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      Premier League best XI of January transfers revealed including Chelsea pair and three-time Champions League winner

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      AN ASTONISHING £815million was spent by Premier League clubs on transfers in January.Big spenders Chelsea account for a large chunk of that, splashing £326m on eight players.
      Enzo Fernandez has landed in the Premier League for a British transfer record feeCredit: PA
      Three-time Champions League winner Keylor Navas has joined a newly promoted teamCredit: Getty
      While the likes of Bournemouth made more shrewd signings, bringing in some highly rated talent from across Europe.
      League leaders Arsenal, meanwhile, pinched one of Chelsea’s star men, who helped the West London club win the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
      Players who have won some of football’s biggest prizes also ended up on English shores.
      A World Cup winner joined Todd Boehly’s Blues revolution in a British transfer record.
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      While a three-time Champions League winner joined a newly promoted team hoping to stay up in the top flight at the first time of asking.
      Here’s SunSport’s best January 2023 transfer team…
      SunSport’s January 2023 best transfer XI
      Keylor Navas – Nottingham Forest
      The 36-year-old joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Paris Saint Germain.
      Navas is a three-time Champions League winner and also has three league titles to his name.
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      He will hope to dislodge on-loan star Dean Henderson.
      Pedro Porro – Tottenham
      The Spain international completed a late January transfer, which at one point looked on the brink of collapse.
      Spurs then returned to negotiations with Sporting Lisbon and thrashed out a £42m deal.
      Porro was previously on Manchester City’s books.
      Illia Zabarnyi – Bournemouth
      Bournemouth’s new owners are hoping to beat the drop and splashed the cash on the some talent.
      And 20-year-old Football Manager wonderkid Zabarnyi was snapped up from Dynamo Kyiv for £24m.
      Benoit Badiashile – Chelsea
      The Frenchman was part of Boehly’s New Year spend-up.
      Joining from Monaco for £35m, the 21-year-old has looked like a Rolls Royce of a defender next to veteran Thiago Silva.
      Solid on the ball. Imposing in the air. Lots to like.
      Victor Kristiansen – Leicester City
      Leicester have had a turbulent campaign so far and needed to dip into the transfer market.
      And so they looked into the Danish market and came back with a 20-year-old left-back for £17.5m.
      Kristiansen is an impressive Danish youth star, who already had 73 professional appearances to his name for Copenhagen.
      Jorginho – Arsenal
      Arguably the best deal of the January transfer window for just £12m.
      Arsenal couldn’t find a breakthrough in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo and instead pinched one of their rival’s main stars.
      Ex-Chelsea ace Jorginho is a Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup and Euro 2020 winner, bringing a wealth of experience to Mikel Arteta’s Prem-topping team.
      Enzo Fernandez – Chelsea
      The World Cup-winning Argentine took football by storm with his performances in Qatar last year.
      He was the young player of the tournament, and helped Lionel Messi complete football.
      Just six months on from joining Benfica for a modest fee under £20m from River Plate, 22-year-old Fernandez has completed a £107m transfer to Chelsea.
      It was a club and British transfer record.
      Joao Gomes – Wolves
      Struggling Prem side Wolves were in need of reinforcements under the new leadership of Julen Lopetegui.
      Six players were brought in, but the most impressive is 21-year-old Gomes.
      Joining from Flamengo for £15m, he will look to provide some steely determination alongside an already impressive midfield cohort of Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes and Joao Moutinho.
      Mykhailo Mudryk – Chelsea
      The first Ukrainian wonderkid to end up in the Prem last month, followed by Zabarnyi.
      Mudryk, 22, joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88m.
      His debut was more than impressive at Anfield, nearly breaking the deadlock after a mazy run.
      Cody Gakpo – Liverpool
      One of the World Cup’s stars, scoring three for Holland in their run to the quarter-finals.
      Gakpo joined Liverpool from PSV for £45m, and is seen as one of the bargains of the window.
      Racked up a few appearances for Liverpool since joining, but he is yet to find the back of the net.
      Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth
      Joined from Championship outfit Bristol City for just £10.5m.
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      Semenyo, 23, featured at the World Cup for Ghana, and has finally made the switch to the top flight.
      Quick and a strong finisher. More

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      Liverpool injury blow as star set to miss Merseyside derby and is even doubt for Real Madrid clash in Champions League

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      LIVERPOOL have dealt a major injury blow with Ibrahima Konate set for a spell on the sidelines.The defender suffered a hamstring injury in the Reds’ FA Cup defeat at Brighton on Sunday and could now miss a crucial part of the season.
      Ibrahima Konate is facing a spell on the sidelinesCredit: Getty
      Konate completed the full 90 minutes on the South Coast, but a scan has since revealed the full extent of the damage.
      And the Daily Mail claim that the France international could now be ruled out for around two to three weeks.
      As a result, he’s expected to sit out the Premier League games against Wolves, Everton and the trip to Newcastle on 18 February.
      And Konate could also be forced to miss the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Real Madrid four days later.
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      It continues what’s been a frustrating second year at Anfield for Konate after he was forced to sit out the first six weeks of the season with a knee injury.
      And he’s made just 10 appearances in all competitions.
      It’s another massive setback for Jurgen Klopp, who’s already without Virgil van Dijk after he sustained a knee problem earlier this month and is in a race against time to be fit to face the holders.
      Klopp therefore has just two centre-backs available in Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.
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      While key players like Arthur Melo, Luis Diaz, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota are also out injured.
      Liverpool are back in action at Wolves on Saturday. More

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      Where is ex Liverpool star Djibril Cisse now and what happened to his career?

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      DJIBRIL Cisse was a member of the Liverpool side that won the 2005 UEFA Champions League.He also played for Sunderland and QPR, as well as some big European teams. But where is he now and what happened to his career.
      Djibril Cisse won the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup during his time on Merseyside
      Who is Djibril Cisse?
      Djibril Cisse is a French former footballer who played as a striker for three Premier League clubs.
      Cisse signed for Liverpool from Auxerre in 2004, and scored five goals in 24 appearances over the course of the 2004/05 season.
      A freak injury against Blackburn during that season saw him ruled out from October 2004 to April 2005 with a severe broken leg.
      He returned to help Liverpool win the 2005 UEFA Champions League, coming on as a substitute and scoring a penalty in the shootout against AC Milan as the Reds won their fifth European Cup.
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      Eager to make up for lost time, Cisse started the season by scoring two goals against CSKA Moscow as Liverpool beat CSKA Moscow 3-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco.
      He scored Liverpool’s first goal in the 2006 FA Cup final with an acrobatic effort from a pass by Steven Gerrard, in a game where they were 2-0 up, but eventually won on penalties.
      He joined Marseille initially on loan in 2006, but the deal was made permanent the following summer.
      Cisse returned to English football with Sunderland on loan for the 2008/09 season, under then-manager Roy Keane.
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      Cisse scored 10 league goals for the Black Cats that season, including in a 2-1 win against arch rivals Newcastle in October 2008.
      Despite this, Sunderland didn’t take up the option to buy him permanently, and he returned to Marseille.
      After spells with Panathinaikos and Lazio, Cisse joined QPR in January 2012.
      The Frenchman scored some vital goals for the club, including a goal in a 3-2 comeback victory against former club Liverpool, and a late winner in a 1-0 home victory over Stoke, as the Hoops stayed up by just one point.
      Cisse called time on his career in 2015 due to injury, however he returned to football in 2017 with Swiss club Yverdon.
      He retired again in 2021 after a spell with American side Panathinaikos Chicago.
      He made 41 appearances for France, scoring nine times and appeared at two FIFA World Cup’s.
      He also helped them win the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.
      What happened to Djibril Cisse?
      Cisse has stated that he wants to return to football to reach the 100 goal mark in Ligue 1.
      He played with Marseille, Auxerre and Bastia in the French top division, and is offering his services in order to reach his target.
      Despite this, in January 2023 he was still without a club.
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      Where is Djibril Cisse now?
      Cisse became a model for German supermarket Lidl’s clothing range in 2022.
      He has also had ventures into the music industry, and has occasionally worked as a DJ and producer. More

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      Tottenham receive huge Champions League boost with Pedro Porro available to play despite featuring for Sporting Lisbon

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      PEDRO PORRO will be able to play in Tottenham’s Champions League last 16 clash against AC Milan next month.That is despite the wing-back already featuring for Sporting Lisbon in the competition this season.
      Tottenham are closing in on a loan deal for Pedro PorroCredit: GETTY
      Porro, 23, is undergoing a medical at Spurs ahead of a loan switch from Sporting.
      Tottenham will then have an obligation to make the move permanent in the summer.
      The Spaniard was excellent against Spurs in the Champions League earlier this season.
      And due to Uefa’s registration rules, he will be eligible to turn out at the San Siro on Valentine’s Day.
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      Article 46.01 of Uefa’s laws states: “As of the round of 16, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition.
      “Such registration must be completed by 2 February 2023 (24.00CET) at the latest.
      “This deadline cannot be extended.”
      While article 46.02 confirms: “Any or all of the players from the above quota of three may have been fielded for another club in the qualifying phase, play-offs or group stage of the Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League.”
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      Former Manchester City man Porro discussed his imminent move to North London after being stopped by reporters at Lisbon airport.
      The defender said: “I’m grateful to Sporting, I love the club.
      “I didn’t train as I was only focused on the transfer to Spurs but I will always be thankful to the club.”
      Porro leaves Portuguese giants Sporting having made 98 appearances – in which he’s scored 12 goals and racked up 20 assists. More

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      Barcelona launch crackdown on Man Utd fans for Europa League clash with English IP addresses banned and no child tickets

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      BARCELONA have launched a crackdown on ticket sales ahead of their Europa League fixture against Manchester United.The LaLiga giants are hoping to avoid similar scenes to when they faced Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in the competition last season.
      Barcelona have put measures in place to avoid Man Utd fans from buying home ticketsCredit: Getty
      Last season Eintracht Frankfurt’s fans are estimated to have bought 30,000 tickets to the Europa League clash at the Nou CampCredit: AFP
      The German club’s fans managed to get their hands on a reported 30,000 tickets for the fixture at the Nou Camp, way more than their allocation.
      This led to Barcelona’s home leg feeling a lot more like an away fixture due to the atmosphere created by the Frankfurt supporters.
      To stop this from happening for the Europa League tie against the Red Devils, the Spanish club have implemented measures to reduce the risk.
      The fixture has been deemed as high-risk by the Anti-Violence Commission, which has seen the measures come into action.
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      The club has created an internal transversal committee which will block computers with an IP address coming from England from buying tickets.
      It has also reduced the number of tickets an individual can purchase from six to four.
      The fixture will also not have child tickets available.
      Tour operators have also been hit as only 1,000 tickets will be sold to them to pass on to customers.
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      On the day, there will be random checks on fans, and those who have received a seat from a season ticket holder will have to have the correct form to hand.
      Erik ten Hag’s side have been made aware of the measures that affects the club’s supporters.
      The Red Devils are estimated to have a ticket allocation of 4,700 for the fixture at the 99,354-seater Nou Camp stadium. More

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      England boss Gareth Southgate considering handing Man City starlet Rico Lewis, 18, first international call-up

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      RICO LEWIS is reportedly being considered for his first call-up to the England squad.The 18-year-old has been impressive during his breakout season at Manchester City.
      Rico Lewis is reportedly set for a call-up to EnglandCredit: Getty
      Manager Gareth Southgate is said to be considering naming Lewis in his squadCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Lewis has played eight times in the Premier League, four times in the League Cup and FA Cup, as well as twice in the Champions League.
      He scored his first goal in professional football during the Citizen’s group stage win over Sevilla.
      This has caught the attention of Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate who is considering calling him up, according to the Evening Standard.
      Lewis could be part of the squad for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine in March.
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      The right-back position in the England squad is full of quality with players such as Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold among those competing for a spot.
      However, Walker, 32, and Trippier, 32, are unlikely to be involved in the next international tournaments.
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      Earlier this month City manager Pep Guardiola compared Lewis to his former Bayern Munich star Philipp Lahm.
      He said: “Every movement he does, every position he makes is always better, he came on and Kevin [De Bruyne] played better, Riyad [Mahrez] played better.
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      “He has this ability and it’s not easy to find it, so he’s our little Philipp Lahm.” More

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      Juventus 0 Monza 2: Crisis club Juve fall to 13TH in table with shock defeat to newly-promoted minnows

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      JUVENTUS suffered another blow in their bid for Champions League qualification as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Monza on Sunday.Juventus are languishing in 13th in the Seria A table with 23 points, two places behind Monza.
      Juventus suffered an embarrassing 2-0 home defeat to MonzaCredit: Rex
      The minnows completed a league double over Juve on their Serie A debutCredit: Rex
      Paul Pogba made his return to the squad but was an unused subCredit: Getty
      Massimiliano Allegri’s side have not been able to recover momentum after being docked 15 points this month following an investigation into the club’s transfer dealings.
      Juventus had won eight league games on the bounce either side of the World Cup to get themselves back into contention for a top four finish and perhaps even a late title push.
      But the deduction, coupled with a three-game winless run, leaves them 15 points behind AC Milan in the last Champions League qualification spot.
      And their season went from bad to worse as they lost at home for the first time since April against the minnows.
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      Remarkably, it was their second league defeat of the campaign to the Serie A debutants.
      Monza took the lead after 18 minutes when Jose Machin sent a well-timed through ball to Patrick Ciurria who shot high into the net.
      Dany Mota doubled Monza’s lead six minutes before half-time when he got the ball inside the box, rounded Wojciech Szczesny and slotted into the empty net.
      Juventus dominated the second half but were repeatedly denied by Monza keeper Michele Di Gregorio.
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      There was one positive for the Old Lady, who welcomed back Paul Pogba from injury.
      The midfielder didn’t get on the pitch but was back named in a matchday squad for the first time since Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat at Liverpool almost 10 months ago. More

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      AC Milan 2 Sassuolo 5: Serie A champs thumped in fiery game with ELEVEN yellow cards in blow to Champions League hopes

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      SERIE A champions AC Milan were thumped 5-2 in a fiery home game with Sassuolo that dealt their Champions League hopes a blow. Tempers flared in Milan with 11 yellow cards shown, seven to the hosts and four for the visitors.
      AC Milan were thumped 5-2 in a fiery home gameCredit: EPA
      The title holders are fourth in the league with 38 points, one ahead of Lazio and Roma, who play later on Sunday.
      Milan are still in a Champions League qualification spot but have a game in hand over their rivals.
      Meaning whoever wins between Lazio and Roma will leapfrog them while both have a better goal difference.
      Olivier Giroud thought he had given Milan the lead in the eighth minute, but his celebrations were cut short after being ruled offside by VAR.
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      Sassuolo’s first goal came against the run of play after 19 minutes when Domenico Berardi sent a cross into the box and an unmarked Gregoire Defrel tapped in.
      Davide Frattesi doubled the lead two minutes later when he hammered a low shot into the net.
      Giroud pulled one back for Milan in the 24th minute, heading Davide Calabria’s cross into the top corner, but Berardi quickly restored Sassuolo’s two-goal lead.
      Ante Rebic had a good chance to get a goal in first-half stoppage time, but Sassuolo keeper Andrea Consigli saved his volley.
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      Their woes continued in the second half when Armand Lauriente converted a penalty two minutes after the interval, and Matheus Henrique added the fifth 11 minutes from time.
      Milan had their second goal ruled offside by VAR in the 54th minute when a set piece found an unmarked Rebic inside the box, who tapped it in the net.
      Divock Origi grabbed Milan’s second goal with a well-placed strike from the edge of the box in the 81st minute.
      It leaves the Italian giants winless in four league matches, beaten in their last two.
      And they also came away with the unwanted record of conceding four goals in successive Serie A games for the first time in their history.
      AC Milan sunk to defeat against SassuoloCredit: Getty More