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    Chelsea and Newcastle transfer blow as ‘Youssoufa Moukoko ends Dortmund contract stand-off by signing three-year deal’

    CHELSEA and Newcastle target Youssoufa Moukoko has decided to sign a new contract at Borussia Dortmund, according to reports.The wonderkid striker’s current deal is set to expire at the end of this season.
    Youssoufa Moukoko has decided to stay at Borussia DortmundCredit: Getty
    Moukoko and BVB have been in a stand-off, with the 18-year-old receiving plenty of interest from the Prem.
    But according to Bild, he has opted to pen a three-year extension with Dortmund.
    They add that the deal will see him pocket around £100,000 a week.
    Moukoko could have earned far more had he moved to England.
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    It’s claimed that, had he run down his contract at Dortmund, he could have pocketed around £170k a week with Chelsea or Newcastle.
    And reports even add that he could have been awarded an eye-watering signing on fee worth north of £26million.
    Ultimately, Moukoko and his team decided that his development would be best served by staying at Dortmund.
    He has made 14 Bundesliga appearances this season, scoring six times in the German top flight.
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    The 5ft 10in forward has also gained Champions League experience with BVB.
    His form during the opening months of this season earned him a place in Germany’s 26-man World Cup squad.
    And he was recently warned against moving by German legend Lothar Matthaus.
    He told Sky in Germany: “If Moukoko is all about the money, I might recommend him to join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
    “But if he wants to further expand his still young and very promising career and wants to become a great footballer, then there is no better place for him to start than with Borussia Dortmund.
    “There’s nothing he can’t get there. Fantastic fans, a healthy club, bosses and coaches who trust him and certainly a decent salary.
    I think it would be a mistake if he left BVBLothar Matthaus
    “What does he want after a few good months in the Bundesliga at Chelsea, Newcastle or anywhere else abroad at the age of 18?
    “The competition is tough there. The clubs, fans and everyone else won’t have nearly as much patience or attention for him.
    “If he doesn’t score in three games there, he’s on the bench. The competition is huge and the country and people are strange at first.
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    “I think it would be a mistake if he left BVB for the money now.”
    Dortmund have lost wonderkids Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho in recent summers, while Jude Bellingham is being heavily linked with an exit.
    Dortmund have lost plenty of top talent in recent seasonsCredit: EPA More

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    Fans all say the same thing as Bayern Munich train using jumping free-kick robot dummy wall

    BAYERN MUNICH fans all said the same thing after seeing Joshua Kimmich’s sublime free-kick in training.The German champions released a clip of the 27-year-old bending a sumptuous set-piece over the top of a robot dummy wall.
    Joshua Kimmich stepped up to bend a free-kick around the robot wallCredit: Instagram @fcbayern
    The German whipped it over the wall superblyCredit: Instagram @fcbayern
    And it flew into the top corner as Bayern fans called on him to do it in a gameCredit: Instagram @fcbayern
    Kimmich stepped up and curled the ball over a mechanical five-player blockade that jumps as a free-kick is taken.
    And the perfect effort flew into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance.
    However, rather than praise Kimmich for the free-kick, Bayern supporters instead focused on the fact that none of their players seem to be able to score them during games.
    Reacting on social media, one person said: “We need this at the stadium, not at training sessions”.
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    Another added: “Always in training never in matches 😓”.
    A third echoed those replies, saying: “Why can’t he do that in the match?”
    And a fourth responded: “Could not deliver when playing for Bayern. Can only do it in a practice session”.
    Bayern currently sit four points clear of Freiburg at the top of the Bundesliga table.
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    Julian Nagelsmann’s men are yet to return to competitive action following the World Cup break.
    Their first game of 2023 takes place on Friday evening when they travel to third-place RB Leipzig.
    They are going for an 11th Bundesliga title in a row, with Bayern also very much in contention for the Champions League.
    Nagelsmann’s side have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster last-16 tie which gets underway on February 14.
    It is a repeat of the 2020 final which Bayern won 1-0 to claim their sixth European crown. More

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    Chelsea ‘lining up Frankfurt’s Oliver Glasner’ as new boss as pressure increases on Graham Potter after horror run

    CHELSEA are eyeing Eintracht Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner as a replacement for Graham Potter, according to reports.The Austrian, 48, led his German Bundesliga club to Europa League glory last season.
    Oliver Glasner is reportedly attracting interest from ChelseaCredit: AFP
    Frankfurt beat Rangers on penalties in the Seville final last May, having previously KO’d Barcelona and West Ham.
    Blues boss Potter is coming under ever-growing pressure after Thursday’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham left them tenth in the Premier League.
    Chelsea are on their worst run since 1996, with just six points from their last nine league games.
    Former Brighton manager Potter, 47, could make a swift exit despite only arriving last September.
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    Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper Bild has now claimed that new Stamford Bridge supremo Todd Boehly is considering a move for Glasner.
    The Salzburg-born coach has led Frankfurt to fourth in the Bundesliga, just seven points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
    They are also still in the Champions League and the German FA Cup.
    Former SV Ried defender Glasner went on to manage the Austrian club, moving on to their league rivals LASK Linz and Germans Wolfsburg.
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    He took charge at Frankfurt in 2021, since when his reputation has soared as one of European football’s top coaches.
    However Glasner has revealed his willingness to move on to a bigger club.
    He said: “I could say I’ll stay at Frankfurt come what may.
    “But an exceptional offer could come in, and the club might say ‘Oliver, take it.’
    “It is not on my mind, but my situation is the same as that for any player – it’s the law of the market that decides.”

    Potter could be sacked after defeat to Fulham on Thursday – their first loss to their neighbours in 17 years – leaves Chelsea with just one win in nine Premier League games – their worst run in 12 years.
    Chelsea’s new owners are determined to stand by their man but the Blues seem close to the point beyond which no elite club can fall before the manager gets the bullet.
    Graham Potter has struggled as Chelsea bossCredit: Rex More

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    Chelsea and Newcastle target Youssoufa Moukoko caught up in age storm as reports claim Dortmund star is ‘22 and NOT 18’

    BORUSSIA DORTMUND star Youssoufa Moukoko has been caught up in the Cameroonian age fraud scandal.It is alleged the striker could in fact be 22-years-old, rather than 18.
    Youssoufa Moukoko has been caught up in the ongoing Cameroon age scandalCredit: Getty
    Moukoko was born in Cameroon but moved to Germany aged 14 where he was adopted.
    And according to Austrian outlet Laola1, his adoptive father sent an unearthed birth certificate belonging to Moukoko to a journalist.
    The document reportedly claims to identify the wonderkid as Yousouffa Mohamadou, with his year of both stated as 2000.
    That would make Moukoko 22, and further doubts over his age have allegedly been raised due to the fact he had partners who were significantly older than him during his teenage years.
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    The German FA released a statement on the matter saying: “We do not comment on any speculation.”
    It comes after an age fraud scandal was uncovered in the Cameroon Under-17 squad.
    Cameroon Federation president Samuel Eto’o led the discovery after ordering players to undergo MRI tests.
    It was initially found that  21 out of 30 players were too old to play for the U17s, with another 11 players failing tests a few days later.
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    DR Congo have also been caught up in the scandal after MRI tests found 25 out of 40 squad members were found to have failed mandatory age testing.
    Moukoko is very highly rated by Dortmund and has already won two caps for Germany – one of which came at the World Cup.
    He has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs with Newcastle launching a bid to sign him this month.
    Chelsea have also been heavily linked with the youngster though Dortmund are planning to extend his contract. More

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    Leeds on verge of club record Georginio Rutter transfer over £35m deal from Hoffenheim as he travels for medical

    LEEDS are reportedly on the verge of signing Hoffenheim striker Georginio Rutter for a club record fee.The French star is set to move to Elland Road for a fee of £24.8million with add-ons that could take the price up to £35m.
    Georginio Rutter is reportedly on his way to LeedsCredit: Getty
    Leeds are supposedly in the process of finalising the transfer with the Bundesliga club.
    Rutter is on his way to Yorkshire for a medical ahead of signing a long-term contract at Elland Road, claims journalist Fabrizio Romano.
    Current forward Patrick Bamford is injury prone and has not scored in ten games this term.
    Therefore, manager Jesse Marsch has been desperate to bolster his attacking options as he aims to keep his side in the Premier League.
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    Rutter is a future star, impressing in Germany over the last two seasons.
    The 20-year-old found the back of the net eight times in 33 league games in the previous campaign, regularly appearing off the substitutes bench.
    This season he has scored twice in 15 appearances, being named in the starting line-up more frequently on 11 occasions.
    If Rutter completes his move to Leeds, he would become the club’s most expensive ever transfer.
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    It would overtake the current record held by Rodrigo’s £27m switch from Valencia in the summer of 2020.
    Leeds were rumoured to be keen on Blackburn’s Ben Brereton Diaz and Coventry’s Viktor Gyokeres if the deal for Rutter fell through.
    He will become Marsch’s second signing of the January window after buying Maximilian Wober from RB Salzburg. More

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    Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku will not play until end of February as his recovery from knee injury drags on

    CHELSEA-BOUND Christopher Nkunku will not play until the end of February at the earliest as his recovery from a knee injury drags on.The France striker and his club Red Bull Leipzig have targeted the Champions League last 16 clash with Manchester City on February 22 as his comeback date.
    Christopher Nkunku is set to sign for Chelsea in the summerCredit: AFP
    But after suffering an injury prior to the World Cup, his return date has now been revealedCredit: AFP
    Nkunku remains in Paris undergoing treatment for the problem which he picked up just before the World Cup and which stopped him from joining the eventual finalists in Qatar.
    Chelsea and Leipzig have yet to formalise the £53 million deal which was triggered by the Premier League side meeting the player’s buy-out clause in his contract.
    The date with City is only a loose target with some people fearing Nukunku’s return may come as late as March to ensure his injury is fully fit again.
    Chelsea have been pursuing Nkunku for some time and even arranged a secret medical for him in early September as they looked to get ahead of their rivals.
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    He was named in Didier Deschamp’s provisional 25-man squad for Qatar but had to withdraw after getting hurt in a collision with Eduardo Camavinga while training at France’s national team HQ in Clairefontaine near Paris.
    Chelsea are eager to add firepower to boss Graham Potter’s squad having struggled with forwards in recent seasons.
    Belgium star Romelu Lukaku lasted just a season before being sent back to Inter Milan on loan.
    Veteran Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is struggling to make an impact after signing in the summer.
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    Germany striker Timo Werner lasted only two seasons before he returned to Germany.
    Chelsea have won just once in the last seven matches.
    Here’s how Nkunku performed for RB Leipzig before his injury More

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    Telling my kids I was sick and needed to go to hospital was hardest part of testicular cancer battle, says Haller

    SEBASTIEN HALLER says the hardest part of his cancer battle was telling his children he was sick and needed to go to hospital.The Borussia Dortmund striker, 28, was diagnosed with a testicular tumour just two weeks after signing for the club as Erling Haaland’s replacement.
    Sebastien Haller opened up on telling his kids about his cancerCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgciiAmKPXU/?hl=en
    The striker was full of admiration and appreciation for his wife PriscillaCredit: https://www.instagram.com/priscilla.haller/?hl=en
    Haller underwent four rounds of chemotherapy for the testicular cancerCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
    He underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and had two operations before returning to training last week with an Apple watch to track all his data.
    And as he prepares to make his debut against Dusseldorf in a friendly today, Haller opened up on an emotional six months.
    And discussing his illness with his young kids alongside wife Priscilla proved incredibly difficult.
    He told Bild: “I first discussed with my wife how best to explain it to our children.
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    “We looked online for tips and asked other people. We then found a way and explained it to them with a small video.
    “The hardest part was getting them to understand that while I’m fine right now, I’m sick and need to be hospitalised – even for a few weeks or months.
    “We wanted to be honest, the kids are smart and have good senses themselves, so we didn’t want to try to hide anything from them.
    “Luckily they took it well, I laughed a lot at home, played a lot with them.
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    “In the beginning it wasn’t like usual, of course – my older son often wanted to jump on me, so I had to tell him: ‘not yet’. But now everything is fine.”
    Haller added he did not cry when he found out the news but was instantly determined to beat the cancer.
    The Ivory Coast forward continued: “I knew immediately: I have no other choice. The choices are limited.
    “It won’t do you any good if you put yourself in a depression.
    “So I said to myself: stay positive, bring your family and friends together. You’re not alone. So go through it together with them.
    “When I got home, my wife had prepared a few small posters with the news from my family. Mum, dad, brother, sister.
    “That was actually the most emotional thing. But there was also an incredible amount of uplifting news from the football world, I can’t even list everyone.
    “The president of Ivory Coast was there, my former clubs and of course a lot of players, Luka Jovic and Ante Rebic also wrote to me which made me happy.”
    Haller encourages everyone, not just footballers, to get regular health check-ups in case they detect any problems.
    Now the striker is focusing on regaining his match sharpness ahead of his debut for Dortmund following the £28million transfer from Ajax.
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    The vision of playing and scoring in front of the famous Yellow Wall at Signal Iduna Park has been replayed over and over in his mind for the last six months.
    And that first goal will hopefully not be far away – and will be a special moment for Haller, his family and his new adoring fans.
    Haller has resumed training with his new club ahead of his debutCredit: Getty More

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    Chelsea face missing out on Marcus Thuram as Barcelona ‘scout striker ahead of summer transfer’

    CHELSEA are facing an uphill battle to sign Marcus Thuram after Barcelona sent scouts to watch him, according to reports. Thuram, 25, is out of contract in the summer and consequently represents a cut-price option in a heavily inflated January market.
    Chelsea face missing out on Marcus ThuramCredit: Getty
    Chelsea are one of a number of sides who have been linked with a move for the Frenchman, who can play as a winger or a striker.
    However, Barcelona are understood to be taking the most keen look at him.
    According to Mundo Deportivo, the club’s present financial situation is restricting them from being able to freely navigate the market.
    Therefore, they have been seeking cheaper alternatives – a profile Thuram fits due to the nature of his contract.
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    The report indicates the Spanish giants have sent scouts to watch the Borussia Monchengladbach star, with “favourable” reports being returned.
    Thuram is typically deployed through the centre in Germany, but during the World Cup he made his impact off the bench coming from the wing, showcasing his versatility.
    With him thought to be available for just under £10million as well, the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool have all retained an interest.
    But each of these clubs seem to have transfer target priorities which, for now at least, lie elsewhere.
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    Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is said to have now stepped down from his role as interim sporting director, but it has not stopped the club pressing forward with deals.
    The Blues have verbally agreed to cough up the £10million loan fee for Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, which they hope will alleviate some of their issues for the remainder of the season.
    Here’s how Thuram has performed in the Bundesliga this season More