Gossip column: Verratti, Stones, Laporte, Zielinski, Veretout – BBC Sport

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For a list of all the completed deals, check out the transfers page.

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Crowd disturbances at Euro 2016 dominate the British press

Manchester United are ready to make a £79m bid for Paris St-Germain’s 23-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti. (Corriere dello Sport, via Daily Star)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised to reveal the next club he will play for “soon” amid continued speculation about a move to Old Trafford. (Daily Express)

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Northern Ireland’s defeat shares the Daily Star’s back page with Uefa’s warning to England

Pep Guardiola wants to make Everton’s John Stones and Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte, both 22, his central defensive partnership at Manchester City next season, in a combined deal that could cost as much as £85m. (Manchester Evening News)

Liverpool have made a £9.5m offer for Udinese midfielder Piotr Zielinski, 22. (Guardian)

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“Jogi wins with sweat and Schweini” is the headline in Germany’s Bild newspaper after Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine

Jorge Sampaoli will take over as Sevilla’s new coach after Unai Emery confirmed his departure from the Europa League champions. (Marca)

Former Nantes midfielder Jordan Veretout, 23, wants to leave relegated Aston Villa this summer – with a host of clubs from the top leagues in Europe keen to sign him.(L’Equipe, via Birmingham Mail)

Steve McClaren says he failed in his role as head coach at Newcastle United because he was not assertive enough.(Daily Mirror)

The best of social media

Germany’s 2-0 win over Ukraine impressed professional players as well as fans, with Swansea winger Wayne Routledge tweeting “Germany are relentless btw” and Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish adding “Never seen a king of assists like Ozil”.

Mesut Ozil himself was on Twitter shortly after the match to give his thoughts.

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Ozil and his Germany team-mates started Euro 2016 with a win

The playing of ‘God Save The Queen’ before Northern Ireland’s match against Poland on Sunday prompted injury Manchester City and Belgium defender Vincent Kompany to ask: “If England faces Northern Ireland will we hear the same national anthem twice? Will they all sing it together… twice? I’m confused.”

Veteran Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given could barely contain his excitement on social media ahead of Monday’s Euro 2016 match with Sweden, posting: “One sleep to go for @FAIreland @UEFAEURO #EURO2016.”

Tottenham’s Belgium defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld were both on Twitter on the eve of their opening Group E match with Italy in Lyon. Alderweireld stuck strictly to the facts in his tweet (see below), while Vertonghen went for the combination of motivational slogan and explanatory hashtag: “We are ready! #Euro2016.”

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Belgium are ranked second in the world behind Argentina

The ‘Will Grigg’s on fire’ chant, created by a Wigan supporter in tribute to the Northern Ireland striker, inspired a clever variation on the heat map trope as he was left on the bench for Sunday’s defeat against Poland – see below, and look closely.

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And finally

A Pakistani man who was held hostage by Islamist militants for nearly five years has received a signed football shirt from Manchester United, after he revealed that listening to their matches kept him “sane” while he was in captivity. (Sky News)

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