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      Chelsea ‘one of only two or three clubs’ financially stable with Marina Granovskaia ‘doing good job’, says Rummenigge

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      CHELSEA are ‘one of only two or three clubs’ who are financially stable, according to Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.And the German heaped praise on Marina Granovskaia for her financial handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says Chelsea are one of very few clubs who are financially stableCredit: Rex
      And the German heaped praise on Marina Granovskaia for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemicCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The Blues announced a £32.5million profit in their latest set of accounts up to June 30, 2020.
      Covid-19 hit last March, with fans banned from attending matches, but Chelsea’s robust finances managed to cope.
      Rummenigge said his Champions League winners Bayern have been losing £3.5m to £4.3m in revenue each ‘fanless’ game.
      And he highlighted Chelsea as one of few clubs doing well to keep their balance sheets in order.
      He told the Athletic: “There are maybe two or three clubs who are able to buck the trend.
      “Chelsea’s numbers, for example, look very positive. Marina has done a very good job.
      “But we won’t see any all-time high [profit] records tumble this summer, that’s for sure.
      “Everyone I talk to wants to reduce their payroll. That also applies to Bayern. Transfer fees went down by 50 per cent last season, which was good, but the wages haven’t adjusted downwards accordingly.
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      “We find that players and their agents are not happy to renew under existing circumstances but want more.
      “It’ll be an interesting transfer market. It’ll be instructive to see whether the best players will have the upper hand in that regard.
      “We need to rely on players and agents understanding the situation. The whole football industry, the whole world has been damaged by Covid-19.
      “I’m curious to see if there will be one club in Europe that can break even this season. It’ll be challenging, even for us.
      “After more than one year without fans, the income loss has been much greater for the big clubs.”
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      Chelsea ‘prepared to launch £86m Romelu Lukaku transfer offer’ if they fail to land £154m Erling Haaland from Dortmund

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      CHELSEA are reportedly prepared to offer £86MILLION for Romelu Lukaku if they can’t sign Erling Haaland.The Blues are said to be looking at another striker with Timo Werner struggling to adapt to the Premier League.
      Chelsea are willing to offer £86m for Inter Milan striker Romelu LukakuCredit: Getty
      But only if they fail to land No 1 target Erling HaalandCredit: Getty
      Borussia Dortmund star Haaland is said to be top of their wishlist.
      But the 20-year-old is one of Europe’s hottest properties and competition for the £154m valued star is set to be fierce.
      As a result, the West Londoners are planning an £86m bid for Inter Milan striker Lukaku as Plan B, according to Calciomercato.
      The Belgian had an unsuccessful spell at Stamford Bridge between 2011 and 2014 – where he failed to score a goal – but the Blues are not deterred.
      Earlier this week, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel refused to rule out a move for Haaland.
      Haaland’s dad Alf-Inge and agent Mino Raiola – who could bag up to £25m from any deal – have held discussions with Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain before heading to England to meet with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
      But Tuchel did not give anything away when quizzed on any potential meeting between Haaland’s representatives and the Blues.
      The German said: “I will not answer that, out of respect for the player and for Borussia Dortmund.
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      “He’s a Borussia Dortmund player, and of course there’s big news around him and his agent. And it seems like they are creating a race for the player.
      “But still everybody needs to accept, and I will fully accept, that he is a Borussia Dortmund player, a very promising player of course.
      “But with respect to the situation, he’s not in our squad, he’s not in our club so there’s no comment on anything else regarding him.”
      Chelsea have also been heavily linked with a move for Man City legend Sergio Aguero on a free transfer.
      The Argentine will leave City at the end of the season when his contract expires after a ten-year stay at the Etihad.
      A vast array of clubs are linked with an offer, including Prem rivals Arsenal.
      Despite turning 33 in the coming summer, and enduring a disappointing season in terms of fitness and form, Aguero is said to want a move to a top club.
      Stamford Bridge is described as a ‘tempting’ destination, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
      Any club bidding for his services would not have to pay a transfer fee, leading to a sizeable wage demand – around £250k-a-week.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
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      Jerome Boateng available on FREE transfer in summer as Bayern will not renew deal with ‘several English clubs’ keen

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have been alerted to Jerome Boateng’s availability after Bayern Munich decided to let the defender go.Out of contract in the summer, the defender will follow David Alaba in departing as a free agent.
      Jerome Boateng is set to become a free agent at the end of the seasonCredit: AP
      The 32-year-old has made over 350 appearances for Bayern, winning the treble twice, since a 2011 move ended a flop spell at Manchester City.
      But, according to German publication Kicker, Boateng’s exit has been rubber-stamped by Munich bosses.
      And his entourage have already been informed of the decision to move him on.
      A departure from Allianz Arena has been rumoured for some time and the interest of some clubs was piqued when Bayern secured the signing of Dayot Upamecano for next season.
      Bild report on ‘several’ English clubs monitoring his situation with a move to MLS not out of the question.
      The German has previously featured in links to Arsenal and Chelsea.
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      Mikel Arteta is in the midst of a huge squad rebuild at Emirates Stadium while a new centre-back is thought to be on Thomas Tuchel’s long list of targets in the next window.
      Boateng missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over RB Leipzig due to suspension but has otherwise remained a first-choice for the Bundesliga giants.
      Coach Hansi Flick recently defended his player after Bayern advisor Uli Hoeness criticised calls for his return to the German national team.
      The World Cup winner was one of the veteran players discarded by Joachim Low two years ago, a decision called into question after the recent defeat to North Macedonia.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
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      Gary Neville names four clubs he would have played for if Man Utd sold him including Arsenal and Bayern Munich

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      GARY NEVILLE admitted he would have played for arch-rivals Arsenal if Manchester United decided to sell him.The former defender, 46, spent his entire career at Old Trafford, coming through the academy as part of the Class of ’92 before making 602 first-team appearances.
      Gary Neville would have been open to the idea of joining Arsenal if he was let go by Manchester United earlier in his careerCredit: Eddie Keogh
      He won 16 major trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson’s guidance in a career that spanned 19 years and saw him earn 85 England caps.
      But speaking to Sky Sports’ Off Script last year, the pundit revealed there were four teams he willingly could have joined should he have been let go – and three he would never, ever  have signed for.
      The Manchester United legend said: “For myself, leaving never once entered my head. My longest contract negotiation was three meetings; they were normally done inside one or two meetings, and they were always long contracts.
      “I’d made the decision quite early in my 30s that if Sir Alex had come and told me my time was up, I wouldn’t have played for anyone else. I was fortunate in that sense.
      “However, if he’d come to me at say the age of 28, and told me my time was up, of course I would have played for another Premier League club.
      “Who would I have played for? You can rule out three: I’d have never have played for City, Liverpool or Leeds. Not in a million years.
      “I don’t feel anything bad towards the players who did that, but me personally, I couldn’t have done it. The rivalry is just too much.
      “If you’d said to me, in a perfect world, in my years of playing, which clubs in the Premier League have the tradition, a proper club? Arsenal would be No 1.

      “The tradition of Highbury, I felt they did things the right way. Also in the Premier League, I like Aston Villa and Newcastle.
      “In Europe I admired Juventus and Bayern Munich. I respected them as football clubs. Bayern were meticulous in their preparation, so internationally, it would be them.”
      Neville played a huge role in the rivalry at the turn of the century with Arsenal, along with Roy Keane as a key protagonist.
      His first clash with the Gunners came way back in November 1994 with a 0-0 draw at Highbury.
      Across the 30 matches, Neville’s United won ten – including the Battle of the Buffet clash in 2004 to end Arsenal’s 49-match unbeaten run – drew eight and lost 12.
      Against Bayern Munich, meanwhile, the right-back managed just one win in eight matches.

      However, crucially, that one win was the 1999 Champions League final, arguably the greatest night in Manchester United’s history, as subs Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in injury time to complete a stunning turnaround and seal the Treble.
      After hanging up his boots in 2011, Neville went into coaching as Roy Hodgson’s assistant for England before an ill-fated spell at Valencia.
      Since then, he has switched to focussing on his media work with Sky and various business ventures with his Class of ’92 team-mates – including joint-ownership of Salford City and two hotels in Manchester.
      Neville liked the way Bayern Munich ran their operations and were his overseas pickCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The right-back, pictured with his brother Phil, celebrate the Treble in 1999 after the turnaround against the GermansCredit: EPA
      Neville came through the academy as part of the Class of 92 which also included Ryan Giggs and David BeckhamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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      Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko, 16, ruled out for rest of season after suffering injury on international duty

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      YOUSSOUFA MOUKOKO has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.The Borussia Dortmund wonderkid, 16, hurt his foot in training while on international duty with Germany Under-21s in March.
      Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko is out for the rest of the season with a foot injuryCredit: Getty
      And the damage done is more significant than initially expected.
      Germany U21 boss Stefan Kuntz said: “The injury is worse than initially feared.
      “We have to let the healing process run its course.”
      Dortmund tweeted: “Youssoufa Moukoko is out for the rest of the season with a ligament injury in his foot. Get well soon boy.”
      Moukoko is the youngest player in Bundesliga and Champions League history – making his German top-flight debut a day after turning 16 in November as the league adjusted the rules to allow his first-team debut.
      He netted his first senior goal aged 16 years and 28 days on his full debut to break the record for the youngest Bundesliga scorer.
      Moukoko has drawn plenty of attention after his prolific time in the Dortmund academy, scoring 192 in just 123 appearances.
      The striker started first-team training in January 2020 and scored 13 in four U19 appearances at the beginning of this season before becoming eligible for Lucien Favre’s side.
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      Before his injury, the teenager had managed three league goals in 14 appearances.
      And while he has been shining on the field, Moukoko’s bank balance has enjoyed a substantial boost too.
      He reportedly earns around £6,000 a week and pocketed a very tidy £9million deal with the sportswear giants Nike in 2019 – with a £1m bonus simply for signing on the dotted line.
      The Cameroon-born teenager was rewarded with a custom pair of boots after making his pro bow.
      But now it will be down to ‘veterans’ Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham to see off Manchester City in the Champions League.
      The first leg of the quarter-final clash at the Etihad takes place on Tuesday night before the return tie next Wednesday.
      The teenager has three senior goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances since his debut in NovemberCredit: Getty
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      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel refuses to rule out Erling Haaland swoop as Mino Raiola holds transfer talks

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      THOMAS TUCHEL refused to rule out a swoop for Erling Haaland as transfer talks continue for the Borussia Dortmund striker. Chelsea are desperate to land a new No9 this summer to bolster their attack – with the Norwegian, 20, their primary target.
      Erling Haaland is top of Chelsea’s transfer wish list for the upcoming summer transfer windowCredit: Getty
      Haaland’s dad Alf-Inge and agent Mino Raiola – who could bag up to £25million from any deal – have held discussions with Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain before heading to England to meet with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
      But Tuchel did not give anything away when quizzed on any potential meeting between Haaland’s representatives and the Blues.
      The German said: “I will not answer that, out of respect for the player and for Borussia Dortmund.
      “He’s a Borussia Dortmund player, and of course there’s big news around him and his agent. And it seems like they are creating a race for the player.
      “But still everybody needs to accept, and I will fully accept, that he is a Borussia Dortmund player, a very promising player of course.
      “But with respect to the situation, he’s not in our squad, he’s not in our club so there’s no comment on anything else regarding him.”
      Tuchel needs more goals in his team, especially with Timo Werner misfiring since his £48million arrival from RB Leipzig last summer.
      Haaland guarantees that with 33 goals in 32 appearances for Dortmund this season.
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      But Tuchel remained positive in his assessment of Werner – despite his horror miss for Germany last week and return of two goals in his last 32 appearances for club and country.
      The Chelsea boss added: “It is an easy solution at the moment to point the finger at Timo which I cannot understand. I am happy that he is here at the moment because he is protected here.
      “We demand a lot from him and get a lot from him. The best thing is to look at the situation honestly, not focus on the bad things, but look at it honestly.
      “The ball simply does not work out like it usually works out, but he works hard for us. If this is the most critical point of his career so far, look at the data, look at the statistics.
      “He scores still for us, he is doing assists for us, he is winning decisive penalties for us.
      “So if this is the most critical point in your career you can still accept it and say, ‘OK it’s pretty impressive so far.’
      “He can trust that his brain and his body remembers to do that because it is absolutely usual for him to score. So it will come back, it is just a matter of time.”

      Another player linked with a stunning transfer is Sergio Aguero, who will be released by Manchester City when his contract expires this summer.
      Plenty of clubs will be in the race to land the 32-year-old on a free transfer.
      And Tuchel heaped praise on Argentine hero Aguero – but again would not reveal any transfer interest in the Etihad record goalscorer.
      He added: “We have full respect for Manchester City and for Sergio Aguero, who is a big player for them.
      “There are no words needed from me about the achievements of this guy, he is a world-class player.
      “But don’t forget, we compete in three competitions against Manchester City so I will never speak about their players and talk about a player’s future.
      “It’s their player and I expect they do the same with our players. We are rivals. His career is outstanding and speaks for itself. And it’s not finished yet.
      “He is still a player for City and will still help them to achieve their goals.”

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      Man City boss Pep Guardiola aims dig at Champions League rivals Borussia Dortmund over their payments to agents

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      PEP GUARDIOLA has taken a swipe at Champions League rivals Dortmund over the amount they pay agents.The Bundesliga giants visit Manchester City in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, with striker Erling Haaland set to start.
      Pep Guardiola has spoken out on Borussia Dortmund’s agent paymentsCredit: Getty
      The Germans paid RB Salzburg £18.5million when they signed Haaland in December 2019 — but also shelled out £13m to agent Mino Raiola.
      Former Bayern Munich boss Pep said: “If one person knows in this city about Borussia Dortmund, it is me.
      “I will not find one single player at Borussia Dortmund without quality.
      “They spent a lot of money on young, young players and also pay a lot of money to the agents to bring these players there because they have an incredible quality.”
      City are interested in signing Haaland in the summer but Raiola insists he will have to be offered £600,000-A-WEEK wages plus a £153m transfer fee.
      Dortmund beat Sevilla in the last 16 but lost 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

      The defeat left them seven points off fourth in the Bundesliga and a Champions League spot.
      Guardiola, 50, added: “Maybe they have not found the consistency this season in the Bundesliga.
      “But in one game or two games they are able to do anything. We saw that against Sevilla.
      “Sevilla won three Europa Leagues in a row and last season again.
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      In-demand Erling Haaland is set to face Guardiola’s side on TuesdayCredit: AFP

      “You have to have respect for Dortmund and what they have done.
      “I was in Germany for three years and they are big opponents.
      “I saw the game against Frankfurt. We will try and be aggressive, win and travel to Dortmund to win the second game.
      “This is the target and what we will try to do.”
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      Jadon Sancho could miss BOTH legs of huge Man City clash with Borussia Dortmund star out injured

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      BORUSSIA DORTMUND are sweating over the fitness of Jadon Sancho ahead of the Champions League quarter-final with Manchester City.The winger, 21, has missed the last four Bundesliga games as well as England’s World Cup qualifiers due to a muscle injury.
      Jadon Sancho is a big doubt for this month’s tie with Manchester CityCredit: Getty
      Time is running out for a return to action with the first leg at the Etihad kicking off on Tuesday night.
      Sancho is yet to face his old club having left for Germany in 2017.
      And his chances of making the reunion are in major doubt after he was unable to train on Sunday.
      According to Dortmund daily Ruhr Nachrichten, the player is also likely to miss the return game on April 14.
      Borussia interim boss Edin Terzic had raised fans’ hopes that Sancho would be available when discussing his recovery last week.
      He said: “With Jadon, we hope that the situation with him will change in the next seven to ten days.”
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      But the forward’s recovery does not appear to be going to plan despite returning from a rehabilitation stint in Dubai on Thursday.
      Sancho had hit four goals and two assists in his four games before picking up the injury.
      Without the England star, Dortmund have won just one in four and lost a vital top-four showdown against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
      The club is struggling to qualify for next season’s Champions League while sat fifth in the Bundesliga table ahead of the first leg with City.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
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