Dani Carvajal says his new Real Madrid contract contains a release clause high enough to ensure he never leaves the club.

The full-back has signed a five-year deal that reportedly contains a huge buyout option of at least €350million. 

Contracts in LaLiga are obliged to contain such clauses in order that, in principle, players have the freedom to move elsewhere even if their club is opposed to a transfer.

Paris Saint-Germain exploited this requirement in spectacular fashion last month, as they paid a world-record sum of €222m to free Neymar from his Barcelona contract and bring him to Ligue 1.

Carvajal, however, insists there is no danger of any other club tempting him away from Madrid.

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid)

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Sky Sports has revealed that Manchester City s director of football Txiki Begiristan will be holding talks with Raheem Sterling s representatives, as they aim to lock the youngster down to a new contract. The Englishman s current deal is set to run out in June 2020, with there being no option to extend his stay for another year. Sterling has been a revelation for City ever since making the move to the Etihad from Liverpool back in 2015, despite many neutral fans still not getting on board with admitting just how good he really is.

Sterling has been at the forefront of the club s success over the last twelve months, and if they re going to push on and retain their title, then he s going to be a big part of the operation. While they certainly have superstars littered throughout …

Ethan Ampadu will spend next season on loan at Sheffield United from Chelsea after the Blades completed a busy day of transfer business.

Wales international Ampadu, who can play in defence or midfield, joins up for the 2020-21 campaign at Bramall Lane having returned from a spell at RB Leipzig.

It marks the third signing of the day for United, who completed a double swoop for Derby County full-backs Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe earlier on Monday.

Ethan is an outstanding young player for Chelsea, and we ve worked really hard to get his signature for the season, boss Chris Wilder told United s website.

We need to thank Frank Lampard and the people at Chelsea for helping make this happen. We ve got a good relationship with them and they know we re going to ta…

Shkodran Mustafi admits Germany will miss Mesut Ozil but fully respects his Arsenal team-mate s personal decision to retire from international football.

Criticised prior to the World Cup after meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ozil was back in the spotlight after the holders fell at the first hurdle in Russia, finishing bottom of Group F.

The 29-year-old used a series of statements on social media to air his disappointment at his treatment, claiming some the criticism of his performances amounted to racism and accusing senior figures in German football of not doing enough to protect him, adding he would no longer make himself available for coach Joachim Low.

Mustafi – who, along with Ozil, was a part of the Germany squad crowned world champio…

Market: Dumbarton win

Odds: 19/20 @

Looking to extend their buffer at the top of the League Two table and pick up a Christmas Eve boost, Dumbarton will host East Fife on Saturday lunchtime.

Starting with the hosts, left disappointed last time out on December 3rd as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw away at relegation scrappers Bonnyrigg Rose, Dumbarton will be seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, with the mood in their camp likely to still be at a real high, Stephen Farrell s men find themselves tipped as the leading promotion contender this season. Opening this weekend s fixtures sat holding a four-point buffer at the top of the table, the Sons are also enjoying a hugely impressive seven-match unbeaten run across all formats a run that stems all th…

Gianluigi Buffon has returned to Parma, the club where he began his senior career 20 years ago.

The veteran goalkeeper left Juventus at the end of the 2020-21 season and was reportedly approached by Turkish Super Lig giants Besiktas, and Flamengo.

The Italy great has instead chosen to return to Stadio Ennio Tardini, where he developed as a youth and spent six years in the senior team after making his debut back in 1995 at the age of 17, keeping a clean sheet against a Milan side featuring the likes of Roberto Baggio and George Weah.

Roberto D Aversa, the Parma head coach, was a teenager on the Rossoneri s books at the time.

Parma announced the return of their superman via a video released on Twitter, showing Buffon digging up a time capsule buried beneath…

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is concerned after his side suffered their worst start to a Premier League season with the 1-0 home loss to Crystal Palace.

Not since the 1989/90 campaign, when Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly one game away from the sack, have United lost four of their first seven league games.

But Joachim Andersen’s first-half goal for Palace inflicted the same fate on the current crop, which left the Old Trafford faithful booing at the end.

It had looked like United were turning their season around after a Carabao Cup win over the same opponents on Tuesday followed victory at Burnley last weekend, but the pressure is beginning to mount on Ten Hag.

Asked whether he understood the crowd’s frustration, he said: “I understand, when…

Frank Lampard hailed Everton s dramatic 3-2 win against Crystal Palace as one of the greatest moments of my footballing life after battling back from two goals down to clinch Premier League safety.

Everton entered Thursday s contest at Goodison Park knowing that victory would guarantee them a 69th consecutive campaign of English top-flight football – a record only Arsenal (97 from next season) can better – but trailed to goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew before half-time.

However, for the first time in their Premier League history, at what was the 75th attempt, the Toffees recovered from a two-goal deficit at the midway point of a game to collect all three points thanks to goals from Michael Keane, Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Lampard …

Fenerbahce have expressed their delight at finally securing the services of Diego on a three-year deal.

The former Brazil international was presented at a media conference on Saturday, having spoken of his excitement earlier in the week at the prospect of joining Fener as a free agent.

Club president Aziz Yildirim revealed that Fenerbahce had registered their interest in the playmaker five years ago, and was thrilled to confirm the signing.

We were interested in Diego in previous years, he said. In 2009 his parents met here with me.

On that day, because of the high cost in terms of the transfer, it did not happen. Five years later, we are here today.

Diego, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Atletico Madrid from Wolfsburg, adde…

South Korean rivals Pohang Steelers and Seoul head into the first leg of Wednesday s AFC Champions League quarter-final in contrasting form.

Pohang have spent large parts of the K.League campaign at the top of the table and could have returned to the summit with a victory at home to title rivals Jeonbuk Motors on Saturday.

However, Hwang Sun-hong s men wasted that opportunity, as goals from Lee Seung-ki and Lee Dong-gook helped Jeonbuk stretch their lead at the top to four points.

Pohang now go in search of a swift response when they host Seoul at the Steelyard Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League last-eight clash.

If the two meetings between the sides in the K.League this season are anything to go by then a tight contest is to be expected.