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    Football could introduce new transfer rule to let players buy out their contracts in radical move that would slash fees

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      in Soccer

      Jack Grealish lined up as Florian Wirtz replacement with Man City star accepting Etihad career is over

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      JACK GREALISH is being lined up as a potential replacement for Florian Wirtz, SunSport can reveal.The Manchester City and England star has accepted his career at the Etihad is over, and he’s set to become one of the most sought after players in Europe this summer.Jack Grealish is being lined up to replace Florian Wirtz at Bayer LeverkusenCredit: GettyWirtz is expected to leave the club in a deal which could break the Premier League transfer recordCredit: GettyNew boss Erik ten Hag is said to be a huge fan of GrealishCredit: AFPTottenham, Newcastle, and former club Aston Villa are all among those reportedly interested in the player.Italian champions Napoli are also strongly linked with the attacking midfielder, as Antonio Conte looks to build a squad that can compete in the Champions League next season.Now, German giants Bayer Leverkusen are set to enter the race as well, with City wanting around £40million for him.New manager Erik ten Hag is believed to be a huge admirer of the 29-year-old and has told Leverkusen chiefs he could be the “perfect replacement” for Wirtz.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWirtz, 22, is set to leave the club this summer with Liverpool red-hot favourites to sign him, despite seeing a £113m bid rejected last week.It’s likely to leave ex-Manchester United boss Ten Hag with a massive war-chest to spend.And after landing Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, he’s planning to use some of the cash to try to tempt Grealish to quit the Premier League.Sources close to the player say Grealish is attracted by the idea of playing overseas. Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHe’s keen to make a fresh start and force his way back into the England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup.A fairytale move back to boyhood club Villa would also interest Grealish.Jack Grealish shows off his singing skills as he meets Rod Stewart in Dortmund with mum and dad on break from Man CityBut their failure to secure Champions League football could count against them when Grealish makes his decision.SunSport exclusively revealed how Newcastle were interested in signing the £100m City ace on loan. but would need to pay his full £300,000-a-week wages to complete a deal.Grealish was told his City career was over after reports emerged saying he would be omitted from Pep Guardiola’s squad for the Club World Cup.Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel is a big admirer of Grealish, but wants to see him playing week-in-week-out before considering him for his plans. More

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      in Soccer

      Jack Grealish told his Man City career is OVER with Pep Guardiola ready to sell England star for cut-price transfer fee

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      MANCHESTER CITY face taking a £60million hit on Jack Grealish to sell him this summer.The fallen £100m star will not be on the plane to America next week as part of Pep Guardiola’s Club World Cup squad.Manchester City face losing £60m to sell Jack Grealish this summerCredit: GettyGrealish is set to be left out of Man City’s squad for the Club World CupCredit: ReutersAnd SunSport understands plans are now in place to speed up his exitCredit: GettyAnd Grealish, 29, has been told there is no way back for him – with City willing to sell the attacker for a cut-price £40m.SunSport understands plans are now in place to speed up his exit and his representatives are actively searching for a new club.Grealish is the second of Guardiola’s squad being forced to leave after Kevin De Bruyne, 33, was told he could head out as a free agent at the end of the month despite the player wanting to stay.Defenders Kyle Walker, 35, and John Stones, 31, are likely to follow as Guardiola and his Etihad bosses work on bringing in new blood to bolster an ageing squad.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAC Milan playmaker Tijjani Reijnders is on his way for £46.2m and City are understood to have agreed a £30m deal for Lyon ace Rayan Cherki.Rayan Ait-Nouri’s £34m move from Wolves should also be finalised in time for him to fly out with City next week.Grealish still has two years left on a contract worth £300,000 a week having arrived from Aston Villa for a then-British record fee in 2021.He is unlikely to be offered such a huge wage elsewhere at his age.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKBut Guardiola and City are anxious to make his exit as easy as possible and are working to help him find a new home.His former club Villa, Newcastle, Everton, West Ham and Italian club Napoli are all interested, with Etihad chiefs keen to free up squad space.Jack Grealish shows off his singing skills as he meets Rod Stewart in Dortmund with mum and dad on break from Man City More

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      in Motorsport

      ‘Just magic’ – One of F1’s most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him forever

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      CHARLES LECLERC and Lewis Hamilton won arguably the two most iconic Formula One races of the 2024 season.Leclerc made history as he won his home race at the Monaco Grand Prix with “tears” in his eyes, while Hamilton defied the odds to take the chequered flag at the British Grand Prix in his final home race with Mercedes.Charles Leclerc won an emotional 2024 Monaco Grand PrixCredit: RexLewis Hamilton then made history at the British Grand Prix later onCredit: ReutersBoth races were made iconic by the man behind the microphone for F1TV and Channel 4, Alex JacquesCredit: X @C4F1Both races have already gone down in the annals of F1 history for their huge significance in the modern era of the sport.But for many fans, that experience was elevated to even greater heights by the man behind the microphone, Alex Jacques.Jacques is the lead commentator of F1TV and Channel 4, and the voice of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, while he has also featured in the Netflix series Drive To Survive.His voice has become synonymous with formula racing, given he also spent a decade as the commentator of F2 before leaving the role to spend more time with family at the start of this year.READ MORE IN F1Following his work at both Monaco and Silverstone last year, fans showed their love by featuring him in numerous social media clips, often edited with emotive background music, of the races.And Jacques has not been blind to the outpouring of love fans have given him for his work.Speaking exclusively to SunSport at a launch event of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, Jacques explained his thought process in the moment and gave his thoughts on the fan reaction to it.He said: “You’re trying to tell their stories and both of those examples that you used, so for Charles Leclerc, my overarching, and it links back to the previous question, so it’s amazing to see all of those edits. Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”As a commentator, you want to do justice to the moment. If you’re watching the Monaco GP and you’re watching Charles Leclerc, you might be an F1 fan and you might not know that backstory.”That’s my job as the commentator, to tell you that this guy from Monaco, oh, it’s just a rich kid winning the Monaco GP. Nothing of the sort. This guy’s been through heartbreak on multiple occasions and it’s his life’s purpose to win that race. Lewis Hamilton sent ‘flying’ after hitting huge bump as Ferrari endure Monaco Grand Prix nightmare”On that last lap, I tried to distil quite a complex story into quite a short amount of time. He’s such a well-supported driver that that lap has, as you say, been subject to so many edits on social media.”He continued: “With Lewis Hamilton, this is a driver that we got used to winning week in, week out. Suddenly, goes through a winning drought. “That was one of the best Grand Prix of all time in the entire history of the 75 years. To see him come out on top when it could have been five drivers. “So rarely do you get a Grand Prix where five drivers could win it. For him to come out on top, top three was three British drivers at the British GP. He ends his winless drought.”If you can’t do justice to those moments, that’s when you have to step forward as a commentator and hopefully provide the words that match the pictures. Both of those occasions were just magic Formula One moments.”Jacques’ infectious love for motorsport means it was “tough” for him to step away from working on F2.What was is like working on the EA Sports F1 25 game?Alex Jacques:”It’s a really long time recording the commentary for the game but it’s a wonderful experience because these are the games that I played growing up, right? So maybe it wasn’t the case with commentators from a previous generation but for me I used to love the F1 game coming out and then to be part of it and to get to record the lines. “So I’m very happy to spend a week of my life in a very dark room effectively reading and in fifth place and in sixth place and so on and so forth. “You also get to do loads of creative stuff as well and they’ll bring in other people for you to commentate with so it’s a long process but when you hear your own commentary in the game it’s well worth it.Anything in particular for fans to look out for?”Yeah, there’s new tracks all the time, there’s new storylines all the time. One of the cool things that we got to do this year is they were introducing the cars and the characters from the F1 movie. so that’s a part of the game as well and it was great to be able to, it’s very weird when you’re finding yourself talking about Brad Pitt’s character in the game. but yeah and a lot of fun. “There’s always something new, they’re always coming up with new things for the game as well. The accuracy of the tracks this year is ridiculously good and you’re like, hold on, I’ve been there, there is a hot dog stand at that point, how have they got that in the game? So yeah, loads of fun stuff like that to enjoy.”However, “he has no complaints” about stepping back to spend more time with his family after becoming a father for the first time just before this season’s Imola Grand Prix, although he jokes it has led to his favourite drink being a “strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am”.He said: “It’s been a strange one because I got the job in F2 first and then got opportunities in F1. F2 has always felt a little bit like the home team, if you like. “F1 is the big international call-up, if you want to put it in a football metaphor. It was tough saying goodbye because very rarely you have to leave that paddock behind. “The nice thing about whether you’re telling the story of George Russell or Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc, these are all drivers that I’ve known from when they were very young because of commentating on F3 and F2 and watching their journey all the way through. But eventually it’s time. “Eventually, you just cannot commentate on everything as much as I would love to. It was sad to say goodbye, but I have the best job in the world, so I have no complaints. “I think to get 10 years commentating on any championship in any sport is a privilege and I thoroughly enjoyed it…Thoughts on 2026 possibly being last year at Imola? Alex Jacques:”I’m not entirely sure what the situation is for Imola, but I will say that it is a historic place to go racing. “It’s very, very fortunate. Anytime you’re covering motor racing in Italy, you’re having a great week of your life. Right?”That’s the nature of it. It’s obviously the circuit closest to Ferrari’s factory, and also you’ve got the Racing Bulls factory close around there. “But it’s the nature of gravel traps, narrow circuit, tight walls, thrilling undulations. Those are the things that drivers, not just at Imola, but those are the things across the calendar that the drivers respond to.”It’s important to have that balance between the old school tracks that we love and to have the amazing locations that we go to around the world. “And we’ll see. But I certainly adore going to that racetrack every time we do.””Eventually, my wife was like, it would be nice if we could hang out at some point rather than you travel the world all the time. “I got that F2 job when I was 25, so eventually you have to make more time for the people that support you when you’re away for ages and have to do the day-to-day moments. “So, yeah, very, very fortunate to be the dad of a lovely baby girl and I have a very supportive wife and it’s nice to have a bit more of a balance even though there’s still a fair bit of travel involved.”Despite his new responsibilities away from the track, Jacques does still make time to keep an eye on F1’s feeder series and earmarked Irish racer Alex Dunne as one star to keep an eye on, even before he scored a maiden pole position at Monaco last weekend.Jacques said: “I’ve been impressed with Alex Dunne, Irish driver, making that step up. There are some drivers that I think you take them from a F3 car, you put them with a little bit more power, a little bit more grip, and they seem to come alive.”He seems to fall in that category. So, he’s an exciting prospect. but there are loads of really, really talented drivers. You’ve got to be consistent. Thoughts on Ipswich Town’s season?Alex Jacques:”Was there a season this year? I don’t know. You skipped over.”Well, it’s worth saying that we are having this chat underneath Tottenham’s stadium. And the one thing I would say about Ipswich’s season is that, okay, it didn’t go to plan. “And I think there was an expectation around the club that we would be more competitive than we turned out to be. But we got some away days at grounds that we hadn’t visited before.”We got away days at, you know, and the combination of being able, I watched Ipswich win their first Premier League game in 22 years with my dad upstairs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That’s a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. “What Kieran McKenna gave Ipswich Town fans was not only amazing football in League One, in the Championship, but also when we got to the Premier League, away days and experiences that other clubs take for granted. And Ipswich hadn’t had for two decades.”Hadn’t had a trip to Old Trafford. That was amazing. Taking the lead there. You’ve got to see it as glass half full.”Okay. Lost a lot of points from winning positions this year. But hold on, last year we gained 30 points from losing positions. So you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth.”Did we get promoted a little bit too early? Clearly on the evidence, yeah, we probably did. But have we bought? well?”I think so. I think we’ve got a great squad for the Championship next year. Take nothing for granted with like, oh, bounce back immediately. You have to win so many games.”We’ve seen this with Burnley. Seen this with Leeds. You’ve got to win an awful lot of games. I think the club is a little bit exhausted.”It will catch its breath over the summer. I think when you go from League One, when Kieran McKenna took over at Ipswich Town, Ipswich Town were below Accrington Stanley in the table. “I don’t think anyone could be moaning about the fact that it didn’t go to plan in the Premier League. I’ll take whatever timeline this is and he can stay for as long as he likes.”We need to build a statue of him for what he did. Not all seasons are going to go to plan, but I still enjoyed all the away days in the Premier League I was able to get to. “And I’ve got full confidence that if he’s still behind the wheel next year and he hasn’t been poached by a Premier League club, we’ll bounce straight back. “”But ultimately, I think all the drivers that eventually make it to F1, there are defining days in F3, in F2, where you watch what they do.”Thinking about Kimi Antonelli, the new Mercedes driver, at Silverstone last year, one second a lap faster than everyone else in the field. And that includes three F1 drivers who also graduated with him.”That is the type of performance that if you put in in F2, you can make a name for yourself. And everyone’s watching, everyone’s watching in the F1 paddock. “So, great start for Alex Dunne, lots of talented names in that championship this year, but you need to see a standout performance, whether it be an overtaking performance through the field. Get yourself on the radar. A standout head-bind drive is the best way to do it.”However, Jacques’ position on the “ludicrous” three-way 2025 F1 title race is far less clear as the 36-year-old can’t pick between McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris or reigning world champion Max Verstappen, but is certain it is “the best type of season” with the field being so close.He added: “I really loved it because you’ve got three drivers at totally different stages of their careers. You’ve also got Lando Norris, [who] came in as the pre-season favourite.”Can he deal with the expectation on his shoulders? And Oscar Piastri, exceeding expectations for where he is. You’ve got the McLaren drivers trying to win their first championships.”You’ve got Max trying to make history and emulate the great Michael Schumacher. And he’d only be two behind the all-time record if he gets five with a lot of his career still to go. It’s a wonderful dynamic. The qualifying sessions have been so tight.Read More on The Sun”We’ve not had a gap between first and second. that’s been over a tenth. That is ludicrous. We used to have gaps between first and second of a second back in the early 90s. F1 is ultra-competitive, we’re having a great season.”EA SPORTS has launched their new F1 25 game, with the iconic Edition out now and the Standard Edition launching May 30th. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.Quickfire questions: Alex JacquesBuild your dream driver:Racecraft: Fernando AlonsoQualifying Pace: Charles LeclercTalent: Max VerstappenAwareness: Lewis Hamilton all dayDefence: Fernando AlonsoTyre management: Ooh, tyre management. Probably be one of the McLaren boys at the moment because they seem to have that on lock, don’t they? Yeah, we’ll give Lando tyre management.Quickfire round: Favourite drink: Favourite drink? Wow, I didn’t expect that. Probably a strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am on the boat.Favourite food or snack during comms: You’ve got to have a bag of Haribo to get you through, especially if you’re doing an overnight one.Guilty pleasure: Guilty pleasure. Yeah, watching Ipswich Town win this year because it’s not been a regular occurrence.Favourite racetrack: Monza. Favourite car: Favourite car? Of all cars. F1 or… F1 or what? The 1998 McLaren. That’s the first season I watch, so that’s always my favourite F1 car. Favourite driver of all time: Favourite driver of all time? Similar answer. Mikka Hakkinen, champion the first year that he won and my childhood hero. And yeah, still get starstruck by him in the paddock. He’s a lovely chap. More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd and Tottenham will deserve a Champions League place if they win Europa League, whatever whinging Wenger says

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      IF I was asked for my favourite moment in over 30 years in football, I wouldn’t need to phone a friend, ask the audience, go 50-50 or even ask Jeremy Clarkson.The day West Ham lifted a European trophy will always be a treasured pinnacle.Former Arsenal boss Wenger has said neither Man Utd or Spurs deserve Champions League football next seasonCredit: GettyMan Utd will face Spurs in Bilbao to contest the Europa League final after a league season to forgetCredit: ReutersSpurs are also desperate to qualify for the Champions League by winning in BilbaoCredit: ReutersThat win over Fiorentina in Prague in the Europa Conference League final ended 43 years of hurt at West Ham.For me and all our supporters it was something very special — a day to tell the grandchildren. You just cannot beat the feeling of winning silverware.So Wednesday’s Europa League final — the ‘British battle of Bilbao’ — is a clash which means the world to fans of Spurs and Manchester United.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSOnly this one comes with a big, fat, juicy cherry on top of the cake.Victory means Champions League qualification next season and that comes with a cheque for £100million, and possibly a lot more.In a way, this is a final bigger than a trophy.But now the argument begins. Look at the Premier League table and you can’t fail to notice that both clubs are nearer the floor than the ceiling.Most read in Europa LeagueJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSFor both Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim this is a chance to get their hands on silverware and to show that they can be genuine winners. Forget their stumbling league form as this showdown is a gateway to the elite level of European football.Bruno Fernandes matches Cristiano Ronaldo record as he wins Man Utd award – but admits he DOESN’T want itHere is the question — and it’s worth a lot more than the £1m on offer to contestants in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?Is this a case of Champions League via a sneaky short cut? Or has it been truly earned?Fifa’s chief of global football development, Arsene Wenger, revealed his distaste for this back-door route into the Champions League.When asked if it was ‘right,’ Wenger said: “No. They should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League.“Especially when you are in the Premier League where already five teams qualify. It is something to think about and to review.”West Ham won the Europa Conference League in 2023Credit: GettyCritics say the winners in Bilbao will benefit, while clubs who perform week-in, week-out in their domestic leagues are unfairly treated. They would argue that league tables should be key to unlocking European qualification, not one-off games.I’m fairly certain Manchester United and Spurs fans would disagree with that and may point to a long and gruelling midweek European campaign, which should be rewarded accordingly.Also, as any manager will tell you, performances often dip when you are playing three games a week and travelling to far-flung corners of the continent.A wet Wednesday in Bremen is knackering!Those same supporters say that a winner-takes-all-final creates true jeopardy and excitement. And I can see that as West Ham’s showdown two years ago triggered an astonishing reaction with over 20,000 fans travelling to Prague.If supporters love it, who are we to criticise?While the Hammers qualified for the Europa League following that victory, the winners in Bilbao will take a seat at the very top table.Champions League brings huge income — prize money, broadcast rights, sponsorship deals — as well as enhanced transfer appeal.For Spurs and Manchester United this game effectively decides their summer spending budget. Will it be Harrods or Peckham market?So are league positions no longer the true barometer of a team’s season? Wenger wants it to change so we shall see.Read More on The SunWhether the prize of Champions League qualification to the winners is right or wrong, this final will define more than just one season.It could define the future of European football. More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew reveals how chess champion Eberechi Eze can checkmate Man City in FA Cup final

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      ALAN PARDEW says Eberechi Eze can spark a great knight by becoming a Crystal Palace king.The winger is a symbol of how the club from the mean streets of South London has been transformed.Former Palace boss Pardew believes Eze is the key to unlocking an FA Cup final victory for his former sideCredit: GettyEberechi Eze has performed on and off the pitch this season, winning football and chess matchesCredit: GettyEze, 26, is a chess champion and an England international.A deep-thinking member of a polished Palace squad that is a far cry from when Pardew played and managed there.Today is the third FA Cup final for a club yet to win a major trophy.Pardew played in the first, managed the Eagles for the second and reckons this is the best shot ever his beloved ex-team has of finally landing silverware.READ MORE CRYSTAL PALACE NEWSPardew, 63, told SunSport: “Palace is an ‘edgy’ club. Always on the edge, whether relegation or the cusp of winning something.“We get more street-type players like Wayne Rooney at our academy, who just love the ball at their feet. The area around the ground is ‘edgy’.“We get more of that type than we do structured midfield players or centre-halves or sensible right-backs. We get right-backs who just want to fly down the wing.“The current squad has now been internationally sourced and scouted.”Most read in FA CupJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSStar player Eze won Chess.com’s four-day PogChamps tournament this month — beating YouTuber Sapnap in the final.And Pardew said: “It’s brilliant Eze won that chess tournament.“He is actually a neighbour of mine.Eberechi Eze was rejected by SIX teams including Arsenal as fans say ‘absolute stinker in hindsight’“He is a humble guy, he was very respectful to me when we met. Such a lovely person and to have that talent is a blessing.“It’s nice to see him win a chess tournament — brilliant. And it doesn’t surprise me, because when he plays the game, everything he does is strategic.“He passes the ball when he should and he crosses the ball when he should.“And he shoots when he should and defends when he should. And he does that all of the time. He gets the mixture just right.“The 1990 team was Steve Coppell doing the best job he could with the least amount of money.“Non-league players like myself, Ian Wright, Andy Gray. Geoff Thomas came from Crewe, as did John Pemberton.“We were a band of brothers from all corners of the football world. With 12 years of Premier League money, they have invested much more wisely.“It has taken them up a level. I would go as far as saying this is the best team I’ve seen at Palace.“I remember Gareth Southgate, when he went to the 1990 Cup final as a young player. He was teased as he was the only one in the squad who had any O-levels.“But our centre-half Eric Young, did go on to pass his accountancy exams after retirement, so there was some room for intelligence.”Pardew wants a Palace win as a reward for the supporters.He said: “I hope they get this one over the line for the fans. They are brilliant. They’ll sing the whole game.“A lot of those people are in jobs where money is tight, so getting to this final would be a big expense.“But they’ll still go the extra mile to be there.”Read More on The SunALAN PARDEW now leads his own strategic football consultancy, channelling years of experience to support clubs at every level, from recruitment to coach mentoring. Find him at www.apardew-consultancy.com More

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      in Boxing

      Chris Eubank Jr has never understood what boxing is about, slams his dad ahead of controversial Conor Benn fight

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      CHRIS EUBANK JR has been slammed by his dad for “never understanding what boxing is about”.”Next Gen” is set to face off with Conor Benn in the ring tonight at the Tottenham Hostpur Stadium, but unlike his rival he will not have his legendary dad behind him.Chris Eubank Sr has said his son has ‘never understood what boxing is about’Credit: The SunChris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn are set to do battle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this eveningCredit: GettyThe Eubanks have been at odds with one another since 2019, with Eubank Jr, 35, revealing he does not speak to his old man anymore after years of idolising him.The Hove hitman, who has taken drastic measures after failing to make the weight for the 160lbs middleweight clash, has admitted he hopes his father has a change of heart and turns up for fight night.However, his former middleweight and super-middleweight champion dad has revealed what he thinks of his son’s boxing career in no uncertain terms.Speaking exclusively on SunSport’s Behind The Gloves series, Eubank, 58, said: “Junior has never understood what boxing is about. Boxing is about being the chief in the community.READ MORE IN BOXING”The people will look up to you if you achieve what I’m trying to get you to. It isn’t this (money making gesture) I’m trying to get you to. “I’m trying to get you to the point where the hearts of the people are with you. I’m no longer liked, I’m loved.”Why? Because I’ve been a gentleman right the way through on every single subject that has come in front of me.”The father and son rift has shown no signs of healing during the build-up to the fight – despite this bout opening another chapter in the more than three-decade-old Eubank-Benn rivalry.Most read in BoxingEUBANK JR VS BENN – BETTING TIPS AND LATEST ODDSIn fact, the relationship has deteriorated so much that Eubank called for his son’s boxing licence to be revoked after Jr cracked an egg over Benn’s face in a February press conference.Indeed, Eubank Sr is no fan of the fight taking place at all, previously labelling it a “disgrace” and accusing his son of “making a mockery” of the family legacy as he faced an uphill battle to make the weight.Chris Eubank Jr shows off his brutal weight cut ahead of Conor Benn fightEubank continued: “Once you reach the top, you don’t sell out. You keep your position. Because once you have reached the top it means you are a person who has inspired people. “That you have the power to steer people correctly, in the right direction. I would never sell that for money to get back in the ring.”You know what’s really frustrating; I’ve been on these tours where you speak about boxing and I’ve asked the audience to ask me what I’m doing now, because obviously, if I got that far then perhaps I actually reached for something else.”I did and I got there. I’m here. So what is that? I’m a teacher, I’m a seer. And the seeing I do is for your benefit. This is the way in which I entertain, because it’s fascinating.”After it was revealed Eubank Jr agonisingly missed the weight mark by 0.05lbs and then 0.02lbs, he will need to pay a huge £375,000 fine to Benn as per the terms of their contract.Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor BennTHE countdown is ON to one of the biggest boxing events of the 21st CenturyFamilial tension and a rivalry that has been brewing for years will finally be resolved when Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night.There has been huge drama in the build-up with the pair engaged in a war of words and multiple clashes in person.SunSport will have full coverage of the blockbuster clash all week and LIVE round-by-round coverage of every fight on a stacked undercard.Latest NewsAll the infoHowever, he insists the pain of missing the weight and the subsequent correction techniques, including wrapping himself up in insulated sleeping bags and training on an exercise bike while wearing a sweatsuit, are nothing compared to losing the support of his dad and losing his brother.Speaking about his strained relationship with his father and pain he has felt in recent years, including two family tragedies, Jr said: “What is pain, though?”I have a 31-year old brother who is buried in the desert in Dubai, that is pain. I have his son, three years old, he asks why can’t I see my daddy? Why can’t he take me to school? That is pain.“My own father, a man I idolised for my entire life, and he doesn’t speak to me. We haven’t spoken in years and he thinks I’m a disgrace. These things are what pain is to me.”Talking about his dad in October, Jr said: “We don’t talk, he has shown no interest in my career for a long period of time now. He’s shown no interest in me in a long period of time.Read More on The Sun”As somebody who’s lost a son, I think that’s a pretty insane thing [for my dad] to be doing, an insane way to be acting – to kind of not be speaking to your remaining kids.”Watch Sun Sport’s full preview of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – with former world champion George Groves, Chris Eubank Sr and Harlem Eubank – on our YouTube channel. More

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      in Soccer

      I sold Lamine Yamal trading card for a life-changing amount – my wife doesn’t think it’s a silly hobby now

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      SPORTS trading cards may seem like a silly hobby to some, but for those who know what they are looking for it is becoming a life-changing industry.And that was exactly what happened to Aaron Morgan after he packed a rare Lamine Yamal 2023/24 Topps Chrome UCC SuperFractor.Aaron Morgan found an incredibly rare Lamine Yamal cardCredit: Aaron MorganHe then sold it for £80,000Credit: Aaron MorganAaron, from Melbourne, Australia, had booked himself a £147 ($300 Australian dollars) spot for a Topps Chrome box break with Trident Collectables.But the 35-year-old electrician, who has always been a keen card collector after starting out with Pokemon cards, ended up pulling out a huge Yamal Topps card.The card was graded as a gem mint 10 by the Professional Sports Authenticator before it went to sale with Godlin auctions.Aaron actually missed the opening of the card because he was sleeping due to the time difference, but said he was flooded with messages when he woke up.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSpeaking exclusively to SunSport, he said: “And I didn’t actually watch it live, I was asleep in bed.”Yeah, well, my first thought when I woke up with all the messages, I was like, I don’t know, they didn’t actually tell me what the card was.”So I had to go back and watch it. “And then I saw the card and I was like, OK, that’s a pretty expensive card, but I had no idea what it would be worth.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSAaron admitted he was expecting the card to sell for just under £10,000 ($20,000 AUD).He then revealed he turned down offers of £12,000 ($25,000) and £32,000 ($65,000) before committing the card to auction.I went to the UK’s biggest football trading card show – watch how to spot value in your collectionsAnd that leap of faith was rewarded as the card bidding was up to nearly £50,000 ($100,000 AUD) after only a few days.The winning bid saw the card sell for a staggering £80,000 ($103,000 USD – $163,000 AUD).Aaron’s wife had actually taken more of an interest in the cards despite originally not thinking much of the hobby.On her reaction, Aaron said: “Well, she doesn’t think it’s a silly little hobby now. So that’s pretty good.”She was wrapped, she was like you’re kidding? And then she was watching the auction and she’d come in to tell me there’s been another bid and I wasn’t even watching it.”Aaron revealed his previous record for selling sports trading cards was a relatively humble £5,000 ($10,000 AUD) on a triple order of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.On his plans for the money, Aaron said: “No I haven’t spent any of the money yet, (I will) probably on buying more cards.”But no, me and my partner are currently looking for a house. So it’s going to go a long way and we can probably get an extra bedroom on the house.”It should be nice because property is pretty expensive in Australia at the moment.”The sports trading card industry is in the middle of a massive surge in growth.In 2023 it was estimated the industry was worth around £34billion and would grow to around £78bn by 2027.Aaron added: “Well I’m glad I started collecting now, it’s great for the hobby. You can see the excitement and it’s not just one age, one gender, one anything, anyone can collect these cards.Aaron’s impressive card collection includes more Yamal rookie cardsCredit: Aaron MorganHe is also collecting baseball cards and banking on the players’ future successCredit: Aaron MorganAaron said he is glad he is collecting now with the sports trading card industry set to grow to £78billion in 2027Credit: Aaron Morgan”In the US they are like $30. So you can just go into a shop that sells cards, buy a box for $30 and then you can change your life, and it’s just fun as well.”As well as football and Pokemon cards, Aaron is also a keen collector of cards from baseball, basketball and Formula 1, revealing he reckons he has more than 5,000 cards in his collection at home.On cards he is keeping an eye on, he said: “So I’ve collected a lot of baseball rookies. “A lot of Wembys (Victor Wembanyama). So I’m banking on them having a great career…”I’ve been buying a lot of Jason Dominguez at the moment.”He was a rookie last year, so I’m hoping when the baseball season starts up he’s going to have a good year because I think he’s a pretty good player.”Also I’m still collecting Lamine Yamal rookies. “They’re not as crazy as the one I sold, but I’ve got a nice image variation from Topps Merlin product that is numbered to 25 and I sent it to PSA and it got a gem mint 10.”Asides from cards, Aaron and his wife also like to collect F1 memorabilia, with his wife being a huge fan of George Russell – even buying a signed photo and VIP helmet with a written message from the Mercedes driver given out at Silverstone. While Aaron and his wife are keeping the Yamal money to one side for their future home, they will be attending the season opening F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne.Aaron also revealed he will be in attendance at CollectFest, a festival for all collectables, taking place in the summer which is expecting as many as 10,000 fans to turn up.London has its own version of CollectFest, the London Card Show, which takes place at Sandown Racecourse in Surrey.READ MORE SUN STORIESCards from various series, including Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering can also be sold for incredible sums.A rare Jackie Robinson rookie card is in line to be sold for more than £310,000 next week after hitting auction.The collection includes F1 cars models, helmets and cardsCredit: Aaron MorganAaron has around 5,000 cards in his collectionCredit: Aaron MorganHe and his wife also have a number of other collectablesCredit: Aaron MorganAaron started collecting when he was very youngCredit: Aaron Morgan More

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      in Soccer

      Sir Dave Brailsford questioning what he’s got himself into as he realises true extent of Man Utd disaster

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      SIR JIM RATCLIFFE can make all the cuts he wants — and the latest involves Manchester United’s training-ground canteen.It is understood that lunch for all but first-team players has been reduced to soup and sandwiches — and that includes coaches and analysts.Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s right hand man Sir Dave Brailsford is wondering what he has got himself intoCredit: PAThe Ineos chiefs want to bin off many of Man Utd’s flops, but no one will take themCredit: ReutersThings have gone from bad to worse since Ratcliffe took charge just over a year agoCredit: GettyMeanwhile, this month’s FA Youth Cup 5–1 quarter-final win over Chelsea, which traditionally would have been staged at Old Trafford, was played at Leigh Sports Village for a saving of £8,000.But the cuts he cannot make concern the majority of the rabble that saved a point at Everton but almost no pride despite coming back from a two-goal deficit created by Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.Manager Ruben Amorim has already declared he is in charge of “the worst” team in United’s history.But against a resurgent Toffees outfit inspired by former Red Devils boss David Moyes and almost certainly denied a 93rd-minute penalty victory by a VAR call that Ratcliffe’s No 2 Sir Dave Brailsford might describe as a ‘marginal gain’, this was the worst of the worst.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte produced stunners to earn a point but United, before Moyes was sacked 11 years ago, were never this bad.Plan A for Ratcliffe would be to dump most of them, if nothing else to save salary costs.Because you would not get back even half of the staggering near-£500million transfer outlay on Saturday’s awful starting side.But why would Casemiro, aged 33 and playing like a midfield OAP, go?Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSHe is on £350,000 a week and has just declared that he wants to stay until his contract runs out at the end of next season.Of course he would say that. No sane club is going to touch this burnt-out wreck of a midfielder who once gloried in five Champions Leagues triumphs with Real Madrid.Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey gives verdict on Everton’s overturned penalty against Man UtdNot even the moneymen of the Saudi Pro League would go anywhere near paying him that kind of cash — and he surely knows it.Striker Rasmus Hojlund cost an initial £64m and he can trouser £85,000 a week until 2028.He has not hit the net in 16 straight appearances, is completely out of his depth, and even a League One team might doubt paying him even £5,000 a week.The list of so–called stars earning money as ridiculous as that spot-kick intervention by VAR Matt Donohue and referee Andy Madley’s TV-replay-change-of-mind goes on and on.If any player illustrates the financial hold that Amorim’s crop of pretenders have over the club, then that is surely centre-back Harry Maguire.He, along with Matthijs de Ligt, was guilty of pulling down Ashley Young for what should have been a stitched-on penalty.Man Utd ratings vs EvertonMANCHESTER UNITED fought back from two goals down to draw against Everton at Goodison ParkThe Red Devils were slammed as “embarrassing” by Rio Ferdinand after failing 2-0 down in the first half.But they fought back late on thanks to a stunning Bruno Fernandes free-kick and volley from Manuel Ugarte, who bagged his first goal since his summer arrival from PSG.Amorim’s men were then lucky to escape a penalty in the final moments after VAR overturned the decision.SunSport’s Ken Lawrence has given his ratings of the Manchester United team…Andre Onana – 7United needed him with his game-head on, and his 93rd-minute stop saved a point.Noussair Mazraoui 69′ – 4Looked seriously uncomfortable on the right side of the back three – forced there because of a defensive injury crisisHarry Maguire – 4Out-jumped by Doucoure as the midfielder grabbed Everton’s second and was generally all over the place.Matthijs de Ligt – 4Nowhere for Beto’s opener, completely missing attempted clearance and got away with a 93rd-minute penalty call.Diogo Dalot – 5At least shows willing. Which is more than could be said for some of his team mates at Goodison.Manuel Ugarte – 7Spent most of the game stranded in United’s midfield morass but salvation came with a brilliant strike.Casemiro 62′ – 2The Brazilian is beginning to look like the world’s oldest 32-year-old —he’s become a genuine irrelevance.Patrick Dorgu – 6Made a determined start down the left flank but that enthusiasm was slowly but surely sucked out of him.Bruno Fernandes – 8His free kick was genuine class and once he was dropped deeper started controlling the game.Joshua Zirkzee – 4At £36.5M you would expect an element of ball control but the Dutchman used as a joint No 10 just looks lost.Rasmus Hojlund 69′ – 3Not so much a desperate Dane, more a despairing one although it would help if he had some support.Subs:Alejandro Garnacho 62′ – 7Injected some desperately needed pace and passion. Leny Yoro 69′ – 6Should have been on much earlier.Chido Obi-Martin 69′ – 5The 17-year-old has a presence for sure.But in 2023, he refused to reduce his weekly wage after West Ham bid £20m for him.The former captain is on a one–year extension handed to him last month and is paid £195,000 a week.But Maguire, 31, would have been gone 18 months ago — except United refused to stump up the £15m he is understood to have wanted for leaving.Ratcliffe, who invested £1.03billion to take over the running of the football side of the club a year ago, must be wondering what he got himself into.SunSport understands Brailsford is now asking that very question.For there is no Plan B and Amorim is seemingly hell-bent on destroying his reputation for the sake of a 3–4–3 point of principle.United are not in a relegation crisis now but, with this lot, they will be next season.They owe £1bn, Amorim knows that if he wants to buy he must sell first — good luck with that — and, worst of all, under Ratcliffe’s leadership the club is facing an identity crisis.Moyes, sacked as United boss in 2014, will soon be able to indulge himself at a far different club to the semi-skint one he first left for Old Trafford.The new 52,888-seater Bramley-Moore Dock stadium will bring in an extra £80m a year, while new owners The Friedkin Group are worth £10bn and Everton are debt-free.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis summer, Moyes will be buying big while his former club are stuck with a collection of expensive fakes they cannot sell.The irony of all that will surely amuse him, even if he was spitting feathers following the penalty debacle that probably cost him a fifth Prem win in six games. More