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    Real Madrid plot stunning Erling Haaland transfer just days after Man City announce deal amid £130m release clause claim

    REAL MADRID are already plotting a future swoop for Erling Haaland – just days after his arrival at Manchester City, according to reports.Haaland, 21, was officially unveiled as a Man City player earlier this week.
    Haaland was unveiled as a Man City player last week, but Real Madrid are already considering a future swoopCredit: Getty
    The Sky Blues reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund in May for the £51million transfer of the superstar striker.
    They faced stiff competition from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona for his signature, but the prospect of working under Pep Guardiola in the Premier League was too good for Haaland to turn down.
    However, Real Madrid have not given up in their pursuit for the striker just yet.
    According to Spanish outlet AS, Los Blancos are prepared to trigger an alleged £130m release clause in 2024.
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    Haaland is said to have requested the clause to be put in his contract as he is still keen to play for the LaLiga giants at some point in his career.
    Previous reports have suggested that Man City are expecting him to move to Spain in future.
    The idea was even discussed during initial talks between the club and the player’s representatives.
    Real Madrid were once confident that they would be able to sign Haaland AND Kylian Mbappe, however, they missed out on both players.
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    Shortly after Man City revealed that a deal had been agreed for the Norwegian striker, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Mbappe will remain at the Parc des Princes.
    The Frenchman signed a lucrative contract with the Parisians worth a staggering £500m.
    The deal will see him stay at the club until 2025. More

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    Gareth Bale officially named Real Madrid ‘legend’ despite fallout with club’s fans in glittering nine-year spell

    GARETH BALE has been officially named as a Real Madrid ‘legend’.The Wales captain leaves the Spanish giants when his contract expires at the end of this month.
    Gareth Bale leaves Real Madrid as a five-time Champions League winnerCredit: Getty
    Bale, who won the Champions League five times, has been added to the legends section of the club’s website.
    The 32-year-old’s profile has the headline, ‘The unforgettable bicycle kick to clinch La Decimotercera’ after his remarkable goal against Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final.
    Bale spent nine seasons at Real following his £86million move from Spurs in 2013.
    He scored 106 goals in 258 appearances.
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    And during that time he lifted 16 major trophies at the Bernabeu.
    Bale had a tough relationship with the Spanish media as well as the club’s fans.
    But he received a standing ovation at Real’s Champions League celebrations following their Paris triumph last month.
    Marcelo and Isco have also received the same honour as Bale, who has been heavily linked with Cardiff as he bids to arrive at November’s World Cup in peak condition.
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    When recently asked directly about a switch to the Championship and his hometown club, the star replied: “I can’t really say.
    “I haven’t really looked at everything yet. I have options. I don’t have a timescale.
    “I know possible destinations but it’s something I need to sit down, first and foremost with my family, and then I need to speak with managers and physios and decide what’s the best move for me, my family and my kids.” More

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    Meet Marc Roca, the incoming Leeds star compared to Xabi Alonso who could replace Kalvin Phillips

    NEW Leeds star Marc Roca was billed as the heir to Xabi Alonso and the answer to Sergio Busquets when he signed for Bayern Munich in 2020.And Whites fans will now be praying the Spaniard is not the replacement to Kalvin Phillips after securing an initial £10million move from the German giants.
    Roca came through the ranks at Espanyol before moving to Bayern Munich in 2020Credit: Getty
    A defensive midfielder, Jesse Marsch hopes to play Roca, 25, alongside the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ in the Elland Road engine room.
    But Manchester City are determined to land the England star, who Leeds will demand more than £50m for.
    If Phillips crosses the Pennines to Manchester, it will fall on Roca to be the Yorkshireman’s new anchor.
    So, who is the left-footed midfielder Bayern let go after two years and just six league starts?
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    Roca was born in Vilafranca del Penedes, a town in Catalonia 34 miles away from Barcelona.
    But rather than developing at Barca’s famed La Masia academy, he moved up through the youth ranks at local rivals Espanyol before being handed his La Liga debut by ex-Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores in 2016, aged 20.
    After three goals and six assists across 121 games, Espanyol were relegated – and Bayern swooped.
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    Roca signed a five-year in 2020 deal and there was plenty of excitement in Bavaria, with the official Bundesliga website describing him as “Bayern Munich’s long-awaited heir to Xabi Alonso and answer to Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets”.
    However, two years down the line and it is fair to say that hype was misplaced.
    Competing against Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in the heart of midfield, Roca failed to establish himself as a regular starter under either Hansi Flick or Julian Nagelsmann.
    He made just two league starts in his first campaign and was sent off against RB Salzburg in his Champions League debut, with his fortunes barely improving last season as he started only four games.
    Yet things were looking up after Roca starred in a 5-0 win over Stuttgart in December when Nagelsmann said: “I praised him in the dressing room after the game. I don’t usually praise individual players in front of the others but today he deserved it.
    “We know he’s a good footballer, but the way he fought and gave everything was impressive. I love the kind of players who prove the coach wrong and show him it was a mistake not to play them often.”
    Roca was compared to legend Xabi Alonso, who retired at Bayern in 2017Credit: AFP or licensors
    Leeds fans hope Roca will be partnered beside Kalvin Phillips, rather than replace the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’Credit: Getty
    But if Roca hoped that would prove a turning point, his luck was out – he played the next two games before not starting another single match and being placed on the transfer list.  
    For his country, Roca was part of Spain’s U21 Euro-winning squad in 2019.
    He comes with a reputation for passing and composure while in Spain his defensive work drew comparisons with Busquets, Barcelona’s master of the dark arts.
    Bayern technical director Michael Reschke added: “Roca plays like a quarter-back. He has good passing, short and long range, his technique is good and he has a good mentality.
    “Defensively, he is very aggressive in one on one situations and brings a lot of emotion to the team. He was certainly well respected by his teammates. The one downside perhaps is that he could be a little stronger.”
    Leeds supporters are understandably buzzing at the arrival of a player deemed the future of Bayern Munich just two years ago.
    They just hope Roca has not been brought in to fill a massive Kalvin Phillips-shaped hole.  More

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    Real Madrid were desperate to ‘make fun’ of Salah in Champions League as Modric’s taunt to Liverpool star is revealed

    RODRYGO has revealed how Real Madrid used Mohamed Salah as motivation ahead of the Champions League final last month.Los Blancos lifted the trophy for the 14th time after defeating Liverpool in a narrow 1-0 win at the Stade de France.
    Real Madrid defeated Liverpool to win the Champions League last monthCredit: Getty
    Modric made fun of Salah after the final whistleCredit: AFP
    In the build-up to the event, Salah had spoken out about wanting revenge for the Reds’ 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the 2018 final, where he was forced off with an injury.
    He said: “I want to play Madrid. It’s personal.
    “Personally I would prefer Madrid [rather than Man City] because we lost in the final so I want to play against them and hopefully win it from them.”
    The winger also took to Twitter prior to the match to say: “We have a score to settle.”
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    Now, Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has said that many of his teammates used the comments as motivation during training.
    When speaking on the Podpah podcast, he said: “When a guy provokes, sometimes you just want to win so you can make fun of them.
    “In training we used to say ‘come Salah, come Salah’… in our head it was already ‘we have to win to then make fun of Salah’.”
    He also revealed that Luka Modric was quick to take a dig at the Liverpool star after the final whistle.
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    He added: “When the game was over, the Real Madrid players made a runner.
    “Liverpool were passing by, Salah was going through a little sad, head down.
    “Modric looked at him and said: ‘Thank you, Salah, next time you try again.’ I started laughing.”
    Real Madrid enjoyed another successful campaign last season, adding a 35th La Liga title to their long list of accolades along with the Champions League. More

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    PSG ‘hoped Man Utd would make move for Mauricio Pochettino as their new boss last year to avoid paying him off’

    PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN hoped Manchester United would try to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as manager to avoid paying him off.The Argentine, 50, is set to leave the French giants after disappointing in the Champions League.
    Mauricio Pochettino has pocketed a £17million payoffCredit: AFP
    Pochettino will receive £17million in compensation for his troubles as he had one year left on his contract.
    But according to The Telegraph, PSG wanted United to try and appoint Pochettino, having been linked to him after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
    United made a move for Pochettino last November but were blocked from contacting the manager by PSG.
    And although the Red Devils reportedly retained an interest in the former Tottenham boss the club went a different direction by appointing Erik ten Hag.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}MAN UTD NEWS .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Man Utd OFFER Christian Eriksen deal, Barcelona ‘drop De Jong price to £70m’
    Pochettino is said to be keen on a return to the Premier League and could have moved back to Spurs if Antonio Conte decided to leave.
    PSG are now on the lookout for a new manager having already been linked to Jose Mourinho.
    Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is also being lined up but his advisor Alain Migliaccio denied a deal had been reached.
    There is significant change happening in Paris this summer with sporting director Leonardo set to leave.
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    Luis Campos has arrived at his replacement per Kylian Mbappe’s request and the forward could have a say in the next managerial appointment too.
    Mbappe reportedly has influence over transfers following his new £500m contract but he had to deny claims he wants to axe 14 players from the squad. More

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    Cristiano Ronaldo’s EIGHT Champions League records revealed as Man Utd ace cements his place as best ever in competition

    CRISTIANO RONALDO is considered by many to be one of football’s greatest of all time, and his record in the Champions League certainly proves this. The Manchester United forward seems to relish the opportunity to play in the competition as proven by the set of EIGHT records he holds to his name in the tournament.
    Ronaldo celebrates a goal during this seasons Champions League campaignCredit: Getty
    Twitter user @CR7prime_ outlined these records, the first being the most crucial one for the striker’s job description; goals scored.
    Ronaldo holds the record for most goals in the Champions League with 140, and unbelievably he didn’t score once until his fourth season in the competition with Man United.
    The next record he holds is the most assists record. In both this metric and goals scored he leads the next best player who is Lionel Messi.
    There are conflicting values for the total amount he has, with some sources saying the Portuguese star has 48 assists, while others claim he has 42.
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    Sticking on the theme of goals, Ronaldo also holds the record for the most hat-tricks and braces in the competition.
    He is joint with Messi with eight hat-tricks scored, seven of which came with Real Madrid – and a value which is three more than the next best player Robert Lewandowski who has five hat-tricks.
    In terms of braces, Ronaldo eclipses Messi by just four, earning his 38th brace in the Champions League for Man United against Atalanta in the group stage.
    The 37-year-old also holds the record for the most goals by a player in a single season, thanks to his 17 goals in the 2013/14 season.
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    In fact, Ronaldo also takes up the second and third spots here with 16 goals in two more seasons – the 15/16 and 17/18 seasons, both years Madrid won the Champions League.
    His longevity is also something to be marvelled at. He also lays claim to the joint record of the most opponents scored against with 38 – shared with – who else – Messi.
    But ultimately, what use are goals and assists if a player cannot win games and titles with them? Well Ronaldo has done just that as well.
    He holds the record for the most wins in the Champions League with 113 and is joined only by former teammate Iker Casillas as the only other player to reach 100 wins, though this may come with the territory of having the most games played as well.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}QUICK FIX .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}My $40 Shein bridesmaid dress came in the wrong color days before the wedding
    Ronaldo is also not one to shy away from the big occasion. He has the most final wins in the competition’s history with five.
    This record is shared by a number of his Madrid teammates – including Dani Carvajal, Karim Benzema, and Luka Modric after their triumph over Liverpool in this season’s competition.
    However, the record for the most titles goes to former Madrid star Paco Gento, who has six.
    Indeed, as many as 17 other players lay claim to five Champions League titles along with Ronaldo.

    Ronaldo actually holds even more records to his name, and thus his title as the best player to ever grace the Champions League certainly cannot be refuted. At least for the time being.
    After a poor season for Man United, Ronaldo is facing the prospect of not playing in the Champions League and instead dipping into the Europa League – a tournament he has never played in before.
    Real Madrid celebrate another Champions League titleCredit: Getty More

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    ‘There is a perception’ – Gareth Bale claims he doesn’t play golf as much as people think and defends injury record

    GARETH BALE claims he does not play as much golf as people think.The Wales captain leaves Real Madrid at the end of this month where goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois coined him ‘The Golfer’.
    Bale will leave Real Madrid at the end of this monthCredit: Getty
    The 32-year-old played a vital role in helping Wales earn a place in this year’s World CupCredit: PA
    Bale had a turbulent relationship with the Bernabeu crowd after holding the infamous ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’ banner after qualifying for Euro 2020.
    The 32-year-old ended on good terms but the golf nut claims the public have a false perception of him.
    Bale said: “I’ve been available for quite a lot of the games in Spain. Sometimes you just don’t get picked so people assume that you’re injured.
    “There is a perception I play a lot of golf which I don’t or people think I’m injured a lot, when I’m actually not.”
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Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Read More on Gareth Bale.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}BALE BATTLE .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Bale transfer news: Cardiff still odds on favourites ahead of Newcastle, Forest
    Bale, who opened the door on a sensational move to hometown club Cardiff on Monday, also reflected on his Real career where he had a glittering nine-year spell in Spain.
    The forward won the Champions League five times after the Spanish giants beat Liverpool in the Paris final last month.
    Bale added: “It’s been a massive success. If you offered me 10 per cent, I’d have bitten your hand off at the start. It’s been a good time.
    “There’s been some high and low times but that’s football. I feel like I’ve overachieved myself.
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Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea in horror openers
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    “After leaving Real, I’ve had a day or two to reflect and you can’t really argue with five Champions League winners’ medals. To go to a major tournament with Wales.
    “I’m happy with what I’ve done in my career and hopefully there is just one more cherry on top.
    “The next step is massively important to ensure I’m playing games and I’m as fit as possible. Coming into this camp I wasn’t fit at all. I didn’t have much game time.
    “Sometimes I’m able to get away with it. Ideally I want to go into a World Cup playing games and be as effective as I can be on the pitch.”
    Cardiff have reportedly stepped up their interest in Bale, with chairman Mehmet Dalman set to lead negotiations over an audacious transfer.
    However, the winger will have to accept a huge pay cut to facilitate a deal.

    Bale has said that he does NOT play a lot of golf, despite perceptionsCredit: Getty – Contributor More

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    Neymar plays in World Series of Poker but lasts less than one day in high-stakes Las Vegas tournament

    NEYMAR has been spotted playing in the high-stakes World Series Poker tournament in Las Vegas, but was eliminated in his first day.The Paris-Saint Germain star is a real Poker enthusiast, with the Brazilian even admitting he wants to go pro after he hangs up his football boots.
    Neymar made his first in-person appearance as a playerCredit: Getty
    Neymar couldn’t come out on top this time aroundCredit: Getty

    Although, it seems he still has some way to go before he is able to win a tournament with the big boys.
    Neymar, 30, entered the Las Vegas tournament as one of 74 entrants on the first day of the three-day competition which has a reported prize pool of nearly £709,000.
    According to on-site reports from PokerStars, Neymar was very active in his style of play, fighting for every pot and playing lots of hands in a bid to come out on top.
    The buy-in for the competition was said to be over £8,200, or $10,000, meaning Neymar lost all of this money due to not even being able to make day two.
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    The winger has said his fascination with Poker began at the 2014 World Cup, and he originally qualified for the 2016 WSOP but couldn’t attend due to participation in the summer’s Olympic Games.
    But six years on he finally managed to make his appearance.
    However, while his career as a Poker player may just be in its infancy, his career as a footballer could take a dramatic turn this summer with PSG reportedly open to selling him.
    Following his record-breaking £198million transfer from Barcelona to PSG, Neymar has been beset by injuries and has been unable to taste Champions League glory in Paris.
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    Following the signing of Kylian Mbappe’s new contract, reports have emerged which indicate the Parisians are open to selling Neymar this summer.
    Neymar has scored 100 goals and contributed 60 assists in 144 games. More