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      Chelsea to battle Man Utd for Ilaix Moriba transfer after ‘missing out on Barcelona wonderkid’s signature in 2019’

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      CHELSEA and Manchester United are both battling for Ilaix Moriba after missing out on the Barcelona wonderkid in 2019, reports say.
      Moriba is the latest youngster to burst into Ronald Koeman’s team this season.

      Chelsea and Manchester United are both battling for Ilaix Moriba, reports say.Credit: Rex Features

      The 18-year-old has made six appearances in all competitions and scored his first-ever goal in their 2-0 win against Osasuna this month.
      But Moriba came close to joining Pep Guardiola at Man City two years ago when doubts emerged over a new Barca deal.
      He ended up staying at the Nou Camp, but according to Sport, Chelsea and United are still tracking the midfielder.
      So too are Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, with clubs said to have asked ex-Barca club director Eric Abidal to take Moriba on loan in the past.

      City were so close to signing the Spaniard, he had even booked a plane ticket to the Etihad as he searched for his first professional contract.
      But at the last minute, his dad Mamady Kourouma cancelled the ticket on the morning of the flight after a breakthrough in contract talks with Barca.
      Mamady said: “With Barcelona, the negotiations did not advance.
      “We met with Txiki Begiristain [City’s sporting director] and he explained his entire project to us.

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      “We liked it because they bet a lot on him. A few weeks later we had the tickets to travel to Manchester and sign the contract.
      “I cancelled it the morning that we had to go there. I wanted Ilaix to be an example and a reference for the next generations of Barcelona.
      “His friends were gone. If he stayed, it was proof Barca was betting on the youth players.
      “We managed to reach an agreement where we all came out winning.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Lionel Messi’s dad Jorge ‘will fly to Barcelona for showdown talks over son’s future’ amid Man City transfer links

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      LIONEL MESSI’S dad Jorge will fly to Barcelona for showdown talks about his son’s future, reports say.
      New club president Joan Laporta has vowed to keep Messi at the club, following the Argentine’s bombshell transfer request last summer.

      Jorge Messi pictured with his son LionelCredit: EPA

      New Barcelona club president Joan LaportaCredit: AFP – Getty

      According to journalist Maximiliano Grillo, Messi’s father and representative Jorge is now due for talks with Laporta on Monday.
      It is claimed he will fly from Argentina to Barca to discuss Messi potentially renewing his contract, which expires at the end of the season.
      SunSport revealed the 33-year-old wants proof that the LaLiga giants have the funds to bolster their squad in the transfer market.
      Messi tried to leave his boyhood side after 16 years at start of the season, but stayed to avoid a drawn out court battle.

      Still, former manager Pep Guardiola at Man City and PSG are waiting in the wings for a potential free transfer.
      Laporta is yet to come forward with an offer to Messi, because he still has not got the financial package in place to restructure debts that experts believe have spiralled to more than £1BILLION.
      The Messi camp know all too well the financial problems the club are in.
      It leaves them demanding clear proof from Laporta that he can deliver on his promises before he entertains the prospect of staying.

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      He has made it clear he still wants to be competing for — and winning — trophies in the final years of his glittering career.
      As a result, Messi will only commit to a project which gives him the best opportunity to do that.
      It is on this basis that City and PSG hope to be able to demonstrate they are in a better position than Barca to match his sporting ambitions.

      Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants a reunion with Lionel MessiCredit: EPA

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      Lionel Messi demands proof new Barcelona chief Laporta can fund major transfers as Man City wait in wings

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      BARCELONA are preparing for crunch talks with superstar Lionel Messi as Manchester City wait in the wings to swoop.
      Joan Laporta swept into power as the new president last week on the back of a pledge to keep Messi at the Nou Camp.

      Barcelona star Lionel Messi is out of contract at the end of the season with Man City and PSG keen to sign himCredit: EPA

      But his election is no guarantee the Argentinian will commit to a new deal.
      Laporta is yet to come forward with an offer for the 33-year-old because he still has not got the financial package in place to restructure debts that experts believe have spiralled to more than £1BILLION.
      As the end of his contract nears this summer, it is expected Messi and his father will be invited to sit down for talks within the month.
      Then the LaLiga giants will attempt to persuade him to finish his career with them.

      Yet SunSport understands Laporta will have to do more than just play fantasy football by promising a series of big names he will sign to rebuild the current squad.
      Barca failed to reach the last eight in the Champions League this season — emphatically KO’d by Paris Saint-Germain.
      The Messi camp know all too well the financial problems the club are in, and they would need clear proof from Laporta he can deliver on his promises before he entertains the prospect of staying.
      He has made it clear he still wants to be competing for — and winning — trophies in the final years of his glittering career, and will only commit to a project which gives him the best opportunity to do that.

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      It is on this basis that City — and the other interested club, PSG — hope to be able to demonstrate they are in a better position than Barca to match his sporting ambitions.
      The Premier League leaders have adopted a soft-touch approach, unwilling to be seen to unsettle the player or his club, with Etihad bosses enjoying a close relationship with those at the Nou Camp.
      But if they were given the nod by the Messi camp to come up with a formal offer, they could point to the strong squad Pep Guardiola has in place to compete both domestically and in Europe.
      That offer is not so clear-cut for Barca, with Laporta left in no doubt he needs to oversee a rebuild at a time when finances are at an all-time low.
      There is a feeling a move to tempt Sergio Aguero to the Nou Camp could help sweeten the package to convince his close friend Messi to stay.
      But Barca are still in such financial turmoil while they negotiate a restructuring of their finances with Goldman Sachs they are not even close to being able to put any offer on the table for the 32-year-old City forward.

      In pure business terms it has been made clear that the Spanish giants could see their lucrative commercial deals collapse should they lose one of the most recognised faces in global sport.
      But Laporta knows his hands are tied until he convinces Messi to stay — and the forward is prepared to wait to see if the president can transform the Catalans before he makes a decision.
      It leaves the club in a weak position, knowing the Barca legend will not make a final decision until the middle of the summer, until all suitors show their hands.
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      Barcelona ‘launch formal Sergio Aguero transfer offer’ as president Laporta looks to link up Messi and Man City legend

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      BARCELONA have reportedly offered Sergio Aguero a contract to link up with Lionel Messi next season.
      The Argentine pair are good friends off the pitch and the club hope to reunite them in attack.

      Lionel Messi could be about to reunite with national team pal Sergio AgueroCredit: Reuters

      Newly elected Barcelona president Joan Laporta is said by Argentina’s TyCSports to have approached Aguero over the switch.
      With his Manchester City contract expiring in less than six months, he is free to pre-agree a move to any club outside England and SunSport first revealed the Catalans’ interest in January.
      Laporta reportedly hopes that delivering a new ally to Messi in the Camp Nou dressing room will help convince the talisman to stay.
      The 33-year-old’s own deal is up at the end of the season.

      Aguero, 32, has been a regular alongside Messi for the Argentina national team since his debut in 2006, a year after his compatriot’s.
      City are yet to secure his future amid a difficult season that has seen him score just two goals.
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      Since returning from a long coronavirus lay-off, the club record goalscorer has sat through five matches from the bench and played just 71 minutes of football.
      Earlier this week, Pep Guardiola insisted the situation will be dealt with at the end of the campaign.
      The City coach said: “We are going to talk to him as a human being, as a person and, of course, as a player.
      “We will have to see what happens at the end of the season. We cannot forget how long he was out.

      Aguero has spent much of the past few weeks stuck on the Man City benchCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Joan Laporta has reportedly offered a contract to the strikerCredit: Reuters

      “Now he has started getting better. I know he needs minutes to get to his best condition but we are now maybe not in the moment we can give minutes for minutes.
      “I think the club has spoken with his agent and they know the the situation.”
      But the ball is reportedly in Aguero’s court after Barcelona’s offer landed.
      Earlier reports on the striker’s future indicated that he would be happy to take a pay cut to move back to LaLiga, the division he left to join City in 2011.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Barcelona elect Joan Laporta as new president for a second time in huge boost to keeping Lionel Messi

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      JOAN LAPORTA has been elected as Barcelona president for a second time – and hopes to keep Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp.
      The 58-year-old, who enjoys a good relationship with Barca’s star man, won the vote to see off rivals Victor Font and Toni Freixa and bag the top job.

      Joan Laporta celebrates his victory in the Barcelona electionsCredit: Reuters

      The supremo is returning for his second spell as president of the Catalan giantsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Laporta previously held the top position at the club between 2003 and 2010.
      The LaLiga side tweeted out the final results, with Laporta amassing 54.28 per cent of the vote.
      Font came home in second with 29.99 per cent, with Freixa on 8.58 per cent.
      Footage showed the three candidates embracing at the vote, with Laporta congratulated by his beaten opponents.

      Of the result, Freixa said: “I want to congratulate Laporta for this victory, which does not need further discussion.
      “We must now support our president. High [voter] participation legitimises him.”
      And his election win could bring fans some hope that star man and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi can be persuaded to stay at the club.
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      Laporta ramped up the pressure on his rivals by claiming superstar Messi is ready to pack his bags unless he was voted in.
      The Argentine is also out of contract in June and is set to leave having grown disillusioned with life on and off the field.
      Messi currently pockets around £500,000-a-week at Barca, a deal that has become unsustainable with the club’s finances crippled from the coronavirus pandemic.
      The Daily Mail claims that Sergio Aguero has been earmarked as a potential new signing by Laporta – and he hopes to pair him up with Messi in attack.
      City’s all-time top scorer Aguero, 32, is out of contract in the summer and available for free.
      And with talks over an extension yet to take place, the Argentinian has stated he will wait until the end of the season to decide his future.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Man Utd ‘launch transfer bid for Barcelona prodigy Moriba’ – dubbed ‘the new Paul Pogba’ – who has £89m buyout clause

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have launched a bid for Barcelona prodigy Ilaix Moriba, according to reports.
      The midfielder, 18, has won rave reviews since breaking into the Catalans’ first team earlier this season.

      Barcelona ace Ilaix Moriba has been linked with a move to Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Spain Under-18 international Moriba has been labelled the new Paul Pogba, with similar strength and creativity to the Red Devils superstar.
      And Barcelona sports daily Mundo Deportivo claimed Old Trafford officials have tabled an offer for the Guinea-born teenager.
      RB Leipzig are also said to have made an offer for Moriba, whose Nou Camp contract is due to expire next year.
      United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is planning a major summer revamp to make his side serious challengers for Manchester City next season.

      They currently trail their arch-rivals by 14 points ahead of Sunday’s derby showdown.
      Barca rate Moriba highly enough to have written an eye-watering £89million buyout clause into his contract.
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      The central midfielder’s agent is Jonathan Barnett, who famously represents Gareth Bale among others.

      Moriba joined Barca aged seven from their city rivals Espanyol, and came through their famed La Masia academy.
      Capped nine times at junior level by Spain, he broke into Barcelona’s B team last season.
      Barca boss Ronald Koeman has handed him four senior appearances this term alongside 10 games for the B side.
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      How Barcelona could line-up with Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi up front plus Koulibaly coming in despite money woes

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      BARCELONA are set to plot their way through a financial storm – and are still eyeing some major signings.
      The future of the Spanish club will be set by the upcoming presidential elections with various promises made by the three candidates.

      How Barcelona may line up with Haaland, Bellerin and Koulibaly

      Toni Freixa, Joan Laporta and Victor Font are all desperate to oversee a turnaround in the Camp Nou side’s fortunes.
      A whopping £216million fund has been set out by Freixa, who recently name dropped Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe into his transfer plans.
      The prospect of Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe leaving this summer is perhaps lower than that of Haaland.
      Borussia Dortmund face a fight to qualify for the Champions League and a price of £150m has reportedly been placed on the striker.

      Fitting Haaland into the Blaugrana XI would be very comfortable for Ronald Koeman, who has still not fully replaced Luis Suarez.
      Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele can run the flanks while Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho would also fit into this setup.

      A bid for Erling Haaland has been talked up by the Barcelona candidatesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Lionel Messi’s contract situation must also be solved this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Presidential frontrunner Laporta, formerly in charge at Barcelona from 2003 to 2010, has also pointed to the possible signing of Haaland.
      He said: “If we have to improve the team, I already have the cards ready for the players.

      “I have the cards to face all situations. Barcelona supporters can be sure that their club will soon be prosperous again.”
      With young stars such as Pedri, Riqui Puig and Frenkie de Jong coming through in midfield, the LaLiga giants may then turn to reinforcing defensively.
      Eric Garcia of Manchester City is expected to arrive and interest in Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is reportedly ramping up.
      Furthermore, Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly has long been linked with Barcelona and recent reports suggest Bayern Munich are ready to begin a bidding war for the centre-back.
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      Whoever wins the club presidency will have to tackle a serious debt problem.
      Barcelona have been ordered to make significant salary cuts, in contrast to rivals Real Madrid.
      The coronavirus pandemic continues to bite hard and the need to renew Lionel Messi’s contract is another factor pressurising the club’s tight budget.
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      Barcelona ordered to make huge salary cuts with wages capped at £300m while Real Madrid can INCREASE theirs to £409m

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      BARCELONA and Atletico Madrid have been ordered to make massive salary cuts as the cost of Covid continues to hit LaLiga.
      But Real Madrid are able to increase their budget and now have a significant advantage over their two main rivals.

      Barcelona will have to make significant salary cuts because of CovidCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Under the new regulations Barca’s outgoings on wages, previously capped at £331m, will now be further limited to £300m.
      Atletico, currently five clear at the top of La Liga with a game in hand over both of their main rivals, face a budget cut from £218m to £188m.
      But Real have seen their cap rise from £405m to £409m, giving them 36 per cent more to spend than Barcelona.
      The calculations come after clubs had budgeted for the return of fans in the second half of the season, which has not happened.

      Real are spending this season playing their home games at their training ground while the Bernabeu is undergoing reconstruction and renovations.
      La Liga chief Javier Tebas revealed that £96m had been taken off the overall club budgets as a result of the pandemic, with only Real and Huesca seeing their caps raised.
      Tebas said: “Covid-19 put Spanish football to a test. 
      “We have seen that there is an end and we can get to the conclusion of this. 

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      Real Madrid can increase their budget despite the cost of the pandemicCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “So far we have had to deal with income down by £1.73bn but the clubs, especially the big ones, have been able to endure the crisis knowing how to reduce expenses. 
      “Spanish football is solvent.”
      Tebas, who had yet another blast at Manchester City – suggesting the Court of Arbitration for Sport needed to be investigated after lifting the club’s Euro ban – also suggested the caps, to come into immediate effect, could be raised for next term.
      He added: “We can face next season with some optimism. 
      “In other countries, like France, there are problems with the payment of salaries while some clubs in the Premier League have asked for aid from the government.

      “We have not had to do that and there will be no problems in the clubs. 
      “Next season, with fans back, the income will come and so the salary cap for next season, possibly, will be higher.”
      Tebas, reopening old wounds, again accused both City and PSG of “evading” Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules, despite the Prem club winning its long legal battle.
      He said: “City received a significant ban and CAS lifted it.
      “Uefa made an effort, it went to CAS and then nothing happened. So CAS needs to be reviewed and investigated to see what they’re actually doing.”
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