Arsenal out of race for Mbappe

ARSENAL are cooling their interest in Kylian Mbappe to concentrate on signing strikers Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon and Thomas Lemar of Monaco. The club have realised their chances of clinching a deal for 18-year-old Monaco striker Mbappe are slim because of competition from Real Madrid, Paris-Saint Germain and Liverpool. Tony Colbert, one of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s long-term allies at the club, has been relieved of his duties as fitness coach and moved to the technical team in a coaching reshuffle.

MANCHESTER UNITED’S 24-year-old goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is wanted by at least five clubs — Leicester City, West Brom, Huddersfield Town, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

÷ SWANSEA CITY have signed Dutch goalkeeper Erwin Mulder from Heerenveen on a free while striker Fernando Llorente will miss part of pre-season after breaking an arm while cycling on holiday.

SIMON GRAYSON has been appointed Sunderland manager on a three-year deal after the club agreed compensation of £750,000 with Preston North End. And chairman Ellis Short will stay in charge after the collapse of takeover talks with a German consortium.

÷ LIVERPOOL want Hull City’s £8million-rated left back Andrew Robertson should Alberto Moreno leave, and goalkeeper Adam Bogdan is wanted by Nottingham Forest.

WAYNE BURNETT has succeeded the late Ugo Ehiogu as coach of the Tottenham Under 23 side.

÷ BARCELONA and Brazilian side Chapecoense will play at the Nou Camp on August 7 to honour those killed when the team plane crashed last year.