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It could be just a matter of time before Alphonso Davies is a Real Madrid player.

The Bayern Munich left-back has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid, but it’s unclear if the transfer to join the Spanish giants will materialize this year or in 2025, according to The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana and Raphael Honigstein.

Davies and Real Madrid officials have reportedly been negotiating a deal for a number of weeks after it was reported in January that Los Blancos were monitoring his contract situation.

There haven’t been any official talks between the two clubs, but there have been several meetings between the Canadian star and Real Madrid. The process is believed to have advanced after an in-person meeting in mid-February, Cortegana and Honigstein report.

Madrid have encouraged Davies not to sign a new contract with Bayern beyond when his current deal expires in June 2025.

Real Madrid will consider signing Davies this summer at a reduced rate or launch a move after his contract expires in 2025 so he can join on a free transfer, The Athletic adds.

Davies has attracted plenty of interest elsewhere, including Barcelona and some Premier League teams. But it’s understood that his only preference is to sign for Real Madrid.

Despite his reported desire to move abroad, Bayern haven’t been put off from trying to convince Davies to extend his stay, which started in 2019 after he joined from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Davies has evolved into one of the sport’s best left-backs since moving to Germany, appearing in over 180 games and winning several major trophies, including the Bundesliga and Champions League titles.

Along with Davies, Real Madrid have also been heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe. They’re considered the odds-on favorites to sign the 25-year-old French striker for free after his PSG deal expires this summer.

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Simone Inzaghi is ready to give Marko Arnautovic more game time after the wasteful Austrian forward redeemed himself with the winning goal in Inter Milan’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Arnautovic won the last 16, first leg clash at the San Siro after replacing injured Marcus Thuram at half-time, and he is set for more minutes as his French teammate recovers and matches come thick and fast.

The 34-year-old, who has had a tough season, had frustrated home fans with a series of wasted opportunities including a dreadful miss just after the hour mark which had supporters’ heads in their hands.

“He will be really valuable to us as he has been up to now. He and Alexis Sanchez are doing well for how they work, how they train and how they are with teammates,” Inzaghi told reporters.

“He came into the match really well, we were disappointed for the chances he missed but strikers should worry when they’re not getting any opportunities.

“I was a striker, I had periods in which I didn’t have any chances and I was always more worried than when I did have them and I either had a great goalkeeper in front of me or I missed the target.”

Inzaghi said that he hoped to lose Thuram only “for a short period of time” before he has tests on the thigh injury which ended his match.

Diego Simeone said that he is positive for next month’s return leg in Madrid despite his team not having a single shot on target on Tuesday.

“We didn’t have many chances unlike recent games. We controlled the match for long periods, but in the second half they created more chances,” he said.

“I’m optimistic, we lost today but we still have the home leg to play. We know what we’ll come up against, and how they play as we’ve just played them. Hopefully we’ll be able to take advantage.”

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Serie A has told potential organisers of a European Super League of its opposition to the breakaway competition, Italy’s top football league said Wednesday.

A meeting was held on Wednesday between Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo and his counterpart at A22, who are promoting a competition outside of UEFA’s control for the continent’s top clubs.

Serie A said that the meeting was at “A22’s request” in an unsuccessful attempt to get the league onside with their plans.

“We are in agreement with European football’s other top leagues,” said De Siervo in a statement.

“I underlined our opposition to the Super League project, in line with previous announcements on the subject in 2019, 2021 and 2023.”

Announced to great surprise in 2021 by 12 clubs, including Italy’s big three of Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan, the first Super League project collapsed after outrage from fans of the English clubs involved and threats from governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.

Within 48 hours of that announcement nine of the 12 rebel clubs — including six from the Premier League — backed down.

Only Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are still publicly attached to the Super League project, designed as a closed competition intended to supplant the UEFA’s flagship Champions League competition.