ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE heads up a list of 10 players Arsenal are set to put up for sale.
Meanwhile Manchester United are looking at summer moves for Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman.
BETS OF THE DAY: GET MAN CITY AT 6/1 TO WIN TONIGHT – PLUS RONALDO TO SCORE 2+ GOALS BOOSTED
Read our live blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…
TOP OF THE POCHS
Dele Alli admits he was lucky to have played under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham.
The ace said: “I was very lucky to have a manager like Pochettino — he was an unbelievable guy and very experienced.
“He would pull me in if I was doing dumb stuff and speak with me.
“Not like a dad — but that sort of vibe.”
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SIGN OF THE CROSS
Ryan Shawcross is set to become David Beckham’s latest Inter Miami signing after agreeing to leave Stoke after nearly 14 years.
The long-serving defender, 33, has reached an agreement with the Potters to terminate his contract in order to push through the move to Beckham’s MLS franchise.
Inter Miami are gearing up for their second MLS campaign – with the season kicking off on April 17 – and new manager Phil Neville wants Shawcross at the heart of his defence.
He will join superstars like Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi in Miami’s distinctive white and pink colours as they look to improve on last season’s 10th-placed finish in the Eastern Conference.
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MADE HIS MARC
Marcus Rashford pledged to never give up his fight for Britain’s kids – but accepted he had become a ‘target’ for being outspoken.
Rashford said: “I understood I was a target already.
“Being a footballer for one of the biggest clubs in the world is going to bring attention. I knew what I was stepping into.
“There were people who had opinions before they’d ever met or spoke with me. I’ve come to terms with that. It’s part of my life.
“The effect it will have on me, the campaign is much bigger than that.
“I’m willing to take the little bit of aggravation from wherever it comes from.”
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CARA BOW OUT
The League Cup will have to be sacrificed if the Prem wins a battle to change the Champions League revamp.
Top-flight clubs agreed at their latest ‘shareholder’ meeting on three points of contention with the latest Uefa-led plans for a 36-team competition from 2024.
League chiefs will now go to Uefa seeking changes to the expansion to 225 games from 125 matches in the current competition, the access list limiting English football to five places and plans to extend the opening phase into the January each season.
Premier League chiefs, instead, will argue that all the initial games – Uefa want 10 matches in the opening ‘Swiss model’ single table phase – should be completed before Christmas, leaving January free for domestic action.
But that will only be possible if teams in European action duck out of the League Cup, with the 20 clubs agreeing the future of the competition would have to be thrashed out and discussed as part of the new-look calendar.
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NOU START
Barcelona are tipped to battle Chelsea and Manchester City for Paris Saint-Germain starlet Kays Ruiz-Atil.
AS say Ruiz-Atil has it ‘in mind’ to return to the Spanish giants, where he developed from 2009-2015.
Ruiz-Atil’s PSG contract runs until the summer of 2021.
But negotiations over extending it are thought to have stalled.
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ART OF THE MATTER
Mikel Arteta has warned that he is ready to crack down on any Arsenal player who breaks the club’s strict Covid protocols after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lockdown tattoo.
He said: “We advise every player and make sure they know all the rules and stick to them all the time.
“If someone doesn’t do that he’s obviously going to get found out by us and there are going to be consequences.
“We have to act immediately but always privately as well. Whatever we do with our players we keep it internally.”
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I WANT MOUR
Jose Mourinho has issued a rallying cry claiming he’s not prepared to give up on Tottenham’s top four hopes.
He said: “It’s difficult in any case but it’s possible in both cases.
“The fourth position in the Premier League is of course very difficult but it is not mathematically impossible.
“Last season we were in a very, very bad position to try to get into the Europa League spots and in the end we made it in the last minute of the last game but we made it.
“Our motivation last season was while mathematically it’s possible we have to go for it.”
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CITY SLICKERS
Manchester City moved ten points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win against Everton.
Goals from Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva sealed victory for Pep Guardiola’s side, who also welcomed Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero back from injury.
City are now level on games with Man Utd and Leicester, who are joint-second.
And they will be in a confident mood for their trip to Arsenal on Sunday.
FED EX
Federico Chiesa scored a vital away goal for Juventus in their 2-1 defeat at Porto.
Mehdi Taremi fired the hosts ahead after just TWO minutes.
And Juve were left sweating when Moussa Marega doubled Porto’s lead in the 46th minute.
But Chiesa popped up in the 82nd minute to keep Juventus’ hopes of reaching the Champions League quarters alive.
HAA LA LAND
Erling Haaland was the star of the show as his two goals fired Borussia Dortmund to a 3-2 win at Sevilla.
The Germans have one foot in the Champions League quarters despite going behind in the 7th minute to a strike from Suso.
A 19th minute rocket from Mahmoud Dahoud levelled the score before Haaland bagged his first in the 27th minute.
Haaland then made it 3-1 in the 43rd minute before Sevilla pulled back a crucial goal through Luuk de Jong in the 84th minute.
NIGHT ON THE TOWN
Andros Townsend has sensationally claimed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t the best players in the world.
The Crystal Palace ace told TalkSport: “I’ve got three in my head, but it’s sad to say because for me, I grew up with Messi and Ronaldo.
“But for me, at the moment, I can’t put them in my top three. Sorry. This is why I didn’t want to do this.
“I’m going to go three: Kevin de Bruyne. I’m going to go two: Neymar. And at the moment, I’m going to go one: Kylian Mbappe.”
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EDIN FOR HOME
Edinson Cavani wants to stay at Manchester United beyond this season – despite the club not yet triggering his one-year extension clause.
Cavani signed a one-year deal at Old Trafford in October with the option to extend for a further season after leaving PSG.
Now with just four months left on that deal Cavani is able to talk to other clubs with a view to a wants United to take up the option of keeping him at the club, according to the Telegraph.
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TOP TIER
Arsenal face Benfica in the Europa League last 32 on Thursday with the possibility that left-back Kieran Tierney could finally be available.
Emile Smith Rowe looks set to return to his No10 role, with Martin Odegaard rested.
That could see Nicolas Pepe enter the side, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remaining in attack after his treble against Leeds.
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OWN GAAL
Louis van Gaal has blasted Adnan Januzaj’s claims the Dutch boss showed him ‘no love’ at Man Utd and neglected young players’ development.
Van Gaal wrote in an EMAIL to The Athletic: “I have absolutely no need to defend myself against so much injustice!
“The self-image of players leaves the wishes! And my career as a coach/manager shows just how many young players could take their chances under my leadership!
“With a kind box, LvG.”
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SILVA LINING
Man Utd have identified Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva as an alternative to Borussia Dortmund ace Erling Haaland, according to Sky Germany.
Portugal international Silva banged in 16 goals in all competitions last term.
And he has already scored more this season, as he has chipped in with 19 goals and five assists in 22 outings.
It has been claimed that Frankfurt are seeking a fee in the region of £26million for their talisman who is tied down at the club until 2023.
However the news report states that United face competition from Atletico Madrid in the hunt to secure his services.
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CAN’T FORGET
Rio Ferdinand has revealed he constantly tortures himself thinking about football moments that cost him trophies.
He said: “If you ask me what I think about more, I’ve spent more time in retirement thinking about what we lost and didn’t win than what we won, which is so weird, but I can’t help it.
“You can be sitting having the best day on a beach somewhere in an idyllic place and all of a sudden something shoots into your mind, like the FA Cup final, Drogba.”
“It’s just mad. It just ruins your next fifteen minutes and you’re just sitting there and you need to snap yourself out of it.
“I just think that competitive energy is always bubbling under somewhere. It’s difficult.
“As much as I did win and was successful in my career, even for instance with England it was disappointing in the end.
“Everyone called us the golden generation of players with Becks, and Michael Owen and (Paul) Scholes.
“But we didn’t win, so it leaves you that little bit of taste of dissatisfaction.”
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ON POINT
The spoils were shared at Turf Moor this evening as Burnley and Fulham drew 1-1.
Ola Aina fired the visitors ahead in the 49th minute.
But Ashley Barnes levelled the score just moments later.
The result sees Burnley move above Brighton into 15th.
But Fulham remain 18th in the table, six points off safety.
WHAT A KOU
Man Utd are reportedly prepared to bid for Sevilla’s Jules Kounde in their search for a new defensive star.
According to Spanish outlet La Razon, United are preparing a £61million bid for the 22-year-old.
Paris Saint-Germain are also in the hunt for a new defender with Sergio Ramos a target.
If the Ligue 1 side fail to land the Spanish veteran, they are reportedly ready to forego negotiations and pay Kounde’s full £78m release clause.
Real Madrid are eager too as they look to replace out-of-contract Ramos.
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TEAM NEWS
Everton will line up with an apparent five-man defence in their 8.15pm Premier League game with Man City.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is absent yet again with a hamstring injury, while James Rodriguez is left out as the Toffees look to avoid consecutive defeats.
Visitors City have Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero back on the bench, with the pair fit enough to feature later on in the match.
Ruben Dias is back in the starting XI at the expense of John Stones, with unlikely goal machine Ilkay Gundogan out with a knock.
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TEAM NEWS
Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham both start in Borussia Dortmund’s 8pm Champions League last-16 clash at Sevilla.
The English duo are joined in attack by Erling Haaland, who is looking to add to his 23 goals scored so far this season, and club icon Marco Reus.
Meanwhile, the Spanish hosts are starting exciting veteran winger Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez, signed from Atalanta in January.
Reported Man Utd target Jules Kounde lines up in defence, with star midfielder Ivan Rakitic also included.
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TEAM NEWS
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the line for Juventus in their 8pm Champions League last-16 clash at Porto, with Everton-linked Adrien Rabiot also included.
But there is no room for Paulo Dybala, Alvaro Morata and Aaron Ramsey, who have all been benched for the first-leg battle.
Ronaldo will find himself coming up against ex-Real Madrid pal Pepe, who captains the Portuguese hosts.
Reported Premier League target Otavio is in midfield, but West Ham loanee Felipe Anderson misses out on the starting XI.
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THE REAL DEAL
Real Madrid are accelerating the refurbishment of their famous Bernabeu home with new pictures showing the immense undertaking.
Among the changes being made is the old roof, which has been completely removed.
A vast wraparound of the Bernabeu is being created to fit in with the new roof, the first signs of which are now on display.
Attached to the underside of the new roof will be a new vantage point overlooking Madrid for the public to enjoy year round, as well as hosting VIP guests on matchdays.
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KING MAKER
Bayern Munich are worried Man Utd could poach Kingsley Coman by offering him a huge £260,000-a-week contract.
Bild says United have put together a package to tempt the France international away from the Bundesliga and are looking to make him one of their big buys this summer.
Bayern are desperate to tie Coman down and avoid a repeat of their mishap with David Alaba, with the Austrian defender leaving in the summer for free.
Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are also in line for new contracts and are ready to agree terms.
But doubts over the future of Coman have now emerged, with United eager to double his current wages.
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DRY ANOTHER DAY
Ref Darren Drysdale faces a three-game violent conduct ban after clashing with Ipswich midfielder Alan Judge.
The astonishing scenes saw Ipswich boss Paul Lambert demand an investigation by the EFL and FA.
SunSport understands that Drysdale’s performance was criticised by players on both sides throughout the game.
He is said to have flipped and used foul and abusive language when Judge insisted he had been brought down and not dived in a bid to win a spot kick.
FA beaks had already opened a probe into the incident, likely to end with Drysdale being charged with violent conduct and banned for his behaviour.
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KOE EXCUSES
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman says his side were handed a reality check as Kylian Mbappe and his PSG cohorts ran riot 4-1 at the Nou Camp.
Koeman said: “They were better, they were very effective, especially [Kylian] Mbappe. The first half was very close and Ousmane Dembele had a clear chance at 1-0, but we had defensive problems in the second half.
“Yes [it was a reality check], in the second half. We have to admit that they were better.
“They have a more complete team than we do. We have to accept it and move on. We know that these things can happen. Their team are ahead of ours.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
