6:10 AM ET Barcelona and Atletico Madrid discussed a possible swap deal involving Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN. There is a dispute, though, over which club initiated the talks, identified the players involved, and ultimately rejected the idea. – Insider Notebook: Real Madrid stars stunned by Messi exit talk–
Football
6:34 AM ET ESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email Thiago Silva has signed a one-year deal with Chelsea after leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, the club have announced. The Brazil defender ended his time in the French capital after PSG decided not to offer their captain an extension. – Insider Notebook: Real
5:01 AM ET Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey is set miss a large part of the club’s preseason after Jamaican authorities imposed a 14-day quarantine on him after he attended Usain Bolt’s birthday party. Bailey, 23, was present at the party last Friday after which eight-time Olympic gold medalist Bolt tested positive for the coronavirus.
4:42 AM ET Welcome to ESPN’s Insider Notebook, featuring contributions from our reporters across the top leagues around the world. In this edition, there’s reaction from Barcelona’s bitter rivals on Lionel Messi’s shock news. Plus: Sadio Mane could have joined Manchester United … but for Louis van Gaal. Jump to: Mane rejected United over LVG
6:43 PM ET Shaun Reynolds The coronavirus pandemic has made the transfer market uncertain — and you can find out when the windows open and close here — but here are the rumours floating around Europe’s big leagues and beyond. Mane stalls on new deal in hopes of Barca move Shock reports in Europe today
7:38 PM ET Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar talked to Lionel Messi over the phone on Thursday about the possibility of the Barcelona captain joining the French club, sources have told ESPN. Messi’s future has become a considerable point of discussion after he shocked Barcelona by telling them he wants to leave on Tuesday. — Lowe:
8:27 PM ET Fans of Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys made their case to sign Lionel Messi on Thursday by taking to the streets of the 33-year-old’s native Rosario as speculation over where the Barcelona star will play next season dominates sports headlines worldwide. A parade of Newell’s fans, mainly in cars due to the
11:56 AM ET Plot twists are to be expected when transfer rumours are involved, but it appears Lionel Messi might actually be leaving Barcelona. It feels like something both impossible and inevitable, and the emotional shockwaves will continue to resonate for a while even if he stays, but how would this actually work? If Messi
1:46 PM ET Current and former MLS players spoke out against Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen after saying in an interview that players’ boycott of games on Wednesday made him question how much further he wanted to invest in the club. – Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) Players from around
3:43 PM ET ESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email United States men’s national team star Weston McKennie has arrived in Italy ahead of officially signing with Serie A champions Juventus. The player will join the Italian side from German club Schalke with Juve tweeting photos and a video on Thursday of McKennie arriving at