MADRID — France midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni said on Tuesday Kylian Mbappé tried in vain to convince him to reject Real Madrid's offer and join him at Paris St Germain instead.

The 22-year-old ended up signing a six-year deal with the LaLiga and European champions, who reportedly paid a fee of 80 million euros ($83.65 million) with another 20 million in add-ons to AS Monaco at the weekend.

Real Madrid have reached an agreement to sign French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco on a six-year deal, the two clubs announced on Saturday.

The French international, 22, will join the European champions for a fee of some 80 million euros ($84.12 million) with another 20 million in add-ons, according to media reports.

#WelcomeTchouaméni pic.twitter.com/b6xdzmw4p1

MADRID - Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić has signed a one-year contract extension with Real Madrid and will stay at the European champions at least until June 2023, the club announced on Wednesday.

The announcement was made not long after the 36-year-old won his fifth Champions League title in a decade with the LaLiga champions. He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2018.

It is the second year in a row that Modrić has signed a one-year extension with Real as his current contract was set to expire at the end of June.

El mercado de fichajes es terreno próspero para todo tipo de rumores y uno que empieza a agarrar vuelo en la Liga MX tiene que ver con la posible llegada de Edinson Cavani al Toluca. 

Los choriceros llevan varias campañas entregando resultados que huelen peor que un huevo duro podrido. Tantas que la familia Diez, dueña del club, estaría dispuesta a sacudir el mercado del Apertura 2023 con la llegada del uruguayo.

BELGRADE - Striker Erling Haaland's superb first-half volley gave Norway a surprising 1-0 win away to Serbia as they got their Nations League Group B4 campaign underway on Thursday, but they needed goalkeeping heroics from Ørjan Nyland to secure the win.

The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute as Martin Ødegaard sliced open the defense with a beautiful pass to Marcus Pedersen who crossed for Haaland to deftly volley home from close range with the only shot on target in the first half.

In the buildup to the USMNT's friendly against Morocco, with the countdown to the World Cup now well and truly on, one of the most intriguing eye tests was the American midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah and Brenden Aaronson against fellow World Cup contender Morocco.

The three will be linchpins of the squad over the next decade, but the 21-year-old Aaronson was playing a new central role for the United States after previously being stationed on the left or right wing of Gregg Berhalter's 4-3-3 formation.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this month, the Premier League side said on Wednesday.

The France international re-signed for United from Juventus in 2016 but failed to deliver on his huge promise, often struggling for consistency at Old Trafford.

Once a Red, always a Red

Sergiño Dest made history when he became the first American to appear in El Clásico for Barcelona in 2020. Still, no American has worn the famous white kits of Real Madrid. 

That might be changing if reports out of Spain are accurate.