Sunday Open Thread: Italy vs. France, Frattesi Ultimatums and More

At times, the transfer market rumor mill can operate like a finely tuned Formula 1 car, churning out intriguing stories with machine-like precision, deftly navigating through loan swaps, multi-million dollar moves, and crushing sales like an in-his-prime Michael Schumacher handling the narrowest chicane. But now that we've reached the dog days of summer, the rumor mill's wheels feel like they're stuck in the mud, revving as fast as ever but kicking out nothing but sludge and noxious fumes.

To wit, as we put a pin on the weekend (incidentally, why hasn't our modern calendar ever been amended to truly make Sunday a weekend?), the rumor mill is stuck in neutral, giving us nothing more than a minor update on Wilfried Zaha (Roma may have lodged an official offer), dropping a few nuggets about Roma's supposed Davide Frattesti ultimatum to Sassuolo (drop the price below €35 million or take a hike), and the increasingly tedious Nicolo Zaniolo and Paulo Dybala transfer sagas.

Fortunately for fans of international football, there is an actual match of consequence today, as Italy begins their Euro 2022 campaign against tournament co-favorites France. The 14th-ranked Azzurre aren't likely to be crowned Champions of Europe later this month at Wembley Stadium, but as we outlined earlier this week, Milena Bertolini's squad has more than enough talent to make life miserable for the likes of France, the Netherlands, and England.

Kickoff (3 pm) is still a few hours away, so we'll post the lineups as soon as they become available, and be sure to check back for updates on the match and any actual transfer updates that might spring up today.

And with that, we're turning it over to you. Can Italy upset France? What rumors have caught your attention? Will Dybala and Zaniolo find new homes this coming week?

Let us know!

Lineups: France vs. Italy

Italy