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      Mats Hummels, 35, goes public with Victoria’s Secret model, 25, at Ballon d’Or after split from former ‘Wag of the Year’

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      MATS HUMMELS went public with his stunning new girlfriend at last night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.The Germany defender was dressed to impress in a black tuxedo and was pictured arriving with gorgeous model Nicola Cavanis.Mats Hummels hit the red carpet with his new girlfriend Nicola CavanisCredit: GettyIt was the first time they had been seen in publicCredit: GettyNicola is a model who has worked for Victoria’s SecretCredit: INSTAGRAM @NICOLAShe is ten years younger than HummelsCredit: INSTAGRAM @NICOLAHummels, 35, and the beauty ten years his junior were seen holding hands as they hit the red carpet.Nicola stunned in a figure-hugging pale dress and was all smiles with her new man.It was the first time they had been seen together in public after several reports in the German press that they were dating.Nicola, who started her career as a model as a teenager, shot to fame in her homeland after starring in a Nivea advert in 2021.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLShe has since represented brands like Victoria’s Secret, Puma, MCM, New Yorker and Tchibo.Nicola also has a huge following on social media, boasting 1.9 million on Instagram, 500,000 on TikTok.Despite being born in Bavaria, she does not support Hummels’ former club Bayern Munich, and is instead a fan of Augsburg.Hummels is with Nicola following his split from wife Cathy Fischer in 2022.Most read in FootballNicola Cavanis is a social media star with millions of followersCredit: INSTAGRAM @NICOLAThe beauty supports AugsburgCredit: INSTAGRAM @NICOLAHummels with his ex Cathy FischerCredit: Bongarts – GettyThey were married for seven years and they have a son named Ludwig, 6.The 36-year-old used to pose for Playboy and was named Germany’s Wag of the Year in 2013 when Hummels was at Borussia Dortmund. Incredible video shows how Ballon d’Or is made and it’s blowing fans’ minds as they ask ‘why does it feel so weird?’She also once admitted to being open to kissing anyone, saying: “I love to snog when I’m drunk. The sex is irrelevant, I don’t care.”I also kiss women in such situations. Then I just want to snog.”Asked about how many people she has slept with, she added: “I can count them with one hand. “I don’t open my castle to anyone. To me, this is a very private matter.”Hummels, who now plays for Roma, came 29th in the Ballon d’Or last night.Meet Mats Hummels’ stunning Wag Nicola CavanisMats Hummels is now dating glamorous model Nicola Cavanis despite the pair having a ten-year age gap.They went public on the red carpet at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony.Despite the defender coming 29th, fans said he got the “real trophy”.She has millions of followers online and she regularly posts stunning professional photos on her social media, along with images from her day-to-day life.Nicola, who works for “Munich Models Germany”, also revealed her contract states she cannot get a haircut without telling her company. She is also banned from getting any tattoos.Nicola added: “I have to coordinate with them whether I can go to the hairdresser.”I can’t just go on vacation, I have to cancel so that they can plan the appointments.”I’m also not allowed to just get tattoos.” More

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      Premier League cult hero Emmanuel Adebayor offered brand new career as a politician after retirement from football

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      Emmanuel Adebayor has been invited to swap penalty boxes for ballot boxes – by becoming a politician.The striker spent 11 years in the Premier League with Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.Emmanuel Adebayor has been urged to become a politicianCredit: AFPAdebayor hung up his boots last year after a career that saw him star for teams such as Manchester City and ArsenalCredit: Getty Images – GettyTogo international Adebayor retired last year after a spell with home-country club Semassi.The 40-year-old took part in his testimonial game in capital city Lome at the weekend.Yawo Date, the president of Togolese opposition party Comite d’Action Pour Le Renouveau, has now urged Adebayor to join them.Known as CAR, the party’s name means Renewal Action Committee.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLDate declared: “It’s a good thing that our brother Adebayor has celebrated his testimonial game.”But now he has finished with sport he needs to get involved in politics.”And the ideal party for him to campaign with is the CAR. I invite him to join us.”With him on board we can continue the political struggle for freedom in Togo.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”In Adebayor we see an example of perseverance and success.”He embodies the kind of ambition and dynamism that Togo’s young people want from their political leaders.”Ballon d’Or winner who was president of his country reveals surprise Premier League team he supportsAdebayor has also played for Real Madrid, Metz, Turkish sides Istanbul Basaksehir and Kayserispor, plus Paraguayan outfit Olimpia.Arsenal signed him from Monaco in 2006, and he made 142 Gunners appearances – scoring 62 goals – before joining City in 2009. More

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      Ballon d’Or chief explains to Real Madrid why Vinicius Jr didn’t win as star misses out on whopping bonus from club

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      BALLON D’OR chief Vincent Garcia has explained why Vinicius Jr missed out on the award.The Real Madrid star finished as the runner-up to Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the running.Vinicius Jr missed out on winning the Ballon d’OrCredit: GettyManchester City star Rodri claimed the prize on Monday eveningCredit: APLos Blancos were left fuming with the Brazilian’s snub and released a blunt 52-word statement in response.The LaLiga giants claimed that the organisation and Uefa “do not respect” the club.The club also refused to attend the event in Paris due to their anger over the result.However, Garcia has now explained one reason why Vinicius Jr may have missed out on the top price.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHe believes the success of Real’s Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal may have cost the Brazilian.His argument is that the votes that the 2nd and 4th placed stars would have received votes instead of Vinicius Jr.He said: “Obviously, Vinicius surely suffered from the presence of Bellingham and Carvajal in the top five because, mathematically, that took away some points from him.”This also sums up Real Madrid’s season, which took between three and four players, and the judges shared their decisions with them, which benefited Rodri.”Most read in FootballThe split of votes for Real players allowed for more room for Rodri to be named the winner.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSGarcia added: “We were very clear with them [Real Madrid] and with all the other clubs.”This year, the winner and the prizewinner were not going to be notified.Emi Martinez and his stunning Wag are booed mercilessly at Ballon d’Or ceremony by France fans Ballon d’Or 2024 results1: Rodri, Man City and Spain2: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and Brazil3: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England4: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid and Spain5: Erling Haaland, Man City and Norway6: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and France7: Lautaro Martinz, Inter Milan and Argentina8: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain9: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid and Germany10: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England11: Phil Foden, Man City and England12: Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany13: Dani Olmo, Barcelona and Spain14: Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria15: Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao and Spain16: Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland17: Federico Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay18: Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina19: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway20: Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter Milan and Turkey21: Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England22: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid and Germany23: Ruben Dias, Man City and Portugal24: William Saliba, Arsenal and France25: Cole Palmer, Chelsea and England26: Declan Rice, Arsenal and England27: Vitinha, PSG and Portugal28: Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen and Spain29: Mats Hummels, Roma and Germany30: Artem Dovbyk, Roma and Ukraine”I thought that everyone had accepted but at the last minute, I don’t know why, they wanted to change the rule.”When Real Madrid made its decision, I’m not sure that there wasn’t some disappointment.”As a result of Rodri winning the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Jr missed out on a cash reward from Real.The winger would have been handed a bonus of £833,000 from his club if he had won the award.Vinicius Jr would have also been the first Brazilian to lay his hands on the individual trophy since 2007, when Kaka won it.He has spoken out since the snub and claimed that he will be a winner in the future.He wrote on X: “‘I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.”READ MORE SUN STORIESDue to Real’s boycott of the event it left one award uncollected.Last season’s Champions League winners were not able to collect their Club of the Year award.All winners of the Ballon d’Or this century2024: Rodri, Man City and Spain2023: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami and Argentina2022: Karim Benzema, Real Madrid and France2021: Lionel Messi, PSG and Argentina2020: Not Awarded2019: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2018: Luka Modric, Real Madrid and Croatia2017: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Portugal2016: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Portugal2015: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2014: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Portugal2013: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Portugal2012: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2011: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2010: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2009: Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina2008: Cristiano Ronaldo, Man Utd and Portugal2007: Kaka, AC Milan and Brazil2006: Fabio Cannavaro, Real Madrid and Italy2005: Ronaldinho, Barcelona and Brazil2004: Andriy Shevchenko, AC Milan and Ukraine2003: Pavel Nedved, Juventus and Czechia2002: Ronaldo Nazario, Real Madrid and Brazil2001: Michael Owen, Liverpool and England2000: Luis Figo, Real Madrid and Portugal More

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      Hollywood icon trolls Real Madrid with subtle gesture as she poses with Barcelona stars at Ballon d’Or ceremony

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      A HOLLYWOOD icon trolled Real Madrid with a cheeky subtle gesture as she posed for photos with Barcelona stars at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.A host of Barca stars headed to Paris for the annual gala evening at the Theatre du Chatelet.Natalie Portman took a cheeky dig at Real Madrid alongside Barcelona starsCredit: X @FCBarcelonaThe actress dazzled on the red carpet at the Ballon d’OrCredit: GettyAnd trio Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi even posed on the red carpet with an Oscar-winning superstar.The footballers were all smiles alongside Natalie Portman, who even dropped a savage dig at Barca’s arch-rivals.Portman, 43, could not resist the fun and held up four fingers to the cameras.That appeared to be a thinly-veiled reference to the weekend when Barca smashed Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu. READ MORE ON BALLON D’OROlmo, Yamal and Cubarsi burst into laughter when they realised what Portman had done.And fans on social media could not get enough of it either, after Barcelona posted the video on their X account and it racked up 5million views by Tuesday lunchtime. One said: “Lmao no way she pointed out four reminding of El Clasico score.”Another wrote: “She’s pointing 4 😂😂😂”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSA third added: “She reigns supreme, cementing her place among the football greats with this remarkable achievement.”A fourth quipped: “W Portman.”Didier Drogba’s wife Alla suffers ‘yellow card offence’ as Ballon d’Or fans spot awkward red carpet momentAnd a final user simply commented: “Queen.”Portman is a huge football fan and even formed her own women’s team – Angel City FC – in 2022.However, she was in Paris last night to present the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the world’s best female footballer.She handed over the prestigious gong to Aitana Bonmati as the Barcelona and Spain star defended her title ahead of club team-mates Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo.In fact, seven of the top 30 female footballers to make the list play for Barcelona – while Lucy Bronze left in the summer for Chelsea. And there was plenty more success for Barcelona, too, as the ladies’ team were named Women’s Club of the Year. Ballon d’Or 2024 results1: Rodri, Man City and Spain2: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and Brazil3: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England4: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid and Spain5: Erling Haaland, Man City and Norway6: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and France7: Lautaro Martinz, Inter Milan and Argentina8: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain9: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid and Germany10: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England11: Phil Foden, Man City and England12: Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany13: Dani Olmo, Barcelona and Spain14: Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria15: Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao and Spain16: Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland17: Federico Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay18: Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina19: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway20: Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter Milan and Turkey21: Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England22: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid and Germany23: Ruben Dias, Man City and Portugal24: William Saliba, Arsenal and France25: Cole Palmer, Chelsea and England26: Declan Rice, Arsenal and England27: Vitinha, PSG and Portugal28: Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen and Spain29: Mats Hummels, Roma and Germany30: Artem Dovbyk, Roma and UkraineYamal and Olmo were the only men’s Barca star on the men’s Ballon d’Or top 30 list as they finished eighth and 13th. However, 17-year-old Yamal did collect the Kopa Trophy for the best young player as Cubarsi came fifth. To top it off for Barcelona, their rivals Real Madrid’s fancied trio of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal all missed out on the Ballon d’Or behind Rodri.And that triggered a boycott from the furious Los Blancos.They told AFP: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner.READ MORE SUN STORIES”As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”Emi Martinez made it back-to-back Yashin Trophy successes – despite being BOOED on the red carpet – while Carlo Ancelotti was named Men’s Coach of the Year as Emma Hayes took the women’s gong. Portman presented the Ballon d’Or Feminin to Barcelona star Aitana BonmatiCredit: AFPBarca were crowned Women’s Club of the YearCredit: GettyDani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi were all smiles in ParisCredit: Reuters17-year-old Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best young playerCredit: AFP More

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      Ballon d’Or winner who was president of his country reveals surprise Premier League team he supports

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      FORMER Ballon d’Or winner George Weah has revealed which Premier League team he supports.Weah, 58, was present at last night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony having won the award himself in 1995.George Weah has revealed the Premier League club he grew up supportingCredit: GettyWeah won the Ballon d’Or in 1995Credit: GettyThe retired striker had a glittering career that saw him win the league at both AC Milan and PSG.While he also ventured into the Premier League with spells at both Chelsea and Manchester City during the twilight of his playing days.But despite representing two Prem sides, and even winning the FA Cup with Chelsea, Weah supports a completely different side in England’s top flight.The 75-time Liberia international revealed that he’s actually a Tottenham Hotspur fan.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLWeah told the crowd at the Ballon d’Or ceremony that he grew up supporting Spurs, and explained that Harry Kane is one of his favourite players these days thanks to his time in north London.He said: “That’s [Harry Kane] one of the players that I love. I’m a fan of Mr. Kane.”Well, he played for my team. I’m a very big fan, because I believe that he’s a very strong and very clever striker.”And I support Tottenham, since I was a kid. And I love him.”Most read in FootballWeah pointed out Harry Kane as one of his favourite Ballon d’Or nominees, explaining that he grew up as a Spurs fanCredit: DAZNHarry Kane smiled on as he heard Weah’s gushing assessment of himCredit: DAZNWeah admitted to his Spurs upbringing despite formerly representing rivals ChelseaCredit: GettyFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWeah’s career never saw him make his way to Tottenham and represent his boyhood club, but it certainly was one that plenty of other players would be envious of.Although his life after nine domestic trophies might be even more impressive than his football career.I’m a Ballon d’Or winner who spent nine forgettable months in the Premier League – now I’m my country’s presidentUnbelievably, Weah went on to serve as the president of his home country of Liberia.The retired pro was the 25th president of the African nation and served in office from January 2018 until January of this year.Weah is also the father of Juventus and USA national team winger Timothy Weah.While he is also the uncle of New York Red Bulls full-back Kyle Duncan.Weah previously served as the president of LiberiaCredit: AFPHe is also the father of Juventus star Timothy WeahCredit: GettyWho are these famous footballers? More

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      Emi Martinez and his stunning Wag are BOOED mercilessly at Ballon d’Or ceremony by France fans

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      EMI MARTINEZ and his wife were mercilessly BOOED as they arrived at the Ballon d’Or.But the Argentine, 32, had the last laugh as he was handed the Yashin Trophy again.Emiliano Martinez was booed on his way into the Ballon d’Or ceremonyCredit: Reddit/ 7BET_UKThe goalkeeper arrived with his wife in ParisCredit: Reddit/ 7BET_UKThe Argentine looked pretty sullen and serious during the walkCredit: Reddit/ 7BET_UKThe pantomime villain is hated by French fans following his antics in the 2022 World Cup final. Not only did he put in a superb performance and play his genius mind games in the penalty shootout, Martinez riled up the France supporters even more with his provocative celebration with the Golden Glove trophy.Martinez was crowned Yachin Trophy winner in 2023 following his World Cup exploits.And on his return to Paris on Monday night, he was given another hostile reception. READ MORE ON BALLON D’ORThe Aston Villa stopper, decked out in a black tuxedo, headed down the red carpet holding hands with his glamorous partner Mandinha, who opted for a flowing red number.However, the boos were clear to hear – and neither of them particularly seemed to see the funny side. Martinez did give a brief thumbs-up – but whether that was genuine or a sarcastic response to someone out of shot was uncertain. The couple then posed for photos before heading into the Theatre du Chatelet for the prestigious awards ceremony. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd once inside, Martinez was confirmed as the world’s best goalkeeper for the second year running after helping Villa into the Champions League and winning the Copa America with Argentina.He pipped the likes of Spain No1 Unai Simon, Real Madrid stopper Andriy Lunin and Gianluigi Donnarumma to become the first goalkeeper to defend the crown.Didier Drogba’s wife Alla suffers ‘yellow card offence’ as Ballon d’Or fans spot awkward red carpet momentWho are these famous footballers?In the overall Ballon d’Or award, Martinez finished 18th in the vote – ahead of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Antonio Rudiger, Cole Palmer and others.However, it was Rodri who collected the top men’s award after his exploits with Manchester City and helping Spain win Euro 2024. Rodri beat Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal plus Erling Haaland and home-favourite Kylian Mbappe in the vote.His compatriot Lamine Yamal came eighth but secured the Kopa Trophy for the best young player aged 21 or under.The 17-year-old starred for Spain at the Euros and became the third Spaniard in four years to collect the gong – following Pedri, Gavi and then Bellingham. In the Ballon d’Or Feminin for women’s football, it was more success for Spain as Aitana Bonmati collected her second trophy on the bounce. Emiliano and Mandinha posed for pictures on the red carpetCredit: GettyHe received the Yashin Trophy and was presented it by Argentine team-mate Lautaro MartinezCredit: AFPMartinez angered French fans with this celebration after the 2022 World Cup finalCredit: GettyBallon d’Or 2024 results1: Rodri, Man City and Spain2: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and Brazil3: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England4: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid and Spain5: Erling Haaland, Man City and Norway6: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and France7: Lautaro Martinz, Inter Milan and Argentina8: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain9: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid and Germany10: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England11: Phil Foden, Man City and England12: Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany13: Dani Olmo, Barcelona and Spain14: Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria15: Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao and Spain16: Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland17: Federico Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay18: Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina19: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway20: Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter Milan and Turkey21: Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England22: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid and Germany23: Ruben Dias, Man City and Portugal24: William Saliba, Arsenal and France25: Cole Palmer, Chelsea and England26: Declan Rice, Arsenal and England27: Vitinha, PSG and Portugal28: Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen and Spain29: Mats Hummels, Roma and Germany30: Artem Dovbyk, Roma and Ukraine More

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      Ten Hag ‘had to be talked out of kamikaze FA Cup final tactic by Darren Fletcher’ which helped extend Man Utd stay

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      ERIK TEN HAG’S final glory at Manchester United might have NEVER have happened if he had persisted with his original tactical plan in the FA Cup final.The Dutchman was sacked from his post as Man Utd manager on Monday following a controversial 2-1 defeat to West Ham.Erik ten Hag won the FA Cup with Man Utd in MayCredit: GettyBut the tactical tweaks made before the game came after hours of debate led by Darren FletcherCredit: GettyIt left Man Utd down in 14th place in the Premier League after their worst-ever start to the season.Ten Hag, 54, had looked like a dead man walking at Old Trafford after finish a record low of eighth in the Prem last season.But he earned himself an unlikely lifeline by shocking Manchester City to win the FA Cup final in May, courtesy of goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.However, the result of that game could have turned out very different.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThat’s because, according to The Independent, Ten Hag had to be talked out of his planned tactics for the Wembley showdown by concerned Darren Fletcher.It is claimed Ten Hag wanted to go “toe-to-toe” against the league champions in a kamikaze plan.And it was only after hours of debate led by then-technical director Fletcher that Ten Hag relented.The tactical tweaks he eventually did make prior to the game worked as a treat, as the 4-4-2 shape helped United defend against Pep Guardiola’s side and gave United the ability to be dangerous on the counter.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSReports at the time suggested that Ten Hag had also listened to the advice from new club chief Jason Wilcox to use Bruno Fernandes as a False 9 for the final, which yielded the captain an assist for the winner.Man Utd have tried going match up with teams this season, and come up embarrassingly short against Liverpool and Tottenham in 3-0 defeats at Old Trafford.Man Utd want Ruben AmorimBehind the scenes, one senior member of the Ineos hierarchy is reported to have said: “I told you this would happen,” in key meetings, where the main dividing factor was who could come next.However, after getting their first transfer window out of the way Ineos now appear to have made swift progress on appointing a potential successor.According to reports, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim has agreed to become the new Red Devils boss.United will have to pay his £8.5million buy-out fee, but the 39-year-old has impressive credentials behind him with two league titles ending a 19-year league drought at the club.The “Special One 2.0” has been heavily linked with replacing Pep Guardiola at Man City, while was also linked with Liverpool, West Ham, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.Amorim has a distinct style with his 3-4-3 system and will have a five-point checklist of things to do upon arriving.The former midfielder has already broken his silence on the prospect of taking the job, admitting: “I was already expecting this question [about Man Utd] and obviously I’m not going to talk about the future, because otherwise I’ll always have to comment.READ MORE SUN STORIES”I’m very proud to be Sporting coach, that’s all.”The Portuguese tactician actually already has a tenuous link to Man Utd, having faced them three times in his career, including one player who he is now set to coach. More

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      Dominic Solanke and other popular players Dream Team managers need to ditch this week

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      HERE at Dream Team HQ we prefer to shine a light on in-form players but it’s also our duty to flag underperforming assets who need to be ditched.Here we’ve identified three popular selections who probably need to be replaced sooner rather than later.Dream Team bosses are losing patience with SolankeCredit: Dream TeamDominic Solanke (£4.2m)The points have dried up for Tottenham’s starting striker of late.The 27-year-old enjoyed a surge of popularity when he banked 37 points across Gameweeks 5 and 6; many Dream Team managers would have seen him as a potential set-and-forget option bound for long-term success.However, Solanke has mustered just 13 points from his last five outings at an average of 2.6 per appearance. These paltry returns are not befitting of the game’s sixth-most selected forward.What’s concerning is that Solanke simply isn’t getting the volume of chances his owners would deem acceptable.He produced an impressive display in terms of link-up play against West Ham in Gameweek 8 but didn’t get a sniff of goal and therefore produced just three points – a poor return compared to the likes of Son Heung-min (£5.3m), Dejan Kulusevski (£2.9m), etc.Gaffers need their strikers to be finishing off chances, not playing neat lay-offs in the build-up.Most read in FootballDiaz started strongly but his points have dropped off a cliffCredit: GettyLuis Diaz (£4.3m)Liverpool’s No7 provided a much-needed seven points against Arsenal on Sunday but questions must still be asked about his viability.Despite his assist at the Emirates, Diaz has returned just 18 points since the start of Gameweek 6 (across six fixtures).The Colombian winger was a starter at the beginning of the campaign and he burst out the blocks with five goals in his first six outings.However, Arne Slot has since given more minutes to Cody Gakpo (£4m) on the left flank and Diaz’s points have fallen off a cliff as a result.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWThe 27-year-old’s form is a major talking point in the world of Dream Team as he’s currently the fourth-most popular player in the game with a massive ownership of 31.2%.More fixtures generally equal more points but Liverpool’s jam-packed schedule is essentially negated for Diaz if he has to share his minutes with Gakpo – he’s averaged 33 minutes per appearance over the last three Gameweeks.His effectiveness is undeniable but he’s simply not getting the same opportunities he was afforded in August and September.Where have the clean sheets gone?Credit: ReutersDavid Raya (£4.9m)It’s almost sacrilegious to take aim at an Arsenal defensive asset given all the points they have provided over the last year or so.In fact, even now the Spaniard is level with Emi Martinez (£4.2m) on 65 points at the top of the goalkeeper rankings .However, the Gunners’ domestic form is an elephant in the room for almost 16% of Dream Team bosses.Raya has failed to keep a clean sheet in his last five league outings.Granted, this run includes meetings with difficult opponents in Manchester City and Liverpool but Mikel Arteta would have been disappointed to concede to Leicester, Southampton and Bournemouth in succession.Clean sheets against Atalanta, PSG and Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League have partially made up for Raya’s underwhelming league returns but £4.9m is a lot of cash to invest between the sticks and so the ex-Brentford stopper should be held to a high standard.READ MORE SUN STORIES12 points from his last four outings surely falls well short of those standards.It may well be the case that Arsenal resume normal service soon enough but with injuries to several first-choice defenders, it might be time for gaffers to look elsewhere, if only for a few Gameweeks.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More