Augsburg president Klaus Hofmann says he does not expect Markus Weinzierl to leave this summer as he emerges as the number one choice to replace Roberto Di Matteo at Schalke.
Bild reported that Schalke have made a move for Weinzierl, who guided the Bavarians to a fifth-placed finish last season.
Hofmann said: “What I can definitely say is that Markus has not been to me and told me he wants to leave.
“I have read that Schalke are supposed to have contacted us, but that is not right. Nobody has been in touch with us to ask about Markus.”
Khedira ‘excited’
Juve’s latest signing Sami Khedira has expressed his excitement at joining the Italian champions.
The German midfielder has spoken for the first time since Juve announced on Tuesday that the player will join the Turin club on a free transfer from July on a four-year deal.
“Yesterday was a great day,” Khedira wrote on Facebook.
“I am happy and excited to say that I will be playing for Juventus for the next four years. Juventus is a wonderful club with a great history. My discussions with the coach (Massimiliano Allegri) and the club were great.”
Khedira only made 11 appearances for Real Madrid last season.
Bayern Munich won’t pay huge fees
Bayern Munich are to get active in the transfer market this summer, but they will not be paying crazy money according to chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Bayern’s club-record transfer outlay was the 40 million euros spent for Javi Martinez two years ago and that would have to be smashed if they were to succeed in luring a player like Paul Pogba to the Bundesliga.
That is not going to happen, however, Rummenigge said.
“Bayern Munich are definitely not going to buy any player for 100 million euros,” he said.
In addition to Pogba, Bayern have been linked with moves for Angel Di Maria and Matteo Darmian this summer.
Real Sociedad target Arsenal’s Campbell
Real Sociedad are hopeful of signing Arsenal forward Joel Campbell this summer.
The Basque outfit, however, have yet to begin negotiations with the Gunners to acquire the Costa Rica international.
Sociedad, coached by David Moyes, are keen to reinforce their attacking line for the 2015-16 campaign.
When asked about Campbell, Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay said: “He is an interesting player for Real Sociedad.
“However, at this time there is no negotiation regarding a transfer. We have to analyse the financial conditions that this transfer would pose.”
Atletico Madrid keen to sign Tevez
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Juventus forward Carlos Tevez would be a perfect fit for his team.
The Madrid outfit are keen to lure the Argentina international to the Vicente Calderon stadium this summer as they look to reinforce their squad for next season.
Tevez is under contract with Juve for another year but has long been linked with a potential return to Boca Juniors.
“One always gets excited if you have players like Carlos Tevez,” Simeone said.
“More than the goals he can score, he has football running through his veins. It would be an ideal reinforcement considering the way we experience football at Atletico Madrid.”
Veteran Toni signs Verona extension
Evergreen striker Luca Toni has been rewarded for his unprecedented goalscoring exploits at Serie A club Verona with a new one-year contract.
The 38-year-old last month became the oldest ever player to win the Capocannoniere award – given to the top-scorer in the Italian league – after notching 22 goals for Verona in the 2014-15 campaign.
He shared this year’s prize with 22-year-old Mauro Icardi of Inter, who was born in 1993 – the year before Toni made his senior debut with Modena.
Toni joined Verona upon their return to Serie A two years ago and scored 20 league goals as they secured their survival.
Platini wades into France political row
Europe’s soccer chief said yesterday he had officially invited French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to watch last Saturday’s Champions League final in Berlin, after a row exploded about Valls’s use of a government jet to get there.
Michel Platini, head of UEFA, also said Valls’s cabinet had told him ahead of the match that he wanted to discuss the Euro 2016 tournament, to be hosted by France, and the corruption allegations engulfing FIFA.
Platini’s comments could help Spanish-born Valls – a longstanding Barcelona fan – defend himself against mounting accusations that he treated himself and his two children to a private excursion at taxpayers’ expense.