Arsenal will reportedly compete with West Ham United for £32.5 million Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi. The Gunners are ready to meet the price, but are not the Argentine’s only suitor, with Atletico Madrid also mooted as an interested party.

Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Jack Staplehurst of the Sunday Express) described how Arsenal could have the edge in any attempts to convince Icardi to move away from Serie A:

It remains to be seen if Icardi would be interested in a switch to West Ham, after Inter failed to qualify for the Champions League last season.

Arsenal and Atletico, who are reportedly yet to bid, are both in Europe’s elite club competition next term, although the Gunners are more likely to give him regular first-team football.  

France striker Antoine Griezmann agreed a new deal at Atletico this week, securing his future at the club.

TalkSport recently suggested Gunners boss Arsene Wenger “first registered an interest in the Argentine last summer” and is prepared to pay the asking price.

It makes sense for Wenger to do what it takes to recruit another striker for a squad lacking a quality finisher. His first attempt to improve options up front failed when Leicester City‘s Jamie Vardy turned down a move to north London.

Icardi is a suitable alternative to Vardy thanks to his deceptive pace and intelligent movement in the final third. He’s a clever and athletic No. 9 who scored 16 league goals for Inter last season, according to WhoScored.com.

Icardi‘s varied runs and class in front of goal would make him an upgrade on target man Olivier Giroud as a foil for the creativity of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

Wenger must bolster the striker position ahead of the new Premier League campaign, after being let down by Giroud‘s inconsistency and the injury issues that blighted Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck last season.

N’Golo Kante on 5-man List of Arsenal Targets

Wenger is reportedly ready to shed his reputation for caution in the transfer market and spend £250 million on five players, including Leicester City‘s N’Golo Kante, per Tony Stenson of the Daily Star.

Stenson believes Wenger will target Kante and a quartet of other stars in response to Pep Guardiola taking over at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho’s arrival at Manchester United: “Marco Reus, David Alaba, N’Golo Kante, Aymeric Laporte and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are on his list of top names as Wenger goes for broke.”

He also detailed what it would take to prise Kante away from the Premier League champions: “Kante, meanwhile, has always been on Wenger’s radar but he never expected him to shine the way he did last season for Leicester. His defensive midfield duties would allow Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere or Mesut Ozil to get forward more. He’d be a £40m buy.”

Despite the bold nature of this rumour, it’s difficult to believe Wenger will suddenly be so outlandish this summer. He’s always been a manager who resists stacking positions and trusting a bloated squad.

Still, Kante remains an intriguing target for a team seemingly always needing a firmer foundation in midfield and greater protection in front of the defence. Wenger has yet to officially back off a possible bid for Kante, according to Ben Jacobs of beIN Sports:

The Gunners chief hasn’t been shy about talking up Kante‘s qualities, recently even suggesting the Foxes have already found the player’s replacement, per Jacobs:

That last line about Arsenal’s current crowded midfield rings true since Wenger has already signed Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka this year. However, Kante is more defensive and destructive than either player.

Pairing him with Xhaka would not only provide extra cover for a soft defensive centre, it would also give the Gunners the power in the middle of the park to compete anywhere against any team. 

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Nathan Redmond’s transfer to Southampton has reportedly moved Liverpool one step closer to signing transfer target Sadio Mane, but the Reds are said to have failed with a £12 million offer for UEFA Euro 2016 breakout star Marko Pjaca.

As reported by Neil Macdonald of the Liverpool Echo, Redmond made an £11 million switch from Norwich City to Southampton on Saturday, with many believing the young forward is a direct replacement for Mane.

The Saints ace is expected to cost the Reds roughly £30 million, which would net Southampton a nice profit, as he cost the club just £10 million when they poached him from Red Bull Salzburg two years ago.

The Daily Mail‘s Lee Clayton doesn’t doubt Mane is on his way to Anfield:

Mane scored 11 Premier League goals last season, including eight in the final eight matches, and he could add an element of raw pace and physical ability to Liverpool’s attack. While he struggles with consistency, he has shown a remarkable scoring ability when he’s on form, and fans must be hoping manager Jurgen Klopp could help him develop further.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss stood out for his ability to develop raw, physical talents during his time in Germany, finding plenty of success with Pierre-Emerick Aubemayeng. When the Gabon international arrived at Signal Iduna Park, he was a talented but unrefined winger, yet Klopp turned him into one of Europe’s most prolific strikers in a short time.

Mane looks an awful lot like Aubameyang did when he moved to Dortmund, but Kristian Walsh of the Liverpool Echo wondered whether he’s what the Reds need:

Of his 11 league goals last season, eight of them came in the final eight games of the campaign. He went 16 games without a goal – a run bookended by his strikes, home and away, against the Reds. In his 37 appearances last season, just eight of them saw him find the net.

He can struggle for consistency, as evidenced by being relegated to the bench for a period under Koeman – though that, also, had roots in his desire to move in January. Capable of moments of magic, he can also go through periods without making an impact.

In Divock Origi, Klopp has a talented, developing athlete to work with, and one has to assume a healthy Daniel Sturridge would be the team’s first-choice starter up top next season.

Mane would be an excellent depth option, and if Klopp can work with the Senegal international, his long-term potential is tantalising. But £30 million is a hefty fee to pay for a player who tends to disappear for large stretches of the season and doesn’t project as an immediate first-teamer.

Meanwhile, Croatian starlet Pjaca is predictably being linked with a number of teams after his starring performance for the Vatreni during Euro 2016, with La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Metro‘s Mark Brus) reporting his club, Dinamo Zagreb, have turned down an offer of £12 million from Liverpool for the 21-year-old.

Inter Milan and AS Roma are also linked with the midfielder, whose team were knocked out of the tournament by Portugal on Saturday, losing 1-0 after extra time.

Despite several strong performances during the group stage, Pjaca spent the majority of Saturday’s clash on the bench, much to the disbelief of BT Sport’s James Horncastle:

The youngster made the most of his chances when he did play, however, and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive as a result. His agent, Marko Naletilic, has already revealed there is a lot of interest in his client’s services, speaking to MilanNews.it (h/t Football Italia).

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Pjaca has the look of an impressive prospect, blessed with remarkable quickness and dribbling skills, but he’s mostly an unknown, and the speculation is being driven by a handful of showings at Euro 2016.

He’s likely to stay with Zagreb or move to a club that would allow him to develop and showcase his talent―it’s too early for him to make the giant leap up to a Premier League title hopeful.

Follow @ReverschPass

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Chelsea have reportedly fallen behind Inter Milan in the race to sign Lazio star Antonio Candreva, while Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda appears to be on his way to Crystal Palace on a free transfer.

According to Gazzetta World (h/t Daily Star‘s Alex Wood), Inter are willing to offer £16.2 million for Candreva, who is currently working with incoming Blues manager Antonio Conte as part of Italy’s UEFA Euro 2016 squad.

Lazio value the player closer to £20 million, and Chelsea are said to be very much in the thick of the race―although the Nerazzurri have now taken a clear lead.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who mainly plays as a winger but can also play in a central role or as a full-back, has been with Lazio since 2012 and has played 150 matches for the club from the capital, per Wood. His versatility and remarkable work rate are his biggest assets, but he’s also a superb passer, dribbler and a set-piece specialist.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Candreva is at his best when he has space to run into, acting both as a distributor or finisher on the counter-attack. He is a consistent ball-winner who is not afraid to do the dirty work in midfield.

As shared by OptaPaolo, his importance to Italy’s Euro 2016 chances can’t be underestimated:

While the reported asking price of £20 million is relatively high for a player who will turn 30 next year, Candreva‘s all-round skill set means he should age well and still be productive in three or four years.

He’s a favourite of Conte, who is expected to overhaul the Chelsea squad ahead of the upcoming season and would be aided in his attempt to guide the Blues back to the top of the Premier League by working with players he knows understand his system.

Other clubs have taken note of his abilities as well, however, and per David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Chelsea will have to act fast:

Inter have struggled in Serie A in the last few seasons, and while a move to the club would be a step up for Candreva, one has to assume he’d rather join an elite team like Chelsea. The Italian is good enough to be a smash hit virtually everywhere―he could do better than Inter.

Elsewhere, L’Equipe (h/t Daily Express‘ Jack Staplehurst) reported Mandanda will spurn Chelsea and Everton to sign for Crystal Palace, despite sitting down with the Blues to discuss terms earlier this month.

The France international spent the better part of the last decade with Marseille but has decided to leave his long-term club, and he’s expected to announce his next destination after Euro 2016. New Everton manager Ronald Koeman was said to be interested, although most fans and pundits assumed he was headed for Stamford Bridge.

The proposed move never made much sense, as Mandanda has been France’s second-best keeper behind Tottenham Hotspur‘s Hugo Lloris for years. The 31-year-old would likely start for the majority of Premier League clubs today―just take a look at his highlights:

With Chelsea, Mandanda would likely have been Thibaut Courtois‘ main back-up, while he has a great chance of starting over Julian Speroni or Wayne Hennessey at Selhurst Park.

Per Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror, his future will ultimately come down to the role he desires:

At the age of 31, he could elect to cash in before it’s too late, but Mandanda is too good to be a bench player. A move to Crystal Palace appears the right one for his career, and if he plays up to his talent with the Eagles, another big-money move to an even bigger club could be in store in a year or two.

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Portugal needed extra time to book their spot in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2016 on Saturday, as Ricardo Quaresma scored the only goal in his team’s 1-0 win over Croatia.

Chances were few in a closely fought first half in which Croatia saw more of the ball and Portugal aimed for the counter. The pattern continued after half-time, and while both sides had a couple of looks, extra time always seemed inevitable.

Neither team took any major risks in extra time, but substitute Quaresma finally found the breakthrough after 115 minutes. Portugal will meet Poland in the quarter-finals. 

As shared by beIN Sports, Luka Modric and Mario Mandzukic returned to the starting XI for Croatia after missing out on the 2-1 win over Spain:

For Portugal, Raphael Guerreiro returned from injury, while Adrien Silva was handed his first start in place of the disappointing Joao Moutinho.

Croatia started the match with plenty of attacking intentions, looking to find a gap in Portugal’s defence, but from the opening minute, it became clear neither side planned on giving their opponents any space.

Modric didn’t find much support, and Ivan Rakitic was seemingly fouled every single time he touched the ball. Portugal aimed more for the counter, looking to use their pace in attack, but the Croatians did a fine job isolating Cristiano Ronaldo early.

The action was limited to a handful of fouls and strong duels in the first 20 minutes, and Ronaldo was lucky to escape without a booking after stepping on Darijo Srna’s foot. Croatia had more reasons to be upset with the official, as Jose Fonte got away clean after a nasty step on Rakitic’s arm.

Apart from those incidents, there was little to discuss. Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC was a little disappointed:

Football Italia echoed that sentiment:

Bleacher Report UK provided this image of Ivan Perisic’s odd new hairstyle:

The Inter Milan man had the best chance of the first half, spinning inside the box before rifling a shot into the side-netting. On the other side of the pitch, Pepe powered a header over Danijel Subasic’s crossbar from an offside position.

Ivan Strinic should have provided a better cross after great work from Perisic, but his delivery flew behind the forwards and out of harm’s way, and after just one minute of added time, both teams headed for the dressing room with the score still 0-0.

Bleacher Report UK couldn’t help themselves:

Portugal manager Fernando Santos didn’t make any changes at half-time, but Andre Gomes made way in favour of the young Renato Sanches after just five minutes into the second half.

Things opened up slightly for Croatia, and Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic had two good looks on goal in less than 30 seconds. First, he almost connected with a great cross from Strinic, and the resulting corner kick was taken quickly and surprised the Portuguese defenders, but his shot missed the mark.

Sanches made his presence felt almost immediately after replacing Gomes, combining well with Joao Mario before scuffing his shot wide.

Yahoo Sport UK’s Andrew Gaffney thought he could have done better:

Domagoj Vida just missed the target with a glancing header after a lovely delivery from Rakitic, and Nani wanted a penalty after Strinic hit him in his follow-through. Replays showed there was definite contact, but the speedy winger milked the challenge too much, and the official didn’t budge.

Sanches’ introduction gave the Portuguese renewed energy, and the Croatian full-backs came under tremendous pressure. But with 15 minutes left to play, neither side seemed any closer to a goal, and extra time appeared likely.

ESPN FC’s Tommy Smyth didn’t hide his thoughts on what he was seeing:

Quaresma made his way onto the pitch with minutes left to play, and Nikola Kalinic, Croatia’s hero in the win over Spain, joined him. Neither managed to find a late breakthrough, however, as the match headed for extra time.

Football blogger Sergi Dominguez said what most were likely thinking:

Neither team was willing to take any chances early in extra time, with Perisic sending a looping header toward Rui Patricio’s goal after four minutes. Kalinic then powered a shot well wide of the goal from a promising position, wasting a great chance after doing all of the hard work.

The Times‘ Rory Smith wondered whether he was to blame:

Portugal introduced Danilo Pereira early in the second half of extra time, a defensive substitution, and it was clear Santos’ men were playing for penalties. 

Vida came agonisingly close to handing his team the lead after Patricio slipped and watched a corner sail over his head, but the defender couldn’t keep his header on target. Soon after, Kalinic couldn’t keep a header down either, allowing Patricio to make an easy save.

The Inter Milan man went on to hit the post with a header, and on the resulting counter, Quaresma finally broke the deadlock with a close-range header, pushing home the rebound after Subasic denied Ronaldo.

After the restart, Marko went on a surging run through the Portuguese defence but couldn’t find an open team-mate, and Vida only just missed the target with an ambitious volley in the final minute of added time. Portugal survived, however, booking a meeting with Poland in the next round.

Post-Match Reaction

As shared by Football Italia, the match winner thought Portugal deserved to advance to the next round:

On paper, Croatia was arguably the toughest team Portugal could meet until the final, and Ronaldo and his team-mates have a unique opportunity to make a deep run into the tournament. Poland didn’t look at all convincing in their win over Switzerland, and while Portugal didn’t look great, either, they will enter their clash as favourites.

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Liverpool are reportedly interested in Croatia and Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, a player who once worked with Anfield chief Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund. Yet the Reds will face strong competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal, as well as Primera Division giants Barcelona.

Spanish publication Sport (h/t Jonathan Green of the Daily Star) detailed Liverpool’s interest in the player, who is lighting up UEFA Euro 2016:

The 27-year-old is currently at Euro 2016 with Croatia and impressed for his country during the group stages.

And Catalan newspaper Sport claim the Reds have asked Inter about signing Perisic this summer.

The report says that Barcelona have identified Perisic as an alternative to Nolito, who appears set to join Manchester City, but face competition from Liverpool for his signature.

Green’s report also references some uneasy history between Perisic and Klopp. The player was critical of the German’s selection policy back in 2012, a critique Klopp understandably did not appreciate.

Yet if the two can let bygones be bygones, landing Perisic would a be a steal for Liverpool. It would first mean seeing off competition from Arsenal, though, with the Gunners linked to the 27-year-old by TalkSport.

Perisic has been in devastating form for the Vatreni at Euro 2016, scoring twice and providing an assist to help his nation reach the last 16, per UEFA’s official site. So it’s understandable he’d be courting this level of interest.

He’s a left-winger who displays the movement of a centre-forward, expertly timing his runs to regularly ghost into central positions and pose a significant scoring threat.

His fluid, perceptive style of play is ideally suited to the quick-breaking game Klopp favours.

Yet it seems as though Inter may not be forced into a sale this summer, according to Goal’s Nizaar Kinsella:

Sources close to the player have told Goal that a move this summer is consequently unlikely, despite Perisic’s ambition of one day playing in England.

Inter’s recent takeover by the Suning Holdings Group has strengthened their hand financially, with president Erick Thohir pouring cold water on the possibility of a sale in recent weeks.

Still, being able to tempt the Serie A club into a sale would be a major coup for Klopp, who needs a player with Perisic’s distinctive qualities in Liverpool’s attack next season.

Reds Want More for Joe Allen

Liverpool have rebuffed an £8 million bid for Joe Allen from the midfielder’s former club, Swansea City, per David Prentice of the Liverpool Echo, who also noted the Reds want closer to £15 million for the playmaker.

However, the Swans have so far been reluctant to meet that demand, per Prentice: “The Reds knocked back Swansea’s offer a week ago and Allen’s old club has not been back with an improved bid.”

This isn’t the first time the idea of Allen returning to his old club has been mooted. Earlier in June, Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins revealed his desire to bring Allen back, according to Kristian Walsh of the Liverpool Echo.

Allen has enhanced a flagging reputation with some sterling performances for Wales at Euro 2016. Often overshadowed by the exploits of star attractions Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, Allen has still earned the praise of his team-mates, per the Guardian‘s Stuart James.

Meanwhile, ESPN FC’s Dave Usher believes the midfielder, who only has one year left on his deal with the Reds, deserves first-team football next season.

That’s likelier to come away from Anfield, though. Allen is a steady type who takes care of the ball in a cautious manner, but he’s not dynamic or consistently forward-thinking enough for Klopp’s high-octane approach.

Receiving a double-digit fee for a player who cost £15 million four years ago and has rarely impressed at club level would be a huge boost for Liverpool’s summer transfer plans.

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The United Kingdom’s unprecedented decision to vote to leave the European Union will have far-reaching consequences, many of which won’t be seen for years or indeed decades to come.

Never before has a country voted to leave the EU, so the future is, to say the least, unknown.

Liverpool as a city, the European Capital of Culture in 2008, has benefited greatly from EU funding over the last 20 years, as explained by the Liverpool Echo before the vote. The decision to leave the EU will have a significant impact on Merseyside.

No wonder, then, that Liverpool voted to remain. “Now there is no certainty other than uncertainty,” says Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, per Liam Murphy of the Echo:

We have investment in this city from the EU and we have to look at what this means.

We also have to look at where does this leave companies in the city that are dependent on EU trade and investment.

I will be urgently talking with people to look at how we engage with them, and also talking to the Government and UKTI about how we respond to the situation.”

Sport and football isn’t of the greatest importance in the abyss that the UK has been plunged into, but there are certain aspects relating to sportsmen and women that can be detailed.

The Telegraph‘s Daniel Schofield and Cristina Criddle explain that the “freedom of movement principle allows sportsmen and women from the EU to ply their trade in the UK without needing a work permit that the majority of non-EU citizens require.”

That means, “more than 100 Premier League players would have failed to have gained a work permit” including Liverpool’s Brazilian-born attacker Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho signed for Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013, after five years at the Serie A side. Coutinho’s move to Anfield required a work permit application as he didn’t automatically qualify at the time due to having only one cap for his country, per James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo.

Had Liverpool been attempting to sign Coutinho with the UK not being part of the EU, the player would not have gone on to wear the No. 10 for the Reds.

Furthermore, a report in the Telegraph lists eight current Liverpool players—Emre Can, Alberto Moreno, Jose Enrique, Adam Bogdan, Simon Mignolet, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori—who would not automatically qualify for permits.

Liverpool, of course, aren’t alone in this problem, with players such as Dimitri Payet, N’Golo Kante and Anthony Martial also named as not being permitted. Previous Premier League players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and David Ginola are also named. 

It’s no wonder Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore said all Premier League clubs backed remaining in the EU, per Sky News.

Changes

Leaving the EU will take two years from when Article 50 is triggered, per Matthew Holehouse of the Telegraph, so these changes won’t be instant.

What you could now see over these coming transfer windows is English clubs signing young players they won’t be able to sign once the UK has officially left the EU.

This is particularly relevant with regards to young players aged from 16 to 18, because English clubs will no longer be able to sign players from EU countries before they turn 18.

The EU has a special clause in FIFA’s transfer laws that means players can be signed within the EU when they turn 16, worldwide it is 18, per ESPN’s Dale Johnson.

So current Spanish academy duo Pedro Chirivella and Sergi Canos would not have been able to sign for Liverpool had the UK not been part of the EU. Similarly, Arsenal would not have been able to sign Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona when he was 16.

The knock-on effect here is that clubs may be forced to look to recruit and develop more homegrown players from within the UK, rather than in Europe.

This, of course, opens up the debate about developing more English players and how that might benefit the national team. So there could yet be a plus-side for England. Small mercies.

Elsewhere, the UK leaving the EU will have an impact on the economy, with sterling falling to a 31-year low as the Leave campaign moved towards victory overnight, per ITV, and the FTSE suffering big falls, too.

As explained by Adam Shergold for MailOnline, the knock-on effect on transfer fees will likely see Premier League clubs facing hiked prices when attempting to purchase from around Europe, at least in the short term.

If a club bid €40 million for a player a week ago, that’s risen from £31 million to £34 million now. 

Clubs may find it more difficult to fill hospitality and corporate areas if large businesses choose or simply must move some of their business interests to cities based within the EU. 

Long-term, how the economical changes affect Premier League clubs—who are to benefit from new TV deals worth a combined £8.3 billion next season—only time will tell. 

Meanwhile, supporters who travel to away games in Europe are likely to find their prices for flights will be more expensive and their mobile-phone roaming charges no longer being protected by EU ruling, per Simon Calder of the Independent, not to mention their pounds not going as far as they did at the exchange counters.

Football will be the least of the concerns for the 48 per cent of the UK population who voted to remain—many passionately and through thorough research—as the country now enters a time of instability and unpredictability.

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The United Kingdom’s unprecedented decision to vote to leave the European Union will have far-reaching consequences, many of which won’t be seen for years or indeed decades to come.

Never before has a country voted to leave the EU, so the future is, to say the least, unknown.

Liverpool as a city, the European Capital of Culture in 2008, has benefited greatly from EU funding over the last 20 years, as explained by the Liverpool Echo before the vote. The decision to leave the EU will have a significant impact on Merseyside.

No wonder, then, that Liverpool voted to remain. “Now there is no certainty other than uncertainty,” says Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson, per Liam Murphy of the Echo:

We have investment in this city from the EU and we have to look at what this means.

We also have to look at where does this leave companies in the city that are dependent on EU trade and investment.

I will be urgently talking with people to look at how we engage with them, and also talking to the Government and UKTI about how we respond to the situation.”

Sport and football isn’t of the greatest importance in the abyss that the UK has been plunged into, but there are certain aspects relating to sportsmen and women that can be detailed.

The Telegraph‘s Daniel Schofield and Cristina Criddle explain that the “freedom of movement principle allows sportsmen and women from the EU to ply their trade in the UK without needing a work permit that the majority of non-EU citizens require.”

That means, “more than 100 Premier League players would have failed to have gained a work permit” including Liverpool’s Brazilian-born attacker Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho signed for Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013, after five years at the Serie A side. Coutinho’s move to Anfield required a work permit application as he didn’t automatically qualify at the time due to having only one cap for his country, per James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo.

Had Liverpool been attempting to sign Coutinho with the UK not being part of the EU, the player would not have gone on to wear the No. 10 for the Reds.

Furthermore, a report in the Telegraph lists eight current Liverpool players—Emre Can, Alberto Moreno, Jose Enrique, Adam Bogdan, Simon Mignolet, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori—who would not automatically qualify for permits.

Liverpool, of course, aren’t alone in this problem, with players such as Dimitri Payet, N’Golo Kante and Anthony Martial also named as not being permitted. Previous Premier League players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and David Ginola are also named. 

It’s no wonder Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore said all Premier League clubs backed remaining in the EU, per Sky News.

Changes

Leaving the EU will take two years from when Article 50 is triggered, per Matthew Holehouse of the Telegraph, so these changes won’t be instant.

What you could now see over these coming transfer windows is English clubs signing young players they won’t be able to sign once the UK has officially left the EU.

This is particularly relevant with regards to young players aged from 16 to 18, because English clubs will no longer be able to sign players from EU countries before they turn 18.

The EU has a special clause in FIFA’s transfer laws that means players can be signed within the EU when they turn 16, worldwide it is 18, per ESPN’s Dale Johnson.

So current Spanish academy duo Pedro Chirivella and Sergi Canos would not have been able to sign for Liverpool had the UK not been part of the EU. Similarly, Arsenal would not have been able to sign Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona when he was 16.

The knock-on effect here is that clubs may be forced to look to recruit and develop more homegrown players from within the UK, rather than in Europe.

This, of course, opens up the debate about developing more English players and how that might benefit the national team. So there could yet be a plus-side for England. Small mercies.

Elsewhere, the UK leaving the EU will have an impact on the economy, with sterling falling to a 31-year low as the Leave campaign moved towards victory overnight, per ITV, and the FTSE suffering big falls, too.

As explained by Adam Shergold for MailOnline, the knock-on effect on transfer fees will likely see Premier League clubs facing hiked prices when attempting to purchase from around Europe, at least in the short term.

If a club bid €40 million for a player a week ago, that’s risen from £31 million to £34 million now. 

Clubs may find it more difficult to fill hospitality and corporate areas if large businesses choose or simply must move some of their business interests to cities based within the EU. 

Long-term, how the economical changes affect Premier League clubs—who are to benefit from new TV deals worth a combined £8.3 billion next season—only time will tell. 

Meanwhile, supporters who travel to away games in Europe are likely to find their prices for flights will be more expensive and their mobile-phone roaming charges no longer being protected by EU ruling, per Simon Calder of the Independent, not to mention their pounds not going as far as they did at the exchange counters.

Football will be the least of the concerns for the 48 per cent of the UK population who voted to remain—many passionately and through thorough research—as the country now enters a time of instability and unpredictability.

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UEFA Euro 2016 will enter the knockout stage on Saturday as the teams kick off in the round of 16, and a glance at the draw in this year’s tournament reveals the bracket is very lopsided.

England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy are all on one side, while Croatia and Belgium represent the strongest of the other eight teams—guaranteeing that a nation that has never won a major international tournament will reach the final and some of Europe’s illustrious sides could be facing an early exit.

Here is the full schedule for the knockout stages, complete with the latest odds courtesy of Odds Shark and Oddschecker.

The full bracket can be found at BBC Sport. 

Croatia and Belgium Face Straightforward Route to Final

With Croatia and Belgium set to avoid the tournament’s favourites until the final—assuming one of them gets there—there’s a lot to be said for their chances of winning the competition, as reflected in their odds.

The Red Devils enjoyed a milestone win on Wednesday as they beat Sweden 1-0, per the tournament’s official Twitter feed:

On paper, Belgium also have one of the best squads in at the Euros with quality pervading their team in almost every position.

With Hungary in the round of 16 and most likely Wales awaiting them in the quarter-finals, Belgium should expect to reach at least the final four, where they may well meet Croatia.

Though Portugal improved going forward in their last match as Cristiano Ronaldo finally found his scoring touch, they also shipped three goals to the Hungarians and haven’t managed to win a single game thus far.

Like Belgium, there are plenty of outstanding players in their side—particularly in midfield thanks to Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic. All three have produced strong showings so far, and the latter was particularly exceptional in their 2-1 win over Spain, per WhoScored.com:

Bleacher Report UK’s Sam Tighe believes he has been the player of the tournament:

The Inter Milan winger’s creativity and willingness to run at defenders makes him a real threat and with him on top form, Croatia should have little problem meeting Belgium in the semi-finals.

However, the winner of that match will almost certainly be facing a top contender.

Italy a Worthy Bet at 16-1

Of the strong teams on the other side of the draw, Italy have arguably been the most impressive.

Despite topping their group, the Azzurri have one of the toughest possible draws. To reach the final, in all likelihood they must beat Spain, Germany and then either England or France.

As the Italians showed in their opening two matches, it would foolish to rule them out, though.

Like Germany, Italy seem to possess an almost innate ability to go far in tournaments, regardless of how strong their team appears on paper.

They only conceded one goal in the group stage and that was after naming a much-changed side. As noted by OptaPaolo, the team have otherwise been incredibly tough to beat under Antonio Conte:

With essentially the same back line enjoyed by Juventus—whose 20 goals conceded in Serie A last season was bettered only by Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe’s top five leagues—they’ll be tough to break down even for Spain.

Further, their rested players will be fresher for the time off, per football writer Paolo Bandini:

The rest will be especially useful given how hard they work, as revealed by BT Sport’s James Horncastle after the first round of games:

If they can get past Spain, none of Germany, England or France have looked that impressive going forward despite all their attacking talent, so it’s possible they can grind their way to the final.

Once there, their superior experience can make the difference against Croatia or Belgium—or indeed any of the sides in that half of the draw.

Title Prediction: Italy

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