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      Robert Lewandowski’s £166k-a-week Real Madrid contract from 2013 leaked with £10m signing-on bonus and paragliding ban

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      REAL MADRID’S contract offer to Robert Lewandowski back in December 2013 has been leaked, revealing all the numbers and unusual looking clauses.
      The Pole was in fantastic form for Borussia Dortmund at the time, having destroyed Real Madrid in the previous year’s Champions League semi-finals – netting four times in the first leg and sending his team to Wembley.

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      Robert Lewandowski signed for Bayern Munich in 2014Credit: Getty – Contributor
      By the opening months of the 2013-14 season, however, it appeared clear that Lewandowski would not be signing renewed terms with Jurgen Klopp’s men – making him a free agent at the end of the campaign.
      Naturally his signature was highly in-demand, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich jostling for position.
      And while he ended up crossing the Bundesliga to join the Bavarian giants – images obtained by Polish outlet Onet Sports reveal that he did in fact receive a concrete offer from Madrid.
      The documents show that he was offered around £166,000-a-week to go to the Bernabeu – as well as an eyewatering £10million signing-on fee.

      While salaries get dished around, fans are rarely privy to the specific clauses that go into a high-profile star’s contract.
      But this one gives a glimpse into the sort of restrictions placed upon prized assets.

      Should he have joined Real Madrid, Lewandowski would have been banned contractually from skiing, paragliding, climbing, going on a motorboat or even riding a motorbike.
      But as it happens, Lewandowski had already verbally agreed to join Bayern Munich at the time – with rip-roaring success to follow.

      While the Champions League has so far eluded him, the 31-year-old has won six Bundesliga titles and three DFB Pokals in his time at the Allianz Arena.

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      The Pole produced a stunning four-goal performance as Dortmund destroyed Real Madrid in 2013Credit: AFP

      He has bagged a scarcely believable 242 goals in 285 games – remaining arguably Europe’s most-feared marksman.
      In fact such was his form this season, that he is perhaps the man that can feel most aggrieved by France Football axing this year’s Ballon d’Or because of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Lewandowski had been the bookies’ favourite to win the award.

      Ballon d’Or 2020 AXED for first time in 64 years due to coronavirus in blow to favourite Robert Lewandowski More

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      PSG to steal Thiago Alcantara from under Liverpool’s nose with £27m transfer offer for Bayern Munich ace

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      PSG are reportedly attempting to steal the transfer of Thiago Alcantara from under Liverpool’s noses.
      Midfielder Thiago is ready to move on after seven years in Germany with Bundesliga kings Bayern Munich.

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      PSG are reportedly attempting to steal the transfer of Thiago Alcantara from under Liverpool’s noses
      And after snubbing a contract extension, the 29-year-old was given just a £27million price tag.
      Premier League champions Liverpool appeared frontrunners to sign the ex-Barcelona playmaker.
      But according to Le 10 Sport, PSG are prepared to match an offer to sign Thiago.
      They are looking to bolster their midfield for next season and have also been linked with Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer and Chelsea flop Tiemoue Bakayoko. 

      But Thiago emerges as another alternative for the Ligue 1 winners, following another stellar season in Germany with 36 appearances.
      His contract expires next summer meaning Bayern will have to act fast to demand a higher transfer fee.
      They have already secured the £55m signing of Leroy Sane from Manchester City.
      And Liverpool target Thiago provides the perfect opportunity for Bayern to recoup funds.

      But Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp would not be drawn into confirming his interest in the midfielder, or anyone else.

      Klopp told Sky Germany last week: “I have no idea who will play for me next year, there is nothing to say at the moment.
      “Thiago Alcantara is a great player, but also a Bayern Munich player.
      “That’s actually all there is to say. There’s nothing to say.”

      Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirms Thiago wants transfer More

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      Dortmund’s 15-year-old wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko is so good the Bundesliga have ‘changed their rules so he can play’

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      DORTMUND’S 15-year-old sensation Youssoufa Moukoko is so good, that the Bundesliga have changed their age eligibility rules in order to let him play.
      Previously players have not been allowed to play in Germany’s top-flight until they are 16-and-a-half.

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      Moukoko scored a stunning 34 goals in 20 games for Dortmund’s under-19s this seasonCredit: Getty – Contributor
      But such have been the waves caused by Moukoko’s rapid rise, that this has now been lowered to just 16.
      A striker by trade, the German teen has left observers flabbergasted by his incredible ability at such a young age.
      But his unbelievable progress is nothing new.
      At the age of just 12, pre-teen Moukoko was playing for Dortmund’s under-17s and Germany’s under-16s.

      He scored an astonishing 90 goals in 56 games at under-17 level, before bagging 34 in 20 this season for the under-19s – despite having started the season as a 14-year-old.
      Ahead of turning 16 on November 20, Moukoko has already been training on-and-off with Lucien Favre’s first-team squad since January.
      And after the Bundesliga’s new ruling, dubbed the “Moukoko rule”, he could make his first-team bow in the winter – and become Dortmund’s youngster-ever player.
      The current record was set by Nuri Sahin back in 2005, when he made his debut at 16 years, 11 months and one day – before going on to play for Real Madrid and Liverpool.

      In beating this record, Moukoko will become the latest in a long line of Dortmund kids to have made themselves teenage superstars at Signal Iduna Park.
      Impressive Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old under Thomas Tuchel in 2016.
      And more recently, Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho and Gio Reyna have made fans sit up and take notice.

      14-year-old BVB wonder kid Youssoufa Moukoko’s two goals from Wednesday’s U17 victory…followed by a famous celebration ⭐️💎 pic.twitter.com/2ag5LHCTFa
      — Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) June 7, 2019

      The German giants have also spent around £25million on Birmingham City starlet Jude Bellingham, who himself only turned 17 last month.
      Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said of Moukoko last November: “He’s an outstanding talent and we want him to learn how to train and play with adults.”
      And thanks to the “Moukoko rule”, this November it appears that Zorc can get his wish.

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      Moukoko average a goal or an assist every 40 minutes during the 2019-20 seasonCredit: Getty – Contributor

      Perry Groves says ‘hats off’ to Jude Bellingham after 17-year-old seals £23m move to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City More

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      Bayern accept Thiago will leave club this summer but warn Liverpool not to expect any discounts over £36m transfer

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      BAYERN MUNICH have warned there won’t be any cut-price deals for Liverpool target Thiago Alcantara despite accepting he wants to leave.
      The Premier League champions are believed to have been told to cough up £36million for the 29-year-old.

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      Liverpool are thought to be leading the race to sign Thiago Alcantara
      The Spanish midfielder has just one-year left on his deal and Bavarian chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had already confirmed he wants to leave.
      And now, as reported by Sky Sports, the Bayern bigwig says the club will only allow the midfielder to part ways on their terms and they will not be forced into a quick sale.
      He said: “We have a contract with Thiago that is still valid for one year and if he reaches an agreement with any club then that club should pay a transfer fee of a certain amount,
      “No club has contacted us to date and wants to have concrete discussions with us.

      “We will only starting negotiating for their (Thiago and Alaba’s) sale from a certain amount. There will be no summer sales at FC Bayern.”

      The Reds are said to be leading the charge to land Thiago with boss Jurgen Klopp keen to revamp his midfield in the upcoming transfer window.
      Liverpool are reportedly still hopeful of negotiating a lower price with the Bavarians for the midfield maestro.
      It seems likely the Bundesliga champions will have to cash in on the ex-Barcelona star in the upcoming transfer window rather than lose him for nothing in June 2021.

      The highly-rated central midfielder has made no secret of his desire to leave, having “not replied” to renewal offers from Bayern.
      He is said to be seeking out a new challenge after a trophy-laden seven-year spell at the German outfit, having joined from Barcelona in 2013.
      The Spanish star has won the Bundesliga title in every campaign for the Bavarian outfit, featuring in 230 games in all competitions

      Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp and player Andy Robertson open up about their mental health More

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      Marco Reus laps up sun on luxury yacht with stunning supermodel girlfriend as Dortmund star begins holiday

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      MARCO REUS has jetted off to Spain for a well-deserved break with his stunning wife.
      The Borussia Dortmund star, 31, was pictured with Scarlett Gartmann, 26, on a luxury yacht.

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      Marco Reus topped up his tan on the back of the boat

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      The loved-up couple enjoyed a cheeky kiss on the yacht
      Reus and Gartmann soaked up the sunshine as they laid on the back of the boat.
      The loved-up couple, who shared a cheeky kiss on board, were joined by friends in Formentera.
      After the supermodel tied the German star’s hair up in a top knot, they went for a dip in the sea.
      Scarlett looked incredible as she topped up her tan while wearing a skimpy white bikini.

      The pair have been dating since 2015 and they welcomed their baby daughter to the world last year.
      Reus is keen to make the most of his break from the Bundesliga season.
      Dortmund finished second in the table with 21 wins from 34 matches.

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      Scarlett Gartmann tidied up the footballer’s hair

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      The stunning Wag has jetted off to Spain with the Dortmund star

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      The German star has played for Borussia Dortmund since 2012
      Bayern Munich landed the title for the eighth successive time after beating Werder Bremen.

      Reus has remained a key figure for the German giants – who he has been with since 2012.
      He scored 11 goals and made five assists in 19 league appearances this term.

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      Marco Reus’ wife Scarlett Gartmann is a model from Germany

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      Marco Reus sported a pair of sunglasses and black swimming trunks

      Jadon Sancho enjoys Ibiza break on a yacht as he takes mind off transfer rumours More

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      Bayern Munich fume over Ballon d’Or axe after favourite Robert Lewandowski ‘performed the best season in his career’

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      BAYERN MUNICH chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has fumed at France Football’s decision not to award a 2020 Ballon d’Or.
      The Bundesliga champions’ prolific striker Robert Lewandowski had been the bookies favourite to land the prestigious individual award for the first time.

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      Robert Lewandowski bagged 51 goals in 43 games this seasonCredit: AP:Associated Press

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      Bayern chairman and two-time winner Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was unimpressed with the decisionCredit: AP:Associated Press
      But in order to “avoid overly convoluted calculations”, France Football decided to axe the award for the first time in its 56-year history.
      On the decision, Rummenigge, himself a two-time Ballon d’Or winner in 1980 and 1981, said: “I believe Robert Lewandowski is playing a fantastic season and he performed maybe the best season in his career.
      “Unfortunately France Football cancelled the Ballon d’Or which we are not very happy [with] and in the end it’s not very fair, not just Bayern but also for Robert Lewandowski who might have won.
      “I believe it’s very important that in a season that, except the French league, [the other leagues] performed through to the end of the season, it has to be possible to give the Ballon d’Or to the best footballer in the world.

      “And of course, I believe in those circumstances Robert would have a good chance to win it in the first time in his career.”
      Lionel Messi, winner in 2019, and Cristiano Ronaldo have hoarded the award in recent seasons – between them winning it in 11 of the last 12 years.
      But having netted an astonishing 51 goals in 43 games for Bayern this season, Lewandowski could have had a good chance of breaking that duopoly this time around – particularly with the Champions League rolling back around next month.
      ‘THE LEAST BAD OPTION’
      France Football chief Pascal Farre, however, insists that the decision was the fairest in protecting the integrity of the award.

      He said: “There will be no edition in 2020 because it turns out, after thoughtful consideration, that all of the conditions are not met.
      “We believe that such a singular year cannot – and should not – be treated as an ordinary one.
      “Two months [January and February] out of the 11 generally required to form an opinion and decide who should lift the trophies represent far too little to gauge and judge.
      “The other games were played – or will be played – in unordinary conditions, behind closed doors, with five replacements, the Champions League Final Eight played as single games.

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      Lewandowski had been 3/1 favourite BEFORE the award was axed

      “Finally, all the award seekers will not be in the same boat and some have seen the season cut short.
      “Therefore, how can we establish a fair comparison?
      “To avoid overly convoluted calculations and projections, we chose the least bad of the options.”

      Stats say that Lionel Messi would have won Ballon d’Or this season with Cristiano Ronaldo missing out on the top three More

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      Bayern Munich emerge as shock contenders for Max Aarons transfer in blow to Tottenham

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      BAYERN MUNICH have emerged as shock contenders to sign Norwich right-back Max Aarons.
      Aarons has had a breakthrough campaign – making 40 appearances – despite the Canaries finishing rock bottom.

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      Bayern Munich have emerged as shock contenders to sign Norwich right-back Max Aarons
      Following his standout season, the defender has attracted several potential suitors keen to prevent the 20-year-old from playing in the Championship.
      Tottenham are among those but according to Sky Sports Austria, so are the German champions.
      Frenchman Benjamin Pavard has established himself as Bayern’s first choice right-back, though he is also capable of playing in a three man backline.
      Boss Hans-Dieter Flick is looking for back up in that position.

      But with Aarons on course to contend for a first-team position the England Under-21 international can provide competition for Pavard.
      The Bundesliga kings will face competition from the Premier League though.
      Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is said to be keen on a move for the Norwich full-back as he looks to stamp his mark on the squad.

      He is understood to have some reservations about 5ft 10in Aarons’ height but the Portuguese manager is still expected to give him a shot in North London. 

      Spurs right-back Serge Aurier is attracting interest from Europe with Monaco reportedly keen on taking him back to France and Aarons could be the ideal replacement. 
      Tottenham are also looking at Southampton’s wantaway former skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

      José Mourinho says Spurs will not ‘buy players for £100m’ but will ‘improve’ squad after securing Europa League football with draw against Crystal Palace More

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      Birmingham City retire Jude Bellingham’s No22 shirt despite him playing just 44 games and quitting for Borussia Dortmund

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      BIRMINGHAM CITY have decided to retire Jude Bellingham’s No22 shirt – even though he only played 44 games for the club.
      The midfielder became the world’s most expensive 17-year-old when Borussia Dortmund signed him for £30million on Monday.

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      Jude Bellingham played his final game for Birmingham City on ThursdayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bellingham has progressed through the ranks at Birmingham after joining the club at seven years old.
      He became the club’s youngest ever first-team player at the age of 16 years an 38 days last August.
      In total, he scored two goals and four assists in 44 appearances for his boyhood club.
      And Birmingham have decided to honour his achievements by retiring his shirt number.

      A statement on the club website read: “In such a short space of time Jude has become an iconic figure at Blues, showing what can be achieved through talent, hard work and dedication.
      “His caring, humble and engaging off-the-field demeanour has also made him such an impressive role model.
      “The 22 shirt has become synonymous with Jude, his rise to the first team aged 16 ears and 38 days and these qualities.
      “And as such the Club have decided it would be fitting to retire this number, to remember one of our own and inspire others.”

      But not every fan agreed that Bellingham had done enough for the club to warrant his number being retired.
      One Twitter user asked: “How utterly bonkers is this?”
      Another added: “Absolutely stupid decision. The reason given to retire the number was the most stupid thing ever.”
      And one joked: “Why don’t we just go all out and build a statue too?”

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      Jude Bellingham will continue his tradition wearing No22 next seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Bellingham will wear Dortmund’s No22 shirt next season after he snubbed interest from Manchester United to join them.
      The 17-year-old played for Birmingham for the final time in Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to Derby.
      But the talented youngster was targeted by a sick abuse during his last appearance for the club.

      Forever our #22.Good luck at @BVB, Jude! 👊
      — Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) July 23, 2020 More