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    Real Madrid ‘want injury-prone Christian Pulisic to replace flop Eden Hazard’ in summer transfer

    REAL MADRID are set to repeat history by raiding Chelsea for Christian Pulisic to replace Eden Hazard, according to reports. Hazard, 32, joined Madrid from Chelsea in 2019 on a deal worth up to £130million.
    Eden Hazard could be shown the exit door by Real MadridCredit: Getty
    The 32-year-old’s injury issues have seen him fail to live up to expectationsCredit: Rex
    Christian Pulisic could move to Madrid as Hazard’s replacementCredit: Getty
    Pulisic has struggled to make an impact this season
    However, injuries and a lack of form have seen the Belgian’s career stutter.
    According to defensa central, Madrid have already identified a replacement for the stricken winger as they look to cut their losses.
    Though it seems Madrid have not learnt their lesson, with the report suggesting they want to replace Hazard with Christian Pulisic.
    The American arrived at Stamford Bridge the same summer Hazard departed, and that trick could soon repeat itself with Pulisic potentially on his way to the Bernabeu.
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    The report indicates the financial fair play restrictions on Chelsea following their £600m transfer outlay will see them “get rid” of a number of fringe stars.
    The 24-year-old’s deal at the club runs out in 2024.
    So while they will not recoup too much of the £58m transfer fee paid in 2019, they will be able to save at least £8.3m by shaving his annual wage from the books.
    Pulisic has not featured in a Blues shirt since the 1-0 defeat to Man City in the Premier League on January 5, owing to knee problems.
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    Regardless, Graham Potter will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways when the club play against Tottenham on Sunday.
    The misfiring Blues are languishing down in 10th place in the Prem, having won just two of their last 14 games in the division. More

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    Real Madrid ‘want to replace Eden Hazard with another injured Chelsea star’ in summer transfer

    REAL MADRID are reportedly eyeing up a move for Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic this summer.The Spanish champions are preparing to offload former Blues star Eden Hazard as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the Bernabeu.
    Eden Hazard has suffered a host of injuries during his time at Real MadridCredit: Getty
    Christian Pulisic has struggled to build any momentum at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
    And they could be set to return to Stamford Bridge for a replacement in the form of American Pulisic.
    According to Defensa Central, Chelsea need to sell players at the end of the season to recoup some of the £600million spent over the past two windows.
    Much is being made of how Todd Boehly’s bullish transfer strategy could raise issues around Uefa’s financial fair play regulations.
    And Pulisic is being looked at as someone they could offload to try and remain within the rules.
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    The USA international, 24, has been sidelined with a knee problem since January.
    He has started just six Premier League games for Chelsea this season.
    And inconsistency has left him frustrated ever since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
    Over 136 appearances for the Blues, he has bagged 26 goals and 21 assists.
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    But Real remain interested and could capitalise on Pulisic saying in the past that he would like to play for Los Blancos one day.
    If he did arrive at the Bernabeu, the former Dortmund man would hope to avoid the injury issues Hazard has suffered.
    The Belgian, 32, has scored just seven goals since joining Real in the summer of 2019.
    And last month his latest injury was confirmed as he suffered an 18TH SETBACK in the Spanish capital.
    Hazard has been linked with a move back to the Premier League with Chelsea and Newcastle reportedly interested. More

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    Chelsea on brink of beating Man Utd to 15-year-old wonderkid – but fans won’t see him for a long time

    CHELSEA are closing in on the signing of wonderkid Kendry Paez, according to reports.The 15-year-old is regarded as one of the best young players in South America.
    Chelsea are close to completing the signing of Kendry PaezCredit: Getty
    But if he signs he would not be able to play for the Blues until his 18th birthday in 2025.
    Chelsea are close to reaching a verbal agreement with Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle to sign the youngster, according to Fabrizio Romano.
    Reports earlier this month suggested Chelsea had made a formal approach with a £15million bid and talks underway – although that initial offer was rejected.
    The central midfielder shone at the 2022 Next Generation Trophy in Austria.
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    That alerted Borussia Dortmund to his exciting talent, too – with the Germans and United both reportedly having bids turned down last year.
    Bayer Leverkusen were also rumoured to be interested in Paez, but it appears Chelsea have won the battle to sign him.
    Paez, born in 2007, is making waves in his homeland with Independiente del Valle.
    The rising star has recently been promoted to the first team during pre-season for the 2023 campaign.
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    And he has even been dubbed “better than Endrick”, the Brazilian teenager who has signed for Real Madrid for a crazy £60MILLION despite interest from England.
    Like Endrick, Paez would need to wait until he is 18 in May 2025 before moving to Europe. More

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    Jordan Pickford agrees shock new Everton deal amid Chelsea transfer interest… with one huge clause in it

    JORDAN PICKFORD has given struggling Everton a huge boost by agreeing a new deal with NO relegation clause.The 28-year-old England keeper’s contract runs out next summer.
    Jordan Pickford has agreed a new Everton contractCredit: Getty
    Chelsea have been linked.
    But he has bought into new boss Sean Dyche’s Goodison plans.
    And he is set to sign £150,000-a-week terms — with no get-out should they go down.
    Dyche confirmed: “Jordan’s signing a new contract.
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    “It is a sign he is enjoying the new regime and has accepted what we are looking to offer.
    “He’s very open to continuing to develop here.”
    Everton are also taking a chance by not demanding Pickford take a wage cut if the worst happens.
    Getting relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1951 would cost £100m.
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    And that would be a huge hit on the back of the club’s £372m loss over the last three years.
    Pickford was a £30million arrival from Sunderland back in 2017.
    Meanwhile, the Toffees have been charged with failing to control their players in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Leeds.
    That follows their £40,000 FA fine for the same offence against Liverpool last week. More

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    Chelsea stars ‘unconvinced by new £600m transfers’ ability with English players fearful they’ll be AXED in summer’

    CHELSEA stars have reportedly been left unconvinced by the new haul of transfers. The club shelled out a record-breaking amount last month to bring in several high-profile signings.
    Some of Chelsea’s new boys have impressed while others have notCredit: Getty
    But Todd Boehly’s recruitment drive has not led to an uptick of results with under-fire manager Graham Potter only having two wins to show from the last 14 games.
    Saturday’s home defeat to managerless Southampton was the latest damaging blow for the Blues.
    And the Athletic report there is some unease in the dressing room following the huge influx of new talent.
    They claim that not all Chelsea players are “convinced” by the new signings, regardless of how expensive they were.
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    While some like Joao Felix and Benoit Badiashile have made an instant impact since joining, others such as Myhkailo Mudryk have struggled.
    Some of Chelsea’s English contingent are also said to be concerned by their contract situation.
    Mason Mount has seen discussions over his new deal stall while Ruben Loftus-Cheek has not seen talks over his contract begin despite his deal expiring in the summer of 2024.
    Chelsea have a crunch set of fixtures approaching as they look to turn their form around.
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    They face a trip to London rivals Spurs on Sunday in their latest bid to find victory.
    A week later they host relegation strugglers Leeds who have just recruited a new manager.
    And then there is the huge second-leg clash with Borussia Dortmund as Chelsea look to recover from their defeat in Germany. More

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    Arsenal legend Merson slams Chelsea’s £600m transfers saying Mudryk has done ‘nothing’ and Madueke isn’t good enough

    ARSENAL legend Paul Merson has slammed Chelsea’s £600m recruitment and says Mykhailo Mudryk has done “nothing” and that Noni Madueke is not good enough.Blues owner Todd Boehly spent a stunning £326m in the January transfer window – which is more than a third of the total £815m paid across the whole of the Premier League.
    Chelsea could end up paying a total of £97m for Mykhailo MudrykCredit: Getty
    The Blues also bought Noni Madueke from PSV for £35mCredit: Getty
    Enzo Fernandez broke the British transfer record by joining Chelsea for £107m on deadline day.
    The World Cup-winning Argentina midfielder became the EIGHTH arrival in January alone, following the likes of £97m Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, Benoit Badiashile and £35m winger Madueke from PSV.
    However, Saturday’s defeat at home to bottom side Southampton means it is just two wins in 14 Premier League matches for under-pressure boss Graham Potter.
    Mudryk did make a promising cameo during his Chelsea debut in the goalless draw at Liverpool last month but has still yet to deliver either a goal or an assist.
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    And Merson, who won the top tier twice during his Gunners heyday, says that the Ukrainian international should already be making an impact.
    He told Sky Sports: “People think Potter isn’t the right man for the job, but I think he is. For me, I think give him time.
    “I don’t see it changing too quickly. I look at the players and I don’t get it.
    “This Sunday is Chelsea’s biggest game of the season – it’s Tottenham. If he loses this one I’m not sure there is a way back because the fans will go ballistic.
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    “This game can change everything though – if Chelsea beat Spurs he can also be a hero.
    “I like him as a manager but I look at the quality of the players and I question it.”
    And that is when Merson decided to pull the trigger on the new boys.
    The ex-England star added: “They brought Mykhailo Mudryk for £88m and, bar a cameo of 20 minutes, he’s shown nothing. I mean nothing.
    “You wouldn’t expect to need time to settle in at that price.
    “The forward-thinking players are no better than the ones they’ve already got so what’s the point? You can’t tell me that Noni Madueke is a better player than Raheem Sterling or Christian Pulisic. He’s not.
    “Why are you buying a load of players that aren’t better than what you’ve got? None of them improve the team bar Enzo Fernandez and the centre-half [Benoit Badiashile].”
    Paul Merson has gone in two-footed on Chelsea’s new additionsCredit: Getty More

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    ‘Shy’ Chelsea transfer target Neymar tipped to succeed in new sport and bring along huge fanbase

    NEYMAR has been tipped for a successful career after football once he hangs up his boots. The PSG star, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea in recent weeks, came under fire last week over his off-pitch activities.
    Injured Neymar faced criticism last week over a trip to McDonald’sCredit: Rex
    The 31-year-old was spotted at a poker tournament and later at a McDonald’s only hours after PSG’s first-leg Champions League home defeat to Bayern Munich.
    But poker pros believe he might well have a future in the card game after he left them impressed with his ability.
    Players at the European Poker Tour spoke to RMC Sport about Neymar – who eventually finished 49th in that tournament – potentially making the switch.
    Poker professional Julien Sitbon expressed his excitement for the idea.
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    He said: “We’re talking about Neymar what! The notoriety he has… 
    “Every time he is on a trip, there are bodyguards and people who are there to watch out for him.
    “He’s someone who plays a lot of hands, so I would describe him as rather aggressive. Afterwards, I didn’t play him enough to know if he was aggressive or passive, but he plays a lot of hands.
    “But I think he is focused because he is a competitor. In everything he does he wants to be good. He likes poker, sure, so I think he’s trying to be focused to perform as well as possible.”
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    Fellow competitor Thomas Eychenne said he thinks Neymar’s football experience can help, but surprisingly branded the Brazilian “shy” and “introverted”.
    He said: “He has the potential. He has the mind of a competitor because he played at the highest level in football.
    “I found him rather introverted. He is not someone who will talk a lot and be very open. But I can understand it, he is extremely in demand.
    “I will say that he is someone who is shy in his appearance. In the sense that he tries not to be seen too much.”
    Kylian Mbappe appeared to criticise his teammate as he told journalists that PSG stars had to “eat and sleep well” following the McDonald’s pictures.
    But he denied that the jibe was aimed at Neymar.
    Chelsea are one of a number of clubs linked to the ex-Barcelona forward, who is now in his seventh year in Paris. More

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    I almost quit football to help my father sell fish at the market and now I am linked with a £90m transfer to Chelsea

    THIS footballer almost quit the beautiful game to help his father sell fish at their local market.But it’s a good thing he didn’t give up on his dreams.
    This Chelsea-linked star almost quit the game to sell fish with his dadCredit: Instagram @rbleipzig
    That’s because he’s now being tipped for a stunning £90million move to Chelsea.
    The Blues have been splashing the cash left, right and centre under Todd Boehly.
    The American has handed out more than £600m on stars including Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez.
    And there could yet be more incomings this summer.
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    One area which has been a cause for concern is defence.
    But Chelsea could be presented with a saviour in the shape of RB Leipzig and Croatia star Josko Gvardiol.

    The versatile centre-back, who can also play on the left, is one of world football’s top prospects.
    Gvardiol, 21, has already clocked up 74 appearances for RB Leipzig and scored his fourth goal in last night’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Manchester City.
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    Josko Gvardiol has become a star for RB Leipzig and CroatiaCredit: PA
    The ace put in several admirable performances at the World Cup too, leading his country to a third-place finish.
    And Gvardiol is now being strongly linked with a £90m switch to Stamford Bridge.
    But things could have turned out differently had he decided to follow through on initial plans to quit football.
    Gvardiol admits he was looking to pack things in four or five years ago after warming the bench for Dinamo Zagreb’s youth side.
    The defender endured a tough upbringing in the Croatian capital, waking up daily at 4am to help his dad sell fish at the market.
    And Gvardiol almost stepped away from football to partake in the family trade full-time.
    I was frustrated and, at one moment, I was thinking to leave footballJosko Gvardiol
    But after soon getting his break in the team, the star’s stunning progress saw him blitz into Zagreb’s senior squad.
    Gvardiol told the Times: “I was 16 or 17 and still on the bench in the youth teams. I was frustrated and, at one moment, I was thinking to leave football.
    “[Selling fish?] By the way, I hate fish. Imagine being 16 years old and there’s only fish to eat every day at home. I want to try something else.
    “I don’t know what happened but then afterwards I started to play and they finally saw something in me, my quality, and in one year I moved to Dinamo Zagreb’s second team.
    “In six months I was in the first team with [now-RB Leipzig team-mate] Dani Olmo.”
    Gvardiol also revealed he could have joined Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds before opting for Leipzig instead.
    Gvardiol scored in last night’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Man CityCredit: Getty
    He said: “I had two options, Leeds and Leipzig. Bielsa was the coach and my goal in my career is to play in the Premier League.
    “[But] I knew I needed to take a few steps more before I get there one day.”
    Gvardiol almost saw his dream come true last summer when Chelsea made a late move.
    But Leipzig rejected the bid after telling Gvardiol he was too important to sell.
    The ace added: “My agent called me and saw that Chelsea is extremely interested. Of course you definitely think about a serious offer from a huge club like Chelsea.
    “Leipzig said they didn’t want to sell me, in the end I really struggled with that decision but we didn’t make an agreement.
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    “It is what it is, I am here and fine with this because my idea had been to stay here, one season wasn’t enough.
    “This is my second, even one more season would be great but we will see.” More