SERGIO AGUERO is to leave Man City this summer, the club have confirmed.
Meanwhile Chelsea are reportedly looking to include Timo Werner in a potential swap deal for Erling Haaland with Borussia Dortmund.
And Arsenal are reportedly being drawn into a five-way battle to sign Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic, 21.
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
Stay up to date with all the latest football news in our rolling blog…
RON ROW ARMBAND AUCTIONED
Cristiano Ronaldo’s angrily-discarded captain’s armband is up for auction to raise money for a sick child in Serbia.
Little Gavril Djurdjevic, who is just six months old and from the city of Kragujevac, suffers from spinal muscular atrophy.
Ronaldo’s discarded armband is on sale to raise funds for a sick child in Serbia Skipper Ronaldo protested after his late winner for Portugal against Serbia was ruled out Humanitarian organisation Together for Life hopes to raise €2.5million (around £2.1m) needed for his treatment.
And they are now selling Ronaldo’s Portugal armband to the highest bidder over the next three days in an online auction to help reach that target.
It was taken from the pitch of Belgrade’s Rajko Mitic stadium by a worker, who donated it to Together for Life and baby Gavril, after Portugal’s 2-2 World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Saturday.
The charity auction marks an incredible twist to the tale.
Ronaldo marched over to the linesman to argue in vain that his shot had crossed the line, replays backing up his case.
The referee booked a raging Ronaldo, who walked off the field waving his arms in disbelief before ripping off his captain’s armband and launching it to the floor.
RAI’S BLAZE AT MANC RIVALS
Super-agent Mino Raiola has stirred it up with neighbours Manchester United and City.
He told the Athletic: “I don’t give a f**k if I never do another player with Man Utd. I’m not in their hands. I’m independent.
“Guardiola? I’ve closed the book a long time ago. Everybody knows what I think of him personally; he can say what he thinks for me personally.”
ZANFIELD OF DREAMS
Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan is being closely monitored by Liverpool, reports suggest.
Reported Liverpool target Ozan Tufan celebrates scoring against NorwayCredit: AP Anfield spies were said to have watched the Turkey star – likened to Yaya Toure for his box-to-box energy – in this week’s World Cup qualifiers, including a 4-2 win over Holland.
Tufan, 26, was rated man of the match when netting in a 3-0 win over Norway.
Valued at £13million, he is under contract at Turkish giants Fenerbahce until 2023.
And Turkish-Football.com say Liverpool are amongst his main admirers.
TORREIRA MUM TRAGEDY
Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira’s mum has tragically passed away from coronavirus.
Viviana Di Pascua, 53, was recently admitted to hospital in Uruguay and taken to the intensive care unit.
Uruguay star Torreira had an exceptionally close relationship with his mum Toreira had a portrait of his mum put on his leg at the beginning of this year But her health deteriorated on Tuesday and shortly after her death was announced by local media.
The footballer had already been allowed to leave his loan post with Atletico Madrid in order to return home to Uruguay.
And it was reported by local media that Torreira and his family had been staying in a hotel in Salto to be close to Viviana.
Back in January, Torreira showed the love he has for his mum by getting a portrait of her on his leg.
On his left leg, almost on the shin itself, is the portrait of her.
Torreira regularly posted pictures of the pair together on social media.
THE THREE LAMS?
Frank Lampard could be a shock replacement for Aidy Boothroyd as England Under-21s manager.
The ex-Chelsea boss will reportedly be a top candidate if the FA makes a change.
The Young Lions look likely to be seeking a new boss this summer after another dismal European Championship performance.
They have lost their opening two games of the tournament – going down to Switzerland and Portugal without scoring a goal – and look certain for an early exit.
The Daily Mail claims recently-axed Chelsea boss Lampard will be among the top candidates the governing body want to speak to about the position.
LUK AND LEARN
Luke Shaw’s agent has revealed how the star was helped through his feud with Jose Mourinho and not forced out of Manchester United ‘just to make money’.
Jonathan Barnett, who also looks after the likes of Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish, has revealed the work put in behind the scenes to rescue the defender’s confidence.
He explained to The Athletic: “My job in that situation is to make sure the player’s spirits are kept up.
“We try behind the scenes to help them understand what’s gone wrong. A lot of it is personal.
“We had to rebuild his confidence, which we did. We took certain steps. But Luke is a very strong man. He never got too down.
“His family had to be there for him and we had to be there for him. We didn’t say, ‘You’ve got to leave Man United, we’ve got to go because we need to make money’.
“We didn’t force Luke Shaw out of Man United. He wanted to stay there. And that’s what he’s done. And today, he’s a great, great player.”
STANDING TOGETHER
Arsenal have demanded social media companies act now to eradicate abuse on their platforms.
The Gunners have launched their own Stop Online Abuse campaign in a bid to help fight the vile attacks which continue to blight players and fans.
A club statement said: “All of us at Arsenal – players, staff and fans – stand together to address the flow of abusive posts and messages on social media platforms.
“We call on everyone to join forces and identify, condemn and highlight abuse when they see it.
“This is about changing attitudes and making a difference every day.
“We do this through our community work and the Arsenal for Everyone programme – but it’s time for us all to work together.
“We also echo the demands made to social media platforms by the footballing community.”
DEMANDS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Racist/discriminatory messages/posts should be filtered/blocked before they are received
Operate robust/transparent/swift measures to take down abusive material if it does get into circulation
Users subject to verification that allows for accurate ID of person behind the account. Steps taken to stop a user that has sent abuse from re-registering
Our platforms should actively assist investigating authorities in identifying the originators of discriminatory posts.”
BADGE OF HONOUR
Inter Milan have released their rebranded club badge.
And it’s fair to splay it has split opinion – how do you rate it?
TUF ENOUGH
Liverpool are reportedly stepping up their interest in Turkish international Ozan Tufan.
The Fenerbahce midfielder has earned comparisons to Yaya Toure for his box-to-box energy.
Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly sent spies to check on the 26-year-old in Turkey’s recent World Cup qualifiers.
Tufan helped his country to a shock 4-2 win over Holland – then did even better last Saturday.
He put in a man-of-the-match display, scoring two spectacular goals as his nation beat Norway 3-0 in Malaga.
Tufan is under contract until 2023 and Fenerbahce would demand at least a £13million transfer fee.
The fact he can operate on either wing as well as in his primary role as a defensive midfielder makes him an attractive option for Kop.
KYL-LER MISTAKE
Borussia Dortmund missed out on signing Kylian Mbappe for FREE just 12 months before his £153million move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 22-year-old French striker is now one of the most sought-after talents on the planet with a host of clubs chasing his services.
However, former Dortmund chief scout Sven Mislintat has now revealed how close he came to getting the hotshot to the Bundesliga side for NOTHING a year prior to his huge PSG move.
The ex-Arsenal head of recruitment told the Kicker meets DAZN podcast: “It was a real shame that we couldn’t get Kylian in.
“Kylian Mbappe was [available] free of charge at a certain point and there were many suitors. But we had no chance of winning that [race].
“If you had been able to steal Mbappe from Monaco for free at the time, it would of course have been a mega deal.”
RIP CLAUDE
Arsenal sent their condolences to the family of former AFTV regular Claude Callegari who has sadly died.
The Gunners wrote: “Sending our condolences to Claude’s family, friends and everyone who cherished him.
“His passion for the club was undeniable and he will be missed.”
Gooners also paid tribute on social media after it was announced that the outspoken fan favourite had passed away.
QUICK SERG
Sergio Aguero has the best goal-per-minute ratio in Premier League history.
The Argentine will leave Manchester City at the end of the season as one of the league’s greats.
WEL DONE
Rebecca Welch will make history as the first female referee to take charge of an EFL game.
Welch will whistle Harrogate Town vs Port Vale on Monday April 5.
SPAIN AGAIN
Chelsea will play BOTH legs against Porto in Sevilla’s Roman Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Covid-19 travel restrictions mean the games can’t take place in Portugal.
And the Blues will hope for another positive result in Andalusia after a stunning group stage effort in December.
Chelsea thumped Sevilla 4-0 in their own backyard with Olivier Giroud netting all the goals.
And Thomas Tuchel will be hoping his side can excel again at what is now a happy hunting ground.
FINDING JACK
A documentary portraying Jack Charlton’s remarkable life revealed the difficult relationship with his brother.
Finding Jack Charlton, which was aired on Monday, relived the Leeds United legend’s life both on and off the field. Jack died aged 85 in July after suffering from lymphoma and dementia.
The Charlton brothers had a difficult relationshipCredit: Getty During his illustrious career he won two league titles with Leeds, the FA Cup and League Cup and, of course, the historic World Cup in 1966.
Jack is also a hero in Ireland after helping them qualify for their first World Cup as a manager in 1990 in which 500,000 fans welcomed them back onto Irish soil in Dublin after their knockout.
But his relationship with Manchester United legend Sir Bobby, who was two years his junior, suffered after they fell out in 1996.
Jack accused Bobby of not visiting their mother Cissie before her death in the same year.
Bobby, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1966, would reveal his wife Norma and Cissie had a falling out and he opted to take the side of his other half.
CONFIDENCE TRICKS
Gareth Bale admits that he DOES suffer from a lack of confidence.
The Wales captain has had a mixed season at Tottenham, with form and fitness issues under boss Jose Mourinho.
Bale – who has ten goals in 25 games for Spurs so far this season – explained: “Confidence is a massive thing in football.
“Whether you are the best player or the worst, having confidence as a footballer — especially for me — is one of the most important things.
“Playing in the final third you need to take risks. You really need to feel good about yourself and to be able to beat a defender, shoot and score goals.
“I’m building my confidence up slowly which has been good — and that has shown in my performances and with scoring goals.
“I need to keep improving, keep putting in good performances. And then hopefully they can keep on getting better and better to lead into the Euros.”
FERGIE FEUD ROUND TWO
Controversial super-agent Mino Raiola has reignited his feud with Sir Alex Ferguson by firing fresh shots at the Manchester United legend.
The pair fell out back in 2012 when Paul Pogba’s representative convinced him to leave the Red Devils due to a lack of first-team football.
Mino Raiola has reignited his Fergie feud over Paul Pogba Now the Dutch-Italian Raiola has fired back at the 79-year-old, claiming he only liked ‘yes’ men and comparing him to disgraced ex-Fifa president Sepp Blatter.
And he also says that United’s owner the Glazers proved him right about his client when they signed him back for £89.3m after Ferguson’s retirement.
He told The Athletic: “When Ferguson criticised me, that was my biggest compliment anybody could give me.
“Ferguson is used to people coming in and, ‘Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir’.
“All I have to say that when Ferguson left Manchester United the club’s owner [the Glazers], by buying back Paul Pogba, told me that I was right.
“Because I didn’t want to take Paul Pogba away. He [Ferguson] didn’t believe in Paul Pogba.”
MO GO ZONE
Mo Salah has failed to give assurances that his future belongs at Liverpool.
The Egyptian superstar, 28, has been linked with high-profile moves to both Real Madrid and Barcelona with hints he is looking for a new challenge.
Liverpool’s disastrous title defence, which sees them struggling to qualify for a top four finish, is fuelling speculation over Salah’s morale at the club.
His frustration was laid bare when he was hooked off after 62 minutes in a defeat against Chelsea at the beginning of March.
Salah still has two years left on his contract at Anfield but admitted the future ‘is not up to him.’
When asked whether he sees himself at another club after four years at Liverpool, he told Marca: “It is not up to me. We’ll see what happens but I prefer not to talk about this now.”
GO AL IN
Chelsea are reportedly refusing to give up in the race to sign David Alaba for free this summer – but his £400,000-a-week wage demands remain an issue.
However, Manchester City have decided to end their interest in the Austrian defender.
David Alaba will be on the move this summerCredit: AFP Alaba, 28, revealed he will leave Bayern Munich after 13 years on a free transfer this summer when his contract expires.
Real Madrid and Barcelona appeared to be battling it out for his signature with no transfer fee required.
But despite reports in Germany that Alaba had rejected approaches from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, the player’s agent confirmed his client has not decided just yet.
And Pini Zahavi – who also looks after Bayern team-mate Robert Lewandowski – refuted suggestions it is simply a two-horse race for Alaba between the LaLiga giants.
He told Kicker: “David has to choose who wins the race. But we are still talking with other clubs. There is no deadline.”
PIR PRESSURE
Juventus are preparing for a summer clear out with five players up for sale, according to reports.
The current Serie A champions are way off the pace in the table, ten points behind leaders AC Milan.
New boss Andrea Pirlo, who replaced Maurizio Sarri, looks destined to become the first Juve manager in ten seasons to fail in winning the league.
And as a result, the Italian legend is set to revamp his side and sell unwanted stars, the Daily Mail claims.
Among those is ex-Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 30, who joined on a free transfer in 2019.
Injuries have halted the Welshman’s momentum this season and leaves his future uncertain.
Similarly, Paulo Dybala’s time in Turin has also come under question, with the Argentine’s contract expiring next summer and the forward, 27, is not set to receive an extension, leaving Juve wanting to cash in now to prevent him leaving on a free.
CHEEKY JIBE
Nemanja Matic has teased team-mate Bruno Fernandes after the ghost goal that never was denied Portugal victory against Serbia.
Matic has retired from international football but was still delighted to see his countrymen hold Euro 2016 winners Portugal to a 2-2 draw.
But the ball appeared to be across the line late on only for a lack of goalline technology and the officials contriving to deny Cristiano Ronaldo who stormed of and threw down his captain’s armband.
Matic shamelessly shared an image of the ball on the line and tagged Fernandes and Ronaldo in his Instagram story.
He wrote: “Just on the line. Is it all clear now?”
Matic shared this to his Instagram story
JAMES GAINS
James Rodriguez promised there is ‘more to come’ from his Everton spell.
And he heaped praise on his father-figure manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Colombian Rodriguez, 29, signed for Everton from Real Madrid on a free last summer and has recorded five goals and four assists in his 18 Premier League appearances.
But as he looks set to return after a five-match absence through a calf injury, the ex-Bayern Munich star is confident he can still improve.
He told the Everton website: “I’m reasonably happy with how I am playing. I think there’s more to come and I can hit some better form but when I’ve performed well, it’s had a positive effect on the team.
“And that’s what I want: for the team to play good football and perform at a high standard.
“I’ve come to a good club, a club that wants to achieve big things.”
DOUG DEEP
Douglas Costa’s loan spell at Bayern Munich will reportedly not be extended this summer.
The Brazilian midfielder returned to the Bundesliga giants from Juventus in October.
Douglas Costa looks set to leave Bayern Munich againCredit: Getty The 30-year-old, previously linked with Manchester United, has failed to impress Bayern boss Hansi Flick.
And Goal claims the Champions League holders have already made the decision not to renew the loan or look to make it a permanent transfer.
Costa originally signed for Bayern in 2015 from Shakhtar Donetsk and shone during his two years there before heading to Juventus on loan.
That led to a permanent move, but an on-pitch row with Federico Di Francesco during a match against Sassuolo in early 2018 angered club officials.
Things continued to get worse for Costa as he struggled for match action and he eventually ended up returning to Bayern looking to revive his career.
LUMPING ON LAMPS
Frank Lampard could be a shock replacement for Aidy Boothroyd as England Under-21s manager.
The ex-Chelsea boss will reportedly be a top candidate if the FA makes a change.
The Young Lions look likely to be seeking a new boss this summer after another dismal European Championship performance.
They have lost their opening two games of the tournament – going down to Switzerland and Portugal without scoring a goal – and look certain for an early exit.
The Daily Mail claims recently-axed Chelsea boss Lampard will be among the top candidates the governing body want to speak to about the position.
SHAWLY NOT
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed Luke Shaw is the second best finisher at the club behind Mason Greenwood.
The Norwegian overlooked the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial in favour of his resurgent left-back.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer backed Luke Shaw and Mason Greenwood as the club’s best finishersCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd Even the talismanic Bruno Fernandes is behind Shaw in the finishing ranks.
Shaw said in February that the boss rates his finishing: “You should ask the manager he normally says me.
“I understand people will say I don’t score many goals but he’s actually said to me I was one of them [best finishers]. I don’t know if he was being nice or not.”
And Solskjaer backed up his player and said: “I’ve said that to Luke, yeah.
“He is behind Mason Greenwood, Luke has a very good finishing technique when he gets in that position so I encourage him to get up there.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
