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    Leeds face Ben White bid heartbreak – but Brighton star could go elsewhere

    LEEDS face potential heartbreak in their chase for Ben White – but the Brighton defender could still land a big move elsewhere.
    The Championship title-winners are desperate to land the £20million-rated defender who has been outstanding in his spell on loan at Elland Road this season.

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    Ben White made 46 appearances for Championship title winners Leeds this season. The defender, who’s on loan from Brighton, has attracted interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, Wolves and Leicester CityCredit: PA:Press Association
    But Brighton are unwilling to sell to a ‘rival’ club who could be near them in the Premier League table next season.
    Seagulls boss Graham Potter wants White, 22, who played every minute of Leeds’ successful League season, to be a key starter at the Amex next term.
    But Brighton, who are strapped for cash, are still likely to listen to offers from clubs at the very top end of the League if the teams are willing to pay over the odds.
    Liverpool, Manchester United, Wolves and Leicester have all shown an interest. 

    He’s done brilliantly at Leeds and helped them get promotion – that’s fantastic for them, fantastic for him – but he’s our player
    Graham Potter

    Yet Leeds’ fans and all the players are still hoping White – who has two years left on his current deal – will return to Elland Road on a permanent deal.
    But Brighton boss Graham Potter said: “He’s our player, he’s got a long contract with us.
    “I have known Ben for a while, I have been aware of him, wanted to try and sign him when we were at Swansea.

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    White (second from left) has netted once and provided two assists during his successful loan spell at Leeds this termCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    “I know about his qualities. He’s a fantastic player.

    He’s done brilliantly at Leeds and helped them get promotion – that’s fantastic for them, fantastic for him – but he’s our player and we’re looking forward to working with him
    “He complements us really well. He’s got attributes that are really, really useful and he’s going to be a top player.”

    White scored just once this season and that was a stunning volley in Wednesday’s 4-0 hammering of Charlton.
    White joined Brighton in 2016 after being released by Southampton.
    He has played just twice for the club- in the EFL Cup – and has also been sent out on loan to Newport and Peterborough.

    How Leeds could line up next season, with Ibrahimovic and Cavani in attack plus Quarta and Bravo in defence More

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    West Ham vs Aston Villa FREE: Live stream, kick-off time, TV channel and team news for final day Premier League clash

    WEST HAM host Aston Villa as Dean Smith’s side look to book their place in the Premier League for next season.
    After two wins in their last three, Villa are in the drivers seat to survive and will finish outside the bottom three if they better Watford’s result against Arsenal.

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    Villa have fought their way into a position where they are favourites to stay upCredit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail
    What time is kick-off?
    Sunday 26th July at 4pm BST .
    The match is one of 10 Premier League games to be taking place on Sunday afternoon.
    What TV channel and live stream is West Ham vs Aston Villa on?
    West Ham vs Aston Villa will be broadcast live on BT Sport 1.
    BT Sport 2 will be showing Newcastle vs Liverpool.
    Subscribers will also be able to watch the game on BT Sport’s website and app.
    How can I watch West Ham vs Aston Villa for FREE?
    EE phone customers can get a FREE three-month BT Sport mobile trial by texting SPORT to 150.

    The trial can then be cancelled at any time.

    What are the final day Premier League fixtures?
    All kick-offs 4pm BST:
    Arsenal vs Watford – Sky Sports Premier League
    Burnley vs Brighton – Sky Sports Arena
    Chelsea vs Wolves – Sky Sports Football
    Crystal Palace vs Spurs – Sky Sports Action
    Everton vs Bournemouth – Sky Sports Golf
    Leicester vs Man Utd  – Sky Sports Main Event
    Man City vs Norwich – Sky Sports Pick/Sky One
    Newcastle vs Liverpool – BT Sport 2
    Southampton vs Sheffield United – Sky Sports Mix
    West Ham vs Aston Villa – BT Sport 1
    Latest odds
    West Ham  to win – 5/6
    Draw – 5/2
    Aston Villa to win – 10/3
    Both teams to score – 3/4
    Over 2.5 goals – 17/20
    *All odds from Ladbrokes correct at time of publication More

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    Wigan’s administrators want a new buyer to pay the crisis club’s wages next week

    WIGAN’S administrators want a new buyer to pay the crisis club’s wages NEXT WEEK.
    The hard-up outfit face a financial headache as they try to sell players in a hurry to sort out their bills.

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    Latics boss Paul Cook faces a new blow to his plans as interested buyers would need to fork out immediately for wagesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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    Wigan’s crisis is deepening but they are appealing against a 12-point deductionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    But this new demand has shocked potential bidders who will have to fork out around £1million in salaries immediately.
    Paul Cook’s squad are due their August pay cheques in full and the administrators want a buyer to sign up for this as they struggle to raise the funds by player sales.
    Most will have cuts in their deals after relegation while some will have left to reduce the amount from its previous £1.6m level.
    But it is an instant extra demand when any buyer is already under huge pressure to exchange contracts by Friday.

    If the Wigan players cannot be paid within a fortnight then they can ALL give notice to leave for nothing, putting the club on the brink of meltdown.
    This has put off some prospective buyers who are already anxious about the overall price of taking on a League One club.
    The administrators want around £7-8m from the new owner who will also have to show funds for two years to the EFL.

    Ironically that number has dropped since relegation, with around £20m needed to hold in reserve.
    The admin process has been difficult so far.
    I can reveal that the first preferred bidder dropped out within hours of being offered the Latics.
    A second was due to sign on Thursday by noon AND hand over a £100,000 deposit.

    The time frame is made worse by the fact Wigan are appealing against the 12-point for going into administration that sent them down.
    That hearing is also on Friday, with a decision due soon after and hopefully before the EFL confirm promotion and relegation at a meeting a week later.
    In a further twist, if Wigan are successful then the new buyer would then have to pay MORE wages as the players would still be on Championship terms.

    David Marshall shows his goalkeeping skills as he joins in training at Wigan More

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    Sheffield United and Swansea battle to secure Liverpool whizkid Rhian Brewster in loan transfer

    YOUNG Liverpool star Rhian Brewster is wanted on loan by Sheffield United in a three-way fight.
    The forward has been sensational for Swansea — his six goals since the restart have fired them into the Championship play-offs.

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    Rhian Brewster is wanted on loan by Sheffield UnitedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Swans are hoping Brewster, 20, could yet take them back to the Premier League — in which case they would ask for him to return for next season.
    But Blades manager Chris Wilder wants to take him to Bramall Lane to add fresh legs and threat to his forward line.
    United would have to convince Liverpool that Brewster will play often enough to justify the move.

    However, the biggest threat to the loan switch is that Jurgen Klopp may opt to keep the England Under-21 ace and use him as cover for his attack.

    Liverpool are yet to decide what to do with rising star Brewster next season but the youngster seems sure to be playing in the top flight.
    Wilder has a chance of landing his man although Swansea missing out on promotion would be a bonus for his cause in the coming weeks.

    Meanwhile, Sheffield United’s French forward Lys Mousset on his way to create a vacancy for Brewster.
    And Blades keeper Jake Eastwood could move on loan by Bolton.

    Wilder is looking for a new No 1 and may try his luck with an offer for Bournemouth’s Aaron Ramsdale if he cannot get Dean Henderson back from Manchester United on loan.

    Premier League 2020-21 season to start on September 12 but fixtures will be released just three weeks before kick-off More

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    Energy drink mogul Storey claims he’s made ‘formal legal offer’ to buy Sunderland and boasts of ‘blue chip backers’

    ENERGY DRINK entrepreneur William Storey claims he has launched a bid to buy Sunderland.
    Black Cats owner Stewart Donald, who resigned as chairman last week, is desperate to sell and is holding out for £35million.

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    William Storey is turning his sights towards football after ending his involvement with Formula 1
    And the shaggy bearded Storey, CEO of Rich Energy, revealed his move on Twitter on Friday.
    He said: “I am limited in what I can say due to NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), but I can confirm that I have made a formal legal offer for Sunderland.
    “I have significant funding from blue chip backers. Sunderland are a giant of English football & their fans deserve a team to reflect that stature.”
    Storey is yet to provide proof of funds, with Donald believed to be in talks with other suitors.

    Rich Energy has dabbled in F1 having failed in an attempt to save the Force India team from administration.
    Storey’s company then entered a sponsorship agreement with Haas F1 team but the contract was terminated early.

    He told SunSport at the time: “Haas [are] nice people but the car is going backwards. We are a superior product to Red Bull. A milkfloat at back of grid a disaster for us. End of.”
    Sunderland narrowly missed out on the League One play-offs in 2019/20 after the season was cut short due to coronavirus.

    On Friday, Northern Ireland international Tom Flanagan signed a new two-year deal with the club.

    Sunderland CEO Jim Rodwell calls for PFA to help fund coronavirus tests for League One players More

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    Leeds TV presenter Emma Louise Jones sends fans into frenzy as she posts selfie holding Championship trophy

    POPULAR Leeds United TV presenter Emma Louise Jones sent fans into a frenzy with a selfie holding the Championship trophy.
    In a now-deleted tweet to her 203,000 followers, the on-camera personality shared the celebratory snap after the Whites finally returned to the Premier League after 16 years.

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    Leeds United presenter Emma Louise Jones tweeted a picture of her with the Championship trophy which has now been deleted
    The snap showed Jones in a bar area inside Elland Road clasping the trophy with a huge grin on her face.
    Most of the replies to the now unavailable tweet have gone but Jones replied to one which read: “Great job all year on both LUTV and Five Live! Here’s to a cracking PL season!”
    Jones never used to be a football fan but is now set to follow Leeds back to the Premier League.
    She has given fans plenty of reason to cheer with her appearances on LUTV since her 2017 debut.

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    Jones has worked for LUTV since 2017
    And with Marcelo Bielsa finally finding the secret formula to Leeds’ success, the Premier League is set to see much more of Jones.
    Emma conducts post and pre-match interviews for LUTV – while also working for BBC Radio 5 Live and the Netball Nation podcast.
    She famously stole the show during England’s 2018 World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica – with the TV camera operator clearly more interested in her than the match.
    Leeds yesterday tried to claim their much criticised open-top bus celebration after their 4-0 win was to keep fans AWAY from Elland Road.

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    Lucy also works for BBC 5 Live
    Photos on Emma’s social media through the years have shown her alongside Leeds legend Eddie Gray and a crop of stars including Pontus Jansson and Stuart Dallas.
    Her success in the role is all the more remarkable considering she never used to watch the beautiful game before getting the job.
    Speaking to Ourtown magazine, Emma said: “I never used to be a football fan – but since doing Leeds I’ve become one!
    “The atmosphere, passion and buzz rubbed off on me very quickly and now I’m the noisiest spectator watching from the gallery.”
    Emma has a background in news but admits she found it hard asking people difficult questions.

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    Jones recently revealed she was not a football fan before getting the Leeds gig

    She says she once ended up crying with an interviewee – but there have been no such problems with Leeds… especially this season.
    Jones said: “Whilst in Hull, I managed to get a job on Leeds United TV, presenting their matchday shows.
    “Again, I couldn’t believe my luck as TV had been another dream of mine.”

    Cheers, Richard! 🙌🏼😁
    — Emma Louise Jones (@eljonesuk) July 24, 2020

    Premier League 2020-21 season to start on September 12 but fixtures will be released just three weeks before kick-off More

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    Port Vale striker Tom Pope hit with SIX-game ban and £3500 fine by FA for anti-Semitic Twitter post

    PORT VALE striker Tom Pope has been hit with a SIX-game ban and a £3,500 fine for an anti-Semitic Twitter post.
    The FA dished out the punishment after Pope, 34, made comments in the early hours of January 5 following his goal in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat at Manchester City.

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    Tom Pope has been banned for SIX games after an anti-Semitic Twitter post
    In a series of posts, he promoted anti-Semitic myths about the Rothschild family “owning the banking system”.
    The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned Pope for subscribing to “the notorious antisemitic conspiracy theory” and urged the FA “to send a clear message that the promotion of antisemitism will not be tolerated at any level of the game”.
    FA disciplinary beaks began a probe within 24 hours, demanding information from the striker.
    And an FA statement today read: “Tom Pope has been suspended for six matches, fined £3,500 and must complete a face-to-face education course for an “Aggravated Breach” of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on 5 January 2020.

    “The Port Vale FC player denied that comments he made were abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute, contrary to FA Rule E3(1), and constituted an “Aggravated Breach”, which is defined in Rule E3(2), as they included, whether express or implied, reference to race and/or religion and/or ethnic origin.
    “An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found the charge to be proven during a personal hearing.
    “Written reasons for both a preliminary application ruling and the decision and sanction are available below.”
    While a ban for social media comments is not automatic in normal situations, Pope is facing the sanction as was his FOURTH offence in less than 12 months.

    In June 2019, he was fined £2,000 and warned for Twitter comments about Mansfield chief executive Carolyn Radford.
    Five months later, he was banned for one game for posts about the allegations of historic sexual abuse at Crewe following a win over the Railwaymen.
    And in January, Pope was handed another one-game ban for a post in which he compared a fan to the character Sloth from the 80s film “The Goonies”.

    Chelsea boss Frank Lampard apologies for rant at Klopp at Liverpool match More

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    Yaya Toure jokes about Leyton Orient transfer after training with League Two club to stay fit

    YAYA TOURE has said “we will see” regarding a transfer to Leyton Orient after shocking fans by training with the League Two side as he aims to get fit for the 2020-21 season.
    The 37-year-old has been without a club since leaving Chinese second-tier side Qingdao Huanghai earlier this year.

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    Yaya Toure reported for training in full Leyton Orient training gearCredit: Twitter@leytonorientfc

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    The Manchester City legend appeared ready for work as he arrived for trainingCredit: Twitter@leytonorientfc
    But the Manchester City legend appeared ready for business as he adorned the red training kit of Orient and got down to work.
    And while today’s session was mainly about fitness, Toure confirmed that he will remain training with the O’s next week for some ball work.
    On being granted the opportunity to train with Ross Embleton’s side, the ex-Barcelona star was very grateful.
    He told the club’s media team: “I think the manager and the staff was fantastic, they allowed me to come and train with the lads.

    “It’s a huge opportunity, coming with team-mates, meeting people – it’s not easy at the moment with the virus.
    “I’m really delighted, I’m really happy.”

    I feel like I’m at home here, I want to train and do my best. Maybe we’ll see.
    Yaya Toure

    When the Leyton Orient interviewer Luke Lambourne suggested that it was unlikely that Toure would be signing for the O’s, the Ivorian cackled with laughter.
    He then continued on his future: “Maybe, can be!

    “I just want to enjoy until the last minute because football for me is everything. I’ve been outside football for four or three months and I was thinking ‘I miss something’.
    “It’s difficult to express that. I think today I have a great, great feeling with the Leyton Orient team – they allowed me to train with the lads – the manager was fantastic.
    “I feel like I’m at home here, I want to train and do my best.
    “Maybe we’ll see.”

    👀 Who have we got here then?It’s only three-time Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and African Cup of Nations winner Yaya Touré.There he is look, in his Leyton Orient top at training this morning.#LOFC #OnlyOneOrient pic.twitter.com/nvX99rro4Y
    — Leyton Orient (@leytonorientfc) July 24, 2020

    Even the Brisbane Road side’s Twitter admin could hardly believe the sight of the three-time Premier League winner in Orient colours, tweeting “Yaya Touré lads. Bloody hell.”
    Fans could scarcely believe their eyes either, struggling to conceal their shocked reactions.
    One responded: “Haha! What’s going on there? I can’t think of a good reason why he’s in our training gear.”
    While another wrote: “i’m so baffed what is going on”.
    Another joked: “We won’t forget your birthday cake @YayaToure x”.
    The Ivorian left Manchester City in 2018 after winning his third and final Premier League title with the Sky Blues.
    A brief spell with Olympiacos followed, before he made the move to China last year.

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    Toure last played for Qingdao Huanghai in China’s second tierCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Toure departed Qingdao Huanghai after helping them to promotion to the Chinese Super League last season.
    He had been linked with Brazilian side Botafogo prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
    And he remains eager to keep playing deep into his thirties – as he trains with the O’s and steps up his preparations for the 2020-21 season.

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    The Manchester City legend lifted three Premier League titles during his spell at the EtihadCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Yaya Toure sent off just 10 seconds into Man City legend’s potential last match More