CHELSEA have reportedly made Jules Kounde their top summer transfer target.
The news comes amid reports that Antonio Rudiger is planning to leave on a free transfer in the summer, with no contract talks having been held.
Meanwhile, reports from Spain claim Real Madrid have leapfrogged Man Utd and Man City in the race for Erling Haaland following a constructive meeting.
Follow ALL the latest transfer gossip and news with our live blog below…
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Chelsea’s Barkley faces driving ban
Premier League football ace Ross Barkley faces a driving ban after being caught on his phone behind the wheel.
The Chelsea midfielder, who has previous road convictions, is understood to have hired a driver for the next 12 months.
Barkley, 28, was spotted using his mobile phone at the wheel of his £150,000 Mercedes-AMG in Wandsworth, South West London, last July.
The Scouser, who has played for England 33 times, scoring six goals, pleaded guilty to a charge of using a handheld mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
The £84,000-a-week star will appear at Bromley magistrates’ court in South East London next month after totting up enough points to face a ban.
Deeney on Kane vs Man City
When players have a point to prove and feel they have been slighted, they always seem to get that extra spring in their step, writes Troy Deeney for SunSport.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane will be no different when he faces Manchester City — the club he almost joined last summer.
You may think that Harry will be going to the Etihad with feelings of what-ifs and envy, but it will be the opposite.
He will be thinking, ‘Hold on, you passed up on me — let me show you exactly what you passed up on’.
You see it all the time, with players meeting their old clubs, famously when Emmanuel Adebayor played for City against Arsenal, scoring THAT goal and doing THAT celebration.
Will there be a part of Harry thinking he would love to play in this team as he would get loads of chances and score loads of goals? Of course.
Ronaldo linked with PSG move
PSG are considering a move for Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the season, according to reports.
The Portuguese is unhappy with Manchester United’s form this season and SunSport revealed earlier this week that he could look to leave if they fail to finish in the top four.
Roma and Bayern Munich hold an interest in the 37-year-old forward.
But given their wealth, PSG may be the most likely destination.
According to the Mirror, the French giants are considering offering a 12-month contract to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
This would see him link up with seven-time winner Lionel Messi, 34, at the Parc des Princes.
Lampard a tactical genius – Gordon
Frank Lampard is a ‘tactical genius’, claims Everton starlet Anthony Gordon.
He said: “I feel the trust he has got in me. He tells me daily. He is an unbelievable manager and he has surprised me, really, with how good he is tactically.
“There is a thing that tactics come from foreign managers and them being geniuses but we need to start giving recognition to the young English managers, such as the gaffer.
“He is a tactical genius and I am thriving off that. I’m learning from him every day, stuff I hadn’t heard before.
“It was those little details, for us to be faster and more aggressive. He wanted to push us higher up the pitch and while it might not seem a lot, those little details go a really long way in a game like this.
“It’s knowing how to get the little details right and what they are doing for the team. It showed in the performance with the result.”
Maguire to remain United captain
Speaking of Harry Maguire…
Ralf Rangnick has confirmed that Harry Maguire will remain as Manchester United captain despite rumours in the press that the armband was set to be handed to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Several United players have spoken out against stories of a split in the dressing room, and the interim boss echoed their views by labelling the reports as ‘absolute nonsense.’
Speaking at his press conference this afternoon, Rangnick said: “I have never spoken with any player about a change of captaincy. This has never been an issue. It is me who decides who is the captain.
“Harry is our captain and he will stay captain.”
Maguire meets inspirational footy fan
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire enjoyed a kickabout with ‘legend’ River Rhodes this week.
The inspirational young footy fan is battling cancer. And he is currently in Manchester to receive radiotherapy treatment.
River comes from a Midlands family of Wolves supporters.
But being in Manchester has seen him link up with some of the city’s top footballers.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Jack Grealish are just two who have met River and sent him heart-warming messages.
And it was Man Utd skipper Maguire this week who met up with the brave lad for a kickabout and talk over the latest football news.
Rangnick on hostile Leeds atmosphere
Man Utd travel to Leeds this weekend.
When asked about how hostile Elland Road will be, Man Utd boss Ralf Rangnick said: “Well, to be honest, I didn’t know that until a week ago, but most of my colleagues have already indicated that this is probably one of the biggest rivalries in the Premier League.
“Of course, I also had quite a few of those, we call them local derbies in Germany, with Schalke v Borussia Dortmund just to give you one example, and quite a few others.
“I think our team and our players have so much experience playing against teams like that in this atmosphere that it can also and will, hopefully, rise our performance and our level of performance to play in this environment.
“Last season, I think they played Leeds behind closed doors because of COVID restrictions and as far as I know, it’s the first game in a full stadium since they last played in the Premier League.
“I don’t know, this is probably 15-20 years ago. But, yes, it’s great. I think everybody prefers to play in a sold-out stadium rather than in an empty stadium and, therefore, yeah, it’s good. We are very much looking forward to that game.”
Guardiola praise pilot after stormy flight
Shaken Pep Guardiola says Manchester City’s storm-hit flight home was even ‘scarier’ when he watched it on video.
The Etihad chief praised the ‘incredible’ pilot who diverted mid-air to get City back from Sporting Lisbon.
Guardiola’s squad arrived at Liverpool instead of Manchester airport due to Storm Dudley’s high winds after Tuesday’s 5-0 Champions League win.
The Spaniard said: “When I saw the video, it was scarier than we felt (on the plane).
“It was bumpy. We were going down and then immediately the engine started to roll on and we went up. We had an incredible pilot who talked to us, who was so calm.
“The pilot was magnificent. We felt a bit anxious. But thanks to him everyone was calm.”
Storm Eunice causing mayhem
Storm Eunice is wreaking havoc in the Premier League.
It has forced Newcastle to travel to London for tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off against West Ham by coach after their flight was cancelled.
The Magpies were hoping to travel by plane today but Howe said this morning that contingency plans were in place.
And after their flight was aborted, the Magpies set off this afternoon on the 280-mile trek to east London by bus.
In far from ideal preparation, Newcastle’s players face around seven hours on the roads before their 12:30pm start at the London stadium tomorrow.
Speaking earlier, Howe said: “The only disruption we’ve had this week is our training ground has been disrupted by heavy winds.
“Our training ground is exposed to heavy winds anyway so it has been slightly difficult this week. But nothing else has affected us so we are all good.”
Chelsea may choose Gallagher over Rice
Chelsea could reportedly opt against a move for West Ham’s Declan Rice and instead promote Conor Gallagher to their senior squad.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is set to be heavily backed during the summer as owner Roman Abramovich looks to get the club challenging Manchester City for the title.
Chelsea have been linked with England star Rice for several months.
However, the Evening Standard claims that Gallagher’s form on loan at Crystal Palace has potentially convinced Tuchel to change his plans.
Newcastle take coach to London
Storm Eunice has forced Newcastle to travel to London for tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off against West Ham by coach after their flight was cancelled, writes SunSport reporter Oscar Paul.
The Magpies were hoping to travel by plane today but Howe said this morning that contingency plans were in place.
And after their flight was aborted, the Magpies set off this afternoon on the 280-mile trek to east London by bus.
In far from ideal preparation, Toon’s players face around seven hours on the roads before their 12:30pm start at the London stadium tomorrow.
Speaking earlier, Howe said: “The only disruption we’ve had this week is our training ground has been disrupted by heavy winds.
“Our training ground is exposed to heavy winds anyway so it has been slightly difficult this week.
“But nothing else has affected us so we are all good.”
Don’t blame the refs
Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal stars not to blame referees over their shocking disciplinary record.
He said: “I don’t want to think like that [when asked whether they were the result of poor officiating].
“There have been various reasons, very different ones the way we picked up those red cards but somehow we have to stop it because it’s going to affect your performance and results for sure and that has to be our aim and our focus.
“Don’t try to blame the refs. We have to believe the refs are going to do what they have to do and we have to do what we have to do and that’s it.”
Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest postponed
Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest’s postponed match is expected to take place in a few weeks.
Tonight’s Championship game between the two teams at Dean Court has been postponed for safety reasons, according to the hosts.
The Cherries claim Storm Eunice has caused damage at the Vitality Stadium and inspection from structural engineers deemed this would cause significant risk to supporters.
SunSport understand the game will be rearranged in a few weeks, but no official date is yet known.
Mbappe next club odds
Real Madrid are the odds-on favourites to sign Kylian Mbappe in the summer.
Kylian Mbappe next club odds – Betfair
- Real Madrid 1/6
- Not to sign or agree a contract with any other club 10/3
- Liverpool 12/1
- Man City 20/1
- Chelsea 33/1
- Barcelona 50/1
- Man Utd 50/1
- Bayern Munich 50/1
Conte odds to leave Spurs slashed
Antonio Conte’s odds of leaving Tottenham are at a record low.
That’s according to bookmakers Ladbrokes, who make the Italian just 5/4 to leave North London before the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign — the lowest they’ve been since his arrival.
Conte only signed an 18 month contract when he agreed to replace Nuno Espirito Santo in November.
The 52-year-old oversaw a nine-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.
But they’ve now dropped to eighth after three consecutive league defeats to Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves.
The results leave them seven points off the Champions League spots with trouble is brewing in the capital.
Arsenal vs Liverpool date set
Arsenal’s postponed clash with Liverpool will now take place in mid-March as the Premier League confirmed its revised fixture list.
The Gunners’ blockbuster encounter with the high-flying Reds had been due to take place on Saturday 26th February.
But the match has now been pushed back to Wednesday 16th March after Liverpool made it through to the final of the Carabao Cup.
They are now set to face Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday 27th February, with their trip to the Emirates pushed back 17 days.
That game will be shown live on Sky Sports with an unusual kick-off time of 8.15pm.
Possible Chelsea return for Abraham?
Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has given his opinion on the Blues exercising their buy back option for Tammy Abraham in the future.
The Englishman joined Roma last summer and has hit the ground running in Italy.
And Johnson said: “I wouldn’t be totally shocked if Tuchel or Chelsea eventually went on to re-sign Tammy Abraham.
“He’s doing well away at Roma and I know that Chelsea has a place in his heart.
“He’s of course English as well. But I think as long as he’s performing at the right level – and keeps on performing – and Chelsea have proven in the past they’re not too embarrassed to buy back a player that they’ve previously let go, I could see that happening.”
Arsenal clash too early for Eriksen
Thomas Frank says today’s trip to Arsenal is “one step too early” for Christian Eriksen as he edges closer to an epic comeback.
Frank said: “Christian looked good in the 60 minutes he played in the friendly last week, and in training.
“He’s been out for seven months. Normally you need a proper pre-season to get going. He came to us with a good foundation and so he doesn’t need those six weeks.
“But this game is just one step too early. We have another good opponent for a friendly on Monday, so that’ll be really beneficial for him.
“We are aiming for the Newcastle game, that’s the aim but everything from the Manchester City and Crystal Palace games have been open.”
Rangnick on Maguire/Ronaldo rift rumours
Ralf Rangnick has responded to reports that there is friction between Manchester United captain Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking in his press conference, the Red Devils boss said: “I’m not frustrated at all because I know this is not the truth.
“I told you already about Harry being the captain.
“This is not an issue at all and it has never been an issue for us and for myself as the manager.
“All the other things, to be honest, I don’t listen to that noise because my job is to focus on preparing for the next game.”
Madrid submit final offer for Haaland
Real Madrid have submitted a ‘final offer’ for Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland, reports say.
The Spanish giants are leading the chase for Haaland, 21, despite Premier League clubs also fighting for the Norwegian international’s signature.
And Spanish outlet Sport say the striker’s representatives have been in talks with Madrid after they tabled a formal offer.
The goalscoring machine is managed by super-agent Mino Raiola and it is said that a meeting in Monaco took place on Friday to discuss the bid.
And it could be the end of the road for Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City, with an agreement reportedly now in place that will ‘block other negotiations’.
Trippier remains key, says Howe
Eddie Howe expects crocked but ‘inspirational’ Kieran Trippier to still play a big role in Newcastle’s survival hopes.
The £12million January signing went under the knife on Thursday after breaking his foot during last Sunday’s 1-0 win against Aston Villa.
Howe hopes the right-back, 31, will play again this season. And while he admits they will miss his leadership, the Magpies boss said: “He’s got a big part to play.
“The players have found him an inspirational figure but that won’t change – he will be around them and supporting them from the training ground.
“It’s the first thing we discussed, and that’s the type of person he is. He wants to make a difference and wants to lead. I knew Kieran when he was younger (at Burnley), and he has changed and developed many facets of his game and personality.
“We hope to have him back before the end of the season but it is a significant injury. It’s a big blow but no one player makes the team. I’m confident we have enough quality to cover.”
Ronaldo tops fake Insta followers
Cristiano Ronaldo is estimated to earn a staggering £388,000 per sponsored post from fake Instagram followers.
The Portuguese superstar, through no fault of his own, is believed to have 92 million fake accounts among his record 400 million followers.
This is due to the rise of bot accounts on social media.
For every sponsored post that Ronaldo – the most popular person on the photo-sharing app – uploads to Instagram, data complied by livefootballtickets.com suggests that he earns a staggering £1.69million.
But if 92 million of his followers are fake, that would mean that £388,000-per-post is earned due to bot accounts.
Focused Gerrard demands Villa reaction
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is expecting a vast improvement from his players this weekend when they host Watford.
The Villa boss was furious with his side’s display in the defeat at Newcastle last week, 90 minutes that he described as being by far the worst since he arrived at the club.
Speaking this afternoon, Gerrard said: “The most important thing is that we need to see a change in the level of performance. The players are honest enough with themselves and we know we need to raise that.
“There’s been enough time to reflect but also to reset a few things individually and collectively, and I’m hoping to see that reaction tomorrow.
“We knew collectively that we had let our supporters down [at Newcastle] so tomorrow is all about a reaction.’
Pep: I am not the best
Pep Guardiola has laughed off the suggestion that he is the best coach in the world.
Responding to Antonio Conte’s claim that Guardiola is the top manager in the game, the Man City boss was quick to respond: “I am not. I am not. I appreciate it, but I am not.”
Guardiola’s City face Conte’s Tottenham tomorrow evening, and the Spaniard returned the compliment by expressing his admiration for the Spurs gaffer, insisting that the London club should back the Italian for the long term.
“He showed it at Juventus. Managers need time and investment to be here for a long time, especially in this country. If the club rely on him 100%, they will have success.”
Mount targeting cup final return
Thomas Tuchel hopes to have Mason Mount fit again for Chelsea’s League Cup final with Liverpool next weekend.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, the Blues boss admitted his midfielder was in a race against time, but promised that the club will do all they can to get the England international ready for the Wembley showpiece.
The German coach said: “[Mason Mount] has injured ligaments. The Champions League [game with Lille on Tuesday] seems very, very close, but we will try hard for the League Cup final.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
