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    Ex-Arsenal star Hector Bellerin close to leaving Barcelona… but transfer could be scuppered by Spurs at last minute

    BARCELONA right-back Hector Bellerin could reportedly have a loan transfer to Sporting Lisbon scuppered by his old club Arsenal’s rivals, Tottenham.Bellerin, 27, joined Barcelona on a free transfer from Arsenal last summer, but he has been limited to just seven appearances so far this season.
    Hector Bellerin’s loan move to Sporting has been scuppered after Tottenham failed to sign Pedro PorroCredit: Getty
    He has less than six months remaining on his contract, but the LaLiga giants are open to offloading him before the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
    The Athletic reported that Bellerin was on his way to Portugal.
    Sporting were close to signing the Spaniard on loan until the end of the season.
    Bellerin was supposed to act as a replacement for Pedro Porro, who before Monday was on the verge of joining Tottenham in a £40million transfer.
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    But Sporting moved the goalposts and the deal is now OFF.
    The Portuguese club tried to change the terms of the deal at the last minute leaving Porro devastated, according to The Athletic.
    That could see Bellerin’s transfer scuppered by old rivals Spurs, leaving him stranded at the Camp Nou.
    Sporting had originally planned to sign Tariq Lamptey on loan, however Brighton were unwilling to let him leave on a temporary basis.
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    Bellerin spent 10 years at Arsenal before joining Barcelona last year.
    He fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium in 2021 and consequently joined Real Betis on loan.
    The Gunners then decided to terminate his contract so he swapped North London for the Nou Camp.
    Barcelona sit at the top of the LaLiga table, six points clear of rivals Real Madrid. More

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    Arsenal launching THIRD Moises Caicedo transfer bid worth £75m… and are just £5m short of Brighton’s valuation

    ARSENAL are set to launch a third bid for Brighton star Moises Caicedo.The Gunners have already seen two bids turned down by the Seagulls for the midfielder.
    Arsenal are set to bid a third time for Moises CaicedoCredit: Getty
    Brighton have issued a hands off warning, despite the Ecuadorian making it clear that he wants to leave the club.
    Arsenal’s new bid for the player is in the region of £70million with £5m worth of add-ons.
    This would represent aclub record transfer for Arsenal, eclipsing the £72m spent on flop Nicolas Pepe.
    Brighton could be open to selling before the end of the transfer window but are holding out for £80m.
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    Mikel Arteta sees the 21-year-old international as a player that can provide quality competition to Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey.
    The player has been a huge part of Brighton’s impressive campaign playing in the heart of the midfield.
    His performances have also attracted interest from Chelsea and Liverpool.
    So far this season, he has played 18 times in the Premier League, scoring one goal and laying on one assist.
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    Caicedo also impressed at the World Cup in Qatar and even netted a goal in his three appearances.
    After Brighton’s FA Cup win over Liverpool on Sunday, manager Roberto De Zerbi issued a plea to convince him to stay.
    He told ITV: “Moises is a good guy.
    “We will see tomorrow and the next days what happens.
    “We hope he stays with us for the rest of the season, but this is a question for the club and Moises. 
    “Moises is a good guy. In life you can make mistakes. We will see the best solution for the club, for him and for us.”
    The player is currently staying away from the club until the end of the transfer window, as per Brighton’s orders. More

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    Arsenal agree Norwich loan transfer for Marquinhos as Trossard arrival allows Brazilian starlet to get EFL game time

    ARSENAL have agreed to let Brazilian winger Marquinhos join Norwich on loan for the rest of the season.The 19-year-old wideman has struggled for game time since signing for the Gunners in a £3million move from Sao Paulo last summer.
    Marquinhos has failed to establish himself in Arsenal’s starting XICredit: GETTY
    The Brazilian has been sent out on loan to Championship outfit NorwichCredit: REUTERS
    Now Arsenal hope he will be able to gain regular football with the Championship promotion chasers before returning to the Emirates in the summer.
    The arrival of Leandro Trossard in an initial £21million move from Brighton means that Arsenal now have enough cover to allow Marquinhos to go.
    The raw youngster scored on his Arsenal debut in a 2-1 win against FC Zurich in the Europa League in September.
    But he has started just two more games since then and Arsenal now feel he needs to gain more first-team experience before he will be ready to challenge for a place in Mikel Arteta’s team.
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    Arsenal have been busy in the transfer market this winter – signing Trossard and defender Kiwior.
    Arteta is still keen to bring in more reinforcements before the windows closes on Tuesday.
    The Spaniard is hoping to snap up Brighton ace Moises Caicedo – who wants to leave the Amex.
    And in a bid to force a move, he wrote on Instagram: “I am grateful to Mr. Bloom and Brighton for giving me the chance to come to the Premier League and I feel I have always done my best for them.
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    “I always play football with a smile and with heart.
    “I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador.
    “My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador.
    “I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.
    “The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity.”
    Arsenal will be back in action on Saturday, travelling to Goodison Park to take on relegation battlers Everton. More

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    Watch Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun score 96th-MINUTE equaliser against PSG… sparking wild touchline celebrations

    FOLARIN BALOGUN continued his strong form in Ligue 1 by snatching a last-gasp equaliser against Paris Saint-Germain. The on-loan Arsenal ace has been in great form throughout the season for Reims, with his composed finish against Lionel Messi and Co showcasing his talent.
    Folarin Balogun snatched a point with a last-gasp equaliser against PSGCredit: Getty
    The goal sparked wild celebrations from Reims’ playersCredit: Getty
    The team’s managerial staff also got involved in the on-pitch partyCredit: Reuters
    After Neymar had fired the hosts into the lead early in the second half, Reims boss Will Still rolled the dice in an effort to take some of the spoils away from the Parc des Princes.
    And it was a stroke of genius as substitute Kamory Doumbia, 19, played a delightful pass beyond the PSG defence directly into the path of Balogun in the 96th minute.
    The 21-year-old then rounded goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and smashed the ball into the back of the net to spark wild Reims celebrations.
    With his goal, Balogun has now scored 11 times in Ligue 1 this season.
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    He now sits only two goals behind superstar top-scorer Kylian Mbappe, and remarkably three goals AHEAD of World Cup winner Messi.
    Arsenal did consider recalling the Englishman from his loan owing to their fears over a lack of striker cover.
    But ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, they have thus far held off – partly thanks to the great form of Eddie Nketiah in the place of Gabriel Jesus.
    His manager will be desperate to keep him at the club to help them push into the top half of the table.
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    Still himself has a remarkable Football Manager-related story before getting the job at Reims, and owing to him being put in the position without a Uefa Pro Licence he is costing his club £22,000 per game.
    However, the cost of elevating the 30-year-old Englishman from assistant manager to manager in October has proven to be worth it, with the French outfit unbeaten in 12 games.
    Balogun’s performance against PSG More

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    Arsenal in Moises Caicedo transfer boost as Brighton agree £5m deal for potential midfield replacement Yasin Ayari

    ARSENAL have received a boost in their hunt for Moises Caicedo after learning Brighton are close to signing a potential replacement.The Seagulls have agreed a £5.25million fee with AIK Solna for Swedish Under-21 international Yasin Ayari.
    Yasin Ayari is set to complete a move to BrightonCredit: Getty
    It could indicate that Brighton will soften their stance on Moises CaicedoCredit: Getty
    And Arsenal are hoping that could still open the door for Caicedo to depart before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
    Brighton announced today that Yasin, 19, has signed a contract to 2027 after completing a medical for his move to the Amex, subject to international clearance.
    In a statement, Brighton technical director David Weir said: “Yasin is a versatile and technical midfield player, who is good on the ball and capable of playing across the midfield.
    “He’s had an impressive spell in Sweden with AIK, and we are delighted to have completed his transfer and to be welcoming him to the club.
    READ MORE ON ARSENAl

    “He will need time to settle here and acclimatise to the Premier League, but we are really looking forward to working with him.”
    Brighton insist that his arrival will not affect their determination to keep hold of Caicedo as Roberto De Zebri’s team look to secure European qualification for the first time in the club’s history.
    Caceido has been told to stay away from training until the transfer window closes after submitting an official transfer request at the weekend.
    He was not involved in Sunday’s FA Cup win against Liverpool, but with Alexis Mac Allister suspended after collecting five yellow cards, he could return to first-team action for Saturday’s home game against Bournemouth
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    Arsenal submitted an improved bid of £65m plus a further £5m in add-ons on Sunday evening which was immediately rejected by Brighton.
    But they are refusing to take “no” for an answer and are now contemplating going back with a club record £75m offer for the unsettled 21-year-old.
    Elsewhere, Arsenal are said to be closing in on a deal for Real Valladolid full-back Ivan Fresneda.
    Fresneda was left out of his side’s recent clash against Valencia.
    The right-back will reportedly cost the Gunners £13m. More

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    Arsenal star Kieran Tierney offered January transfer exit with Juventus and Inter Milan circling defender

    ARSENAL star Kieran Tierney is attracting transfer interest from Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan, according to reports.The Scotsman, 25, has fallen behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order at the Emirates.
    Juventus and Inter Milan are interested in Kieran TierneyCredit: Getty
    And with the Gunners going strong at the top of the Premier League, he faces a big fight to reclaim the starting left-back spot.
    According to Tutto Mercato, Tierney could seal a January transfer to Italy with Juve and Inter both keen.
    However, a transfer could depend on whether Arsenal can sign a replacement.
    Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda has been linked with a move to the Gunners to bolster the full-back department.
    READ MORE ON ARSENAL
    But the 18-year-old wonderkid largely operates on the right side of the defence.
    Fresneda is also wanted by top four rivals Newcastle.

    And Borussia Dortmund have made a bid too.
    But he is believed to have his heart set on Arsenal after missing training last week.
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    Juve are in desperate need of reinforcements with the Old Lady sat 13th in Serie A.
    Inter, meanwhile, are sat second and 13 points behind league leaders Napoli.
    Kieran Tierney’s Premier League stats More

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    Man Utd could make shock transfer swoop for Youri Tielemans as they keep tabs on new box-to-box midfielder

    MAN UTD could reportedly make a move for Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans in the January window or the summer.The Belgian, 25, was heavily linked with Arsenal last year as he entered the final 12 months of his contract at the King Power Stadium.
    Youri Tielemans has been heavily linked with a move away from LeicesterCredit: Getty
    But a transfer failed to materialise as the Foxes clung onto their playmaker.
    Now he is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, with Leicester not expected to reach an agreement over a new deal.
    And according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, United could be set to snap him up before Tuesday’s deadline or when his existing contract expires.
    Speaking to The Football Terrace, via The Boot Room, Jacobs said: “I think we shouldn’t only be referring to a late Manchester United movement in terms of strikers.
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    “From what I hear it’s more creative-minded players that can either get box to box from attacking midfield, or in central areas, or are a little more versatile across the front areas.
    “Therefore keep an eye on a player like Youri Tielemans who will be available on a free transfer in the summer.
    “The expectation is that Leicester are going to try and hang on to Tielemans, they are not going to accept any financial offers now, because it’s more valuable to the football club to lose him on a free but have Tielemans help keep Leicester up.”
    Explaining that Arsenal and Newcastle are also still interested in the midfielder, he then adds: “We know Arsenal could be in the mix for a midfielder, especially with [Mohamed Elneny] injured and I’m still waiting to see if a Manchester United, less likely a Newcastle, possibly Arsenal choose to speed up the strategy on Tielemans and due to the need to put something down.
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    “I guarantee you as soon as anyone puts an offer down for Tielemans other clubs will have their heads turned and Manchester United are ones to watch in that capacity.”
    Tielemans arrived at Leicester on loan from Monaco in January 2019 and signed permanently six months later in a £32million move.
    He has made 184 appearances for the Premier League side, scoring 28 goals and providing 25 assists.
    Tielemans’ crowning moment at the club came in 2021 when he scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final.
    Meanwhile, Man Utd have been linked with a number of other midfielders over the past 12 months.
    Before signing Casemiro, they were in a long-running saga with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong.
    They have also been linked with Roma man Nicolo Zaniolo and West Ham captain Declan Rice. More

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    Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda left out of Valladolid squad to face Valencia as Gunners near £13m transfer for wonderkid

    IVAN FRESNEDA was left out of Real Valladolid’s win against Valencia on Sunday as he nears a move to Arsenal.The Gunners are reportedly nearing a £13million winter move for the wonderkid right-back.
    Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda missed Real Valladolid’s win over ValenciaCredit: Rex
    And, with Tuesday night’s transfer deadline fast approaching it appears they may be near a breakthough.
    Fresneda, 18, is also wanted by top four rivals Newcastle.
    And Borussia Dortmund have made a bid too.
    But he is believed to have his heart set on Arsenal after missing training this week.
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    And he was also absent as Valladolid secured a late 1-0 win over Edinson Cavani’s Valencia on Sunday.
    Sky Sports claim Fresneda was not involved because of ongoing negotiations between Valladolid and the Gunners.
    It’s believed his club are open to doing business with Mikel Arteta’s side.
    But they are pushing for Fresneda to see out the rest of their season on loan.
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    And while Arsenal would prefer an immediate transfer, they could give in to Valladolid’s demands in order to strike a deal.
    Arteta already has Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu for his right side.
    But an agreement may not be fully reached until deadline day. More