Barcelona director of football Andoni Zubizarreta has dismissed claims Brazilian Dani Alves has asked to leave, reports Spain's Marca. , external

"Alves is under contract and we've never asked him to leave," says Zubizarreta.

"We don't have any indications from his agent to suggest that anything is going to happen and we haven't received any offers for him.

"But this is football and things can change"

Image source, Getty Images

Watch all 16 of Miroslav Klose's World Cup goals for Germany here, as the striker retires from international football.

Klose overtook Brazil's Ronaldo as the tournament's all-time top scorer after scoring in Germany's 7-1 semi-final defeat of Brazil.

Germany's leading goalscorer with 71 goals in 136 games, he is also the only player to score at four World Cup finals.

Partick Thistle sign former Southampton defender Danny Seaborne on a two-year contract.

The 27-year-old centre-back arrives at Firhill, external from Coventry for an undisclosed fee ahead of Partick's season-opening Scottish Premiership meeting with Ross County on Wednesday.

Seaborne made 53 first-team appearances for Southampton.

Summer signings James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos are in line to make their Real Madrid debuts in Tuesday's Uefa Super Cup against Sevilla on Tuesday.

Rodriguez, who won the World Cup Golden Boot after scoring six goals for Colombia, joined from Monaco for a fee, including add-ons, of about £71m.

Germany World Cup winner Kroos is also set to feature in an official match for Real for the first time.

The game sees the return of Real's Welsh star Gareth Bale to his hometown.

Cardiff City striker Joe Mason signs a new Cardiff City deal until 2017 before going on season-long loan to Championship rivals Bolton.

Manchester City winger Scott Sinclair says he will leave the club if the indications are he will not be given first-team football this season.

Sinclair joined City from Swansea in August 2012 but made just three starts in his first season at the Etihad and a loan move to West Brom last term also proved unsuccessful.

"Personally I'm just looking to play as many games as possible - I don't know what the future holds," Sinclair said.

"If the manager is going to give me game time, then I would love to stay. But if that's not the case I'm sure I'll have to go elsewhere and to play more."

Image source, Getty Images

North West Tonight:, external [Former player and BBC Football analyst] Robbie Savage is to donate his hair to Manchester's National Football Museum. Unwanted ponytail handed over tomorrow.

Venus Williams has risen six places in the rankings to 20th after her impressive run to the Roger's Cup final in Montreal.

The American, 34, beat her sister Serena for the first time in five years in the semi-finals before losing to Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets.

Togo want the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to move their Africa Cup of Nations tie from Guinea because of fears over the Ebola virus.

The 5/6 September match is part of the first round of group qualifiers.

It is estimated that Ebola has killed over 300 people in Guinea, the origin of the outbreak which is also now centred on Liberia and Sierra Leone.

"We are scared by the situation prevailing in that zone," the Togo Football Federation said.

Read more on the BBC African Football page.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has also spoken about, external his new recruit Eliaquim Mangala:

"I'm delighted to have added a player of Eliaquim's quality in the squad ahead of the new season.

"He is already a fine player but in my opinion, he has all of the mental, physical, technical and tactical attributes to become one of Europe's very best defenders.

"Eliaquim is a player I believe will make an immediate impact in the Premier League, thanks to his physicality, his reading of the game and quality on the ball.

"I think he will prove to be a great signing for us."

Here is more from Manchester City's new signing Eliaquim Mangala: "I'm very happy to come to England because for me, the Premier League is the best league in the world. It is a very intense and very aggressive competition. There are plenty of goals, so it is also really nice to watch and I can't wait to get started!

"The fact that Fernando is here is better because I played with him at Porto but there is also other players that I know like Sagna, Clichy and Nasri."

Read the developing story on the BBC Sport website.

Image source, Getty Images

Here is more on Manchester City signing Eliaquim Mangala from FC Porto for a reported £32m.

The 23-year old central defender, who will wear the number 20 shirt, becomes the sixth signing of the summer., external

The Paris-born defender said: "City is a top club in Europe. For me, it was an important step to leave Porto and join Manchester City in order to continue my progress. I want to win titles and I believe I can do this. I am ambitious and this is why I am here."

Germany's World Cup winning striker Miroslav Klose retires from international football.

Klose, who scored twice in the tournament in Brazil to become the competition's record goal scorer of all time with 16 goals, said the time was right to end a 13-year career with the German national team.

"Winning the title in Brazil was a childhood dream come true," the 36-year-old said in a statement released by the German football association., external

"I am happy and proud to have contributed to this big success for German football. For me there could be no better moment to complete the national team chapter."

Manchester City sign France defender Eliaquim Mangala.

Widnes, external report an "overwhelming" response from supporters to their appeal for information following Sunday's violent pitch invasion at the Challenge Cup semi-final.

A number of supporters stormed onto the field immediately after the Vikings were beaten 28-6 by Castleford at Leigh Sports Village and approached rival supporters in a provocative manner.

Castleford fans appeared not to respond to any goading but violence did break out as police and stewards attempted to restore order.

Widnes chief executive James Rule said: "We've had an overwhelming response and the information we have received will be invaluable in conducting a thorough investigation."

Former Barcelona manager Johan Cruyff says his former club "always used to sign ball players, but now Real Madrid do".

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Ultima Hora,, external the Netherlands playing legend added: "They've gone in a new direction and we have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

"They've spent a lot of money, which always brings a lot of scrutiny, and we'll have to see how it goes."

Image source, i100

Remember the 'Welcome to Manchester' poster showing Carlos Tevez in Manchester City colours which irked some fans of his former club Manchester United?

Well, here's a tribute to new United manager Louis van Gaal,, external who guided the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-finals and is deemed the man to revitalise the Old Trafford club.

They play Swansea in the first game of the new Premier League season on Saturday at 12:45 BST.

West Ham are set to firm up their interest in Connor Wickham, 21, by making a concrete bid for the striker, reports Daily Telegraph., external

The Hammers are keen to sign a new forward before the start of the season on Saturday, with Andy Carroll ruled out for four months.

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle is considering a return to football coaching with QPR, but it is understood any role is unlikely to be full-time.

A source close to Hoddle told Press Association Sport: "It's 50-50 as to whether he'll come back with QPR. He's thinking about it.

"If he does come back it's very likely it would be on a part-time basis."

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes midfielder Cesc Fabregas is well-placed to fill the position Frank Lampard occupied for 13 years.

Fabregas, 27, joined the club from Barcelona in June while Chelsea's record goalscorer Lampard left at the end of last season when his contract expired.

Mourinho told the Chelsea website:, external "Frank is the history of the club, history nobody can forget. Fabregas is the future; history is history but the future is more important at the moment.

"My opinion, and the opinion of my players, is that Fabregas is the right player to occupy that central position in midfield."