CHELSEA have reportedly made Jules Kounde their top summer transfer target.
The Blues are also said to have offered Antonio Rudiger a bumper deal worth almost £200,000-a-week to prevent him leaving on a free transfer.
Meanwhile Tottenham could be about to get gazzumped by Liverpool for Franck Kessie, as they were with Luiz Diaz
Follow ALL the latest transfer gossip and news with our live blog below…
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Better own up
For a split-second it was the ‘best own goal in history’.
Romanian top-flight keeper Iustin Popescu blasted a goal-kick sideways at team-mate Adrian Scarlatache, who saw it cannon in off his heel.
Social media had a Pop at the CS Mioveni flops – but referee Ovidiu Hategan ruled the goal out.
He decided the ball was still moving when Popescu dropped it to take the goal-kick.
FC Arges were outraged at Mioveni’s let-off.
But they can’t complain too much as Mioveni had already gifted them a 1-0 win with a genuine own goal that was almost as crazy!
Read more HERE.
Keown praises Arsenal target Broja
Arsenal legend Martin Keown waxed lyrical over Armando Broja for his starring display in Southampton’s 1-1 draw away at Manchester United on Saturday.
The youngster proved to be a handful for Red Devils skipper Harry Maguire all afternoon.
And Keown drooled over Broja’s pace and power while speaking on commentary for BT Sport.
He remarked: “You have to applaud him, the pace he has. He’s really impressed for Southampton.
“He’s a physical specimen as well, the ball has been going into him, and Maguire hasn’t been able to win them.
“He’s got everything to his game. His pace there, look at how he wins it – he bullies Maguire there.
“So quick, direct. Players around him. This man is so difficult to play against.”
T-has enough
Jermaine Jenas has blasted Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl for his comments after the Saints’ 1-1 draw with Man United.
Speaking on Match of the Day: “I don’t like it, if I’m totally honest with you. I’m not a fan of it.
“He’s had such a great week so he should focus on that and what his team are doing.
“I get that he’s got that relationship with Ralf Rangnick but it didn’t sit right with me, talking about another team, especially when they’re going through a tough period.”
Broja transfer pursuit
Arsenal are reportedly eyeing up a shock summer swoop to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja.
But according to Football.London, the south coast side face competition from the Gunners in the race to secure his services.
They state that Mikel Arteta’s side are monitoring his progress at St Mary’s ahead of a possible transfer.
The news outlet adds that Arsenal have put the English-born Albanian international high on their wishlist after missing out on January target Dusan Vlahovic.
Chelsea will back Tuchel
Chelsea have vowed to back Thomas Tuchel this summer with an influx of cash, according to reports.
Stamford Bridge bosses want the Premier League title back in West London.
The Telegraph has reported that Abramovich will support Tuchel financially this offseason.
The club were said to be impressed that their German manager did not push for unnecessary transfers in the January window.
Chelsea have suffered with injuries but remain third in the table.
Shearer rips into Man United
Alan Shearer has torn into Manchester United as a ‘leaky, noisy, messy club’ living on excuses.
He wrote in the Athletic: “When I look at Manchester United, I see chaos, a team lacking any kind of discernible identity and an institution bereft of strategy, whose last three managers, if you include Michael Carrick, have been temporary appointments.
“They have become an interim football club — a club of caretakers, where authority has become diluted and players inhabit a world of excuses — who have spent an absolute fortune to become truly unexceptional.
“On the pitch, they are frayed and ragged, edgy and bad-tempered, casting around for someone else to blame, unsure of who and what they are.
“What a leaky, noisy, messy club they have become.”
Real Rob-bery
Robert Pires has revealed Arsene Wenger sent a private plane to snatch him for Arsenal ahead of Real Madrid and Juventus.
Wenger swooped for the legendary French winger 22 years ago, turning him into a star member of the Gunners’ 2003-4 Invincibles.
But Pires admits he was a Real fan as a kid and even posed in a Madrid top shortly before Arsenal leapt in to sign him from Marseille.
The 1998 World Cup winner, 48, told L’Equipe: “In 2000, I was lucky to have Real, Juve, Arsenal…A very hard choice.
“Everyone told me that I was crazy not to have gone to Real.
“It was very heated though. I even took the photo with the Real jersey during the Euros in Belgium! For the newspaper AS, I believe.
“And everything happened very quickly.
“Arsene (Wenger) called me and upset my plans… he sends me a plane, I pass the medical visit and I sign.”
Zouma cat storms
West Ham fans have been blasted for a ‘vile’ Kurt Zouma chant in the wake of the defender’s cat-kicking shame.
His name was loudly booed by home and away fans alike when he was included in the Hammers’ starting line-up for the Watford clash earlier this week.
But now certain Irons fans seem to have made light of the situation with a chant joking about the incident.
Outraged supporters have since taken to social media to condemn the offensive lyrics
TV funnyman Adil Ray tweeted a clip of fans singing the chant and captioned it: “Rewarded with a chant. Vile.”
Not a long Sess
Antonio Conte has been slammed by Spurs fans after hauling off Ryan Sessegnon after just 28 minutes.
A pair of Hugo Lloris blunders saw the team suffer a third straight Premier League defeat.
Spurs were two goals down by the time Sessegnon got yanked from the game.
One Twitter user said: “Conte making a public substitution of Sessegnon. This will completely ruin the player’s confidence. Toxic.”
Another said: “Manager-in-his-prime, Antonio Conte publicly substituting young Ryan Sessegnon before half time.
“I hope Gary Lineker and the rest of the English media have a word with him about it.”
Derby’s fightback plan revealed
Derby County are ready to turn the tables on the EFL — and make a compensation claim if they finish below Reading.
The Rams administrators and their advisers have studied a legal report the League are using to justify Middlesbrough and Wycombe asking millions from them.
The EFL have classed the pair as having ‘football related debts’, which means Derby have to deal with the problem and possibly look for money at the end of the season.
Derby were docked nine points for Financial Fair Play offences — on top of 12 for going into administration.
But Reading were only penalised six points for their offences under the EFL rules.
If the gap between the pair is three points or less after 46 games it could lead to another club versus club legal claim.
Derby’s argument will be that they were hit with more points than Reading — the same kind of technicality that has caused them such grief with Boro and Wycombe.
Should Rooney’s men go down and Reading escape then the Rams intend to quote the EFL legal ruling by top lawyers Stephenson Harwood that is currently being used against them
Prem player attack scandal
A Premier League star was arrested over an attack on his girlfriend after she called the police.
The player, tipped for international honours, was nicked when cops swooped on his home.
He is also said to have sent her abusive late-night messages.
The player hired lawyers before agreeing a payout to her — thought to be a five-figure sum — in an out-of-court settlement.
Don’t Tripp
Kieiran Trippier scored the winner for Newcastle against Aston Villa – then left the stadium on CRUTCHES.
The England international struck a sweet freekick on 35 minutes to seal three crucial points for the Magpies.
But he was subbed off just three minutes into the second-half with a knock to his foot.
And the 31-year-old was later spotted leaving St James’ Park on crutches with a protective boot.
Toon boss Eddie Howe later confirmed the right-back had been taken to hospital for an x-ray.
Con job
Antonio Conte has admitted that his Spurs team aren’t even good enough for the Europa League after their loss to Wolves.
Speaking after the game he said: “There are a lot of jobs to do but it is not simple because the environment is used to play for Champions League, Europa League, but everyone maybe has to realise something has changed and you have to try to work to build again and we have to know this.
“I am trying with my players to do everything to improve the situaiton but the enviornment has to understand which is our position in this moment.”
Chelsea intensify Kounde chase
Chelsea are reportedly set to revive their interest in Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde with Thomas Tuchel desperate to sign the Frenchman.
The 23-year-old saw a switch to Stamford Bridge fall through in the summer after the Spanish side priced him out of a move.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Tuchel has made signing Kounde his No1 priority.
He tweeted: “Chelsea have Jules Kounde as top target in their summer list, as reported days ago.”
Chelsea target Brighton defender Webster
Chelsea are considering a summer splash for Brighton’s Adam Webster, according to reports.
The Mirror reports that Webster, 27, is being considered by the new world champions.
The Englishman has been in fine form for the south coast club.
So much so that he has been tipped for a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad.
Zouma storm rages on
Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher clashed over Kurt Zouma ahead of West Ham’s trip to Leicester.
Zouma was selected in the starting line-up for the second consecutive match despite the abuse of his cat being made public, but illness ruled him out of starting.
Carragher defended Zouma in terms of the pressure he has been under and the backlash he faced, but Souness had little sympathy.
Carragher said: “You don’t know what he’s been through in terms of scrutiny.”
But Souness dryly hit back quickly: “Not as much as the cat has been through.
“I’ve not no sympathy for him. The fact that they put it on social media, means they think there is nothing wrong with it.
“For me, I wouldn’t have played him again this year and if I was still a player, I wouldn’t want to play in a team with him.
“They’ve mismanaged it from day one, for me, I wouldn’t have played him again this year.”
Zouma support
Some West Ham fans have reportedly come out in support of Kurt Zouma amid his cat abuse controversy.
Hours before the Hammers’ game against Leicester, a portion of Hammers fans were allegedly captured singing a chant in favour of Zouma and kicking an inflatable cat, Football.London reported.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa delayed
Newcastle clash against Aston Villa was temporarily halted following a medical emergency in the stands.
Play was stopped late in the second half after referee Craig Pawson was alerted to the situation.
Magpies gaffer Eddie Howe and Villans manager Steven Gerrard were seen pointing towards the fan in an attempt to stop the match.
Commenting on the incident, Newcastle tweeted: “Play has been halted due to an incident in the Gallowgate Stand.”
Pawson suspended play in the 74th minute to allow the supporter to receive attention.
He then resumed the match two minutes later.
Wayne of the game
Wayne Rooney posed for a selfie with a young pitch invader after the plucky fan dodged stewards to sprint halfway up the pitch.
The Derby manager, 36, took charge of his side away at Middlesbrough on Saturday.
And with his side 3-1 down in the 84th minute, Wazza was suddenly joined in the dugout by the kid wearing a Manchester United home shirt.
The lad then leaned up against his hero Rooney with his phone in hand to grab the priceless photo.
The United and England record goalscorer put his arm around the youngster, almost shielding him from security personnel.
And once he had got the snap, Rooney twizzled him around away from the approaching fourth official.
The cheeky supporter then darted back down the touchline at the Riverside, cutting across the corner of the pitch then hopping the advertising boardings to get back to his seat.
Tuch of class
Thomas Tuchel has dedicated the Club World Cup win to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Abramovich, 55, was in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the Blues becoming world champions.
And Tuchel, who has had instant success since joining the West London club, took the time to congratulate Abramovich.
The German boss admitted: “I said, ‘It is for you and it is your club. Your input and passion that made it possible.’
“The trophy is for him.”
Ll-ou gotta be kidding
Hugo Lloris made two blunders inside the opening 18 minutes to gift Wolves a 2-0 lead at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
First the Tottenham captain failed to deal two Wolves shots, parring the ball out to Raul Jimenez who volleyed in from 12 yards out.
And the goalkeeper did not respond well, giving away possession too easily to Daniel Podence, whose shot was turned in by Leonardo Dendoncker on the rebound.
His performance was so bad Wolves fans sarcastically cheered when he managed to catch a cross.
Spurs fans defy owners
Tottenham fans ignored their club’s orders by chanting the Y-word in the first minute of their match against Wolves.
Spurs were playing for the first time since a statement posted on Thursday.
And a large section of the supporters inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium refused to follow the advice.
There were loud chants of: “Thing I love most is being Y**.”
This was followed by: “We’ll sing what we want.”
And another rendition of ‘Y** Army’ was belted out by the home faithful.
Chelsea join elite group
Chelsea’s victory over Palmeiras in the Club World Cup final means they have now won EVERY major trophy.
And in becoming world champions Chelsea have become part of an elite club – only four other European teams have won every major trophy.
It is a difficult feat to achieve with Real Madrid missing out because they never won the Cup Winners Cup.
That means they will never be part of the group which boasts Manchester United, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Ajax as members.
Jot gonna make it
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has explained why Diogo Jota won’t be in the Reds’ starting line-up against Burnley today.
Jota picked up a dead leg when Liverpool beat Leicester mid-week, and now Sadio Mane will replace the ex-Wolves star.
Klopp said: “Jota was due to start, with Sadio coming from the bench today but Jota had a dead leg and couldn’t train yesterday.
“Now he looks fine but we were not sure.”
Luk to me
Didier Drogba has backed Romelu Lukaku to finally become a Chelsea hit.
Lukaku has been a disappointment since his £97.5million return to the club from Inter Milan but scored the first goal – his tenth of the season – in Saturday’s 2-1 Club World Cup final success over Palmeiras.
Chelsea ambassador Drogba, who was in the UAE, said: “Is it a turning point? Yes, I hope. We all hope for that because it is important for the club.
“He put himself under a certain amount of pressure by coming back to the club where he started.
“It is difficult and you come back because you want to prove a point, but he’s winning and I think he’s going to make it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
