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    Man Utd, City, Chelsea and Liverpool in major Jude Bellingham transfer boost as Real Madrid set £88m limit

    REAL MADRID have reportedly set a limit on how much they will pay for Jude Bellingham.And the news comes as a boost to Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, who are all linked with a swoop for the teenage sensation.
    Jude Bellingham is a summer transfer target for Europe’s top clubsCredit: Rex
    Spanish newspaper AS claim Real Madrid have set a limit on how much they will pay for BellinghamCredit: AS
    Spanish newspaper AS claim Real Madrid will not fork out more than £88million for Bellingham.
    The La Liga giants are adamant that they will not overpay for the 19-year-old.
    It’s thought Real hope to persuade Bellingham to snub a Premier League move and tempt him to the Bernabeu thanks to the club’s “legendary history”.
    But Real are refusing to enter a bidding war for Bellingham – on both the transfer fee and his salary.
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    The club know any potential fee is in the same sort of ballpark as what they would have to pay for a striker.
    Karim Benzema is 35-years-old and Real know buying a new goalscorer in the near future will not be cheap, meaning they do not want to overpay for Bellingham.
    Liverpool and City are reported to be the two front runners for his signature.
    Borussia Dortmund are also hopeful of keeping Bellingham for another season, and reportedly plan on offering him a contract extension with a mammoth pay rise and release clause for 2024.
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    However, Real Madrid are hopeful of reaching an agreement with Borussia Dortmund if Bellingham opts to join them.
    AS report the two clubs have an “excellent” relationship, and negotiations would not prove to be much of a problem.
    Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke are said to be good friends.
    Although Real appear prepared to miss out on Bellingham if a bidding war drives his price up past £88m. More

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    Arsenal ‘confident they will win Declan Rice transfer race thanks to Mikel Arteta despite Man Utd and Chelsea interest’

    ARSENAL are growing in confidence they can win the race to land their number one target Declan Rice this summer, according to reports.The West Ham captain is also attracting interest from Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United.
    Rice is widely expected to leave West Ham this summer with plenty of interest in his signatureCredit: Rex
    The Gunners have had a superb season so far and sit top of the Premier League eight points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City.
    The club’s owners are ready to back Arteta in the transfer market as they look to build on the progress made this season.
    According to the Evening Standard they are confident of winning the battle for Rice.
    Rice, 24, is viewed as an ideal acquisition and fits the north Londoner’s recruitment model.
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    The England international harbours ambitions to play in the Champions league, win trophies and has his best years ahead of him.
    There’s an acceptance within West Ham that their star man will leave this summer when he will only have one year left on his contract.
    Arsenal tried to sign a midfielder in January with Rice considered but they opted for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, having two bids rejected.
    Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can add to their pulling power by being able to offer Champions League football instantly and point to the Spaniard’s record of developing young players.
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    Chelsea have been long term admirers of Rice and released him as a 14 year old from their academy.
    The West Ham man also has a very close friendship with Mason Mount but the uncertainty over Mount’s future coupled with the fact Chelsea are unlikely to be playing Champion’s League football next season doesn’t help their cause.
    Interest from the Manchester clubs would further add to the competition for Rice’s signature with United having scouted him and City expected to be in the market for a midfielder this summer.
    The Hammers will be hoping the strong interest in Rice enables them to maximise the fee they can get for the midfielder but will struggle to get near the £150million they have asked for in the past. More

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    Chelsea preparing to use Rudiger’s free transfer exit as one reason for £121m losses in fight against spending breaches

    CHELSEA will fight against potential Premier League spending breaches by citing Antonio Rudiger’s free exit as one reason behind their massive financial losses.The Blues face a huge summer clear-out after revealing a whopping £121million loss for last season.
    Chelsea will cite Antonio Rudiger’s Real Madrid move as a reason behind their financial lossesCredit: Getty
    Rudiger quit on a free transfer after failing to agree a new deal during sanctionsCredit: Reuters
    Todd Boehly is under pressure to balance the books quickly or risk Financial Fair Play sanctions.
    And Chelsea could be forced into selling an entire XI of star players this summer.
    Boehly has already partly blamed the loss on “extraordinary expenses and loss of revenue” after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned a year ago.
    Chelsea were barred from receiving revenue for two months after being put on a government licence until the May 28 takeover.
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    The Blues were also unable to hold talks over new contracts for players.
    If they are charged with FFP breaches by the Premier League, they will reportedly also cite Rudiger’s inability to strike a new deal as a potential loss of income.
    The German defender was a key player under previous boss Thomas Tuchel.
    Chelsea were desperate to tie him down to a long-term contract despite his advancing years.
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    But Rudiger eventually decided to leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer for European and Spanish champions Real Madrid.
    At the time of his departure, Rudiger was valued at £35m by Transfermarkt.
    And Chelsea weren’t even able to command a transfer fee due to his expiring contract.
    However, should Rudiger’s exit be cited, the Premier League could ask for evidence Chelsea realistically hoped to extend the German’s deal.
    Other players like Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen left for free last summer.
    But they went after June 30, the end of the the 2021/22 accounting period. More

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    Mason Mount lined up for stunning Bayern Munich transfer to reunite with ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel

    THOMAS TUCHEL is ready to raid former club Chelsea for Mason Mount.Tuchel is back in work with German giants Bayern Munich after being sacked by the Blues in September.
    Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of Mason Mount who was a key part of his Chelsea teamCredit: Getty
    He has only been in the job for a few days and wants at least three or four matches to properly size up his new squad before drawing up transfer plans for the summer.
    But Tuchel is a huge fan of unsettled Mount who is in a contract stand off at Stamford Bridge.
    And there are already early suggestions the six-times European champions will approach Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly about striking a deal in the summer.
    There has been no contact whatsoever between the two parties so far.
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    Tuchel replaced Julian Nagelsmann last Friday with Bayern second in the Bundesliga – one point adrift of leaders Borussia Dortmund.
    Mount, 24, was one his favourite players during the German’s 18 months at Stamford Bridge.
    The player has just over a year left on his current contract and talks have stalled over a new one.
    Mount is recovering from a groin injury at present but is hoping to be fit for Saturday’s Premier League home clash with Aston Villa.
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    At the moment he wants to shelve any distractions from getting back into the team and playing as many games as possible for Chelsea in the remaining two months of the season.
    Tuchel dropped him from his first game in charge as Chelsea boss in January 2021 but came off the bench with seven minutes to go and never looked back.
    He went on to play in six different positions under the manager and supplied the assist for team-mate Kai Havertz to win the Champions League for a second time for Chelsea in the 2021 final against Manchester City.
    Mount has been with Chelsea since he was six years old but with negotiations about a new deal struggling, rival clubs are circling.
    He has already been linked with Premier League rivals Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
    Bayern Munich join Italians Juventus as a queue of European titans starts to form with time ticking away on Mount’s deal which expires in June 2024.
    If there is no resolution, Chelsea may well prefer to sell him to a foreign club rather than a fellow English team to avoid facing him in the Premier League. More

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    Chelsea star Mateo Kovacic wanted by ex-boss Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich on free transfer as contract runs down

    MATEO KOVACIC is reportedly wanted by Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich as his contract runs down at Chelsea.The Croatian has been at Stamford Bridge, first on loan and now permanently, since 2018 and is popular with the fanbase.
    Thomas Tuchel is a fan of Mateo Kovacic and started him regularly when he was Chelsea bossCredit: Getty
    But his contract expires in 16 months and he would be available as a free transfer if he does not extend his deal before the end of next season.
    And the Evening Standard report Tuchel, his former manager with the Blues, is among those looking at the star.
    The German was installed as Bayern boss last week, quickly after the shock sacking of Julian Nagelsmann, and has already set his sights on his ex-club.
    Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, is also keen to bring in Blues coach Anthony Barry.
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    The interest in Kovacic goes beyond just his former boss with Manchester City also believed to be a fan of the dynamic midfielder.
    The 28-year-old is seen as an important first-team player and has even served as Chelsea’s captain over the last four games due to absences of major stars like Thiago Silva.
    But manager Graham Potter and chairman Todd Boehly have big decisions to make on outgoings after the club announced a huge loss of £121m earlier this week.
    The London club now face a huge summer clear-out to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, having spend over £600m on new signings in the last year.
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    Profitable homegrown stars like midfielder Mason Mount, Trevoh Chalobah, Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi are among the players who the club could potentially sell.
    But one squad member who is expected to stay is N’Golo Kante, who has not played a senior game for Chelsea since August.
    The Frenchman, who turns 32 tomorrow, has been struggling with injury for much of the season but could soon put pen to paper on a contract extension.
    He is on the path back to full fitness with some of his supportive teammates cheering him on at an U21 game earlier this month. More

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    Borussia Dortmund ‘have secret plan to keep Jude Bellingham’ in transfer blow to Man Utd, Chelsea, City and Liverpool

    BORUSSIA DORTMUND reportedly have a “secret plan” to keep hold of star player Jude Bellingham.The England international is one of the most sought after talents in European football with a host of clubs interested in signing him this summer.
    Borussia Dortmund are reportedly planning a new contract for Jude BellinghamCredit: Getty
    Sides such as Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all been credited with an interest in the midfielder.
    However, they could all be set for disappointment in their pursuit of Bellingham as Dortmund are determined to keep him at Signal Iduna Park.
    According to the German media outlet Bild, Dortmund are hoping to keep hold of him for one more season.
    The club are planning to offer him a new contract that would see his salary increase by 150 per cent up to £13million for the year.
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    The outlet also claims that his contract would include a release clause of £131m.
    This would allow the 19-year-old to leave the club to potential buyers while also guaranteeing the Bundesliga side a large transfer fee.
    This means that interested clubs would have to wait another year to sign the former Birmingham City prospect.
    The report suggests that Real Madrid are currently the favourites to sign Bellingham.
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    The LaLiga side are looking for replacements for veteran duo Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, with both contracts expiring at the end of the current season.
    However, Dortmund could be boosted in their hopes of keeping Bellingham should the veterans sign new deals at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. More

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    Best XI of players Chelsea could be FORCED to sell including Man Utd and City transfer targets Mount and Chilwell

    CHELSEA could be forced into selling an entire XI of star players this summer.The Blues revealed whopping losses of £121million for last season.
    Chelsea could be forced into selling numerous players to comply with FFP rulesCredit: Getty

    That took their overall deficit to £274m over the past two campaigns.
    And with next season’s figures set to include the £545m spent on transfers this term, pressure is mounting for Todd Boehly to balance the books… or Chelsea could be hit with Financial Fair Play sanctions.
    One likely option will see the Blues sell off several key players from their massive 36-man Premier League squad.
    But who are the likely candidates to be pushed through the Stamford Bridge exit door?
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    GK: Edouard Mendy
    The Senegal stopper looked like one of the best goalkeepers in the world early on in his Blues spell.
    But he went off the boil and refused to sign a new contract as Kepa Arrizabalaga reclaimed the No1 spot – now the Afcon winner could be reunited with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
    Edouard Mendy has dropped behind Kepa ArrizabalagaCredit: Getty
    RB: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
    Okay, he is not a traditional right-back but has filled in there previously.
    Loftus-Cheek’s current deal expires in 2024 and is one of a number of academy graduates whose potential sale would make a guaranteed profit.
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    CB: Trevoh Chalobah
    Like Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah came through the youth ranks and any fee received will help.
    He has been linked with a move away already – with Italian giants Roma and Inter Milan said to be interested.
    CB: Kalidou Koulibaly
    Considering he was linked with the Premier League for so long, it has been rather underwhelming from Koulibaly who has not found consistent top form.
    The £295,000-a-week defender is under contract until 2026 and is already dropping down the pecking order behind the likes of Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
    LB: Ben Chilwell
    The injury-hit left-back is one of the best in the country on form – as demonstrated by his inclusion in the England squad.
    But Graham Potter also has Marc Cucurella at his disposal so Chilwell could be one of the most valuable assets Chelsea are willing to sell, especially with Manchester City keen on the ex-Leicester man.
    Ben Chilwell and Trevoh Chalobah are both at risk of being sold this summerCredit: Getty
    CM: Conor Gallagher
    Home-grown talent and an English midfielder aged 23 is a good combination for getting a decent fee.
    Gallagher has proven he can cut it in the Premier League, prompting Everton to bid £45million for the former Crystal Palace loanee, but is far from a guaranteed starter at Chelsea.
    CM: Mateo Kovacic
    Another man who will enter the final 12 months of his contract this summer is Kovacic.
    The experienced Croatian technician is already being eyed by City, especially with Pep Guardiola revamping his midfield.
    CM: Mason Mount
    Transfermarkt have Mount as Chelsea’s third-most valuable player behind Enzo Fernandez and Reece James.
    The England midfielder is 24 years old and has just over a year left on his current deal, which has grabbed the attention of Manchester United and Liverpool who could stump up significant cash after likely missing out on Jude Bellingham.
    England midfielders Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount both came through the Blues academyCredit: Getty
    RW: Callum Hudson-Odoi
    Hudson-Odoi was once tipped as the next big thing for Chelsea but it simply has not worked out as planned for various reasons.
    He finds himself out on loan with Bayer Leverkusen and the influx of attacking talent this season means he will struggle to get minutes in 2023-24.
    ST: Romelu Lukaku
    The Belgian striker’s £97m return to Stamford Bridge has failed miserably and he was shipped out on loan back to Inter this term.
    Chelsea are unlikely to get anywhere near the fee they paid for him in 2021 – and Lukaku may have to take a serious cut on his £325,000-a-week wages – but getting him off the books will be a massive financial boost.
    LW: Christian Pulisic
    The American attacker is another man who has never hit the heights expected after a big-money transfer and also is tied down until 2024.
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    As USA’s poster boy ahead of the home World Cup in 2026, he knows he needs to be playing regularly.
    Hakim Ziyech is another player who could have been included here and will almost certainly leave – but the 30-year-old is six years older than Pulisic and worth about half as much.
    Romelu Lukaku has been shipped out on loan and could be sold if Chelsea can find a buyerCredit: Getty More

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    Chelsea ‘could hijack Tottenham’s pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann with Real Madrid also circling German manager’

    CHELSEA could hijack Tottenham’s pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann, according to reports. Nagelsmann was surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich last week, kick starting a manager rumour mill.
    Julian Nagelsmann has been linked with Tottenham and ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Chelsea could move for Nagelsmann if they part ways with Graham PotterCredit: Alamy
    The German remains one of the most sought-after coaches in football.
    And Antonio Conte’s departure from Tottenham has seen Nagelsmann linked with North London gig.
    Chairman Daniel Levy is said to have made Nagelsmann the club’s top target, with reports suggesting contact has been made between the two parties.
    However, the Daily Mail report they could face competition from Chelsea.
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    They report Nagelsmann has admirers at Stamford Bridge and he would be of interest to the Blues hierarchy if they decide to part ways with under-fire boss Graham Potter.
    A recent upturn in results saw the pressure eased on the Englishman.
    But should form turn negative before the end of the season Todd Boehly and Co may reportedly opt for a change in leadership.
    In addition, Spurs are set to face competition from Real Madrid with Carlo Ancelotti tipped to end his reign at the Bernabeu this summer.
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    As their search for a new manager continues, Cristian Stellini has been appointed as caretaker boss until the end of the season.
    Despite a Champions League spot being at stake, Tottenham will not rush into a hasty appointment.
    As well as Nagelsmann, available free agent coaches including fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Barcelona boss Luis Enrique have been linked. More