma.

"I was about to go there in 2003, even if it's not true that I was in Spain," Totti told Sky Sport Italia. "But then my heart, my friends and the family helped me reflect on it, and fortunately I am still here to tell the tale.

"And then when there were problems with the penultimate contract I signed, I really thought about changing club."

Totti is still playing productive football at the age of 40.

Antoine Griezmann admitted in an interview that Paris Saint-Germain expressed interest in him this summer.

"(PSG) were very interested in me during Euro 2016, but I told my agent that I didn't want to know about anything that wasn't to do with the French national side," said Griezmann.

Griezmann has said he would only have interest in a transfer from Atletico Madrid if Diego Simeone also left the club.

"I knew PSG were really keen, and it's a big club that's constantly looking to be bigger, but I was only focused on the national side, and I wanted to isolate myself from everything, from Atlético, from PSG and any possible interest in me. My head was just focused on the European Championships."

Griezmann enjoys life in his adopted homeland of Spain.

"Spain is my daily life. I eat at three, I sleep the siesta, I talk to my dog in Spanish... my daughter's first words were in Spanish. Now I make the effort to speak to her in French. I've been here since I was 14."

AC Milan and Manchester United will compete to sign Isco, who has been dealing with injury issues this season.

Jose Mourinho is looking for a player in the mould of Isco to play behind United's strikers.

Isco would bring creativity to either midfield.

Real Madrid signed Isco from Malaga in 2013.

Robert Lewandowski is in no rush to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich. 

Lewandowski signed a five-year deal when joining Bayern on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

According to German broadcaster Sport1, Lewandowski's agents met with Bayern at their training ground in Munich on Wednesday.

Lewandowski did not deny that a meeting had taken place between the club and his advisers, Cezary Kucharski and Maik Barthel, but said: "I have no idea what happened there and if they only had coffee or went into more detail.

"I have always said we'll find a solution. We need to remain calm, it isn't that easy once the season is underway. We play every three days, and that's most important for me."

Claudio Ranieri is relaxed about reports linking Danny Drinkwater with Manchester United and says Leicester City has no interested in selling him.

Drinkwater, 26, has been linked with a return to United, whom he left in 2012, despite him signing a new long-term contract with the Premier League champions this summer.

Leicester plays United this Saturday.

"I'm very surprised because often it happens one month before the market and not now," said Ranieri.

"[Drinkwater] signed a new contract and everything is normal. I think he doesn't have a clause. We don't want to sell anybody. We want to keep our players.

"When I have a player who is wanted by big teams I am very happy because that means we are working very well.

"Sometimes I say maybe the newspaper doesn't have some news and they write some news -- this is OK. That is my idea."

Alvaro Morata claims Chelsea made a substantial bid to sign him that would have made him the most expensive Spanish player in history.

Real Madrid bought Morata back from Juventus this summer and have decided to keep him as they face a transfer ban.

"Chelsea were the club that showed the most interest in me," said Morata.

"Antonio Conte had already signed me at Juventus," he continued. "And it was a great offer. I would have been the most expensive Spanish player ever."

"Chelsea offered €70 million ($78 million), but Real Madrid said that I was part of their plans, and that had always been my dream,"

Manchester City will allow Yaya Toure to leave for any club in the Premier League during the January transfer window.

Toure has yet to decide if he wants to leave City in January or wait until the summer transfer window.

There is an outside chance he could play for City again and see out a contract worth £220,000-a-week and which finishes next June. 

Pep Guardiola wants Toure's agent to apologize for his public criticism before he considers playing him again.

Inter Milan reportedly offered €85 million ($94.8 million) to Real Madrid this summer for James Rodriguez.

James has been used as a substitute for Real Madrid as he remains out of Zinedine Zidane's starting XI. James has continued to prefer to fight for his place in Real Madrid's lineup.

James was bought by Real Madrid in 2014 from Monaco for €75 million.

Manchester City hasn't given up on the possibility of eventually signing Lionel Messi, according to The Sun.

Messi is entering the final two seasons of his current deal with Barcelona. But sporting director Robert Fernandez is confident Messi will sign a new contract this season with Barcelona. Messi has also talked about returning to Argentina to play for Newell's Old Boys after the 2018 World Cup.

City is hoping the presence of Pep Guardiola could tempt Messi to consider joining their project.

Antoine Griezmann says he would only be compelled to leave Atletico Madrid if Diego Simeone is no longer manager.

Griezmann has been linked in the past to Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea.

“The only doubt (I would have about staying at Atletico Madrid) would be if Simeone leaves for PSG or wherever,” he told French media.

“I called him before extending my contract and he confirmed to me that he was staying. I can learn a lot from him.”

Despite that new contract, Griezmann has taken the decision to leave his current agent and represent himself with his father Alain and mentor Eric Olhats advising him.

“From now I’m going to operate without an agent,” he told French newspaper L’Equipe.

“But I will always have the advice of my father and also my mentor, Eric Olhats.”