Jude Bellingham adds to dream Real Madrid midfield, uncertainty reigns over PSG's Kylian Mbappe and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane saga rumbles on... how the European heavyweights look ahead of the new season
The new football season is just around the corner and Europe's heavyweight clubs are making their final preparations for another assault on the Champions League.
Manchester City swept all before them en route to conquering Europe and winning the Treble last season, meaning the traditional continental elite have some catching up to do.
But how have the strongest teams in Spain, Italy, France and Germany fared with their summer recruitment and pre-season fixtures? Mail Sport takes a closer look.
REAL MADRID
Last season
Champions League semi-finals (beaten by Man City); LaLiga second place; Copa del Rey winners
Summer arrivals and departures
Real's already enviable midfield has been further improved by the signing of young Englishman Jude Bellingham in a deal worth an initial £88.5million but potentially rising to £114m with add-ons.
Combined with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, Real must surely have the best engine room anywhere in the world and 20-year-old Bellingham will be eager to prove he belongs on the biggest stages.
While the Bernabeu club continue to be linked with Kylian Mbappe, who would become the shining jewel of their attack, it could well be one for next year when he's a free agent.
Other signings include the 'Turkish Messi' Arda Guler, 18, from Fenerbahce as an exciting future prospect, and the loan of ex-Stoke and Newcastle forward Joselu from Espanyol.
Some big characters have left Real, not least Karim Benzema for the Saudi club Al-Ittihad. The Frenchman was a true club legend after 354 goals and five Champions League successes.
A less heralded departure was the injury-plagued Eden Hazard, who is reportedly considering retirement aged just 32. Marco Asensio's contract run out
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