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    Barcelona target Ilkay Gundogan free transfer as they look set to miss out on Chelsea star N’Golo Kante

    BARCELONA are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan.The LaLiga giants are hoping to sign the midfielder on a free transfer in the summer.
    Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly attracting interest from BarcelonaCredit: Getty
    Gundogan’s contract at the Etihad Stadium expires at the end of the season and he will be available on a Bosman deal.
    Barcelona have been a big mover in the Bosman market due to the club’s recent financial constraints.
    They signed the likes of Frank Kessie, Marcos Alonso, Hector Bellerin and Andreas Christensen on free transfers last summer.
    The Catalonian side had been interested in signing N’Golo Kante, but he is closing on a new contract at Chelsea.
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    Therefore the club have turned their attention to Gundogan, according to The Telegraph.
    The German is able to discuss terms with Barcelona now as he is in the last six months of his deal.
    But as the report suggests, a deal will hinge on whether or not the 32-year-old signs a new deal with Man City.
    Gundogan was Pep Guardiola’s first transfer when he arrived at the club seven years ago in 2016.
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    The German is an important member of the team as he is the current captain.
    He took over the role from Fernandinho following the Brazilian’s departure last summer.
    He had played an important role in the club’s four Premier League titles since his arrival. More

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    Chelsea’s academy stars panicking over huge January transfer spending as German clubs look to swoop

    CHELSEA’S academy stars are worried by the club’s huge transfer spending and being eyed eagerly by German teams.Mykhailo Mudryk’s £88million arrival took the Blues’ spending in the summer and January windows close to £500m.
    Chelsea’s latest buy, Mykhailo Mudryk, was unveiled to fans at half-time in Sunday’s 1-0 home Prem win over Crystal PalaceCredit: AP
    PSV Eindhoven’s ex-Spurs winger Noni Madueke is still being linked with Chelsea, who have already signed 14 players under the Todd Boehly regimeCredit: Rex
    But The Telegraph say Chelsea’s teenage products fear their own progress will now be dented – sparking activity from their agents.
    It’s reportedly left German clubs wondering if they can nick some bargains – like Bayern Munich did when they signed Jamal Musiala in 2019.
    The Stuttgart-born attacking midfielder, 19, played for England up to the U-21s but switched allegiance to Germany, winning 20 senior caps already.
    Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly insists he is backing under-fire manager Graham Potter for the long haul despite slipping to tenth in the Prem.
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    And that means more big signings are expected this month.
    PSV’s £27m-rated wideman Noni Madueke, 20, is still on the Blues radar.
    It’s thought Chelsea contacted the Dutch giants in December about the England U-21 ace, a Londoner who was with Crystal Palace and Tottenham as a kid.
    Mudyryk was the 14th signing since Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club in May after previous owner Roman Abramovich was ousted.
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    Apart from the Shakhtar Donetsk winger, Chelsea have also bought Molde’s Ivory Coast striker David Datro Fofana, Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile and Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos this month.
    And Joao Felix’s half-season loan from Atletico Madrid cost a fee close to £10m.
    But one teenager whose Stamford Bridge future should be safe is England hopeful Levi Colwill.
    Chelsea are tipped to offer the centre-back, 19, a new long-term contract amid fine form on loan for Premier League rivals Brighton. More

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    Mykhailo Mudryk’s starting Dream Team price revealed – will Chelsea’s new star hit the ground running?

    IF the Premier League was a school then Todd Boehly would be the pupil who asks all his classmates if he can copy their homework.In a short space of time, Chelsea’ co-owner has developed a reputation for signing players heavily linked to rival clubs.
    The latest and most dramatic example of this strategy comes in the form of Mykhailo Mudryk’s acquisition as the 22-year-old seemed destined for Arsenal before the Blues swooped in.
    In total, the deal is reported to be worth £88.7m, making it one of the most expensive transfers in history.
    Very much not an Arsenal playerCredit: getty
    The move has raised eyebrows not just because of how the club edged out their London foes, but because the player in question has scored just 12 goals in professional football.
    That’s not to say to say Mudryk isn’t a talented footballer but his relative inexperience, plus the fact he’s never played outside Ukraine, means the transfer comes with inherent risks.
    Ten of his career goals have come in Shakhtar Donetsk colours this season, seven in the league and three in the Champions League, and he’s also provided eight assists in all competitions this term.
    Those numbers boil down to a goal involvement every 79.6 minutes – undeniably impressive.
    Previous players to wear Chelsea’s No15 include: Mohamed Salah and Kevin De BruyneCredit: getty
    Mudryk has predominantly played as a left winger to date although he has occasionally switched to the opposite flank and has some minutes under his belt at centre-forward.
    It will be interesting to see how Graham Potter uses the new arrival given the plethora of assets at his disposal who operate in similar areas.
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    Mason Mount (£4m), Raheem Sterling (£4.2m), Christian Pulisic (£2.4m), Hakim Ziyech (£2.3m), Kai Havertz (£3.5m) and Joao Felix (£3.8m) all prefer to play either out wide or behind a proper striker.
    Christopher Nkunku will be added to that list soon.
    Competition for places is a good way to motivate the squad and drive up standards but this juggling act can also cause headaches for a head coach.
    And from a Dream Team perspective, gaffers will be wary of rotation at Stamford Bridge – generally it’s best to back attack-minded midfielders who are guaranteed starters when fit.
    Mudryk may well fit that description but his place in the pecking order remains to be seen.
    Certainly he has the form to hit the ground in English football but history is littered with players who have required a bedding-in period upon switching leagues – Chelsea supporters know this better than most.
    It remains to be seen how well Mudryk translates to the Premier LeagueCredit: getty
    And now for the big reveal… the Ukraine international has been added to Dream Team with a starting price of £3.5million.
    Couple that with the fact he’s categorised as a midfielder, rather than a forward, and it’s a tempting prospect but of course we recommend waiting for a proper look at Mudryk in action before doing anything rash.
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    Rather ominously, current Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, previously of Shakhtar Donetsk, has said: “I think Mudryk can win the Ballon d’Or in the future.”
    Big talk but who are we to argue with a man working miracles on the south coast… More

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    Amazing XI of biggest transfers that could still happen in January including Dusan Vlahovic to Arsenal

    THE Premier League’s top clubs are gearing up to splash the cash in what could turn out to be the most exciting January transfer window yet.Chelsea have been the biggest spenders so far this month with £88million Mykhailo Mudryk their latest recruit.
    Chelsea have been the biggest spenders this month with Mykhailo Mudryk their latest recruitCredit: PA
    Leandro Trossard looks set to leave Brighton after a huge fall-outCredit: Alamy
    Meanwhile a host of their domestic rivals are also looking to add to their squads.
    Leaders Arsenal are desperate to bolster their attack while Manchester United have already brought in Wout Weghorst on loan.
    And it is not only in England that the prospect of big-money moves could occur.
    Here SunSport has compiled a best XI of the possible signings that could still take place during this January transfer window…
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    Jordan Pickford – GK
    The goalkeeper has told Everton he wants to STAY at the club but the England number one and the struggling Merseyside club are deadlocked in a row over pay.
    And that has alerted Manchester United and Tottenham, who are now both willing to nearly double his £100,000-a-week wages to secure his signature.
    It still seems unlikely that Pickford would jump ship this month from the Premier League’s joint-bottom club, but as we know in football, anything can happen.
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    Pedro Porro – RB
    Tottenham are set for fresh talks this week with Sporting Lisbon over the signing of defender Pedro Porro.
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    Spurs have identified Porro, 23, as one of their top targets this month.
    But Sporting are reluctant to let the Spaniard go in this window.
    So far they have insisted Spurs pay up the full £39.9million written into his release clause.
    Josko Gvardiol – CB
    Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City have all been linked with the Croatian – who has revealed Liverpool are his “dream club” in the Premier League.
    RB Leipzig’s Croatian star’s stock soared even higher thanks to his standout performances for Croatia at the World Cup.
    Gvardiol is adamant that he will stay at the club as are Leipzig, but a late big-money offer could quickly change everything.
    Piero Hincapie – CB
    Tottenham are also weighing up a £20m January move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.
    Spurs boss Antonio Conte has made a new left-sided centre-back one of his main priorities and is among the many admirers of Ecuador international Hincapie.
    The 21-year-old caught the eye at the World Cup in Qatar and is on the radar of a number of clubs following impressive performances for Leverkusen since his arrival in Germany in 2021.
    Sergio Gomez – LB
    Manchester City ace Sergio Gomez is reportedly being targeted by both Juventus and Inter Milan.
    Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri wants him to replace Alex Sandro, who might not renew his contract at the end of the season.
    City only signed him from Anderlecht last summer but he has yet to make a breakthrough, and Italian media claims they are ready to do business for around £35m.

    Gianluca Prestianni – RW
    Real Madrid and Barcelona are locked in a transfer battle to sign Argentina wonderkid Gianluca Prestianni.
    The 16-year-old is currently playing in his homeland for Velez Sarsfield.
    Despite his young age, the winger has already made his senior debut for the club.
    That made him the third-youngest player ever to appear in Argentina’s top-flight after legends Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero.
    The two LaLiga giants are continuing to monitor his progress before opting to launch a bid.
    Scott McTominay – CM
    Newcastle are reportedly chasing Manchester United’s Scott McTominay with the star concerned by his lack of recent match action.
    He is “widely liked” by Eddie Howe and the management team at St. James’ Park.
    And he is also allegedly open to a move with Newcastle set to launch a transfer bid if they get the green light that he is available from Old Trafford chiefs.
    Declan Rice – CM
    Declan Rice has been identified as Arsenal’s No.1 target.
    West Ham midfield star Rice is entering the final year of his contract at the London Stadium this summer – although there is an optional extra year – and he may finally opt to jump ship.
    A number of top clubs are interested in the 24-year-old, but the Gunners are ready to battle Chelsea, Manchester United and Man City for his signature to bolster their title dream.
    Leandro Trossard – LW
    The Belgian is unsettled at Brighton after falling out with boss Roberto De Zerbi.
    Trossard, 28, has been frozen out by the Italian after reportedly being involved in a training ground bust up with a team-mate.
    Spurs have allegedly had a £12m bid for the winger rejected already.
    Memphis Depay – FW
    Newcastle have reportedly launched a transfer bid for Memphis Depay as they look to snap-up the Barcelona star.
    And they are ready to battle Atletico Madrid all the way to secure the Dutch forward’s signature this month.
    The former Manchester United man, who can play wide or up front, has fallen out of favour at the Nou Camp this term under Xavi.
    He has been limited to just four appearances all season and has allegedly been told that he can leave during the January transfer window.
    Dusan Vlahovic – FW
    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is also keen to bolster his attack, and he is ready to launch another move for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.
    The Serbian, 22, snubbed a switch to the Emirates last January when opting for Turin instead.
    But now Juventus could be tempted to let him leave due to the financial problems at the club.
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    It is claimed the North Londoners are preparing a £71m bid for Vlahovic, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.
    He’s scored 16 goals in 36 games for Juventus.
    Arsenal are readying another move for Dusan VlahovicCredit: Getty More

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    How Chelsea could line up next season with Mudryk and Nkunku supporting Osimhen in new-look attack and Rice in midfield

    CHELSEA have now spent more than £375million since new owner Todd Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich eight months ago.Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were just some of the players brought in during the summer transfer window.
    Christopher Nkunku is set to join Chelsea from RB LeipzigCredit: Getty
    How Chelsea could line up next season with three huge new signings
    Victor Osimhen is being linked with a move from Napoli to ChelseaCredit: Getty
    And Boehly has shown no signs of slowing down in the January market.
    The Blues have already acquired Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and now Mykhailo Mudryk for a combined £116m.
    Joao Felix has also arrived on a short-term loan deal from Atletico Madrid.
    It comes at a time when Graham Potter’s men are struggling on the pitch, currently sitting 10th in the Premier League table.
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    And Chelsea are expected to continue showing their spending power in the summer window.
    They are set to welcome Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £53m, with the Frenchman, 25, expected to occupy the No10 role at Stamford Bridge.
    Mudryk, 22, will assume the left flank, with Sterling and Mason Mount battling it out for the right wing position.
    Then up front, Chelsea may also be preparing for a new striker to enter the fray.
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    Aubameyang and Kai Havertz have scored just nine goals between them in all competitions so far this season.
    And the Blues are being linked with Napoli and Nigeria star Victor Osimhen.
    The 24-year-old has netted 13 times in 17 games for the Serie A leaders so far this season – and 41 in 79 games since joining from Lille in 2020.
    But it is not just in attack where fresh faces may appear in Potter’s team.
    Chelsea are set for a new battle with Arsenal as they go to war over the signature of West Ham captain Declan Rice.
    The England international, 24, is expected to leave the London Stadium in the summer.
    Chelsea and Arsenal are two possible destinations for Rice, with Man Utd also interested in the £80m man.
    Declan Rice is expected to leave West Ham in the summerCredit: PA More

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    Reason Arsenal pulled out of Mykhailo Mudryk transfer revealed… with Mikel Arteta happy for him to go to Chelsea

    ARSENAL are believed to have pulled out of a deal to sign Mykhailo Mudryk in order to poach a top Chelsea target.The Ukrainian winger was signed by the Blues in a mega-money deal despite long-term interest from the Gunners.
    Arsenal pulled out of the race to sign Mykhailo MudrykCredit: Getty
    The Gunners will now try to sign Declan Rice in the summerCredit: Alamy
    It had been expected that Mudryk would join Arsenal after he posted about the club on his social media.
    However, the reason why Mikel Arteta’s side dropped out of the race to sign him has been revealed.
    Arsenal are now planning a swoop for Chelsea target Declan Rice, according to The Independent.
    The report suggests that the North London side are “hopeful” of signing the West Ham captain this summer.
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    Rice has developed into one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League over the last few seasons.
    He has also become a leader in the Hammers side, having taken over captaincy duties from the retired Mark Noble.
    Although the 24-year-old has made no secret of wanting to challenge for trophies in his career, something that is looking unlikely at 18th-placed West Ham.
    Arsenal will have to fight off interest from the Blues to sign Rice, but will have a couple of advantages.
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    With Graham Potter’s side currently in 10th, the Gunners are far more likely to be able to offer Champions League football next season.
    Arsenal will also have plenty of cash in the budget to spend, whereas it would be expected that Chelsea’s continued heavy spending will have to cease at some point.
    The Gunners also have Emile Smith Rowe, who plays in a similar position to Mudyrk, coming back from injury.
    So Arteta may have also thought that there was less need to spend over £80m on another attacker when that money could be better spent elsewhere in the squad. More

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    Arsenal DID match Chelsea’s £88m transfer bid for Mudryk as Shakhtar Donetsk chief reveals nearly TWO MONTHS of talks

    ARSENAL matched Chelsea’s £88million offer for Mykhail Mudryk… but missed out due to the Blues’ more “achievable” bonuses.The Gunners seemed to be closing in on a move for the Ukrainian, 22, ahead of the January transfer window.
    Mykhailo Mudryk was confirmed by Chelsea on SundayCredit: Getty
    Shakhtar Donetsk forward Mudryk had been hinting about joining Mikel Arteta’s side and a deal appeared to be in the final stages before Chelsea swooped in to seal an eight-and-a-half-year contract.
    In an interview with The Athletic, Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin revealed Arsenal had made their first contact with the player in “October or November”.
    By contrast, the Blues did not enter negotiations until the end of December.
    But Chelsea’s co-owner Behdad Eghbali and director of global transfers Paul Winstanley swiftly flew out to meet Mudryk in Turkey and brought him back to London on a private jet.
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    A lucrative transfer was then finalised and personal terms were agreed.
    It was initially understood that Arsenal had failed to match Chelsea’s offer, something Palkin has refuted.
    He said: “When they (Arsenal) proposed the final offer of €70million (£62m) plus €30million (£26m) in add-ons, we sat down and started to talk internally about how it will be fulfilled in terms of the payments, the fixed part and the bonus issues. 
    “We realised we will not close this deal (with Arsenal). I said to Edu (the Gunners sporting director) that I did my best but it was not possible.”
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    The nature of Chelsea’s payment process was a far more favourable one for Shakhtar compared to the proposition Arsenal had put forward.
    Bonuses within the Blues’ transfer bid included winning the Premier League and Champions League before his contract expires in 2030.

    These were deemed to be “achievable” goals that he can attain at Stamford Bridge.
    Palkin continued: “These bonuses should be somehow achievable and realistic, let’s say. Therefore, in this case, Chelsea was much more serious and fair in some points.
    “When we met Chelsea, we stayed all together. For you to understand the context, it was for nine or 10 hours. They invited the player and explained to us the whole project.
    “We realised that, yes, if you look right now, Chelsea have some kinds of problems but it is normal because they have a transition period from one owner to another. 
    “It is understandable. They would like to change a lot. So when they explain to you the whole story and you look for the next two, three, four, five years, then you see they have a serious project.
    “I believe they will build one of the best clubs in the world because I am telling you, they are very serious in all directions: sports science, the stadium side, the commercial side, on all things. For us, they looked very ambitious.”
    It was revealed on Monday that Shakhtar will donate £20.5m of the £88m transfer fee to help Ukraine’s war effort following the Russian invasion.
    Mudryk played just 44 games for Shakhtar, contributing 12 goals and 17 assists.
    He has also been capped eight times by Ukraine but is yet to register a goal contribution.
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    Meanwhile, Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League table.
    They are 10 points adrift of the top four and a huge 19 behind league leaders Arsenal. More

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    Chelsea ‘still chasing £27m transfer for PSV’s ex-Tottenham winger Noni Madueke despite staggering £97m Mudryk swoop’

    CHELSEA are reportedly still chasing £27million winger Noni Madueke – despite just splashing out £97m on Mykhailo Mudryk.The Blues stunned Arsenal by hijacking the deal for the Ukrainian winger.
    Noni Madueke is a target for Chelsea in the transfer windowCredit: Getty
    However, Todd Boehly’s January business for attacking talent may not be over just yet.
    Dutch football reporter Rik Elfrink states Madueke is “still waiting” to see where his future lies because the “transfer troubles with Chelsea are not over”.
    The PSV Eindhoven star, 20, remains a target for the Blues – and Elfrink suggested he appeared distracted as he struggled to find his best form in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Fortuna Sittard.
    Madueke spent four years in the Tottenham academy before switching to PSV’s youth set-up.
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    Chelsea made contact with the Eredivisie club last week to enquire about the England Under-21 international.
    PSV – who sold Cody Gakpo to Liverpool this month – told the Blues their winger is not for sale.
    However, the Stamford Bridge club still reportedly tabled an offer worth around £27m.
    Chelsea have already signed striker David Datro Fofana and £35m defender Benoit Badiashile this month.
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    But Graham Potter is a keen admirer of Madueke and was interested in bringing him to the AmEx during his time at Brighton.
    PSV manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is hoping to hold on to Madueke but accepts he could leave this month.
    He said: “I know of the interest in Noni.
    “I’d rather not have that, but it’s not something I decide.
    “The fact that there’s a lot of interest in him is of course due to his quality and his performances. But I do find it worrying.
    “We will certainly do everything we can [to keep him]. But you also know that things can change real quick if the interest heats up.
    “As a club, you’ve got to be ready and have replacements lined up because if he leaves it would mean that we lose another player this winter.
    “But there can also be situations like with Cody [Gakpo], where a certain type of club comes with a certain offer. Then it might be that it’s no longer possible to stop the deal from taking place. I hope that’s not going to be the scenario this time, but I can not exclude it.” More