Barcelona in Aguero talks, Balogun SIGNS new Arsenal deal, Neymar to STAY at PSG, Chelsea Donnarumma free transfer news

TAKING THE CRIS

Paris Saint-Germain are preparing an audacious player-swap move in a bid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports.

AS claims PSG will offer both Moise Kean and Mauro Icardi to Juventus in a part-exchange deal for the recently-linked Man Utd target and Old Trafford legend.

Ronaldo was thought to be angling for a move to Real Madrid but that appears increasingly unlikely with the Spanish side eager to land Kylian Mbappe.

Both Mbappe and Neymar could leave Paris this summer with just a year left on their contracts.

And getting their salary off the wage book will mean PSG have the cash to offer Ronaldo a lucrative deal.

TIM TO GO

Former Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart has urged Thomas Tuchel to drop Timo Werner as he branded the Chelsea striker a ‘blind horse’.

Van de Vaart told Ziggo Sport: “If I was Thomas Tuchel I would always pick Hakim Ziyech, simply because he is the best option by far.

“He can cut inside and create chances, as can Mason Mount. That is what Olivier Giroud needs.

“Timo Werner is super fast, and maybe that is something good to have in an away game when Chelsea are under pressure.

“But all he does is put his head down and run himself to death.

“Mount is a terrific footballer, and I think he can get even better, but Werner is truly a blind horse.

“He already showed that’s what he is like when he played in Germany – and he’s doing it again now.”

OLE BE DAMNED

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he was blasted by Sir Alex Ferguson for a cynical red card against Newcastle during his Manchester United playing days.

He said: “I think every manager has certain values.

“When I got sent off against Newcastle, I thought I did the right thing for the team and Sir Alex lambasted me after the game saying ‘we don’t win that way at Man United’.

“I’ve lived by that ever since. We want to win in the right manner, it doesn’t matter who we play against.

“We want to win playing by the book. I’m not saying someone else doesn’t, I’m just saying I think every manager wants to win in a fair way.”

EURO STARS

Simone Magill shared a touching post on Twitter hailing the heroic efforts of Northern Ireland who will compete in the 2022 Women’s Euros.

The Everton striker is among the players who have been sharing emotional posts about their Northern Ireland side becoming the first to reach a major women’s football tournament.

The Toffees ace, 26, included a green heart emoji in her post to more than 6,000 of her Twitter followers.

Magill, who has made 56 international appearances, wrote: “There are some moments in your life you know you’ll remember forever.

“Last night was one of them. What a special, special group.”

NEXT UP NUNO

Nuno Espirito Santo is the surprise favourite to replace Jose Mourinho as Tottenham’s next permanent manager.

That’s according to bookmakers Betfair, who’ve installed Espirito Santo as the 3/1 market leader to take the reins in North London IF Jose’s given his marching orders.

Nuno Espirito Santo – 3/1
Julian Nagelsmann – 4/1
Rafa Benitez – 8/1
Erik ten Hag -10/1
Ralph Hasenhuttl – 14/1
Brendan Rodgers – 16/1
Maurizio Sarri -20/1
Diego Simeone – 20/1
Eddie Howe – 20/1
Frank Lampard – 25/1
Marcelo Bielsa – 33/1
Gareth Southgate – 33/1

UEFA RAP

Uefa have banned Rangers striker Kemar Roofe for four games after his horror tackle on the Slavia Prague goalkeeper.

Steven Gerrard’s side were also hit with a massive fine by the European football chiefs.

Roofe, 28, clattered into Slavia stopper Ondrej Kolar with an out-of-control high boot in their Europa League clash on March 18.

The keeper needed a stretcher to take him off the field. And it was revealed the 26-year-old had in fact fractured his skull in the process.

Pictures after the match showed the gruesome cuts to the face sustained in the challenge. The Gers striker was found guilty of ‘assault’, being cited under Article 15(1).

The decision made by the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body said: “To suspend Rangers FC player, Mr. Kemar Roofe, for four (4) Uefa club competition matches for which he would otherwise be eligible, for dangerously assaulting another player.”

PUSH AND PUL

Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic equalled Lionel Messi’s Champions League foul record against Porto on Tuesday after he was brought down 11 times.

The 22-year-old put in a man of the match display against the Portuguese outfit as he helped the Blues advance into the last four of the European Cup.

Despite losing the second leg 1-0, the West Londoners secured their passage into the semi-finals for the first time since 2014 after winning 2-1 on aggregate.

And Pulisic stole the show at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium as he completed 100 per cent of his take-ons, won 16 duels and recovered the ball on seven occasions.

The American forward also drew more fouls than any other player in the Champions League since Lionel Messi in 2011. Messi received brutal treatment from the Real Madrid squad during the semi-final second leg clash at the Nou Camp.

But just like Porto’s rough tactics on Pulisic, Real couldn’t stop Messi as the Blaugrana advanced into the final where they beat Manchester United at Wembley.

AXE TO GRIND

Manchester United are set to ring the changes for the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Granada with a TRIO of starters suspended.

Captain Harry Maguire, left-back Luke Shaw and influential midfielder Scott McTominay are all out of Thursday’s game at Old Trafford after picking up yellow cards in the 2-0 win in last week’s first leg.

And Axel Tuanzebe could be the beneficiary with the 23-year-old in line for a rare start. Youngster Will Fish, 18, has also been promoted to the senior squad for the game with Eric Bailly still unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19.

Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Tuanzebe can slot into the back four seamlessly despite having seen just 554 minutes of action in all competitions this season.

The Norwegian said: “Axel has always been a very positive boy and hardworking. Victor and Harry have played, they’ve formed a very good partnership.

“Eric’s come in and played really well when he’s played so his [Axel’s] chances have been limited, but he’s been training well and he’s ready for this opportunity.”

RACISM BAN – BREAKING

Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela has been handed a ten game ban by Uefa for racist behaviour towards Rangers star Glen Kamara.

And Kamara has also been suspended for three games for ‘assaulting a player’ during the incident in the Europa League.

Kudela’s ban includes the one-match provisional suspension served against Arsenal last week.

O-LOL GUNNAR SOLSKJAER

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claims he wants his team to ‘win the right way’ despite the Red Devils’ historic reputation of intimidating officials and getting favourable decisions.

The Norwegian said ‘the game is gone’ after the farcical decision to disallow Edinson Cavani’s goal after Scott McTominay’s ‘foul’ on Heung-min Son against Tottenham on Sunday.

And asked to elaborate ahead of United’s Europa League quarter-final second-leg against Granada, Solskjaer recalled something Sir Alex Ferguson told him when he was a player.

He said: “I think every manager has certain values and when I got sent off against Newcastle a few years ago, many moons ago, I thought I ‘d done the right thing for the team.

“But Sir Alex lambasted me after the game and said ‘We don’t win that way at Man Utd’ and I’ve lived by that ever since.

“We want to win in the right manner it doesn’t matter who we play against we want to win playing by the book. I’m not saying someone else doesn’t, I’m just saying I think every manager wants to win in a fair way.”

RULE OF EIGHT

Football fans in Sweden have finally been allowed back into stadiums – but only eight at a time.

The 2021 Allsvenskan season kicked off last weekend, although the Swedish government has refused to give an exemption to the current rule of eight to sporting events.

That meant a mere eight fans took in each of the nation’s top-flight fixtures up and down the country.

The Swedish government’s decision to permit a handful of fans into stadiums came after Allsvenkan chiefs presented a plan for how fans could safely attend matches.

Sweden currently has one of the highest coronavirus per capita rates in the world, with their latest seven-day figures revealing an average of 625 new infections per million people

Despite the country’s high infection rate, shopping centres and animal parks are permitted to host more than eight people at a time.

WHAT A LOAD OF SHIRT

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has blamed Manchester United’s red shirts on their poor home form.

United have won just eight of their 15 home games in the Premier League this season and the players reckon the colour clash between their team-mates kits and the Old Trafford seats are causing a problem.

Asked about his team’s poor home form, the Norwegian said: “Some of the players have mentioned that split second decision, red shirts on red seats… we have tried to change that.”

BYE BAY

Neymar roared in the face of Joshua Kimmich but denied it was deliberate and burned the confident Bayern Munich star with a stinging dating analogy instead.

The Brazilian’s Paris Saint-Germain side defeated the Champions League holders in the quarter-finals on away goals after a 1-0 win for Bayern in France saw the tie finish 3-3 on aggregate.

At the final whistle of the game – which was a rematch of last season’s final – Neymar erupted with joy with team-mate Leandro Paredes.

The exuberant celebrations took place right in front of a stony-faced Kimmich, who had confidently predicted Bayern’s progression, but the former Barcelona star insisted it was not a retaliation.

Neymar told TNT Sports Brasil: “It’s funny because I didn’t even celebrate to mess with him, it was more with Leo and I ended up celebrating with him. It was fate that put me close to [Kimmich].”

“He said that their team was better, that they would win. He was sure that they would go to the semi-finals. You can have possession as much as you like. You can sing for a woman all night long, but if a guy comes and takes her from you in five minutes, she’s gone.”

TUCHY SUBJECT

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed he is keen to avoid facing Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Blues secured their passage into the last four of the competition on Tuesday after beating Porto 2-1 on aggregate.

They will now face either Liverpool or Real Madrid, with the two clubs to battle at Anfield on Wednesday with Los Blancos taking a 3-1 lead into the second leg.

Speaking to BT Sport, the 47-year-old German said: “I don’t wish for nothing, but in general I like it in Champions League not to play teams from your own league.

“Because it gets a bit more the feeling of the European competition but that’s the only thing. Whoever deserves it – I think the game is far from over – but I will watch it for sure.

“It’s a pleasure to watch it as semi-finalists, a great achievement. We will watch these games and there is nothing decided yet. Everything is possible. Liverpool is very strong at home, the Premier League is strong. We take what we get, it’s a good situation for us.”

MISSING LIN

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Jesse Lingard to return to Manchester United.

The playmaker has hit sparkling form for West Ham since his January loan switch and is said to want to make the move permanent in the summer.

With his Old Trafford deal expiring next summer, he will be worth around £25million at the end of this campaign.

But Solskjaer does not want to sell and said: “Jesse has been brilliant since he left.

“We could have kept him because he had a part to play. Never once caused me a problem.

“Deserved a chance to play more football. Of course we want him back. I hope he goes to the Euros.”

NOT THE WERN FOR ME

Rafael van der Vaart has launched a stinging attack on Timo Werner – claiming the Chelsea striker merely runs round like a ‘blind horse’.

And former Tottenham star VdV urged Blues boss Thomas Tuchel to leave the £47million German out in favour of Hakim Ziyech. Werner, 25,

The 38-year-old told Dutch TV station Ziggo Sport: “If I was Thomas Tuchel I would always pick Hakim Ziyech, simply because he is the best option by far.

“He can cut inside and create chances, as can Mason Mount. That is what Olivier Giroud needs. Timo Werner is super fast, and maybe that is something good to have in an away game when Chelsea are under pressure.

“But all he does is put his head down and run himself to death. Mount is a terrific footballer, and I think he can get even better.

“But Werner is truly a blind horse. He already showed that’s what he is like when he played in Germany – and he’s doing it again now.”

TRANSFER SERGE

Sergio Aguero is reportedly in talks with Barcelona.

The Argentine is set to leave Man City at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with a move to the Nou Camp.

And the Catalans are in discussions with his agent, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

ALL HANDS OFF DEC

West Ham have issued another hands off warning to potential Declan Rice suitors.

Speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United increased after he reportedly spoke to Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw about life at Old Trafford on England duty.

Chelsea’s interest has cooled with Thomas Tuchel said to be uninterested in the midfielder.

But with the East Londoners fourth and in with a shout of a historic first ever Champions League qualification, the club will not entertain any offers for the 22-year-old this summer, according to Football London.

SLAV SOME OF THAT

Arsenal travel to Slavia Prague with injury doubts going forward ahead of their must-win Europa League quarter-final.

The Gunners drew 1-1 Czech side at the Emirates, as Nicolas Pepe’s opener was cancelled out by a late Tomas Holes equaliser.

Ahead of the return tie, captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Martin Odegaard are both facing fitness tests, and missed the 3-0 Sheffield United win on the weekend.

At the back, Kieran Tierney and David Luiz are both ruled out but Bukayo Saka is in contention, after he returned against the Blades.

German Bernd Leno is expected to keep his place in goal, but his backline has chopped and changed as of late. Cedric Soares and Hector Bellerin started against Slavia Prague last week and are in line to keep their place at full-back in Europe.

But Callum Chambers on the right, and Granit Xhaka on the left are also in contention, having featured from the off at Sheffield United. At centre-back, Gabriel and Pablo Mari will likely contest to partner Rob Holding.

SHAW SELECTS

Luke Shaw picked his dream 5-a-side team from team-mates… but there was no room for Robin van Persie.

The Manchester United defender, 25, is enjoying a stellar season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and forced his way back into the England set-up ahead of the Euros.

Shaw explained his choices to the United club website – and had difficulty deciding on his No1. He said: “It’s hard this. For my keeper… this is tough because I’ve played with some very good keepers.

“I’ve played with Deano [Henderson] a little bit but not too much so I can’t put him in, but he’s a brilliant keeper. I think Joe Hart deserves a mention because he was an unbelievable keeper.

“When I was away with England and played with him I was really impressed with the way he was and the keeper he was, I thought he was absolutely top-notch.

“I’m going to stick with David in goal.”

LOADED GUN

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are close to announcing Folarin Balogun’s new deal after the striker reportedly turned down 15 clubs.

It was reported on Friday that the 19-year-old was to extend his stay at the Emirates after months of uncertainty surrounding his future.

Balogun – who has chipped in with two goals and one assist in four Europa League games this term – was poised to depart North London at the end of the season on a free transfer.

But the England youth international is believed to have been convinced to stay following talks with Arteta where he reassured him he will be more given first-team chances.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s crucial quarter-final second leg tie against Slavia Prague, Arteta said: “We are going to make it official when it’s official and everything is done.

“But as I said before, I have always been very positive that he wanted to stay at the club. We are very close.”

KEEP YOUR ED DOWN

Edinson Cavani should snub a Boca Juniors transfer and stay at the top level in Europe, according to his Uruguay manager.

The Manchester United striker, 34, continues to be linked with a return to South America at the end of the season when his initial Old Trafford contract expires.

His dad Luis confirmed the veteran forward is ‘unhappy’ in the north-west as Argentine giants Boca closed in on a deal.

But the Uruguay national team boss reckons Cavani is better off plying his trade among Europe’s elite.

As reported by Depo in Argentina, Oscar Tabarez wants his 118-cap striker to stay with United for another season and test himself against the best defences ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Remarkably, those views come in stark contrast to Tabarez’s assistant Mario Rebello who believes Cavani should quit Old Trafford and play where he is ‘comfortable’.

IRON WIL

William Saliba will reportedly be considered for the Arsenal first-team next season after impressing during his loan spell at Nice.

The Gunners shipped out the 20-year-old centre-back to the French side in January after failing to convince Mikel Arteta he was ready for action.

Saliba is still waiting to make his Arsenal debut after joining from Saint-Etienne in 2019, but it appears he still has a career at the Emirates after two loan spells.

According to Football.London, the defender has been handed a boost regarding his future in North London. They state Arteta will take a closer look at the defender when the first-team squad report for pre-season training.

And it has been suggested that David Luiz is poised to depart on a free at the end of the campaign with Saliba set to return to London Colney. Saliba has earned rave reviews at Nice, where he won the club’s January Player of the Month award.

In total, the France youth international has appeared in 14 Ligue 1 matches, and he most recently starred during the 0-0 draw against Reims on Sunday where he was named as the man of the match.

ASH COMEBACK – EXCLUSIVE

Ashley Young is mulling over his future as he prepares to add a Serie A winner’s medal to his collection with Inter Milan.

The ex-Manchester United captain, who turns 36 in July, has helped Antonio Conte’s team move 11 points clear at the top in Italy. Young already has a string of offers at home and abroad, including a one-year extension with Inter.

But the right-back would love to end his career at the place he started it — Watford. And it looks as though they will be in the Premier League next season, so that is a possibility.

Equally, he will also have the lure of Champions League football if he stays at Inter. Incredibly, the club have not won the league for 11 years and their Chinese owners are looking to sell so they will not be making any big signings.

Young, named with Kieran Trippier in the Fifa team of the 2018 World Cup, is set to rewrite the history books. The last Englishman to win the Serie A title was striker Gerry Hitchens.

He did so with Inter in the 1962-63 season although he only played five games at the start of that season before joining Torino.

NO SOFT TUCH – ICYMI

Thomas Tuchel was accused of insulting the Porto coach as he led Chelsea into the Champions League last-four.

Sergio Conceicao pointed the finger at the Blues boss after their clubs’ quarter-final second leg in Seville, claiming: “I was insulted by this gentleman who was next door.

“My English is not perfect, it’s no use talking about it. There was no exchange of words because I was focused on the game, I don’t know why he reacted. I didn’t quite understand.

“I heard some insults. It was not pretty and my irritation at the end had something to do with it. I didn’t even say the word to him.”

The pair clashed during the game after Porto had a penalty claim turned down. But Conceicao insisted afterwards: “It wasn’t like that, but it’s over.”

It might not be the end of the matter, though, as the Portugues admitted: “I told the referee that the fourth referee heard the insults.”