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      Meet Arsenal and Real Madrid transfer target Rasmus Hojlund, who is called the ‘next Haaland’ and stars for Atalanta

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      IN Serie A this season a powerhouse of a 20-year-old has taken the league by storm.A great Dane, if ever there was one, Rasmus Hojlund has left defenders quaking in their boots with his frightening combination of strength and electric pace.
      Rasmus Hojlund has been tearing up Serie A this campaignCredit: Rex
      Powerful Hojlund stands at 6ft4in and can run the 100m in under 11 secondsCredit: Rex
      The 6ft4in forward, who has been likened to Erling Haaland, has scored seven goals in his debut campaign for Atalanta, following a £15million summer move from Austria’s Sturm Graz.
      Naturally, he is now being linked with Europe’s top club – the latest being Arsenal and Real Madrid, who are keeping tabs on the youngster.
      And he isn’t the first footballing Hojlund in his family.
      Family affair
      Football is most certainly in the Hojlunds’ blood.
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      Dad Anders was a journeyman forward in Denmark, but was never capped by his country.
      And brothers Oscar and Emil are coming through the ranks at FC Copenhagen.
      But it’s the senior son, Rasmus, who is rising first and rising fast.
      Like his siblings, the wonderkid began at FC Copenhagen – making his debut in 2020.
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      In the 2021-22 season, he exploded on to the scene – scoring five goals during the Danish side’s Europa Conference League campaign.
      That convinced Austrian Bundesliga club Sturm Graz to pay around £1.5million for him in January 2022.
      He hit the ground running and scored six times in 13 games.
      Hojlund began this season in Austria, scoring a further six goals in eight games before Atalanta made the plunge to bring him to Italy.
      He had been with Graz just seven months before La Dea paid a staggering £15million to sign him.
      It’s an investment that will surely pay dividends in the future.
      Hojlund made his name at FC CopenhagenCredit: Getty
      Brothers Oscar, left, and Emil, right, are coming through the ranks at FC Copenhagen
      Making his name
      Hojlund got off to a flier again – scoring against Monza just nine days after joining the club.
      Former Italy international Antonio Cassano sweepingly put him in the same sentence as Man City ace Erling Haaland.
      “If you think about who he resembles, Haaland quickly comes to mind, but I like Hojlund and I don’t like Haaland”, Cassano stated.
      His legendary manager Gian Piero Gasperini also praised the talent, as well as his incredible speed.
      “The characteristics are very similar, especially in accelerations,” Gasperini said.
      “He is a very fast player, he does the 100 meters in less than 11 seconds.
      Hojlund has been compared to Man City star Erling HaalandCredit: Rex
      Blessed with a low centre of gravity, Hojlund has been capped by Denmark twice
      “For his height, he has a low centre of gravity and an incredible stride frequency.
      “I’m convinced he will have a great career. Technically, he always shows different and better things”.
      Investment for the future
      As a selling club, Atalanta know Hojlund will have to go if the right price is offered.
      And with clubs with plenty of financial muscle already circling around the Gewiss Stadium, it’s inevitable he will move on again.
      A fee of £40million has been suggested in the Italian media, and Atalanta see Hojlund as an investment who will pay off in the near future.
      “More than a gamble, Hojlund is a great investment that the club very much wants,”  Tony D’Amico, sporting director for the club, explained.
      “Few players from 2003 have this amount of playing time in Italy.
      “He has great room for improvement and, with Gasperini, he can become very strong.”
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      Hojlund celebrates after scoring against Lazio earlier in February
      With his current contract running until 2027, that puts Atalanta in the driving seat to demand a huge transfer fee.
      Expect to hear much more from the two-cap Denmark star before the end of the season. More

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      Arsenal ‘make £35m Sergej Milinkovic-Savic transfer offer as Newcastle and West Ham circle for Lazio midfielder’

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      ARSENAL have reportedly submitted a £35million offer for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.The Gunners bolstered their options in the middle of the park during the January transfer window through the £12million signing of Jorginho from Chelsea.
      Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is being linked with a move to the Premier LeagueCredit: EPA
      But Mikel Arteta looks set to add more names to his squad in the summer as he attempts to make his side regular title challengers.
      According to Calcio Mercato, Milinkovic-Savic is a player attracting a great deal of interest from English clubs.
      And his agent, former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman, is understood to have collected a £35m offer from Arsenal.
      However, the Premier League leaders face competition from West Ham and Newcastle.
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      All three sides have reportedly submitted the same offer for the Lazio man’s services.
      It will now be up to the club and player to determine his future at the end of the season.
      Milinkovic-Savic is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract – which expires in the summer of 2024.
      The Serbian has contributed 64 goals and 59 assists in 324 appearances.
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      But his form has taken a dip since the World Cup as Lazio chase a Champions League place.
      They sit fifth in Serie A, two points adrift of fourth-place Roma.
      And Lazio bosses are hopeful Milinkovic-Savic can find some of his best performances to help both the team and the club’s asking price. More

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      Olivier Giroud wants ANOTHER London move as ex-Chelsea and Arsenal star eyes shock transfer

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      OLIVIER GIROUD is open to a move back to the Premier League — at a London club.The French veteran striker has one eye on a move away from AC Milan, where his contract runs out in the summer.
      Olivier Giroud managed to become a popular figure at both Arsenal and Chelsea during his nine-year stay in EnglandCredit: Getty
      World Cup finalist Giroud was a star for Arsenal and Chelsea but could be a real coup for one of the lesser clubs if they can fund his wages.
      He was a late target for Everton in the last window but did not want to be that far away from the capital.
      If he does leave the San Siro, the 36-year-old will not be short of admirers after a long career at the top level.
      West Ham, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Brentford could all be potential destinations for Giroud, with the Hammers and Eagles particularly short of goals this season.
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      The forward needs only to look at former Chelsea team-mate Willian and his career turnaround at Craven Cottage to be tempted to moving back to the capital.
      Giroud has led the line for AC Milan this season and delivered seven goals and four assists.
      It follows on from his nine-year stay in England where he first spent six years at the Emirates before making the switch to west London.
      He would win the FA Cup a combined four times and pick up a Champions League medal with Chelsea in 2021.
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      Giroud’s best goal-scoring season would come in the 2015-16 campaign when he notched up 24 goals for Arsenal in all competitions.
      Perhaps his most well-remembered goal was his jaw-dropping scorpion-kick effort against Crystal Palace in 2017. More

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      Man Utd and Arsenal set to battle it out for Celta Vigo star dazzling LaLiga alongside Liverpool flop

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      ARSENAL have reportedly joined Manchester United in the race to sign Celta Vigo youngster Gabri Veiga.Both Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag will be looking to improve the depth of their respective squads when the summer transfer window opens later this year.
      Arsenal and Man Utd are interested in signing VeigaCredit: Alamy
      And a new midfielder is understood to be the priority.
      According to Spanish outlet AS, both clubs are keen on signing Veiga from Celta Vigo.
      The 20-year-old is currently enjoying a breakthrough season in La Liga with six goals and two assists in 21 games.
      He has been highly regarded as Celta Vigo’s best player alongside former Liverpool star Iago Aspas.
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      Veiga became a permanent member of the first team in January after spending the first half of the season without a squad number.
      And many fans are already calling him ‘a revelation’.
      Celta Vigo are said to be reluctant to let Veiga go, however, club chiefs are confident that they will be able to sell him for a record fee should he decide to leave.
      While Arsenal and Man Utd remain interested, they will have to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid for his signature.
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      The two La Liga giants are also keen on signing the young star.
      Veiga is expected to be handed his first senior cap for Spain within the next few months, so more clubs could begin to express an interest before the summer should he impress.
      The midfielder made his debut for Spain U-21’s in November, but he is yet to score an international goal at that level. More

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      Leicester 0 Arsenal 1: Martinelli’s goal keeps title bid on track as Gunners edge past Foxes but VAR is involved again

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      GABRIEL MARTINELLI delivered a perfect ten as Mikel Arteta’s away day specialists strengthened their grip on the title race.The Brazilian international’s 46th minute winner was enough to secure Arsenal’s tenth Premier League victory on the road.
      Martinelli proved to be the match-winner with this strike in the 46th minuteCredit: Getty
      Arsenal had to show some resolve on a tricky afternoon at the King Power StadiumCredit: Reuters
      That’s more than they managed on their travels in the whole of last season.
      And it means that victory at home to struggling Everton on Wednesday night will take them into the final three months of the campaign comfortably clear of second-placed Manchester City. 
      It wasn’t the most convincing of performances from the League leaders but at this stage of the campaign it’s all about results.
      And after briefly looking as if they were about to falter, back to back wins at Aston Villa and now Leicester have got them right back on track.
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      Even another VAR row wasn’t going to disturb their progress as toothless Leicester failed to deliver a single shot on target all afternoon.
      Yet they were made to work hard for their points after they dominated all the early possession without causing too many problems with their slick passing.
      Martin Odegaard and Oleskandr Zinchenko were popping up all over the pitch as they tried to drag their opponents out of position.
      But Leicester stuck gamely to their task and always managed to keep someone between the ball and their goal.
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      So it wasn’t until the 18th minute that Arsenal’s first meaningful attempt arrived when Bukayo Saka looked to capitalise on Wilfred Ndidi’s slip.
      But with England boss Gareth Southgate looking on from the directors’ box, Saka ‘s wayward shot from the edge of the area was never going to trouble keeper Danny Ward.
      Ward had suffered an absolute shocker when Leicester were beaten 4-2 at the Emirates back in August and must have been fearing another test of his nerves from the League leaders.
      And his heart was certainly in his mouth when Leandro Trossard curled one into his top corner after he had flapped tamely at Saka’s 27th minute corner.
      But ref Craig Pawson was advised by VAR Michael Salisbury to take a look at the pitchside TV screen and eventually ruled that Ben White was impeding Ward when the ball had been delivered into his six-yard area.
      It was a close call and one that certainly didn’t meet with the approval of Arteta.
      Limp Leicester struggled to get going throughout the afternoon
      Arsenal were in control for most of the game at the King Power
      And the Arsenal’s boss’ mood wasn’t helped five minutes later when Saka was bundled over from behind by Harry Souttar as he closed in on White’s cross.
      It certainly looked like a penalty on the TV replays as Souttar appeared to stumble before dragging his opponent to the ground 
      But the incident wasn’t even referred to Stockley Park as the travelling Gunners fans vented their anger at the officials.
      They hadn’t forgotten how refs’ chief Howard Webb had apologised to their club two weeks ago after Brentford’s offside equaliser had been allowed to stand.
      And this was doing nothing to dispel the paranoia of the online conspiracy theorists who are convinced that Arsenal are the victims of a referees’ conspiracy designed to stop them winning the league.
      Yet Leicester were unable to take advantage of those reprieves despite the acres of space behind Arsenal’s back four as they looked to compress the game.
      Arsenal fans were left frustrated after VAR judged Danny Ward to have been fouled by Ben White – and the on-field referee agreedCredit: Premier League
      Kelechi Iheanacho did put the ball into Aaron Ramsdale’s net but was clearly offside when he raced on to Tete’s through ball.
      And without the injured James Maddison to pull the strings, Brendan Rodgers’ team were sadly lacking in attacking ideas.
      Tomorrow is the fourth anniversary of Rodgers’ appointment as Leicester boss and one he won’t be celebrating with much enthusiasm when he looks at the League table.
      They have failed to keep a single Premier League clean sheet since returning to action after the World Cup and are still looking anxiously over their shoulders at the relegation zone. 
      And any ideas of buying themselves a bit of breathing space were dispelled right at the start of the second-half.
      It was a frustrating afternoon for Brendan Rodgers as he approaches four years as Leicester bossCredit: Rex
      Because whatever Arteta said to his players during the interval clearly worked and within 53 seconds of the restart they were ahead.
      Gabriel’s long punt forward picked out Trossard on the left wing and when he slipped the ball through Souttar’s legs Martinelli raced in to steer an unerring shot beyond Ward’s reach into the far corner
      It was the young Brazilian’s ninth goal of the season and well worth the pain of a whack on the ankle as he was caught by Ndidi’s follow through.
      Saka thought he had doubled Arsenal’s lead ten minutes later when he tapped in from close range, but once again VAR was not his friend as Martinelli was confirmed to have strayed marginally offside in the build-up.
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      Yet not even the injection of Jamie Vardy’s pace from the subs’ bench was going to spoil their day out as they comfortably saw the game out before hitting the M1 with the points in the bag. More

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      Mikel Arteta warns Bukayo Saka he must learn to protect himself as Arsenal winger looks to extend Prem games record

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      BUKAYO SAKA has been warned not to let himself get distracted by the Premier League’s hatchet men.Arsenal’s marathon man has currently played more consecutive Premier League matches than any other top flight player.
      Mikel Arteta wants Bukayo Saka to protect himself in gamesCredit: PA
      He picked up a yellow card for his reaction to being fouled against Aston VillaCredit: Reuters
      And the exciting young winger has had to endure plenty of kicks along the way from rival defenders struggling to cope with his pace and trickery.
      But Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was not thrilled to see Saka, 21, reacting angrily to a foul by Philippe Coutinho by shoving his rival in the chest and receiving a yellow card during last week’s 4-2 win at Aston Villa.
      He said: “Bukayo needs to learn and improve how he protects himself on the pitch within the rules.
      “There was a very thin line with the way he reacted last week and he cannot allow that to take him out of the game and lose his focus.
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      “He has been getting kicked since he was 10 years old. Wingers and talented players get fouled a lot and that’s his role in the team.
      “Obviously he attracts a lot of attention. It’s totally normal for the opposition to try to stop creative players and restrict the ball getting to them. That’s a challenge he has to face every week.
      “There are a lot of things we can do in training to help him learn when to take certain balls and what to do with them, how to use his body and how to jump.
      “But it’s very difficult to predict what the opponent is going to do.”
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      Yet in spite of all the rough stuff directed Saka’s way, the England star keeps coming back for more.
      He has featured in all of Arsenal’s last 65 Premier League games stretching back to May 2021 and started all but three of them.
      Arteta added: “I’m not surprised by that because I can really see his determination and where he wants to get to in this game.
      “We have discussed that a lot in talks because he has the resilience and the capacity to always be available and play at a certain level.
      “Bukayo has a great physical element to be able to play every three days and hopefully he can continue to do that.”
      Negotiations over a lucrative new five-year contract are continuing with Saka’s representatives and the club expect to confirm a deal within the next few weeks.
      Arteta, whose table-toppers travel to Leicester this afternoon, said: “It’s our responsibility to keep our best players and stick them together for a long while so  we keep evolving and become a better team.”
      Victory at the King Power Stadium will see Arsenal open up a five-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Manchester City’s 5.30pm kick-off at Bournemouth.
      But Arteta knows that things are about to get even more hectic as the club prepares to return to Europa League duty after being handed a last-16 draw against Sporting Lisbon.
      He added: “From now on we’ll be playing two games a week and that changes everything. We’re going to have much less time to train and to recover.
      “We’re going to have to share many more minutes around the squad.
      “That means there will be more opportunities for everyone, which is great.
      “But for every game we will always pick the team we believe is best to win on the day.
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      “If I do something different then people will ask, ‘Why did you pick this team and we didn’t win in the Europa League?’ You’re never going to win that battle.
      ARSENAL (likely): Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka,  Nketiah, Martinelli. More

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      Vladimir Putin gives Russian citizenship to two Brazilian footballers including ex-Barcelona star

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      VLADIMIR PUTIN has given two Brazilian football stars Russian citizenship.Ex-Barcelona winger Malcom, who interested Arsenal and Tottenham, plus midfielder Claudinho are key men for Russian top-flight leaders Zenit.
      Malcom was tipped as a future Brazil hero when he joined Barcelona in 2018 but the Zenit player has now accepted Russian citizenshipCredit: Getty
      Claudinho, seen tangling with Chelsea’s Reece James in the Champions League in December 2021, can also now get a Russian passportCredit: Getty
      It’s claimed both former Brazil under-23 internationals wanted their new status for tax reasons.
      But Zenit were quick to celebrate after the pair were amongst 38 foreigners granted citizenship by a special decree from Russian president Putin on Friday.
      The Saint Petersburg club stated: “Everyone at Zenit congratulates Malcom and Claudinho on becoming citizens of Russia. 
      “We wish them the best of luck and many more victories with the blue-white-sky blues!”
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      Putin’s decision might be seen as a propaganda move, exactly a year after he launched his country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
      And Dmitry Khomukha, the ex-head coach of the Russian youth team, suggested the two players were motivated only by money.
      Khomukha, who won 15 caps for Turkmenistan, is now boss of Russian third-tier club FC Kaluga.
      Just before the duo’s citizenship was granted, Sport24 quoted the 53-year-old as saying: “I have a negative attitude towards the naturalization of football players.
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      “Especially in the current situation that the national team does not participate in the tournaments and the foreign transfer has nothing to do with football.
      “Here the monetary interests of the players themselves play a role. Income tax will be reduced to 15 per cent, but now they pay much more – this is the main reason.”
      Former Bordeaux hero Malcom, 25, was linked with Premier League clubs before joining Zenit from Barca in 2019.
      And Claudinho, 26, switched from Brazilian top-flight team Red Bull Bragantino to Zenit two years ago.
      Vladimir Putin gave Russian citizenship to 38 people by decreeCredit: AFP More

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      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta gets into trouble with referees on PURPOSE… but for a good reason, claims pundit

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      ALLY MCCOIST has defended Mikel Arteta’s troublesome touchline antics.The Arsenal manager is in hot water with his behaviour from the sidelines, with pundits Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton criticising him.
      Mikel Arteta has been getting into trouble for his touchline behaviourCredit: Rex
      Ally McCoist believes Arteta is doing it on purposeCredit: Getty

      During the win over Aston Villa, Arteta was spotted mocking referee Simon Hooper’s signal for ordering a free-kick retake.
      The incident caught the attention of former referee Dermot Gallagher, who thought that it was a bad advert for the Premier League.
      He told Sky Sports: “I think if the fourth official had felt it was untoward he’d have drawn it to the referee’s attention and probably a yellow card.
      “But it’s not a good advert, is it? We don’t want to see that.”
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      However, Arteta has been defended by McCoist, who believes that his actions will help the fans and players.
      The ex-Rangers striker even suggested that the manager gets into trouble “deliberately”.
      He told talkSPORT: “I don’t have a problem with it.
      “A lot of people have a problem with it, I don’t at all. I think he probably does it deliberately.
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      “He gets into a little bit of trouble, to show the supporters [his desire to win].
      “That is a completely different stadium nowadays. Totally different.
      “If you’re on that pitch [as a player] and you look across and see that [it will help].”
      Arteta has led the club to the summit of the Premier League table as they look to win the compeititon for the first time in 20 years. More