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    ‘Confirms what we all know’ – Fans convinced Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice is off in summer after West Ham tweet

    FOOTBALL fans have been left convinced that Declan Rice will be on the move this summer.This is after Rice was NOT included in promotional pictures for West Ham’s pre-season tour.
    Declan Rice was left out of West Ham’s pre-season promoCredit: PA
    We are pleased to announce we will travel to Australia in pre-season! 🇦🇺— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 23, 2023

    West Ham announced on Thursday they will be going on tour to Australia to tune up for the next campaign.
    The picture they used to advertise the tour included Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Nayef Aguerd.
    But the noticeable omission of club captain Rice has left fans convinced he will not be at the club in the summer.
    One fan wrote: “Haha admin knows Rice is off and won’t be featuring in the tour 🤣.”
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    A second said: “No Rice also in the promo video or picture already confirms what we all already know. That he won’t be here for that tour.”
    A third typed: “Where’s your captain? Does it mean that he will leave the club in the summer?”
    While a fourth commented: “Without DR,” with another adding: “No Rice then?”
    London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea are two of the most heavily interested parties in a transfer for the England star.
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    It has been reported Rice could be sold for around £80million.
    Arsenal are keen to bolster their midfield, having previously seen two offers for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo rejected.
    Chelsea splashed out an English-record £107m on Enzo Fernandez, but remain keen on bringing their former academy prospect back to Stamford Bridge.
    The Rice omission comes after Tottenham talisman Harry Kane was left out of the clubs own pre-season tour promo amid links to Manchester United. More

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    Newcastle join transfer chase for Diaby with Arsenal ‘struggling to compete’ with Magpies for £62m-rated Leverkusen star

    NEWCASTLE have reportedly joined the race for Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby and look set to challenge Arsenal with their financial muscle. The Magpies’ Saudi takeover at the end of 2021 means they can now compete at the top end of the market, which is far cry from the tight-fisted days under former owner Mike Ashley.
    Moussa Diaby has eight goals and four assists so far in the Bundesliga this seasonCredit: AP
    But the club have been fairly restrained with their spending so far as they look to break the Premier League’s established order.
    On the pitch the north-east club have made a genuine assault on the top four places this season.
    And now, in the boardroom, the club are also looking to show their Prem rivals what they are capable of.
    90min report that Newcastle are looking to move in on long-term Arsenal target Diaby.
    READ MORE ON ARSENAL
    The winger has been linked with a summer move to the Emirates after another impressive season in Germany.
    But Newcastle are set to get involved in the transfer hunt as they look to add some cutting edge to their goal-shy attack.
    They are reportedly set to spend this summer with £62m-rated Diaby among the targets.
    The Toon are also reportedly interested in the 23-year-old’s team-mate Mitchel Bakker, the Leverkusen left-back.
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    Arsenal are unlikely to be able to compete financially with Newcastle and sporting director Edu has consistently looked for value in the transfer market and tried to avoid bidding wars.
    In January the Gunners had to watch their long-term target Mykhailo Mudryk depart for Chelsea as it became clear the Blues had more financial heft on their side.
    But the London side quickly pivoted and found themselves landing a great deal to sign Leandro Trossard, who has been a hit so far.
    While money could be a disadvantage in the Diaby chase, Arsenal can offer the Frenchman guaranteed Champions League football next season.
    Newcastle’s wobbly form over the last few weeks makes their position at Europe’s top table less certain. More

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    Arsenal go to desperate measures to prevent Thomas Partey picking up injury on Ghana duty

    ARSENAL have gone to desperate measures to stop Thomas Partey picking up injury on international duty. The midfielder has set off to Ghana ahead of his country’s double header against Angola in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
    Partey has been one of Arsenal most important players this seasonCredit: Alamy
    Partey was snapped climbing out of a car in Ghana – alongside Arsenal physiotherapist Simon MurphyCredit: afcstuff Twitter
    But Gunners fans will be praying the 29-year-old can keep his nose clean ahead of their final push for the title.
    When club football resumes, Arsenal could be just 10 games away from winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004.
    But they will need midfield general Partey fit with injuries a frequent issue since he arrived at the Emirates in 2020.
    As a result, the club have dispatched club physiotherapist Simon Murphy to Africa to keep tabs on the Ghanian.
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    It is an unusual step for a club to take but Arsenal will hope that Murphy’s presence can help keep Partey fit for April 1, when the side host Leeds after the international break is over.
    Partey is widely seen as one of the side’s most influential players and two of the Gunners’ three league losses this season have come when he has not been on the pitch
    He was also out with injury in the final nine games of last season when Arsenal collapsed and lost out on a Champions League to north London rivals Tottenham.
    The former Atletico Madrid man has formed a solid and impressive partnership with Granit Xhaka at the base of Arsenal’s midfield this season.
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    Former Newcastle and Brighton manager Chris Hughton, who took over as Ghana boss last month, explained what Partey’s role will be with his international side.
    He said: “Partey’s role in the team is as a continuity player, he is not that guy who going to dribble past multiple players. His role is important to what the team does even if he doesn’t always stand out.
    “Sometimes as football fan we assume a player must necessarily fit the frame we have of him in an A team or in a B team. Partey’s roles at both club and country are different from each other, but key.”
    Injuries are already beginning to bite for Arsenal as they head towards the run-in with Takehiro Tomiyasu set to miss the rest of the season while question marks hang over William Saliba. More

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    I was a Champions League runner-up with Arsenal, set up a company worth £10billion, and I’m in business with Mesut Ozil

    IN 2010 Mathieu Flamini launched start-up GFBiochemicals as a side-project to his football career.The Paris-based company’s aim was to find a green alternative to petrochemicals, which can be found in plastics, rubber, and even shower gel.
    Mathieu Flamini is now worth £10bn, according to ForbesCredit: Getty
    Flamini starred for Arsenal from 2004-2008Credit: Getty
    Some 13 years on, Flamini has kept a 60 per cent stake in the business – while landing the CEO job.
    According to Forbes, the former Arsenal star – who was a Champions League runner-up with the Premier League club – now has a net worth of £10billion.
    Flamini, now 39, set up the company when he was just 25.
    He has also found time to launch another business called Unity Performance Lab with former team-mate Mesut Ozil.
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    It is a digital health, fitness and lifestyle community that fuses evidence-based performance and wellness advice with expert guidance from elite athletes, coaches and academics.
    However, it’s his first business that aims to save the planet.
    “As a child I had two passions: football and sustainability,” he told Sifted.
    “I grew up in Marseilles near the sea, and was aware of the environmental questions around ocean plastics and chemical pollution from a very young age.”
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    Flamini and business partner Pasquale Granata met with scientists in Milan with an idea of founding an operation that promoted sustainability.
    He revealed: “We didn’t know if it’d be energy, chemical or urban recycling, and we just ended up meeting with a team of scientists in Milan and started moving in that direction.”
    GFBiochemicals take biomass, which could be manure or household waste, and turn it into levulinic acid.
    Levulinic acid is seen as a potential replacement for petrochemicals, which are found in everyday items such as detergents and skin care.
    According to research by the University of Maastricht, levulinic acid could reduce the CO2 made from manufacturing those products with petrochemicals by up to 80 per cent.
    Top secret
    Flamini, who was starring for Serie A side AC Milan when he set up GFBiochemicals, decided to keep his venture away from his team-mates.
    “I was questioning myself, and I didn’t know which direction the business would go in,” he said.
    The three-cap former France international also said being a footballer didn’t help his cause.
    He said: “When you’re a footballer and you’re in a meeting talking about chemicals or sustainability, there is even more pressure on you.
    “People really want to test you and see if you’re going to be able to deliver — because you’re not a businessman. I had to prove myself more than anyone else in the room.” Was this annoying? “Obviously it can be, but I took it as a challenge.”
    In 2010 Flamini set up GF Biochemicals – with the aim to create green alternatives to petrochemicalsCredit: Instagram @mathieuflamini
    CEO
    Last year, GF Biochemicals received a major cash injection.
    Sofinnova Partners, a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specialising in healthcare and sustainability, and investment company Sparta Capital ploughed $15million (£12.3million) into the group.
    Flamini kept a 60 per cent stake and was made CEO.
    “Now the question is when do I not work,” he explained.
    “When you’re an entrepreneur you have to be dedicated and you don’t count the hours. I’m not working when I sleep, but for the rest of the time I’m available.”
    And he feels just like teen environmentalist, Greta Thunberg.
    As CEO of GFBiochemicals, Flamini has kept a 60 per cent stake in the companyCredit: Instagram @mathieuflamini
    Like Greta Thunberg Flamini feels like he’s doing something important for the environmentCredit: Twitter @MathieuFlamini
    “I feel like I’m part of this effort of the younger generation like Greta Thunberg that’s setting up the future,” he said.
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    “Although at the age of 15 I can guarantee you I was not in the street fighting for my future.” More

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    I have more goals than Lionel Messi and Neymar this season with the help of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry

    AN ARSENAL loanee striker taking France by storm has revealed he is getting advice from none other than Gunners legend Thierry Henry. Folarin Balogun, who has more goals than PSG pair Lionel Messi and Neymar, has proved to be one of the surprise packages across Europe.
    Folarin Balgoun is enjoying an outstanding season while on loan at ReimsCredit: Getty
    Last season the forward scored hit the net just three times while out on loan at Championship Middlesborough.
    But now in his debut season in Ligue 1 he has been outscored by just two players so far – one of which is Kylian Mbappe.
    Balogun leads the frontline for Stade de Reims who made headlines around Europe for their incredible 19 game unbeaten run under rookie English boss Will Still.
    The streak came to an end against Marseille on Sunday – but unstoppable Balogun scored again to make it 17 in this campaign with 10 games still to go.
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    He revealed that he had been receiving advice from a man who knows a thing or two about scoring goals.
    The 21-year-old told the Athletic: “I saw [Henry] a few times at the Emirates when I was at Arsenal but it was just passing conversations.
    “It’s nice to get to know him on a more personal level. I’m asking him questions and he’s helping me. So it’s a nice person to have in your phone.
    “[He is] somebody who’s seen the heights of the game and has taken steps in his career than I’m now taking in terms of playing abroad. He knows the feeling and how uncomfortable it can be. So I’m asking more general questions about his career and how he felt at certain points.
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    “[Henry] takes a lot of accountability for what happened in his life. It’s the same advice he gives to me. He says: ‘You’re here for a reason and it’s up to you. Whether you grab the opportunity or not is another question. But you have to prove why you’re here.'”
    Balogun copied one of Henry’s celebrations after meeting the star just before Reims’ game against PSG.
    The star scored deep in stoppage time to rescue a draw in Paris.
    Balogun is now just one goal away from equalling Glenn Hoddle’s record for most goals scored by an Englishman in a Ligue 1 season, with Hoddle netting 18 with Monaco in 1988-89. More

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    Chelsea outcast Aubameyang could have contract ripped up for second time in career to seal summer transfer

    PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG could have his contract ripped up for the second time in the space of 18 months this summer.Aubameyang left Barcelona on transfer deadline day last August and joined the Blues following a £10m deal between the two clubs.
    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could reportedly be released by Chelsea this summerCredit: Rex
    But the former Arsenal star’s return to London has quickly developed into a nightmare.
    He has fallen well out of favour since Thomas Tuchel was sacked days after his arrival and has since only managed 123 minutes of football without starting a single game this year.
    The Gabon international was also axed from Graham Potter’s Champions League squad after Chelsea’s huge January spending spree.
    And all of this has led to Spanish publication SPORT claiming that “everything indicates that he could be released this summer” by the Blues.
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    Aubameyang is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2024 and currently earns £160,000-a-week.
    We reported yesterday how Barcelona are keen on bringing him back.
    That was after Aubameyang was pictured celebrating with his former team-mates in the dressing room after their 2-1 triumph over Real Madrid in Sunday’s El Clasico.
    The forward still has an excellent relationship with the Blaugrana stars, especially Ousmane Dembele with whom he played at Borussia Dortmund.
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    Barcelona manager Xavi is also keen on the ex-Arsenal star as his 13 goals in 24 appearances during the second half of last season sealed Champions League qualification.
    His move there came after Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract there in order to get him out of the club. More

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    Arsenal fans convinced Declan Rice is making summer transfer after clip of England camp emerges

    ARSENAL fans are convinced Declan Rice will join the club in a summer transfer after a clip from the England camp emerged.Rice, 24, is in the Three Lions squad that met at St George’s Park yesterday ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
    Decland Rice gave a potential future club team-mate a big hug on international dutyCredit: YouTube
    Bukayo Saka got banter for his FaceTime with Kim KardashianCredit: YouTube
    The West Ham skipper rocked up with a fresh new trim – and Gunners supporters are hoping to see him in a fresh new kit come the new season.
    Viewers watching the England arrivals video on YouTube spotted the warm embrace Rice gave Bukayo Saka when he rocked up.
    Saka, 21, walked into the room and immediately Rice gave him banter about his recent celebrity phone calls.
    Rice shouted: “He’s been on FaceTime with Kim Kardashian bruv, he doesn’t want us anymore.”
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    The winger laughed and replied: “Do you want me to say hello to you or not?”
    Rice then gave him a big smile and a massive hug, telling Saka: “It’s good to see you my friend.”
    Luke Shaw then welcomes Saka, too.
    But plenty of Arsenal fans clipped the video of the touching moment with the West Ham midfielder and want to see more of the same in 2023-24.
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    One said: “Saka and Rice bromance already okkk.”
    Another joked: “Saka: Welcome to Arsenal, Rice. Rice: Thank you, Saka.”
    A third added: “You can tell how much every player loves Saka, can’t wait for Rice to be at the Arsenal next season.”
    And a final user wrote: “Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka is the bromance we want to see flourish at the Arsenal.”
    Rice has rejected the offer of a new contract at the London Stadium.
    Keen to stay in London and play in the Champions League, Arsenal could be the suitable next destination for one of the Premier League’s top midfielders.
    And Rice will no doubt have the likes of Saka and fellow Gunner Aaron Ramsdale working as Mikel Arteta’s agents to try and convince him to make the switch across the capital.
    The pair clearly get on well both on and off the pitchCredit: AP More

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    People forget I still play for Arsenal… now I’m banging them in and could join Premier League rivals in £30m transfer

    FLO BALOGUN is determined to show Arsenal that he is no flash in the pan after taking French football by storm.The 21-year-old striker is currently challenging Kylian Mbappe for Ligue 1’s Golden Boot after joining unfancied Reims on loan for the season.
    Folarin Balogun had a tough start at ArsenalCredit: Getty
    But he has hit form on loan at Stade de ReimsCredit: AFP
    And it was his failure to get a minute of action during the Gunners’ summer tour to the USA which convinced the ambitious England Under-21 international to prove himself on the other side of the Channel.
    Only PSG superstar Mbappe and Lille’s Canadian World Cup star Jonathan David have currently scored more than Balogun’s 17 goals in the French league this season.
    He says: “No-one would have expected this when I first came to Reims, but to be in this position now is amazing and I need to continue it.
    “The more you achieve certain things, the more questions you face. Is it something I can do regularly or is it a fluke?
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    “So I’m pretty focused and determined to show people that this is not a blip and that scoring goals is something I can do consistently.
    “A lot of people might forget that I’m still an Arsenal player but it’s still one of my dreams to play in their first team.
    “Last summer I went on tour with the Arsenal first team to America and I didn’t get any playing time out there, so I was a bit frustrated.
    “But I had to be realistic so I spoke with Mikel Arteta and he gave me a few options. Together we decided it would be best for me to come to France.
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    “At the time I thought I was just another loan player coming to Reims to do a job, but after the reaction to my arrival I knew that it was quite a big deal.
    “That’s when I realised there was going to be more expectation of me than of other players, which is something I’ve had to adapt to and relish.
    “I knew I was joining a team who would be fighting to stay up and that every game was going to be tough, which would be a good challenge for my development.
    “But I also knew that Ligue 1 is one of the top five leagues in Europe and I had a lot of belief in myself.”
    He is third in the race for the Golden Boot in Ligue 1Credit: AFP
    Reims boss Will Still thinks he can have a top careerCredit: AFP
    Balogun has flourished under the guidance of Reims’ Belgian-English coach Will Still, who says: “From his first game with us he showed all the qualities he’s got.
    “He’s a quiet kid but when he does speak up he’s got a brain and his banter is pretty good.
    “If he can go on and have a top career in the game we’re just doing our job in helping him become as good as he can be.
    “He’s a good kid and a good person and I’ll definitely be following him.”
    Reims have made it clear that they would love to sign the New York-born goalscorer on a permanent basis but know they will not be able to afford the asking price for a player whose value has rocketed on the back of this season’s exploits.
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    Now Arsenal must decide whether to sell him in the summer or bring him back to the Emirates to challenge Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard for a starting place next season.
    And with Still being mentioned as a potential replacement for David Moyes at West Ham, there is even the possibility of a £30million move across London for Balogun in the summer. More