RUMOURS: Juve to offer Mandzukic in part-swap for Alexis

Juventus are plotting an adventurous bid to sign Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez with Mario Mandzukic included as a makeweight in a potential player-plus-cash deal, according to CalcioMercatoWeb. The Bianconeri have been admirers of the Chilean for some time and will offer the Croatian as part of a potential player-plus-cash exchange in order to land him Alexis is currently in talks with the Gunners over a new contract, though negotiations are said to have stalled due to the Chilean's demands of a hefty increase on his current wage of £130,000 per week. Juve CEO Beppe Marotta is a big admirer of the Sanchez and hopes that Arsenal's reluctance to cave to the attacker's wishes will prove useful in an any attempt to lure the 27-year-old to Turin.

Firmino hopes to become the Neymar of Liverpool

 The Brazilian attacker Roberto Firmino has enjoyed a close relationship with Klopp since the German's arrival at Anfield in October 2015 were he hopes to become "the Neymar of Liverpool" with the help of Jurgen Klopp, but admits that fulfilling that ambition is ultimately up to him. And he is keen to take the next step in his career under the 49-year-old, who played a key role in the development of stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze and Marco Reus at Borussia Dortmund. "I played against Klopp's teams for four-and-a-half years [in the Bundesliga]," former Hoffenheim forward Firmino told The Daily Mail. "I know what he wants from a player. When I heard that he was coming to be Liverpool manager, I was so pleased.