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      Ex-Crystal Palace star Bakary Sako on verge of free transfer to secret Championship club having not played in 15 MONTHS

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      BAKARY SAKO is looking to make a comeback in England — with a Championship team set to bring in the experienced forward this week.Former Crystal Palace and Wolves striker Sako is a free agent after a spell in Cyprus and has been in contact with clubs about a return.
      Former Crystal Palace star Bakary Sako has not played since featuring for Cypriot side Pafos last yearCredit: Getty
      The destination of the France-born attacker, 33, is being kept secret but the interested outfit want to see him train before deciding on a deal.
      Sako has not played for more than a year since he left Cypriot side Pafos in 2020.
      He enjoyed two spells with Palace, the first of which came between 2015 and 2018 when he joined from Wolves.
      Sako played 50 times and scored eight goals before leaving for West Brom.
      He only spent four months at The Hawthorns before returning to Palace in 2019.
      He then featured another four times for Palace before leaving for Cyprus.

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      But after just six games for Pafos he became a free agent in 2020 and has been unable to find a club ever since.
      Meanwhile, Palace playmaker Ebere Eze is ahead of schedule in his recovery from an Achilles injury.
      There were initial fears the 23-year-old would be out until the new year after sustaining the problem in training at the back end of last season.
      But he is back running and doing ball work already – as he revealed himself in an online clip on Tuesday to the delight of fans. More

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      Jack Wilshere spotted in Arsenal coat with pals as he watches Under-23s against Bournemouth

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      JACK WILSHERE was spotted in an Arsenal coat as he watched the Gunners’ Under-23s against Bournemouth.The former Arsenal star has been a free agent since leaving the Cherries at the end of last season and headed back to his old club to watch the youth teams.
      Jack Wilshere sported an Arsenal coat as he watched their Under-23s play BournemouthCredit: Getty
      Wilshere has been a free agent since leaving the Vitality at the end of last seasonCredit: Getty
      He was in attendance at the Vitality to watch the 1-1 draw in the Premier League cup on Wednesday night.
      Ex-England midfielder Wilshere was offered the chance to train with the Gunners by boss Mikel Arteta last month.
      He has spent time in Italy this summer training at Serie B side Como in order to build up his fitness.
      But due to the minnows being unable to register players from outside the European Union, Wilshere was not able to be signed by the Italian outfit.
      When quizzed about whether the ex-England international could train with them, Arteta said: “He’s someone that I know, that I shared a dressing room with.

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      “He’s so loved around the club with every person here. Our doors are always open.”
      Wilshere, who was released by Bournemouth after spending the second half of last season in the Championship, told the ITV Football Show: “Listen, you never know.
      “I’m an Arsenal man.
      “I’ve not spoken to anyone or anything but that would be the dream.
      “I’m not stupid to know that there’s probably no chance of it happening but I’m an Arsenal man, I love the club and want to see the club do well.”
      ‘INSIDE INFORMATION’
      Former Gunner David Hillier, 51, said on the Highbury Squad Podcast: “I have got inside information on this.
      “I am a lucky man, so I am actually playing golf on Friday with a guy who does all his security systems at his house and he is very friendly with him.
      “He was telling me about him. They are good friends, anyway, from back in the day.
      “He said to me that he is just training at the club to try to get another club. There’s no offer of pay-as-play. He hasn’t even spoken to anyone at the club.
      “He is happy to take a Championship club and just get back into football. He just wants to play. He wants to get fit.”
      Wilshere was Arsenal’s youngest ever debutant at 16.
      But after his breakthrough under Arsene Wenger he was unfortunately ravaged by injury.
      He enjoyed a loan spell at Bournemouth during the 2016-17 campaign and went on to feature 40 times for the North London side the next season.
      However, Unai Emery’s arrival signalled the end of his time at the Emirates and he departed for West Ham in 2018 but was allowed to leave the Hammers a year ago after playing 16 times in the top-flight for them.
      He was most recently linked with a move to Newcastle… in Australia.
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from The Emirates

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      Arsenal still owed £8m by crisis club Derby for Krystian Bielik as desperate Rams step up search for new owner

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      DERBY COUNTY reportedly owe Arsenal an outstanding fee for the purchase of former Gunners midfielder Krystian Bielik.Telegraph Sport claims the Emirates giants are one of the Rams main creditors after the two sides made a deal over the sale of the player.
      Arsenal are still owed £8million by Derby in transfer fees for Krystian BielikCredit: PA:Press Association
      It is thought groups or individuals interested in purchasing the Pride Park club will have to take responsibility for its liabilities which is reported to be in the region of ‘tens of millions of pounds”
      And Derby, who play Swansea next, are claimed to still owe the Gunners £8m for Bielik who signed for the Rams in August 2019 when Philip Cocu was managing the team. 
      The Poland player, who has two senior international caps, joined Derby for a club-record fee reported to be worth up to £10m. 
      It is thought the agreement between the sides enabled the Rams to pay a small chunk of the transfer fee upfront with the rest of the cost to be paid in structured instalments. 
      However, the Telegraph reports that only £2million has been paid so far.
      It is claimed that any prospective owners interested in buying the Rams are expected to take on transfer fee payments owed to Arsenal. 

      Earlier this week Derby are reported to have axed the jobs of twenty staff with administrators overseeing cost-cutting measures at the Championships. 
      The BBC says jobs were cutting despite administrators hoping to obtain some-term funding next week. 
      This month it has been claimed the Rams were late paying one of their transfer instalments to Arsenal.
      This is thought to have resulted in the Football League temporarily adding a charge to their transfer embargo before the situation was remedied. 
      Reports claim the Gunners have been informed they will receive the transfer fees owed to them with the Rams’ administrators including the figure in financial negotiations with interested buyers. 
      Bielik, who made 15 Championship appearances for the Rams last term, is currently recovering from a knee injury. 
      The defensive midfielder’s injury is reported to be his second knee problem since joining Derby two years ago. 
      It is thought the Rams, who went into administration in September, also owe money to Polish outfit Lech Poznan for the purchase of winger Kamil Jozwiak. 
      And it is claimed the fee owed for the player takes Derby’s transfer fee ‘debts’ over  £10m. 
      The Poland winger joined the Rams for £4m in September 2020. 
      The Rams are reported to owe £26million to HM Revenues and CustomsCredit: PA
      Derby’s financial challenges include £26million owed to HM Revenues and Customs. 
      It is reported Phillip Cocu, who was sacked by the side in November, will not receive £5million owed in compensation to him following the club entering administration. 
      And it is thought the club’s administrators Quantuma has distributed marketing materials to groups and individuals interested in buying the Rams.

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      Wayne Rooney slams ‘disrespectful’ Derby owner Mel Morris for keeping him in dark as club entered administration More

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      Football fans set to be allowed to drink alcohol at their seats after 36-year ban if review recommendation is allowed

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      FOOTBALL FANS could be allowed to drink alcohol in STANDS in the near future following a fan-led government review.Supporters haven’t been allowed to enjoy booze while watching football since 1985 but a change in the rules is to be recommended.
      Fans are allowed to drink from their seats at cricket matchesCredit: Getty
      According to The Times, ex-sport minister and Conservative MP Tracey Crouch has completed an independent review of the matter.
      She is set to push for a pilot on serving alcohol at clubs in the National League and League Two with a view to extending it to a higher level.
      British football’s 36-year ban on alcohol being drank in stands was introduced in a bid to battle hooliganism.
      Other top European leagues allow supporters to enjoy a pint in their seats while they watch the action unfold.
      There is also no such ban in other British sports, such as cricket and rugby.
      Crouch believes the move could encourage fans not to binge drink before games and will generate much-needed revenue for lower-league clubs.

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      She told The Times: “Take a club like Dulwich Hamlet, which is in National League South. It’s revenue is generated through its refreshments.
      “If it gets promoted to the National League Premier, it effectively stops generating that revenue during a game.
      “They said openly in evidence to us that they cannot afford to get promoted because of the rules around alcohol.
      “Lots of clubs generate a lot of their income through their bars and I think it’s time to look at this issue again.

      “We do have this bizarre situation where you can go to Headingley and drink as a cricket fan, but go to Elland Road and you can’t drink as a football fan.
      “We kettle people into drinking quickly at half-time. And that is the unhealthy aspect of the football fan’s relationship with alcohol.
      “They drink a lot in a short space of time. So my recommendation is to pilot this and not have to down a pint at half-time.”
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      Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris, 27, hit with four-game ban and £5k fine for historic tweets nine years ago

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      PETERBOROUGH talisman Jonson Clarke-Harris will miss the next four matches after being banned for tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013.The striker, 27, has also been fined £5,300 by the FA, and will undergo a face-to-face education programme.
      Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris has been banned for four-matches
      The tweets in question referred to sexual orientation.
      Clarke-Harris was charged with breaching FA rule E3.1 and E3.2 in August.
      An FA spokesperson said: “Peterborough United FC’s Jonson Clarke-Harris has been suspended for four matches, fined £5,300 and is required to complete a face-to-face education programme after admitting six breaches of FA Rule E3 in relation to social media comments posted between 27 October 2012 and 6 March 2013.
      “The comments were insulting, abusive, improper and brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.
      “The comments also constitute “an aggravated breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as they included reference to sexual orientation.
      “An independent Regulatory Commission was subsequently convened and imposed the above sanction during a paper hearing. Their written reasons will be published in due course.”

      The punishment means Clarke-Harris will miss key Posh games against Coventry, Bournemouth, Bristol City and Middlesbrough.
      Outspoken owner Darragh MacAnthony has not yet responded after briefly to reacting to the charge in August.
      He said previously: “Somebody, just after we won promotion, spent hours going through a then-18-year-old’s tweets to find stuff and then reported him. World we live in nowadays. More on this nearer time of hearing etc.”
      Peterborough are yet to comment publicly on the matter.
      Wayne Rooney slams ‘disrespectful’ Derby owner Mel Morris for keeping him in dark as club entered administration More

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      Chelsea icon Frank Lampard almost ‘pulled his phone out’ to sort transfers after seeing state of Derby dressing room

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      FRANK LAMPARD has revealed the extent to which he had to get his hands dirty to bring in players at Derby.The Chelsea legend was in charge at the Rams for a season before taking the reins at his beloved Blues.
      Lampard in the Derby hotseat before his move to ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Such was the state of the Derby squad in 2018 when Lampard met owner Mel Morris, he thought he was going to have to tap up some promising Chelsea youngsters ‘there and then’.
      Lampard told the All To Play For podcast: “When I went up to see Mel the first time after taking the job, we had all the players on the tactics board in the manager’s room.
      “(Andreas) Weimann was there, a good quick player with an eye for goal, then Mel said he’s off to Bristol.
      “Then (Matej) Vydra, one of the best players in the Championship the year before, Mel says he’s definitely going too.
      “I looked at it and thought I need to get a couple of loans in as soon as possible and nearly took my phone out there and then.”

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      The Chelsea connection eventually told as Lampard brought in the emerging Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori to inject some youth into his Derby side.
      He added: “Mason Mount, Harry Wilson and Fikayo Tomori brought in a lot of energy and enthusiasm for us but I did also realise I underestimated the rest of the squad.
      “The likes of Nugent, Keogh, Bryson and Johnson, I found them all to be fantastic professionals and excellent players.”
      One of Lampard’s former England team-mates Wayne Rooney is now at the Derby helm as they face further challenges.
      The team have entered administration and been docked 12 points by the EFL, with club officials blaming Covid for ruining club finances.
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      Wayne Rooney’s Derby players to be asked if they can have pay DELAYED amid club’s financial crisis

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      WAYNE ROONEY’S Derby players will be asked to accept a pay DELAY to help the crisis-stricken club.The Rams plunged from 12th to bottom of the Championship on minus two points on Wednesday — having been docked 12 points for entering administration.
      Derby boss Wayne Rooney has vowed to help his stars amid the crisisCredit: Rex
      Rams insiders revealed that funds are low at the bank after owner Mel Morris’ reign and it will be a major effort to cover  payroll for the next few months.
      Derby appointed administrators Quantuma to run the club as they try to find a buyer.
      A request will be made for the squad to allow the Rams to hold back a chunk of their salaries — around a third — rather than be paid in full at the end of the month.
      That will be a blow for the new faces in Rooney’s group, who signed on the maximum £4,500-a-week wage the club were allowed to pay under EFL restrictions.
      Some will see their salary temporarily reduced to around £3,000 a week in the first major cutback measure at Pride Park.
      The players may have no option but to accept this deferral plan, while Derby hope the EFL will also give it the green light rather than add a three-point penalty for late payments.
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      Overall the payroll saving would work out at around £400,000 a month.
      This money would be returned once a new buyer for the club is in place.
      Defender Curtis Davies, 36, reckons the players are lucky to have boss Rooney in this crisis.
      He said: “He’s a born winner. Obviously  it would be easy for him to walk away.
      Wayne didn’t need it in the summer when he couldn’t sign the players he wanted — but he’s willing to stand by us.Curtis Davies
      “But he’s in the meetings and he’s telling us, ‘I’ll stand in front of you, I’ll back you all the way. I’ll be the main one to take on any flak, any questions, whatever needs to be done.  I’ll be in the trenches with you’.
      “The biggest compliment you can give Wayne is he doesn’t need it.
      “He didn’t need it in the summer when he couldn’t sign the players he wanted — but he’s willing to stand by us. That shows how much he wants to succeed in management.”

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      Wayne Rooney reacts to the news Derby County is heading into administration More